The Listening Test

1 | CELPIP Sample Test 1

Copyright © 2018 Paragon Testing Enterprises
Listening Test Instructions

• The Listening Test is about 50 minutes.

• There are 6 parts in the Listening Test.
• You will have about 6 minutes to listen to each passage and answer the questions.
• The passage will be played once.
1. 4.

3.

2.

1. You will have a set amount of time to answer the questions

2. In some of the Listening parts, questions will be asked through an audio format.
However, in this version of the test, the questions are displayed via text. Please be
aware that the official test will contain questions in audio format.
3. Each section will have a different number of questions.
4. When you are finished with the questions, hit “Next” to continue to the next section.

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Copyright © 2018 Paragon Testing Enterprises
Listening Part 1: Listening to Problem Solving
• You will hear a conversation in 3 sections. You will hear each section only once.
• After each section, you will hear 2 or 3 questions. You will hear the questions only
once.*
• Choose the best answer to each question.

*Please note that in this practice test you will read the questions, but on the official test you
will only hear them. You will not read them.

Instructions:

You will hear a conversation between a woman and a man. The man is a bus driver and the
woman is a passenger trying to get somewhere.

Listen to the conversation. You will hear the conversation only once. It is about 1 to 1.5
minutes long. You will have 30 seconds to answer each question.

Part 1: Track 1

1. What is the woman eventually hoping to find?

ⓐ ⓑ ⓒ ⓓ

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2. What best describes the driver’s response?
ⓐ He isn’t interested.
ⓑ He makes a guess.
ⓒ He refuses to help.
ⓓ He shows the way.

3. What will the woman probably do next?

ⓐ ask another passenger
ⓑ use her smartphone
ⓒ look for the restaurant
ⓓ go to the water fountain

You will hear the second section of the conversation shortly. You will hear the conversation
only once. It is about 1 to 1.5 minutes long. You will have 30 seconds to answer each question.

Part 1: Track 2

4. How did the woman meet the man again?

ⓐ He was taking a walk in the park.
ⓑ She was going back to his bus.
ⓒ They were both lost in the park.
ⓓ They were both looking at a sign.

5. Which statement is true?

ⓐ She was looking for her smartphone.
ⓑ She walked to the far side of the park.
ⓒ He helped her by using a smartphone.
ⓓ He spent his break walking with her.

6. How should the woman get to the playground?

ⓐ Follow posted maps and signs.
ⓑ Take the green bus in 5 minutes.
ⓒ Walk to the far side of the park.
ⓓ Get on the little red shuttle bus.

You will hear the third section of the conversation shortly. You will hear the conversation only
once. It is about 1 to 1.5 minutes long. You will have 30 seconds to answer each question.

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Part 1: Track 3

7. Why does the bus driver tell the woman he is glad?

ⓐ because she does not seem angry
ⓑ because she didn’t take the red bus
ⓒ because his other riders aren’t upset
ⓓ because his bus hasn’t broken down

8. Will the woman go to the playground?

ⓐ No, she’ll just get another bus home.
ⓑ No, she’ll just visit the petting zoo.
ⓒ Yes, and she’ll arrive there on time.
ⓓ Yes, but she’ll arrive there a bit late.

Listening Part 2: Listening to a Daily Life Conversation

• You will hear a conversation followed by 5 questions.
• Listen to each question. You will hear the question only once.*
• Choose the best answer to each question.

*Please note that in this practice test you will read the questions, but on the official test you
will only hear them. You will not read them.

Instructions:

You will hear a conversation. The conversation is between two co-workers. The woman is
having some challenges finishing a work project.

Listen to the conversation. You will hear the conversation only once. It is about 1 to 1.5
minutes long. You will have 30 seconds to answer each question.

Part 2: Track 1

1. Why was the man concerned?

ⓐ because the woman looked angry
ⓑ because the woman looked unwell
ⓒ because the woman looked sad
ⓓ because the woman didn’t finish her work

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2. What did the man suggest?
ⓐ He suggested that the woman stay after work hours.
ⓑ He suggested that the woman ask her husband for help.
ⓒ He suggested that the woman take her work home.
ⓓ He suggested that the woman ask her boss for help.

3. Why hasn’t the woman slept lately?

ⓐ because her son doesn’t sleep at night
ⓑ because she has to do too much housework
ⓒ because her husband doesn’t help her
ⓓ because she has to meet a deadline

4. Why can’t the woman ask for an extension?

ⓐ because her boss doesn’t like her
ⓑ because she’s not competent
ⓒ because she’s hoping to get a promotion
ⓓ because she already asked for one

5. What is her husband doing to help her finish the reports?

ⓐ He’s taking the son away for the weekend.
ⓑ He’s bringing the son to daycare on the weekend.
ⓒ He’s working during the day too.
ⓓ He’s taking a day off work to look after their son.

Listening Part 3: Listening for Information

• You will hear a conversation followed by 6 questions.
• Listen to each question. You will hear the question only once.*
• Choose the best answer to each question.

*Please note that in this practice test you will read the questions, but on the official test you
will only hear them. You will not read them.

Instructions:

You will hear a conversation. A man is interviewing a woman about perfectionism in the
workplace.

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Listen to the conversation. You will hear the conversation only once. It is about 2 to 2.5
minutes long. You will have 30 seconds to answer each question.

Part 3: Track 1

1. What is the woman’s occupation?

ⓐ She is a business manager.
ⓑ She is a family doctor.
ⓒ She is a researcher.
ⓓ She is a journalist.

2. What does the woman say about perfectionists in her study?

ⓐ They are always persevering and successful.
ⓑ Their work is better because of their high standards.
ⓒ They are productive in group environments.
ⓓ The often fail to complete tasks at work.

