Reading

Reading Part 3: Reading for Information — Matching Statements to the Right Paragraph

Learn a reliable method for CELPIP Reading Part 3, where you match summary statements to lettered paragraphs (plus a "not given" option) quickly and accurately.

6 min read

Key strategies

1.Read the lettered paragraphs first to build a one-phrase mental map of each paragraph's main idea before you look at the statements.
2.Underline keywords in each statement, then hunt for paraphrases — not identical words — inside the passage.
3.Always remember there is an extra option (often labelled E or "not given"), so don't force every statement into a paragraph.
4.Match on meaning and main idea, not on a single repeated word that may appear in several paragraphs as a distractor.
5.Answer the easy, obvious statements first, then use elimination to handle the trickier ones.
6.Watch your time: Part 3 has 9 questions, so spend roughly a minute per item and don't overthink.

What Part 3 Looks Like

Reading for Information is Part 3 of the CELPIP Reading test, which has 4 parts and 9 questions in this section. You'll see a factual passage divided into several lettered paragraphs (for example A, B, C, D). Below it are statements, and you must choose the paragraph that each statement best matches. There is usually one extra option, such as "E" or "not given," for statements that don't fit any paragraph. Audio is not involved — this is pure reading under time pressure.

Step 1: Map the Paragraphs First

Before reading the statements, skim each paragraph and label it with a short phrase in your mind: "A = history," "B = costs," "C = benefits," "D = criticism." This map saves time because most statements test the main idea of a paragraph, not a buried detail. Knowing where each topic lives means you can jump straight to the right place.

Step 2: Decode the Statements

Read each statement and underline its keywords. Crucially, the test paraphrases — the passage rarely uses the same words. If a statement says "the program saved money," the paragraph might say "reduced annual expenses." Train yourself to match meaning, not vocabulary. A repeated word is often a trap placed in the wrong paragraph.

Step 3: Use the Extra Option Wisely

Never assume every paragraph gets used or that each statement must fit. The extra "not given" choice exists precisely to catch test-takers who force a match. If a statement's idea simply isn't expressed anywhere, choose that option with confidence.

Step 4: Work Smart and Fast

Answer the clearest statements first. Each confirmed match narrows the options for the rest, making the hard ones easier through elimination. With about 9 questions, aim for roughly one minute each, leaving a buffer to review. Trust your paragraph map, resist re-reading the whole passage, and move on once you've found solid textual support.

Try a real question

A genuine CELPIP-style Reading question. This is a self-check to learn from — it isn't graded.

URBAN BEEKEEPING

A. Once confined to rural farms and orchards, beekeeping has quietly moved into the heart of the city. Over the past fifteen years, hives have appeared on apartment balconies, office rooftops, and the grounds of schools and hospitals across North America. Part of the appeal is practical: a single hive needs only a few square metres and a clear flight path to open sky, so even a modest balcony can host one. But much of the growth has been driven by alarm over declining wild pollinator populations, and by city dwellers looking for a hands-on way to reconnect with the natural world.

B. Surprisingly, the urban environment can suit bees rather well. City parks, community gardens, and the flowering trees that line many streets offer a longer and more varied blooming season than the vast single-crop fields of the countryside, where forage can vanish the moment a harvest ends. Urban bees also encounter fewer of the agricultural pesticides blamed for weakening rural colonies. Researchers in several cities have found that rooftop hives can produce as much honey as their rural counterparts, and in some seasons noticeably more.

C. The picture is not entirely rosy, however. As beekeeping has become fashionable, some neighbourhoods now host far more hives than the surrounding flowers can support. When managed honeybees grow too dense, they compete with wild bees, butterflies, and other native pollinators for a limited supply of nectar and pollen. Ecologists warn that a city crowded with honeybee hives can, paradoxically, end up harming the very wild pollinators that first inspired the movement. In response, a few cities have begun to cap how many hives a single property may keep.

D. For the newcomer, the practical barriers are lower than many expect. A basic hive, protective gear, and a starter colony can be obtained for a few hundred dollars, and most municipalities require only that hives be registered and set back a certain distance from property lines. Experienced keepers stress, though, that a hive is a living commitment, not a decoration. Colonies must be inspected regularly for disease, given room before they swarm, and left with enough honey to survive the winter. Those who treat beekeeping as a casual hobby, they caution, often lose their bees within a season or two.

E. Not given in any of the above paragraphs.

1. Worry about disappearing wild pollinators has helped drive the hobby's growth.

2. Keeping too many honeybee hives can disadvantage native pollinators.

3. A single hive takes up relatively little space.

4. Urban hives can yield at least as much honey as rural ones.

5. Hives must be checked routinely to keep colonies healthy.

6. Getting started in beekeeping requires only a modest amount of money.

7. City bees are exposed to fewer farm chemicals than rural bees.

8. Honey produced in the city sells for a higher price than rural honey.

9. Some cities limit the number of hives allowed on a single property.