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Estonian Upper-Secondary English Exam study materials
Estonian Upper-Secondary English Exam study resources

Estonian Upper-Secondary English Exam practice questions

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Question 1Reading comprehension

Read this sentence: 'The committee, after months of debate, finally approved the proposal.' In the context of reading comprehension, what is the main function of the phrase 'after months of debate'?

  1. It provides a time reference for the main action Correct answer.
  2. It identifies who approved the proposal
  3. It describes the content of the proposal
  4. It states the result of the approval

Explanation

The phrase is a parenthetical adverbial telling the reader when the approving happened, relative to the debate. It does not name the agent, the outcome, or the proposal's content, so it functions as a time reference.

Question 2Reading comprehension

A passage states: 'Sales rose sharply in spring but flattened by autumn.' Which word signals the contrast a reader should notice?

  1. but Correct answer.
  2. sharply
  3. spring
  4. rose

Explanation

Contrast in English is typically signalled by coordinating conjunctions such as 'but', which sets the second clause against the first. 'Sharply' and 'rose' describe the increase, while 'spring' is a time marker.

Question 3Reading comprehension

In a reading task, you encounter the word 'meticulous'. Which strategy best helps you infer its meaning from context without a dictionary?

  1. Skipping the sentence entirely
  2. Counting the letters in the word
  3. Looking at how the word is used alongside contrasting or supporting clues Correct answer.
  4. Assuming it means the opposite of the previous word

Explanation

Context clues such as examples, contrasts, and definitions around an unfamiliar word allow a reader to infer meaning. Letter counting and skipping give no semantic information, and assuming opposites is unreliable.

Question 4Reading comprehension

Which statement best describes the purpose of a topic sentence in a reading passage?

  1. It concludes the entire text
  2. It lists every supporting detail
  3. It provides a counterargument
  4. It introduces the main idea of a paragraph Correct answer.

Explanation

A topic sentence announces the central idea that the rest of the paragraph develops. Supporting details follow it, and conclusions or counterarguments are different rhetorical moves.

Question 5Reading comprehension

A text says: 'Unlike her brother, who avoided crowds, Maria thrived at parties.' What does the comparison reveal about Maria?

  1. She disliked her brother
  2. She enjoyed social gatherings Correct answer.
  3. She avoided crowds like her brother
  4. She had never attended a party

Explanation

The word 'unlike' sets up a contrast: the brother avoided crowds, so Maria's 'thrived at parties' means she enjoyed them. The sentence says nothing about her feelings toward her brother or her attendance history.

Question 6Reading comprehension

In a reading passage, the pronoun 'they' most reliably refers to which element?

  1. Any word in the following sentence
  2. The first singular noun in the paragraph
  3. The nearest preceding plural noun that fits the meaning Correct answer.
  4. The title of the passage

Explanation

Pronoun reference is resolved by finding the preceding noun phrase that agrees in number and makes sense in context. Titles, unrelated singular nouns, and later words do not normally supply the antecedent.

Question 7Reading comprehension

A reader wants to find a single specific date mentioned in a long article. Which reading approach is most efficient?

  1. Reading every sentence at the same slow pace
  2. Memorising the introduction
  3. Scanning for numerals and month names Correct answer.
  4. Summarising each paragraph first

Explanation

Scanning means moving the eyes quickly over the text looking for a specific target, such as digits or month names. Slow reading and summarising are for understanding, not for locating one detail.

Question 8Reading comprehension

A passage describes a town as 'a sleepy village that woke each summer.' What literary device is used in 'woke each summer'?

  1. Hyperbole
  2. Alliteration
  3. Onomatopoeia
  4. Personification Correct answer.

Explanation

Giving a village the human ability to 'wake' is personification. Alliteration is repetition of initial sounds, hyperbole is exaggeration, and onomatopoeia imitates sounds.

Question 9Reading comprehension

A news article reports a study but also quotes a scientist who disagrees with its method. What is the likely purpose of including the dissenting quote?

