CELPIP-General Practice Tests

Listening Part 1: Listening to Problem Solving — Section 1

The conversation is played in three sections, each only once. After each section you hear two or three questions, also only once. Choose the best answer to each.

1. Question 1 (heard only): (A) a grey key fob (B) a small brass key (C) a blue plastic card (D) a handful of coins
2. Question 2 (heard only): (A) The previous tenant probably did not return it. (B) The manager forgot to put it in her welcome envelope. (C) She left it behind in the laundry room. (D) The machine in the lobby did not print one.
3. Question 3 (heard only): (A) put money on the woman's card (B) replace the reader on the washers (C) talk to the woman across the hall (D) look for a card in the office

Listening Part 1: Listening to Problem Solving — Section 2

The conversation is played in three sections, each only once. After each section you hear two or three questions, also only once. Choose the best answer to each.

1. Question 4 (heard only): (A) The panel showed an error message. (B) A stranger answered the call. (C) The friend entered the wrong code. (D) The woman did not hear her phone.
2. Question 5 (heard only): (A) He does not have the woman's phone number. (B) He has to order a new panel for the lobby. (C) An outside company must make the change. (D) The old tenant must first agree to the change.
3. Question 6 (heard only): (A) leave the front door propped open (B) wait for her guests in the lobby (C) give her visitors a spare fob (D) ask visitors to send her a text message

Listening Part 1: Listening to Problem Solving — Section 3

The conversation is played in three sections, each only once. After each section you hear two or three questions, also only once. Choose the best answer to each.

1. Question 7 (heard only): (A) The woman will not pay the usual fee. (B) The old card was repaired by the manager. (C) It already has money loaded onto it. (D) It will be delivered next week.
2. Question 8 (heard only): (A) call the security company (B) go downstairs to test the buzzer (C) load money onto the new card (D) help the woman plan her party

Listening Part 2: Listening to a Daily Life Conversation

Listen to the conversation (it plays once). Then answer the five questions that follow; each question is heard only once.

1. Question 1 (heard only): (A) He had already given his things to a thrift store. (B) He does not get along with some of the neighbours on his street. (C) His wife wanted to keep most of their belongings. (D) His last sale took a lot of effort for little money.
2. Question 2 (heard only): (A) They will be stored in her carport. (B) They will be collected and donated. (C) They will be sold online the next week. (D) They will go to her sister's sale in Moncton.
3. Question 3 (heard only): (A) He will be out of town for his daughter's event. (B) He has to work that Saturday morning. (C) He is helping his sister with her sale in Moncton. (D) He is taking his canoe on a fishing trip.
4. Question 4 (heard only): (A) picking up his items on Friday night (B) writing a separate ad for his canoe (C) selling his items together with hers (D) making signs for his driveway
5. Question 5 (heard only): (A) She would like to keep the fishing rods. (B) She will be pleased to see the canoe sold. (C) She is organizing the swim meet in Truro. (D) She thinks a street garage sale is a waste of a Saturday.

Listening Part 3: Listening for Information

Listen to the conversation (it plays once). Then answer the six questions that follow; each question is heard only once.

1. Question 1 (heard only): (A) to borrow equipment for a home project (B) to donate some tools he no longer uses (C) to sign up for a shelf-building workshop (D) to renew a drill he had borrowed
2. Question 2 (heard only): (A) The library does not own a level. (B) The stud finder is already on hold. (C) There is a limit on the number of items. (D) The level is kept at another branch.
3. Question 3 (heard only): (A) buy an inexpensive level at a store (B) come back next week for the level (C) borrow the level instead of the stud finder (D) use an app on his phone instead
4. Question 4 (heard only): (A) The fine is two dollars per item per week. (B) Fines apply to tools but not to books. (C) Late borrowers may lose their library card. (D) Fines apply only when there is a hold.
5. Question 5 (heard only): (A) He plans to buy his own drill after this project. (B) He needs a drill for several projects this week. (C) He thinks the library's drills are better than store ones. (D) He would have used a drill of his own only rarely.
6. Question 6 (heard only): (A) adding kitchen appliances to the collection (B) offering lessons on how to use power tools (C) opening the collection to borrowers under 18 (D) lending camping gear during the summer

Listening Part 4: Listening to a News Item

You will hear a news item. You will hear the news item only once. After the news item, you will answer 5 questions. Choose the best way to complete each statement from the drop-down menu.

