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CELPIP Listening · Part 6

Part 6 practice course: Listening to Viewpoints

Follow a report that sets two people's opinions side by side, keep each view with its owner, and work out the reporter's own attitude. Work through six short steps, from how the part works to a timed test, about 40 minutes in all. New to this part? Read the Part 6 format and strategy first.

6 stepsabout 7 minutes · 6 questionsFree · no account needed
Illustration: listening to viewpoints in daily life
Step 1 of 6

Learn the part

How the part works, how to use your time, the traps it sets and the signal words, then a quick check.

Part 1 of 5

One issue, two sides, the reporter's view

You hear a report of about two and a half minutes on an issue people disagree about. It introduces the issue, gives one person's view, then another's, lets one answer the other, and ends with the reporter's own comment. Then you answer six questions.

Main topic

The report is mainly about...

  1. Note the question in the opening lines: "should we...?".
  2. Remember that both sides talk about it.
  3. Reject options that cover only one speaker's example.
A speaker's view or reason

Why does the professor mention other countries?

  1. Write each speaker's name with "for" or "against".
  2. Note each example and the point it supports.
  3. Check that the option matches that speaker's side.
The reporter's attitude

The reporter's attitude toward the plan is...

  1. Listen closely to the last two or three lines.
  2. Note words that judge: "fair", "unwise", "deserves".
  3. Watch for a mixed view: agreeing, but with a "still" or "though".

Part 6 cheat sheet

The key points of the course on one screen, to read again just before your test.

How to follow two opinions

Before you listen
  • Read the introduction: it names the issue.
  • Split your page into two halves, one per speaker.
  • Leave a small box at the bottom for the reporter's view.
While you listen
  • Write each speaker's name, job and side as soon as you hear them.
  • Under each name, note their reasons and examples.
  • In the last lines, note any word that shows how the reporter feels.
When the questions come
  • For a speaker question, look only in that speaker's half.
  • For the topic, pick the option that covers both sides.
  • For attitude, use the reporter's box, not the speakers' views.

The traps this part sets

  • Giving one speaker's opinion to the other. Keep two halves in your notes and write each point on the right side.
  • Choosing a topic that is only one part of the report. Ask: does this option cover both speakers? If not, it is too narrow.
  • Missing a "not" or "rather than". Note the choice they reject and the one they prefer, and mark which is which.

Signal words to listen for

  • Introducing a view: “argues”, “maintains”, “contends”, “in her view”, “insists”
  • Disagreeing (the other side follows): “is unconvinced”, “sees things differently”, “Critics”, “counters”, “dismisses”
  • Rejecting one option: “rather than”, “not merely”, “is not the same as”, “hardly”, “doesn't dispute”
  • The reporter's judgment: “Still,”, “Even so,”, “It is a fair point”, “deserves”, “it would be unwise to”

Questions about Part 6

How does CELPIP Listening Part 6 work?

You hear a report of about two and a half minutes on an issue people disagree about. It introduces the issue, gives one person's view, then another's, lets one answer the other, and ends with the reporter's own comment. Then you answer six questions. Main topic: Note the question in the opening lines: "should we...?".; Remember that both sides talk about it.; Reject options that cover only one speaker's example.. A speaker's view or reason: Write each speaker's name with "for" or "against".; Note each example and the point it supports.; Check that the option matches that speaker's side.. The reporter's attitude: Listen closely to the last two or three lines.; Note words that judge: "fair", "unwise", "deserves".; Watch for a mixed view: agreeing, but with a "still" or "though"..

How should I use my time in CELPIP Listening Part 6?

Before you listen: Read the introduction: it names the issue. Split your page into two halves, one per speaker. Leave a small box at the bottom for the reporter's view. While you listen: Write each speaker's name, job and side as soon as you hear them. Under each name, note their reasons and examples. In the last lines, note any word that shows how the reporter feels. When the questions come: For a speaker question, look only in that speaker's half. For the topic, pick the option that covers both sides. For attitude, use the reporter's box, not the speakers' views.

What traps does CELPIP Listening Part 6 set?

Giving one speaker's opinion to the other. Both speakers talk about the same issue, so their points sound alike. Instead: Keep two halves in your notes and write each point on the right side. Choosing a topic that is only one part of the report. A detail, like one country or one example, can sound like the main subject. Instead: Ask: does this option cover both speakers? If not, it is too narrow. Missing a "not" or "rather than". Speakers often say what they do not want before what they do, and the option repeats the wrong half. Instead: Note the choice they reject and the one they prefer, and mark which is which.

Is this Part 6 course free?

Yes. Every step is free and needs no account, and nothing you do leaves your browser. With a free CELPass account, your wrong answers are saved with the trap they fell for and turned into daily drills.

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