Free CELPIP-General mock test — four skills, timed 🇨🇦

8 original practice questions written by Myndaq in the CELPIP-General style. They are not taken from this mock paper or from official past papers. Try each one, then open the answer.

1. Question 1Reading Part 1: Reading CorrespondenceOne correct answer

   Message from Dolores to Marguerite, who recently moved into the same condo building:

   Hi Marguerite,

   I hope you're settling in on the fourth floor. I wanted to let you know that the condo board met on Tuesday evening and finally agreed to turn the visitor spots on the east side of our lot into rental spaces for residents who own a second vehicle. You mentioned that your son is bringing his pickup truck when he starts college in January, so you may want to add your name soon. The sign-up sheet is taped beside the mailboxes, and spaces go to whoever signs first. When I checked this morning, there were already six names on it, and there are only eight spaces.

   There is one catch. Anyone who rents a space must move their vehicle to the underground level on the second Thursday of each month, when the city street sweeper comes through. The board promised to send text reminders the day before, but after the mix-up with the elevator notices last spring, I wouldn't count on it.

   On another note, I'm hosting a potluck on the rooftop patio on the 14th. Nothing fancy, just a chance for newer residents to meet their neighbours. Please come if you're free, and bring your son too.

   Warm regards, Dolores

   Reply from Marguerite:

   Hi Dolores,

   Thank you so much for the tip. I went straight down to the mailboxes after reading your message and took the second-last space, so Julien's truck is sorted. I'm not too worried about the ______, because he has already set a monthly alarm on his phone. As for the 14th, we would love to come. I'll bring my lemon squares.

   See you soon, Marguerite

   Why does Dolores suggest that Marguerite add her name to the list soon?

   1. A. The board will stop accepting names after Tuesday.
   2. B. Most of the available spaces have already been claimed.
   3. C. Her son cannot register for college without a parking space.
   4. D. The visitor spots will be moved underground in January.
   Show answer and explanation

   Answer: B

   Dolores says spaces go to whoever signs first, and that six names were already on the sheet when there are only eight spaces. Few spaces are left, so Marguerite should act quickly.

   A is wrong because Tuesday is when the board met, not a deadline. C is wrong because January is only when the son starts college; nothing links parking to registration. D mixes up details: the underground level is where cars go once a month for the sweeper, and nothing is moved in January.

2. Question 2Reading Part 1: Reading CorrespondenceOne correct answer

   Message from Dolores to Marguerite, who recently moved into the same condo building:

   Hi Marguerite,

   I hope you're settling in on the fourth floor. I wanted to let you know that the condo board met on Tuesday evening and finally agreed to turn the visitor spots on the east side of our lot into rental spaces for residents who own a second vehicle. You mentioned that your son is bringing his pickup truck when he starts college in January, so you may want to add your name soon. The sign-up sheet is taped beside the mailboxes, and spaces go to whoever signs first. When I checked this morning, there were already six names on it, and there are only eight spaces.

   There is one catch. Anyone who rents a space must move their vehicle to the underground level on the second Thursday of each month, when the city street sweeper comes through. The board promised to send text reminders the day before, but after the mix-up with the elevator notices last spring, I wouldn't count on it.

   On another note, I'm hosting a potluck on the rooftop patio on the 14th. Nothing fancy, just a chance for newer residents to meet their neighbours. Please come if you're free, and bring your son too.

   Warm regards, Dolores

   Reply from Marguerite:

   Hi Dolores,

   Thank you so much for the tip. I went straight down to the mailboxes after reading your message and took the second-last space, so Julien's truck is sorted. I'm not too worried about the ______, because he has already set a monthly alarm on his phone. As for the 14th, we would love to come. I'll bring my lemon squares.

   See you soon, Marguerite

   Choose the best option to complete the blank in Marguerite's reply.

   1. A. rooftop potluck
   2. B. monthly move for the street sweeper
   3. C. elevator notices from last spring
   4. D. sign-up sheet by the mailboxes
   Show answer and explanation

   Answer: B

   The blank names something Marguerite is not worried about because her son has set a monthly alarm. The only monthly obligation in Dolores's message is moving the vehicle underground on the second Thursday for the street sweeper, and Dolores warned that the board's text reminders may not be reliable. A phone alarm solves exactly that problem.

