Reading and Writing
Reading and Writing
Reading and Writing
Study Guide
Reading and Writing
RW
THIS COPY BELONGS TO [email protected]
CELPIP Study
Guide
Reading and Writing
THIS COPY BELONGS TO [email protected]
DISCLAIMER
In response to ongoing research and development, changes may occasionally be made to the
CELPIP Test. There may be short periods of time when study materials do not exactly match the
current official test format, and content may be updated to match changes to the CELPIP Test
without prior notice. Check the CELPIP website for any updates to the CELPIP Test:
http://www.celpip.ca.
All rights reserved. It is illegal to reproduce any portion of this material except by special
arrangement with Prometric Testing. Reproduction of this material without authorization, by any
duplication process whatsoever, is a violation of copyright.
Prometric Testing
CELPIP Study Guide: Reading and Writing (Ebook Version)
Vancouver: Prometric Testing
ISBN 978-1-988047-32-4
THIS COPY BELONGS TO [email protected]
CONTENTS
I INTRODUCTION iv
Practice Task 5
INTRODUCTION
THIS COPY BELONGS TO [email protected] I
INTRODUCTION
The CELPIP Study Guide: Reading and Writing has been designed to familiarize test takers with the
Reading and Writing components of the CELPIP-General Test. If you are preparing for one of the
CELPIP Tests and are concerned about improving your Speaking and/or Listening skills, you will also
need the CELPIP Study Guide: Listening and Speaking to help you prepare.
If you are taking the CELPIP-General LS (Listening and Speaking) Test then this guide won’t be
helpful, since it reviews only the Reading and Writing Test components. Anyone who is taking the
CELPIP-General LS Test should be using the CELPIP Study Guide: Listening and Speaking. You can
find this book at the CELPIP bookstore website (link provided below).
The Study Guide explains what you should expect on the test, including a section-by-section
breakdown of the Reading and Writing Test components, their time allocations, scoring methods,
sample questions with guided explanations, and more. The book focuses on providing examples,
explanations, tips, and strategies. If you want to practice the language skills you need to succeed
on the CELPIP-General and the CELPIP-General LS Tests, the CELPIP bookstore has other study
materials that can help you.
http://celpip.ca/studymaterials
This handbook will help you achieve the best possible score on the Reading and Writing
components of the CELPIP-General Test by explaining what to expect when you write the test,
how to deal with each type of question, what the time requirements are, and what strategies to
use for each test component.
There are two units in this book (Reading and Writing), followed by a practice test. Each unit
provides a clear explanation of one test component and includes the following:
READING TEST
WRITING TEST
• Responding to the Prompt: Provides step-by-step instructions for thinking about the
question.
• Strategies for Success for the test component.
• Sample Responses and Study Tips: The Writing Unit contains a few Study Tips as well as
one sample response with an analysis of its strengths and weaknesses.
https://secure.paragontesting.ca/ip/study-guide-rw
KEY FEATURES
As indicated on the previous page, the CELPIP Study Guide: Reading and Writing has a series of
segments to help you optimize your preparation work. The icons on the left will allow you to locate
these key items quickly.
GUIDELINES
This feature provides a brief summary of each question, including key details such as the
time given to complete each question, the number of answer choices to choose from,
basic instructions, and helpful advice.
This feature gives step-by-step advice on following test instructions and answering the
questions for each of the sections. It also provides key test-taking strategies that walk you
through the process of choosing or producing the best possible answer.
This feature is included in the Reading Test only. It uses an analytical approach to
eliminate the answer choices that could not be correct, leaving you with the one right
answer, or at least a reduced set of choices.
STUDY TIP
This describes one or more things you can do before the test to help you sharpen related
language skills for one section. Typically, these are things you need to work on for days or
weeks before the test.
At the end of each test component, look for this list of the most important things you can
do before the test and during each test component to get the best score possible.
You can read the guide from cover to cover, go back and forth between chapters, or just
consult specific parts that will benefit you. In any case, using this guide will help you understand
what is expected of you on the Reading and Writing components of the CELPIP-General Test by
improving your understanding of these test components. This knowledge, combined with your
own diligent study and review, will help you prepare to the best of your ability for test day.
The CELPIP-General and CELPIP-General LS Tests allow test takers to demonstrate their ability to
function in English and give trained raters (i.e., test evaluators) ample opportunity to assess the test
taker’s performance in the Writing and Speaking Tests. Raters are not required for the Listening and
Reading Tests because these are computer-scored. The tests clearly, accurately, and precisely
assess a test taker’s English abilities in a variety of everyday situations, such as communicating with
co-workers and superiors in the workplace, dealing with friends, understanding newscasts, and
interpreting and responding to written materials.
There are two versions of the CELPIP Test: the CELPIP-General Test and the CELPIP-General LS
(Listening and Speaking) Test. This guide supports the CELPIP-General Test. The CELPIP-General Test
assesses functional Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking skills and takes about 3 hours. You
can visit the CELPIP-General web page to learn more.
http://www.celpip.ca/
COMPUTERIZED TESTING
The CELPIP Tests are done entirely on a computer. At the test centre, your computer terminal
will be protected by a privacy shield. While the shield will block your view of other test takers
in the room, you may hear the voices of other test takers during the Speaking Test. However,
your headset will partially block these sounds and help you focus on your work during the test.
Everything you need for the test, including a computer, monitor, headset, microphone, keyboard,
mouse, paper, and pencil is provided for you at the test centre.
You are encouraged to use paper and pencil during the test to take notes, formulate your thoughts,
and organize your ideas. Paper and pencil are provided at the beginning of the test and must be
returned at the end of the test. The notes that you make will not be submitted or scored.
Test Number Of
Component Sections Timing
Component Questions
You have about 3 hours to complete the CELPIP-General Test. In all four parts of the test, you can
only move forward. You can therefore never go back to an earlier section to review your answers.
In Listening Parts 1-3, you are presented with the questions one at a time, and you are given a
set amount of time to answer each question. In Listening Parts 4, 5, and 6, and the entire Reading
Test, you have the option to go back and forth between questions within a section. In the Writing
and Speaking Tests, you must answer each question in the order in which it is presented. Time limits
are set for each test part so that you don’t run out of time during any section of the test. A more
detailed explanation of the times for each test is included in each section of this study guide.
Test Number of
Component Sections Timing
Component Questions
*Unscored Items: The Listening Test may contain unscored items used for test development. These unscored
items can be found anywhere within the test and will have the same format as one of the other parts of
the test. You will not know which part of the test contains the unscored items, so apply your best effort to all
parts. There are no unscored items in this study guide.
You have about 1 hour and 10 minutes to complete the CELPIP-General LS Test. In both parts of
the test, you can only move forward. You can therefore never go back to an earlier section to
review your answers. In Listening Parts 1-3, you are presented with the questions one at a time,
and you are given a set amount of time to answer each question. In Listening Parts 4, 5, and 6, you
have the option to go back and forth between questions within a section. In the Speaking Test,
you must answer each question in the order in which it is presented. Time limits are set for each test
part so that you don’t run out of time during any section of the test. A more detailed explanation
of the times for each test is included in each section of this study guide.
SCORING
The CELPIP-General Test score is provided in four parts: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking.
Below is a chart of each CELPIP level and its corresponding description. Since the CELPIP-General
Test scores have been calibrated against the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) levels, we
have included CLB level equivalencies for your information.
CELPIP CLB
CELPIP DESCRIPTOR CLB DESCRIPTOR
LEVEL LEVEL
The computer automatically scores the Listening and Reading Tests. Each of these tests has
several varieties of multiple choice questions following either a Listening audio clip, a video clip,
or a Reading passage. The answers are presented in a drop-down menu, and test takers use the
computer mouse to select their answer to the question.
