A1–C2 · Duolingo English Test
Duolingo English Test Practice Test 21
AI-generated practice paper in the style of Duolingo English Test — original material, not a reproduction of any real exam paper, following the official task types. Listening audio is read aloud by your browser's voice. For Speaking you can record yourself and compare with a model answer, and Writing tasks include a model answer — neither is scored automatically, since that needs real speech and writing evaluation this site does not offer for this exam.
Reading
Read and Select
Look at each word. Is it a real English word?
1.yacht
2.kosant
3.proosive
4.inquire
5.hypothesis
6.cagate
7.gontive
8.deduce
9.vessel
10.eleven
11.flenic
12.junction
13.hutive
14.clepor
15.sacred
Fill in the Blanks
Type the missing letters to complete the word in each sentence.
A quick glance at the map showed that our hotel was far furt from the beach than the website had claimed.
Researchers found that people who read fiction regularly tend to score higher on tests of empa than those who do not.
Instead of arguing about who forgot to buy the tickets, why don't we simply che whether any are left online?
What would happen to the tides if the moon suddenly vani from the night sky tomorrow?
Meanwhile, back at the office, the manager was busily rearranging the desks to make space for the new sta.
Bitter experience had taught the old sailor never to trust a calm sea that follows a rest night.
Read and Complete
Type the missing letters to complete the text below.
As summers grow hotter and drier in many regions, wildfires have become larger, faster, and considerably harder to control. Firefi increasingly rely on aircraft, satellite images, and weather forec to predict exactly where a fire is likely to spread next. Some regions have started delibe setting small, contr fires during cooler months to clear dry underg before it can fuel a much larger and more dangerous bla. Indig communities in several countries are now being consu for traditional fire management techn that were largely igno for generations.
Interactive Reading
Read the passage and complete each step.
It is easy to take the zipper for granted, yet the device we now find on jackets, bags and trousers took decades to become popular. An American inventor named Whitcomb Judson patented an early clasp locker in 1893, but it was clumsy and often jammed halfway. It was not a commercial success, and Judson's company struggled for years. A Swedish-American engineer, Gideon Sundback, later redesigned the device, increasing the number of teeth per inch and giving each tooth a small hook and groove that interlocked far more reliably. He his improved version in 1917 and called it the "hookless fastener." Even with a working design, the public was slow to adopt it. Cost, too, early manufacturers from adopting the design. Buyers in rural areas were especially to trust the new fastener. For years, the fastener appeared mainly on boots and tobacco pouches, where it attracted little attention. The turning point came in the late 1920s, when clothing manufacturers began using it on children's clothing, since it let young children dress themselves without buttons. The name "zipper" itself was coined by the B.F. Goodrich Company, which used the device on a new type of rubber boot and liked the zipping sound it made. Fashion designers embraced the zipper in the 1930s, and it soon on dresses and trousers as well as boots.
16. The passage stops before its final sentence. Which sentence best completes it?
17. Highlight the answer: Which sentence explains what Sundback improved about the earlier design?
18. Highlight the answer: Which sentence tells us where the name "zipper" came from?
19. What is the main idea of the passage?
20. What is the best title for the passage?
Listening
Listen and Type
Listen and type the sentence you hear. You can play the audio as many times as you like.
1. Type what you hear.
2. Type what you hear.
3. Type what you hear.
4. Type what you hear.
5. Type what you hear.
6. Type what you hear.
Interactive Listening
Listen to each conversation, then answer.
Transcript (available after checking)
Carla: My internet has been painfully slow for the past few days. Any idea why?
David: It could be your router. Have you tried restarting it recently?
Carla: Not yet, actually. I'll unplug it for a minute and see if that helps.
David: Good idea, and if that doesn't work, it might be worth calling your provider.
7. What is the best reply to the last speaker?
8. What does David suggest Carla try first?
Summarize the conversation in one or two sentences.
Show sample answer
Model answer: Carla complains about slow internet, and David suggests restarting the router before calling the provider if that does not help.
Transcript (available after checking)
Grace: We finally brought the puppy home. Have you thought of any names yet?
Henry: I kind of like Biscuit, since he's the same color as one.
Grace: That's cute, but what about something like Max instead?
Henry: Both are nice, but Biscuit really suits his personality more, I think.
9. What is the best reply to the last speaker?
10. Why does Henry suggest the name Biscuit?
Summarize the conversation in one or two sentences.
