The short version

In a viewpoints discussion, the question is nearly always who holds an opinion and why. This page gives you one original three-voice discussion about a town decision, four questions with answers and reasons, and a table showing the skill behind each question.

How the part works

Viewpoints is the sixth of the six listening parts in CELPIP-General, and CELPIP describes it as a discussion with visual information. The picture may help you tell the speakers apart, but you still answer from what is said. The listening tips guide reduces the part to one question: whose opinion is this, and what is their reason? The audio plays once. This page works on that single skill with a short transcript written for practice. Check the test format guide for the full structure.

How to use this practice item

  1. Draw three columns on scrap paper, headed Marisol, Dev and Priya.
  2. Ask someone to read the discussion aloud once, using a different voice for each speaker, or record yourself and play it back once.
  3. Under each name write the position (for, against, mixed) and one reason, in keywords.
  4. Answer the questions from your columns, then compare with the reasons and the transcript.

Four practice questions

The discussion is about the fictional town of Calder Falls and its parking permits.

Question 1. What is Marisol's main reason for supporting the app?

  1. Renewing would be much quicker.
  2. The town hall is too far away.
  3. She dislikes paper permits.
  4. The library would help her register.
Answer and reason

Answer: A. She describes forty minutes in line against one minute on the app. Fewer printed permits is the town's saving, mentioned second.

Question 2. Why is Dev worried about the change?

  1. He dislikes using apps.
  2. Older customers might stop shopping at his store.
  3. The app would cost him money.
  4. The help desk would be too busy.
Answer and reason

Answer: B. He says "I'm not against apps", which rules out A, and then explains that customers without smartphones may go to the big store.

Question 3. Why does Priya reject keeping paper permits?

  1. Paper permits cost more to print than the app costs to run.
  2. The town cannot run two systems at once.
  3. Residents have asked for the app.
  4. The library has no room for paper.
Answer and reason

Answer: B. "We can't run two systems at the same time" is her stated reason. Option A sounds sensible but is not what she said.

Question 4. How does Dev respond to the help desk idea?

  1. He accepts it and drops his concern.
  2. He wants it to open in the evening.
  3. He sees some value but still wants a paper backup.
  4. He says the town should wait two months.
Answer and reason

Answer: C. "Better than nothing" shows partial approval, and "I'd still like a paper backup" shows his position has not changed. The evening request was Marisol's.

Transcript

Open the transcript after you have answered

Rowan (host): Calder Falls is asking residents whether to replace paper parking permits with a phone app. Marisol, you support the change.

Marisol: I do. I renew my permit every spring, and last year I stood in line at town hall for forty minutes. With an app I could renew in a minute, and the town would stop printing and mailing thousands of paper permits.

Rowan: Dev, you run the hardware store on Mill Street.

Dev: I'm not against apps. My worry is my older customers. Many of them don't carry a smartphone, and if they can't register a car online they'll start shopping at the big store out by the highway. I'd want paper permits kept for a few more years.

Rowan: Priya, you work for the town.

Priya: That's fair, but keeping paper is where the savings disappear. We can't run two systems at the same time. What we can do is set up a help desk at the library for the first two months, where staff register vehicles for anyone who asks.

Marisol: A help desk solves most of it for me. I'd only ask that it opens in the evening, because some people can't go during work hours.

Dev: A help desk is better than nothing, but I'll believe it when I see it. I'd still like a paper backup.

The transcript is about 224 words.

What each question tests

QuestionSkill it testsWhy the wrong options tempt
1. Marisol’s reasonMatching one speaker to their main reason.Two benefits are named. The town’s saving is mentioned second and belongs to the town, not to her.
2. Dev’s worryTelling the reason from a statement the speaker rejects."I’m not against apps" is a direct denial of option A, which uses the same word.
3. Priya’s rejectionCatching a stated reason, not a reasonable-sounding one.Cost savings are in the audio, so option A feels familiar but is not the reason given.
4. Dev’s replyFollowing how an opinion changes or stays the same.The evening request is real but came from Marisol. Option A overstates his change.

Why these answers are right

  • Each speaker gives a position and a reason in the same breath. Listen for "I do", "my worry is" and "that's fair, but".
  • "That's fair, but" is a polite disagreement. The speaker accepts a small point before rejecting the main one.
  • The same topic returns at the end with new information. Dev's last line must be compared with his first, not with what others said in between.
  • Marisol's evening request and Dev's paper backup both follow the help desk idea, which makes them easy to swap by mistake.

Common mistakes with viewpoints

  • Attributing a reason to the wrong speaker, especially when speakers respond to each other.
  • Choosing an option that is true of the discussion but not of the person the question names.
  • Missing partial agreement, such as "better than nothing".
  • Taking the host's introduction as an opinion.
  • Writing notes in order instead of in a column for each speaker.
  • Practising only by reading. Listen once, then read the transcript to see which phrases you missed.

Questions

How many speakers will I hear on test day?

This practice item uses three voices. For the real format, read the current description on the CELPIP site.

Do I need to agree with any speaker?

No. You only report what each speaker says and why. Your own opinion is not part of the question.

What if two speakers give the same reason?

Note it under both names. Questions often ask who says something, so a shared reason can make an option look right for the wrong person.

Sources (checked 26 October 2026)

Last reviewed 26 October 2026

Related guides

Listening tipsA routine for one-play audioQuestions with answersReview every trapTest formatEvery part and timing

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