What makes Reading Part 4 tricky?

It asks you to separate competing viewpoints and judge their strength. Attitude and opinion vocabulary is the key to keeping the positions straight.

Does Part 4 use difficult vocabulary?

It uses higher-CLB opinion and argument words. The entries below focus on exactly the stance language that Part 4 relies on.

Reading Part 4: Reading for Viewpoints

Reading Part 4: Reading for Viewpoints is part of the Reading section of the CELPIP test. You get 10 questions and 13 minutes. It is scored by the number of correct answers.

Questions: 10
Time: 13 minutes
Prompts here: 23 published

The three-move viewpoint read

1
Decide each writer's position before you look at a question
Two or more people disagree here. Fixing who thinks what first is what stops the answers blurring.
2
Track the attitude, not only the argument
Our Part 4 tags run vocabulary 30, inference 27, tone 24 — how something is said is tested nearly as often as what is said.
3
Pick the word that carries the same attitude
A neutral synonym for a loaded word is the classic wrong answer in this part.

Part 4 asks what the writer thinks, not what is true.

Your own view on the topic is never the answer.

Build the opinion, argument and attitude vocabulary you need to track different viewpoints in the article-plus-comment format of CELPIP Reading Part 4.

Part 4 presents an article and a reader comment with contrasting opinions. Recognising stance and attitude vocabulary helps you tell whose view is whose and how strongly it is held.

CELPIP · Reading

Distracted Driving in Canada

One of 23 published prompts · free, no account

For decades, impaired driving was regarded as the greatest threat to road safety in Canada. Today, however, transportation experts argue that distracted driving has become an equally serious concern. As smartphones, navigation systems, and in-vehicle entertainment technologies have become increasingly common, many drivers now divide their attention between the road and competing sources of information. Provincial governments have responded by introducing stricter legislation, increasing fines, and expanding public awareness campaigns. Nevertheless, experts continue to debate whether tougher penalties alone are sufficient to change driver behaviour. According to Dr. Lisa Morin, a transportation psychologist at Western Canada Road Safety Institute, distracted driving extends far beyond sending text messages. "Many motorists mistakenly believe that only handheld phone use is dangerous," she explains. "In reality, eating meals, adjusting navigation systems, reaching for objects, or even engaging in emotionally demanding conversations can significantly reduce a driver's ability to react." Morin argues that the human brain cannot fully concentrate on multiple complex tasks simultaneously. Instead, drivers rapidly shift their attention between activities, creating brief moments during which important hazards may go unnoticed. Not everyone believes legislation should be the primary solution. Michael Graham, executive director of the Canadian Drivers Association, contends that excessive enforcement may unintentionally divert attention from education. "Most Canadians already understand that distracted driving is risky," Graham says. "The real challenge is helping drivers recognize situations in which they underestimate their own distraction." He advocates incorporating distraction-awareness training into driver education programs and encouraging automobile manufacturers to simplify dashboard technology rather than adding increasingly sophisticated digital features. Others disagree. Constable Jennifer Patel of the Ontario Provincial Traffic Enforcement Unit argues that meaningful behavioural change rarely occurs without significant legal consequences. Since several provinces substantially increased penalties, including licence suspensions and larger fines, police services have reported improvements in compliance during roadside enforcement campaigns. Patel acknowledges that education remains valuable, but insists that public attitudes often change only after laws clearly establish unacceptable behaviour. Although opinions differ regarding the most effective solution, researchers generally agree that distracted driving cannot be eliminated through a single strategy. Road safety specialists recommend combining consistent law enforcement, technological improvements, public education, and personal responsibility. As vehicles become more technologically advanced, the challenge may not simply be preventing drivers from using their phones, but ensuring that convenience never compromises attention behind the wheel.

Instructions

Read the following article from a website.
Complete each statement by selecting the best option according to the information on the website.
The following is a comment by a visitor to the website page. Complete the comment by choosing the best option to fill in each blank.

The reply to complete

I agree that distracted driving deserves serious attention, but I think many people misunderstand the issue. Simply banning handheld phones will not solve the problem because drivers can still become ___6___ while performing many everyday activities. Graham makes a good point that ___7___, especially for new drivers who may not recognize how easily their attention shifts. At the same time, I also understand Constable Patel's position because stronger penalties can ___8___. Still, no law can completely replace individual responsibility. Ultimately, every driver must remember that ___9___. If Canadians adopt this attitude, modern technology can remain useful ___10___.

