Table of Contents
BEST IELTS General Reading Test 556
IELTS GENERAL READING TEST 556 – PASSAGE – 2
IELTS GENERAL READING TEST – 556
READING PASSAGE – 2
Getting along in the workplace – basic guidelines
Don’t escalate problems up to your manager.
Of course you must keep your manager informed if delays, mistakes or problems occur, but don’t just present the problem – also offer a solution. This approach ensures that your manager is able to see that you are able to problem solve and that you can be very useful in helping them with their workload. Mistakes happen and things do not always go to plan in a work situation. If this occurs, don’t automatically try to blame others.
It is much better to look for an opportunity to take responsibility for the issue at hand and how to make the situation better, even if it is not directly your fault. Arrange a face to face discussion with your manager to explain the situation and take full responsibility. Keep the communication to your manager short and do not provide excuses but do offer solutions and ways in which the same mistake can be avoided in the future.
IELTS General Reading Test
Use face to face meetings or the telephone to communicate bad news or criticism.
Never communicate negative opinions or bad news using e-mail or voicemail. It is worthwhile to spend the time picking up the phone or setting up a face to face meeting. However, using email to communicate good news or praise for a job well done is a great idea as these kinds of messages can then be easily forwarded to other parties to spread the positive information and sense of achievement.
If you receive an e-mail with negative opinions from another person, or if you are copied on an e-mail debate where negative opinions are shared, never “reply to all” to continue the discussion. It is much more productive for personal relationships to call the person directly and arrange to set up a face to face meeting for the parties involved.
IELTS General Reading Test
Make sure that you re-direct credit and thanks to others who deserve it.
When a project is completed, send an e-mail to all the people who were involved and helped to achieve success – make sure that you include all relevant management in the email. General content of the email should include an announcement that the project was completed successfully and include particular thanks to the people who made it happen. This is a useful strategy to get management to see you as a leader and to build relationships with your colleagues.
Take time for social interaction in the workplace
While of course you must demonstrate ability and competency in the workplace, do not underestimate the importance of being able to get along socially with your colleagues and managers. Having people alongside you who see you in a positive light and support you personally is vital to success and happiness in your job. You can be the most competent person in the office but are unlikely to get ahead if managers do not like you or feel you create friction within the team.
IELTS General Reading Test
You can encourage good relations by making time for social events – drinks or meals after work to welcome new colleagues, stopping for a short break to celebrate someone’s birthday, the birth of a child, success at passing a qualification at night school. From time to time you could even surprise your co-workers with a food treat. Put out snacks on your desk and invite co-workers and managers to stop by and have a quick break. Small kindnesses can go a long way!
Questions 14 and 15
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
14. If errors occur in the workplace, it is recommended to…
A. hold a face to face meeting with the person responsible
B. give a detailed explanation of the problem to the manager
C. see the manager face to face and suggest a resolution.
D. communicate the problem to all involved by email
IELTS General Reading Test
15. Email is a useful tool for…
A. keeping all parties informed of all developments in the workplace
B. arranging face to face meeting
C. allowing other people to pass on positive information
D. communicating with employees when issues occur.
IELTS General Reading Test
Questions 16 – 19
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.
Considering how others perceive you and how you relate to them is important in the workplace. Acknowledging 16…………….. such as birthdays, successes, arrival of new employees helps build rapport with others in the workplace. Never try to take all the credit for good work done yourself. Making an 17…………….. that work has been finished well and passing on thanks to people who achieved this by email is recommended.
This 18…………….. is a valuable way of demonstrating leadership skills and winning the support of others. If you are the kind of person who causes 19…………….. and not harmony at work, you may be overlooked time after time when it comes to promotion.
IELTS General Reading Test
Read the text below and answer questions 20-26.
Choosing a career
A. Considering personal interests
Surveys show that to achieve job satisfaction, enjoying what you do is more important than earning a large salary. High interest levels and motivation are likely to lead to success in the workplace and promotion opportunities in the future. Generally, the more interested we are in something, the better we are at doing it. Are you unsure where your interests really lie?
Many young people have no idea what career path they may wish to follow, if this is the case, you might decide to consult a career development professional (a career counsellor or career development facilitator). A career development professional is able to help you carry out a self assessment using various tools to help you decide which working sphere may suit you. He or she is then able to show you how all these combined factors add up to helping you in choosing a career.
IELTS General Reading Test
B. Utilising existing skills
Existing skills may be in place from previous careers, voluntary work, hobbies or participation in club activities. Can any pastimes or leisure pursuits that you already enjoy translate into a career? For example, a creative person who enjoys working with their hands may suit a career in crafts or carpentry. A person who is interested in spending their spare time using computers and is knowledgeable about technology may be suited to a career in information technology. If you are short on existing skills and are having difficulty securing a job, perhaps a suitable option could be to take on some voluntary work in a field you are interested in to make your C.V. more interesting to prospective employers.
C. Work-related values
Most of us like to feel that we are making a contribution to the world in the way that we live our lives, and it is important that our values match expectations of what we must do in the workplace. Some people gain satisfaction through helping others and may choose a career in a social context, working with the elderly, children or the disadvantaged, for example. If you are expected to perform certain tasks or support business tactics that you disagree with, frustration and dissatisfaction are likely to occur. When considering a job, evaluate whether the company’s ethics match your own – would you feel comfortable working for a cigarette manufacturer, for example?
IELTS General Reading Test
D. Personality
Different careers may tend to attract certain personalities. Various personality tests exist which can help us understand what kind of character we have; some organisations ask potential employees to complete personality tests at the interview stage to gauge how well they may fit into a company culture. Many careers such as customer service require successful employees to have strong social skills, while some people who are more reserved may feel happier working in a role that requires lower levels of social interaction – working with data or accounts, for example.
E. Lifestyle preferences
The career you choose must be in sync with the lifestyle you wish to lead for long-term happiness and satisfaction. For example, a high powered career in business is likely to mean that the individual will need to be based in, or travel to a major city. Hours are likely to be long and added travel times can be even more tiring. Farmers may choose their career path due to an underlying love of the countryside and nature.
IELTS General Reading Test
Some people may select a career with the long term outcomes and benefits in mind. For instance a young doctor is usually required to work extremely long hours in the first few years of the career, but may be prepared to accept this over the shorter term as they can expect to reap the benefits of a very comfortable salary and reduction in work load in later years of their professional life.
Questions 20 – 26
Look at the information about the considerations when choosing a career A-E. For which options are the following statement true?
Write the correct letter A-E.
NB. You may use any letter more than once.
20. Potential employers may specifically analyse this when considering applicants for a job.
21. Acceptance of a demanding working situation early on in a career can lead to long term rewards.
IELTS General Reading Test
22. Unpaid employment can add value from employers’ perspectives.
23. Negative feelings are likely to interfere if this is not aligned with the company’s culture.
24. Career advancements are more likely if this is properly taken into account.
25. Job location is important when fulfilling this consideration.
26. The degree to which this factor is relevant depends on the type of job.
IELTS General Reading Test
IELTS General Reading Test
ANSWERS
14. C
15. C
16. SOCIAL EVENTS
17. ANNOUNCEMENT
18. STRATEGY
19. FRICTION
20. D
21. E
IELTS General Reading Test
22. B
23. C
24. A
25. E
26. D
IELTS General Reading Test