100+ Free CILS C2 Practice Questions
Pass your CILS QUATTRO-C2 — Certificazione di Italiano come Lingua Straniera, Livello C2 exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.
Analisi delle strutture: Scegliere il connettivo conclusivo adatto. "Le prove erano schiaccianti; _____, fu condannato." (Analysis of structures: Choose the suitable concluding connector. "The evidence was overwhelming; _____, he was convicted.")
Explore More CILS (Certificazione di Italiano come Lingua Straniera)
Continue into nearby exams from the same family. Each card keeps practice questions, study guides, flashcards, videos, and articles in one place.
Key Facts: CILS C2 Exam
CILS QUATTRO-C2 is the highest level of the University for Foreigners of Siena's Italian certification, testing near-native mastery across listening, reading, structural analysis, writing and speaking; this free set drills the three objective sections.
Sample CILS C2 Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to test your CILS C2 exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1Trascrizione (radiogiornale): "L'inflazione, sebbene in lieve calo rispetto al trimestre precedente, continua a erodere il potere d'acquisto delle famiglie, costrette a rivedere al ribasso i consumi non essenziali." (Transcript from a radio news bulletin: "Inflation, though slightly down compared with the previous quarter, continues to erode households' purchasing power, forcing them to cut back on non-essential consumption.") Qual è la conclusione corretta che si può trarre dall'ascolto? (What is the correct conclusion that can be drawn from the listening?)
2Trascrizione (conferenza accademica): "Il relatore ha esordito mettendo in guardia il pubblico dal cadere in facili entusiasmi: la nuova tecnologia, ha precisato, non rappresenta una panacea, bensì uno strumento il cui valore dipende interamente dall'uso che se ne fa." (Transcript of an academic lecture: "The speaker opened by warning the audience against easy enthusiasm: the new technology, he clarified, is not a panacea but a tool whose value depends entirely on how it is used.") Quale atteggiamento esprime il relatore? (What attitude does the speaker express?)
3Trascrizione (dibattito): "— Lei sostiene che la riforma sia inevitabile. — Inevitabile, no; direi piuttosto auspicabile, a patto che se ne correggano le storture più evidenti." (Transcript of a debate: "— You claim the reform is inevitable. — Inevitable, no; I would rather say desirable, provided its most obvious flaws are corrected.") Come si può riassumere la posizione del secondo interlocutore? (How can the second speaker's position be summarised?)
4Trascrizione (intervista radiofonica): "Confesso che, all'inizio della mia carriera, nutrivo non poche riserve su questo metodo; col senno di poi, devo ammettere che mi sbagliavo di grosso." (Transcript of a radio interview: "I confess that, early in my career, I harboured quite a few reservations about this method; with hindsight, I must admit I was badly mistaken.") Cosa pensa oggi l'intervistato del metodo? (What does the interviewee think of the method today?)
5Trascrizione (notiziario culturale): "La mostra, inizialmente prevista per marzo, è stata posticipata a data da destinarsi a causa di un contenzioso tra il museo e i prestatori delle opere." (Transcript of a cultural news report: "The exhibition, initially scheduled for March, has been postponed indefinitely owing to a dispute between the museum and the lenders of the works.") Perché la mostra non si terrà a marzo? (Why will the exhibition not take place in March?)
6Trascrizione (monologo): "Non che la proposta mi lasci del tutto indifferente; semplicemente, non mi convince fino in fondo." (Transcript of a monologue: "It's not that the proposal leaves me entirely indifferent; I simply am not fully convinced by it.") Qual è il vero sentimento dell'oratore verso la proposta? (What is the speaker's true feeling toward the proposal?)
7Trascrizione (conferenza scientifica): "I risultati, per quanto promettenti, vanno presi con le molle: il campione esaminato era troppo esiguo per consentire generalizzazioni." (Transcript of a scientific lecture: "The results, however promising, must be taken with a grain of salt: the sample examined was too small to allow generalisations.") Cosa raccomanda il relatore riguardo ai risultati? (What does the speaker recommend regarding the results?)
8Trascrizione (dibattito politico): "Mi permetto di dissentire: lungi dal risolvere il problema, il provvedimento rischia di aggravarlo." (Transcript of a political debate: "I beg to differ: far from solving the problem, the measure risks making it worse.") Qual è l'opinione di chi parla sul provvedimento? (What is the speaker's opinion of the measure?)
9Trascrizione (intervista): "Diciamo che la critica non è stata tenera con il mio ultimo romanzo. E lei come l'ha presa? Con filosofia: non si può piacere a tutti." (Transcript of an interview: "Let's say the critics weren't kind to my latest novel. And how did you take it? Philosophically: you can't please everyone.") Come ha reagito lo scrittore alle critiche? (How did the writer react to the criticism?)
10Trascrizione (notiziario economico): "Il titolo ha registrato un'impennata in apertura, salvo poi ripiegare nel corso della seduta, chiudendo in sostanziale parità." (Transcript of a financial report: "The stock recorded a sharp rise at the open, only to pull back during the session, closing roughly flat.") Com'è stato l'andamento del titolo nella giornata? (What was the stock's performance over the day?)