3. According to the woman, what can perfectionism in the workplace do?

ⓐ affect job stability and social life
ⓑ help people with depression
ⓒ help with making friendships
ⓓ reduce people’s anxiety

4. Why do perfectionists feel anxious?

ⓐ because of the stressful workplace
ⓑ because they have insufficient friendships
ⓒ because they have poor time management
ⓓ because they have incompetent workmates

5. What does the woman suggest perfectionists should do?

ⓐ Avoid working in groups.
ⓑ Focus on details.
ⓒ Prioritize tasks.
ⓓ Take time off.

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6. What is the focus of the woman’s next project?
ⓐ time management skills and lowering anxiety
ⓑ the role social isolation on anxiety
ⓒ the importance of friendships on anxiety
ⓓ the role of incompetence on depression

Listening Part 4: Listening to a News item

• You will hear a news item once. It is about 1.5 minutes long.
• Then 5 questions will appear.
• Choose the best way to complete each statement from the drop-down menu.

Instructions:

You will hear a news item about a unique medical procedure.

Listen to the following news item. You will hear the news item only once. It is about 1.5
minutes long.

Part 4: Track 1

1. The news item is about __________

ⓐ an Australian doctor.
ⓑ a medical breakthrough.
ⓒ an eye disease.
ⓓ a computer program.

2. Before the surgery, Dianne was unable __________

ⓐ to see with either eye.
ⓑ to see with one eye.
ⓒ to see colour.
ⓓ to see black and white.

3. With the prototype, Dianne won’t be able to __________

ⓐ see details.
ⓑ see movement.
ⓒ see shapes.
ⓓ see outlines.

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4. Dianne’s prototype will soon be __________
ⓐ activated.
ⓑ re-installed.
ⓒ monitored.
ⓓ replaced.

5. The two other patients __________

ⓐ are doing well with their prototypes.
ⓑ have not yet received their prototypes.
ⓒ cannot afford their prototypes.
ⓓ didn’t adapt to the prototypes.

Listening Part 5: Listening to a Discussion

• You will watch a 2-minute video. Then 8 questions will appear.
• Choose the best way to answer each question.

Instructions:

You will watch a discussion between three people at a café. They all belong to a conversation
club where some members are improving their English and some are improving their French.

Watch the discussion. You will watch the discussion only once. It is about 1.5 to 2 minutes
long.

Part 5: Video 1

1. What is the main topic being discussed?

ⓐ what to learn
ⓑ where to meet
ⓒ whether to grow
ⓓ whom to invite

2. In the discussion, what were the three speakers mainly doing?

ⓐ considering their options
ⓑ disputing a decision
ⓒ estimating their numbers
ⓓ sharing encouragement

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3. Which saying would the man in the sweater probably agree with?
ⓐ Hold hands and stick together.
ⓑ Small is beautiful; less is more.
ⓒ The more, the merrier; bigger is better.
ⓓ Two’s company; three’s a crowd.

4. What best describes the woman’s attitude to Marta?

ⓐ admiration
ⓑ envy
ⓒ gratitude
ⓓ scorn

5. Who must be the best speaker of French?

ⓐ The woman in the video
ⓑ The man wearing short sleeves
ⓒ The woman they talked about
ⓓ The man wearing a sweater

6. What is definitely true of the club’s allophones?

ⓐ They are all trying to improve their French.
ⓑ They do not like serving as translators.
ⓒ They lose interest while on waitlists.
ⓓ They outnumber the other two groups.

7. What do the woman and the man in the sweater disagree on?
ⓐ allophone skill levels
ⓑ Colleen and Liam
ⓒ keeping waitlists
ⓓ Marta’s first language

8. What does the man wearing short sleeves agree to do?

ⓐ form a separate club for allophones
ⓑ move the whole group to a bigger restaurant
ⓒ organize everyone into groups of four
ⓓ start additional meetups at a second location

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Listening Part 6: Listening to Viewpoints
• You will hear a report once. It is about 3 minutes long.
• Then 6 questions will appear.
• Choose the best way to answer each question from the drop-down menu.

Instructions:

You will hear a presentation about a controversial bill being proposed to reduce jail time for
prisoners.

Listen to the following report. You will hear the report only once. It is about 3 minutes long.

Part 6: Track 1

1. This is a story about a __________

ⓐ law that forces prisoners to read books.
ⓑ proposed law to reduce some prisoners’ sentences.
ⓒ a man who spent 36 days reading books in prison.
ⓓ project that teaches prisoners to read and write.

2. Prisoners' access to the program would depend on their __________

ⓐ frequency at the prison’s library.
ⓑ crime and behaviour in jail.
ⓒ knowledge of grammar and spelling.
ⓓ previous reading level.

3. The purpose of the project is to __________

ⓐ diminish conflict and promote personal growth.
ⓑ teach prisoners to read and write better.
ⓒ increase prisoners’ level of education.
ⓓ help prisoners to find jobs when they leave.

4. Critics argue that the project __________

ⓐ should focus more on recent literature.
ⓑ penalizes those with poor English language skills.
ⓒ creates conflict between the educated and uneducated.
ⓓ only helps prisoners find jobs if they’ve read Shakespeare.

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5. Chris Kendhi, who’s worked in prison libraries for 20 years, believes the project _________
ⓐ will fail because prisoners are bitter.
ⓑ will help prisoners earn more money.
ⓒ will transform some prisoners’ lives.
ⓓ will make prison administrators optimistic.

6. If the bill becomes law, it will __________

ⓐ apply to the whole province.
ⓑ apply to the whole country.
ⓒ be debated by the general public.
ⓓ be discussed by government branches.

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