Questions & answer key10 questions

Reading is scored by the number of correct answers, so there is no rubric to satisfy — only the text in front of you. Every question below has its answer and an explanation of why the other options fail.

1Gap 6 in the reply
1. ✓emotionally distracted by ordinary tasks
2. Bphysically exhausted after long-distance travel
3. Cprotected from traffic hazards
4. Dmore experienced behind the wheel
Answer
A
Dr. Morin lists eating meals, adjusting navigation systems, reaching for objects and “engaging in emotionally demanding conversations” as distractions, which is why banning handheld phones alone would not solve the problem. “physically exhausted after long-distance travel” introduces fatigue from long trips, which the article never raises. “protected from traffic hazards” contradicts the sentence, which is explaining a remaining danger. “more experienced behind the wheel” has nothing to do with distraction and is never discussed.
2Gap 7 in the reply
1. Adashboard technology should be removed from all vehicles
2. ✓educational programs deserve greater attention
3. Cdistracted driving is impossible to prevent
4. Dpolice officers should issue fewer traffic tickets
Answer
B
Graham contends that excessive enforcement may divert attention from education, and he advocates building distraction-awareness training into driver education programs. “dashboard technology should be removed from all vehicles” goes further than Graham, who asks manufacturers to simplify dashboard technology. “distracted driving is impossible to prevent” is the opposite of his optimism about education. “police officers should issue fewer traffic tickets” is not his proposal — he questions the emphasis placed on enforcement, not the tickets themselves.
3Gap 8 in the reply
1. ✓discourage unsafe behaviour through clear consequences
2. Beliminate all collisions involving distracted drivers
3. Creplace the need for driver education
4. Dreduce the number of vehicles on Canadian roads
Answer
A
Constable Patel argues that meaningful behavioural change rarely occurs without significant legal consequences, and police reported better compliance after provinces increased penalties. “eliminate all collisions involving distracted drivers” claims far more than the article, which reports improved compliance only. “replace the need for driver education” contradicts Patel, who acknowledges that education remains valuable. “reduce the number of vehicles on Canadian roads” is unrelated — traffic volume is never discussed.
4Gap 9 in the reply
1. Aonly professional drivers need additional training
2. Bmultitasking behind the wheel is usually unavoidable
3. ✓convenience should never take priority over safe driving
4. Dtechnology is responsible for every traffic collision
Answer
C
The article closes by calling for personal responsibility and for “ensuring that convenience never compromises attention behind the wheel”. “only professional drivers need additional training” narrows a point the article makes about drivers generally. “multitasking behind the wheel is usually unavoidable” contradicts Dr. Morin, who says the brain cannot concentrate on multiple complex tasks at once. “technology is responsible for every traffic collision” overstates the article, which treats in-vehicle technology as one source of distraction among several.
5Gap 10 in the reply
1. Abecause road safety laws are no longer necessary
2. ✓provided drivers use it without sacrificing their attention
3. Cif police officers reduce enforcement campaigns
4. Dunless provinces introduce stricter licensing requirements
Answer
B
The final sentence frames the challenge as making sure convenience never compromises attention, so technology stays useful exactly when drivers keep their attention on the road. “because road safety laws are no longer necessary” contradicts the recommendation to combine consistent law enforcement with the other measures. “if police officers reduce enforcement campaigns” is never suggested; enforcement campaigns are credited with improving compliance. “unless provinces introduce stricter licensing requirements” raises a condition the article does not discuss — licence suspensions appear only as a penalty.
6According to the article, transportation experts believe distracted driving
1. Ahas replaced impaired driving as Canada's only major traffic concern.
2. Bis becoming less common because of stricter provincial legislation.
3. ✓now represents one of Canada's most significant road safety challenges.
4. Doccurs primarily because modern vehicles contain too many electronic devices.
Answer
C
The opening paragraph says impaired driving “was regarded as the greatest threat to road safety in Canada” but that today transportation experts argue distracted driving “has become an equally serious concern” — that is, one of the country’s most significant road safety challenges. “has replaced impaired driving as Canada's only major traffic concern” overstates this: the two are described as equally serious, not one replacing the other. “is becoming less common because of stricter provincial legislation” is unsupported — stricter laws are mentioned, but no decline is reported. “occurs primarily because modern vehicles contain too many electronic devices” is too narrow, since eating, conversations and reaching for objects are also listed as distractions.
