In the late 16th and 17th centuries, many English, French…
Read the text aloud.
In the late 16th and 17th centuries, many English, French and Dutch emigrants went to North America in search of gold and silver. But they did not find it. Instead, settlers were forced to support themselves by cultivating crops that they could sell in Europe, like tobacco, indigo and rice.
Opens question #010455 in the RealPTE practice screen.
How to read it
In the late 16th and 17th centuries,|many English, French and Dutch emigrants|went to North America‖in search of gold and silver.|But they did not find it.‖Instead,|settlers were forced to support themselves|by cultivating crops that they could sell in Europe,‖like tobacco, indigo and rice.
| short pause ‖ breathe
Aim for 19–23 seconds.
Words to stress correctly
| america | a·MER·i·ca | /əˈmɛrəkə/ |
| cultivating | CUL·ti·vat·ing | /ˈkʌltɪveɪtɪŋ/ |
| tobacco | to·BAC·co | /təˈbækoʊ/ |
| themselves | them·SELVES | /ðɛmˈsɛlvz/ |
| centuries | CEN·tur·ies | /ˈsɛntʃɚiz/ |
| emigrants | EM·i·grants | /ˈɛməɡrənts/ |
50 words in 19–23 seconds. 16th = sixteenth, 17th = seventeenth (in the late sixteenth and seventeenth centuries). Breathe after America, after find it and after Europe; list items get short pauses.
Where marks are usually lost
First-syllable stress on CEN·tur·ies, EM·i·grants, CUL·ti·vat·ing; second on a·MER·i·ca, to·BAC·co, them·SELVES. Say sixteenth and seventeenth without hesitation and with a clear final /θ/. Keep -s on emigrants, settlers, crops and -ed on forced.
General tip: the three lists (English, French and Dutch / gold and silver / tobacco, indigo and rice) rise on each item and fall only on the last one.
What it means: 中文 · हिन्दी · नेपाली · Tiếng Việt
中文: 在 16 世纪末和 17 世纪，许多英国、法国和荷兰移民前往北美寻找金银。但他们没有找到。相反，定居者被迫靠种植可以在欧洲出售的作物来维持生计，比如烟草、靛蓝和水稻。
हिन्दी: 16वीं सदी के अंत और 17वीं सदी में, कई अंग्रेज़, फ़्रांसीसी और डच प्रवासी सोने-चाँदी की खोज में उत्तरी अमेरिका गए। लेकिन उन्हें वह नहीं मिला। इसके बजाय, बसने वालों को ऐसी फ़सलें उगाकर अपना गुज़ारा करना पड़ा जिन्हें वे यूरोप में बेच सकते थे, जैसे तंबाकू, नील और चावल।
नेपाली: 16 औँ शताब्दीको उत्तरार्ध र 17 औँ शताब्दीमा, धेरै अङ्ग्रेज, फ्रान्सेली र डच प्रवासीहरू सुन र चाँदीको खोजीमा उत्तर अमेरिका गए। तर उनीहरूले त्यो पाएनन्। बरु, बसोबास गर्नेहरू युरोपमा बेच्न सकिने तम्बाकु, इन्डिगो र चामल जस्ता फसल खेती गरेर आफ्नो गुजारा गर्न बाध्य भए।
Tiếng Việt: Vào cuối thế kỷ 16 và thế kỷ 17, nhiều người di cư Anh, Pháp và Hà Lan đã đến Bắc Mỹ để tìm vàng và bạc. Nhưng họ không tìm thấy. Thay vào đó, những người định cư buộc phải tự nuôi sống bằng cách trồng các loại cây có thể bán ở châu Âu, như thuốc lá, chàm và lúa.
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.