   A is wrong because the potluck is a one-time event that Marguerite answers separately. C is wrong because the elevator mix-up happened last spring and is only Dolores's reason for doubting the board's reminders; it is not something Julien needs an alarm for. D is wrong because Marguerite has already signed the sheet, so an alarm has nothing to do with it.

3. Question 3Reading Part 2: Reading to Apply a DiagramOne correct answer

   The diagram is a flyer for Brightwater Community Pool. At the top it says: Pool open daily, 6:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. It then describes three monthly swim passes.

   Splash Pass, $48 per month: lane swimming on weekdays from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. only. No guest visits.

   Wave Pass, $65 per month: lane swimming at any time the pool is open. One guest visit per month; guests of any age are welcome.

   Tide Pass, $89 per month: lane swimming at any time the pool is open. Unlimited guest visits, but guests must be 16 or older. Includes one 30-minute session with a swim coach each month.

   Email from Nadia to her friend Kwame:

   Hi Kwame,

   I picked up the flyer from Brightwater Pool that you asked about. Since you can't get there until about 6:30 in the evening, the Splash Pass is out. The Tide Pass looks great because of the coaching, but it won't work if you want to bring your nephew Theo, who is 12, because (1) ______. Since you only plan to bring him about once a month, I think your best choice is (2) ______.

   Let me know what you decide! Nadia

   Choose the best option to complete blank (1) in Nadia's email.

   1. A. guest visits on that pass are allowed only on weekdays
   2. B. guests on that pass must be at least 16 years old
   3. C. that pass costs more than $80 per month
   4. D. that pass limits you to one guest visit per month
   Show answer and explanation

   Answer: B

   The flyer says Tide Pass guests must be 16 or older. Theo is 12, so he cannot come as a guest on that pass. That is the reason Nadia gives.

   C is true, since the pass costs $89, but the price has nothing to do with bringing Theo. A is not on the flyer. D describes the Wave Pass; the Tide Pass allows unlimited guest visits.

4. Question 4Reading Part 2: Reading to Apply a DiagramOne correct answer

   The diagram is a flyer for Brightwater Community Pool. At the top it says: Pool open daily, 6:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. It then describes three monthly swim passes.

   Splash Pass, $48 per month: lane swimming on weekdays from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. only. No guest visits.

   Wave Pass, $65 per month: lane swimming at any time the pool is open. One guest visit per month; guests of any age are welcome.

   Tide Pass, $89 per month: lane swimming at any time the pool is open. Unlimited guest visits, but guests must be 16 or older. Includes one 30-minute session with a swim coach each month.

   Email from Nadia to her friend Kwame:

   Hi Kwame,

   I picked up the flyer from Brightwater Pool that you asked about. Since you can't get there until about 6:30 in the evening, the Splash Pass is out. The Tide Pass looks great because of the coaching, but it won't work if you want to bring your nephew Theo, who is 12, because (1) ______. Since you only plan to bring him about once a month, I think your best choice is (2) ______.

   Let me know what you decide! Nadia

   Choose the best option to complete blank (2) in Nadia's email.

   1. A. the Splash Pass, because it is the cheapest
   2. B. the Wave Pass, which costs $65 a month
   3. C. the Tide Pass, since it includes coaching
   4. D. the Splash Pass with one added guest visit
   Show answer and explanation

   Answer: B

   Kwame needs a pass that allows evening swimming and lets him bring a 12-year-old about once a month. The Wave Pass allows swimming at any time the pool is open (until 9:30 p.m.) and includes one guest visit per month for guests of any age, so it meets both needs.

   A and D fail because the Splash Pass covers only weekday mornings from 6:00 to 8:00 and allows no guests at all. C fails because Tide Pass guests must be 16 or older, which Nadia has just pointed out.

5. Question 5Reading Part 3: Reading for InformationOne correct answer

   A. When the public library in Riverbend, Saskatchewan, began lending more than books, few staff expected the idea to catch on. The first collection, launched three winters ago, held just 40 items: a pressure washer, two sewing machines, a set of snowshoes and a handful of kitchen gadgets. Today the catalogue lists over 600 objects, and the waiting list for the carpet cleaner can stretch to five weeks.

   B. Head librarian Odette Fairweather says the program grew out of a survey the library ran among newcomers to the town. Many respondents said they had arrived with little more than a suitcase and could not justify buying tools they would use only once or twice a year. 'A drill that sits in a drawer for eleven months is really just an expensive paperweight,' she says. 'Sharing it makes more sense for everyone.'

