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NCEA Level 2 Te Reo Māori study materials
NCEA Level 2 Te Reo Māori study resources

NCEA Level 2 Te Reo Māori practice questions

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Question 1Listening

A speaker says: "Kei te haere au ki te kura." What is the speaker doing?

  1. Waiting at school
  2. Looking for a school
  3. Coming home from school
  4. Going to school Correct answer.

Explanation

The pattern "kei te + verb + subject" marks an action happening now, so "kei te haere au" means "I am going". The destination follows "ki te", giving "to school".

Question 2Listening

You hear: "Kua tae mai te manuhiri." Which statement best matches what the listener understands?

  1. The visitors will arrive tomorrow
  2. The visitors have arrived Correct answer.
  3. The visitors are still travelling
  4. The visitors did not come

Explanation

"Kua" signals a completed action with present relevance, and "tae mai" means arrive here. Together they report that the arrival has already happened.

Question 3Listening

A recording says: "Kāore au i te mōhio ki tō ingoa." What is the speaker telling you?

  1. They do not know your name Correct answer.
  2. They cannot pronounce your name
  3. They want to learn your name
  4. They have forgotten their own name

Explanation

"Kāore ... i te mōhio" is the negated present pattern meaning "do not know". "Ki tō ingoa" means "your name", so the speaker does not know the listener's name.

Question 4Listening

A speaker asks: "E hia ō tau?" What information are they requesting?

  1. Your age Correct answer.
  2. Your name
  3. Your phone number
  4. Your address

Explanation

"E hia" asks "how many", and "ō tau" means "your years". The question therefore asks how many years old you are.

Question 5Listening

You hear someone say: "He nui te ua i tēnei rā." What is being described?

  1. Heavy rain today Correct answer.
  2. A hot day today
  3. A cloudy sky today
  4. Strong wind today

Explanation

"He nui" means "great/large in quantity" and "te ua" means "the rain". "I tēnei rā" fixes the time as today, so heavy rain is being described.

Question 6Listening

A speaker says: "Kei te pukuriri a Mere." How is Mere feeling?

  1. Pleased
  2. Hungry
  3. Sleepy
  4. Angry Correct answer.

Explanation

"Pukuriri" is the state word for angry, and "kei te" presents it as a current state. The sentence therefore describes Mere as angry.

Question 7Listening

You hear: "Hoatu te pukapuka ki a Hemi." What is being asked?

  1. Give the book to Hemi Correct answer.
  2. Take the book from Hemi
  3. Read the book to Hemi
  4. Put the book on Hemi's desk

Explanation

"Hoatu" is the command meaning "give (away from the speaker)", and "ki a Hemi" marks the recipient. The instruction is to give the book to Hemi.

Question 8Listening

A voice says: "Titiro ki te mahere." What should the listener do?

  1. Buy a map
  2. Fold the map
  3. Look at the map Correct answer.
  4. Draw a map

Explanation

"Titiro" is the command "look", and "ki te mahere" means "at the map". The listener is told to look at the map.

Question 9Listening

A speaker says: "I te ata, ka kai mātou i te parakuihi." When did the group eat breakfast?

  1. At midnight
  2. In the morning Correct answer.
  3. In the afternoon
  4. In the evening

Explanation

"I te ata" is a past time phrase meaning "in the morning", and "ka" carries the narrative forward. The breakfast therefore happened in the morning.

Question 10Listening

You hear: "Āpōpō ka hui te whānau ki te marae." What does the listener understand?

  1. The family gathered at the marae yesterday
  2. The family will not gather at the marae
  3. The family will gather at the marae tomorrow Correct answer.
  4. The family is gathering at the marae now

Explanation

"Āpōpō" means tomorrow, and "ka" before a verb describes an action to come. "Hui" here means gather, and "ki te marae" gives the location.

Question 11Listening

A speaker says: "Nāku te waka i horoi." Who washed the car?

  1. The listener washed it
  2. Nobody washed it
  3. The speaker washed it Correct answer.
  4. Someone else washed it

Explanation

"Nāku" is the emphatic possessive meaning "by me/mine", and with "i horoi" it credits the speaker with the action. The sentence states the speaker washed the car.

