Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) Practice Test 2025 - Free CPE Practice Questions and Study Guide

A critical incident is defined as an event that significantly disrupts the normal functioning of a specific environment, such as a campus community, but does not necessarily impact the larger surrounding community. The correct answer highlights that critical incidents cause disturbances within a more localized context, affecting operations, safety, or wellbeing on campus. This differentiation underscores the focus on the internal community—a critical incident may lead to immediate concerns, requiring attention from campus authorities, but it does not reach the scale or severity of a crisis, which typically entails a broader or more severe impact affecting a larger population or area.

Each of the incorrect choices presents a different perspective that does not align with the distinctive nature of a critical incident. The first choice suggests that the critical incident must have a wider impact on the community, which is not the defining feature of such an event. The third option posits that a critical incident solely pertains to individual challenges, ignoring its broader implications within a community. Lastly, suggesting that a critical incident is always minor contradicts its potential to disrupt and necessitate a response, as incidents can vary widely in severity and impact.