Weekly PTE Practice Activities - The E2language.com Blog

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Fill in the blanks

One sentence – choose the appropriate word to complete the sentences.

Previous studies have largely assumed that the prevalence of mental disorders declines with old age. The 1………. of a new large-scale study with innovative diagnostic 2………. conducted in six European countries reveal that, considering the previous year retrospectively, approximately one third of the respondents in the age group between 65 and 85 had suffered from a mental disorder, and roughly one quarter were 3………ill at the time of the interviews.

2. 3.

results patients seriously

outcome methods very

participants outcomes mentally

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1. results 2. methods 3. mentally

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Reorder Paragraphs

The text paragraphs have been placed in a random order. Reorder the paragraphs.

A) This new research joins a raft of existing research on climate change and conflict – often reaching competing conclusions. What is the link between climate change and conflict? This isn’t an issue that can be solved with one study. There are in fact hundreds of studies looking at this issue. And they don’t all reach the same conclusion.

B) So what happens when we look at all this research as a whole? Yes, some of the studies point in different directions. But what about when we consider all the research together? Does it point to powerful climate – conflict connection, or not?

C) New research points to a powerful link between climate change and armed conflict. It also finds that countries that are ethnically mixed are more likely to experience this kind of conflict. But their results may actually tell us more about the consequences of colonialism than ethnic diversity.

D) Some studies do show that climate impacts lead to increased violence. But some studies find that there was actually no connection at all. Being hit by a disaster or climate change impacts didn’t make any difference to levels of violence. Some studies even found the opposite. Climate change impacts actually reduced some kinds of violence.

Click to show/hide answer

C, A, D, B

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Multiple Choice, Choose Multiple Answer

Read the text and choose the appropriate answer(s) A, B, C or D.

In population terms, Djibouti is the smallest state in continental Africa – and only Swaziland and Gambia are smaller in terms of land. France granted independence in 1977, but retained influence until 15 years ago. The current President, Ismael Omar Guelleh, came to power in 1999 the year after neighbouring Ethiopia and Eritrea went to war, since when almost all of landlocked Ethiopia’s foreign trade transits via Djibouti.

As Ethiopia’s economy grew spectacularly, so Djibouti has opened a new container port and petroleum terminal, financed and managed by investors from the United Arab Emirates. Chinese funds and labour have resuscitated the railway, a century after the French engineers completed the original line to the Ethiopian highlands. Cargo will again move speedily and cheaply to Addis Ababa, spurring further Foreign Direct Investment. Port fees and Ethiopia’s transit trade is the mainstay of Djibouti’s economy. In addition to cash, Ethiopia supplies arid Djibouti with electricity and water.

1 Which of the following are true of Djibouti?

A It is the smallest country in Africa geographically.

B It is economically dependent on Ethiopia.

C It is politically dependant on France.

D It is becoming more prosperous due to foreign investment.

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B and D

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Multiple Choice, Choose Single Answer

Read the text and answer the question by selecting all the correct response (A, B, C or D).

Beneath the golden sands west of the Nile, at the ancient Egyptian sacred site of Abydos, archaeologists have made an extraordinary discovery: a whole fleet of boats that were sketched onto the interior walls of a subterranean mud-brick boat chamber in about 1840 B.C. The structure was part of the mortuary complex of a 12th-dynasty king named Senwosret III, whose tomb lies nearby. This unique find reveals new details about how the rituals of the king’s funeral may have played out. It also suggests that an age-old royal burial tradition was still honored here, though that would soon fade as radically different funerary practices came into fashion.

1 The discovery of the boat chamber was a particularly interesting discovery because

A) it had a whole fleet of boats sketched onto its interior walls.

B) it gives new information about Sewnworset III’s burial rituals.

C) it was part of a mortuary complex of a 12th dynasty king.

D) it suggested that old traditions were still being practiced there.