Read Aloud · Part 1: Speaking & Writing

If bonus or “incentive pay” schemes work so well for…

249 students marked "I sat this"Added 14 Mar 2020Question #010157
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Read the text aloud.

If bonus or “incentive pay” schemes work so well for senior executives and bankers, why does everyone not get them? After all, many jobs involve making important decisions or taking risks. Is there anything about corporate decisions and financial risks that makes these categories of work special in terms of how they need to be incentivised and rewarded?

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Opens question #010157 in the RealPTE practice screen.

How to read it

If bonus or “incentive pay” schemes work so well|for senior executives and bankers,‖why does everyone not get them?‖After all,|many jobs involve making important decisions|or taking risks.‖Is there anything about corporate decisions and financial risks‖that makes these categories of work special|in terms of how they need to be incentivised and rewarded?

| short pause   ‖ breathe

Aim for 22–26 seconds.

Words to stress correctly

executivesex·EC·u·tives/ɪɡˈzɛkjətɪvz/
categoriesCAT·e·go·ries/ˈkætəɡɔriz/
incentivein·CEN·tive/ɪnˈsɛntɪv/
importantim·POR·tant/ɪmˈpɔrtənt/
decisionsde·CI·sions/dɪˈsɪʒənz/
financialfi·NAN·cial/fəˈnænʃəl/

58 words, aim 22–26 seconds. No numbers. Breathe after bankers, them, taking risks and financial risks. Let your voice rise slightly on the two question marks.

Where marks are usually lost

Stress: ex·EC·u·tives, CAT·e·go·ries, in·CEN·tive, im·POR·tant, de·CI·sions, fi·NAN·cial. Keep the -s on schemes, bankers, decisions, risks, categories and the -ed on incentivised, rewarded. Don't hesitate before incentivised.

General tip: Read the two questions as real questions; a flat list-like tone on why does everyone not get them? sounds unnatural.

What it means: 中文 · हिन्दी · नेपाली · Tiếng Việt

中文: 如果奖金或“激励薪酬”方案对高级管理人员和银行家如此有效,为什么不是每个人都能得到?毕竟,许多工作都涉及做出重要决定或承担风险。企业决策和金融风险有什么特别之处,使这类工作在需要如何被激励和奖励方面与众不同吗?

हिन्दी: यदि बोनस या “प्रोत्साहन वेतन” योजनाएँ वरिष्ठ अधिकारियों और बैंकरों के लिए इतनी अच्छी तरह काम करती हैं, तो सभी को ये क्यों नहीं मिलतीं? आखिरकार, कई नौकरियों में महत्वपूर्ण निर्णय लेना या जोखिम उठाना शामिल होता है। क्या कॉर्पोरेट निर्णयों और वित्तीय जोखिमों में ऐसा कुछ है जो इन श्रेणियों के काम को प्रोत्साहन और पुरस्कार के मामले में विशेष बनाता है?

नेपाली: यदि बोनस वा “प्रोत्साहन तलब” योजनाहरू वरिष्ठ कार्यकारी र बैंकरहरूका लागि यति राम्रोसँग काम गर्छन् भने, सबैले किन पाउँदैनन्? आखिर, धेरै कामहरूमा महत्त्वपूर्ण निर्णय लिनु वा जोखिम उठाउनु पर्छ। के कर्पोरेट निर्णय र वित्तीय जोखिममा यस्तो केही छ जसले यी प्रकारका कामलाई प्रोत्साहन र पुरस्कारको हिसाबले विशेष बनाउँछ?

Tiếng Việt: Nếu các chương trình thưởng hay “lương khuyến khích” hiệu quả đến vậy với các giám đốc cấp cao và chủ ngân hàng, tại sao không phải ai cũng được hưởng? Suy cho cùng, nhiều công việc cũng đòi hỏi đưa ra quyết định quan trọng hoặc chấp nhận rủi ro. Liệu có điều gì ở quyết định doanh nghiệp và rủi ro tài chính khiến các loại công việc này đặc biệt về cách cần được khuyến khích và khen thưởng?

More Read Aloud questions

Read Aloud format (Pearson)

PromptText up to 60 words
Preparation30–40 seconds
Time to answerDepends on the length of the text
Skills assessedSpeaking
Scored onContent; 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.