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.
- negotiated
- had been negotiating
- have negotiated
- were negotiated
Why: Past perfect continuous shows duration of an action before another past event.
2. Were the budget to be approved, the project _____ next month.
- launches
- will launch
- would launch
- launched
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.
- monitor
- are monitoring
- monitored
- are monitored
Why: Passive present simple describes a regular monitoring process.
4. She mentioned that she _____ the position two weeks earlier.
- applies for
- will apply for
- had applied for
- has applied for
Why: Reported speech shifts past simple to past perfect.
5. Not only did the storm destroy crops, _____ it also flooded entire villages.
- and
- or
- so
- but
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.
- Many
- Few
- Neither
- None
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.
- who
- whose
- which
- that
Why: 'Whose' is the possessive relative pronoun for 'its skin'.
8. They postponed _____ the contract until they had consulted their legal team.
- to sign
- signing
- sign
- signed
Why: 'Postpone' is followed by a gerund.
9. Of the three candidates, Aisha presented the _____ compelling argument.
- more
- much
- most
- very
Why: Superlative 'most' is used when comparing three or more items.
10. It is crucial that the backup generator _____ operational at all times.
- remains
- remain
- remained
- remaining
Why: Subjunctive requires the base form 'remain' after 'crucial that'.
11. The startup managed to _____ enough investors to launch its first product.
- round up
- round off
- round down
- round out
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.
- that
- it did
- did
- had
Why: 'Only after' at the start triggers subject-auxiliary inversion.
13. By the time the ambulance arrived, the paramedics next door _____ first aid.
- already administered
- had already administered
- have already administered
- already administer
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.
- knew
- had known
- know
- would know
Why: Third conditional requires past perfect in the if-clause.
15. The renovations, _____ last spring, transformed the outdated library into a modern facility.
- carrying out
- were carried out
- carried out
- had carried out
Why: Past participle 'carried out' acts as a reduced passive relative clause.
16. She asked her colleague _____ he could cover her shift on Saturday.
- that
- if
- what
- which
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.
- use
- to use
- using
- used
Why: 'Permit someone to do something' requires the infinitive form.
18. _____ had the lecture begun than the fire alarm went off.
- No sooner
- Hardly
- Barely
- Rarely
Why: 'No sooner...than' is a fixed expression requiring past perfect.
19. There were _____ complaints about the new policy than the committee had anticipated.
- less
- fewer
- little
- much
Why: 'Fewer' is used with countable nouns like 'complaints'.
20. The athlete's coach demanded that he _____ a strict diet during training season.
- follows
- followed
- follow
- following
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?
- The history of Australian universities
- The growth and impacts of international student education
- How to apply for a student visa
- The decline of domestic enrollment
Why: The passage traces the tripling of international student numbers, the export earnings and diversity they bring, and the housing and revenue-dependency problems that follow, so growth and its impacts form the subject.
22. Approximately how many international students are there globally?
- Three million
- Four million
- Six million
- Eight million
Why: Global numbers are put at roughly six million students studying abroad, a figure reached after two decades of tripling rather than the smaller or larger estimates suggested.
23. What downside of the international student boom does the passage mention?
- Declining academic standards
- Strain on local housing markets
- Fewer course offerings
- Increased class sizes
Why: One drawback named is pressure on housing in university towns, where rents have climbed faster than average, so strained local housing markets are the specific downside discussed.
24. The word 'influx' in the passage is closest in meaning to:
- Decrease
- Uncontrolled spread
- Large-scale arrival
- Careful selection
Why: Influx denotes a large number of people arriving at once, so large-scale arrival is the closest match; careful selection and decrease both reverse the sense of the word.
25. According to the passage, how are governments responding to over-reliance on certain source countries?
- Reducing the total number of student visas
- Diversifying international student intake
- Closing universities to foreign students
- Raising tuition fees for all foreign students
Why: Several governments have responded by diversifying their international intake, spreading recruitment across more source countries instead of relying on one, rather than cutting visas or barring foreign students.
