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Joy English · Level C1 · Work and organisationsjoy-english.com

Test 2: Remote work and organisations

Name:Date:

An advanced mixed test about flexible working and team life: collocation, inversion, cleft sentences and word formation.

Part 1: Multiple-choice gaps

Choose the word or phrase that best completes each sentence.

  1. Some managers remain ___ to the idea of staff working from home full time.
    • a) adverse
    • b) contrary
    • c) averse
    • d) reverse
  2. Claims about productivity gains have been ___ by some studies but contradicted by others.
    • a) borne out
    • b) carried out
    • c) worn out
    • d) held out
  3. A growing body of evidence ___ that isolation can erode team cohesion.
    • a) pretends
    • b) suggests
    • c) insists
    • d) alleges
  4. Remote teams can be highly productive, ___ they are given clear goals.
    • a) unless
    • b) whereas
    • c) despite
    • d) provided
  5. The firm's flexible policy is in stark ___ to its competitors' rigid schedules.
    • a) contrast
    • b) difference
    • c) distinction
    • d) comparison
  6. Not only ___ the new system save time, it also reduced errors.
    • a) has
    • b) does
    • c) was
    • d) did
  7. ___ any problems arise, staff are asked to contact their line manager at once.
    • a) Should
    • b) Would
    • c) Were
    • d) Had
  8. The new director intends to ___ the ropes before she makes any changes.
    • a) show
    • b) teach
    • c) pull
    • d) learn

Part 2: Open gaps

Type one word in each gap.

  1. Contrary ___ popular belief, many remote workers put in longer hours than office staff.
  2. The policy has been introduced ___ a trial basis.
  3. Little ___ managers realise how much informal chat contributes to innovation.
  4. No sooner had the new rules been announced ___ staff began to object.
  5. The more flexibility staff are given, ___ more loyal they tend to be.
  6. Whether or ___ remote work suits you depends on your personality and your home.
  7. It is the quality of communication, not the number of hours, ___ determines a team's success.
  8. Managers were told to take no action ___ they had consulted their teams.

Part 3: Word formation

Use the word in CAPITALS at the end of each sentence to form a word that fits the gap. Type one word.

  1. The firm's ___ to change left it far behind its more flexible rivals. (WILLING)
  2. A sense of ___ often develops when colleagues never meet face to face. (ISOLATE)
  3. Good managers are ___ to the needs of different team members. (SENSE)
  4. The ___ of work and leisure time can cause stress. (BLUR)
  5. She was praised for her ___ in handling the crisis. (RESOURCE)
  6. ___ communication is a common source of conflict in teams. (EFFECTIVE)
  7. Managers must be held ___ for the wellbeing of their teams. (ACCOUNT)
  8. The software has ___ improved the way teams share files. (MARK)

Answer key

Part 1: Multiple-choice gaps

  1. c) averseBe averse to something means to dislike it or be opposed to it. Adverse describes things that cause harm.
  2. a) borne outTo bear out a claim means to show that it is true.
  3. b) suggestsEvidence suggests or indicates something. Evidence cannot pretend or insist.
  4. d) providedProvided (that) means on condition that. Unless would reverse the meaning.
  5. a) contrastIn stark contrast to is a fixed phrase for a very clear difference.
  6. d) didAfter Not only at the start we invert subject and auxiliary. The past tense is needed, so did.
  7. a) ShouldShould + subject + verb is a formal way of saying if any problems arise. Were would need to arise.
  8. d) learnLearn the ropes means to find out how things are done in a job or place.

Part 2: Open gaps

  1. toContrary to means in opposition to.
  2. onWe say on a trial basis, meaning for a test period.
  3. doLittle at the start of a sentence needs inversion: do managers realise.
  4. thanNo sooner is followed by than.
  5. theThe + comparative, the + comparative shows that two things change together.
  6. notWhether or not is a fixed pair.
  7. that / whichThis cleft sentence (It is ... that) puts the focus on the quality of communication.
  8. until / till / unless / beforeUntil (or till), unless and before all give a sensible meaning here: not acting without prior consultation.

Part 3: Word formation

  1. unwillingnessAfter the firm's we need a noun. Being left behind shows a negative sense, so unwillingness.
  2. isolationAfter of we need a noun: isolation.
  3. sensitiveSensitive to means aware of and responsive to. Sensible has a different meaning.
  4. blurringThe gap needs a noun for the process, and the verb is blur, so the -ing noun blurring fits.
  5. resourcefulnessThe noun for the quality of being resourceful is resourcefulness.
  6. ineffectiveThe sense is negative: ineffective communication causes conflict.
  7. accountableBe held accountable for means to be responsible and answerable for something.
  8. markedlyWe need an adverb to modify improved: markedly means noticeably.

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