For diplomacy, the starting point must be that globalization requires…
Read the text aloud.
For diplomacy, the starting point must be that globalization requires bridges and removes barriers. A policy of containment is a difficult strategy in the age of the fibre-optic cable, the jumbo jet and the satellite dish. There will always be the exception, such as the murderous regime in Iraq where the only safe strategy is to keep it in the isolation ward until it accepts the norms of international behaviour, or the military dictatorship in Burma which has persistently failed to respond to dialogue. It takes two to critically engage.
Opens question #010212 in the RealPTE practice screen.
How to read it
For diplomacy,|the starting point must be that globalization requires bridges|and removes barriers.‖A policy of containment is a difficult strategy|in the age of the fibre-optic cable,|the jumbo jet and the satellite dish.‖There will always be the exception,|such as the murderous regime in Iraq‖where the only safe strategy is to keep it in the isolation ward|until it accepts the norms of international behaviour,‖or the military dictatorship in Burma|which has persistently failed to respond to dialogue.‖It takes two to critically engage.
| short pause ‖ breathe
Words to stress correctly
| globalization | glo·bal·i·ZA·tion | /ɡloʊbəlɪˈzeɪʃən/ |
| international | in·ter·NA·tion·al | /ɪntɚˈnæʃənəl/ |
| dictatorship | dic·TA·tor·ship | /dɪkˈteɪtɚʃɪp/ |
| persistently | per·SIS·tent·ly | /pɚˈsɪstəntli/ |
| diplomacy | di·PLO·ma·cy | /dɪˈploʊməsi/ |
| isolation | i·so·LA·tion | /aɪsəˈleɪʃən/ |
90 words, aim for 35–41 seconds, no numbers. Breathe after barriers, dish, Iraq, behaviour and dialogue. Keep a steady pace through the long third sentence; the list "cable, jet, dish" gets short pauses only.
Where marks are usually lost
Stress glo·bal·i·ZA·tion on the fourth syllable, in·ter·NA·tion·al and i·so·LA·tion on the third, di·PLO·ma·cy, dic·TA·tor·ship, per·SIS·tent·ly on the second. Don't hesitate at Iraq or Burma. Keep the -s in requires, bridges, removes, barriers, accepts, norms, takes.
General tip: failed ends in /ld/—don't let it become "fail" before "to".
What it means: 中文 · हिन्दी · नेपाली · Tiếng Việt
中文: 对于外交而言，出发点必须是：全球化需要搭建桥梁、消除壁垒。在光纤电缆、大型喷气客机和卫星天线的时代，遏制政策是一种难以推行的策略。总会有例外，比如伊拉克的残暴政权——唯一安全的策略是把它关在隔离病房，直到它接受国际行为准则；又如缅甸的军事独裁政权，它一再拒绝回应对话。批判性接触需要双方参与。
हिन्दी: कूटनीति के लिए प्रारंभिक बिंदु यह होना चाहिए कि वैश्वीकरण को पुलों की आवश्यकता है और यह बाधाएँ हटाता है। फाइबर-ऑप्टिक केबल, जंबो जेट और सैटेलाइट डिश के युग में नियंत्रण की नीति एक कठिन रणनीति है। अपवाद हमेशा रहेंगे, जैसे इराक का हत्यारा शासन, जहाँ एकमात्र सुरक्षित रणनीति उसे तब तक अलगाव वार्ड में रखना है जब तक वह अंतरराष्ट्रीय व्यवहार के मानदंड स्वीकार न कर ले, या बर्मा की सैन्य तानाशाही जो लगातार संवाद का जवाब देने में विफल रही है। आलोचनात्मक जुड़ाव के लिए दोनों पक्ष चाहिए।
नेपाली: कूटनीतिका लागि सुरुवाती बिन्दु यो हुनुपर्छ कि भूमण्डलीकरणलाई पुलहरू चाहिन्छ र यसले अवरोधहरू हटाउँछ। फाइबर-अप्टिक केबल, जम्बो जेट र स्याटेलाइट डिसको युगमा नियन्त्रणको नीति कठिन रणनीति हो। अपवाद सधैँ रहन्छन्, जस्तै इराकको हत्यारा शासन, जहाँ एकमात्र सुरक्षित रणनीति भनेको त्यसले अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय व्यवहारका मापदण्ड नस्वीकारेसम्म एक्ल्याइएको वार्डमा राख्नु हो, वा बर्माको सैनिक तानाशाही जसले संवादको जवाफ दिन निरन्तर असफल भएको छ। आलोचनात्मक संलग्नताका लागि दुवै पक्ष चाहिन्छ।
Tiếng Việt: Đối với ngoại giao, điểm xuất phát phải là: toàn cầu hóa cần những cây cầu và xóa bỏ rào cản. Chính sách kiềm chế là một chiến lược khó khăn trong thời đại cáp quang, máy bay phản lực cỡ lớn và chảo vệ tinh. Sẽ luôn có ngoại lệ, chẳng hạn chế độ tàn sát ở Iraq, nơi chiến lược an toàn duy nhất là giữ nó trong khu cách ly cho đến khi nó chấp nhận các chuẩn mực ứng xử quốc tế, hay chế độ độc tài quân sự ở Burma vốn liên tục không đáp lại đối thoại. Can dự có phê phán cần cả hai bên.
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.