PDE Storing the Data Practice Question
Which BigQuery feature allows you to read data directly from Cloud Storage without loading it into BigQuery storage?
⚠ Common exam trap
PDE often tests the distinction between external tables and federated queries, as both involve querying external data; candidates may confuse the two, but external tables specifically target Cloud Storage, while federated queries target other databases.
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
✓
External tables
External tables in BigQuery allow you to query data directly from Cloud Storage (e.g., CSV, JSON, Avro, Parquet) without loading it into BigQuery's native storage. This is achieved by creating a table that references the external data source, enabling federated queries and on-demand access. The data remains in Cloud Storage, and BigQuery reads it at query time, which is ideal for one-time analysis or when data is frequently updated externally.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
External tables
Why this is correct
External tables define a schema over data residing in Cloud Storage, letting BigQuery query it directly without ingestion. This satisfies the constraint of reading Cloud Storage data without loading it into BigQuery's native storage, unlike native tables which require loading.
- ✗
BI Engine
Why it's wrong here
BI Engine is an in-memory analysis and caching layer that accelerates queries against data already stored in BigQuery; it does not read Cloud Storage files. It is tempting because it improves query performance, and would be the right choice when dashboards need faster response times on existing BigQuery tables.
- ✗
Federated queries
Why it's wrong here
Federated queries in BigQuery read external sources such as Cloud SQL or Cloud Storage via external tables, but the feature named for querying Cloud Storage files directly without loading is external tables. Federated queries are tempting because they also avoid loading data, and would be correct for querying operational databases.
- ✗
Authorized views
Why it's wrong here
Authorized views grant row- and column-level access to data already in BigQuery datasets; they cannot read Cloud Storage files. They are tempting because they control data sharing and access, which would be the right choice when restricting which users can query specific tables or views within BigQuery.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
One of 747 original PDE practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Google Cloud exam blueprint
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.