Exams looming
Choose the word for each blank.
It's that time again: exams looming, essays or reports outstanding and you wonder where the year's gone already. You start 1 how you going to cope with it all. Fear and anxiety are insidious things and they can take hold if you don't do something about them. This amounts to a bad type of stress which is just what you don't need, especially at this time of year. This is not to say that all anxiety is bad, however. A limited amount of anxiety can help you to be more motivated and more 2. It can help you to plan your work and to think more clearly and 3 about it. In other words, it can help you to stay on top of things. So how can you limit your stress and stay in control? There are a number of practical things you can do, even at this late stage before the exams. Don't give up hope, even if you start to feel snowballed when you think of the all the work you have to do. First of all, it's 4 to get yourself organized. Sit down at your desk and make a start on writing down all the things you have to do to 5 for the exams. If you feel there's too much to do, then work out priorities for your work. Outstanding assignments should take priority but make sure to leave time for revision of your lecture notes.
Options for each gap (alphabetical)
- 1 asking · finding · telling · wondering
- 2 deliberate · narrative · optical · purposeful
- 3 especially · logically · thoroughly · thoughtfully
- 4 compulsory · essential · urgent · wise
- 5 design · prepare · previous · wait
Opens question #120253 in the RealPTE practice screen.
More Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks questions
Reading & Writing: Fill in the Blanks format (Pearson)
Pearson's name: Fill in the Blanks (Dropdown)
| Prompt | Text up to 200 words |
|---|---|
| Time to answer | Not set per question (Part 2 lasts 23–30 minutes) |
| Skills assessed | Reading, 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.