CELPIP Full Reading Practice Test - 4 parts

CELPIP Full Reading Practice Test - 4 parts

CELPIP Reading Practice Test

Reading Part 1: Reading Correspondence

⏰ Time Remaining: 11 minutes

Read the following message.

Dear Maggie and Alex,

I saw the news about the terrible storm and flood that hit Spiritwood last week. I was relieved when I received an email from you. It was good to learn that you are both okay but unfortunate to hear that your house was damaged. Still, you were lucky that there were only some broken windows and a little flooding in a few rooms. We realize that many people were less fortunate. The news programs showed pictures of all the horrible destruction that the wind and heavy rains caused—the tragic loss of lives and homes, and the flooding of farmland.

Our hearts go out to the flood victims and, as you had requested, Peter and I have put together some relief packages for those who lost their homes and belongings in the storm. With the help of our neighbors, we have collected some basic supplies, blankets, clothing, canned food, and bottled water. A friend of ours, travelling in the direction of Spiritwood in a few days, has offered to drop off the packages. We are now discussing how we could organize a larger food and clothing drive and get the entire town of Gladstone involved. I’ll be meeting with the mayor, Sarah Stanley, as soon as possible to discuss how to organize the relief effort.

Because of the doctor shortage in Gladstone, Peter and I have been working really long hours at the clinic lately. Otherwise, we could have provided our medical expertise to the flood victims. Still, our younger son James has volunteered with a group that will help clean up the flooded area. James is finishing his last semester of university next week, so he’ll be flying out right after his classes end on Friday.

Please keep us informed of the evolving situation in Spiritwood. If there is anything you need, don’t hesitate to ask. Since we all met in medical school, you have both been like family to Peter and I. We have a guest room that you are more than welcome to stay in for as long as you need to.

Our thoughts are with you both, as well as with all the people in the flood-devastated area.

Arlene

Questions 1–6

Choose the best option according to the information given in the message.

1. What is Arlene’s job?

A. A relief workerB. A volunteerC. A doctorD. A government officer

2. Arlene is

A. Asking the mayor of Spiritwood for help.B. Renting her guest room to families in need.C. Getting help from her community.D. Training as an environmental clean-up expert.

3. Maggie and Alex’s house

A. Received some minor damage.B. Suffered damage to the guest room.C. Was very badly damaged.D. Was less damaged than their farm.

4. Arlene is

A. Planning to visit Maggie and Alex.B. Concerned about Maggie and Alex’s health.C. Sending useful goods to Spiritwood.D. Worried about James’ well-being.

5. Arlene is writing to

A. Offer financial help to her friends.B. Offer her sympathy and support.C. Request assistance in her medical clinic.D. Request donations for affected families.

6. Arlene and Peter’s son will

A. Cut short his studies to help.B. Deliver medical supplies.C. Organize aid in Gladstone.D. Travel to Spiritwood.

Complete the response.

Select the best choice for each blank.

Hi Arlene,

Thank you so much for your offer of 7. ______.

A. Building suppliesB. Medical suppliesC. Plane tickets to GladstoneD. A place to stay

At the moment, though, I think we are okay. The government has been a tremendous help, having flown in food, supplies, and temporary shelters.

Fortunately, we have been able to 8. ______.

A. Rebuild our houseB. Stay in our own homeC. Repair the roofD. Clear the broken trees

However, all of the roads in and out of town continue to be blocked, so, hopefully, the 9. ______ will still be able to make it through somehow.

A. Army personnelB. MayorC. Medical teamD. Relief packages

Considering the state of things here, I am lucky to even have a way to contact you. Amazingly, despite the disruption of many communication services, 10. ______ is still working.

A. Our radioB. The internetC. The phone serviceD. The postal service

Anyways, please tell James his 11. ______ most welcome. We need all the help we can get tackling this mess.

A. Clothing donations areB. Medical supplies areC. Team of volunteers isD. University friends are

Maggie

Reading Part 2: Reading to Apply a Diagram

⏰ Time Remaining: 10 minutes

Reading Part 2: Reading to Apply a Diagram

Read the following email message about the diagram.