1. The news item is mainly about (A) a change to the city's snow-clearing policy. (B) a plan to hire more snowplow drivers. (C) a new tool that shows where snowplows are. (D) a new phone line for snow complaints.
2. The city created PlowWatch mainly because (A) plows were taking longer than 36 hours to finish. (B) many residents kept asking when their streets would be plowed. (C) the GPS equipment for the plows was offered to the city for free. (D) bus routes were not being cleared on time.
3. On the map, a yellow street is one that (A) was plowed more than twelve hours earlier. (B) has not been reached by a plow yet. (C) was plowed within the last twelve hours. (D) is a main road or a bus route.
4. Denise Arcand's comments suggest that residents mainly want (A) plows to reach residential streets faster. (B) the city to hire more snowplow drivers. (C) a way to report streets that were missed. (D) information to help them plan their time.
5. Later this winter, residents will be able to (A) see the names of the plow drivers on the map. (B) request that their own residential street be plowed first. (C) get a message before a plow reaches their block. (D) report parked cars that are blocking plows.

Listening Part 5: Listening to a Discussion

You will watch a video of a discussion. You will watch the video only once. After the video, you will answer 8 questions. Choose the best answer to each question.

1. What is the main topic of the discussion? (A) how to recruit more garden volunteers (B) how to raise money for the garden (C) where to build a new tool shed (D) what vegetables to grow next spring
2. Why does the man in the grey sweater object to the harvest dinner? (A) He thinks a dinner would need too many volunteers. (B) He thinks September is too late to raise the money they need. (C) He thinks restaurants would not support it. (D) He thinks the tickets are too expensive for members.
3. What problem does Tyler mention about last year's event? (A) Too few people helped out. (B) Too few people bought food. (C) The event ended too late at night. (D) The event lost money.
4. Which statement would Helen most likely agree with? (A) A plant sale alone will raise enough money. (B) Last year's barbecue was a poor idea. (C) The garden needs the full amount before winter. (D) Members cannot afford to pay for a dinner.
5. What is Helen's attitude toward the final plan? (A) willing but still doubtful (B) excited and fully confident (C) annoyed and unwilling to help (D) neutral because she was not consulted
6. Who suggested adding a raffle? (A) the man in the grey sweater (B) the young man in the green cap (C) the woman with the red scarf (D) the owner of a local bakery
7. What is definitely true about the plant sale? (A) It will take place in the fall. (B) It will need about fifteen volunteers. (C) It will sell plants for ten dollars each. (D) It is expected to raise about half of the goal.
8. What does Helen agree to do? (A) grow extra seedlings in the greenhouse (B) create a web page for the raffle (C) ask a business owner to donate prizes (D) organize a dinner in September

Listening Part 6: Listening for Viewpoints

You will hear a report. You will hear the report only once. After the report, you will answer 6 questions. Choose the best way to complete each statement from the drop-down menu.

1. The report is mainly about (A) a company that is struggling to find customers. (B) a union's campaign to raise wages for factory workers in Ontario. (C) a new law that limits the length of shifts. (D) different views on a trial of a new work schedule.
2. Graham Pettigrew started the pilot mainly to (A) attract and keep skilled workers. (B) reduce the cost of running his machines. (C) respond to a request from the union. (D) lower the number of workplace accidents.
3. Under the pilot, employees (A) work fewer total hours for the same weekly pay. (B) work the same total hours for the same pay. (C) work fewer hours for less pay. (D) work longer hours for more pay.
4. Nadia Haddad believes the current schedule (A) should be replaced by the old five-day week. (B) should be approved without changes. (C) puts workers at greater risk of injury. (D) is too expensive for the company.
5. According to the report, some parents are having trouble (A) getting to daycare before it closes. (B) finding daycare on Fridays. (C) paying for the longer hours of daycare they need. (D) working on the weekends.
6. Nadia Haddad suggests that after June, the current schedule (A) will become permanent automatically. (B) may not be approved in its current form. (C) will be replaced by a thirty-two-hour week. (D) will force the owner to raise his prices.

