There are many reasons why water tastes stale when it…
Read the text aloud.
There are many reasons why water tastes stale when it is kept for a long time. Microorganisms play a big role in this phenomenon. When they grow, they release chemicals into the water from their metabolic activity. This evaporates over time, so the absence of it from water left out for a long period brings about a change in taste
Opens question #010369 in the RealPTE practice screen.
How to read it
There are many reasons why water tastes stale|when it is kept for a long time.‖Microorganisms play a big role in this phenomenon.‖When they grow,|they release chemicals into the water|from their metabolic activity.‖This evaporates over time,|so the absence of it from water left out for a long period‖brings about a change in taste
| short pause ‖ breathe
Aim for 23–27 seconds.
Words to stress correctly
| microorganisms | mi·cro·OR·gan·is·ms | /maɪkroʊˈɔrɡənɪzəmz/ |
| phenomenon | phe·NOM·e·non | /fəˈnɑmənɑn/ |
| evaporates | e·VAP·o·rates | /ɪˈvæpɚeɪts/ |
| metabolic | met·a·BOL·ic | /mɛtəˈbɑlɪk/ |
| activity | ac·TIV·i·ty | /ækˈtɪvəti/ |
| chemicals | CHEM·i·cals | /ˈkɛmɪkəlz/ |
60 words, aim 23–27 seconds, no numbers. Breathe after time (first sentence), phenomenon, activity and period. The passage has no final full stop – still let your voice fall on taste.
Where marks are usually lost
Stress mi·cro·OR·gan·is·ms and met·a·BOL·ic on the third syllable, phe·NOM·e·non, e·VAP·o·rates, ac·TIV·i·ty on the second, CHEM·i·cals on the first. Don't pause before Microorganisms. Keep -s endings in reasons, tastes, chemicals, evaporates, brings.
General tip: the last sentence is one long clause – keep moving through 'the absence of it from water left out for a long period' without stopping before brings.
What it means: 中文 · हिन्दी · नेपाली · Tiếng Việt
中文: 水存放久了会变得有陈味，原因有很多。微生物在这一现象中起着很大作用。它们生长时，会通过代谢活动向水中释放化学物质。这些物质会随时间蒸发，所以长时间放置的水中缺少了它们，便带来了味道的变化。
हिन्दी: पानी लंबे समय तक रखने पर बासी स्वाद का होने के कई कारण हैं। इस घटना में सूक्ष्मजीव बड़ी भूमिका निभाते हैं। जब वे बढ़ते हैं, तो अपनी चयापचय क्रिया से पानी में रसायन छोड़ते हैं। यह समय के साथ वाष्पित हो जाता है, इसलिए लंबे समय तक रखे पानी में इसकी अनुपस्थिति स्वाद में बदलाव लाती है।
नेपाली: पानी लामो समय राखेपछि बासी स्वादको हुनुका धेरै कारणहरू छन्। यस घटनामा सूक्ष्मजीवहरूले ठूलो भूमिका खेल्छन्। तिनीहरू बढ्दा आफ्नो चयापचय क्रियाबाट पानीमा रसायनहरू छोड्छन्। यो समयसँगै वाष्पीकरण हुन्छ, त्यसैले लामो समय राखिएको पानीमा यसको अभावले स्वादमा परिवर्तन ल्याउँछ।
Tiếng Việt: Có nhiều lý do khiến nước có vị cũ khi được để lâu. Vi sinh vật đóng vai trò lớn trong hiện tượng này. Khi chúng phát triển, chúng thải các hóa chất vào nước từ hoạt động chuyển hóa của mình. Chất này bay hơi theo thời gian, nên việc nước để lâu thiếu nó gây ra sự thay đổi về vị.
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.