Subject: Mary’s Party

To: Jenny Smith

From: Darrell Smith

Hi Jenny,

Mary’s birthday party is this Saturday evening. I think that ordering Earth Crust Pizza will save a lot of running around as there is 1. ______.

A. Pick up until 2 a.m. B. Free delivery after 5 C. Pizza by the slice D. A great discount

All we need to do is order. They also offer some good deals, and their pizza is cheap and tasty.

Mary has a friend who doesn’t eat meat, so we need to include a 2. ______ or Vegetarian pizza.

A. Greek B. Linguini C. Pepperoni D. Sausage

Earth Crust Pizza also sells pasta and we can order 3. ______ without meat.

A. Spaghetti B. Cheeseburgers C. Lasagna D. Ribs

Alternatively, we can order a 4. ______ and ensure that it’s one-quarter Greek.

A. Family combo B. Side order of salad C. Four Corners Pizza D. Meat Lovers Pizza

I’ll give them a call and find out. Finally, for each large pizza we buy, we can also get 5. ______ delivered to us for two bucks.

A. A side of spaghetti B. A bottle of pop C. Extra meat toppings D. Any side order

Let me know what you think.

Darrell

Questions 6–8

Choose the best option.

6. Earth Crust Pizza

A. Offers free delivery to any location in the city.

B. Does not deliver from the Woodland location.

C. Offers free delivery after 10 a.m. on weekdays.

D. Only offers free delivery to some locations.

7. The advertised prices

A. Might change next week.

B. Do not include vegetarian items.

C. May be different at some locations.

D. Are not applicable for pickup orders.

8. Darrell wants the food for Mary’s party to be

A. Top quality Italian food.

B. Inexpensive and convenient.

C. Special and memorable.

D. Pizza and burgers.

Reading Part 3: Reading for Information

⏰ Time Remaining: 10 minutes

Read the following passage.

Moonbows: Nature’s Nighttime Rainbow

A. Photographs of spectacular rainbows are a dime a dozen, but a similar event seldom witnessed is the occurrence of moonbows. While rainbows are caused by beams of sunlight refracting through water droplets in the atmosphere, moonbows, as their name suggests, are created by beams of moonlight refracting through moisture in the air. However, this is where the similarity to rainbows ends. These nighttime bows, also referred to as lunar rainbows, are a much rarer phenomenon, occurring only at particular times of the year and limited by geographic requirements.

B. A distinct combination of astronomical and meteorological conditions is required in order for a moonbow to occur. For one, the moon must be bright, such as during a full or nearly full moon. Moreover, the moon must be low in the sky, no more than 42 degrees above the horizon. The lower the elevation of the moon, the fuller the lunar rainbow. Finally, there must be water droplets present in the atmosphere. The optimal conditions occur on nights during which there are rain showers falling opposite the moon and the sky is clear. Mist from waterfalls can also create the appropriate amount of moisture in the atmosphere. Under these precise conditions, a viewer standing with his or her back to the moon could potentially observe a moonbow.

C. Although multicoloured, the bands of the arc of a moonbow appear as various shades of grey to the naked eye. This can be attributed to physiological factors. Because it is difficult for the human eye to discern colours at low levels of illumination, such as in the darkness of night, the multihued bow appears white or grey. Nonetheless, the magnificent colours of lunar bows can be picked up in long-exposure photographs, even though the arc appears monochrome to the photographer.

D. Because of the specific combination of conditions required, moonbows are more prevalent in certain locations around the world, particularly those that have waterfalls. Such moonbows form fairly regularly at Yosemite Falls in California, Cumberland Falls in Kentucky, and Victoria Falls on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe in Africa. In fact, moonbow predictions at some of these locations can be found on various websites. The appearance of lunar rainbows is also common in the cloud forests of Costa Rica and in certain areas of Hawaii. If you are fortunate enough to be at the right place at the right time, you may be able to catch a glimpse of this magnificent phenomenon.

