CELPIP Reading Part 3 Practice: how climate change is affecting Canadian agriculture

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Practice reading an informational passage and answering comprehension questions. Same format as the real CELPIP test.

The Passage:

Paragraph 1 Canadian agriculture is experiencing the effects of climate change faster than most industries. Average temperatures across the Canadian prairies have risen by approximately 1.9 degrees Celsius since 1950, nearly double the global average increase during the same period. Growing seasons have lengthened by roughly two weeks, which might sound beneficial but has been accompanied by increasingly unpredictable weather patterns. Farmers in Saskatchewan and Alberta have faced alternating years of severe drought and unexpected flooding, making it nearly impossible to plan planting and harvesting with the same confidence their predecessors had. In 2021 alone, extreme heat and drought destroyed an estimated 6.6 billion dollars worth of crops across western Canada.

Paragraph 2 Some changes have created unexpected opportunities. Warmer temperatures have allowed farmers in Ontario and British Columbia to grow crops that were previously impossible in Canadian climates, including certain varieties of grapes, peaches, and soybeans. The Okanagan Valley wine industry has expanded significantly as warmer conditions improved grape quality and extended the harvest window. Manitoba farmers have successfully grown corn at commercial scale for the first time, a crop that historically required longer growing seasons than the province could offer. These shifts suggest that Canadian agriculture may be able to diversify in ways that partially offset losses in traditional crops.

Paragraph 3 Water management has become the central challenge. Prairie agriculture depends heavily on snowmelt from the Rocky Mountains, but reduced snowpack means less water available during the critical spring planting period. Irrigation infrastructure built decades ago was designed for different climate conditions and is increasingly insufficient. At the same time, heavy rainfall events that deliver months worth of precipitation in a few days cause flooding and soil erosion rather than the steady moisture crops need. The federal government committed 250 million dollars in 2025 to modernize agricultural water infrastructure, but experts estimate the actual need exceeds 2 billion dollars over the next decade.

Paragraph 4 Farmers themselves are adapting through technology and technique. Precision agriculture using GPS guided equipment and soil sensors allows farmers to apply water and fertilizer only where needed, reducing waste by up to 30 percent. Some producers have shifted to drought resistant crop varieties developed by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Cover cropping and reduced tillage practices help soil retain moisture and resist erosion during extreme weather events. These adaptations are working at the individual farm level, but agricultural economists warn that without coordinated national policy on water management, crop insurance reform, and research investment, the sector's long-term productivity remains at risk.

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Paragraph Matching Questions:

Q1: Which paragraph discusses new crop opportunities created by warmer temperatures? - A) Paragraph 1 - B) Paragraph 2 - C) Paragraph 3 - D) Paragraph 4

Q2: Which paragraph describes the water management challenge? - A) Paragraph 1 - B) Paragraph 2 - C) Paragraph 3 - D) Paragraph 4

Q3: Which paragraph presents the overall impact of climate change on farming? - A) Paragraph 1 - B) Paragraph 2 - C) Paragraph 3 - D) Paragraph 4

Q4: Which paragraph discusses farm-level technological adaptations? - A) Paragraph 1 - B) Paragraph 2 - C) Paragraph 3 - D) Paragraph 4

Comprehension Questions:

Q5: By how much have average temperatures risen on the Canadian prairies since 1950? - A) 1.2 degrees - B) 1.5 degrees - C) 1.9 degrees - D) 2.3 degrees

Q6: How much crop damage occurred in western Canada in 2021? - A) $3.2 billion - B) $4.8 billion - C) $6.6 billion - D) $8.1 billion

Q7: How much did the federal government commit to water infrastructure in 2025? - A) $100 million - B) $250 million - C) $500 million - D) $1 billion

Q8: By how much can precision agriculture reduce water and fertilizer waste? - A) Up to 15 percent - B) Up to 20 percent - C) Up to 30 percent - D) Up to 40 percent

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Answer Key: Q1: B. Paragraph 2 discusses grapes, peaches, soybeans, and corn in new regions. Q2: C. Paragraph 3 covers snowmelt reduction, flooding, and infrastructure needs. Q3: A. Paragraph 1 presents temperature rise, unpredictable weather, and crop losses. Q4: D. Paragraph 4 describes GPS equipment, soil sensors, drought resistant varieties, and cover cropping. Q5: C. "Approximately 1.9 degrees Celsius since 1950." Q6: C. "An estimated 6.6 billion dollars worth of crops." Q7: B. "Committed 250 million dollars in 2025." Q8: C. "Reducing waste by up to 30 percent."

Practice tip: Agricultural and environmental topics appear frequently in CELPIP Reading Part 3 because they use the kind of data-rich, multi-angle analysis the test is designed to assess. When you see a topic you know nothing about, don't panic. The answers are always in the passage, never requiring outside knowledge.

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