A1–C2 · Duolingo English Test
Duolingo English Test Practice Test 40
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.trivial
2.radiate
3.beerty
4.spiltive
5.spildish
6.journal
7.trintel
8.shrewd
9.habitat
10.sador
11.foster
12.trutap
13.withdraw
14.nutrition
15.speendid
Fill in the Blanks
Type the missing letters to complete the word in each sentence.
According to a local legend, a friendly ghost wanders the castle corridors at midnight, swin a tiny silver lantern.
Hardly anyone noticed the tiny crack in the wing at first, yet it eventually forced the pilot to ret to the airport.
Watch out for the loose step on the staircase; it has already made two visitors tr this week.
Because the printer was out of ink, Noor decided to copy the direc by hand and take them with her.
Discovered by accident in a Scottish laboratory, penicillin became the first widely used antib in history.
Would you mind holding my umbrella for a moment while I search for my ke in this enormous bag?
Read and Complete
Type the missing letters to complete the text below.
For thousands of years, spices such as pepper, cinnamon, and cloves were worth more, ounce for ounce, than silver. European explorers risked dangerous voya around entire continents largely to reach the islands where these spices actually grew, hoping to avoid paying middl along the overland routes. Wars were fought, colo were foun, and entire trading companies were created pur to control the sup of a hand of dried plants. Today those same spices sit cheaply on supermarket shel, their once extraor value almost completely forgo by most shoppers.
Interactive Reading
Read the passage and complete each step.
Iceland sits on the boundary between two tectonic plates, and this restless position gives the country both its volcanoes and its most valuable resource: heat. Beneath the surface, water is by hot rock, and Icelanders learned long ago to bring some of it up. Today about ninety percent of homes are directly by geothermal water, which flows through pipes from boreholes, sometimes many kilometres away. In the capital, Reykjavik, the system is so efficient that some pavements and car parks are warmed from below, so snow melts as soon as it lands. Geothermal steam also drives turbines that produce a large share of the nation's electricity, while most of the rest comes from hydropower. The result is a country whose energy is almost entirely renewable, most nations still rely heavily on coal, oil and gas. Yet the technology is not without difficulties. Drilling is expensive, and the hot water contains minerals that clog pipes and damage equipment. Some boreholes also release small amounts of gases such as hydrogen sulphide, which smells of rotten eggs. Engineers have found that pumping used water back underground helps to keep reservoirs from running dry, the rate of extraction is carefully managed.
16. The passage stops before its final sentence. Which sentence best completes it?
17. Highlight the answer: Which sentence describes how Reykjavik keeps some pavements free of snow?
18. Highlight the answer: Which sentence names a practical problem with geothermal water?
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)
David: Hi Emma, I wanted to renew the history book I borrowed last month.
Emma: Sure, let me check the system. It looks like it's already overdue by two days.
David: Oh no, I completely lost track of the date. Will I have to pay a fine?
Emma: Just a small one, but I can renew it right now so it won't grow any larger.
7. What is the best reply to the last speaker?
8. Why does David have to pay a fine?
Summarize the conversation in one or two sentences.
Show sample answer
Model answer: David asks Emma to renew an overdue history book, and she agrees to renew it immediately after telling him about a small late fine.
Transcript (available after checking)
Frank: Do you have any plans for the weekend, or are you free on Saturday?
Grace: I'm mostly free, though I promised my sister I'd help her move some furniture.
Frank: That shouldn't take too long, right? Maybe we could do something after.
Grace: Probably just the morning, so the afternoon should be completely open for us.
9. What is the best reply to the last speaker?
10. Why might Grace be busy on Saturday morning?
Summarize the conversation in one or two sentences.
Show sample answer
Model answer: Frank and Grace discuss their Saturday plans, and Grace explains she will be busy helping her sister in the morning but free after that.
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: The picture shows a closed book with a cover. I love reading before bed, and a good story helps me forget the stress of the day.
Describe this picture in one or two sentences.
Show sample answer
Model answer: The picture shows a loaf of bread. Fresh bread smells wonderful, and I like to have it for breakfast with butter and a little bit of jam.
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.
Interactive Writing
Answer the question.
What do you think is the most useful invention of the last fifty years? Explain why you chose it and how your life would be different without it.
Show sample answer
Model answer: I believe the smartphone is the most useful invention. It combines a map, a camera, a bank and a library in one small device. Without it, I would have to carry paper maps, ask strangers for directions and go to a bank during opening hours. Life would be slower and less convenient, though maybe also a little calmer.
Writing Sample
Write about the topic for up to three minutes.
You have three minutes. If you could improve one thing about the place where you live now, what would it be and why?
Show sample answer
Model answer: If I could improve one thing, it would be the public transport. At the moment, buses are rare in the evenings, and the last one leaves at ten. That means people who work late must pay for a taxi or ask a friend to drive them. Better transport would also reduce the number of cars in the centre and help the environment. I would add more night buses and a cheap monthly ticket for students. It is a simple change that would improve the lives of thousands of people every day.
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 rabbit in the picture. It has long ears and a small, soft body. Rabbits are quiet animals, and they eat vegetables and grass. When I was young, my cousin had two rabbits in his garden, and I loved feeding them carrots every time I visited.
Read, Then Speak
Read the prompt, then speak about it.
Talk about a gift that you gave or received that meant a lot to you. Who was it for, and why was it special?
Show sample answer
Model answer: On my eighteenth birthday, my grandmother gave me a small notebook that she had covered in fabric herself. Inside, she had written her favourite recipes and some advice for life. It was not expensive, but I could see how much time and love she had put into it. I still keep it on my desk, and whenever I open it, I can almost hear her voice reading the recipes.
Interactive Speaking
Answer each question in turn.
Do you enjoy visiting museums?
Show sample answer
Model answer: Yes, I enjoy visiting museums, especially history and science ones.
What kind of exhibitions interest you most?
Show sample answer
Model answer: I am most interested in exhibitions about ancient civilisations and old inventions.
Do you prefer visiting museums alone or with someone else?
Show sample answer
Model answer: I prefer visiting alone, so I can spend as long as I like at each exhibit without rushing.
Tell me about a museum visit that impressed you.
Show sample answer
Model answer: A science museum with interactive exhibits impressed me, because visitors could actually touch and try things instead of just reading labels.
Why do you think some people find museums boring while others love them?
Show sample answer
Model answer: I think it depends on how the museum presents information; a museum full of interactive displays tends to engage far more people than one with only text panels.
Should museums always be free to enter? Give reasons for your opinion.
Show sample answer
Model answer: I think permanent collections should stay free, since culture should be accessible to everyone regardless of income, but charging a small fee for special exhibitions seems fair to help cover extra costs.
Speaking Sample
Speak about the topic for up to three minutes.
Describe a public holiday or national celebration in your country and explain what it means to the people who celebrate it.
Show sample answer
Model answer: One important public holiday in my country celebrates our independence, and it falls in early autumn. On that day, most towns hold a parade in the morning, followed by concerts and fireworks in the evening. Families often gather for a large meal, and many people decorate their homes with flags for the whole week. For older generations, the day carries deep meaning, since some of them remember stories from relatives who lived through difficult times before independence. For younger people like me, it feels more like a proud tradition and a welcome day off, though I still enjoy watching the parade with my grandparents, who explain a little history each year. It is a good reminder of where our country came from.
Keep your streak going
Up next: Duolingo English Test Practice Test 41