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

A bad title

61 students marked "I sat this"Added 18 May 2020Question #120267

Choose the word for each blank.

A good story may be given a bad title by its author, and so started toward failure. Novices are peculiarly 1 to this fault, usually through 2 themselves to be too easily satisfied. They go to 3 pains to make the story itself fresh and individual, and then cap it with a 4 phrase that is worse than no title at all. A good title is apt, specific, attractive, new, and short.A title is apt if it is an outgrowth of the plot—a text, as I have said. It stands definitely for that particular story, and gives a suggestion of what is to come—but only a suggestion, lest it should anticipate the denouement and so 5 the curiosity of the reader too soon.

Options for each gap (alphabetical)

  • 1 able · liable · possible · responsable
  • 2 allowing · banning · ensuring · maintaining
  • 3 final · infinite · limited · vast
  • 4 better · commonplace · mystery · novel
  • 5 defeat · gratify · modify · satisfy
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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.