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Pearson Test of
English General
Pearson English
International Certificate

Level 3
Upper Intermediate
Paper Reference: 4063
WRITTEN
PRACTICE
Pearson Education Ltd TEST
Practice paper written by Pearson English exam authors
© May 2020
2
Please check the table below for the total time given to complete the written test at
this level and score points available for each section. Please use the accompanying
audio files for sections 1–3. Answer keys and transcripts are provided at the back
of this document.

Section Skills Score Level A1 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5

points

1 Listening 10 1 hour 1 hour 1 hour 2 hours 2 hours 2 hours

15 mins 35 mins 35 mins 30 mins 55 mins
2 Listening and 10
writing

3 Listening 10

4 Reading 5

5 Reading 5

6 Reading 8

7 Reading 7

8 Writing 10

9 Writing 10

The written test is scored out of 75 points in total at all levels. Please see the Guide
to PTE General at this level for further information.

Please note: The design of the practice tests is not identical to actual PTE General tests,
however the content is equivalent.

PEARSON TEST OF ENGLISH GENERAL  2  LEVEL 3 – UPPER INTERMEDIATE

This is the Pearson Test of English General Practice Test, to prepare for the Pearson
English International Certificate, Level 3.

This test takes 2 hours.

SECTION 1

You will have ten seconds to read each question and the corresponding options.
Then listen to the recording. After the recording you will have 10 seconds to choose
the correct option

Put a cross in the box next to the correct answer, as in the example.

Example: Where are the speakers?

A at home

B at a restaurant

C on a university campus

1. Where is the woman going?

A her workplace

B the hospital

C a holiday

2. What job does the woman do now?

A Costume designer

B Television producer

C Casting director

PEARSON TEST OF ENGLISH GENERAL  3  LEVEL 3 – UPPER INTERMEDIATE

3. Which market is being discussed?

A labour market

B money market

C property market

4. What job does the speaker describe?

A designer

B politician

C journalist

5. What does the speaker want Sarah to do?

A lend him something

B feel happier

C offer more support

6. Where are the speakers?

A a coffee shop

B a university

C a technology company

7. What are the speakers preparing for?

A sales pitch

B management meeting

C job interview

8. What is the course about?

A Politics

B Psychology

C Sociology

PEARSON TEST OF ENGLISH GENERAL  4  LEVEL 3 – UPPER INTERMEDIATE

9. What feeling does the speaker describe?

A regret

B surprise

C happiness

10. Who would the speakers like to invite to the event?

A other colleagues

B other alumni

C other family members

PEARSON TEST OF ENGLISH GENERAL  5  LEVEL 3 – UPPER INTERMEDIATE

SECTION 2

You will hear a recording about sewing. Listen to the whole recording
once. Then you will hear the recording again with pauses for you to write
down what you hear. Make sure you spell the words correctly.

PEARSON TEST OF ENGLISH GENERAL  6  LEVEL 3 – UPPER INTERMEDIATE

SECTION 3 (PART A)

You will hear a conversation. First, read the notes below then listen and
complete the notes with information from the conversation.
You will hear the recording twice.

 romswich Town Hall reopening is part of East side redevelopment

Example: B

12. Town Hall’s repair and modernization has cost  

13.   have created artworks for area around Town Hall.

14. Local council want to create  

15. There will be a   outside the Town Hall.

16. Information about reopening displayed on   .

SECTION 3 (PART B)

You will hear a talk. First, read the notes below then listen and
complete the notes with information from the talk.
You will hear the recording twice.

Example: Traffic cones are also often called construction cones.

17. Appearance varies, but all traffic cones are  

18. Originally made out of  

19. First used in UK in  

20. They   cars on roads.

21.   have been created to commemorate traffic cones.

PEARSON TEST OF ENGLISH GENERAL  7  LEVEL 3 – UPPER INTERMEDIATE

SECTION 4

Read each text and put a cros by the missing word or phrase, as in the example.

Example: Join the university gym today for just £15 per month.
One of our   will show you the ropes, telling you the
most effective and safe way to build muscle and increase stamina.

A instructors

B lecturers

C members

22. HORNSBURY CYCLING CLUB.

Meetings Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at 6pm. All levels of ability welcome.
For safety, all riders must wear a   .

A lifejacket

B thermal vest

C helmet

23. YOU ARE WHAT YOU DRINK…

Please ensure you do not drop litter in this area. This   is

your drinking water.

A suburb

B reservoir

C dam

PEARSON TEST OF ENGLISH GENERAL  8  LEVEL 3 – UPPER INTERMEDIATE

24. FRIDAY’S GUEST SPEAKER: JESSICA CLARKE.

Ms Clarke is a specialist in   and a number of

other string instruments. She will discuss music history and give a short
performance. Tickets: $8

A trumpet

B violin

C flute

25. MIDLAND ADVENTURE PARK.

You do not need to wait until winter or worry about the price of flights anymore.
Take to the slopes, even on a sunny day, when you visit our new indoor
  centre. Visit www.midlandpark.com for information.

A climbing

B skiing

C ice-skating

26. VISIT CUSCO.

Located in the Andes mountain range, Cusco is a wonderful base for

sightseeing and hiking.