Human raters assess and score the Writing and Speaking Tests. Test takers compose their Writing
responses on the computer, and Speaking responses are recorded on the computer using a
headset. These responses are sent to the Paragon office, where they are scored by trained and
experienced raters. You will learn more about how Writing responses are rated later in this guide
(in the Writing Unit).
There are test centres available across Canada. To find the centre closest to you,
visit our website at
http://www.celpip.ca/registration-information/test-dates-and-locations/
You can register online or by mail. You can also register in person at the CELPIP office
in Vancouver, British Columbia or Toronto, Ontario. For more information on registration,
please visit our website at
http://www.celpip.ca/registration-information/
Please note that CELPIP Test Centres do not process any registration applications. All
registrations are completed through the CELPIP office by any of the methods listed above.
Registration closes a few days before the scheduled test date. There is no walk-in
registration for any of the CELPIP Tests.
We recommend that you register well in advance because test centres have limited
capacity and registration materials are processed in the order in which they are received.
Don’t forget to bring acceptable photo identification and your test admission ticket to
the test centre on the day you write the test. If you do not have these documents, you
will not be permitted to write the test. Visit the website for a list of photo identification
that our test centres accept.
http://celpip.ca/test-day-information/
Food and drink are not permitted during the test, although exceptions can be made
for people who have documentation regarding certain medical conditions. Paper and
electronic dictionaries are not allowed, and you must leave your cellphone and any
other electronic devices in a guarded designated area during the test. Test takers who
go to the washroom during any test section will not be able to stop their timers and will
therefore lose time on that part of the test.
Test takers with special needs should contact the CELPIP office in advance. To help CELPIP
officials provide accommodations that will allow you to complete the test, you will need to
provide documentation from a licensed professional describing your condition.
It is important to remember that the main purpose of the CELPIP Tests is to assess your
functional English language proficiency, or your ability to communicate in English to
do everyday things. The CELPIP Tests are designed to focus on what you can do and
how well-equipped you are to successfully communicate daily through your listening,
reading, writing, and speaking skills. Can you explain a problem to your boss and work
out a solution? Will your English skills allow you to work productively with your co-workers?
Can you make a plan with a friend or help a family member deal with a challenging
situation? These are a few examples of what functional language proficiency means.
Remember, the CELPIP Tests are not academic tests, and they do not measure your
academic English skills. When preparing for the Reading and Writing components of the
CELPIP-General Test, keep the following guiding questions in mind:
• How well do you understand what others are saying when they write
or speak to you?
• How well can you interpret and follow instructions?
• How well do you stick to strict time restrictions and manage your work?
• Are your ideas relevant, clearly stated, well-developed, and easy to follow?
• Are you able to use strong, descriptive, and precise vocabulary to say or write
what you mean?
• Do you have good control of your grammar and sentence structure, allowing
you to write or say things that are easily understood?
• Can you format documents and use paragraphing effectively when you write?
• Can you minimize any problems you have with pronunciation, stress, and
intonation in your speech?
Your honest answers to these questions will help you understand what you need to focus
on as you prepare for the test. Notice that these questions emphasize your overall ability
to effectively communicate with others. The test focuses on how well you are able to
get your message and meaning across to another person and, conversely, how well you
understand others when they communicate with you. Polishing these skills will help you
achieve your best possible score on the CELPIP Tests.
WHAT IF I STILL DON’T FEEL READY TO TAKE THE TEST AFTER COMPLETING THE STUDY
GUIDE?
If, after you’ve completed the study guide, you are still not sure you can get the
score that you need, you may want to buy more practice material. If so, please visit
our bookstore.
http://celpip.ca/studymaterials
Note: All the information provided above is accurate at the date of publication.
For the most current information, please consult the CELPIP website.
EDITOR’S NOTE
Sometimes the explanations and examples in this book require the use of the singular
pronoun “he” or “she.” In order to give equal time to both genders, we have used “he”
to represent test takers and “she” to represent CELPIP Raters and other individuals.
PART ONE
THE READING TEST
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OVERVIEW
The Reading Test measures how well you can understand what you read in
personal, social, and workplace contexts. Do your reading skills allow you to
understand a wide variety of written materials, including email messages, charts,
personal and business correspondence, and short articles? Can you recognize
and interpret several different opinions that have been presented in a short
passage? Each section of the test allows you to demonstrate specific reading skills
and contributes to a profile of your overall reading ability.
You have 55-60 minutes to complete the Reading Test. This includes a short
practice task at the beginning of the test. The Reading Test may contain
unscored items used for test development. These unscored items can be found
anywhere within the test and will have the same format as one of the other parts
of the test. In each part, you will read a text and then answer a set of multiple
choice questions. You may also be asked to read and answer questions about a
response to the original text. The questions are presented in a drop-down box, and
you will use the mouse to click on the choice that indicates your answer to the
question. Your answers will be automatically marked by the computer. If you do not
know the right answer, you should make your best guess. There are no deductions
for incorrect answers.
READING TEST
* The unscored items are used for test development purposes and may be placed anywhere within the
Reading Test. They will have the same format as one of the other parts of the Reading Test. The unscored
items will not affect your official score. However, you will not know which part of the test contains the
unscored items, so apply your best effort to all parts of the test.
READING TEXTS
Note that the CELPIP-General Test is not an academic reading test. Although the
readings build in complexity as the test progresses, you will not be required to summarize
passages and read through lengthy texts to locate information. You will be working with
different types of texts, any of which you might encounter daily in Canada.
The chart above gives the maximum amount of time you have to finish each part. Within
each part, however, you control how much time you spend on each question—and
you can choose to move on to the next part before the time is up. However, you cannot
“bank” your time; any time you choose not to use will not be transferred to the next part.
When managing your time, make sure you leave enough time to answer and review all
the questions in each part.
The Reading Test has 38 questions in total. The table below provides a rough guide to
how your Reading Test score corresponds to your CELPIP level.
33-38 10-12
31-33 9
28-31 8
24-28 7
19-25 6
15-20 5
10-16 4
8-11 3
0-7 M
DISCLAIMER: This example chart shows how raw scores in the Reading Test approximately correspond
to CELPIP Levels. Since questions may have different levels of difficulty and may therefore be equated
differently, the raw score required for a certain level may vary slightly from one test to another.
PRACTICE TASK
GUIDELINES
This task is designed to help you feel comfortable with the Reading Test prompts and to
give you practice with the passage of text and the timer. After reading the instructions
page, you will be brought to a new page with one simple practice question, which is
unscored.
The instructions, question, and timer will be presented just as they are in Parts 1-4, which
are scored. This is an opportunity to familiarize yourself with how the text is presented and
to practice selecting an answer from the options presented on the screen.
EXAMPLE PROMPT
The Reading practice task will consist of one short passage of text and one simple
question.
• Your answer is not scored for this practice task. Don’t worry about producing the best
possible response. Instead, focus on understanding how to use the timer to help you
give your best possible answer.
PART 1:
READING CORRESPONDENCE
GUIDELINES
The first task in Reading Part 1 is to read a personal message and answer six questions on
the text. The message topic can be any subject that people would discuss in a typical
correspondence, such as a holiday, a meal at a restaurant, or a family event such as a
wedding. The second task in this section, reading a short response from the recipient of
the original message, will be discussed later.
Hi Abdul,
[S1] I arrived in Tofino yesterday evening. [S2] It’s a pretty amazing place. [S3] We
have a cabin by the sea, and we can see hundreds of little islands receding all the
way to the horizon. [S4] The town of Tofino is little more than a few blocks of shops,
houses, and restaurants, which is a refreshing change from the traffic and offices
of downtown Calgary. [S5] If they needed a structural engineer here, I’d be very
tempted to apply for the position.
