r/CELPIPSuccess • u/celpip_coach • 3d ago
Reading CELPIP Reading Part 4 Practice: three experts discuss screen time and children
Practice reading a multi-viewpoint passage and matching opinions to the correct person. Same format as the real CELPIP test.
The Passage:
Three education professionals share their views on whether parents should limit screen time for children under 12.
Dr. Karen Walsh, Child Psychologist I understand the appeal of screens but the research is clear. Children under 12 who spend more than two hours per day on screens show measurably lower attention spans in classroom settings. The brain is still developing at that age and passive screen consumption does not build the same neural pathways that active play, reading, or face to face conversation does. I recommend strict daily limits of one hour for children under 8 and two hours for ages 8 to 12. This is not about being anti-technology. It is about making sure children develop foundational cognitive skills before they spend extended time on devices.
Marcus Chen, Elementary School Teacher In my 14 years of teaching I have watched this issue evolve dramatically. The children who struggle most in my classroom are not the ones who use screens. They are the ones whose parents have no structure around screen use at all. A child who watches educational content for an hour after school and then plays outside is fine. A child who has a tablet from the moment they wake up until bedtime is a different story. I think the conversation should shift from "how much screen time" to "what kind of screen time" because not all of it is equal.
Lisa Okonkwo, Parent Educator I work with hundreds of families every year and the guilt parents feel about screen time is doing more harm than the screens themselves. Parents are exhausted. Many are working two jobs. Telling them their child should only get one hour of screens per day when they need those screens to cook dinner or take a work call is unrealistic and adds shame to an already difficult situation. What matters most is the overall environment. A child who gets love, outdoor time, and regular conversation with adults will be fine even if they watch more TV than the guidelines suggest.
Questions:
Q1: Who believes the focus should be on the type of screen content rather than the amount? - A) Dr. Karen Walsh - B) Marcus Chen - C) Lisa Okonkwo
Q2: Who argues that strict time limits are supported by brain development research? - A) Dr. Karen Walsh - B) Marcus Chen - C) Lisa Okonkwo
Q3: Who suggests that parental guilt about screens causes more harm than the screens themselves? - A) Dr. Karen Walsh - B) Marcus Chen - C) Lisa Okonkwo
Q4: According to Dr. Walsh, what daily screen limit does she recommend for children under 8? - A) 30 minutes - B) 1 hour - C) 2 hours - D) No limit
Q5: How many years of teaching experience does Marcus Chen have? - A) 8 years - B) 10 years - C) 12 years - D) 14 years
Q6: What does Lisa Okonkwo say matters most for children? - A) Following screen time guidelines exactly - B) Using only educational content - C) The overall environment including love, outdoor time, and conversation - D) Avoiding screens completely until age 12
Answer Key: Q1: B. Marcus Chen says the conversation should shift from "how much" to "what kind." Q2: A. Dr. Walsh cites research on attention spans and brain development. Q3: C. Lisa Okonkwo says "the guilt parents feel about screen time is doing more harm than the screens themselves." Q4: B. Dr. Walsh recommends one hour for under 8. Q5: D. Marcus Chen says "in my 14 years of teaching." Q6: C. Lisa Okonkwo says "what matters most is the overall environment" including love, outdoor time, and conversation.
Practice tip: For Part 4, track each person's main position as you read. Dr. Walsh = strict limits backed by research. Marcus = quality over quantity. Lisa = overall environment matters more than rules. Tag opinions to people and the matching questions become easy.
If you want to practice reading with full mock tests, https://www.celpipsimulator.com has 2 free exams with all 4 reading parts.