MET Reading Practice Test 3 — Grammar, Single-Text & Multiple-Text With Answers

Free MET Reading practice test 3: 20 grammar questions, 2 reading passages (10 questions) and 2 multiple-text sets (20 questions) — all 50 questions with the answer key and explanations.

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The complete Reading Practice Test 3 in the official MET structure: Grammar (20 questions), single-text reading (2 passages, 10 questions) and multiple-text reading (2 sets, 20 questions) — 50 questions in 65 minutes.

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Part 1 — Grammar (20 questions)

Each sentence has a missing word or phrase. Choose the best option to complete the sentence.

1. The delegates _____ for over three hours before they reached an agreement.

  1. negotiated
  2. had been negotiating
  3. have negotiated
  4. were negotiated
Answer: B

Why: Past perfect continuous shows duration of an action before another past event.

2. Were the budget to be approved, the project _____ next month.

  1. launches
  2. will launch
  3. would launch
  4. launched
Answer: C

Why: 'Were...to be' is an inverted second conditional requiring 'would' in the main clause.

3. The endangered turtles _____ carefully by wildlife officers each season.

  1. monitor
  2. are monitoring
  3. monitored
  4. are monitored
Answer: D

Why: Passive present simple describes a regular monitoring process.

4. She mentioned that she _____ the position two weeks earlier.

  1. applies for
  2. will apply for
  3. had applied for
  4. has applied for
Answer: C

Why: Reported speech shifts past simple to past perfect.

5. Not only did the storm destroy crops, _____ it also flooded entire villages.

  1. and
  2. or
  3. so
  4. but
Answer: D

Why: 'Not only...but (also)' is the correct correlative conjunction pair.

6. _____ of the evidence presented at the trial was convincing enough for a conviction.

  1. Many
  2. Few
  3. Neither
  4. None
Answer: D

Why: 'None' takes a singular verb ('was') and means 'not any' of uncountable evidence.

7. The biologist discovered a species of frog _____ skin produces a powerful antibiotic.

  1. who
  2. whose
  3. which
  4. that
Answer: B

Why: 'Whose' is the possessive relative pronoun for 'its skin'.

8. They postponed _____ the contract until they had consulted their legal team.

  1. to sign
  2. signing
  3. sign
  4. signed
Answer: B

Why: 'Postpone' is followed by a gerund.

9. Of the three candidates, Aisha presented the _____ compelling argument.

  1. more
  2. much
  3. most
  4. very
Answer: C

Why: Superlative 'most' is used when comparing three or more items.

10. It is crucial that the backup generator _____ operational at all times.

  1. remains
  2. remain
  3. remained
  4. remaining
Answer: B

Why: Subjunctive requires the base form 'remain' after 'crucial that'.

11. The startup managed to _____ enough investors to launch its first product.

  1. round up
  2. round off
  3. round down
  4. round out
Answer: A

Why: 'Round up' is a phrasal verb meaning 'gather or assemble'.

12. Only after the results were published _____ the scale of the problem become clear.

  1. that
  2. it did
  3. did
  4. had
Answer: C

Why: 'Only after' at the start triggers subject-auxiliary inversion.

13. By the time the ambulance arrived, the paramedics next door _____ first aid.

  1. already administered
  2. had already administered
  3. have already administered
  4. already administer
Answer: B

Why: Past perfect is used for an action completed before another past event.

14. If I _____ about the traffic, I would have left the house an hour earlier.

  1. knew
  2. had known
  3. know
  4. would know
Answer: B

Why: Third conditional requires past perfect in the if-clause.

15. The renovations, _____ last spring, transformed the outdated library into a modern facility.

  1. carrying out
  2. were carried out
  3. carried out
  4. had carried out
Answer: C

Why: Past participle 'carried out' acts as a reduced passive relative clause.

16. She asked her colleague _____ he could cover her shift on Saturday.

  1. that
  2. if
  3. what
  4. which
Answer: B

Why: 'If' is used to report yes/no questions in indirect speech.

17. The professor permitted the students _____ reference materials during the open-book exam.

  1. use
  2. to use
  3. using
  4. used
Answer: B

Why: 'Permit someone to do something' requires the infinitive form.

18. _____ had the lecture begun than the fire alarm went off.

  1. No sooner
  2. Hardly
  3. Barely
  4. Rarely
Answer: A

Why: 'No sooner...than' is a fixed expression requiring past perfect.

19. There were _____ complaints about the new policy than the committee had anticipated.

  1. less
  2. fewer
  3. little
  4. much
Answer: B

Why: 'Fewer' is used with countable nouns like 'complaints'.

20. The athlete's coach demanded that he _____ a strict diet during training season.

  1. follows
  2. followed
  3. follow
  4. following
Answer: C

Why: Subjunctive requires the base form 'follow' after 'demanded that'.

