Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks · Part 2: Reading

Intelligence of animals

57 students marked "I sat this"Added 9 May 2020Question #120169

Choose the word for each blank.

Comparing the intelligence of animals of different species is difficult, how do you compare a dolphin and a horse? Psychologists have a technique for looking at intelligence that 1 not require the cooperation of the animal involved. The relative size of an individual's brain is a reasonable indication of intelligence. Comparing 2 species is not as simple an elephant will have a larger brain than a human simple because it is a large beast, 3 we use the Cephalization index, which compare the size of an animal's brain to the size of its body. Based on the Cephalization index, the brightest animals on the planet are humans, 4 by great apes, porpoises and elephants. As a general 5, animals that hunt for a living (like canines) are smarter than strict vegetarians (you don't need much intelligence to outsmart a leaf of lettuce). Animals that live in social groups are always smarter and have large EQ's than solitary animals.

Options for each gap (alphabetical)

  • 1 did · do · does · done
  • 2 across · over · through · to
  • 3 because · instead · otherwise · then
  • 4 follow · followed · following · follows
  • 5 principal · principle · rule · theory

More Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks questions

Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks format (Pearson)

Pearson's name: Fill in the Blanks (Dropdown)

PromptText up to 200 words
Time to answerNot set per question (Part 2 lasts 23–30 minutes)
Skills assessedReading, Writing

How it is scored

  • Partial credit applies: a partly correct response still scores.

Source: Pearson, PTE Academic & UKVI test format, Part 2: Reading, checked 9 October 2026.