E. Not given in any of the above paragraphs.

Questions 1–9

Decide which paragraph (A–D) contains the information given in each statement.

Select E if the information is not given in any paragraph.

1. The orientation of the moon in relation to the earth impacts the intensity of the bow.

A. Paragraph A

B. Paragraph B

C. Paragraph C

D. Paragraph D

E. Not given

2. Moonbows occur less frequently than their daytime counterparts.

A. Paragraph A

B. Paragraph B

C. Paragraph C

D. Paragraph D

E. Not given

3. Specific circumstances must occur simultaneously in order to create a moonbow.

A. Paragraph A

B. Paragraph B

C. Paragraph C

D. Paragraph D

E. Not given

4. Images of rainbows are much more common than images of moonbows.

A. Paragraph A

B. Paragraph B

C. Paragraph C

D. Paragraph D

E. Not given

5. Moonbows are often seen on nights when the moon is high in the sky.

A. Paragraph A

B. Paragraph B

C. Paragraph C

D. Paragraph D

E. Not given

6. Specific geographical sites are more suitable for lunar rainbows.

A. Paragraph A

B. Paragraph B

C. Paragraph C

D. Paragraph D

E. Not given

7. It is possible to obtain forecasts for some moonbow occurrences.

A. Paragraph A

B. Paragraph B

C. Paragraph C

D. Paragraph D

E. Not given

8. Perception of moonbow colours is hindered by lack of light.

A. Paragraph A

B. Paragraph B

C. Paragraph C

D. Paragraph D

E. Not given

9. Observers have claimed to see moonbows during crescent moon phases.

A. Paragraph A

B. Paragraph B

C. Paragraph C

D. Paragraph D

E. Not given

Reading Part 4: Reading for Viewpoints

⏰ Time Remaining: 13 minutes

Read the following article from a website.

Dry Lawn or Nylon: Not a Cut and Dried Choice

As Metro Vancouver continues to struggle through a prolonged drought, water reservoirs are so low that officials have banned all lawn watering. Formerly lush neighbourhoods are now brown wastelands, except where residents either illegally water their lawn (as westside gardening enthusiast Darius Smith admits to doing) or replace them with the increasingly popular synthetic ones.

Vancouver homeowner, Annette Basi, recently installed artificial grass on her property and, except for the steep price tag, couldn’t be happier.

“It’s nylon, it’s fake, but it rocks! It looks like the real deal, it’s always green, and it’s super low maintenance. It’s totally eco-friendly. No sprinkling, no pesticides. Just a bit of vacuuming.”

Across the border, homeowners in drought-ravaged California have begun installing artificial lawns as officials are now offering them cost rebates as a financial incentive for their installation.

But in Vancouver, Nick Lorimer, a city engineer, recommends that a bylaw be passed requiring residents to purchase a permit before installing an artificial lawn or face a hefty fine.

“This is already the case in Toronto, and rightly so. Artificial grass has many advantages, but the fibre it’s made from isn’t highly permeable. It doesn’t drain rainwater efficiently, especially if it’s plastic rather than nylon. With heavy rains, these lawns could contribute to flooding,” states Lorimer.

The other issue is front lawn encroachments.

“On front yards, fake turf often encroaches on city-owned property, hampering street cleaning and snow removal,” says Lorimer.

Ottawa resident Joanne Persky would prefer an outright ban on artificial lawns.

“They disrupt the ecosystem,” she argues.

“Ground vegetation absorbs carbon dioxide and emits oxygen, which is essential for life. It also helps regulate atmospheric temperatures. Natural fibres breathe, synthetics don’t. Also, grass is food, and soil is home to earthworms, insects, and other things birds eat. As for humans, we don’t know, yet, if synthetic lawns are safe. Along with spray-on lawn dyes, artificial grass may prove carcinogenic,” continues Persky.

The water-conscious alternative, says Persky, is neither artificial nor real grass.

“What you need is diverse and hardy natural ground cover,” she insists.

“I’ve planted my whole yard with mosses, herbs, and perennial wildflowers. I never water it, and it’s always thriving.”

