How does vocabulary help my listening score?

When you recognise key words instantly, you spend less effort decoding and more attention following the conversation, so you catch the answer details.

Is Listening Part 1 vocabulary casual?

Yes, it is everyday spoken English. The entries below reflect the natural, informal phrasing you will hear.

Listening Part 1: Problem Solving

Listening Part 1: Problem Solving is part of the Listening section of the CELPIP test. You get 8 questions and 4 minutes. It is scored by the number of correct answers.

Questions: 8
Time: 4 minutes
Prompts here: 23 published

The three-move listen

1
Catch who has the problem and what they want
Everything else in the conversation hangs off those two facts.
2
Write numbers and names as they pass, not after
Sixty of every ninety tagged questions here are detail, and detail does not survive being reconstructed from memory.
3
Answer from what was said, not from what would be sensible
The distractors are built from the reasonable option nobody actually chose.

You hear it once. Write the number, not the meaning.

A remembered gist loses exactly the detail the questions ask for.

Recognise the conversational vocabulary used to describe problems and propose solutions in CELPIP Listening Part 1 so you can follow the dialogue and answer with confidence.

Part 1 is a conversation where people work through a problem. Knowing problem-and-solution vocabulary helps you track what went wrong and what the speakers decide to do about it.

CELPIP · Listening

A Call About a New Apartment

One of 23 published prompts · free, no account

Instructions

The audio plays once.
Choose the best answer for each question.

Audio transcript

In the real test you hear this once and cannot replay it.

Property Manager: Good morning, Riverside Apartments. This is Monica speaking. Tenant: Hi Monica. My name is Daniel Foster. I moved into Unit 512 last Saturday, and I was hoping you could help me with a few things. Property Manager: Of course. Is this about your move-in inspection? Tenant: Not exactly. Most things are fine, but there are a couple of issues that weren't obvious when I viewed the apartment. The heating system keeps turning itself off after about twenty minutes, and the kitchen faucet makes a loud rattling noise whenever I use hot water. Property Manager: I see. Were these problems listed on your inspection form? Tenant: No. I only noticed them after spending a few nights there. I wasn't trying to be difficult—I just assumed everything would work properly once I settled in. Property Manager: That's understandable. Have you reported the heating issue to the emergency maintenance line? Tenant: I thought about it, but since it isn't completely broken, I wasn't sure whether it qualified as an emergency. Property Manager: Fair enough. Let me check the maintenance records. Tenant: There's one more thing. My parking permit still hasn't been activated, so security keeps leaving warning notices on my windshield. Property Manager: That certainly shouldn't be happening. Property Manager: Thanks for waiting. I can see the previous tenant mentioned a heating problem about six months ago, but the contractor reported that it had been repaired. Tenant: Well, it doesn't seem to have stayed repaired. Property Manager: Apparently not. The earliest appointment I can offer is Thursday afternoon. Tenant: That's a bit difficult. I work from home on Thursdays, and I have client meetings almost all day. Property Manager: We do have an evening technician, but he only handles urgent cases. Tenant: I don't want to exaggerate the situation just to get an earlier appointment. Property Manager: I appreciate that. Let me think for a moment... Actually, another tenant postponed tomorrow morning's appointment. If you're available before ten, I can move you into that time slot. Tenant: That would work. Property Manager: As for the parking permit, I discovered that your registration wasn't linked to your apartment because one digit in your license plate was entered incorrectly. Tenant: That explains why security couldn't find my information. Property Manager: I've booked the technician for tomorrow at 9:00 a.m., and I've already corrected the parking permit in our system. Security should see the update within the next hour. Tenant: That's great. I was worried I'd have to keep explaining the situation every evening. Property Manager: If you receive another warning today, don't worry about it. Just keep it and let me know. I'll have it removed from your file. Tenant: Thanks. You've made this much easier than I expected. Property Manager: We try. After the technician finishes tomorrow, I'd appreciate it if you could let us know whether the heating problem is fully resolved. If not, we'll authorize a replacement instead of another repair. Tenant: I definitely will.

Questions & answer key8 questions

Listening is scored by the number of correct answers. The audio plays once, so the skill being tested is holding detail while the next sentence arrives.

