Straddling Asia and Europe across the strait, the old city…
Read the text aloud.
Straddling Asia and Europe across the strait, the old city of Istanbul, Turkey, has embraced diverse cultural influences. Known for its monumental architecture, Istanbul has become a cherished travel destination.
Opens question #010317 in the RealPTE practice screen.
How to read it
Straddling Asia and Europe across the strait,|the old city of Istanbul, Turkey,|has embraced diverse cultural influences.‖Known for its monumental architecture,|Istanbul has become a cherished travel destination.
| short pause ‖ breathe
Words to stress correctly
| destination | des·ti·NA·tion | /dɛstəˈneɪʃən/ |
| monumental | mon·u·MEN·tal | /mɑnjəˈmɛntəl/ |
| architecture | AR·chi·tec·ture | /ˈɑrkətɛktʃɚ/ |
| influences | IN·flu·en·ces | /ˈɪnfluənsɪz/ |
| istanbul | is·tan·BUL | /ɪstɑnˈbul/ |
| embraced | em·BRACED | /ɛmˈbreɪst/ |
30 words, aim for 12–14 seconds. No numbers. Only one breath, after influences; take short pauses at the commas after strait, Turkey and architecture. Because it is short, keep a steady pace and don't rush.
Where marks are usually lost
Stress des·ti·NA·tion, mon·u·MEN·tal and is·tan·BUL on the third syllable, em·BRACED on the second, AR·chi·tec·ture and IN·flu·en·ces on the first. Keep the -d on embraced and cherished, and the -s on its and influences. Don't stumble on Straddling at the very start.
General tip: strait and straddling both begin with the /str/ cluster — practise it so the first word comes out cleanly.
What it means: 中文 · हिन्दी · नेपाली · Tiếng Việt
中文: 横跨海峡、连接亚洲与欧洲的土耳其古城伊斯坦布尔，吸收了多元的文化影响。伊斯坦布尔以其宏伟的建筑闻名，已成为备受喜爱的旅行目的地。
हिन्दी: जलडमरूमध्य के आर-पार एशिया और यूरोप में फैला तुर्की का पुराना शहर इस्तांबुल विविध सांस्कृतिक प्रभावों को अपनाता आया है। अपनी भव्य वास्तुकला के लिए प्रसिद्ध इस्तांबुल एक प्रिय पर्यटन स्थल बन गया है।
नेपाली: जलसन्धिपारि एसिया र युरोप दुवैतिर फैलिएको टर्कीको पुरानो सहर इस्तानबुलले विविध सांस्कृतिक प्रभावहरू आत्मसात् गरेको छ। आफ्नो भव्य वास्तुकलाका लागि परिचित इस्तानबुल एक प्रिय पर्यटकीय गन्तव्य बनेको छ।
Tiếng Việt: Trải dài trên cả châu Á và châu Âu hai bên eo biển, thành phố cổ Istanbul của Thổ Nhĩ Kỳ đã tiếp nhận những ảnh hưởng văn hóa đa dạng. Nổi tiếng với kiến trúc đồ sộ, Istanbul đã trở thành một điểm đến du lịch được yêu thích.
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.