Reading Part 1: Reading Correspondence

Read the message. For each question, choose the best option from the drop-down list, based on what the message says.

1. Why has Aisha not written to Jordan sooner? (A) She was travelling around Nova Scotia. (B) She was busy adjusting to a new job. (C) She was looking for a new apartment. (D) She was preparing a room for guests.
2. What does Aisha say about Halifax? (A) Its winters are colder than Winnipeg's. (B) It is too far from the waterfront. (C) Its farmers' market is open every day. (D) It is smaller than she thought it would be.
3. What is Marcus's joke about? (A) the foggy weather in Halifax (B) the long drive to Moncton (C) the size of their new apartment (D) the early whale-watching boats
4. What does Aisha suggest Jordan do? (A) drive to Moncton with Marcus in September (B) stay in a hotel near the waterfront (C) visit Halifax after the conference ends (D) attend the conference in Halifax
5. Why does Aisha mention the time the whale-watching boats leave? (A) Jordan does not like getting up early. (B) The boats often sell out before seven. (C) Aisha has to be at work by seven. (D) The fog is usually gone by seven.
6. What does Aisha say about the flight home? (A) Her cousin can drive Jordan to the airport. (B) Flights from Halifax are usually full in September. (C) Jordan should take the train to the airport. (D) Flying from Moncton may cost less.

Reading Part 1: Reading Correspondence — Response

Below is a reply to the message. Complete it by choosing the best option for each gap from the drop-down lists.

1. 7. It was so good to hear from you! I'm glad the new job is going well, even if working ___ for your training sounds exhausting. (weekends / from home / nights / in two labs)
2. 8. The spare room sounds perfect, and I really don't mind that it's also ___. (Marcus's gym / your office / a storage room / right by the kitchen)
3. 9. Peggy's Cove is at the top of my list, especially if it's quieter now that ___. (the lighthouse is closed / the fog has cleared / the summer festivals have started / the tour buses are mostly gone)
4. 10. As for the whales, I'll set three alarms, because you know ___. (I'm not a morning person / the tickets sell out quickly / Marcus gets seasick easily / you'll be working that day)
5. 11. If Marcus really doesn't mind the company, I'll book a flight out of Moncton on ___, so I can ride with him. (the tenth / the fifteenth / the seventh / the twentieth)

Reading Part 2: Reading to Apply a Diagram

Read this email about the diagram. Complete it by choosing the best option for each gap from the drop-down lists.

1. 1. The Daytime plan is the cheapest at ___ a month, but it has no classes. ($22 / $29 / $45 / $52)
2. 2. The ___ plan has 24-hour access, which I liked, but I'd have to sign up for a whole year. (Basic / Swim & Fit / Daytime / Plus)
3. 3. Basic is the cheaper of the pair, but it doesn't include ___, and the whole reason I'm joining is to finally try spin and yoga. (the weight room / a locker / group classes / free parking)
4. 4. It's ___ more per month than Basic, but honestly, with the pool and sauna, I think it's worth it. ($7 / $23 / $16 / $30)
5. 5. And there's a bonus: since it offers ___, I can bring Leo along on Saturdays while I'm in class. (free parking / a fitness assessment / childminding / sauna access)

Reading Part 2: Reading to Apply a Diagram — Questions

Choose the best option from each drop-down list.

1. What is the relationship between Mei and Dana? (A) They are coworkers. (B) They are neighbours. (C) They are old classmates. (D) They are sisters.
2. Why is Mei joining a fitness centre? (A) She wants to take exercise classes. (B) She wants to swim with her son. (C) She wants to exercise late at night. (D) She wants to get fit before moving.
3. How does Mei feel about the price of the plan she chose? (A) It is more than she can afford. (B) The extra features justify the cost. (C) It is cheaper than she expected. (D) She would rather pay for 24-hour access.

