CLBA - Canadian Language Benchmark Assessment Listening Comprehension Skills 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?

Accepted Answer

To cancel one specific class due to weather and confirm others are still on.

Answer

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?

Accepted Answer

Draft the email to the sales team.

Answer

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?

Accepted Answer

They are somewhat critical and not fully satisfied.

Answer

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?

Accepted Answer

Comprehending spoken English in everyday, real-world situations.

Answer

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?

Accepted Answer

Confirm the appointment by calling back.

Answer

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.

CLBA - Canadian Language Benchmark Assessment Practice Test

CLBA - Canadian Language Benchmark Assessment Practice Test

CLBA - Canadian Language Benchmark Assessment Listening Comprehension Skills Questions and Answers