  1. To fill space with unrelated opinion
  2. To prove the journalist supports the study
  3. To present a balanced view by including an alternative perspective Correct answer.
  4. To show that the study is completely invalid

Explanation

Including a dissenting expert gives readers a second viewpoint and signals balance rather than outright rejection. The article does not thereby declare the study invalid, nor does it reveal the journalist's own stance.

Question 10Reading comprehension

Read: 'Although the museum was small, its collection was remarkable.' Which relationship do the two clauses express?

  1. Condition
  2. Sequence
  3. Cause and effect
  4. Concession Correct answer.

Explanation

'Although' introduces a concession: the speaker acknowledges a limiting fact (small size) before asserting something that contrasts with it. Cause, sequence, and condition would be signalled by words like 'because', 'then', or 'if'.

Question 11Reading comprehension

A paragraph opens with a general claim, then gives three examples, and closes with a sentence restating the claim. Which structure does this paragraph follow?

  1. Compare and contrast
  2. Problem-solution
  3. General-to-specific with a concluding restatement Correct answer.
  4. Chronological narrative

Explanation

The paragraph moves from a broad statement to specific examples and then returns to the main point, a general-to-specific pattern with a closing restatement. There is no problem being solved, no time sequence, and no systematic comparison.

Question 12Reading comprehension

A passage states: 'The policy was welcomed by some, though its costs worried others.' What does the reader learn about public reaction?

  1. Opinion was divided Correct answer.
  2. Everyone supported the policy
  3. The policy was withdrawn
  4. No one understood the policy

Explanation

The construction 'welcomed by some, though... worried others' presents two opposing reactions, which means opinion was divided. The text does not claim unanimity, confusion, or withdrawal.

Question 13Reading comprehension

In an argumentative text, what is the role of a counterargument?

  1. To introduce a completely new topic
  2. To list statistics without comment
  3. To acknowledge an opposing view before responding to it Correct answer.
  4. To restate the writer's main claim

Explanation

A counterargument presents the opposing position so the writer can rebut or qualify it, strengthening the argument. It is not a restatement of the claim, a bare list, or a change of subject.

Question 14Reading comprehension

A text says: 'The results were, to put it mildly, disappointing.' What does the phrase 'to put it mildly' suggest?

  1. The results were mildly positive
  2. The speaker is softening a strong negative judgement Correct answer.
  3. The results were actually excellent
  4. The speaker is unsure of the results

Explanation

'To put it mildly' signals understatement: the speaker means something stronger than 'disappointing'. It softens the delivery while implying a harsher assessment, not uncertainty or praise.

Question 15Reading comprehension

A reader must decide whether a blog post is reliable. Which feature most strongly suggests low reliability?

  1. It lists the author's qualifications and sources
  2. It uses emotional language and cites no evidence Correct answer.
  3. It includes links to primary documents
  4. It states the date of publication

Explanation

Reliability is supported by verifiable sources, author credentials, and dates. Heavy emotional language without evidence is a warning sign of bias or weak support.

Question 16Reading comprehension

Read: 'The new bridge, which took four years to build, opened on Monday.' Which information is presented as supplementary rather than essential?

  1. The bridge is new
  2. It took four years to build Correct answer.
  3. The bridge opened on Monday
  4. The bridge exists

Explanation

A non-defining relative clause set off by commas adds extra information that could be removed without changing the main point. The construction time is that supplementary detail, while the opening and the bridge's newness form the main statement.

Question 17Reading comprehension

A passage uses the word 'sustainable' repeatedly when discussing farming. Which meaning fits a text about long-term soil health?

  1. Impossible to maintain
  2. Able to be continued without depleting resources Correct answer.
  3. Quickly profitable in the short term
  4. Related to fashion trends

Explanation

In environmental contexts, 'sustainable' means able to be maintained over time without exhausting resources. The other options either contradict this or belong to unrelated domains.

Question 18Reading comprehension

A narrative suddenly shifts from past tense to present tense mid-scene. What effect does this shift most commonly create?