Today, Jill and I went exploring. We took a tour to a small island just off the coast of
Tofino. It is a tiny island and completely unspoiled. The entire island is covered in a
forest of ancient trees. Each one is as wide as your truck and twice as tall as your
house. In one tree we saw the outline of an immense eagle’s nest, although the
eagle was nowhere to be seen. Having said that, it was pretty tough to make out
much at all as the weather was pretty grim. Shortly after we reached the island, it
started to pour, and we were both completely soaked within minutes. They don’t
call it a rainforest for nothing.
We look forward to seeing you when you join us on Wednesday. I should warn
you that it’s quite a journey to get here. You’re best off flying from Edmonton to
Vancouver and then catching a flight on a small plane from Vancouver to Tofino. If
your budget won’t allow for that, you can get a bus from the Vancouver airport to
the ferry terminal, then get a ferry to Nanaimo, and then finally a bus to Tofino. The
views from the ferry are awesome, but given that you have to return on Sunday, it
would be great if we could maximize our time in Tofino. Anyway, be sure to let me
know how you decide to get here so I can meet you when you get in.
Also, be sure to come prepared for the weather. As I mentioned, the weather here
is unpredictable, so you might be sunbathing on the beach one moment and then
running for shelter in the cabin a moment later. Still, it’s definitely worth the trip, and
I can’t wait to see you again after all this time.
Jared
Using the drop-down menu, choose the best option according to the information
given in the message.
STUDY TIP
Review and strengthen your skimming and scanning abilities; these are key speed-
reading skills. Skimming is quickly running your eyes over the whole text in order to get
the main ideas and an overview of the content. Scanning is quickly locating a specific
piece of information, word, or phrase. You need both skills to answer reading questions,
so practice them every day if you can. Use a textbook to learn more about these skills
and to practice them.
• Read the message once quickly for general understanding. Clarify who the writer
and recipient are, how they know each other, and what the message is describing.
Your skimming skills may be helpful here.
• Make sure you understand the question. What do you need to know to answer it? In
this example, you need to discover whether Jared likes or dislikes Tofino and how he
thinks it compares to Calgary.
• Scan the message to pick out key words and ideas that will help you find the answer
in the message. In this example, the first paragraph describes Tofino and compares it
with Calgary.
• Compare the answer choices to the information you have. Can you quickly locate
the right answer? If not, can you eliminate the wrong answers? In this example, we
know that Jared finds Tofino “amazing” [S2]. Also, if you know that “refreshing” [S4] is
a word with strong positive connotations, and you understand that some people find
the traffic of busy business districts unpleasant, then you can confirm that answer (c)
is correct.
GUIDELINES
The second half of Part 1, the response to the message, is a response from the recipient
of the first message. This message will directly reply to the content presented in the first
message, but may also present some new information. The questions here are in a fill-in-
the-blanks format. There are five blanks, and you have four choices (words or phrases)
for each blank. In most cases, you need to relate the response to the message to the first
message to find the answer.
Here is a response to the message. Complete the response by filling in the blanks.
Select the best choice for each blank from the drop-down menu.
Hi Jared,
Thanks for letting me know what is going on. I’ve taken your advice and booked a
[Blank 1] from Vancouver to Tofino. I’ll be arriving in Tofino at about 3 p.m. [Blank 2]
just as we had planned. It so happens that I was in Tofino a couple of years ago. Like
you, I [Blank 3] in a small town. Also, as you suggested, I will be ready for all possible
kinds of [Blank 4]. Frankly, though, I am not too worried about what we do or what
the weather is like, as long as we have a chance to catch up on each other’s news.
Just as you said, we should try to [Blank 5] as possible.
Abdul
Note: These are the options that you will see when you click on the blank in the message
during the official test. They will be in a drop-down menu.
Blank 3
a) am a bit bored
b) enjoy being
c) feel uncomfortable
d) have a job
• Read the response to the message sentence by sentence. Click on the blanks in
order to read the answer choices.
• Identify and choose any answers that seem immediately correct to you. This might
be possible because you are now quite familiar with the subject from reading the first
message. If you have time afterwards, go back and check these more carefully.
• For those questions that you did not immediately know the answer to, try to
recognize what you need to understand in order to choose the correct answer. In
this example, you would need to know that the term “like you” means that Abdul has
the same opinion as Jared.
• If you can’t remember something from the original message, go back and scan it to
find the information you need. In this example for instance, you could scan the first
message to remember that Jared likes small towns, confirming that the answer to
Blank 3 is “enjoy being.”
STUDY TIP
If you do not understand the phrase “like you,” you will possibly misinterpret the question,
which will make it difficult to choose the right answer. “Like you” is, in fact, a short version
of the expression, “just like you.” Both phrases mean that the writer shares a certain
viewpoint about the topic that is the same as or similar to that of the reader.
Some common English expressions have short versions, such as “Come” instead of
“Come with me” or “How much?” instead of “How much is this?” To help you learn
shortened forms, make a list of common expressions and see if you can find short forms
for any of them. If possible, get help with this from friends who are native English speakers.
PART 2:
READING TO APPLY A DIAGRAM
GUIDELINES
In Part 2 of the Reading Test, you will read an email and look at an accompanying
diagram. The email may be work-related (such as an order enquiry) or personal (such
as a list of apartments for rent). To complete the five blanks, you will need to understand
the information in the diagram and relate it to the email message. Often, the diagram
is a chart that combines illustrations and text. It is important to practice reading an
assortment of diagrams so that you can sharpen your diagram-reading skills.
Read the following email message about the diagram on the left. (Note that in
this book, you can see the diagram on page 13. In the official test, however, the
diagram will be to the left of the email message.) Complete the email by filling in
the blanks. Select the best choice for each blank from the drop-down menu.
Hi Bill,
I think it’s wonderful that we’re trying to find a place together. I’ve started checking
out some possible rentals online and I’m attaching a table with four interesting
options. All four places [Blank 1] and all are near our workplaces. You’ll notice that
King’s View and Winnipeg Place [Blank 2] than the other two. In the case of the
Magna Gardens Complex, this is probably because it [Blank 3]. Although the price
is a little steep, it [Blank 4] than the other three. We might consider finding another
person [Blank 5]. That way our rent will be less.
Anyway, let me know what you prefer and what will suit your budget the best.
Travis
Note: These are the options that you will see when you click on the blank in the message
during the official test. They will be in a drop-down menu.
Blank 2
EXAMPLE DIAGRAM
• Read the email message. Clarify who the writer and recipient are, how they know
each other, and what the message is describing.
• Skim the diagram. Pay close attention to how it is organized and where you can find
specific information (e.g., number of bedrooms or price).
• Look at the answer options. Make sure you understand what you need to know to
fill in the blank. In this example, you need to discover how King’s View and Winnipeg
Place are different from the other two rentals.
• Keeping the answer options in mind, scan the diagram again to find the identifying
factor. In this example, you should be able to recognize that King’s View and
Winnipeg Place are much cheaper than the other two rentals; therefore answer (c),
“cost significantly less,” is the correct answer.
STUDY TIP
Get as much practice as you can with diagrams. Gather a selection of diagrams from
newspapers, magazines, and other sources. Study a new diagram daily for at least 2
weeks. For each diagram, find out what kind of information is being communicated
and how it is organized. Test yourself by creating questions about the diagram and
seeing how quickly you can find the answers. At the end of the 2 weeks, look at all the
diagrams together. Is there a common language? Are there common words, phrases, or
expressions repeated on many of the diagrams that you can study? Are there repeating
patterns that will help you in a test situation? Review anything you learn that you think
might help you during the test.