Question 12Listening

You hear: "Kei te noho a Tama i te taha o tōna matua." Where is Tama?

  1. Far from his father
  2. Above his father
  3. Behind his father
  4. Beside his father Correct answer.

Explanation

"I te taha o" means "at the side of/beside". With "tōna matua" (his father), the sentence places Tama beside his father.

Question 13Listening

A recording says: "Kāore a Hina i te kōrero i te reo Māori." What is true of Hina?

  1. She cannot understand Māori
  2. She is writing in Māori
  3. She is learning Māori
  4. She is not speaking Māori Correct answer.

Explanation

"Kāore ... i te kōrero" negates the present action of speaking. "I te reo Māori" specifies the language, so Hina is not speaking Māori right now.

Question 14Listening

A speaker asks: "Nā wai koe i āwhina?" What is being asked?

  1. Why did you help?
  2. Who did you help?
  3. Who helped you? Correct answer.
  4. When did you help?

Explanation

"Nā wai" asks "by whom", and the passive "i āwhina" with "koe" makes the listener the one helped. The question asks who it was that helped the listener.

Question 15Listening

You hear: "He makariri a waho, engari he mahana a roto." What contrast is described?

  1. Cold both outside and inside
  2. Cold outside but warm inside Correct answer.
  3. Warm both outside and inside
  4. Warm outside but cold inside

Explanation

"Engari" marks contrast. "He makariri a waho" states cold outside, and "he mahana a roto" states warm inside, so the two halves oppose each other.

Question 16Listening

A speaker says: "Me haere tāua ki te mākete ā te ata." What is being suggested?

  1. That I should go to the market alone in the morning
  2. That the two of us should go to the market in the morning Correct answer.
  3. That the two of us went to the market yesterday
  4. That the two of us should avoid the market

Explanation

"Me" gives a suggestion of what ought to be done, and "tāua" refers to the speaker plus one other person. "Ā te ata" fixes the time as the morning.

Question 17Listening

You hear: "Kua roa a Pita e mahi ana i tērā tari." What does this tell you about Pita?

  1. He is leaving that office soon
  2. He has worked at that office for a long time Correct answer.
  3. He has just started at that office
  4. He has never worked at that office

Explanation

"Kua roa" means "has been long", and with "e mahi ana" it expresses a continuing action over time. The sentence reports long service at that office.

Question 18Listening

A voice says: "Kei te kimi a Aroha i tana pukapuka i ngaro." What is Aroha doing?

  1. Searching for her lost book Correct answer.
  2. Hiding her lost book
  3. Reading her lost book
  4. Returning her lost book

Explanation

"Kimi" means search for, and "i ngaro" describes the book as lost. The sentence therefore shows Aroha looking for the book she has lost.

Question 19Listening

A speaker says: "Ahakoa te ua, ka haere tonu mātou ki te hui." What does the listener understand?

  1. They have already returned from the meeting
  2. Despite the rain, they will still go to the meeting Correct answer.
  3. They will go to the meeting only if it stops raining
  4. Because of the rain, they will not go to the meeting

Explanation

"Ahakoa" introduces a concession meaning "although/despite", and "tonu" reinforces that the action continues anyway. The group will still attend the meeting despite the rain.

Question 20Listening

You hear a kaumātua say: "Kāti te kōrero, whakarongo mai ki te kōrero a te kuia." What is the audience told to do?

  1. Stop talking and listen to the kuia Correct answer.
  2. Leave before the kuia speaks
  3. Start talking with the kuia
  4. Repeat what the kuia said

Explanation

"Kāti" is a command to stop or cease, and "whakarongo mai" tells the audience to listen towards the speaker. The instruction is to be quiet and listen to the kuia.

Question 21Listening

A speaker says: "Tērā pea ka ua ā te pō." What is being expressed?

  1. It might rain tonight Correct answer.
  2. It will not rain tonight
  3. It is definitely raining tonight
  4. It rained last night

Explanation

"Tērā pea" signals possibility, roughly "perhaps/might". "Ka ua ā te pō" points to rain at night, so the speaker is giving a possibility rather than a certainty.

Question 22Listening

You hear: "Ehara i te mea he māmā te mahi, engari he pai ki a ia." What is the speaker conveying?

