CELPIP Tips: Reading Part 4 – Reading for Viewpoints
Today we will be looking at the final and perhaps the most challenging task of the Reading Test!
By glancing at the first set of questions, we can see a pattern. Question #2 is clearly about Paragraph 1, #3 is about Paragraph 2 which describes Myriam Donahue’s opinion, and similarly #4 is about Paragraph 3 which highlights Katarina Bakir’s viewpoint.
And Question #1 and #5 deal with the article as a whole.
Let’s look at Question #2 for an example. At first glance it looks like all of the answers could be right! This is where careful reading and using the process of elimination come in handy.
Upon re-reading the first paragraph, it’s clear that performing arts are mentioned but it doesn’t mention types. The second option seems plausible because the first paragraph does provide some background information. The third option doesn’t work because the first paragraph does not provide examples. It’s actually the opposite because the first paragraph provides a summary for the examples that follow. And lastly, there isn’t any mention of Canadian artists through history, so Option 2 is the best answer.
The second set of questions is written as a comment by a visitor on the website. It also resembles an email.
Based on the answers for #6 and #7, what do you think the answer is for Question #8?
Test-takers will have about 13 minutes to complete Part 4 of the Reading Test.
First, let’s consider the title, “Reading for Viewpoints.” This is important because it will help you understand what you should be focusing on.
Viewpoints or points of view are different opinions that people have on the same topic.
This article highlights the viewpoints of 3 different people. In addition, the reader can also decipher the author’s viewpoint.
This article is organized into 4 paragraphs.
The first paragraph introduces the topic of the article, and each subsequent paragraph focuses on the viewpoint of a different person.
An effective tip is to first scan the article while focusing on the main topic of each paragraph including who, what, when, where, why, or any other organizational feature or noticeable pattern. This will be helpful when you are going through the questions and referring to the article.