Show sample answer
Model answer: Grace and Henry discuss names for their new puppy, and Henry suggests Biscuit because of the puppy's color, which Grace agrees suits him.
Writing
Write About the Photo
Look at each picture and write one or two sentences describing it.
Describe this picture in one or two sentences.
Show sample answer
Model answer: I can see a star with five points. Stars shine in the night sky, and it always makes me feel calm to look up at them when I am away from the city lights.
Describe this picture in one or two sentences.
Show sample answer
Model answer: The picture shows a bicycle with two wheels and a seat. Riding a bike is good for your health and for the environment, so I try to cycle to work when the weather is nice.
Describe this picture in one or two sentences.
Show sample answer
Model answer: This is a simple wooden chair with four legs. You might find one at a dining table or in a classroom, and a comfortable chair is really important when you study for hours.
Interactive Writing
Answer the question.
Do you think children should be given homework every day? Give your opinion and explain how too much or too little homework can affect a child.
Show sample answer
Model answer: I believe a small amount of homework is useful, but not every day. Practising what they learned helps children remember it, especially in maths and languages. However, too much homework leaves no time to play or sleep, and children may begin to hate school. Twenty or thirty minutes on a few evenings a week seems a fair balance to me.
Writing Sample
Write about the topic for up to three minutes.
You have three minutes. If you had to teach a class for a day, what subject would you choose, and how would you make it interesting?
Show sample answer
Model answer: I would teach geography, because I think it is a subject that can come alive very easily. Instead of only using textbooks, I would bring food, music and photos from different countries and ask students to guess where they come from. We could also plan an imaginary trip across a continent, with a budget and a route. Working in small groups would keep everybody active. I want my students to leave the room curious about the world, and to feel that learning does not have to mean sitting silently.
Speaking
Speak About the Photo
Look at the picture and speak about it for 30 seconds.
Speak about the picture. Say as much as you can.
Show sample answer
Model answer: I can see a ball in this picture. It is round, and I think it is a football or something similar. Balls are used in many sports, such as football, basketball and tennis. When I was a boy, I played football with my friends in the street every afternoon after school.
Read, Then Speak
Read the prompt, then speak about it.
Describe a time when you had to work with a team on a project. What was your role, and did the team succeed?
Show sample answer
Model answer: At university, I worked in a group of four on a marketing project about a local bakery. My role was to collect survey answers from customers and prepare the charts. At first, we argued about the design, but after we divided the tasks clearly, the work became much easier. We got a high mark, and the bakery owner even used one of our ideas. I learned that good communication is more valuable than individual talent.
Interactive Speaking
Answer each question in turn.
Have you ever done any volunteer work?
Show sample answer
Model answer: Yes, I volunteered at an animal shelter for about six months last year.
What tasks did you do as a volunteer?
Show sample answer
Model answer: I mostly cleaned cages, walked the dogs and helped visitors who wanted to adopt an animal.
What did you personally gain from the experience?
Show sample answer
Model answer: I became more patient, and I learned how much work goes on behind the scenes at a shelter.
Tell me about a moment during your volunteer work that you found especially rewarding.
Show sample answer
Model answer: Seeing a dog that had been there for months finally get adopted by a loving family was incredibly rewarding.
Why do you think volunteering benefits the volunteer as much as the people or animals they help?
Show sample answer
Model answer: Volunteering gives a strong sense of purpose and connects you with people you would never meet otherwise, which can be just as valuable as the help you provide.
Should schools require students to complete a certain number of volunteer hours before graduating? Discuss.
Show sample answer
Model answer: I think a small requirement could be positive, since many students would never try volunteering otherwise, though forcing it too strictly might make some see it as a burden rather than a genuine choice.
Speaking Sample
Speak about the topic for up to three minutes.
Describe a person in your family that you are very close to. Say what you do together and why the relationship is important to you.
Show sample answer
Model answer: I am very close to my younger sister, even though we are quite different. She is outgoing and loves parties, while I am more reserved. We talk on the phone almost every day about everything, from work problems to silly jokes. When we get the chance, we go to the cinema or cook dinner for our parents together. The relationship is important to me because she is the one person who knows me completely and tells me the truth, even when I do not want to hear it. Growing up, we sometimes fought, but now I think she is my best friend, and I am really thankful for her.
Keep your streak going
Up next: Duolingo English Test Practice Test 22