PART 3:
READING FOR INFORMATION
GUIDELINES
In Reading for Information, you will read an informational text of four paragraphs. The
test includes a wide variety of topics relating to everything from human behaviour to
geography. This text has been written to inform people about a topic they may know
nothing about, rather than, for example, to describe something that happened.
Part 3 is designed to see if you can identify newly-learned information that has also
been rephrased. This type of reading skill is often required at the workplace or in daily
life. Sometimes we need to read “dry” material in order to learn something outside of a
school setting (e.g., reading instructions for building furniture, or finding information on a
website to understand an illness your family member has).
To successfully complete this section of the Reading Test, you must appropriately match
statements to the text. For each statement, you need to decide which paragraph
contains the information given in the statement. Your success depends on the size of
your vocabulary combined with your skill at recognizing information that has been
written in a completely different way. Occasionally, you may also need to infer things
from what you learn in the text.
Part 3 is especially challenging because there are four paragraphs, but five answer
choices; you can choose the fifth answer (“E”) if you feel that the information in the
statement is not given in the text. It is also challenging because the statements typically
express the ideas from the text in a completely different way.
A. The mule deer is indigenous to much of western North America. Mule deer are
most commonly found in the North American Rocky Mountains, but can often be
spotted in wooded environments west of the Rockies, even those on the edges
of large urban environments. Encroachment into urban habitats is not a threat
to humans. However, mule deer do pose a risk to domesticated animals that get
too close. The mule deer can be very aggressive when it feels threatened and
can deliver a potentially lethal kick to an overzealous dog.
B. The mule deer’s coat is reddish-brown in the summer but fades to a greyish-
brown in the winter. The stomach, neck, nose band, and eye ring are white.
The mule deer’s antlers are bifurcating, that is, they continue to divide in two as
they grow. The male deer use their antlers to vie with rivals for the opportunity
to mate with a doe. However, antlers are also a liability, hindering the deer’s
ability to forage and to flee from predators. Consequently, mule deer shed their
antlers immediately after the end of mating season.
C. Mule deer are browsers that eat leaves, nuts, grain and twigs. Their taste for
agricultural products makes them a nuisance to farmers, who have to carefully
maintain fences around their land throughout the year. In the winter, when
food is scarce, the deer’s metabolism slows, preserving energy but, at the
same time, making them an easier target for predators. It is not surprising that
the mortality rate for deer is much higher in the winter, especially among the
yearlings.
A B C D E
• Skim the four paragraphs to get a general idea of what the main topic for each is.
You may wish to use your scrap paper to write these down in a few words; this will
help you decide where to search for specific statements later.
• Read the question statements and identify the key words in each. In this example,
the key words are “threat” and “human activity.” “Mule deer” is the topic of the
entire passage, so it is not necessarily a key word.
• Scan the paragraphs to see if you can locate the one that is most likely to contain
the answer. Search for the key words found in the question statements or look
for a parallel term (i.e., words and phrases that have the same meaning, such as
synonyms). You can also look for examples related to these key words. For instance,
in Paragraph D, sentence 2 talks about “automobiles and hunters” being a “serious
threat” to mule deer. This is a good example of “human activity” so this is how we
know that Paragraph D is the correct answer.
• Remember that in the official test there are nine different statements to understand
and locate in the passage and only 10 minutes to do so; therefore, you need to use
your time very wisely. Also remember that not all the statements will be found in the
text. Occasionally, you will need to use choice “E.”
Paragraph A—Incorrect
This paragraph is about the mule deer’s habitat and its relationship with domestic
animals. You probably won’t find anything here about interaction with humans.
Paragraph B—Incorrect
This passage describes the animal and how it adapts in different seasons, so it’s unlikely
you’ll read about human activity here.
Paragraph C—Incorrect
This paragraph talks about what the mule deer likes to eat and how this relates to
farmers and predators. You might find some mention of human activity, but the
paragraph doesn’t talk about threats to the animal.
STUDY TIP
Practice reading short texts and passages about unfamiliar topics in limited time
periods. Train yourself to be able to recognize three or four pieces of information in each
paragraph within that time; your skimming and scanning skills will help you do this quickly.
PART 4:
READING FOR VIEWPOINTS
GUIDELINES
In the first section of Reading for Viewpoints, you will read an online article expressing
at least two different opinions about a topic related to areas including, but not limited
to, business, economics, social policy, or education. Some key skills you will need
to successfully complete this part of the Reading Test include making inferences,
integrating information from different parts of the passage, and knowing the difference
between opinions and facts. Be prepared to encounter high-level words and expressions
that you may not be familiar with. Remember that you will not be able to use a
dictionary during the real test.
In the second section of Reading Part 4, you will read a response message to the
Viewpoints article, presented as a “Reader’s Comment” posted on the website. To
understand the comments, you must first have some understanding of the Viewpoints
article, and you may need to infer things in order to answer the questions.
[S1] Social networking websites such as Facebook are becoming an ever more
conspicuous promotional tool for small companies. [S2] Take Peter Singh, for
example. [S3] Singh is an entrepreneur who developed his travel company almost
exclusively through endorsements on social networking sites.
[S4] “I should really emphasize that social networking alone is insufficient,” said Peter
in a recent interview. [S5] “A strong website is essential. Without this, your company
will have no credibility when prospective clients check out your products and
services.” [S6] Even so, as Peter astutely observed, a web presence is not going to
attract customers who are not in the market for your company’s product, and these
are the people Peter wants to connect with. [S7] “Marketing is all about persuasion,
and for this, neither my company nor even a professional advertising company is
going to be more convincing than family and friends.”
[S8] Peter’s approach involves taking photos of his clients as they participate in
his company’s vacation adventures. [S9] He then gives clients online access to
the images, so his clients can share them on their own social networking pages.
[S10] Subsequently, the clients’ friends see the photos (along with a link to Peter’s
website). [S11] On average, for each client that shares a photo, two prospective
clients contact his travel company. [S12] Often, these new clients have been
influenced or persuaded by a friend or family member.
[S13] Business analyst, Ann Frei, is more skeptical. [S14] She cautions that social
networking can drain the marketing resources of a company with negligible results.
[S15] Ann said, “Daily purchases seldom become the subject of social chatter. [S16]
People may share stories about holidays or new cars, but are less likely to talk about
their new frying pans or plumbing services. [S17] Companies need to think very hard
about whether social networking is an effective tool for their product or service.”
[S18] In addition, Ann noted that the question is also one of return. [S19] A company
that earns a substantial profit from each customer may well be tempted to use
social networking. [S20] On the other hand, a company that earns cents from each
customer may be better off developing a marketing strategy that reaches more
people in a shorter time.
Using the drop-down menu, choose the best option according to the information
given on the website.
• Skim the article to get a general idea of what the main topic is for each of the
paragraphs. You may wish to use your scrap paper to write these down in a few
words; this will help you decide where to search for specific statements later.
• You may encounter unfamiliar words while you read (e.g., “conspicuous” or
“negligible”). If this happens, don’t panic. At this point you only need to get a
general sense of the main topic for each paragraph.
• Read the questions and identify the key words in each. In this example, the
question asks you for Peter Singh’s viewpoint on marketing, so “Peter Singh” and
“marketing” are the key words. Also, look at the answers to see what your choices
are (e.g.,”social networking,” “search engines,” and “family contacts”). Notice the
adverbs at the beginning of each answer and be aware that these words (“entirely,”
“predominantly,” “mostly,” and “solely”) communicate how much each marketing
strategy should be used.
• Scan the paragraphs to see if you can locate the one that is most likely to contain
the answer. You’ll see that the first three paragraphs present Peter’s viewpoint and
approaches to marketing, so you will now need to locate the key words from the
answer choices.
• Scan the first three paragraphs for the additional key words. “Search engines” is not
mentioned, so you can eliminate option (c). “Family” is mentioned in [S7] and [S12]
and “social media” numerous times in these first three paragraphs.
