PCPP2 Software Testing Practice Question
Which of these is the most effective way to test a function that uses 'time.sleep()' without actually waiting?
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
✓
Patch 'time.sleep'.
Mocking the 'time.sleep' function prevents it from actually executing the sleep command, making tests run faster.
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 a faster machine.
Why it's wrong here
This is not a testing strategy.
- ✓
Patch 'time.sleep'.
Why this is correct
Mocking the function avoids the delay entirely.
- ✗
Use pytest.raises.
Why it's wrong here
This is for exceptions.
- ✗
Change the sleep duration to 0.
Why it's wrong here
This requires changing the source code, which is poor practice.
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every PCPP2 question from scratch — 194 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. 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 August 2026 · checked against the official Python Institute exam blueprint
This PCPP2 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Python Institute 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 PCPP2 exam.