Investigations like this one have been plodding along for 40…
Read the text aloud.
Investigations like this one have been plodding along for 40 years, and some studies — like one following the deadly Kobe quake in 1995 — have found similar correlations. But study author Alasdair Skelton, a professor of geochemistry at Stockholm University, says the unpredictable study subject makes it tough to get funding because you can in no way guarantee a result. So l get three years of money , but if there’s no earthquake, there's no result.
Opens question #010435 in the RealPTE practice screen.
How to read it
Investigations like this one|have been plodding along for 40 years,‖and some studies —|like one following the deadly Kobe quake in 1995 —|have found similar correlations.‖But study author Alasdair Skelton,|a professor of geochemistry|at Stockholm University,‖says the unpredictable study subject|makes it tough to get funding|because you can in no way|guarantee a result.‖So l get three years of money ,|but if there’s no earthquake,|there's no result.
| short pause ‖ breathe
Aim for 30–35 seconds.
Words to stress correctly
| investigations | in·ves·ti·GA·tions | /ɪnvɛstəˈɡeɪʃənz/ |
| unpredictable | un·pre·DICT·a·ble | /ʌnprɪˈdɪktəbəl/ |
| geochemistry | ge·o·CHEM·is·try | /dʒioʊˈkɛməstri/ |
| university | u·ni·VER·si·ty | /junəˈvɝsəti/ |
| correlations | cor·re·LA·tions | /kɔrəˈleɪʃənz/ |
| professor | pro·FES·sor | /prəˈfɛsɚ/ |
77 words in 30–35 seconds, so hold a steady pace. Read 40 as 'forty' and 1995 as 'nineteen ninety-five'. Breathe after '40 years,', after 'correlations.', after 'University,' and after 'guarantee a result.' Treat the two dashes as short pauses only.
Where marks are usually lost
Keep in·ves·ti·GA·tions, un·pre·DICT·a·ble, ge·o·CHEM·is·try, u·ni·VER·si·ty, cor·re·LA·tions and pro·FES·sor on the syllables shown. Don't stall before 1995 or the name Alasdair Skelton. Keep the -s on studies, years, correlations.
General tip: say the name once at a normal speed; a long gap before a proper noun costs more than an imperfect vowel.
What it means: 中文 · हिन्दी · नेपाली · Tiếng Việt
中文: 像这样的调查已经缓慢进行了 40 年,一些研究——比如针对 1995 年神户致命地震的那项研究——发现了类似的相关性。但研究作者、斯德哥尔摩大学地球化学教授 Alasdair Skelton 说,研究对象无法预测,使得争取经费很困难,因为你根本无法保证会有结果。所以我拿到三年的经费,但如果没有地震,就没有结果。
हिन्दी: इस तरह की जाँचें 40 वर्षों से धीमी गति से चल रही हैं, और कुछ अध्ययनों में — जैसे 1995 के घातक कोबे भूकंप के बाद किए गए एक अध्ययन में — ऐसे ही सहसंबंध मिले हैं। लेकिन अध्ययन के लेखक Alasdair Skelton, जो स्टॉकहोम विश्वविद्यालय में भू-रसायन के प्रोफ़ेसर हैं, कहते हैं कि अध्ययन का विषय अप्रत्याशित होने से धन जुटाना कठिन हो जाता है, क्योंकि आप किसी भी तरह परिणाम की गारंटी नहीं दे सकते। तो मुझे तीन साल का पैसा मिलता है, लेकिन अगर भूकंप नहीं आया, तो कोई परिणाम नहीं।
नेपाली: यस्ता अनुसन्धानहरू ४० वर्षदेखि सुस्त गतिमा चलिरहेका छन्, र केही अध्ययनहरूमा — जस्तै १९९५ को घातक कोबे भूकम्पपछि गरिएको एक अध्ययनमा — त्यस्तै सम्बन्धहरू भेटिएका छन्। तर अध्ययनका लेखक Alasdair Skelton, जो स्टकहोम विश्वविद्यालयमा भू-रसायनका प्राध्यापक हुन्, भन्छन् कि अध्ययनको विषय अनुमान गर्न नसकिने हुँदा कोष जुटाउन कठिन हुन्छ, किनभने तपाईं नतिजाको कुनै पनि हिसाबले ग्यारेन्टी गर्न सक्नुहुन्न। त्यसैले मलाई तीन वर्षको पैसा मिल्छ, तर भूकम्प नआएमा नतिजा पनि हुँदैन।
Tiếng Việt: Những cuộc điều tra như thế này đã tiến hành chậm rãi suốt 40 năm, và một số nghiên cứu — như nghiên cứu sau trận động đất chết người ở Kobe năm 1995 — đã tìm thấy mối tương quan tương tự. Nhưng tác giả nghiên cứu Alasdair Skelton, giáo sư địa hóa học tại Đại học Stockholm, nói rằng đối tượng nghiên cứu khó đoán khiến việc xin tài trợ rất khó, vì bạn không thể nào bảo đảm có kết quả. Vậy nên tôi được cấp tiền ba năm, nhưng nếu không có động đất thì không có kết quả.
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.