Reading Part 3: Reading for Information

Read the passage. For each statement, choose the paragraph (A-D) that contains that information, or choose E if none of the paragraphs does.

1. Only a small amount of finished product comes from a large volume of the raw liquid.
2. Some of the first people to make maple sugar used heated rocks in the process.
3. A hot, dry summer can lead to less sugary sap in the next spring.
4. Maple syrup has become more expensive for shoppers because of shorter seasons.
5. Some producers are collecting sap from a different kind of tree than before.
6. The sugar in sap comes from energy the tree saved during the previous warm season.
7. The time when sap first starts to flow well has moved earlier in the year.
8. One province is responsible for most of the world's supply of maple syrup.
9. Syrup made near the end of the season is usually darker and stronger in flavour.

Reading Part 4: Reading for Viewpoints

Read the article. For each question, choose the best option from the drop-down list, based on what the article says.

1. What is the article mainly about? (A) a student's plan to ban phones in hallways (B) a school's decision to cancel its phone policy (C) different reactions to a rule about phones in class (D) a new law about phone use by teenage workers
2. According to Martin Osei, what is one benefit of the policy? (A) Students are more careful at their jobs. (B) Teachers have more time for lessons. (C) Students spend less time on phones at lunch. (D) Parents can reach the school more easily.
3. What is Sandra Lefebvre's main objection to the policy? (A) It makes it impossible to contact students in an emergency. (B) It was introduced without asking parents. (C) It allows phones to be used in the hallways. (D) It does not prepare students to control their own phone use.
4. What did Ayesha Malik's survey suggest? (A) The rule helps in class but may not change students' overall habits. (B) Most students want the phone pockets removed. (C) Students are using their phones less at all times of the day. (D) Students with jobs had lower marks after the rule began.
5. Why does Osei mention a movie theatre? (A) to explain where the idea for the pockets came from (B) to suggest that people will get used to the rule (C) to compare students' behaviour to adults' behaviour (D) to argue that phones should be banned in more places

Reading Part 4: Reading for Viewpoints — Reader comment

Below is a comment a reader posted on the web page. Complete it by choosing the best option for each gap.

1. 6. Before reading it, I agreed with the principal that the pockets were simply about ___. (saving money on devices / keeping phones safe from theft / helping parents contact students / protecting class time)
2. 7. If students are just making up for lost time ___, then the rule isn't really solving the problem. (during their breaks / during group work / at their part-time jobs / in the main office)
3. 8. Telling families to ___ might work for a real emergency, but not for a manager asking about Saturday's shift. (text during lunch / visit the classroom / call the main office / email the teacher)
4. 9. Keep the pockets, but also ___. (let students check phones at set times / teach students how to manage screen time / allow phones during group work / remove phones from the cafeteria)
5. 10. I hope that when the ___ meets in June, it listens carefully to the student who actually collected the data. (school council / school board / statistics class / parents' committee)

Writing Task 1: Writing an Email

Read the information and write an email of about 150-200 words. You have 27 minutes.

Writing Task 2: Responding to Survey Questions

Read the information, pick the option you prefer and explain why. Write about 150-200 words in 26 minutes.

Speaking Task 1: Giving Advice

A friend of yours has just accepted a job in a city where winter temperatures often drop below minus thirty degrees. Your friend has never lived anywhere very cold and is worried about the move. Advise your friend on how to prepare for life in a very cold city.

1. A friend of yours has just accepted a job in a city where winter temperatures often drop below minus thirty degrees. Your friend has never lived anywhere very cold and is worried about the move. Advise your friend on how to prepare for life in a very cold city. Example: Hey, first of all, congratulations on the job! I know minus thirty sounds terrifying, but honestly, people live there happily, and you will too if you prepare a bit. My first piece of advice is about clothing. Don't buy one giant, expensive coat and think you're done. The trick is layers: a thermal shirt, a warm sweater, and then a windproof jacket on top. And please, get good boots with a thick sole and real grip, because the sidewalks can be like an ice rink. A toque, a scarf that covers your face, and mitts, not gloves, make a huge difference too. Second, think about your car, if you're going to drive. You'll want proper winter tires, and in really cold cities, people plug their cars in overnight with a block heater, so ask your landlord if the parking spot has an outlet. Keep a small emergency kit in the trunk, too, like a blanket and a shovel. Finally, and this is the one people forget, don't hide inside all winter. Try skating or cross-country skiing, or join a curling club. If you learn to enjoy the season, those five months go by much faster. You're going to be fine!