  1. It proves the narrator is unreliable
  2. It signals a flashback to earlier events
  3. It increases immediacy and draws the reader into the action Correct answer.
  4. It marks the end of the story

Explanation

A shift to the present tense in narrative often heightens immediacy, making a scene feel live. Flashbacks usually move backward in time and are often marked differently, and tense alone does not establish unreliability or an ending.

Question 19Reading comprehension

Read: 'Not only did the team miss the deadline, but it also exceeded the budget.' Which two failures are reported?

  1. Exceeding the deadline and losing the budget
  2. Losing the team and missing the deadline
  3. Missing the budget and exceeding the deadline
  4. Missing the deadline and exceeding the budget Correct answer.

Explanation

The correlative construction 'not only... but also' links two parallel faults: missing the deadline and exceeding the budget. The other options swap or invent the items.

Question 20Reading comprehension

A writer describes a character's trembling hands, shallow breathing, and avoidance of eye contact. What is the reader most likely expected to infer?

  1. The character is nervous or afraid Correct answer.
  2. The character is relaxed
  3. The character is celebrating
  4. The character is asleep

Explanation

Physical signs such as trembling, shallow breathing, and avoided eye contact are conventional cues for anxiety or fear. The reader combines these details to infer an emotional state the text does not name directly.

Question 21Reading comprehension

A passage presents a claim, then offers statistics, an expert quotation, and a case study. Together these mainly serve to do what?

  1. Refute the author's position
  2. Support the claim with different kinds of evidence Correct answer.
  3. Introduce a new thesis
  4. Summarise the conclusion

Explanation

Statistics, expert testimony, and case studies are varied forms of evidence whose function is to substantiate the claim. They do not introduce a new thesis, oppose the author, or conclude the text.

Question 22Reading comprehension

Two texts discuss the same event: one calls it 'a necessary correction', the other 'a reckless disruption'. What does this difference most directly reveal?

  1. That one text is longer
  2. Differing evaluative stances toward the same event Correct answer.
  3. That both texts agree on interpretation
  4. A factual disagreement about the date

Explanation

The contrasting labels 'necessary correction' and 'reckless disruption' are evaluative, showing different attitudes rather than conflicting facts. The reader must separate factual content from the writers' judgements.

Question 23Reading comprehension

A sentence reads: 'Had the funding been approved, the project would have proceeded.' What does the sentence imply about the project?

  1. It proceeded despite a lack of funding
  2. It proceeded because funding was approved
  3. It will proceed if funding is approved
  4. It did not proceed because funding was not approved Correct answer.

Explanation

This is a third conditional with inversion ('Had... been approved'), describing an unreal past condition and its unreal result. Since the condition was not met, the project did not proceed.

Question 24Reading comprehension

In an academic passage, the writer repeatedly hedges claims with 'may', 'appears to', and 'suggests that'. What does this pattern most likely indicate about the writer's stance?

  1. Complete certainty about the findings
  2. A shift to informal register
  3. Rejection of the research field
  4. Cautious interpretation of limited evidence Correct answer.

Explanation

Hedging verbs and modals signal caution, showing the writer avoids overstating conclusions where evidence is limited. They do not express certainty, rejection, or informality.

Question 25Reading comprehension

A paragraph uses 'however' to open its second sentence after a confident generalisation. What is the reader's best signal about what follows?

  1. A definition of a key term
  2. A chronological continuation
  3. A repetition of the generalisation
  4. A qualification or exception to the generalisation Correct answer.

Explanation

'However' marks a turn against what preceded it, so the reader should expect a qualification, exception, or opposing point. It does not signal repetition, time sequence, or definition.

Question 26Reading comprehension

A reading task asks you to match five short headings to five paragraphs of an article. Which strategy best fits this task type?

  1. Read each paragraph fully and underline every unfamiliar word before choosing
  2. Identify the main idea of each paragraph, then find the heading that captures it Correct answer.
  3. Choose headings by matching single words that appear in both heading and paragraph
  4. Translate each heading into Estonian before reading the article

Explanation

Heading-matching tests whether you can state the gist of a paragraph, so the reliable method is to summarise each paragraph's central point and then look for the heading expressing that point. Word-level matching is a known trap because headings often reuse vocabulary from the wrong paragraph.

