The experience of moving
Choose the word for each blank.
For every action, there's a 1 . And for many movements we make, there's an 2 : we think about moving, and we move. Now a study published in the May 8th issue of the journal Science suggests that the experience of moving is all in your mind. Because the part of the brain that's active when you intend to move is the same part that lets you feel like you did.Two separate brain regions are involved in moving your body. One part provides the intention, and the other powers the actual movement. But researchers didn't know which part let you know that you actually moved. In the new study, 3 were working with 4 5 surgery to remove a brain tumor. Surgeons often electrically 6 the area around the tumor while the patient is awake and can provide feeback, so they can avoid damaging critical tissue. The scientists found that zapping one 7 part of the brain made their patients feel like they wanted to move their arms, lips or tongue. And ramping up the stimulation to that spot made them feel like they'd done it. But when the team poked at the region that actually caused motion, the patients didn't know they moved—a finding that's oddly moving.
Options for each gap (alphabetical)
- 1 burden · contraption · reaction · transaction
- 2 ascription · indirection · intention · unchristian
- 3 hybridise · hypoglycaemics · notorcyclists · scientists
- 4 cradles · modulations · patients · simulations
- 5 composing · poring · pudding · undergoing
- 6 saint · stimulate · trait · wait
- 7 calligrapher · particular · regular · simper
Opens question #120353 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.