  1. The work is easy and she enjoys it
  2. The work is hard and she dislikes it
  3. The work is not easy, but she enjoys it Correct answer.
  4. The work is easy but she dislikes it

Explanation

"Ehara i te mea he māmā" is a negated statement meaning "it is not that it is easy". "Engari he pai ki a ia" adds the contrast that she likes it.

Question 23Listening

A speaker says: "Ko te mea nui, kia noho tahi te whānau." What is the main point being emphasised?

  1. That the family should hold a meeting
  2. That the family should stay together Correct answer.
  3. That the family should move away
  4. That the family should build a new house

Explanation

"Ko te mea nui" introduces what matters most, and "kia noho tahi" expresses a desired state of living together. The emphasis falls on family unity.

Question 24Listening

You hear: "Ki taku mōhio, kāore anō a Rangi kia tae mai." What is the speaker saying about Rangi?

  1. The speaker is unsure whether Rangi exists
  2. The speaker believes Rangi arrived a long time ago
  3. As far as the speaker knows, Rangi has not yet arrived Correct answer.
  4. The speaker knows for certain that Rangi has arrived

Explanation

"Ki taku mōhio" limits the claim to the speaker's knowledge. "Kāore anō ... kia tae mai" means "has not yet arrived", so the arrival is still pending.

Question 25Listening

A speaker says: "Mēnā ka tae mai koe, ka hari taku ngākau." What does the listener understand?

  1. Whether or not you come, the speaker will be delighted
  2. If you come, the speaker will be delighted Correct answer.
  3. The listener has already arrived and delighted the speaker
  4. The speaker will be delighted only if the listener stays away

Explanation

"Mēnā" introduces a condition ("if"), and the second clause gives the result. The delight is conditional on the listener arriving, not guaranteed regardless.

Question 26Listening

You hear: "Kei te haere mātou ki te kura mā runga pahi." How does the group travel to school?

  1. By train
  2. On foot
  3. By bus Correct answer.
  4. By car

Explanation

The phrase 'mā runga pahi' means 'by means of a bus', so the mode of transport is the bus. 'Mā runga' introduces the vehicle used for travel, and 'pahi' is the word for bus.

Question 27Listening

You hear: "Ka tīmata te hui ā te waru karaka." When does the meeting begin?

  1. At eight o'clock Correct answer.
  2. At nine o'clock
  3. At two o'clock
  4. At noon

Explanation

'Ā te waru karaka' means 'at eight o'clock', with 'waru' being the number eight. The verb 'tīmata' means 'begin', so the meeting starts at that stated time.

Question 28Listening

You hear: "E rua ngā kurī me te ngeru kotahi kei tōku kāinga." What animals are at the speaker's home?

  1. One dog and two cats
  2. Two dogs and one cat Correct answer.
  3. Three dogs only
  4. Two cats and one dog

Explanation

'E rua ngā kurī' means 'two dogs', and 'te ngeru kotahi' means 'one cat'. The numbers attach to their own nouns, so the count is two dogs and a single cat.

Question 29Listening

You hear: "Ko Tāne te mātāmua o te whānau." What is Tāne's position in the family?

  1. The only child
  2. The youngest child
  3. A visiting cousin
  4. The eldest child Correct answer.

Explanation

'Mātāmua' refers to the first-born or eldest child in a family. The 'ko' construction simply identifies Tāne as holding that role.

Question 30Listening

You hear: "Kei te pīrangi au ki te inu wai." What does the speaker want?

  1. To go to sleep
  2. To eat food
  3. To buy a drink
  4. To drink water Correct answer.

Explanation

'Pīrangi' means 'to want or desire', and 'inu wai' means 'drink water'. Together the sentence states the speaker is thirsty and wants water.

Question 31Listening

You hear: "Kei te ako au i te reo Māori i te whare wānanga." Where is the speaker learning Māori?

  1. At home
  2. At university Correct answer.
  3. At a primary school
  4. At a marae

Explanation

'Whare wānanga' is the term for a university or tertiary institution. The sentence places the learning of te reo Māori there.

Question 32Listening

You hear: "He nui te ua i te rā nei, me mau koe i te koti ua." What advice is given?

