It seems that language appeared from nowhere since no other…
Read the text aloud.
It seems that language appeared from nowhere since no other species has anything resembling human language. However, other animals do possess basic systems for perceiving and producing sounds that enable them to communicate. These systems may have been in place before the appearance of language.
Opens question #010152 in the RealPTE practice screen.
How to read it
It seems that language appeared from nowhere|since no other species has anything resembling human language.‖However,|other animals do possess basic systems for perceiving and producing sounds|that enable them to communicate.‖These systems may have been in place|before the appearance of language.
| short pause ‖ breathe
Words to stress correctly
| communicate | com·MU·ni·cate | /kəˈmjunəkeɪt/ |
| resembling | re·SEM·bl·ing | /rɪˈzɛmbəlɪŋ/ |
| perceiving | per·CEIV·ing | /pɚˈsivɪŋ/ |
| appearance | ap·PEAR·ance | /əˈpɪrəns/ |
| producing | pro·DUC·ing | /prəˈdusɪŋ/ |
| however | how·EV·er | /haʊˈɛvɚ/ |
45 words, aim for 17–20 seconds. No numbers. Breathe after the first language (end of sentence one) and after communicate; pause briefly after However,.
Where marks are usually lost
All six hard words stress the second syllable: com·MU·ni·cate, re·SEM·bl·ing, per·CEIV·ing, pro·DUC·ing, how·EV·er. Don't hesitate before species or resembling. Keep the endings on seems, appeared, animals, systems, sounds.
General tip: species has two syllables ending in /-iːz/, not 'spe-kees'; do possess is emphatic—give do a little weight.
What it means: 中文 · हिन्दी · नेपाली · Tiếng Việt
中文: 语言似乎是凭空出现的，因为没有其他物种拥有任何类似人类语言的东西。然而，其他动物确实具备感知和发出声音的基本系统，使它们能够交流。这些系统可能在语言出现之前就已存在。
हिन्दी: लगता है भाषा कहीं से यूँ ही प्रकट हुई, क्योंकि किसी अन्य प्रजाति के पास मानव भाषा जैसा कुछ नहीं है। फिर भी, अन्य जानवरों के पास ध्वनियाँ समझने और निकालने की बुनियादी प्रणालियाँ हैं जो उन्हें संवाद करने में सक्षम बनाती हैं। ये प्रणालियाँ भाषा के प्रकट होने से पहले ही मौजूद रही होंगी।
नेपाली: भाषा कतैबाट अचानक देखा परेजस्तो लाग्छ, किनभने अरू कुनै प्रजातिसँग मानव भाषासँग मिल्दो केही छैन। तैपनि, अन्य जनावरसँग आवाज बुझ्ने र निकाल्ने आधारभूत प्रणाली छन् जसले उनीहरूलाई सञ्चार गर्न सक्षम बनाउँछ। यी प्रणाली भाषा देखा पर्नुअघि नै रहेका हुन सक्छन्।
Tiếng Việt: Dường như ngôn ngữ xuất hiện từ hư không vì không loài nào khác có thứ gì giống ngôn ngữ con người. Tuy nhiên, các động vật khác thực sự có hệ thống cơ bản để nhận biết và tạo ra âm thanh giúp chúng giao tiếp. Những hệ thống này có thể đã tồn tại trước khi ngôn ngữ xuất hiện.
More Read Aloud questions
Read Aloud format (Pearson)
| Prompt | Text up to 60 words |
|---|---|
| Preparation | 30–40 seconds |
| Time to answer | Depends on the length of the text |
| Skills assessed | Speaking |
| Scored on | Content; Pronunciation; Oral fluency |
How it is scored
- Content is scored by counting the correct words in your response.
- If you stay silent for more than 3 seconds, the recording stops.
- You can record your response only once.
Source: Pearson, PTE Academic & UKVI test format, Part 1: Speaking & Writing, checked 9 October 2026.