CLB 9 in Part 4
Part 4 is worth 10 questions — the most of any reading part. Getting CLB 9 here means 9–10 correct. This is where the biggest score gains are available.
Three recurring patterns appear on nearly every CELPIP viewpoint section. Master them and most Part 4 questions become predictable.
Pattern 1: The Author's Hidden Bias
Even when a passage presents "both sides fairly," the author almost always favors one side. Clues:
- Last word advantage: The viewpoint presented last (before the conclusion) is usually the author's preferred one - Evidence quality: The favored viewpoint gets stronger evidence (research, statistics) while the other gets weaker support (anecdotes, "some people think") - Hedging vs. certainty: The author uses confident language for the favored view and hedging ("may," "could," "perhaps") for the other
Why this matters: Questions like "What is the author's overall position?" or "Which viewpoint does the author most support?" become easy when you track these bias signals as you read.
Pattern 2: The Cross-Viewpoint Question
These ask you to apply one person's logic to another's idea:
"Based on the passage, how would Dr. Lee likely respond to the government's proposal?"
The technique: 1. Review Dr. Lee's stated values and concerns 2. Review the government's proposal 3. Ask: "Given Dr. Lee's priorities, would she support or oppose this? Why?" 4. The answer follows Dr. Lee's established logic — don't add your own reasoning
Key rule: The answer must be consistent with the text. If Dr. Lee values cost-effectiveness throughout the passage, she would evaluate the proposal through that lens.
Pattern 3: The Common-Ground Question
"On what point do the viewpoints agree?"
This seems easy but trips up CLB 8 scorers. The trick: opposing viewpoints almost always agree on the problem — they just disagree on the solution.
Strategy: 1. Both sides acknowledge the same issue exists (climate change, staffing shortage, safety concerns) 2. They diverge on the response (regulation vs. innovation, hiring vs. automation, etc.) 3. The common-ground answer describes the shared concern, not the shared solution
Look for phrases like: "Both X and Y acknowledge that..." or "While they disagree on the approach, both recognize..."
Advanced Cloze: The Logic Chain
At CLB 9, the Part 4 cloze tests whether you understand the argument's logical chain:
1. Read the full cloze paragraph — it summarizes the passage's argument 2. Map each sentence to the original viewpoint structure: intro → claim → counter → conclusion 3. Fill connectors based on the actual logical relationship (not what "sounds good") 4. Fill vocabulary based on the passage's specific terms
The 5-second check: After completing the cloze, read the paragraph ONE more time. If it accurately summarizes the passage's argument flow, you're correct. If any sentence feels disconnected, recheck that blank.