Question 27Reading comprehension

In a true/false/not-given reading task, a statement says 'The festival was first held in 1998', but the passage only says the festival 'has been held annually since the late 1990s'. What is the correct answer?

  1. True, because the late 1990s includes 1998
  2. False, because the passage gives a different date
  3. False, because the festival may not be annual
  4. Not given, because the passage does not state the exact first year Correct answer.

Explanation

A 'not given' answer applies when the passage neither confirms nor contradicts the statement. The passage supports a general period but never names 1998, so the exact claim cannot be verified from the text alone.

Question 28Reading comprehension

A passage says: 'Sales rose sharply in spring, levelled off over summer, and fell again by December.' Which statement accurately summarises the trend?

  1. Sales increased steadily throughout the whole year
  2. Sales peaked in spring, held steady, then declined Correct answer.
  3. Sales fell in spring and recovered in December
  4. Sales were unchanged in every season

Explanation

The summary must preserve the sequence of three stages: a spring rise, a summer plateau, and a December fall. Only the option that reports a peak followed by stability and then decline reflects all three parts of the sentence.

Question 29Reading comprehension

A candidate is asked to identify the writer's attitude in a review that says: 'The production is competent, though one cannot help wondering why it was staged at all.' What attitude does the reviewer convey?

  1. Anger at the actors' performance
  2. Enthusiastic admiration
  3. Complete indifference to the production
  4. Polite but fundamental doubt about the production's purpose Correct answer.

Explanation

The concessive 'competent, though...' concedes technical adequacy while the rhetorical question signals deeper scepticism about whether the production should exist. Attitude questions require reading evaluative language, not just isolated adjectives.

Question 30Reading comprehension

In a reading passage, a sentence begins: 'While the report acknowledges several successes, ...'. What does the word 'While' signal about the rest of the sentence?

  1. A time period will be specified
  2. The report's conclusion will be quoted directly
  3. The successes will be listed in detail
  4. A contrast will follow the acknowledged successes Correct answer.

Explanation

At the start of a clause, 'while' functions as a concessive conjunction meaning 'although'. It prepares the reader for a contrasting point that qualifies the successes just mentioned.

Question 31Reading comprehension

A passage contains the sentence: 'The committee's decision, greeted with relief by staff, was announced on Friday.' Which element is the main clause's core information?

  1. That relief was felt by the committee
  2. That the committee met on Friday
  3. That staff greeted the decision with relief
  4. That the decision was announced on Friday Correct answer.

Explanation

The participial phrase 'greeted with relief by staff' is a reduced relative clause inserted as extra detail. The grammatical spine of the sentence is 'The committee's decision was announced on Friday', which carries the primary information.

Question 32Reading comprehension

A reader needs to locate whether an article mentions any criticism of a new law. Which reading approach is most suitable?

  1. Scanning for words such as 'critics', 'concern' and 'opponents' Correct answer.
  2. Reading every word slowly from beginning to end
  3. Reading only the headline and the final paragraph
  4. Skimming the first sentence of each paragraph for critical vocabulary

Explanation

Scanning means moving the eyes quickly over the text looking for specific target words. Since the reader wants to find a particular kind of content, searching for criticism-related vocabulary is the most direct method.

Question 33Reading comprehension

Read: 'The scientist's findings were met with scepticism, not because they were poorly evidenced but because they challenged a dominant theory.' What reason does the sentence give for the scepticism?

  1. The scientist was unknown to colleagues
  2. The findings contradicted an established theory Correct answer.
  3. The findings had not yet been published
  4. The evidence was weak

Explanation

The 'not because... but because...' construction explicitly rejects weak evidence as the cause and supplies the real reason: the challenge to a dominant theory. Recognising this contrast structure is essential to answering detail questions accurately.

Question 34Reading comprehension

An advertisement reads: 'Thousands of satisfied customers can't be wrong!' Which persuasive technique is being used?