  1. Stay indoors
  2. Wear a raincoat Correct answer.
  3. Wear warmer shoes
  4. Carry an umbrella

Explanation

'Koti ua' is a raincoat, and 'me mau koe' means 'you should wear'. Because it is raining heavily, the speaker advises wearing that garment.

Question 33Listening

You hear: "E hia ngā tau o tō tuahine?" What is being asked?

  1. What your sister's name is
  2. How old your sister is Correct answer.
  3. When your sister is visiting
  4. Where your sister lives

Explanation

'E hia ngā tau' literally asks 'how many years', the standard way to ask someone's age. 'Tuahine' refers to a sister of a male speaker, so the question is about her age.

Question 34Listening

You hear: "Kua mutu taku mahi, nō reira ka hoki au ki te kāinga." Why is the speaker going home?

  1. Because work has finished Correct answer.
  2. Because the speaker is sick
  3. Because the speaker forgot something
  4. Because it is a public holiday

Explanation

'Kua mutu taku mahi' states that the speaker's work is finished, and 'nō reira' introduces the consequence. The reason for returning home is therefore the end of work.

Question 35Listening

You hear: "I te mea kāore he pahi, ka hīkoi mātou ki te marae." Why did the group walk?

  1. They wanted exercise
  2. The walk was shorter
  3. There was no bus Correct answer.
  4. The bus was late

Explanation

'I te mea kāore he pahi' means 'because there was no bus', giving the reason for walking. 'I te mea' introduces a cause, and the result clause follows.

Question 36Listening

You hear: "Kāore i taea e au te haere ki te hui, engari i tuhia e au he reta whakamārama." What does the speaker reveal?

  1. They attended the meeting and spoke
  2. They missed the meeting but sent a written explanation Correct answer.
  3. They cancelled the meeting themselves
  4. They sent someone else to the meeting

Explanation

'Kāore i taea e au te haere' means the speaker could not attend, and the 'engari' clause says a letter of explanation was written. The sentence contrasts absence with a compensating written action.

Question 37Listening

You hear: "He pai ake ki a au te haere ā-wae i te haere mā runga waka." What preference is expressed?

  1. Preferring to drive rather than walk
  2. Refusing to travel at all
  3. Preferring to take the bus
  4. Preferring to walk rather than drive Correct answer.

Explanation

'He pai ake ki a au' expresses a preference, and 'i te' marks the thing not preferred. The speaker prefers walking over travelling by vehicle.

Question 38Listening

You hear: "Ka kōrero te kaiako, ā, ka tuhi ngā ākonga i ngā whakautu." What happens after the teacher speaks?

  1. The students write the answers Correct answer.
  2. The students leave the room
  3. The students ask questions
  4. The students read aloud

Explanation

The sequence marker 'ā' links two actions in order: first the teacher speaks, then the students write. 'Tuhi' means to write and 'whakautu' means answers.

Question 39Listening

You hear: "Ahakoa he uaua te mahi, kāore au i te ngenge." What is the speaker saying?

  1. They want help with the work
  2. The work is hard but they are not tired Correct answer.
  3. They have stopped working
  4. The work is easy and they are tired

Explanation

'Ahakoa' introduces a concession ('although the work is difficult'), and the main clause says the speaker is not tired. The sentence contrasts difficulty with the speaker's energy.

Question 40Listening

You hear: "Kua tae mai te manuhiri, nō reira me whakapai ake te whare." What does the arrival of the guests prompt?

  1. Cooking the evening meal
  2. Leaving the house
  3. Locking the doors
  4. Tidying the house Correct answer.

Explanation

'Me whakapai ake te whare' means the house should be tidied, and 'nō reira' shows it results from the guests arriving. The speaker links arrival to preparing the house.

Question 41Listening

You hear: "Ki te kore koe e whakarongo, kāore koe e mārama." What is the speaker warning?

  1. Without listening, you will not understand Correct answer.
  2. Understanding comes without effort
  3. You should stop listening now
  4. Listening too much causes confusion

Explanation

'Ki te kore' means 'if not', setting a condition: if you do not listen, then you will not understand. The two clauses form a conditional warning about listening and comprehension.

Question 42Listening

You hear: "He rite tonu te āhua o ēnei tēpu e rua." What is said about the two tables?