• Go back and read the answer options (a), (b), and (d) again, keeping in mind the
adverbs that indicate how much these strategies should be used.
• Read the sentences that contain these additional key words carefully and try to
identify the correct answer. This may mean that you will need to infer something from
what you learned in the passage while you deal with words and phrases that may
be unfamiliar. In this example, you can only recognize that (b) is the correct answer if
you know (or can guess) that “predominantly” means mainly.
READER’S COMMENT
I think business people should pay attention to Frei’s [Blank 1] approach. [Blank 2]
is only effective when people choose to share your product. We simply [Blank 3]
that everyone will talk about the vast majority of products they buy. At the same
time, we can no longer rely on traditional advertising methods. It is becoming very
clear that the media has been [Blank 4] over the last fifteen years. Young people
watch less television and hardly read magazines at all. We need to [Blank 5], as this
is where they go for almost all their information.
Note: These are the options that you will see when you click on the blank in the message
during the official test. They will be in a drop-down menu.
Blank 1
a) radical
b) defeatist
c) cautious
d) exciting
• Read the reader’s comment sentence by sentence. Click on the blanks in order to
read the answer choices.
• Identify and choose any answers that seem immediately correct to you. This might
be possible because you are now quite familiar with the subject from reading the first
article. If you have time afterwards, go back and check these more carefully. In this
example, you must choose an adjective that best describes Ann’s approach. You
can guess that Ann’s approach is different from Peter’s because [S13] tells us that
Ann is “more skeptical” than Peter.
• For those questions that you did not immediately know the answer to, try to
recognize what you need to understand in order to choose the correct answer. In
this example, some of the words used in the answer choices are difficult. Try to find
a root word that you recognize. For instance, you may be able to guess that answer
(b), “defeatist,” has a negative meaning if you know that the noun form of the root
word, “defeat” means to lose.
• If you can’t remember something from the original message, or if you are still
unsure, you will need to go back and read the last paragraph again. You may then
understand or infer that Ann is more “cautious” than Peter and that the best choice
is (c).
STUDY TIP
Learn to recognize and understand opinions presented in writing. Read the editorial
pages of different newspapers, where opinions are presented in the Editorial column,
Letters to the Editor, and articles from other editors. When you are reading editorials and
clarifying the author’s viewpoint, look for two different types of information: factual and
inferred. The factual information about the author’s viewpoint will be communicated in
words, but the inferred information is something that you can assume is a fact, or must
be true, based on information provided. What can you infer about the author’s opinion
based on the facts provided in the editorial?
Practice: Practice your skimming and scanning skills to improve your reading speed.
Read: Read a variety of print materials in short periods of time, and test yourself for
comprehension by restating the main points in your own words.
Infer: Get used to not using a dictionary when you read. Instead, circle words and
phrases that you don’t know. Which ones can you guess from clues in the sentence?
Build your vocabulary: Keep a vocabulary notebook for words and phrases that you’re
not able to guess. After you have finished your reading practice, look up the meaning
and go back to the reading to make sure you choose the right definition. Study your
vocabulary notebook daily to increase your vocabulary.
Manage your time: Keep track of the time, and make sure you have enough time to
complete all the questions in each part. Remember that the test will get harder as you
continue, so leave enough time to finish the harder questions.
Check your answers: Use the mouse to click on your answer choice, and check
afterwards to make sure that the computer has selected your chosen answer.
Understand: Make sure you understand the question to the best of your ability, and
review all four answers before you choose one.
Find the information: Use your skimming and scanning skills to help you locate the best
answers quickly.
Scan: Whenever possible, try to keep more than one question in mind when you are
scanning the text for an answer. You may be able to answer two questions quickly in this
way.
Eliminate: If you can’t find the right answer, eliminate the answers that you know are
wrong. Check the remaining answers again and make sure you have looked in the best
places in the text to make your choice.
Infer: Be confident about your ability to understand unfamiliar words from the context of
the passage.
PART TWO
THE WRITING TEST
THIS COPY BELONGS TO [email protected] W
OVERVIEW
The Writing Test consists of two tasks designed to measure how well you can
communicate through writing in everyday situations. For example, if you bought a
computer and realized later that it wasn’t working properly, would you be able to
clearly describe the problem in an email and persuade the company to resolve
the problem to your satisfaction? If your boss gave you a choice of two new work
schedule arrangements, could you effectively explain your choice in writing? These
kinds of tasks use writing skills that are needed in everyday life.
You have 53-60 minutes to complete the Writing Test. Each task is related to a type
of written communication that you might need to do at home or at work. In the first
task you will write an email message, and in the second task you will respond to an
opinion survey and explain your choice. The chart opposite outlines the two Writing
tasks.
WRITING TEST
USEFUL FEATURES
The Writing Test includes several features that you may not find in other language
proficiency tests, as follows:
SPELL CHECK
The Writing Test includes a spell check feature because many people use this
function for their everyday writing needs. This reduces the chance of making a
spelling error.
However, you need to use this tool very carefully. The ability to choose the right
word from a list of possible choices is also an important writing skill for those
who write on computers regularly. For example, it is not always easy to choose
between “there,” “their,” and “they’re” or “affect” and “effect.” Spell check will
not help you choose the correct word; you’ll need to use your own knowledge of
English vocabulary to make this choice.
When the computer detects a spelling error, it will underline the word with a thin
red line, as you see in most word processing programs. Right-click on the word to
view a list of possible word choices. If you see the word that you want, click on it to
replace the misspelled word.
EDITING FUNCTIONS
You can choose from several basic editing functions (cut, paste, copy, delete,
and undo/redo) by right-clicking with the mouse. If you are comfortable using
these functions, you can easily access them during the test. If you prefer not to use
these functions, then there is no need to do so. However, remember that these
editing tools allow you to edit your writing quickly and easily.
WORD COUNT
Each Writing task includes a word count range; you need to be within 10% of that
range or you may be penalized. The word count is 150–200 words for both tasks, so
if your response is less than 135 or more than 220 words, you may get a lower score.
You will see the word count immediately below the typing area for both parts of
the Writing Test.
If you are not comfortable using a computer keyboard to write, you can prepare for
the test by writing on a computer for 15 to 30 minutes per day until you feel comfortable
using a keyboard. If you do not have a computer, you can probably find computers
available for public use at your local library. The library may, as well, offer basic word
processing courses at no charge. You can also increase your typing speed by using
simple typing games and typing tutor programs.
Please note that typing speed will probably not be a problem for you. A typing speed
of five words per minute is fast enough for you to complete the task within the time
required.
ASSESSMENT
Your Writing responses are rated by at least four trained and certified raters, and your
final Writing score is a combination of their ratings.
The raters rate your work on our twelve-level scale. The following four categories are
rated:
1. Content/Coherence
2. Vocabulary
3. Readability
4. Task Fulfillment
PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS
Writing raters read very carefully when they assess your work. This list summarizes the key
features you need to be aware of as you write your responses:
The Performance Standards and Explanation on the next two pages give more
information about what the raters are looking for when they assess your responses. See
the Guidelines, Study Tips, and Strategies for Success in this chapter for more ways to
improve your writing and test-taking skills.
CATEGORIES FACTORS
Number of ideas
Quality of ideas
CONTENT/COHERENCE
Organization of ideas
Examples and supporting details
Word choice
Suitable use of words and phrases
VOCABULARY
Range of words and phrases
Precision and accuracy
Relevance
Completeness
TASK FULFILLMENT
Tone
Word count
The Performance Standards chart is designed to help you understand how your writing
skills are measured by our trained and certified raters. The raters determine your skill level
in each of the four categories. The purple boxes list the specific factors that are assessed
in each category. Here are some guiding questions that our raters consider as they rate
your work:
1. CONTENT/COHERENCE
This category measures how smoothly and effectively the ideas flow together to
form a meaningful and coherent whole.
