The perfect PTE Reading and Listening questions are one that seems very straightforward. One of the answer choices screams out to you, “Pick me, I make perfect sense.” You choose this answer, and a feeling of relief washes over you. Blithely, you continue on, totally oblivious to the fact that you walked straight into a trap.

Questions on PTE are rarely that easy. The test makers spend a long time choosing the distractors (which is test-speak for the wrong answer) so that if you are not careful, you will get the question wrong. One obvious solution is to be more mindful and spend fifteen seconds thinking over the alluring answer choice. Part of this process should include rereading the question (unfortunately, you cannot listen to the recording in the listening section). Oftentimes, there is one little word or a group of words that changes everything. For example:

Read the text and answer the multiple-choice question by selecting the correct response. Only one response is correct.

Indigenous Americans: The Sioux

Sioux or Dakota, is a confederation of Native North American tribes, the dominant group of the Hokan-Siouan linguistic stock, which is divided into several separate branches. The Sioux, or Dakota, consisted of seven tribes in three major divisions: Wahpekute, Mdewakantonwan, Wahpetonwan and Sisitonwan (who together formed the Santee or Eastern division, sometimes referred to as the Dakota); the Ihanktonwan or Yankton, and the Ihanktonwana or Yanktonai (who together formed the Middle division, sometimes referred to as the Nakota); and the Titonwan or Teton (who together formed the Western division, sometimes referred to as the Lakota). The Tetons, originally a single band, divided into seven sub-bands after the move to the plains. These seven sub-bands include the Hunkpapa, Sihasapa (or Blackfoot), and Oglala.

The major divisions of the Sioux people of North America are ___________.

1. A) the Wahpekute, Mdewakantonwan, Wahpetonwan and Sisitonwan
2. B) the Santee, the Nakota and the Lakota
3. C) the Hunkpapa, Sihasapa (or Blackfoot), and Oglala
4. D) the Santee, the Eastern Division and the Dakota