How many questions does Listening Part 4 have?

Paragon's test-format page lists 5 questions for Part 4, Listening to a News Item. You hear the report only once, so it helps to know the typical news vocabulary before test day. Paragon also suggests taking notes while you listen.

Why focus on reporting phrases instead of topic words?

A news item can be about a fire, a new bylaw or a festival, so topic words change every time. Reporting phrases stay the same, and questions often ask who said something, what caused an event or what will happen next. Recognising the frame keeps you oriented even when the topic is unfamiliar.

What do the CLB levels on each entry mean?

They are {brand}'s own estimate of the level at which a learner can usually understand and use the item well. They are not official Paragon ratings. Treat them as a rough guide to which entries to learn first.

Listening Part 4: News Item

Listening Part 4: News Item belongs to the Listening component of CELPIP. The task gives you 6 questions and 3 minutes. Your result counts the questions you answer correctly.

Questions: 6
Time: 3 minutes
Prompts here: 23 published

Event, facts, status

Our method for this task — study advice, not an official rule.

1
Get the headline
News reports usually open with the main event and then add detail. Catch that first sentence.
2
Hold who, where, when and how many
Names, places, dates and figures come quickly and only once. Note them as they arrive.
3
Keep what happened apart from what is planned
A report can mix events that have happened with ones that are proposed or expected. Mark which is which.

A plan is not an event.

Reporting something proposed as something done is an easy error in news listening.

This list collects the words a local news report leans on: who said it, what happened, how many people were affected and what happens next. Learn to catch these in speech and you can follow a news item from the headline to the final update.

Listen for the reporting frame first: phrases like according to, officials confirmed and a spokesperson said tell you whose claim you are hearing. Then note numbers, causes and next steps in a short grid as the report plays. Practise by saying each headword aloud in a full news-style sentence so your ear knows its sound in fast speech.

CELPIP · Listening

Property Taxes in Canada

From a bank of 23 prompts · free to read, no account needed

Instructions

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

What the recording says

On test day the recording plays one time only; here you can read it at your own pace.

Property taxes are once again attracting attention as homeowners across Canada receive their annual tax assessments and municipalities prepare budgets for the coming year. While some residents are concerned about higher tax bills, municipal officials say property taxes remain an important source of revenue for maintaining local services and infrastructure. One point that can cause confusion is the relationship between a property's assessed value and the tax rate. A homeowner may assume that an increase in the tax bill means the municipality has simply raised its tax rate. However, that is not necessarily the case. The amount an individual property owner pays can also be influenced by how the assessed value of that property changes relative to the total assessed value of properties within the municipality. This means that a homeowner whose property value has increased does not automatically face a proportionate increase in taxes. Conversely, even if a municipality keeps its overall tax rate relatively stable, individual tax bills can change as property assessments change. The calculation is therefore more complicated than simply applying a fixed percentage to the current market value of a home. Municipalities rely on property taxes to help finance services such as road maintenance, waste collection, parks, emergency services, and other local infrastructure. Officials say that keeping taxes artificially low can create difficulties if municipalities do not have enough revenue to maintain aging infrastructure or respond to growing demands for services. At the same time, rising tax bills can create financial pressure for homeowners, particularly people on fixed incomes who may own valuable properties but have limited cash available each month. Critics argue that the ability to pay should be considered when governments design property-tax policies. Some municipalities have responded by offering tax relief or deferral programs to eligible residents. These programs can postpone or reduce the immediate financial burden for people who meet specific criteria, although they do not necessarily eliminate the tax owed. Economists say there is no simple solution. Municipalities need reliable revenue to provide essential services, but they also need to consider whether tax increases are manageable for residents. Experts suggest that transparent assessment systems, targeted assistance, and careful municipal budgeting can help balance these competing pressures. The debate is therefore unlikely to disappear. As communities face rising infrastructure costs and changing property values, municipalities will continue to face the challenge of funding local services while ensuring that property taxes do not place an unreasonable burden on residents.

Questions & answer key6 questions

Your Listening result comes from how many questions you get right. Each recording plays one time, so what is really tested is how much detail you can hold while the next line is already playing.