  1. Emotional storytelling
  2. Appeal to authority
  3. Statistical sampling
  4. Appeal to popularity Correct answer.

Explanation

The claim rests on the number of people who supposedly agree, treating widespread belief as proof of quality. This is the appeal to popularity (bandwagon) fallacy, which substitutes consensus for evidence.

Question 35Reading comprehension

A passage says a scheme was 'rolled out in selected regions'. Which paraphrase keeps the original meaning?

  1. The scheme was cancelled in some regions
  2. The scheme was tested secretly across the country
  3. The scheme was introduced gradually in certain areas Correct answer.
  4. The scheme was rejected by regional governments

Explanation

'Roll out' means to launch or introduce something, often progressively, and 'selected regions' means particular areas rather than all of them. The paraphrase must preserve both the introduction and the limited geographical scope.

Question 36Reading comprehension

A paragraph reads: 'The library extended its opening hours. Borrowing rose by a third within two months. Similar results followed in three neighbouring towns.' What is the paragraph mainly doing?

  1. Describing the architecture of a new library
  2. Explaining why borrowing is generally declining
  3. Presenting evidence for the effect of longer opening hours Correct answer.
  4. Comparing the costs of running several libraries

Explanation

The paragraph moves from a change (longer hours) to a measurable outcome (borrowing up by a third) and then to replication elsewhere. This is a pattern of supporting a claim with evidence, not a description or cost comparison.

Question 37Reading comprehension

A text states: 'The new regulations will affect small businesses, and by extension their employees.' What does 'by extension' indicate?

  1. A repetition of the same idea
  2. A change of topic in the sentence
  3. A logical consequence for a related group Correct answer.
  4. An exception to the previous statement

Explanation

'By extension' introduces a further conclusion drawn from the previous point: if businesses are affected, their employees are affected too. It signals an inference applied to a connected group, not an exception or repetition.

Question 38Reading comprehension

In an opinion article, the writer says: 'Of course, critics will claim the plan is too expensive.' Why does the writer use 'Of course' here?

  1. To introduce a new, unrelated argument
  2. To present the objection as predictable and thus less persuasive Correct answer.
  3. To agree fully with the critics' position
  4. To express genuine surprise at the criticism

Explanation

'Of course' frames the expected objection as routine and unsurprising, which subtly weakens its force before the writer answers it. This is a common rhetorical move for pre-empting counterarguments.

Question 39Reading comprehension

A passage uses both 'the government' and 'the administration' to refer to the same body. Why might a writer vary the terms?

  1. To show that one term is factually incorrect
  2. To avoid repetition and keep the style varied Correct answer.
  3. To suggest that two different institutions are involved
  4. To signal a change of topic

Explanation

Writers often use synonyms or near-synonyms for cohesion and stylistic variety, and readers must recognise that both terms point to the same referent. Misreading such variation as a reference to separate bodies is a common comprehension error.

Question 40Reading comprehension

A passage contains the phrase 'a modest but measurable improvement'. Which aspect of the results does 'modest' qualify?

  1. The reliability of the measurement
  2. The size of the improvement Correct answer.
  3. The number of participants
  4. The cost of the intervention

Explanation

'Modest' modifies the noun 'improvement' and describes its magnitude as limited, while 'measurable' confirms it was detectable. Distinguishing which aspect an adjective comments on is a key detail-reading skill.

Question 41Reading comprehension

A passage reads: 'Had the town invested in flood defences a decade ago, the damage would have been far less severe.' What does the writer imply?

  1. The town did invest in defences a decade ago
  2. The town did not invest in defences a decade ago Correct answer.
  3. The damage was less severe than expected
  4. Flood defences are unnecessary in the town

Explanation

This is a third conditional with inversion ('Had the town invested...'), which describes an unreal past condition. Because the outcome is presented as contrary to fact, the implication is that the investment did not happen.

Question 42Reading comprehension

A student must decide whether a website article about nutrition is trustworthy. Which feature is the strongest positive indicator of reliability?

  1. The article cites named experts and links to peer-reviewed studies Correct answer.
  2. The article appears at the top of search results
  3. The article is written in a lively, engaging style
  4. The article has many reader comments and shares

Explanation

Reliability is best judged by verifiable sourcing: named experts and references to peer-reviewed research allow a reader to check the claims. Style, popularity and search ranking are not evidence of accuracy.