Part 2 — Single-text reading (10 questions)

The number of international students pursuing degrees abroad has tripled over the past two decades, reaching approximately six million globally. Host countries benefit enormously from this trend. In Australia, international education is the nation's third-largest export, generating over $35 billion annually and supporting an estimated 250,000 jobs. Beyond the economic impact, proponents argue that international students enrich campus diversity, exposing domestic students to different perspectives and preparing them for a globalized workforce. However, the rapid influx has strained housing markets in university towns, with rental prices in cities like Sydney and Toronto rising faster than average. Some critics also contend that universities have become overly reliant on international tuition revenue, which can create financial vulnerability if geopolitical tensions or pandemics restrict student mobility. In response, several governments have introduced policies to diversify their international student intake, reducing dependence on any single source country while maintaining the cultural and economic benefits that international education brings.

21. What is the main subject of this passage?

  1. The history of Australian universities
  2. The growth and impacts of international student education
  3. How to apply for a student visa
  4. The decline of domestic enrollment
Answer: B

22. Approximately how many international students are there globally?

  1. Three million
  2. Four million
  3. Six million
  4. Eight million
Answer: C

23. What downside of the international student boom does the passage mention?

  1. Declining academic standards
  2. Strain on local housing markets
  3. Fewer course offerings
  4. Increased class sizes
Answer: B

24. The word 'influx' in the passage is closest in meaning to:

  1. Decrease
  2. Uncontrolled spread
  3. Large-scale arrival
  4. Careful selection
Answer: C

25. According to the passage, how are governments responding to over-reliance on certain source countries?

  1. Reducing the total number of student visas
  2. Diversifying international student intake
  3. Closing universities to foreign students
  4. Raising tuition fees for all foreign students
Answer: B
The subscription business model, once limited to magazines and newspapers, now dominates industries from entertainment to groceries. Companies favor subscriptions because they generate predictable recurring revenue and encourage customer loyalty. Consumers, in turn, enjoy convenience and often lower upfront costs. Streaming platforms like Netflix and Spotify have proven the model's success, collectively serving over a billion users worldwide. Yet subscription fatigue is emerging as a real phenomenon. A 2024 consumer survey found that the average American subscribes to twelve services but actively uses fewer than six. Many users forget about auto-renewals or find cancellation deliberately difficult, leading to what consumer advocates call 'subscription traps.' Regulators in the European Union have responded by proposing legislation that would require companies to send renewal reminders and make cancellation as easy as sign-up. The United States Federal Trade Commission has also signaled interest in similar rules. Industry analysts predict that companies failing to offer transparent, flexible subscription terms may face both regulatory penalties and customer backlash.

26. What trend does this passage mainly discuss?

  1. The decline of the newspaper industry
  2. The growth and challenges of the subscription business model
  3. The success of Netflix and Spotify
  4. New European Union consumer laws
Answer: B

27. According to the survey, how many subscriptions does the average American actively use?

  1. All twelve
  2. More than ten
  3. Fewer than six
  4. Exactly eight
Answer: C

28. What are 'subscription traps'?

  1. Discounts offered to new subscribers
  2. Services that are free for a limited time
  3. Auto-renewals that users forget about or find hard to cancel
  4. Subscriptions shared among family members
Answer: C

29. The word 'backlash' in the final sentence is closest in meaning to:

  1. Support
  2. Strong negative reaction
  3. Confusion
  4. Indifference
Answer: B

30. What does the passage predict for companies that don't offer transparent subscriptions?

  1. They will gain more customers
  2. They may face regulatory penalties and customer backlash
  3. They will be acquired by larger companies
  4. They will have to lower their prices permanently
Answer: B

Part 3 — Multiple-text reading (20 questions)

Tourist Tax in Venice

City Government Press Release Beginning June 1, all day-trippers visiting Venice will be required to pay an entry fee of five euros. The revenue will fund maintenance of historic sites, waste management, and public infrastructure strained by the roughly 30 million visitors the city receives annually. Residents, commuters, and overnight guests are exempt.
Travel Industry Blog Venice's new tourist tax has sparked a fierce debate within the travel industry. Critics call it elitist, arguing that charging admission to a city sets a dangerous precedent. Supporters point to Barcelona and Amsterdam, where similar measures have reduced overcrowding without significantly affecting tourism revenue. The key question: does a five-euro fee actually deter anyone?
Local Resident Forum Post Finally! I've lived here forty years and watched our streets become impassable during cruise ship season. Five euros won't stop the crowds, but at least some of the cost of cleaning up after them will be covered. The real solution is limiting the number of daily visitors, not just charging them.