1What can be inferred about Daniel?
1. AHe intentionally delayed reporting the problems.
2. ✓He expected the issues would resolve on their own.
3. CHe wanted compensation before contacting the manager.
4. DHe was unaware that the apartment had already been inspected.
Answer
B
Daniel says, "I only noticed them after spending a few nights there. I wasn't trying to be difficult—I just assumed everything would work properly once I settled in." That shows he initially believed the problems would sort themselves out once he had settled in. He did not deliberately hold off on reporting them, so "He intentionally delayed reporting the problems" is wrong; he never asks for money, so "He wanted compensation before contacting the manager" is wrong; and he clearly knows a move-in inspection took place, which rules out "He was unaware that the apartment had already been inspected."
2Why does Monica ask whether Daniel contacted the emergency maintenance line?
1. AShe believes he should have reported the problem sooner.
2. ✓She wants to determine whether another department is already handling the issue.
3. CShe suspects the heating problem is dangerous.
4. DShe intends to file a complaint against the maintenance staff.
Answer
B
Monica asks, "Have you reported the heating issue to the emergency maintenance line?" before looking anything up, because she needs to know whether maintenance has already opened a work order that would duplicate hers. Nothing in her reply criticizes Daniel for waiting, so "She believes he should have reported the problem sooner" is wrong. She never treats the heating as a safety risk, which rules out "She suspects the heating problem is dangerous", and she says nothing against her colleagues, so "She intends to file a complaint against the maintenance staff" has no basis.
3What is Daniel mainly trying to accomplish during this call?
1. ATo negotiate a reduction in his rent.
2. BTo complain about the apartment complex.
3. ✓To report several problems that require attention.
4. DTo terminate his lease.
Answer
C
Daniel raises three separate issues: a heating system that "keeps turning itself off after about twenty minutes", a kitchen faucet that rattles, and a parking permit that "still hasn't been activated". He wants each of them dealt with. Rent is never discussed, so "To negotiate a reduction in his rent" is wrong. He stays polite and solution-focused rather than venting, which rules out "To complain about the apartment complex", and ending the lease is never raised, so "To terminate his lease" is wrong.
4What does Daniel's response suggest about his attitude?
1. AHe is becoming impatient with the manager.
2. ✓He is willing to cooperate even if it causes inconvenience.
3. CHe believes the apartment is unsafe.
4. DHe doubts the technician can solve the problem.
Answer
B
Told that the only appointment is Thursday afternoon, when he has client meetings almost all day, Daniel still says, "I don't want to exaggerate the situation just to get an earlier appointment." He accepts the inconvenience rather than overstate the problem to get seen sooner. He stays polite throughout, so "He is becoming impatient with the manager" is wrong; he never calls the apartment unsafe, ruling out "He believes the apartment is unsafe"; and he says nothing about the technician's competence, so "He doubts the technician can solve the problem" is wrong.
5Why was Daniel receiving parking warnings?
1. AHe parked in the wrong location.
2. BThe permit had expired.
3. ✓His vehicle information had been entered incorrectly.
4. DSecurity had confused his car with someone else's.
Answer
C
Monica finds that his "registration wasn't linked to your apartment because one digit in your license plate was entered incorrectly", so security could not match his car to a permit. Where he parked is never mentioned, so "He parked in the wrong location" is wrong; the permit had not been activated rather than expired, ruling out "The permit had expired"; and security was not mixing his car up with another one, since Daniel himself says that explains why they "couldn't find my information", so "Security had confused his car with someone else's" is wrong.
6Why does Monica mention that another tenant postponed an appointment?
1. ATo explain why repairs have been delayed.
2. BTo reassure Daniel that technicians are usually punctual.
3. CTo justify giving priority to emergency repairs.
4. ✓To offer Daniel an unexpected alternative.
Answer
D
Monica has just said the earliest appointment she can offer is Thursday afternoon, which does not suit Daniel. She then notices that "another tenant postponed tomorrow morning's appointment" and raises it precisely so she can move him into that slot. The cancellation has nothing to do with why repairs were delayed, so "To explain why repairs have been delayed" is wrong; punctuality is never discussed, ruling out "To reassure Daniel that technicians are usually punctual"; and she is not setting out emergency policy, so "To justify giving priority to emergency repairs" is wrong.
7Why does Monica ask Daniel to contact her again after the repair?
1. ✓She needs confirmation before approving further action.
2. BShe wants to update the building's maintenance schedule.
3. CShe intends to inspect the apartment herself.
4. DShe wants Daniel to complete another inspection report.
Answer
A
Monica asks for feedback after the visit and explains why: "If not, we'll authorize a replacement instead of another repair." She cannot decide between a further repair and a replacement until Daniel tells her whether the heating is fully resolved. She is not gathering data for the building's schedule, so "She wants to update the building's maintenance schedule" is wrong; she never offers to come and look herself, ruling out "She intends to inspect the apartment herself"; and no further paperwork is requested, so "She wants Daniel to complete another inspection report" is wrong.
8Which statement best describes the outcome of the conversation?
1. ADaniel decides to request a different apartment.
2. BBoth problems are permanently resolved during the call.
3. CThe manager promises immediate financial compensation.
4. ✓A practical plan is established, although the final solution depends on the repair.
Answer
D
By the end of the call the permit error has been corrected in the system, a technician is booked for 9:00 a.m., and Monica has promised a replacement if the repair does not hold. There is a workable plan, but the heating is not yet fixed. Daniel never asks to move, so "Daniel decides to request a different apartment" is wrong; the heating problem is still outstanding, ruling out "Both problems are permanently resolved during the call"; and money is never discussed, so "The manager promises immediate financial compensation" is wrong.

Three mistakes that cost points heremost common first

1Rebuilding the conversation from logic after it ends.
2Missing a correction — "actually, make that Thursday" — and answering with the first version.
3Choosing the first option mentioned, which is usually the one that gets rejected.

Now do it yourself and find out where you land

You can check right and wrong on this page. What a page cannot do is tell you which question types you keep losing, under real timing.

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Questions people ask

How does vocabulary help my listening score?: When you recognise key words instantly, you spend less effort decoding and more attention following the conversation, so you catch the answer details.
Is Listening Part 1 vocabulary casual?: Yes, it is everyday spoken English. The entries below reflect the natural, informal phrasing you will hear.

The other 22 Problem Solving prompts0 free

·Making a Flight Booking
·Asking for Directions at a Visitor Centre
·Problems with a Moving Company
·A Problem at the Airline Counter
·Problems with a Furnace
·A Visit to the College Registration Office
·An Elevator Booking Conflict
·Booking a Hotel Room by Phone
·Raising a Daily Transaction Limit
·A Change to a Connecting Flight
·The Pharmacy Doesn't Have the Medication
·Moving into a New Apartment
·Renegotiating a Personal Loan
·Renting a Car as a Tourist
·A Dental Estimate and Its Coverage
·Purchasing a Dishwasher
·An Unsettled Insurance Claim
·Exchanging an Airplane Ticket
·A Warranty That Has Just Expired
·A Lost Package
·A Damaged Standing Desk
·Missing a Connecting Flight

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