Question 43Reading comprehension

Read: 'The proposal was not without merit, but the timing was unfortunate.' What is the writer's overall position?

  1. The writer has no opinion on the proposal
  2. The proposal was excellent and well timed
  3. The proposal was entirely worthless
  4. The proposal had some value but was badly timed Correct answer.

Explanation

The double negative 'not without merit' concedes some value, and the 'but' clause introduces the main criticism about timing. The overall position is therefore qualified approval undermined by circumstance.

Question 44Reading comprehension

A narrative passage describes a character who 'checked the lock three times before leaving and returned twice to check the stove'. What does this behaviour most likely reveal about the character?

  1. A tendency toward anxious over-checking Correct answer.
  2. A habit of arriving late
  3. A lack of interest in household safety
  4. A desire to impress neighbours

Explanation

Repeated checking behaviours are a conventional way of showing anxiety or obsessive caution in narrative. Readers are expected to infer character traits from described actions rather than from explicit statements.

Question 45Reading comprehension

A text says: 'The results should be interpreted with caution, as the sample was small and drawn from a single region.' What is the function of the second clause?

  1. It presents the study's main conclusion
  2. It gives reasons supporting the advice to be cautious Correct answer.
  3. It contradicts the first clause
  4. It introduces a new research question

Explanation

The conjunction 'as' introduces a causal clause that explains why caution is warranted. The two limitations named, a small sample and one region, are the grounds for the recommendation.

Question 46Reading comprehension

A passage describes a city's transport plan as 'ambitious on paper'. What does this phrase suggest?

  1. The plan is modest and unoriginal
  2. The plan is impressive in design but may be hard to realise Correct answer.
  3. The plan has already been fully implemented
  4. The plan exists only as a written document with no goals

Explanation

'On paper' is an idiom contrasting theoretical plans with practical reality, implying that the ambition may not survive implementation. The phrase carries a note of scepticism about feasibility.

Question 47Reading comprehension

In a passage about migration, the writer uses the phrase 'host communities' rather than 'local people'. What is the likely effect of this word choice?

  1. It removes any reference to the receiving population
  2. It implies that local people are hostile to migrants
  3. It frames the relationship in terms of receiving and integrating newcomers Correct answer.
  4. It suggests that migration has no social effects

Explanation

Word choice shapes framing: 'host communities' foregrounds the role of receiving and accommodating migrants, a more formal and policy-oriented perspective than the neutral 'local people'. Recognising connotation is central to analysing a writer's stance.

Question 48Reading comprehension

A passage includes a graph description: 'Demand for electric cars doubled between 2019 and 2022.' Which statement is equivalent?

  1. Demand rose by 100 per cent over the period Correct answer.
  2. Demand fell by half over the period
  3. Demand stayed the same over the period
  4. Demand rose by 50 per cent over the period

Explanation

To double means to become twice as large, which is an increase of 100 per cent relative to the starting value. Interpreting proportional language correctly is essential when reading data descriptions.

Question 49Reading comprehension

A passage contains: 'The committee rejected the first proposal; the second, however, met with unanimous approval.' What does the semicolon do in this sentence?

  1. It joins two closely related independent clauses Correct answer.
  2. It marks a direct quotation
  3. It introduces a list of items
  4. It replaces a missing word

Explanation

A semicolon can link two independent clauses that are closely connected in meaning, especially when a conjunctive adverb such as 'however' follows. Here it balances the rejection of one proposal against the approval of another.

Question 50Reading comprehension

A student reads two articles about a strike. Article A focuses on lost productivity, Article B on workers' wages. What does the comparison most likely reveal?

  1. Both articles are based on the same single source
  2. One article must be factually false
  3. The articles emphasise different aspects of the same event Correct answer.
  4. The strike had no economic consequences

Explanation

Comparing texts requires recognising that different emphases can coexist without one being false. Each article selects and foregrounds different details, which shapes the reader's impression of the same event.