The slight decline in drug overdose deaths in 2018 coincides…
Read the text aloud.
The slight decline in drug overdose deaths in 2018 coincides with Chinese regulations on the powerful opioid carfentanil, rather than the result of domestic U.S. efforts to curb the epidemic, a new analysis reveals. What many, including President Donald Trump, perceived as a decline in overdose deaths in 2018, appears to be a return to the historic exponential curve.
Opens question #010300 in the RealPTE practice screen.
How to read it
The slight decline in drug overdose deaths in 2018|coincides with Chinese regulations on the powerful opioid carfentanil,‖rather than the result of domestic U.S. efforts to curb the epidemic,|a new analysis reveals.‖What many, including President Donald Trump,|perceived as a decline in overdose deaths in 2018,‖appears to be a return to the historic exponential curve.
| short pause ‖ breathe
Aim for 23–27 seconds.
Words to stress correctly
| regulations | reg·u·LA·tions | /rɛɡjəˈleɪʃənz/ |
| exponential | ex·po·NEN·tial | /ɛkspoʊˈnɛnʃəl/ |
| epidemic | ep·i·DEM·ic | /ɛpəˈdɛmɪk/ |
| analysis | a·NAL·y·sis | /əˈnæləsəs/ |
| coincides | co·in·CIDES | /koʊɪnˈsaɪdz/ |
| including | in·CLU·ding | /ɪnˈkludɪŋ/ |
59 words, aim 23–27 seconds. Say 2018 as "twenty eighteen" both times; U.S. is "U S". Breathe after carfentanil, reveals and the second 2018; short pause after Trump.
Where marks are usually lost
reg·u·LA·tions, ep·i·DEM·ic, ex·po·NEN·tial, co·in·CIDES stress late; a·NAL·y·sis, in·CLU·ding the second syllable. Hesitating before carfentanil or 2018 costs fluency. Keep -s in deaths, regulations, efforts, coincides, reveals, appears.
General tip: say carfentanil as car-FEN-ta-nil in one smooth run; a confident guess beats a stall.
What it means: 中文 · हिन्दी · नेपाली · Tiếng Việt
中文: 一项新分析显示，2018 年药物过量死亡人数的小幅下降，与中国对强效阿片类药物卡芬太尼的监管相吻合，而非美国国内遏制疫情努力的结果。许多人（包括总统唐纳德·特朗普）所认为的 2018 年过量死亡下降，看来只是回归到历史上的指数曲线。
हिन्दी: एक नया विश्लेषण बताता है कि 2018 में नशीली दवाओं की ओवरडोज़ से मौतों में मामूली गिरावट शक्तिशाली ओपिओइड कार्फेंटानिल पर चीनी नियमों से मेल खाती है, न कि महामारी रोकने के अमेरिकी घरेलू प्रयासों का नतीजा है। राष्ट्रपति डोनाल्ड ट्रंप सहित कई लोगों ने 2018 में ओवरडोज़ मौतों में जिसे गिरावट समझा, वह ऐतिहासिक घातांकीय वक्र पर वापसी लगती है।
नेपाली: नयाँ विश्लेषणअनुसार, २०१८ मा लागुऔषधको अधिक मात्राबाट हुने मृत्युमा आएको सानो गिरावट शक्तिशाली ओपिओइड कार्फेन्टानिलमाथि चिनियाँ नियमनसँग मेल खान्छ, महामारी रोक्ने अमेरिकी घरेलु प्रयासको नतिजा होइन। राष्ट्रपति डोनाल्ड ट्रम्पसहित धेरैले २०१८ मा मृत्युको गिरावट ठानेको कुरा वास्तवमा ऐतिहासिक घातांकीय वक्रमा फर्किएको जस्तो देखिन्छ।
Tiếng Việt: Một phân tích mới cho thấy mức giảm nhẹ số ca tử vong do sốc thuốc năm 2018 trùng với các quy định của Trung Quốc về opioid cực mạnh carfentanil, chứ không phải kết quả của nỗ lực trong nước Hoa Kỳ nhằm kiềm chế dịch. Điều mà nhiều người, kể cả Tổng thống Donald Trump, coi là mức giảm tử vong năm 2018 dường như chỉ là sự trở lại đường cong hàm mũ trong lịch sử.
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.