Speaking Task 2: Talking about a Personal Experience

Talk about a time when you learned a new skill as an adult. What was the skill, and why did you decide to learn it? Describe how you learned it and how you felt about the experience.

1. Talk about a time when you learned a new skill as an adult. What was the skill, and why did you decide to learn it? Describe how you learned it and how you felt about the experience. Example: A couple of years ago, when I was thirty-four, I finally learned how to swim. Growing up, I never had lessons, and I always made excuses when my friends went to the beach. But then my daughter started swimming lessons, and I realized I couldn't even join her in the pool. That was kind of embarrassing, so I signed up for an adult beginners' class at our local recreation centre. There were eight of us, all adults, and the instructor was incredibly patient. For the first two weeks, we just practised floating and putting our faces in the water, which sounds easy, but I was genuinely scared. Slowly, though, it got better. By the end of the ten weeks, I could swim a full length of the pool without stopping. I felt so proud. Now my daughter and I go swimming every Sunday, and she likes to tell people she taught me.

Speaking Task 3: Describing a Scene

Describe as much of what is happening in the picture as you can. Imagine you are talking to someone who cannot see it.

1. Describe as much of what is happening in the picture as you can. Imagine you are talking to someone who cannot see it. Example: Okay, so this is a busy outdoor farmers' market, and it looks like a sunny Saturday morning in a town square. Right at the front, there's a farmer in a straw hat handing a paper bag of apples to a woman who's holding a toddler on her hip. On the left side, there's a bakery stall with loaves of bread and pies, and a teenage boy behind the table is counting out change. In the middle, a man in a wheelchair is trying a sample of cheese from a vendor in a green apron. Over on the right, a musician is playing guitar, and a little girl is dropping a coin into his guitar case, which is really sweet. Further back, a woman is carrying a huge bunch of sunflowers, and an older couple is checking out jars of honey. Oh, and near the edge, a dog on a leash is sniffing a basket of carrots on the ground.

Speaking Task 4: Making Predictions

Look at the picture. What do you think is most likely to happen next?

1. Look at the picture. What do you think is most likely to happen next? Example: I think a few things are going to happen in the next few minutes. First, that dog near the vegetable stall is sniffing the basket of carrots, so I bet it's going to grab one, and its owner will have to apologize and probably buy the whole basket. The woman with the toddler will likely get her apples and then head over to the bakery stall, because the little one is already staring at the pies. The man in the wheelchair seems to be enjoying that cheese sample, so I think he'll end up buying a block of it. The biggest change, though, is the weather. There are dark clouds moving in on the right, so it'll probably start raining soon. The vendors will rush to put up their tents and cover their tables, the musician will close his guitar case, and shoppers will crowd under the tents until the rain passes.

Speaking Task 5: Comparing and Persuading

Your family is buying a used car, and you are responsible for finding one. You found two suitable options. Using the pictures and information below, choose the option that you prefer. In the next section, you will need to persuade a family member that your choice is the better choice. If you do not choose an option, the computer will choose Option 1 for you. You do not need to speak for this part.

1. Your spouse is suggesting a pickup truck instead. Persuade your spouse that what you chose is more suitable by comparing the two. Example: I know the pickup truck looks great, and I get why you like it, but I really think the hatchback makes more sense for us. Let's start with money. The hatchback is eleven thousand dollars, and the truck is almost twenty thousand, so that's almost nine thousand dollars' difference right there. Then there's gas. The hatchback uses about six litres per hundred kilometres, and the truck uses fourteen. With both of us commuting every day, that could easily be a couple of hundred dollars more every month. Parking is another thing. Our building has those tight underground spots, and a big truck would barely fit. The hatchback's small enough to park anywhere downtown. I know you're thinking about the camping trips, but honestly, we go camping twice a year. For those weekends, we can just rent a trailer or borrow your brother's truck. For everyday life, the hatchback's the smarter choice.