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?
- The decline of the newspaper industry
- The growth and challenges of the subscription business model
- The success of Netflix and Spotify
- New European Union consumer laws
Why: The passage charts the spread of subscription services and then examines consumer fatigue, hard-to-cancel renewals and proposed regulation, so growth and the model's difficulties make up its subject.
27. According to the survey, how many subscriptions does the average American actively use?
- All twelve
- More than ten
- Fewer than six
- Exactly eight
Why: The 2024 survey found that the average American holds twelve subscriptions but actively uses fewer than six, so the number in active use is under half the total.
28. What are 'subscription traps'?
- Discounts offered to new subscribers
- Services that are free for a limited time
- Auto-renewals that users forget about or find hard to cancel
- Subscriptions shared among family members
Why: Subscription traps describe auto-renewals that users overlook or find deliberately difficult to cancel, the practice consumer advocates criticise; discounts and free trials are separate marketing devices, not traps.
29. The word 'backlash' in the final sentence is closest in meaning to:
- Support
- Strong negative reaction
- Confusion
- Indifference
Why: Backlash means a strong negative reaction from the public, so support and indifference point the wrong way and confusion misses the hostility the word carries.
30. What does the passage predict for companies that don't offer transparent subscriptions?
- They will gain more customers
- They may face regulatory penalties and customer backlash
- They will be acquired by larger companies
- They will have to lower their prices permanently
Why: Analysts warn that firms refusing transparent and flexible terms risk both regulatory penalties and a customer backlash, so the prediction couples legal consequences with reputational damage.
Part 3 — Multiple-text reading (20 questions)
Tourist Tax in Venice
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.
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?
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?
- Three euros
- Four euros
- Five euros
- Ten euros
Why: Venice charges day trippers a five euro entry contribution, the sum set out in the policy that residents, visitors and travel writers are all discussing.
32. Who is exempt from the entry fee?
- All tourists
- Residents, commuters, and overnight guests
- Only senior citizens
- Families with children
Why: Residents, commuters and visitors staying overnight are exempt, so the charge falls on day visitors only; it is not aimed at tourists in general or at particular age groups or families.
33. How many annual visitors does Venice receive approximately?
- 10 million
- 20 million
- 30 million
- 40 million
Why: The city receives roughly thirty million visitors each year, a figure used throughout the texts to underline the scale of the pressure on its historic centre and its residents.
34. What concern does the travel industry blog raise?
- The fee is too low to make any difference
- Charging admission to a city sets a dangerous precedent
- The fee will destroy the tourism industry
- Only cruise ship passengers should pay
Why: The blog warns that charging admission to a city sets a dangerous precedent, one that other destinations might copy, rather than arguing that the fee is too small or ruinous.
35. What does the local resident suggest as a better solution?
- Raising the fee to ten euros
- Eliminating all tourism
- Limiting the number of daily visitors
- Building more hotels
Why: The resident argues that a daily cap on visitor numbers would do more than a token fee to relieve overcrowding, rejecting the idea that pricing alone will deter anyone.
36. The word 'impassable' in the forum post is closest in meaning to:
- Beautiful
- Impossible to walk through
- Quiet and peaceful
- Recently renovated
Why: Impassable means impossible to walk through, describing streets so packed with people that movement becomes impossible, not places that are quiet, attractive or newly restored.
37. Which other cities does the blog mention as having similar measures?
- Paris and London
- Barcelona and Amsterdam
- Rome and Milan
- Berlin and Munich
Why: The blog lists Barcelona and Amsterdam as cities that have already restricted hotels, tour groups or marketing in response to visitor pressure, citing them as precedents for Venice's own measure.
