CLBA - Canadian Language Benchmark Assessment Listening Comprehension Skills Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: You listen to a public announcement at a community centre that says: 'Good evening everyone. Due to the sudden snowstorm, the advanced pottery class scheduled for 7 PM tonight in Room 2B has been cancelled. All other evening classes will proceed as scheduled. We apologize for any inconvenience.' What is the main purpose of this announcement?
- To announce the cancellation of all evening classes.
- To inform attendees that the community centre is closing early.
- To cancel one specific class due to weather and confirm others are still on. (Correct answer)
- To reschedule the advanced pottery class for a different day.
Correct answer: To cancel one specific class due to weather and confirm others are still on.
The announcement specifically mentions the cancellation of the 'advanced pottery class' due to the snowstorm but explicitly states that 'All other evening classes will proceed as scheduled.' This makes it clear that only one class is cancelled while others are not affected.
Question 2: In a workplace scenario, your manager says to you: 'I need you to finish the quarterly report, but before you do that, please draft a quick email to the sales team confirming the new commission structure. It’s the priority.' What should you do first?
- Finish the quarterly report.
- Ask a coworker to email the sales team.
- Draft the email to the sales team. (Correct answer)
- Ask the manager for a deadline for the quarterly report.
Correct answer: Draft the email to the sales team.
The manager uses the phrase 'but before you do that' and explicitly states that the email is 'the priority'. This indicates a sequence of tasks where the email must be completed before the report. CLBA listening tasks often assess the ability to follow multi-step instructions and identify priorities.
Question 3: You overhear a conversation where a speaker says, 'The new café is alright, I guess. The coffee is a bit pricey, and the service was quite slow.' What is the speaker's overall opinion of the café?
- They highly recommend the café.
- They are somewhat critical and not fully satisfied. (Correct answer)
- They think the coffee is excellent value for the money.
- They were very pleased with the speed of service.
Correct answer: They are somewhat critical and not fully satisfied.
The speaker's use of 'alright, I guess' combined with negative comments about the price ('pricey') and speed ('slow') indicates a lukewarm or critical opinion. The assessment measures the ability to understand attitude and implied meaning, not just literal words.
Question 4: Which of the following skills is a key focus of the CLBA Listening assessment?
- Memorizing long lists of academic vocabulary.
- Analyzing the grammatical structure of complex sentences.
- Understanding detailed historical lectures.
- Comprehending spoken English in everyday, real-world situations. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Comprehending spoken English in everyday, real-world situations.
The CLBA is a task-based assessment designed to evaluate how well a person can function in real-life situations in Canada, such as everyday conversations, workplace communication, and public announcements.
Question 5: You listen to a voicemail message from a doctor's office: 'This is a reminder for Alex Chen of your appointment with Dr. Evans on Tuesday, March 24th at 10:30 AM. Please remember to bring your health card and a list of your current medications. If you need to reschedule, please call us back at least 24 hours in advance.' What is Alex NOT explicitly asked to do in the message?
- Bring a health card.
- Confirm the appointment by calling back. (Correct answer)
- Bring a list of medications.
- Call 24 hours ahead to reschedule.
Correct answer: Confirm the appointment by calling back.
The message is a reminder and provides instructions on what to bring and how to reschedule. However, it does not explicitly ask Alex to call back to confirm attendance, only to call back if a change is needed. This tests the ability to listen for specific details and distinguish between required actions and conditional instructions.
Question 6: During a team meeting, a colleague presents two options for a project. After they finish, the team leader says, 'Thank you for that detailed overview. Let's go with the second option, as it seems more cost-effective in the long run.' What is the outcome of the discussion?
- The team will vote on which option to choose.
- The team leader has made a decision. (Correct answer)
- The team needs more information before deciding.
- The team will combine both options into a new plan.
Correct answer: The team leader has made a decision.
The team leader's phrase 'Let's go with the second option' is a clear statement of decision. The reason ('more cost-effective') is provided as justification. This question assesses the ability to identify decisions and outcomes in a professional discussion.
CLBA - Canadian Language Benchmark Assessment Listening Comprehension Skills Questions and Answers
You listen to a public announcement at a community centre that says: 'Good evening everyone.
Due to the sudden snowstorm, the advanced pottery class scheduled for 7 PM tonight in Room 2B has been cancelled.
All other evening classes will proceed as scheduled.
We apologize for any inconvenience.' What is the main purpose of this announcement?