Speaking Task 6: Dealing with a Difficult Situation

You and a colleague have worked closely together on several projects. Recently, in two team meetings, your colleague presented ideas that you came up with and did not mention your name. Your manager praised your colleague for the ideas. Choose ONE: EITHER Talk to your colleague. Explain why you are upset and what you would like to happen in the future. OR Talk to your manager. Explain the situation without damaging your working relationship with your colleague.

1. You and a colleague have worked closely together on several projects. Recently, in two team meetings, your colleague presented ideas that you came up with and did not mention your name. Your manager praised your colleague for the ideas. Choose ONE: EITHER Talk to your colleague. Explain why you are upset and what you would like to happen in the future. OR Talk to your manager. Explain the situation without damaging your working relationship with your colleague. Example: Hi, Daniel, do you have a few minutes? There's something I'd like to talk about, and I want to be honest with you because I really do like working with you. In the last two team meetings, you presented the new scheduling system and the idea to survey our clients. Those were both ideas I shared with you when we were planning, and my name didn't come up at all. When Karen praised you for them, honestly, I felt pretty hurt. I'm sure it wasn't intentional. Meetings move fast, and it's easy to just say 'I' instead of 'we'. But recognition matters to me, especially with my performance review coming up. So, going forward, could we agree to say which ideas came from whom, or maybe present our joint work together? And if you don't mind, I'd appreciate it if you could mention to Karen that the survey idea was mine. I really want us to keep working well together.

Speaking Task 7: Expressing Opinions

Answer the following question: Should cities charge customers a fee for plastic shopping bags? Explain your reasons.

1. Answer the following question: Should cities charge customers a fee for plastic shopping bags? Explain your reasons. Example: Yes, I definitely think cities should charge a fee for plastic bags, and I have a few reasons. First of all, it actually works. When my city started charging ten cents a bag a few years ago, I noticed the change almost immediately. People started bringing reusable bags, and now at the grocery store, most shoppers have their own. Nobody is forced to do anything; the small fee just reminds people to think before they take a bag. Second, plastic bags cause real environmental problems. They're used for maybe twenty minutes, but they can last for hundreds of years. You see them stuck in trees, blowing around parking lots, and floating in rivers, and they're really hard to recycle, so most of them end up in landfill. Finally, the fee is fair. The people who use the bags pay for them, instead of everyone paying through taxes for cleaning up litter. Some people say it hurts low-income families, but honestly, a reusable bag costs about a dollar and lasts for years, so over time it saves money. Some cities also use the money from the fee for local environmental projects. So overall, I think it's a small, smart policy that makes a big difference.

Speaking Task 8: Describing an Unusual Situation

You are at a garage sale, and you see an unusual kitchen gadget. Your roommate collects old and unusual kitchen tools, but the seller will not let you take a photo. Phone your roommate. Provide a full and clear description of the gadget and ask whether you should buy it for them.

1. You are at a garage sale, and you see an unusual kitchen gadget. Your roommate collects old and unusual kitchen tools, but the seller will not let you take a photo. Phone your roommate. Provide a full and clear description of the gadget and ask whether you should buy it for them. Example: Hey, it's me. I'm at a garage sale on Elm Street, and there's something here I think you'll love, but the seller won't let me take a picture, so I'll describe it. It's made of heavy, dark metal, like cast iron, and it's about as long as my forearm. At the bottom, there's a big C-shaped clamp, and right now it's clamped onto the edge of the seller's table. Along the top, there's a long screw, kind of like a threaded rod. On the right end, there's a handle you turn, with a round red wooden knob. On the left end, there are three sharp metal prongs sticking out, like a tiny fork, and next to them there's a small curved blade on a springy arm. My guess is you push an apple onto the prongs, turn the handle, and the blade peels it. It's got quite a few rust spots, but it still turns smoothly. It's twenty dollars. Should I get it for you?