CLB 9: 6/6 Standard
At CLB 9, you need 6 out of 6 on Part 6 — the hardest listening part. But "hardest" is relative: with the right approach, viewpoint cloze is just as systematic as fact cloze (Part 4).
The key insight: Part 6 blanks are predictable. They test the same things every time: attribution, opinion words, contrasting connectors, and evidence references.
The Predictable Blank Types
Part 6 blanks fall into 4 categories:
1. Attribution blanks: "______ argue that..." → Which group? 2. Opinion word blanks: "Critics ______ the decision" → praised/criticized/welcomed/dismissed 3. Connector blanks: "Supporters favor the plan. ______, opponents cite costs" → However 4. Evidence blanks: "According to ______, the impact will be significant" → which source?
Before the audio even plays, categorize each blank. This tells you exactly what to listen for in the news broadcast.
During-Audio Completion
At CLB 9, aim to fill all 6 blanks during the audio:
1. Pre-scan the summary and categorize blanks (20 seconds) 2. Follow along in sync with the audio 3. Fill each blank as the audio reaches it 4. The 180-second review becomes pure verification
If you catch yourself filling blanks only during review: You're not following along closely enough during the audio. Practice syncing your reading pace with the audio pace.
The Final Verification
Your 3-minute review checklist:
1. Coherence check: Read the complete summary — does it tell a logical, balanced news story? 2. Attribution check: Is each viewpoint assigned to the correct group? 3. Logic check: Do connectors create the right relationships between sentences? 4. Grammar check: Does each filled blank create a grammatically correct sentence?
If all four checks pass, your answers are correct. This takes about 60 seconds, leaving you 2 minutes of relief that the listening exam is over.