GT Reading Test 2 Section 3 - First impressions count

GT Reading Mock Test 2:

Reading Part 1  |  Reading Part 2   |  Reading Part 3  | 

Part 3:


General Training Reading Sample: FIRST IMPRESSIONS COUNT


Part 3: Questions 28-40

Look at the passage below.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS COUNT

A. Traditionally uniforms were - and for some industries still are - manufactured to protect the worker. When they were first designed, it is also likely that all uniforms made symbolic sense - those for the military, for example, were originally intended to impress and even terrify the enemy; other uniforms denoted a hierarchy - chefs wore white because they worked with flour, but the main chef wore a black hat to show he supervised.

B. The last 30 years, however, have seen an increasing emphasis on their role in projecting the image of an organisation and in uniting the workforce into a homogeneous unit — particularly in ‘customer facing" industries , and especially in financial services and retailing. From uniforms and workwear has emerged ‘corporate clothing’. "The people you employ are your ambassadors," says Peter Griffin, managing director of a major retailer in the UK. "What they say, how they look, and how they behave is terribly important." The result is a new way of looking at corporate workwear. From being a simple means of identifying who is a member of staff, the uniform is emerging as a new channel of marketing communication.

C. Truly effective marketing through visual cues such as uniforms is a subtle art, however. Wittingly or unwittingly, how we look sends all sorts of powerful subliminal messages to other people. Dark colours give an aura of authority while lighter pastel shades suggest approachability. Certain dress style creates a sense of conservatism, others a sense of openness to new ideas. Neatness can suggest efficiency but, if it is overdone, it can spill over and indicate an obsession with power. "If the company is selling quality, then it must have quality uniforms. If it is selling style, its uniforms must be stylish. If it wants to appear innovative, everybody can’t look exactly the same. Subliminally we see all these things," says Lynn Elvy, a director of image consultants House of Colour.

D. But translating corporate philosophies into the right mix of colour, style, degree of branding and uniformity can be a fraught process. And it is not always successful. According to Company Clothing magazine, there are 1000 companies supplying the workwear and corporate clothing market. Of these, 22 account for 85% of total sales - £380 million in 1994.

E. A successful uniform needs to balance two key sets of needs. On the one hand, no uniform will work if staff feel uncomfortable or ugly. Giving the wearers a choice has become a key element in the way corporate clothing is introduced and managed. On the other, it is pointless if the look doesn’t express the business’s marketing strategy. The greatest challenge in this respect is time. When it comes to human perceptions, first impressions count. Customers will size up the way staff look in just a few seconds, and that few seconds will colour their attitudes from then on. Those few seconds can be so important that big companies are prepared to invest years, and millions of pounds, getting them right.

F. In addition, some uniform companies also offer rental services. "There will be an increasing specialisation in the marketplace," predicts Mr Blyth, Customer Services Manager of a large UK bank. The past two or three years have seen consolidation. Increasingly, the big suppliers are becoming ‘managing agents’, which means they offer a total service to put together the whole complex operation of a company’s corporate clothing package - which includes reliable sourcing, managing the inventory, budget control and distribution to either central locations or to each staff member individually. Huge investments have been made in new systems, information technology and amassing quality assurance accreditations.

G. Corporate clothing does have potentials for further growth. Some banks have yet to introduce a full corporate look; police forces are researching a complete new look for the 21st century. And many employees now welcome a company wardrobe. A recent survey of staff found that 90 per cent welcomed having clothing which reflected the corporate identity.

Questions 28-33

The passage "First Impressions Count" has seven paragraphs A-G.
Which paragraphs discuss the following points?
Write the appropriate letters A-G in boxes 28-33 on your answer sheet.

Example                                                                                                  Answer

the number of companies supplying the corporate clothing market.             D

28. different types of purchasing agreement
29. the original purposes of uniforms
30. the popularity rating of staff uniforms
31. involving employees in the selection of a uniform
32. the changing significance of company uniforms
33. perceptions of different types of dress

Questions 34-40

Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer of the passage? In boxes 34-40 on your answer sheet write:

     YES        if the statement agrees with the writer’s views
     NO         if the statement contradicts the writer’s views
     NOT GIVEN   if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

34. Uniforms were more carefully made in the past than they are today.
35. Uniforms make employees feel part of a team.
36. Using uniforms as a marketing tool requires great care.
37. Being too smart could have a negative impact on customers.
38. Most businesses that supply company clothing are successful.
39. Uniforms are best selected by marketing consultants.
40. Clothing companies are planning to offer financial services in the future.

Click the button to Show/ Hide Answers.

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Rating 3.63 (50 Votes)

Harpreet
I can't find the explanation to the paragraphs of reading passages.
Pradeep
I think the answers are wrong for questions 37 and 40.
37: the answer should be "not given" as nowhere it is mentioned that being too smart could have a negative impact.
40: the answer should be "not given" as nowhere it is mentioned that clothing companies are planning to provide financial services and it doesn't talk about the future at all.
(Finacial services are provided by banks such as giving loans, customers having accounts and so on).

