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Second Language Evaluation
Reading Test
- Description
- Testing Information
- Tips
- Reading Ability for Levels A, B, and C
- Sample Questions
- Information for Candidates / test-takers writing online tests
Description
The Second Language Evaluation: Reading Test assesses your reading proficiency in French as your second official language. (There is also a Reading Test available to assess second language reading proficiency in English.) The test evaluates all general proficiency levels required for bilingual positions in the federal Public Service. It has 65 multiple-choice questions worth one point each. A description of the abilities measured by the Reading Test may be found after the section on Tips and is followed by Sample Questions.
Your proficiency level is determined by your test score. If you score between 20 and 37 (inclusive), you will obtain Level A; if you score between 38 and 50, Level B; and if you score between 51 and 58, Level C. A score of 59 or above allows an exemption from future testing in reading.
A Reading Test session takes about two hours, including administration time. Please arrive in plenty of time before the test session, as you will NOT be allowed into the room after testing has begun.
Your results on the Reading Test will be sent to you soon after you have taken the test. To obtain information about administrative or testing procedures, contact the responsible officer in the organization that requested your test.
Testing Information
What to bring.
Bring one piece of signature identification with photo and your Personal Record Identifier (PRI) if you are a government employee.
Do you need special test arrangements because of a disability?
If so, please notify the responsible officer in the organization that requested your test so that appropriate arrangements can be made.
Tips
Prepare for the test.
Review vocabulary and basic grammar, but concentrate more on reading and understanding texts written in French.
Answer the questions in the order they are presented.
The questions are ordered from easiest to most difficult. To maximize your score, answer as many of the easier questions as possible. Read the entire question before answering it and eliminate answer choices you know are wrong.
Budget your time.
Because the test is used to assess all proficiency levels, only the more proficient candidates are expected to finish. Save time at the end of the test to guess at items you have not answered. There is no penalty for wrong answers.
Review the sample questions.
Take the time to familiarize yourself with these questions prior to writing the test.
Reading Abilities for Levels A, B, and C
Level A
Ability to understand texts on topics of limited scope; ability to understand very simple texts and grasp the main idea of texts about familiar topics; ability to read and understand elementary points of information such as dates, numbers or names from relatively more complex texts in order to perform routine job-related tasks.
Level B
Ability to understand most descriptive or factual material on work-related subjects; ability to grasp the main idea of most work-related texts, locate specific details and distinguish main from subsidiary ideas.
Level C
Ability to understand texts on a wide variety of work-related topics; ability to understand most complex details, inferences and fine points of meanings;ability to read with good comprehension specialized or less familiar material.
Exemption
from further second language testing in the reading skill will be granted to persons who obtain a score high enough that they need not be tested again.
Sample Questions
The following questions are similar to those on the Second Language Evaluation: Reading Test.
The Reading Test contains two types of questions:
Type I - A text followed by an incomplete sentence:
Select the answer choice that best corresponds to the information in the text.
Question 1
Government Gouvernement
of Canada du Canada
MEMORANDUM NOTE DE SERVICE
_____________________________________________________
Conformément à ce qui a été discuté hier, le rapport
aura une page couverture spéciale, mais il n'aura pas
de numéro d'identification et le nom de notre
direction n'y figurera pas. Nous en interdirons
également la reproduction.
1. According to the above memorandum, the report will:
- be copied.
- have an identification number.
- have a special cover.
- bear the name of the division.
Answer to question 1 is (3).
Question 2
Government Gouvernement
of Canada du Canada
MEMORANDUM NOTE DE SERVICE
_____________________________________________________
Vous trouverez ci-joint les exemplaires des versions
française et anglaise du manuel des opérations.
Veuillez noter que des changements ont été apportés
aux pages 8, 10, 22, et 23 de chacune des versions
de ce manuel. Si vous avez des questions, n'hésitez
pas à communiquer avec moi au numéro 5-8181.
2. The memorandum was written to:
- accompany pages to be inserted in a manual.
- accompany copies of a manual.
- acknowledge receipt of a manual.
- request amendments to a manual.
Answer to question 2 is (2).
Question 3
Government Gouvernement
of Canada du Canada
MEMORANDUM NOTE DE SERVICE
_____________________________________________________
Vous trouverez ci-joint la liste des activités
prévues pour les prochains six mois. Comme vous
pouvez le noter, chacun d'entre vous aura l'occasion
de travailler sur un ou plusieurs des projets
mentionnés. Afin d'expliquer plus en détail les rôles
et les responsabilités de chaque personne, une
réunion aura lieu cet après-midi à 14 h 30 dans la
pièce 1236.
3. According to the above memorandum the purpose of the meeting is to:
- discuss upcoming projects not already mentioned.
- specify what should be done by each employee.
- clarify the present stage of development of each project.
- decide who will be responsible for the projects.
Answer to question 3 is (2).
Type II - A text followed by four answer choices:
Select the sentence that best describes the text.
Question 4
Government Gouvernement
of Canada du Canada
MEMORANDUM NOTE DE SERVICE
______________________________________________________
Dès la conception de cette publication gouvernementale,
nous avions décidé qu'elle consisterait essentiellement
en une étude photographique, et donc, qu'elle
comporterait beaucoup d'illustrations et très peu de
textes.
4. Which of the following BEST DESCRIBES the above sentence?
- Les publications gouvernementales contiennent généralement beaucoup d'illustrations et peu de textes.
- Lorsque nous avons commencé à travailler à cette publication, nous avons opté pour une étude photographique.
- La publication a été conçue avec beaucoup d'exemples pour illustrer les principaux points traités.
- La publication traitera de la photographie et elle renfermera beaucoup d'illustrations.
Answer to question 4 is (2).
Question 5
Government Gouvernement
of Canada du Canada
_____________________________________________________
Communiquer avec le public, tout particulièrement
avec les représentants de la presse, fait partie des
fonctions et responsabilités qui incombent aux
gestionnaires. Dans la plupart des ministères et
agences gouvernementales, il y a des agents
d'information pour aider les gestionnaires dans
l'accomplissement de cette tâche.
5. Which of the following BEST DESCRIBES the above text?
- C'est aux gestionnaires que revient la tâche de communiquer avec le public et les représentants de la presse, parfois avec l'aide des agents d'information.
- Il appartient aux agents d'information des différents ministères et agences gouvernementales d'amener les représentants de la presse à communiquer l'information au public.
- Les agents d'information des différents ministères et agences gouvernementales ont généralement pour tâche de venir en aide aux représentants de la presse.
- Les gestionnaires doivent communiquer avec le public, avec l'aide d'agents d'information qui connaissent les représentants de la presse.
Answer to question 5 is (1).
Retest Period - There is a 30 days waiting period before you can rewrite the test. Should you wish to take this test again, you must wait until after the retest period indicated for this test has elapsed. Should you rewrite the test before the retest period has elapsed, your result will not be valid and a new retest period will be imposed from the new test date.