7Dr. Morin argues that distracted driving is dangerous because drivers
1. ✓cannot successfully divide their attention between demanding activities.
2. Bdeliberately ignore hazards while using electronic devices.
3. Creact more slowly only when they are texting.
4. Dbecome overconfident after years of driving experience.
Answer
A
Dr. Morin argues that “the human brain cannot fully concentrate on multiple complex tasks simultaneously”; drivers instead shift attention rapidly, creating moments when hazards go unnoticed. “deliberately ignore hazards while using electronic devices” misstates her point — nothing suggests drivers ignore hazards on purpose. “react more slowly only when they are texting” contradicts her explicit claim that distraction extends far beyond sending text messages to eating, adjusting navigation systems and reaching for objects. “become overconfident after years of driving experience” introduces driving experience, which the article never discusses.
8Michael Graham believes governments should place greater emphasis on
1. Aincreasing roadside inspections.
2. ✓improving driver education and reducing unnecessary technological complexity.
3. Cintroducing mandatory licence suspensions for first-time offenders.
4. Dbanning all electronic equipment inside passenger vehicles.
Answer
B
Graham advocates incorporating distraction-awareness training into driver education programs and encouraging manufacturers to simplify dashboard technology rather than adding more digital features. “increasing roadside inspections” is an enforcement measure, and Graham warns that excessive enforcement may divert attention from education. “introducing mandatory licence suspensions for first-time offenders” belongs to the tougher-penalty approach Constable Patel supports. “banning all electronic equipment inside passenger vehicles” is never proposed by anyone in the article.
9Constable Patel suggests that stricter laws
1. Ahave eliminated distracted driving in several provinces.
2. Bare unnecessary because public education is sufficient.
3. Cencourage automobile manufacturers to redesign dashboard technology.
4. ✓help establish social expectations about acceptable driving behaviour.
Answer
D
Patel insists that public attitudes often change only after laws clearly establish unacceptable behaviour, so laws help define what society treats as acceptable driving. “have eliminated distracted driving in several provinces” overstates the evidence: police reported improvements in compliance, not elimination. “are unnecessary because public education is sufficient” reverses her position — she values education but says legal consequences are what change behaviour. “encourage automobile manufacturers to redesign dashboard technology” is Graham’s recommendation, not Patel’s.
10The author concludes that distracted driving
1. ✓requires multiple complementary approaches rather than a single solution.
2. Bwill disappear as automotive technology improves.
3. Cshould primarily be addressed through stronger criminal penalties.
4. Dis less dangerous than impaired driving under most circumstances.
Answer
A
The final paragraph states that distracted driving “cannot be eliminated through a single strategy” and recommends combining consistent law enforcement, technological improvements, public education, and personal responsibility. “will disappear as automotive technology improves” contradicts the closing point that more advanced vehicles may make attention harder to protect. “should primarily be addressed through stronger criminal penalties” singles out one of four recommended components. “is less dangerous than impaired driving under most circumstances” reverses the article, which calls the two equally serious.

Three mistakes that cost points heremost common first

1Answering from your own opinion instead of the writer's.
2Mixing up two viewpoints that appear in adjacent paragraphs.
3Choosing a synonym that loses the writer's approval or disapproval.

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

What makes Reading Part 4 tricky?: It asks you to separate competing viewpoints and judge their strength. Attitude and opinion vocabulary is the key to keeping the positions straight.
Does Part 4 use difficult vocabulary?: It uses higher-CLB opinion and argument words. The entries below focus on exactly the stance language that Part 4 relies on.

The other 22 Viewpoints prompts0 free

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·Vanishing Honeybees
·Animal Testing: Scientific Progress and Ethical Limits
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·Medical Assistance in Dying
·The Hidden Cost of Fast Fashion in Canada
·Advances in Cancer Research in Canada
·The Modern Canadian Wedding
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·Rethinking Retirement Savings
·Advertising to Children
·Composting in Canada
·Employee Tracking at Work
·The Culture of Consumerism
·The Debate Over Gun Control
·Should Canada Ban Plastic Bags?
·Basic Income: Safety Net or Costly Experiment?
·Why Do Superstitions Survive?

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