31. How much is the day-tripper entry fee for Venice?

  1. Three euros
  2. Four euros
  3. Five euros
  4. Ten euros
Answer: C

32. Who is exempt from the entry fee?

  1. All tourists
  2. Residents, commuters, and overnight guests
  3. Only senior citizens
  4. Families with children
Answer: B

33. How many annual visitors does Venice receive approximately?

  1. 10 million
  2. 20 million
  3. 30 million
  4. 40 million
Answer: C

34. What concern does the travel industry blog raise?

  1. The fee is too low to make any difference
  2. Charging admission to a city sets a dangerous precedent
  3. The fee will destroy the tourism industry
  4. Only cruise ship passengers should pay
Answer: B

35. What does the local resident suggest as a better solution?

  1. Raising the fee to ten euros
  2. Eliminating all tourism
  3. Limiting the number of daily visitors
  4. Building more hotels
Answer: C

36. The word 'impassable' in the forum post is closest in meaning to:

  1. Beautiful
  2. Impossible to walk through
  3. Quiet and peaceful
  4. Recently renovated
Answer: B

37. Which other cities does the blog mention as having similar measures?

  1. Paris and London
  2. Barcelona and Amsterdam
  3. Rome and Milan
  4. Berlin and Munich
Answer: B

38. How does the resident's attitude differ from the blog's perspective?

  1. The resident is more skeptical of the fee's effectiveness as a deterrent
  2. The resident opposes all tourism
  3. The resident is less informed about the policy
  4. The resident is from the travel industry
Answer: A

39. What common issue do all three texts address?

  1. The economic benefits of tourism
  2. Managing the impact of mass tourism on Venice
  3. The history of Venetian architecture
  4. The cost of living in Italian cities
Answer: B

40. Based on the forum post, what can be concluded about the resident?

  1. They work in the tourism industry
  2. They are a long-time resident frustrated by overcrowding
  3. They are visiting Venice for the first time
  4. They oppose the fee entirely
Answer: B

Lowering the Voting Age

Parliamentary Proposal Summary A bill has been introduced in Parliament to lower the voting age from eighteen to sixteen for all local and national elections. Supporters argue that sixteen-year-olds can work, pay taxes, and join the military, yet have no say in how their taxes are spent. Several European countries have already made this change with positive results.
Political Commentary Article The proposal to lower the voting age raises legitimate concerns about political maturity. Research shows that the prefrontal cortex, responsible for decision-making and impulse control, continues developing until the mid-twenties. Are we asking teenagers to make judgments about complex economic and foreign policies they may not fully comprehend? This is not age discrimination — it's developmental science.
Student Activist Group Statement We are directly affected by decisions on climate policy, education funding, and employment laws, yet we have no voice in choosing the leaders who make those decisions. The argument that sixteen-year-olds lack maturity ignores the thousands of young activists who have organized climate strikes, community projects, and voter registration drives across the country.

41. To what age does the bill propose lowering the voting age?

  1. Fourteen
  2. Fifteen
  3. Sixteen
  4. Seventeen
Answer: C

42. What reason do supporters give in the parliamentary summary?

  1. Younger voters are more educated
  2. Sixteen-year-olds work and pay taxes without representation
  3. Other countries have lowered their mandatory education age
  4. The population is aging rapidly
Answer: B

43. What scientific argument does the commentary article use?

  1. The prefrontal cortex develops until the mid-twenties
  2. Teenagers have better memories than adults
  3. Voting requires physical strength
  4. Brain development stops at sixteen
Answer: A

44. How does the student statement respond to the maturity argument?

  1. It agrees that teenagers lack maturity
  2. It points to youth-led activism as evidence of engagement
  3. It suggests raising the voting age even higher
  4. It ignores the argument entirely
Answer: B

45. Which types of elections would the proposed change affect?

  1. Only local elections
  2. Only national elections
  3. Both local and national elections
  4. Only school board elections
Answer: C

46. The word 'legitimate' in the commentary article is closest in meaning to:

  1. Illegal
  2. Reasonable and valid
  3. Unimportant
  4. Outdated
Answer: B

47. What do the students say they are affected by but cannot vote on?

  1. International treaties only
  2. Climate policy, education funding, and employment laws
  3. Sports regulations
  4. Healthcare for the elderly
Answer: B

48. What is the purpose of the commentary article?

  1. To endorse the proposed bill
  2. To raise concerns about the readiness of younger voters
  3. To summarize international voting laws
  4. To promote student activism
Answer: B

49. Which text most strongly advocates for lowering the voting age?

  1. The parliamentary summary
  2. The political commentary
  3. The student activist statement
  4. All equally
Answer: C

50. What common theme connects all three texts?

  1. The mechanics of voting systems
  2. Whether sixteen-year-olds should be allowed to vote
  3. The history of voting rights
  4. International election comparisons
Answer: B

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