1According to the report, why might a homeowner's property tax bill increase even if the municipal tax rate remains unchanged?
1. AProperty owners are automatically charged additional taxes every year.
2. BMunicipalities are required to increase taxes whenever property values rise.
3. ✓The total amount a homeowner pays can be affected by changes in the assessed value of the property relative to other properties in the municipality.
4. DProperty taxes are calculated entirely according to the homeowner's income.
Answer
C
The bill is the rate applied to an assessment, so a reassessment can move it even when the rate does not.
2What is one reason municipalities rely on property taxes?
1. ✓They provide revenue that can help fund local services and infrastructure.
2. BThey are used primarily to finance federal government programs.
3. CThey replace all other sources of municipal revenue.
4. DThey are collected specifically to reduce housing prices.
Answer
A
Property tax is the revenue that pays for local services and infrastructure — which is why municipalities depend on it.
3Why can rising property values create difficulties for some homeowners?
1. AHigher property values automatically make mortgage payments increase by the same amount.
2. ✓Homeowners may see their tax burden increase even if their income has not risen correspondingly.
3. CMunicipalities require homeowners to sell properties that increase significantly in value.
4. DProperty assessments determine how much homeowners are allowed to borrow from banks.
Answer
B
An assessment can rise faster than an income does, which is where the difficulty falls.
4What concern have some municipalities expressed about keeping property taxes low?
1. ALower taxes can make it impossible for residents to purchase homes.
2. BLow property taxes encourage municipalities to eliminate public services.
3. ✓Reducing taxes can limit the revenue available for maintaining infrastructure and providing essential services.
4. DLower taxes prevent municipalities from collecting federal funding.
Answer
C
Municipalities warn that holding the rate down limits what is available for maintaining what already exists.
5What alternative approach is mentioned for helping homeowners facing financial pressure?
1. AAutomatically cancelling property taxes for all long-term homeowners.
2. BReplacing property taxes with federal income taxes.
3. CAllowing municipalities to stop maintaining public infrastructure.
4. ✓Offering targeted tax relief or deferral programs to eligible property owners.
Answer
D
The alternative named is targeted help — relief or deferral for owners who qualify — rather than a general cut.
6What is the main message of the news report?
1. AProperty taxes are unnecessary because municipalities have other reliable sources of revenue.
2. BRising property taxes are caused entirely by increasing property values.
3. CMunicipalities should freeze property taxes regardless of their financial circumstances.
4. ✓Property taxes are an important source of municipal funding, but governments must balance revenue needs with the financial pressures faced by property owners.
Answer
D
The report holds both halves: the revenue is necessary, and the burden has to be shared in a way people can bear.

Where answers slip

1Treating a proposal or a forecast as something that already happened.
2Giving a quotation to the reporter instead of the person quoted.
3Missing a number tucked into the middle of a long sentence.

Try one yourself, under the clock

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Common questions

How many questions does Listening Part 4 have?: Paragon's test-format page lists 5 questions for Part 4, Listening to a News Item. You hear the report only once, so it helps to know the typical news vocabulary before test day. Paragon also suggests taking notes while you listen.
Why focus on reporting phrases instead of topic words?: A news item can be about a fire, a new bylaw or a festival, so topic words change every time. Reporting phrases stay the same, and questions often ask who said something, what caused an event or what will happen next. Recognising the frame keeps you oriented even when the topic is unfamiliar.
What do the CLB levels on each entry mean?: They are {brand}'s own estimate of the level at which a learner can usually understand and use the item well. They are not official Paragon ratings. Treat them as a rough guide to which entries to learn first.

22 more News Item prompts in the bank0 free

·Cities Prepare for Longer Heat Waves
·Water-Use Restrictions
·Stray Animals in Canadian Communities
·Tourism and the Environment
·Community Policing in Canadian Cities
·Advances in Cancer Research
·Earthquake Early-Warning Technology
·Smart Glasses and Privacy
·Driving Rules in British Columbia
·Ongoing Ferry Service Disruptions
·Designing the Schools of Tomorrow
·A Public-Sector Strike
·Changing Gender Roles in Canada
·Bullying in Canadian Schools
·Flu Shots in Canada
·Tipping Practices in Canada
·Food Waste in Canadian Communities
·Graffiti in Canadian Cities
·The Growing Use of Drones in Canada
·The Annual Flu Vaccination Campaign
·Virtual Reality in Senior Care Centres
·This Year's Wildfire Season

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