2. VOCABULARY
This category assesses how well test takers use vocabulary, idioms, and phrases to
make their ideas understandable.
3. READABILITY
This category measures how intelligible and fluent the test taker’s writing is.
• How much do errors in word form, spelling, and punctuation interfere with
readability?
• Does the test taker’s control of grammar and syntax interfere with or improve
readability?
• Is there complexity and variety in the sentence structure?
• Does the test taker use paragraphing and formatting to improve readability?
• Are connectors and transitions used appropriately and effectively?
4. TASK FULFILLMENT
This category considers how well the content of the response addresses the task
requirements. In other words, have test takers understood the instructions and
done everything they were asked to do?
You have a fixed amount of time for each task. If you finish the first task early and move
on to the second task, you cannot carry extra time from Task 1 over to Task 2.
Spend about 5 minutes thinking about and planning each response; you can use the
scrap paper and pencil to help with this. Plan what you want to say in each paragraph
before you start writing your final work. Planning your paragraphs beforehand allows you
to focus your energy on how to express your ideas clearly and appropriately while you
are writing.
While you are writing, be aware of the time. If, for example, you have 20 minutes to write
three paragraphs, then use about 6 to 7 minutes for each paragraph.
It is very important to leave 5 to 10 minutes at the end of each task to review and edit
your work. Good writers always check their work for grammar and punctuation mistakes.
At the same time, think about sentence structure, word choice, clarity, and organization.
Always ask yourself if the reader will be able to understand your ideas and whether you
have expressed your ideas in the fullest and clearest possible way.
TASK 1:
WRITING AN EMAIL
GUIDELINES
Task 1 instructs you to write an email regarding a day-to-day matter. For example, you
may be asked to write to a company to make a complaint or to say how happy you
are with their service. It is very important to consider the task carefully and plan your
response well. Use the paper and pencil provided to prepare your response. Here are
some guidelines to help with this:
EXAMPLE PROMPT
You are volunteering at a children’s charity. You are raising money for a children’s
activity. Your task is to contact local businesses to raise this money.
Write an email to a local company in about 150-200 words. Your email should do
the following things:
• Read: Carefully read the entire prompt and make sure you understand it to the best
of your ability.
• Identify the Purpose: Think about what the task is asking you to do. Do you have
to complain about something, compliment someone, or explain something that
happened? Decide on a situation that fits the task and that will allow you to provide
all the necessary information. Try to do this quickly—you want to leave plenty of time
for planning and writing.
• Organize and Plan:
◦ Look at each bullet point and think of several things you can say for each
point. It is very important to include something for each bullet point in the
prompt in order to fulfill the task requirements.
◦ Think about the rest of the message. Do you need opening and closing
paragraphs and, if so, what should they say?
• Read: If you have planned your work well, then your message should be logical and
well organized. Read it with “fresh eyes” and see if you need to make any changes
to improve this.
• Word Count: Check your word count and make sure your message isn’t too long or
too short. If it is, make the necessary adjustments by cutting text or adding text.
• Edit and Rewrite: Check your grammar, punctuation, syntax, sentence structure,
paragraphing, formatting, word choice, and word count. There are always ways to
improve your work if you have time.
• Final Check: If you have time, read your response one last time and make any last-
minute changes to improve your work.
• Use the right tone. Writing a personal message is different from writing to a company
or a work colleague. Consider the situation and choose the right words and phrases to
create an appropriate tone. Be aware of how formal or informal your tone should be.
• Stay on topic. In the example prompt, you are asked to raise money for a charity. It
is fine to write about the kind of work the charity does, but don’t spend a lot of time
introducing yourself and talking about your own experience. Refer to the tasks listed
in the prompt and stay focused on them.
• Keep your emotions under control. You may be asked to write a complaint about
a bad product or unsatisfactory service. You can express disappointment and
dissatisfaction, but it is not appropriate to express extreme anger or to threaten the
reader. For example, instead of writing, “I can’t believe you haven’t fired every single
• Include enough information to inform the reader. Look at the sample sentences
again. The effective sentences provide more information and specific details. The
goal of your email is to get someone to do something, so you need to provide
enough information to support your request.
STUDY TIP
Use your time wisely when you are writing your email message. You may finish writing the
message before the time is up, but go back and make it better by carefully looking at
your tone, content, phrasing, and word choice. It takes time to craft effective sentences
and paragraphs. The more effective your writing is, the higher your score will be.
TASK 2:
RESPONDING TO SURVEY
QUESTIONS
GUIDELINES
This task requires you to decide between two options and then to explain your choice
in writing. The prompt is made up of two parts; first, you are provided with some details
about an imaginary situation. The second part of the prompt presents the two choices in
the survey.
You will have to thoughtfully evaluate the pros and cons (good points and bad points)
of two offered choices and write persuasively about why your choice works best for you.
For each reason that you provide, give at least one example that supports your thinking.
Be aware that this task assesses your ability to think and express reasoned opinions.
The topic of the opinion survey will be related to something that matters to most people
living in Canada. For most people, these will be topics that are easy to understand
and relate to their daily lives. It should be fairly easy to imagine yourself in the situation
described in the first part of the prompt. In the prompt above, for example, would you
rather have more money or better medical services? Remember that it doesn’t matter
which choice you write about; what matters is that you explain to the reader why this is
the best choice for you.
EXAMPLE PROMPT
You work in a small company. The company is considering a new health plan.
However, it can only use this health plan if everyone on the staff participates. The
company has sent out an opinion survey to see what the staff members think
about the plan.
Option A: Old Plan: You use 1% of your salary to pay for a health plan. The health
plan will cover some dental costs and 50% of your prescription medicine costs (i.e.,
the cost of medicines that a doctor orders for you).
Option B: New Plan: You use 3% of your salary to pay for a health plan. The health
plan will cover all dental costs, all prescription medication, and many other extra
services such as glasses, physiotherapy (i.e., treatment for sports injuries), and so on.
Choose the option that you prefer. Why do you prefer your choice? Explain the
reasons for your choice. Write about 150-200 words.
• Read: As you read the choices, imagine that you actually work at the company
described in the first part. This may help you make a choice. Carefully review all the
information provided in the prompt to help you prepare an appropriate response.
• Brainstorm and Choose: Remember, there is no right choice and there is no wrong
choice. You are free to choose the option that would work best for you provided you
can explain, in writing, the reasons for your choice. You cannot lose marks for making
a wrong choice. You gain marks for giving good reasons for your choice.
• Quickly evaluate the pros and cons for each choice. If you don’t have a preference,
choose the one that you feel you can write about most effectively and persuasively.
• Organize and Plan: Plan what you want to write. Which reasons will you include in
your response? Why does the other choice not work for you? List your reasons and
decide how you want to organize them.
• As you write your response, focus on putting together a convincing argument to
support your choice. To be convincing, you need to communicate your ideas clearly
and meaningfully.
• Observe the tone of your writing and make sure it is appropriate for a workplace
communication. Phrases such as “hey, sister” and “how are you doing?” are
examples of very informal expressions that are not appropriate in written workplace
communication.
• Think about your paragraphing. Unrelated ideas should be in separate paragraphs,
but related ideas can be grouped together into one paragraph. Transitions and
connectors can be used to good effect within and between paragraphs as well.
• Reword and Rephrase: You may need to use a few key words or phrases from the
prompt, but try to find other ways to communicate those ideas when you can.
• Choose vocabulary that effectively communicates exactly what you mean. Weak
word choices will not be as useful in communicating precise meaning.