Warning: Due to Cusco’s elevation of around 3,400m,   is

often experienced during the first few days after arrival. Plan accordingly.

A altitude sickness

B chronic sickness

C travel sickness

PEARSON TEST OF ENGLISH GENERAL  9  LEVEL 3 – UPPER INTERMEDIATE

 SECTION 5

Read the article and answer the questions below. Put a cross in the box next to
the correct answer, as in the example.

PENSION REFORMS AFFECT WOMEN’S WELLBEING

UK Pension reforms that increased State Pension age (SPA) for women are affecting the mental
and physical wellbeing of some women, potentially resulting in a widening health gap between
those from different socioeconomic groups, says new research led by King’s College London.
Since 2010, the SPA for women born after March 1950 has gradually increased from age
60 to 66. In keeping with most OECD countries, this reform aimed at improving the financial
sustainability of the pension system. Yet a study into the impact of extending working lives
suggests that the potential consequences of postponing the SPA for the wellbeing of older
women, and potentially men, are being overlooked. “Our findings show that the rise in SPA
increased employment participation, but it had unanticipated, negative health consequences
for women close to retirement in the UK,” says researcher Dr Ludovico Carrino. “Women
exposed to routine and manual occupations face an increased risk of physical and mental
illness as a result of pension postponement,” says Dr Carrino. Further research is needed to
establish whether a rise in pension age for men could have similar consequences as, clearly,
the current one-size-fits-all approach to the SPA rise could have health implications for some
employees which outweigh the potential benefits of later retirement. “We need more research
that evaluates the impact of programmes aimed at creating longer fulfilling working lives not
only on employment outcomes, but also on critical aspects of wellbeing for older people
such as mental and physical health, particularly for those in lower occupational groups,” say
Professors Mauricio Avendano and Karen Glaser, co-authors of the study. There are two
possible policy implications from the study. First, the fact that the negative health effects are
confined to women from routine and manual jobs raises questions about fairness, and whether
pension eligibility rules should consider occupation as a criterion. Second, national policies
on SPA need to consider strategies to prevent negative health consequences for women in
such occupations. “One such way would be to introduce inclusive labour market policies that
facilitate a smooth transition to retirement,” says Dr Carrino.

Source: Society Now, Spring 2019 https://esrc.ukri.org/files/news-events-and-publications/publications/

magazines/society-now/society-now-issue-34/ Page 3

PEARSON TEST OF ENGLISH GENERAL  10  LEVEL 3 – UPPER INTERMEDIATE

 Example: Which statement about the UK’s state pension age is true?

A It has fallen.

B It has risen.

C It has not changed.

27. A
 ccording to research, who may experience the most adverse effects of
pension reform?

A Women in manual jobs.

B Women from middle-class families.

C Women with high socioeconomic status.

28. Research has revealed that

A 
women and men experience the effects of pension reforms
in the same way.

B 
there has been a failure to notice the impact of pension
reforms on health.

C numerous researchers now study how pension reforms affect wellbeing.

29. According to the passage, which effect of pension reforms was anticipated?

A increased employment participation

B increased reports of physical health problems

C increased risk of mental illness

30. Two academics would like to see further research that considers

A how much to extend the state pension age for male workers.

B 
the clearest way to promote a one-size-fits-all approach to
state pensions.

C 
both positive and negative effects of increasing the state pension age.

PEARSON TEST OF ENGLISH GENERAL  11  LEVEL 3 – UPPER INTERMEDIATE

31. Which of these is a policy implication of the study described in the passage?

A National policies should prevent woman being confined to manual jobs.

B The government should consider varying pension age according to job type.

C New government policies should help women better understand their health.

SECTION 6

Read the article below and answer the questions.

ONLINE URBAN DESIGN POSSIBILITIES

A new online design and crowdsourcing platform developed by a European-wide partnership

including University College London demonstrates a way of enabling members of the public
to participate in creating, sharing and voting on design ideas for the regeneration of public
spaces. The Incubators of Public Spaces project explored ways to encourage community
input into the urban design of public spaces. In the project, residents of Pollards Hill housing
estate, London Borough of Merton, were invited to redesign their courtyards using the newly
developed platform and a 3D interactive model. The Incubators of Public Spaces initiative
identified opportunities to make grassroots initiatives more accessible to a wider audience but
researchers also noted challenges arising from, for example, IT literacy constraints.

Source: Society Now, Spring 2019 https://esrc.ukri.org/files/news-events-and-publications/publications/

magazines/society-now/society-now-issue-34/ Page 6

Example: What are being explored online? Urban design possibilities

32. What part of the world are the participating institutions from?

................. ......................................................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

33. Whose help with improving public spaces does the project hope to gain?

................. ......................................................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

34. What part of the Pollards Hill estate was redesigned online?

................. ......................................................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

35. The lack of which skill may be a barrier to widening participation in the project?

.......................................................................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

PEARSON TEST OF ENGLISH GENERAL  12  LEVEL 3 – UPPER INTERMEDIATE

Read the article below and answer the questions.

WHAT IS YOUTUBE PREMIUM?

