PDE Ingesting and Processing the Data Practice Question
A data engineer needs to load data from CSV files in Cloud Storage into BigQuery. The CSV files have a header row and some columns contain nested JSON strings. Which TWO methods can they use to load this data into BigQuery?
⚠ Common exam trap
Google often tests the distinction between loading data into BigQuery (permanent storage) versus querying external data sources (federated queries), causing candidates to mistakenly choose Option C as a valid loading method.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use the Storage Write API to write rows from a custom application
Option D is correct because a BigQuery load job natively supports the CSV format, including a header row via the --skip_leading_rows parameter, and can ingest Cloud Storage files directly into a native BigQuery table. Option B is correct because the Storage Write API lets a custom application parse the CSV and nested JSON strings itself and then stream the resulting rows into BigQuery, giving full control over transformation during load. Option A is wrong because Datastream is a change data capture (CDC) and replication service for databases such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, and SQL Server, not a CSV file loader. Option C is wrong because an external table (federated query) only queries data in place in Cloud Storage; it does not load the data into BigQuery. Option E is wrong because gsutil only copies objects between Cloud Storage locations and cannot write data into BigQuery tables.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Use Datastream to load CSV files
Why it's wrong here
Datastream is for CDC from databases, not for file loading.
- ✓
Use the Storage Write API to write rows from a custom application
Why this is correct
The Storage Write API can be used to stream data from CSV after parsing.
- ✗
Create a federated query using an external table
Why it's wrong here
Federated queries read data directly from GCS without loading, but the question asks for loading.
- ✓
Create a BigQuery load job with the CSV format
Why this is correct
BigQuery load jobs support CSV files with header rows.
- ✗
Use gsutil to copy files into BigQuery
Why it's wrong here
gsutil is for Cloud Storage, not for loading into BigQuery.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This PDE practice question is part of Courseiva's free Google Cloud certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the PDE exam.