  1. They are both new
  2. They are different sizes
  3. They look the same Correct answer.
  4. One is broken

Explanation

'He rite tonu' means 'exactly alike' or 'the same', and 'te āhua' refers to appearance. The speaker is comparing the two tables and saying they look identical.

Question 43Listening

You hear: "He toa a Mere ki te kōrero reo Māori, engari he whakamā a Tama." How do the two people differ?

  1. Tama is confident while Mere is shy
  2. Both are confident speakers of Māori
  3. Neither of them speaks Māori
  4. Mere is confident at speaking Māori while Tama is shy Correct answer.

Explanation

'He toa' describes someone skilled or confident, applied to Mere, while 'he whakamā' describes Tama as shy. The 'engari' signals the contrast between the two people.

Question 44Listening

You hear: "Nā te ua i kore ai te hui." What caused the meeting not to happen?

  1. A transport strike
  2. The late arrival of the speaker
  3. The lack of a venue
  4. The rain Correct answer.

Explanation

'Nā te ua' marks the rain as the cause, and 'i kore ai te hui' says the meeting did not take place. The 'nā ... i ... ai' construction is a causative pattern identifying the reason.

Question 45Listening

You hear: "Mehemea i tae wawe mai koe, kua kite koe i te kaupapa." What is the speaker implying?

  1. That the presentation was cancelled
  2. That the listener gave the presentation
  3. That the listener arrived early and saw everything
  4. That the listener arrived late and missed the presentation Correct answer.

Explanation

'Mehemea i tae wawe mai koe' is a hypothetical past condition: 'if you had arrived early'. The 'kua kite' clause says the listener would then have seen it, implying they did not.

Question 46Listening

You hear: "Ehara i te mea nāna te hē, engari me kōrero tonu tātou." What is the speaker's stance?

  1. The speaker refuses to talk about it
  2. There is nothing to discuss
  3. The person is fully to blame and must apologise
  4. It was not the person's fault, but discussion is still needed Correct answer.

Explanation

'Ehara i te mea nāna te hē' denies that the person caused the mistake, while 'engari me kōrero tonu' insists on continuing to talk. The sentence separates blame from the need to discuss.

Question 47Listening

You hear: "Kāore i ārikarika te mahi a te rōpū, ā, i tutuki pai te kaupapa." What does the speaker convey about the group's effort?

  1. Their effort was considerable and the project succeeded Correct answer.
  2. Their effort was minimal and the project failed
  3. They worked but the project was cancelled
  4. They did no work at all

Explanation

'Kāore i ārikarika' is an idiom meaning 'not insignificant', i.e. considerable effort. The second clause, 'i tutuki pai te kaupapa', confirms the project was completed successfully.

Question 48Listening

You hear: "Ahakoa kāore i tino mārama ki a au tana kōrero, i kite au i tana ngākau pono." What does the listener understand?

  1. The speaker was difficult and unfriendly
  2. Even without fully understanding the words, the sincerity was clear Correct answer.
  3. The words were clear but the speaker seemed insincere
  4. The listener disagreed with the speaker

Explanation

'Ahakoa kāore i tino mārama' concedes that the words were not fully understood, while 'i kite au i tana ngākau pono' notes the speaker's sincerity was perceived. The meaning rests on separating comprehension from emotional perception.

Question 49Listening

You hear: "Kua roa te wā e kōrerotia ana tēnei take, engari kāore anō kia whakatauhia." What is the situation regarding the issue?

  1. It has been discussed a long time but not yet decided Correct answer.
  2. It has never been discussed
  3. It was decided quickly and closed
  4. It was decided but then reopened

Explanation

'Kua roa te wā e kōrerotia ana' says discussion has gone on a long time, and 'kāore anō kia whakatauhia' says no decision has been reached. 'Anō' signals 'not yet'.

Question 50Listening

You hear: "He uaua te whakatau, engari ko te oranga o te whānau te mea nui." What is the speaker prioritising?

  1. Avoiding the decision entirely
  2. The wellbeing of the family Correct answer.
  3. Making a quick decision
  4. The speaker's own interests

Explanation

'Ko te oranga o te whānau te mea nui' states that family wellbeing is the most important thing, overriding the difficulty of deciding. The 'engari' clause shifts emphasis from the hard choice to that priority.