CELPIP Reading Part 4: Reading for Viewpoints Strategies

What this part tests

You will read an article expressing a viewpoint on the left side of the screen.

On the right side, you will answer 5 sentence-stem questions about the article using dropdown menus.

You will then read a reader comment that responds to the article and fill in 5 blanks by choosing the best word from dropdown menus.

The article and comment often present different or opposing viewpoints, so you need to track who said what.

This is the hardest reading part . Plan your time carefully.

Key strategies

Identify each writer's position clearly

Before answering, summarize: "The article argues X. The commenter agrees/disagrees because Y." This prevents mixing up whose view you're asked about.

For article questions, look for the author's main argument vs supporting details

Some questions ask about the overall position; others ask about a specific example. Know which type you're answering.

For comment blanks, consider the commenter's stance

If the commenter disagrees with the article, the blank will contain words that express opposition, alternatives, or criticism.

This is the hardest part, so save enough time for it

With 12 minutes for 10 questions, you have just over a minute per question. Read efficiently but don't rush.

What it looks like

Read the following article from a website.

The debate over requiring financial literacy courses in high schools is gaining momentum across Canada, as educators, parents, and financial experts weigh in on the best approach to preparing young people for the financial realities of adulthood.

Dr. Anya Sharma, a professor of education policy at the University of Toronto, is a strong advocate for making these courses mandatory. "Financial literacy is not just about balancing a checkbook," she argues. "It's about empowering young people to make informed decisions about student loans, credit cards, investing, and saving for the future. These are fundamental life skills that every student deserves to learn before graduating."

However, not everyone agrees. Michael Chen, a high school principal in Calgary, warns that adding another required course could overwhelm an already demanding academic schedule. "Our students are already stretched thin," he explains. "We need to think carefully about what we add and what we're willing to take away."

Using the drop-down menu, choose the best option according to the information given on the website.

1.Dr. Anya Sharma believes that mandating financial literacy courses would primarily

How to apply the strategies

This question tests whether you can identify a specific person's position within a multi-viewpoint article.
Strategy 1 (Identify each writer's position): Separate Dr. Sharma's pro-mandatory stance from Michael Chen's cautious objection.
Strategy 2 (Main argument vs supporting details): "Fundamental life skills" and "empowering young people" represent her primary argument, while specific examples like "student loans" and "credit cards" are supporting details.