The audio files from 2014 were recorded at natural conversational speed (approx. 140-150 words per minute), which is slightly faster than the slower, enunciated audio found in some teaching books. Practicing with this session trains your ear for real-world interactions.
Instructors often note that the 2014 session was slightly more challenging than average. If you can pass the CILS B2 Giugno 2014 practice test, you will likely find the current exams easier. The vocabulary used in the 2014 reading sections included more idiomatic expressions and less common synonyms (e.g., scorgere instead of vedere, tuttavia instead of ma).
Duration: 60 minutes (Combined with Grammar) Choose one topic.
Opzione A: Lettera formale (Formal Letter)
Duration: 60 minutes
Test 1: Lettura di un brano (Reading a Passage) A long text followed by multiple-choice questions.
Test 2: Testi brevi (Short Texts) Short authentic texts (advertisements, emails, signs).
Test 3: Competenza Linguistica (Grammar & Vocabulary) Fill-in-the-blank exercises.
Suggerimenti rapidi per rispondere:
Duration: ~30 minutes
Text 1 – Announcement / Public message
A museum announces a temporary exhibition on Italian fashion history.
Tasks: True/False statements (e.g., “The exhibition is only for adults” → False).
Text 2 – Radio interview
An interview with a chef from Emilia-Romagna talking about traditional tortellini.
Tasks: Multiple-choice questions on ingredients, origin, and cooking tips.
Text 3 – News report
A short news piece about a campaign to reduce plastic waste in Italian seas.
Tasks: Completing a summary with missing words (gap-fill).
Text 4 – Conversation (informal)
Two friends discussing plans for a weekend trip to Naples.
Tasks: Matching speakers to opinions (e.g., who prefers museums vs. food tours).
| Section | Time (approx) | Tasks | |--------|--------------|-------| | Ascolto (Listening) | ~30 min | 3 tasks – dialogues, announcements, interviews (multiple choice, T/F, completion) | | Lettura (Reading) | 50 min | 4 tasks – matching headings, true/false, multiple choice, short answer | | Analisi delle strutture (Use of Italian) | 40 min | 3-4 tasks – cloze tests, verb conjugation, prepositions, pronouns, word formation | | Produzione scritta (Writing) | 90 min | 2 tasks – formal letter/email (80-100 words) + argumentative essay (120-140 words) | | Produzione orale (Speaking) | 10-15 min (prep + exam) | Task 1: monologue on a topic (e.g., travel, work, environment). Task 2: interaction with examiner |
Duration: ~40 minutes
Text 1 – Informative article
An article about “smart working” (telelavoro) in Italy after recent laws.
Tasks: True/False/Not stated.
Text 2 – Narrative
A short story excerpt about a woman returning to her small hometown in Sicily after 10 years.
Tasks: Multiple-choice questions on emotions and plot details.
Text 3 – Survey results
A graph and text about young Italians’ reading habits (books vs. social media).
Tasks: Matching statements to data points.
Text 4 – Advertisement/Formal letter
An ad for a language course in Siena, plus a student’s email asking for info.
Tasks: Sentence completion (no more than 3 words per blank).