   C. Borrowing works much like taking out a novel. Anyone with a library card can take up to three items at a time for seven days. Larger equipment, such as the tile saw, can be borrowed only after watching a short safety video at the front desk. Late returns are not fined, but borrowers who are more than two weeks overdue lose their privileges until the item comes back.

   D. Not everyone is enthusiastic. The owner of a local hardware store, who asked not to be named, says rental income at his shop has dropped since the library expanded its collection. Fairweather disagrees that the library is to blame, noting that several borrowers have told staff they later bought their own tools after trying them out. Town council plans to review the program's budget next spring.

   Decide which paragraph, A to D, contains the following information. If the information is not given in any of the paragraphs, choose E.

   Some residents felt that buying equipment they would rarely use was not worth the cost.

   1. A. Paragraph A
   2. B. Paragraph B
   3. C. Paragraph C
   4. D. Paragraph D
   5. E. Not given in any of the paragraphs
   Show answer and explanation

   Answer: B

   Paragraph B reports that newcomers 'could not justify buying tools they would use only once or twice a year'. That is the same idea as feeling that buying rarely used equipment was not worth the cost.

   Paragraph A describes how the collection grew, paragraph C explains the borrowing rules, and paragraph D mentions people who later bought tools, which is the opposite situation. None of these matches the statement.

6. Question 6Reading Part 3: Reading for InformationOne correct answer

   A. When the public library in Riverbend, Saskatchewan, began lending more than books, few staff expected the idea to catch on. The first collection, launched three winters ago, held just 40 items: a pressure washer, two sewing machines, a set of snowshoes and a handful of kitchen gadgets. Today the catalogue lists over 600 objects, and the waiting list for the carpet cleaner can stretch to five weeks.

   B. Head librarian Odette Fairweather says the program grew out of a survey the library ran among newcomers to the town. Many respondents said they had arrived with little more than a suitcase and could not justify buying tools they would use only once or twice a year. 'A drill that sits in a drawer for eleven months is really just an expensive paperweight,' she says. 'Sharing it makes more sense for everyone.'

   C. Borrowing works much like taking out a novel. Anyone with a library card can take up to three items at a time for seven days. Larger equipment, such as the tile saw, can be borrowed only after watching a short safety video at the front desk. Late returns are not fined, but borrowers who are more than two weeks overdue lose their privileges until the item comes back.

   D. Not everyone is enthusiastic. The owner of a local hardware store, who asked not to be named, says rental income at his shop has dropped since the library expanded its collection. Fairweather disagrees that the library is to blame, noting that several borrowers have told staff they later bought their own tools after trying them out. Town council plans to review the program's budget next spring.

   Decide which paragraph, A to D, contains the following information. If the information is not given in any of the paragraphs, choose E.

   The lending program is paid for mainly through donations from local residents.

   1. A. Paragraph A
   2. B. Paragraph B
   3. C. Paragraph C
   4. D. Paragraph D
   5. E. Not given in any of the paragraphs
   Show answer and explanation

   Answer: E

   The passage never says where the program's money comes from. Paragraph D mentions that council will review the program's budget next spring, but a review says nothing about donations or any other funding source. The statement is therefore not given.

   Paragraph A lists the items the collection started with but does not say how they were paid for, and paragraph C mentions that late returns are not fined, which is not about funding either.

7. Question 7Reading Part 4: Reading for ViewpointsOne correct answer

   Harlow Bay Weighs End to Free Weekend Parking

   For more than twenty years, drivers heading to downtown Harlow Bay on Saturdays and Sundays have been able to park on the street without paying a cent. That could change this fall. City council is considering a proposal to charge $2.50 per hour on weekends and use the money to run a free shuttle between the waterfront and the town's three largest suburban neighbourhoods.

   Councillor Aileen Moreau, who drafted the proposal, argues that free parking has quietly become a problem. On a typical summer Saturday, she says, drivers circle the blocks near the farmers' market for up to 20 minutes looking for a space, adding to traffic and exhaust. 'When something valuable is handed out for nothing, people overuse it,' she explains. 'A modest fee encourages shoppers to park, finish their errands and move on, which opens up spaces for the next visitor.' She estimates the fees would cover a shuttle every half hour from May to October.

