What is the MUET Reading paper?
The Malaysian University English Test (MUET, test code 800) is set by the Malaysian Examinations Council (Majlis Peperiksaan Malaysia, MEC). It has four components: Listening (800/1), Speaking (800/2), Reading (800/3) and Writing (800/4), each worth 25% and scored out of 90. This practice pack covers the Reading paper only. Listening, Writing and Speaking are not included.
The Reading paper format
| Questions | 40 questions in 7 parts, based on 10 texts |
|---|---|
| Time | 75 minutes |
| Reading load | 3,300 to 4,150 words in total, with texts from CEFR A2 to C1 level |
| Part 1 (Q1 to 4) | Multiple matching: three short linked texts such as adverts, notices or menus; choose text A, B or C |
| Parts 2 and 3 (Q5 to 14) | Two factual texts of 300 to 450 words, such as emails, blogs, letters or biographies; 5 questions each with 3 options |
| Part 4 (Q15 to 20) | Two linked texts, 700 to 800 words in total; questions on each text and on comparing them; 3 options |
| Part 5 (Q21 to 26) | Gapped text of 500 to 600 words with 6 sentences removed; choose from 7 sentences (one extra) |
| Parts 6 and 7 (Q27 to 40) | Two long texts of 700 to 900 words, such as articles, reports, journal articles or literary writing; 7 questions each with 4 options |
| Scoring | Reading is scored out of 90. MUET has no pass or fail: the total out of 360 gives a band from 1.0 to 5+, aligned to the CEFR. The raw-score to scaled-score conversion for Reading is not published. |
| Fees | MUET RM150 (Malaysian candidates) or RM350 (non-Malaysian); MUET on Demand RM350 (Malaysian) or RM550 (non-Malaysian) |
| Validity | Results are valid for five years from the date of release |
How this pack differs from the real paper
Every question here has 4 options, so the format is the same in every part. In the real paper, Parts 2 to 4 have 3 options, Part 1 matches against 3 texts and Part 5 offers 7 sentences for 6 gaps. Our passages are shorter than the real texts, and each question repeats the passage it uses, so you can practise one question at a time. The Reading Skills and Vocabulary in Context sections are extra practice: in the real paper these skills are tested through the questions on the ten longer texts.
What the Reading paper tests
- Finding information: specific details, main ideas and supporting details.
- Inference: what the writer implies, and predicting outcomes.
- Writer's view: fact versus opinion, the writer's purpose, attitude and style.
- Text organisation: the purpose of a paragraph, text structure, cohesion and reference words.
- Comparing texts: where two writers agree and disagree.
- Vocabulary: working out the meaning of a word from its context.
The MEC names these topic areas for its texts: people and culture, financial awareness and consumerism, science and technology, environment and health, and education.
Free official resources, and what we add
The MEC publishes the MUET Regulations and Test Specifications and a set of sample questions. Start with those. Our questions are original, every answer is explained, and you can practise one part of the paper at a time.
How to prepare
- Read the MEC sample paper first so you know the 7 parts and the order of the questions.
- For multiple matching, scan all the texts for the one detail each question asks about before you choose.
- For gapped text, check the words either side of the gap: pronouns, linking words and repeated ideas show which sentence fits.
- For opinion and attitude questions, look for the writer's adjectives and hedging words, not just the topic.
- Practise one section at a time here, then sit full timed mocks of 40 questions in 75 minutes.
- Read English news, features and reports every day to build speed with longer texts.
Practice questions with answers
Tap a question to see the correct answer and explanation.
Read the four advertisements for student accommodation. Text A: "Desa Residence. Single rooms, RM450 a month including utilities. Ten minutes' walk to campus. Shared kitchen. No visitors after 10 pm." Text B: "Taman Ilmu Rooms. Twin-sharing rooms, RM280 a month per person. Free shuttle bus to campus every 30 minutes. Wi-Fi RM20 a month extra." Text C: "Villa Kenari. Master room with private bathroom, RM600 a month. Ten-minute drive from campus. Parking bay included. Pets welcome." Text D: "Seri Murni Hostel. Female students only. Single rooms RM380 a month, Wi-Fi and laundry included. Opposite the faculty gate. Minimum stay three months." Which accommodation would suit a student who owns a cat?
- Text A
- Text B
- Text C
- Text D
Answer: C, Text C. Text C states "Pets welcome". None of the other advertisements mentions animals, so only C clearly allows a pet.
Read the email. "Dear Dr Hamidah, I am writing to ask whether I could submit my Research Methods assignment one week after the deadline of 14 March. Last Tuesday my laptop was stolen from the hostel common room, and although I had backed up most of my files, the final two chapters of my draft were lost. I have reported the theft to the campus police and attached a copy of the report. I have already rewritten one chapter and expect to finish the second by the weekend. I would be grateful if you could let me know whether an extension is possible, and whether I should submit through the online portal or by hand. Yours sincerely, Kavitha Raj" What is the main purpose of Kavitha's email?
- To request more time for an assignment
- To ask for help rewriting her chapters
- To report a theft to her department
- To complain about hostel security
Answer: A, To request more time for an assignment. She writes "to ask whether I could submit ... one week after the deadline". The theft is the reason, not the purpose.
Read the two reviews of a museum exhibition. Review 1: "'Tides of Trade' sets out to tell the story of the Straits as a crossroads of commerce, and in its first two galleries it succeeds brilliantly. Reconstructed ship cabins, the smell of cloves and pepper, and touch screens that let visitors trace spice routes make history feel immediate. Children around me were completely absorbed. The final gallery, however, which deals with modern container shipping, feels rushed: a few photographs and a looping video. It is as if the curators ran out of money, or interest. Still, at RM15 for adults, it is excellent value." Review 2: "Those hoping for scholarly depth may leave 'Tides of Trade' disappointed. The interactive displays are undeniably entertaining, but entertainment sometimes comes at the expense of accuracy; one touch screen confuses events from two different centuries. More troubling is the near silence on the people who laboured on these ships. Yet the modern shipping gallery, dismissed by some as an afterthought, was for me the most thought-provoking part: its quiet video of an automated port makes a powerful point about how little human labour trade now requires." What does Reviewer 1 suggest about the final gallery?
- It received less effort than the rest
- It is the gallery that children enjoy the most
- It contains too many photographs
- It costs extra to enter
Answer: A, It received less effort than the rest. Reviewer 1 says it "feels rushed" and suggests the curators "ran out of money, or interest".