READING PASSAGE 2
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 15-27, which are based on Reading Passage 2 on the following pages.
Formal Dress Code for Company Employees
At Transit European, the company’s objective in establishing a formal dress code is to enable our employees to project the professional image that is in keeping with the needs of our clients and customers who seek our guidance, input, and professional services. Because our industry requires the appearance of trusted business professionals and we serve clients at our site on a daily basis, a more formal dress code is necessary for our employees.
Formal Dress Code Guidelines
In a formal business environment, the standard of dressing for men and women is a suit. Alternatively, a jacket may be worn with appropriate accessories. Torn, dirty, or frayed clothing is unacceptable. [Crack IELTS with Rob] Clothing should be pressed and never wrinkled. No dress code can cover all contingencies so employees must exert a certain amount of judgement in their choice of clothing to wear to work. If you experience uncertainty, please ask your supervisor for advice.
Shoes and Footwear
Conservative walking shoes, dress shoes, loafers, boots, flats, dress heels, and backless shoes are acceptable for work. Not wearing stockings or socks is inappropriate. Tennis shoes and any shoe with an open toe are not acceptable in the office.
Accessories and Jewellery
The wearing of ties, scarves, belts, and jewellery are encouraged, provided they are tasteful. Items which are flashy should be avoided.
Makeup, Perfume, and Cologne
A professional appearance is encouraged and excessive makeup is unprofessional. Remember that some employees may have allergic reactions to the chemicals in perfumes and makeup, so wear these substances in moderation.
Hats and Head Covering
Hats are not appropriate in the office. [Crack IELTS with Rob] Headcovers that are required for reasons of faith or to honour cultural tradition are permitted.
Dress Down Days
Certain days can be declared dress down days, generally Fridays. On these days, business casual clothing is allowed. Clothing that has our company logo is strongly encouraged. Sports team, university, and fashion brand names on clothing are generally acceptable. However, you may wish to keep a jacket in your office in case a client unexpectedly appears.
Violation of Dress Code
If clothing fails to meet these standards, as determined by the employee’s supervisor, the employee will be asked not to wear the inappropriate item to work again. If the problem persists, the employee will receive a verbal warning and may be sent home to change clothes.
JLP Retail: Staff benefits
Whatever your role, your pay range will be extremely competitive and reviewed in the light of your progress. In addition to your salary, you will enjoy an array of excellent benefits from the moment you join the company.
Paid Holiday
The holiday entitlement is four weeks per year, rising to five weeks after three years (or in the case of IT graduate trainees, after promotion to programmer or trainee analyst). [Crack IELTS with Rob] There are further long-service increases for most staff after ten or fifteen years. Managers, including graduate trainees, receive five weeks’ holiday from the outset.
Pension scheme
We offer a non-contributory final salary pension scheme, payable from the age of 60, to most staff who have completed the qualifying period of five years.
Life assurance
Our life assurance scheme pays a sum equivalent to three times your annual salary to your nominated beneficiary.
Discounts
After three months’ service, all staff are entitled to a 12% discount on most purchases from the company’s stores. This rises to 25% after one year’s service.
Subsided dining room
In most sites, we provide a dining room where you can enjoy excellent food at very reasonable prices.
Holiday and leisure facilities
The business owns a number of residential clubs which offer subsidised holiday accommodation for staff with at least three years’ service.
Sports clubs
We support an extensive range of sports activities including football, netball, golf, skiing, sailing, squash, riding and gliding.
Ticket subsidies
Ticket subsidies of 50% of the cost of plays or concerts are available. [Crack IELTS with Rob] Staff may also take advantage of corporate membership to bodies such as the Science Museum.
Education subsidies
We give generous financial support to staff who wish to acquire leisure skills or continue their education, e.g. through the Open University or evening classes.
Extended leave
Staff who complete 25 years’ service can enjoy paid sabbatical leave of up to six months.
Health services
We have an occupational health service staffed by full-time doctors and health advisers.
Financial help, benefits and discounted deals
In cases of particular hardship, we will help staff with a loan. We have also negotiated a range of benefits for staff such as discounted private healthcare and a car purchase scheme, along with a number of one-off deals with hotels and amusement parks.
Questions 15 - 21
Complete the notes below.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage of Formal Dress Code for Company Employees for each answer.
Write your answers in blank spaces 15-21 on your answer sheet.
Notes on Company Dress Code
| Aim of formal dress code: to present a (15) to clients |
| Acceptable types of formal clothing: jacket or suit |
PROFESSIONAL
| State of clothes: they must be (16) and in good condition |
| Footwear: tennis shoes and open-toe shoes are not allowed |
PRESSED
| Accessories: ties, scarves, belts and jewellery may be worn |
| - these must be (17) and not brightly coloured |
TASTEFUL
| Makeup: avoid wearing too much makeup and perfume. |
| - these sometimes cause (18) |
ALLERGIC REACTIONS
| Hats: hats should not be worn |
| - headcovers in line with religious reasons or (19) are allowed |
CULTURAL TRADITION
| Dressing down: casual clothing is allowed on some Fridays |
| - clothing with the (20) on it is recommended. |
COMPANY LOGO
| Breaking the dress code: if advice is repeatedly ignored, a (21) is given |
VERBAL WARNING
Questions 22 - 27
Complete the sentences below.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage of JLP Retail: Staff benefits for each answer.
Write your answers in blank spaces 22-27 on your answer sheet.
22. Pay increases to depend on them that each member of staff makes .
PROGRESS23. Employees must work a minimum of to be eligible for a pension.
FIVE YEARS24. Staff may take a holiday at one of the provided by the company.
RESIDENTIAL CLUB25. The company pays half the seat price for and plays.
CONCERTS26. The company gives financial assistance for both educational courses and as part of staff development.
LEISURE SKILLS27. Employees may be entitled to if they find themselves in difficult circumstances.
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Please click the red words below for other Sections of this Mock Test:
| Mock Test 1 | Listening Test |
| Mock Test 1 | General Reading Passage 1 |
| Mock Test 1 | General Reading Passage 3 |