   Some business owners are unconvinced. Rashid Qureshi, who runs a bakery on Front Street, worries that shoppers will simply drive to the big-box stores on the highway, where parking costs nothing and is easy to find. 'Our customers are families who come in for an hour or two,' he says. 'Five dollars on top of their groceries may not sound like much, but it can be enough to tip the balance.' He would prefer that the city build a parking garage on an empty lot near the library.

   Others point out that the shuttle would only help people who live along its route. Seniors' advocate Gloria Pennington notes that many older residents live in the rural areas north of town, where no shuttle stops are planned. 'For them, the car is not a choice,' she says.

   Council will hold a public meeting on the proposal next month before voting in November.

   Comment posted by a reader:

   I understand why Mr. Qureshi is worried, but I think he underestimates how much time people already waste hunting for a spot. Still, Ms. Pennington raises a fair point. Before charging anyone, council should ______.

   According to the article, why does Councillor Moreau believe a weekend parking fee would help downtown?

   1. A. It would encourage drivers to use a new parking garage near the library.
   2. B. It would lead visitors to free up spaces sooner, so more people could park.
   3. C. It would pay for road repairs around the farmers' market.
   4. D. It would persuade people in rural areas to leave their cars at home.
   Show answer and explanation

   Answer: B

   Moreau says a modest fee encourages shoppers to park, finish their errands and move on, which opens up spaces for the next visitor. In other words, spaces would turn over faster and more people could find parking.

   A is Mr. Qureshi's alternative, not part of Moreau's plan. C is wrong because the money is meant for a shuttle, not road repairs. D contradicts the article: rural residents north of town would have no shuttle stops, a point raised by Ms. Pennington.

8. Question 8Reading Part 4: Reading for ViewpointsOne correct answer

   Harlow Bay Weighs End to Free Weekend Parking

   For more than twenty years, drivers heading to downtown Harlow Bay on Saturdays and Sundays have been able to park on the street without paying a cent. That could change this fall. City council is considering a proposal to charge $2.50 per hour on weekends and use the money to run a free shuttle between the waterfront and the town's three largest suburban neighbourhoods.

   Councillor Aileen Moreau, who drafted the proposal, argues that free parking has quietly become a problem. On a typical summer Saturday, she says, drivers circle the blocks near the farmers' market for up to 20 minutes looking for a space, adding to traffic and exhaust. 'When something valuable is handed out for nothing, people overuse it,' she explains. 'A modest fee encourages shoppers to park, finish their errands and move on, which opens up spaces for the next visitor.' She estimates the fees would cover a shuttle every half hour from May to October.

   Some business owners are unconvinced. Rashid Qureshi, who runs a bakery on Front Street, worries that shoppers will simply drive to the big-box stores on the highway, where parking costs nothing and is easy to find. 'Our customers are families who come in for an hour or two,' he says. 'Five dollars on top of their groceries may not sound like much, but it can be enough to tip the balance.' He would prefer that the city build a parking garage on an empty lot near the library.

   Others point out that the shuttle would only help people who live along its route. Seniors' advocate Gloria Pennington notes that many older residents live in the rural areas north of town, where no shuttle stops are planned. 'For them, the car is not a choice,' she says.

   Council will hold a public meeting on the proposal next month before voting in November.

   Comment posted by a reader:

   I understand why Mr. Qureshi is worried, but I think he underestimates how much time people already waste hunting for a spot. Still, Ms. Pennington raises a fair point. Before charging anyone, council should ______.

   Choose the best option to complete the blank in the reader's comment.

   1. A. build a parking garage on the lot beside the library
   2. B. find a way to serve older residents who live north of town
   3. C. reduce the proposed fee to $1.00 per hour
   4. D. close Front Street to cars on weekends
   Show answer and explanation

   Answer: B

   The sentence follows 'Ms. Pennington raises a fair point', so the blank must reflect her concern: older residents in the rural north have no shuttle stops and depend on their cars. Making sure those residents are served before fees begin is the logical completion.

   A is Mr. Qureshi's suggestion, and the reader has just disagreed with him. C responds to Mr. Qureshi's worry about cost, not to Ms. Pennington's point about rural seniors who have no shuttle service, and the blank follows directly from her point. D is not mentioned by anyone in the article.