• Watch the Clock: You have a total of 26 minutes, but leave 5 minutes to edit your
work at the end.
• Keep track of your word count as you write; you can always delete some things later
if you have written too much or add something else if your response is too short.
• Leave at least 5 minutes at the end to review your work and fix problems with
grammar, punctuation, spelling, sentence structure, paragraphing, logic, and
organization.
• Even native speakers can make careless mistakes. When you edit your work, imagine
that you are a rater and look for weak spots that you can improve on.
Here is an actual response from a CELPIP-General test taker. Look at the response and
the rater’s comments that follow to help you understand how to score well on Task 2.
I would like to choose the old plan in which I use only 1% of my salary to pay for this
health plan. In this health plan, only some dental costs and 50% of my prescription
medicine costs are covered.
The reason is that if all costs are covered, we will not take care of our own health by
doing, eg. exercising, eating sensibly, brushing teeth 3 times a day, sleeping early
and thinking positively to achieve a healthy mind. If all the health services are free,
we tend to abuse it and overuse it. The result is that we get sick more often and the
health care plan cannot maintain its quality of services at the end.
When we have to pay certain fees of the health care, we tend to do our own
part to keep ourselves in good shape in order to avoid to pay for doctors’ visits,
medicine and hospital stay.
I believe in that the government, the health teams, and also ourselves are all
important and responsible in the goal of achieving good health, longevity and
harmony in this country.
ANALYSIS
The sections below analyze this response using the Performance Standards chart on
page 30, and therefore use the same four categories.
The rater’s first impression is that this test taker has strong writing skills because he uses
high-level vocabulary and good sentence structure, and he clearly communicates his
ideas. However, has he responded fully to the prompt and provided enough relevant
supporting information?
CONTENT/COHERENCE: The ideas here are well organized, since each topic has its own
paragraph and the order of the ideas is logical. The response is meaningful, with very
occasional expression of deeper ideas (see the last sentence).
VOCABULARY: This response uses a well-rounded vocabulary. Words and phrases like
“eating sensibly,” “abuse,” “overuse,” and “quality of service” allow the writer to express
precise and accurate meaning. However, occasionally the test taker makes a poor
word choice or uses an expression inappropriately.
READABILITY: This test taker has good command of grammar and sentence structure,
making it easy for the reader to understand most of the ideas. For the most part,
effective language structure helps with readability. There are some small grammar
mistakes, but they generally do not interfere with meaning.
TASK FULFILLMENT: The test taker has responded to all parts of the task, but there
definitely could be more relevant information. If you compare the task to the response
carefully, you will see that the writer is somewhat off topic. He has been asked to
write about which plan he likes and why, which he responds to in the very short first
paragraph. However, the rest of his response talks about why individuals (not his family or
even people in his company) should pay health care costs.
The last paragraph makes no reference to the company he works for or the choice he
has to make; it talks about something else altogether, which is a weak way to conclude
his response. The writer needed to spend more time explaining why the old plan is better
suited to the needs of himself and his family, and less time talking about health care as it
relates to everyone.
This test taker will score well in the first three categories, but he will lose marks in the last
category because he lost his focus and did not fully respond to the task.
STUDY TIP
Read the prompt carefully and with complete attention. Before you begin your response,
make sure that you understand what you need to focus on to fulfill the task requirements.
When you have finished your response, read the prompt again and check to see that
you have effectively fulfilled each part of the task. As in Task 1, this type of careful work
takes time. The more wisely you use your time, the higher your score will be.
Practice: Practice each part of the writing process, especially brainstorming, planning,
drafting, and editing. You can do this by finding a list of writing topics online or in a
textbook. Spend some time each day working on one topic until you are comfortable
with all the stages of the writing process.
Read: Read daily. This will help build your vocabulary as well as expose you to a wide
variety of writing styles and all types of sentence structures.
Write persuasively: Write daily. Keeping a journal is helpful, but you need to focus on
learning to express your opinions persuasively in writing.
Work on your sentence structure: Reading and listening will help you with this. Pay
attention to the different types of sentences that you hear and see, and focus on using
a variety of sentence types in your writing practice sessions.
Connect your ideas: When you are reading, notice how people connect ideas and
facts by using phrases such as, “The first reason is...,” “Another suggestion is...,” or “Finally,
I want to stress how important it is to...” Try to understand when it is appropriate to use
different expressions correctly, and practice using them in your writing practice.
Understand the prompt: Read the prompt carefully and try to understand it completely.
Make sure you know each thing you need to do and stay focused on those tasks.
Make a decision: Don’t use up too much time thinking of a situation (Task 1) or making a
choice (Task 2)—this will take away from your planning and writing time.
Manage your time: Use the first 5 minutes to plan your work and leave 5 to 7 minutes at
the end to revise your work and make it better. The rest of the time (14 to 15 minutes) is
dedicated writing time.
Make notes: Use the pencil and paper provided to brainstorm and organize your ideas,
so that you know what you want to write and what order you will present your ideas in.
Stay on topic.
Use varied vocabulary: Do not depend too much on the words and phrases provided
in the prompt. Whenever possible, find other ways to express things; this shows that you
understand the task and possess a wide range of vocabulary.
Finish on time: Watch the clock and make sure you have enough time to complete
your work.
Count your words: Check your word count and make sure you are within the required
range and that you have responded to all the task requirements.
Edit and improve your work: When you are reviewing your work, try to read it with “fresh
eyes” as if you were the rater. Consider these questions and do what you can to make
your work better:
PART THREE
PRACTICE TEST
THIS COPY BELONGS TO [email protected] P
READING TEST
Note: Some of the following questions use the term “drop-down menu” in order to
reflect the terminology used on the official test. The questions on this practice test have,
however, been presented as regular multiple-choice questions.
Hi Abdul,
I arrived in Tofino yesterday evening. It’s a pretty amazing place. We have a cabin
by the sea, and we can see hundreds of little islands receding all the way to the
horizon. The town of Tofino is little more than a few blocks of shops, houses, and
restaurants, which is a refreshing change from the traffic and offices of downtown
Calgary. If they needed a structural engineer here, I’d be very tempted to apply for
the position.
Today, Jill and I went exploring. We took a tour to a small island just off the coast of
Tofino. It is a tiny island and completely unspoiled. The entire island is covered in a
forest of ancient trees. Each one is as wide as your truck and twice as tall as your
house. In one tree we saw the outline of an immense eagle’s nest, although the
eagle was nowhere to be seen. Having said that, it was pretty tough to make out
much at all as the weather was pretty grim. Shortly after we reached the island, it
started to pour, and we were both completely soaked within minutes. They don’t
call it a rainforest for nothing.
We look forward to seeing you when you join us on Wednesday. I should warn
you that it’s quite a journey to get here. You’re best off flying from Edmonton to
Vancouver and then catching a flight on a small plane from Vancouver to Tofino. If
your budget won’t allow for that, you can get a bus from the Vancouver airport to
the ferry terminal, then get a ferry to Nanaimo, and then finally a bus to Tofino. The
views from the ferry are awesome, but given that you have to return on Sunday, it
would be great if we could maximize our time in Tofino. Anyway, be sure to let me
know how you decide to get here so I can meet you when you get in.
Also, be sure to come prepared for the weather. As I mentioned, the weather here
is unpredictable, so you might be sunbathing on the beach one moment and then
running for shelter in the cabin a moment later. Still, it’s definitely worth the trip, and
I can’t wait to see you again after all this time.
Jared
Using the drop-down menu, choose the best option according to the information given
in the message.
1. Jared
a) lives in Tofino.
b) came to Tofino for a job interview.
c) is on vacation in Tofino.
d) works in Tofino.
Here is a response to the message. Complete the response by filling in the blanks. Select
the best choice for each blank from the drop-down menu.