YouTube Premium is a subscription service designed to offer heavy YouTube users additional
content and services designed to make their viewing experience better.

Luke Hyams explains that much of this comes down to functions that aren’t currently available
on the free YouTube site and app.

“If they’re big fans of music and use YouTube for music, they’ll get a brand new music app,” he
explains. “If they love the main YouTube platform, they’ll get the ability to have seamless plays
without adverts, to download videos and to also listen to videos with the screen of your phone
off or in other apps.”

But that’s not all. In addition to the new functions, YouTube Premium members will get access
to exclusive shows, content that won’t be available anywhere else.

Source: https://www.radiotimes.com/news/on-demand/2018-11-13/youtube-premium-uk-guide-cost-
original-shows-features-music-streaming-downloads/

Example: What kind of service is YouTube Premium? subscription

36. Who is it created specifically for?

.......................................................................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

37: What is it designed to enhance?

.......................................................................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

38. What does the free YouTube site but not YouTube Premium have?

.......................................................................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

39. W
 hat content does YouTube Premium offer that is not available
anywhere else?

.......................................................................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

PEARSON TEST OF ENGLISH GENERAL  13  LEVEL 3 – UPPER INTERMEDIATE

SECTION 7

Read the passage and complete the notes. Write no more than three words from
the passage in each gap.

BECOMING PRESIDENT

In order to be elected president, a person must meet the eligibility requirements laid out in the
Constitution. After that, the person must secure his or her political party’s nomination. Finally,
he or she must face a demanding campaign and election process.

Eligibility
According to the Constitution anyone who wishes to become president must be:

• At least thirty-five years old

• A resident of the United States for at least fourteen years
• A natural-born citizen
The last requirement has caused some confusion and controversy. According to U.S. law, a
child born abroad to parents who are American citizens is also a citizen, but it is not clear from
the Constitution whether such a person could be president. The courts have not ruled on
whether an American citizen born outside of the United States may be president. A variety of
people have tried to amend the Constitution to allow citizens born abroad to be president, but
so far they have had no success.

America’s Youngest President

Even though the Constitution allows anyone at least thirty-five years old to be president,
every American president thus far has been much older: The average age of presidents at
inauguration is fifty-four. Most people think that John F. Kennedy was the nation’s youngest
president—he was forty-three when elected in 1960—but that’s not accurate. In reality,
Kennedy was the youngest person to be elected president. The youngest person to be
president, however, was Theodore Roosevelt, who was forty-two when he became president
following the assassination of William McKinley in 1901.

Campaigning
The major parties select their presidential nominee at their national conventions, held every
four years. At the conventions, delegates from each state vote and whichever candidate
wins a majority of delegates becomes the party’s nominee. To win delegates, candidates
compete in primary elections, held in each state prior to the convention. Before acquiring the
party nomination, a presidential candidate must prove that he or she can attract voters by
winning primaries.

PEARSON TEST OF ENGLISH GENERAL  14  LEVEL 3 – UPPER INTERMEDIATE

 The general election pits each party’s nominees against each other. Candidates can usually rely
on the support of voters from their own party, so the campaign is frequently a competition for
independent voters. The candidates travel to battleground states to hold rallies, aimed at both
turning out their own base and persuading undecided voters to support them.

Source: https://www.sparknotes.com/us-government-and-politics/american-government/the-presidency/
section2/page/2/

Example: A president must satisfy eligibility requirements

40.   describes three conditions for becoming president.

41. Minimum age for presidents is  

42. I t is uncertain if an American who was born   can

become president.

43.  
 is the youngest president selected by the
American public.

44. P
 residential nominees are chosen by   representing
different places in the US.

45.  
 demonstrates that a presidential candidate can
attract voters.

46. Attracting   is key to winning general election.

PEARSON TEST OF ENGLISH GENERAL  15  LEVEL 3 – UPPER INTERMEDIATE

 SECTION 8

Use the information in Section 7 to help you write your answer.

Use your own words.

 ou have read a passage about becoming president. Now write an email to a

47. Y
friend about what you think makes a successful political leader.
Write 90 to 120 words and include the following information:

• The best way to attract voters

• Personal characteristics of successful leaders
• Challenges politicians must overcome

PEARSON TEST OF ENGLISH GENERAL  16  LEVEL 3 – UPPER INTERMEDIATE

 SECTION 9

48. Choose one of the topics below and write your answer in 150–200 words.

Either: A – You read this notice on Or: B – Write an essay in response

your college website and decide to to the following question.
write a response.

Web Recommendations Although the internet has made

it easier to access information,
We’re looking for people who can it has not made it easier to access
share recommendations for the trustworthy information.
best websites on the internet. Tell
us about your favourite website, To what extent do you agree
what it provides, and why you with this statement?
would recommend it to others.

A B

Put a cross in the box next to the task you have chosen.

Write your answer on the next page. Do not write outside of the box.

PEARSON TEST OF ENGLISH GENERAL  17  LEVEL 3 – UPPER INTERMEDIATE

PEARSON TEST OF ENGLISH GENERAL  18  LEVEL 3 – UPPER INTERMEDIATE