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This is a partial-credit reading task. You read a short academic passage and pick MORE than one correct option from a list of 5–7. You score +1 for each correct option chosen and −1 for each incorrect one chosen (minimum 0 per question). So accuracy matters more than speed: don't pick an option unless you can point to evidence in the text.

Example prompt

Read the text and answer the question by selecting all the correct responses. More than one response is correct.

PPTE Academic - Candidate Name

Time Remaining 00:29:59 1 of 2

Read the text and answer the question by selecting all the correct responses. You will need to select more than one response.

Aborigines are Australia's indigenous people. Recent government statistics counted approximately 400,000 aboriginal people, or about 2% of Australia's total population. Australian Aborigines migrated from somewhere in Asia at least 30,000 years ago. Though they comprise 500–600 distinct groups, aboriginal people possess some unifying links. Among these are strong spiritual beliefs that tie them to the land; a tribal culture of storytelling and art; and, like other indigenous populations, a difficult colonial history. The Dreamtime: Aboriginal spirituality entails a close relationship between humans and the land. Aborigines call the beginning of the world the "Dreaming" or "Dreamtime". In the "Dreamtime", aboriginal "Ancestors" rose from below the earth to form various parts of nature including animal species, bodies of water, and the sky. Unlike other religions, however, aboriginal belief does not place the human species apart from or on a higher level than nature. Storytelling, Art, and the Didgeridoo: The oral tradition of storytelling informs aboriginals' vibrant cultural life. Aboriginal music is often recognizable for its most famous instrument, the didgeridoo. A wind instrument typically made from bamboo, it extends about five feet and produces a low, vibrating hum. Aborigines use didgeridoos in formal ceremonies at such events as sunsets, circumcisions, and funerals.

Which of the following statements about Australian Aborigines can be supported from this text?

0 selected

3 strategies that work

The mindset before the click.

1Strategy 1
Use background knowledge wisely
If the question asks 'according to the text…' stay strictly inside the passage; if it asks a factual prediction, your knowledge can help.
2Strategy 2
Read the structure first
Use headings, sub-headings and topic sentences to jump straight to the right paragraph for each option.
3Strategy 3
Keyword match — text vs option
Underline keywords in each option, then scan the text for the same idea (often paraphrased) and verify it word-by-word.

Try each strategy

Guided practice you can do alone or with a partner.

1Use background knowledge wisely

The test never REQUIRES outside knowledge — every answer can be proved from the passage. But your knowledge can help you predict and double-check, IF the question type allows it.

If the question says 'According to the text…' or 'What does the writer believe…' — stay inside the passage only. Outside facts can mislead.
If the question is more factual ('Which of these countries…?') — your knowledge can help you predict the answer, then verify in the text.
Watch for opinion questions ('What does the writer think…?') — these usually live in the concluding sentence or topic sentence.
Drill: take 5 question stems and decide YES/NO on whether background knowledge helps. Discuss with a partner.

2Read the structure first

Don't read the passage in detail before reading the question — that's slow. Read the QUESTION + OPTIONS first, then read the passage knowing what to hunt for.

Read the question first. Read each option. Underline what you're looking for.
Skim the passage structure: headings, sub-headings, first sentence of each paragraph.
For each option, jump to the paragraph most likely to contain that info — don't re-read the whole text.
Example: option mentions 'didgeridoo' → jump to the 'Storytelling, Art, and the Didgeridoo' paragraph and verify there.

3Keyword match — text vs option

Each option is usually a PARAPHRASE of one sentence in the text. Your job is to find that sentence and prove the option is supported word-by-word.

Underline 2–3 keywords in each option (a noun + a verb is usually enough).
Scan the passage for synonyms or paraphrases of those keywords (e.g. 'integrally linked' ↔ 'close relationship').
Reject options that ADD information not in the text (e.g. 'peaked at 400,000' — the text never says 'peaked').
Reject options that REVERSE the meaning (e.g. 'rarely plays a significant role' when the text says 'use didgeridoos in formal ceremonies').
Pair drill: for each option, write 'PROOF: line X says …' or 'NO PROOF'. Only tick options with proof.

Practice — Question 1 (Aborigines)

Tick every option you can prove from the text. Aim for accuracy, not speed. Reveal the answer key to compare your reasoning.

Reveal correct answers + why

Correct: C and D. (C) Text says '…approximately 400,000 aboriginal people, or about 2% of Australia's total population.' — directly supported. (D) Text says 'aboriginal belief does not place the human species apart from or on a higher level than nature' + 'spirituality entails a close relationship between humans and the land' — supports 'people, animals and land are integrally linked'. Wrong: (A) Text never says the population 'peaked' at 400,000 — that's an addition. 400,000 is today's figure. (B) Opposite of the text — didgeridoos ARE used in formal ceremonies. (E) Text says Aborigines, 'like other indigenous populations, [had] a difficult colonial history' — not 'equitable relationships'.

Do it under time

Simulate the real test.

Test it under exam conditions — Question 2 (Marine life)

Aim for under 2 minutes. Pick only options you can prove. Reveal the answer key afterwards.

Reveal correct answers + reasoning (Q2)

Correct: B and D. (B) Text: 'coral reefs … support about 25% of all marine species' — directly supported. (D) Text: 'rising ocean temperatures cause coral bleaching, threatening reef ecosystems' — directly supported. Wrong: (A) Text says reefs cover 'less than 1% of the ocean floor' — opposite. (C) Text never claims reefs are the 'oldest' ecosystems. (E) Not mentioned — text talks about climate change, not pollution as the main threat.

PPTE Academic - Candidate Name

Time Remaining 00:29:59 2 of 2

Read the text and answer the question by selecting all the correct responses. You will need to select more than one response.

Coral reefs are among the most biologically diverse ecosystems on Earth. Although they cover less than 1% of the ocean floor, they support about 25% of all marine species, providing food, shelter, and breeding grounds for thousands of fish, invertebrates, and other organisms. Reefs are built by tiny animals called coral polyps, which deposit calcium carbonate skeletons over thousands of years. The Great Barrier Reef off Australia is the largest reef system in the world, stretching over 2,300 kilometres. However, coral reefs face significant threats. Rising ocean temperatures cause coral bleaching, in which corals expel the symbiotic algae living in their tissues, leaving them white and weak. Repeated bleaching events, combined with ocean acidification, threaten reef ecosystems globally. Scientists warn that without urgent action on climate change, up to 90% of the world's coral reefs could be lost by 2050.

Which of the following statements about coral reefs can be supported from the passage?

0 selected

Self-check0/5 confirmed

Tick each box only when you can do it without looking back. This unlocks your next chapter.