Hi Jared,
Thanks for letting me know what is going on. I’ve taken your advice and booked a
[Blank 7] from Vancouver to Tofino. I’ll be arriving in Tofino at about 3 p.m. [Blank 8]
just as we had planned. It so happens that I was in Tofino a couple of years ago.
Like you, I [Blank 9] in a small town. Also, as you suggested, I will be ready for all
possible kinds of [Blank 10]. Frankly, though, I am not too worried about what we
do or what the weather is like, as long as we have a chance to catch up on each
other’s news. Just as you said, we should try to [Blank 11] as possible.
Abdul
7. Blank 7
a) ferry
b) trip
c) excursion
d) flight
8. Blank 8
a) on Wednesday
b) on Saturday
c) at the bus station
d) at the ferry terminal
9. Blank 9
a) am a bit bored
b) enjoy being
c) feel uncomfortable
d) have a job
10. Blank 10
a) weather
b) travel arrangements
c) different people
d) activities
11. Blank 11
Read the following email message about the diagram on the following page. Complete
the email by filling in the blanks. Select the best choice for each blank from the drop-
down menu.
Hi Bill,
I think it’s wonderful that we’re trying to find a place together. I’ve started checking
out some possible rentals online and I’m attaching a table with four interesting
options. All four places [Blank 12] and all are near our workplaces. You’ll notice that
King’s View and Winnipeg Place [Blank 13] than the other two. In the case of the
Magna Gardens Complex, this is probably because it [Blank 14]. Although the price
is a little steep, it [Blank 15] than the other three. We might consider finding another
person [Blank 16]. That way our rent will be less.
Anyway, let me know what you prefer and what will suit your budget the best.
Travis
12. Blank 12
13. Blank 13
14. Blank 14
a) is already available.
b) is not an apartment.
c) won’t require furnishings.
d) has underground parking.
15. Blank 15
16. Blank 16
a) are co-workers.
b) are neighbours.
c) live together.
d) work downtown.
A. The mule deer is indigenous to much of western North America. Mule deer are
most commonly found in the North American Rocky Mountains, but can often be
spotted in wooded environments west of the Rockies, even those on the edges
of large urban environments. Encroachment into urban habitats is not a threat to
humans. However, mule deer do pose a risk to domesticated animals that get too
close. The mule deer can be very aggressive when it feels threatened and can
deliver a potentially lethal kick to an overzealous dog.
B. The mule deer’s coat is reddish-brown in the summer but fades to a greyish-brown
in the winter. The stomach, neck, nose band, and eye ring are white. The mule
deer’s antlers are bifurcating, that is, they continue to divide in two as they grow.
The male deer use their antlers to vie with rivals for the opportunity to mate with a
doe. However, antlers are also a liability, hindering the deer’s ability to forage and
to flee from predators. Consequently, mule deer shed their antlers immediately
after the end of mating season.
C. Mule deer are browsers that eat leaves, nuts, grain and twigs. Their taste for
agricultural products makes them a nuisance to farmers, who have to carefully
maintain fences around their land throughout the year. In the winter, when food
is scarce, the deer’s metabolism slows, preserving energy but, at the same time,
making them an easier target for predators. It is not surprising that the mortality
rate for deer is much higher in the winter, especially among the yearlings.
Decide which paragraph, A to D, has the information given in each statement below.
Select E if the information is not given in any of the paragraphs.
20. The biggest threat to mule deer comes from human activity.
A B C D E
21. Mule deer are at more risk of predation when seeking a mate.
A B C D E
A B C D E
23. Mule deer habitat is predominantly in the Northwest of the American continent.
A B C D E
24. Scarce resources often result in death among the young deer population.
A B C D E
25. When in danger, mule deer may act aggressively to protect themselves.
A B C D E
26. Mule deer shed their fur and antlers throughout the course of the year.
A B C D E
27. Mule deer can be found on the outskirts of towns and cities.
A B C D E
28. Mule deer seem to avoid contact with people during the fall.
A B C D E
“I should really emphasize that social networking alone is insufficient,” said Peter in a
recent interview. “A strong website is essential. Without this, your company will have
no credibility when prospective clients check out your products and services.” Even
so, as Peter astutely observed, a web presence is not going to attract customers
who are not in the market for your company’s product, and these are the people
Peter wants to connect with. “Marketing is all about persuasion, and for this, neither
my company nor even a professional advertising company is going to be more
convincing than family and friends.”
Peter’s approach involves taking photos of his clients as they participate in his
company’s vacation adventures. He then gives clients online access to the images,
so his clients can share them on their own social networking pages. Subsequently,
the clients’ friends see the photos (along with a link to Peter’s website). On average,
for each client that shares a photo, two prospective clients contact his travel
company. Often, these new clients have been influenced or persuaded by a friend
or family member.
Business analyst, Ann Frei, is more skeptical. She cautions that social networking
can drain the marketing resources of a company with negligible results. Ann said,
“Daily purchases seldom become the subject of social chatter. People may share
stories about holidays or new cars, but are less likely to talk about their new frying
pans or plumbing services. Companies need to think very hard about whether
social networking is an effective tool for their product or service.” In addition, Ann
noted that the question is also one of return. A company that earns a substantial
profit from each customer may well be tempted to use social networking. On the
other hand, a company that earns cents from each customer may be better off
developing a marketing strategy that reaches more people in a shorter time.
Using the drop-down menu, choose the best option according to the information given
on the website.
33. Ann Frei believes social networking marketing is most effective for products
The following is a comment by a visitor to the website page. Complete the comment by
choosing the best option to fill in each blank.
I think business people should pay attention to Frei’s [Blank 34] approach. [Blank 35]
is only effective when people choose to share your product. We simply [Blank 36]
that everyone will talk about the vast majority of products they buy. At the same
time, we can no longer rely on traditional advertising methods. It is becoming very
clear that the media has been [Blank 37] over the last fifteen years. Young people
watch less television and hardly read magazines at all. We need to [Blank 38], as
this is where they go for almost all their information.
34. Blank 34
a) radical
b) defeatist
c) cautious
d) exciting
35. Blank 35
a) Social networking
b) Marketing
c) Advertising
d) Family
36. Blank 36
a) have to hope
b) can’t preclude
c) can’t expect
d) have to forecast
37. Blank 37
a) devastated
b) diminished
c) commercialized
d) transformed
38. Blank 38
WRITING TEST
TASK 1: WRITING AN EMAIL (27 MINUTES)
You are volunteering at a children’s charity. You are raising money for a children’s
activity. Your task is to contact local businesses to raise this money.
Write an email to a local company in about 150-200 words. Your email should do
the following things:
You work in a small company. The company is considering a new health plan.
However, it can only use this health plan if everyone on the staff participates. The
company has sent out an opinion survey to see what the staff members think
about the plan.
Option A: Old Plan: You use 1% of your salary to pay for a health plan. The health
plan will cover some dental costs and 50% of your prescription medicine costs (i.e.,
the cost of medicines that a doctor orders for you).
Option B: New Plan: You use 3% of your salary to pay for a health plan. The health
plan will cover all dental costs, all prescription medication, and many other extra
services such as glasses, physiotherapy (i.e., treatment for sports injuries), and so on.
Choose the option that you prefer. Why do you prefer your choice? Explain the
reasons for your choice. Write about 150-200 words.
ANSWER KEY
READING TEST
1 C 20 D
2 C 21 B
3 C 22 E
4 B 23 A
5 B 24 C
6 D 25 A
7 D 26 E
8 A 27 A
9 B 28 D
10 A 29 B
11 B 30 C
12 B 31 B
13 C 32 B
14 B 33 D
15 A 34 C
16 A 35 A
17 D 36 C
18 C 37 D
19 D 38 C