About the CILS C2 Exam
The CILS QUATTRO-C2 (Certificazione di Italiano come Lingua Straniera, livello C2) is the highest of the six CILS levels and is issued by the University for Foreigners of Siena, one of Italy's official language-certification bodies. At C2, the exam certifies a command of Italian comparable to that of an educated native speaker: candidates must understand complex academic, journalistic and literary texts, grasp implicit meaning, handle idioms, figurative and specialised language, and produce sophisticated written and spoken Italian. The full exam comprises five independent tests — Ascolto (listening), Comprensione della lettura (reading), Analisi delle strutture di comunicazione (analysis of communication structures), Produzione scritta (written production of two texts) and Produzione orale (oral interaction and monologue). Each test is scored from 0 to 20, with at least 11 required on every test and a minimum total of 55 out of 100 to pass. The QUATTRO-C2 exam is the longest CILS level, lasting around five hours, and listening passages — often drawn from authentic radio interviews and debates — are played twice. CILS C2 is the qualification expected of professional translators and of those teaching Italian as a foreign language. This free practice set focuses on the three objective sections (Ascolto, Comprensione della lettura, Analisi delle strutture di comunicazione), where mastery of inference, nuance and advanced grammar is decisive.
Questions
100 scored questions
Time Limit
Roughly 5 hours of total testing across five tests. Comprensione della lettura runs about 1 hour 20 minutes and Analisi delle strutture di comunicazione about 1 hour 30 minutes; Ascolto (with each passage heard twice), Produzione scritta and Produzione orale make up the rest.
Passing Score
55 out of 100 points overall, with a minimum of 11 out of 20 on each of the five tests (Ascolto, Comprensione della lettura, Analisi delle strutture di comunicazione, Produzione scritta, Produzione orale). All five thresholds must be met simultaneously.
Exam Fee
Approximately 90 EUR to 160 EUR for the QUATTRO-C2 level (2026), depending on the test centre; cultural institutes and private schools may add local surcharges. Confirm the exact fee with your chosen centre. (Centro CILS, Universita per Stranieri di Siena (University for Foreigners of Siena))
CILS C2 Exam Content Outline
Ascolto (Listening)
Comprehension of complex authentic audio (radio interviews, lectures, debates) heard twice, testing inference, implicit meaning, idioms and nuanced speaker attitude at native speed.
Comprensione della lettura (Reading)
Three demanding texts (cultural, journalistic, literary, legal-economic) with questions that follow logic and temporal sequence rather than literal restatement, plus figurative language and authorial stance.
Analisi delle strutture di comunicazione (Analysis of Structures)
Cloze fill-in, verb conjugation, a four-option synonym table and a sentence-rewriting task covering subjunctive, conditional, passive, clitics, connectors and reported speech at C2 level.
How to Pass the CILS C2 Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: 55 out of 100 points overall, with a minimum of 11 out of 20 on each of the five tests (Ascolto, Comprensione della lettura, Analisi delle strutture di comunicazione, Produzione scritta, Produzione orale). All five thresholds must be met simultaneously.
- Exam length: 100 questions
- Time limit: Roughly 5 hours of total testing across five tests. Comprensione della lettura runs about 1 hour 20 minutes and Analisi delle strutture di comunicazione about 1 hour 30 minutes; Ascolto (with each passage heard twice), Produzione scritta and Produzione orale make up the rest.
- Exam fee: Approximately 90 EUR to 160 EUR for the QUATTRO-C2 level (2026), depending on the test centre; cultural institutes and private schools may add local surcharges. Confirm the exact fee with your chosen centre.
Keys to Passing
- Complete 500+ practice questions
- Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
- Focus on highest-weighted sections
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
CILS C2 Study Tips from Top Performers
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the CILS QUATTRO-C2 and who issues it?
CILS QUATTRO-C2 is the highest level of the Certificazione di Italiano come Lingua Straniera, issued by the University for Foreigners of Siena (Universita per Stranieri di Siena). It certifies a command of Italian comparable to that of an educated native speaker and is the level used by professional translators and teachers of Italian as a foreign language.
What score do I need to pass CILS C2?
Each of the five tests is scored from 0 to 20. You must score at least 11 out of 20 on every single test AND reach a total of at least 55 out of 100. Failing any one of the five sections means failing the whole level, even if your total is high.
How is the CILS C2 exam structured?
The full exam has five independent tests: Ascolto (listening), Comprensione della lettura (reading), Analisi delle strutture di comunicazione (analysis of communication structures), Produzione scritta (two written texts) and Produzione orale (oral interaction and monologue). The first three are objective tasks; the last two are productive.
How long is the CILS C2 exam?
QUATTRO-C2 is the longest CILS level, taking about five hours in total. Comprensione della lettura lasts roughly 1 hour 20 minutes and Analisi delle strutture about 1 hour 30 minutes, with the remaining time covering listening, writing and speaking. Each listening passage is played twice.
How much does the CILS C2 exam cost in 2026?
The base fee for QUATTRO-C2 generally ranges from about 90 EUR to 160 EUR in 2026, depending on the test centre. Italian Cultural Institutes and private schools may add local administration surcharges, so always confirm the exact price with your chosen centre.
When can I take the CILS exam in 2026?
CILS exams are administered worldwide on fixed session dates, traditionally including a main session in June and one in December, with additional dates at some centres. Confirm the exact 2026 session dates and registration deadlines with your local Italian Cultural Institute or accredited exam centre.