Questions 1–5

Choose the best option according to the information given in the article.

1. Nick Lorimer would most likely advise Annette Basi to

A. Drain the flood water from her property.

B. Have nylon grass in her backyard only.

C. Pay her fine for not having a lawn permit.

D. Replace her nylon grass with plastic grass.

2. California's water conservation incentives would most likely be supported by

A. Annette Basi.

B. Darius Smith.

C. Joanne Persky.

D. Nick Lorimer.

3. Joanne Persky’s main point is that

A. Spray-on lawns may prove to be carcinogenic.

B. Artificial grass is detrimental to the environment.

C. Living ground cover regulates atmospheric heat.

D. Real lawns are habitat and food for living things.

4. Compared to Annette Basi, Joanne Persky is more

A. Casual.

B. Ironic.

C. Upbeat.

D. Formal.

5. The best title for this article is:

A. Brown is the New Green: Drought and Aesthetics.

B. Dry Lawn or Nylon: Not a Cut and Dried Choice.

C. Eco-Friendly Ground Cover: Just Say No to Grass.

D. The New Synthetic Lawns: Plastic and Fantastic.

Complete the website comment.

Select the best option for each blank.

It’s cloudless for the eighth consecutive week, and there’s still no rain in the forecast, so right now Mr. Lorimer’s remarks appear to be 6. ______.

A. Rather ironicB. On the moneyC. UnderestimatedD. Well-founded

But, actually, I read this article with considerable interest.

7. ______, most of my neighbours have artificial lawns.

A. Much like in the state of CaliforniaB. Despite the city of Ottawa’s banC. On account of Toronto’s incentivesD. Because of Vancouver’s rebates

Aesthetically, they’re perfect, but I’m still not convinced that synthetic is the way to go.

Considering that their natural counterparts never truly require pesticides either, Ms. Basi’s implication that fake ground coverings 8. ______ is frankly bogus.

A. Are more economical in the long runB. Repel both weeds and insectsC. Contribute to sustaining the planetD. Reduce exposure to carcinogens

9. ______, I have serious concerns about the incentives in California.

A. In stark contrast to Mr. Smith. B. Based on Ms. Basi’s comments. C. Not unlike Mr. Lorimer

D. As referred to by Ms. Persky

As Ms. Persky implies, when massive expanses of land are 10. ______, the world will surely be hotter, not better.

A. Turned into cities B. Choked with moss C. Sprayed with dye D. Unable to breathe

CELPIP Reading Test Answer Key

Reading Part 1: Reading Correspondence

1. Q1: A doctor

2. Q2: Getting help from her community

3. Q3: Received some minor damage

4. Q4: Sending useful goods to Spiritwood

5. Q5: Offer her sympathy and support

6. Q6: Travel to Spiritwood

7. Q7: A place to stay

8. Q8: Stay in our own home

9. Q9: Relief packages

10. Q10: The internet

11. Q11: Team of volunteers is

Reading Part 2: Reading to Apply a Diagram

1. Q1: Free delivery after 5

2. Q2: Greek

3. Q3: Lasagna

4. Q4: Four Corners Pizza

5. Q5: Any side order

6. Q6: Only offers free delivery to some locations

7. Q7: Might change next week

8. Q8: Inexpensive and convenient

Reading Part 3: Reading for Information

1. Q1: B

2. Q2: A

3. Q3: B

4. Q4: A

5. Q5: E

6. Q6: D

7. Q7: D

8. Q8: C

9. Q9: E

Reading Part 4: Reading for Viewpoints

1. Q1: Have nylon grass in her backyard only

2. Q2: Annette Basi

3. Q3: Artificial grass is detrimental to the environment

4. Q4: Formal

5. Q5: Dry Lawn or Nylon: Not a Cut and Dried Choice

6. Q6: Rather ironic

7. Q7: Much like in the state of California

8. Q8: Contribute to sustaining the planet

9. Q9: Not unlike Mr. Lorimer

10. Q10: Unable to breathe