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Working Overtime Facts And Fiction Reading Answers

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Sayantani Barman

Experta en el extranjero | Updated On - Feb 8, 2023

Working Overtime Facts And Fiction Reading Answers contains a write up about the working overtime. Working Overtime Facts And Fiction Reading Answers contains a total of 6 paragraphs. Related to the paragraphs are 6 questions. Candidates in this IELTS Section will be shown various question types with clear instructions. The paragraphs contain information about working overtime and unpaid jobs. There have been several facts and fictions mentioned about different countries and jobs.&

Working Overtime Facts And Fiction Reading Answers is an IELTS Reading passage which comprises one type of question: True/False and Not Given. Candidates are required to read each paragraph attentively and thoroughly. The interpretation of each paragraph is must. An overall theme of the paragraph is required to answer the questions. The important information must be remembered. Each paragraph must be interpreted and understood. The information which has not been mentioned must be answered as not given.To gain proficiency, candidates can practice from IELTS reading practice test.

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Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

Work Overtime - Facts and Fiction Reading Answers

  1. Working overtime for no pay has become standard practice in most offices and factories throughout the U.K., U.S., and even Australia and New Zealand - countries where the Workers' Union once ruled supreme. Gone are the days when union bosses could and would order workers to down tools and strike if employers so much as requested a minute of voluntary unpaid work time. What has gone wrong? Or right, depending on your viewpoint?
  2. The financial crisis that overwhelmed the world in September 2008 has been labeled the villain that finally put to rest any notion of compensation for overtime. Airline crews have regularly worked 15-hour shifts for many years with no such luxury. Restaurant staff starting at lunchtime can easily put in 12 hours a day with no expectation of extra pay for their trouble. The difference is that now, right across the board, workers are being asked to stay back at work or run the risk of not being asked to return. It might not be legal just yet, but it is happening.
  3. In Australia, a new Nation Employment Standard says "an employer must not request an employee work more than 38 hours unless the additional hours are reasonable". But how does an employee argue that additional hours are unreasonable? Unreasonable for Whom and Why? What exactly constitutes an unreasonable request to work back later? Working more than 50 hours a week is considered the uppermost limit before work starts to affect your health - according to the International Labour Organisation - but many workers are expected to work as many or more hours to satisfy the ever-increasing consumer demand for a shop or business to stay open and compete in the modern economy.
  4. This situation does not come as news to most older Asian workers who have long been used to working vast numbers of hours per week for a little or no extra monetary reward; however, there is a recent argument that is hard not to accept: worldwide living standards have increased to very high levels for many millions of consumers in the West, and large parts of Asia and fast catching up.
  5. In China and India for example, once considered slow growth economies, the reward for exceptionally hard work is beginning to pay off, with millions of people now able to afford cars and whitegoods that were once luxuries enjoyed in the West.
  6. The fact is that working long and hard pays dividends; if not in the pay packet, then at the pump or at the local supermarket where prices are kept well within reasonable limits while living standards climb slowly higher for the benefit of all. Workers find it difficult to argue for higher wages for more work achieved when consumer rewards are already being felt across the entire world economy. At the same time, the boss can extract more and more hours from staff without having to pay for it. Paid overtime is becoming a distant memory.

Section 2

Solution and Explanation

Questions 22-27

Look at the following statements

Write&

TRUE - if the statement is true&
FALSE - if the statement is false&
NOT GIVEN - if the information is not given in the text.

Write your answers in boxes 22-27 on your answer sheet.

  1. Unpaid overtime is limited to the airline and restaurant industry……………

Answer: False
Supporting Statement: Working overtime for no pay has become standard practice in most offices and factories throughout the U.K., U.S., and even Australia and New Zealand - countries where the Workers' Union once ruled supreme. Gone are the days when union bosses could and would order workers to down tools and strike if employers so much as requested a minute of voluntary unpaid work time.&
Keywords: unpaid work time&
Keyword Location: Paragraph 1
Explanation: As per paragraph 1, it has been mentioned that in the majority of offices and industries throughout the U.K., U.S., and even Australia as well as New Zealand - nations where the Workers' Union previously reigned supreme - working overtime without pay has become the norm. So, the correct answer is False because the question statement is contrary to the actual information.&

  1. Workers who refuse to perform unpaid overtime can be lawfully sacked..............

Answer: False
Supporting Statement: Gone are the days when union bosses could and would order workers to down tools and strike if employers so much as requested a minute of voluntary unpaid work time.
Keywords: days, union, unpaid work
Keyword Location: Paragraph 1
Explanation: As per paragraph 1, it has been clearly mentioned that the days when union leaders could and would urge employees to go on strike if employers even asked for a minute of voluntary unpaid labor time are long gone. So, the question statement is contrary to the actual information provided in paragraph 1. Thus, the correct answer is False.&

  1. Working back late is bad for your health………………….

Answer: Not Given&
Explanation: There has been no relevant information provided in the paragraphs associated with the question statement. Thus, the correct answer is Not given.&

  1. Asian workers now spend more than Western workers……………….

Answer: Not Given&
Explanation: There has been no relevant information provided in the paragraphs associated with the question statement. Thus, the correct answer is Not given.

  1. Living standards across the globe are steadily increasing…………………..

Answer: True
Supporting Statement: there is a recent argument that is hard not to accept: worldwide living standards have increased to very high levels for many millions of consumers in the West, and large parts of Asia are fast catching up.
Keywords: argument, standards
Keyword Location: Paragraph 4
Explanation: As per paragraph 4, it has been clearly mentioned that recently, there has been an argument that is difficult to reject: For many millions of customers in the West, as well as vast portions of Asia, living standards have risen to extremely high levels. So, the question statement is correct. Thus, the correct answer is True.&

  1. Paid overtime may not be necessary when living standards are high………………

Answer: True
Supporting Statement: The fact is that working long and hard pays dividends; if not in the pay packet, then at the pump or at the local supermarket where prices are kept well within reasonable limits while living standards
climb slowly higher for the benefit of all. Workers find it difficult to argue for higher wages for more work achieved when consumer rewards are already being felt across the entire world economy.
Keywords: dividends, standards
Keyword Location: Paragraph 6
Explanation: As per paragraph 6, it has been mentioned that the truth is that putting in a lot of effort pays off; if not in the paycheck, then at the gas pump or the neighborhood grocery store where costs are kept well within acceptable bounds as living standards quietly rise for the benefit of everybody. Workers find it challenging to justify higher pay for additional labor completed when consumer benefits are already seen throughout the entire global economy. So, the correct answer is True.&

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