38. How does the resident's attitude differ from the blog's perspective?
- The resident is more skeptical of the fee's effectiveness as a deterrent
- The resident opposes all tourism
- The resident is less informed about the policy
- The resident is from the travel industry
Why: The resident is unconvinced that a small fee will change visitor behaviour, disputing its value as a deterrent, whereas the blog is more concerned about the principle of charging entry to a city.
39. What common issue do all three texts address?
- The economic benefits of tourism
- Managing the impact of mass tourism on Venice
- The history of Venetian architecture
- The cost of living in Italian cities
Why: All three texts orbit the same question: how Venice should cope with mass tourism, whether through an entry fee, stricter limits or a changed marketing approach.
40. Based on the forum post, what can be concluded about the resident?
- They work in the tourism industry
- They are a long-time resident frustrated by overcrowding
- They are visiting Venice for the first time
- They oppose the fee entirely
Why: The poster writes as someone who lives in the city, describing streets made impassable and daily life disrupted, which points to a long-term resident exasperated by overcrowding rather than a visitor or a tourism worker.
Lowering the Voting Age
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.
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.
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?
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
Why: The bill proposes lowering the voting age to sixteen for the elections it covers, so ages such as fourteen or eighteen do not reflect the change under discussion.
42. What reason do supporters give in the parliamentary summary?
- Younger voters are more educated
- Sixteen-year-olds work and pay taxes without representation
- Other countries have lowered their mandatory education age
- The population is aging rapidly
Why: Supporters argue that sixteen-year-olds already work and pay taxes while having no say at the ballot box, making the absence of representation the core of their case.
43. What scientific argument does the commentary article use?
- The prefrontal cortex develops until the mid-twenties
- Teenagers have better memories than adults
- Voting requires physical strength
- Brain development stops at sixteen
Why: The commentary cites neuroscience showing the prefrontal cortex, the seat of judgement and impulse control, keeps developing into the mid-twenties, which is offered as a reason for caution.
44. How does the student statement respond to the maturity argument?
- It agrees that teenagers lack maturity
- It points to youth-led activism as evidence of engagement
- It suggests raising the voting age even higher
- It ignores the argument entirely
Why: The student statement answers the maturity objection by pointing to youth-led activism on climate and other issues as proof that young people already engage seriously with public questions.
45. Which types of elections would the proposed change affect?
- Only local elections
- Only national elections
- Both local and national elections
- Only school board elections
Why: The change would apply to local and national elections alike, so the restriction to one level of government suggested elsewhere misreads the scope of the bill.
46. The word 'legitimate' in the commentary article is closest in meaning to:
- Illegal
- Reasonable and valid
- Unimportant
- Outdated
Why: Legitimate means reasonable and valid, so the argument is being described as a fair one worth taking seriously, not as illegal, trivial or out of date.
47. What do the students say they are affected by but cannot vote on?
- International treaties only
- Climate policy, education funding, and employment laws
- Sports regulations
- Healthcare for the elderly
Why: Students list climate policy, education funding and employment law as decisions that shape their lives although they cannot vote on them, which is the heart of their democratic complaint.
48. What is the purpose of the commentary article?
- To endorse the proposed bill
- To raise concerns about the readiness of younger voters
- To summarize international voting laws
- To promote student activism
Why: The commentary exists to raise doubts about whether sixteen-year-olds are ready to vote, using brain development and maturity as its grounds rather than endorsing the bill or surveying foreign law.
49. Which text most strongly advocates for lowering the voting age?
- The parliamentary summary
- The political commentary
- The student activist statement
- All equally
Why: The parliamentary summary explains the proposal and the student statement campaigns for it; the commentary argues against it, and the activist statement is the most openly supportive of the three.
50. What common theme connects all three texts?
- The mechanics of voting systems
- Whether sixteen-year-olds should be allowed to vote
- The history of voting rights
- International election comparisons
Why: Each text asks whether sixteen-year-olds should be given the vote, one setting out the proposal, one questioning the age of readiness and one demanding the change.