Sajib
I totally agree. It's mentioned that being too neat could have a negative effect, but being too smart isn't talked about.
Sac
The answer to question 37 is 'YES' as paragraph C mentions it is overdone, it can spill over. Being too smart implies overdone in this context.
Singh
The answers to question 40 should be 'True' because it is written in the last paragraph that HUGE INVESTMENTS BEING MADE IN THE NEW SYSTEM. Investments are made for the future only.
Umang
Smartness has nothing to do with neatness... The answer should be 'NOT GIVEN' for Question 37.
Varun
"Wittingly or unwittingly, how we look sends all sorts of powerful subliminal messages to other people."
Loai
The text suggests that emphasis on workwear was to attempt to have homogenous team units. However; it did not suggest that it worked out and workers actually had that feeling. We should not answer based on an assumption right?
Veerpal Kaur
It is no because of the grammar. Companies have already planned and are providing it. It is not that they are planning to pay in the future.
Haochi
But let's look at the logic: Does the statement "Companies are providing some financial services (budget control)" contradict with the statement "Companies are planning to offer financial services in the future"? In simpler term, does the former being true make the latter false? I don't think "offering financial services now" means "NOT planning to offer financial services in the future". This question is based on the assumption that "are planning to offer ..." implies "currently not offering any ..." which is logically problematic, therefore there are ways to argue for all options. Just a bad question overall.
Ahsan Qadri
Irrespectively, there is nothing mentioned about providing financial services in the text. Investing in something has nothing to do with providing financial services. It really is a bad question. Same goes for question no. 37. 'Being too smart' is not even there in the context. How is anybody supposed to compare neatness with smartness where there is an option of 'Not Given'? Had it been a case of just 'true' or 'false', the answer would still make some sense.
Kalyan Sundar
For the smartness question the answer is - "Neatness can suggest efficiency but, if it is overdone, it can spill over and indicate an obsession with power."
Priyabrata Prusty
First of all, for question 40, the line depicts that big companies offer a total service, which includes- budget control (financial service). This means financial services have already been provided, so nothing new for the future.

For question 37, the line in paragraph C states that "if it wants to appear innovative, everybody can’t look exactly the same. Subliminally we see all these things", so this means if anybody tries to act oversmart then that will create a negative impact as customers will know played act very well.

Andres
I think the answer is about section D.There are 1000 companies supplying the workwear and corporate clothing market. Of these, 22 account for 85% of total sales - £380 million in 1994.That mean,- There are 1000 companies.- Only 22 accounts or companies have 85% or the sales. For that reason we have 978 companies having only 15% sales, therefore most the companies are not successful.
Andres
I think in section B we could find the answerB. The last 30 years, however, have seen an increasing emphasis on their role in projecting the image of an organisation and in uniting the workforce into a homogeneous unit.
Shravan
It was given like "And it is not always successful. According to Company Clothing magazine, there are 1000 companies supplying the workwear and corporate clothing market. Of these, 22 accounts for 85% of total sales". So, it is 'No'.
Cin
The answer to question 35 should be Not Given. Why is it 'Yes'? Nowhere does it say uniforms make employees feel like a team or united or any of the matter!
Jaspreet
I want to do a discussion on questions 20, 23, 24 and 27.
Jaspreet
Hi Mentor, can you discuss with me questions 20, 23, 24 and 27, please?
Mukesh
Can someone help me to understand the question number 38, please? I think it should be "not given".
Mukesh
Can someone help me with the answer to question 38? I think it should be "NOT GIVEN".
IELTS Mentor
Thanks a lot for sharing your experience with us.
IELTS Mentor
Absolutely.
Rabia
Sure, the real test is much easier, provided that you keep your calm and don't panic.
Rabia
I also thought it's 'not given' initially. But in paragraph 'C', it says something about neatness, if it's overdone, it spills over, (in that case, the answer to Q. 37 could be 'yes'). Hope that helps.
Nurlybek
I agree with the answer to question 40. But what about question 37? Still cant figure it out :(
Rabia
The text refers to some companies which are already doing so, while question says in future... (Q 40)
Rabia
I have the same issue with Q 37. So far 40 is concerned- some companies are already doing so, whereas question refers to the future.
Nurlybek
37. Being too smart could have a negative impact on customers. I thought the answer is NOT GIVEN? Why is it YES? I can't find where it implies that.
40. Clothing companies are planning to offer financial services in the future. Shouldn't the answer be YES? Why is it NO?... which includes reliable sourcing, managing the inventory, BUDGET CONTROL and distribution... Doesn't BUDGET CONTROL relate to Financial Services?

Varun Singh
Ashutosh Arora said :
Hi, I had answered 'Message to President' for question no. 18. Will it be right?
Q: How do you let the CAS President know you are interested in joining a club? Given text: If you are interested in joining any of these clubs, you can leave a message for the President at the CAS Office in the Student Union Building. A: would be (leave a message) to the president, if "leave a" is not mentioned in the given text then it would have been "a message". Hope this helps.

Ashutosh Arora
Hi, I had answered 'Message to President' for question no. 18. Will it be right?
Hardik Patel
Dear Meet, movie is the main title of cinematography and drama, action, comedy come under supported words. Hope this information would be helpful to your question.
Meet
I think the answer to question 14 should be vi. Why is it iii?
Akriti
I also wrote 'an annual event'. Is it correct?
Yang
For Q. 19, would it be correct if I answer '1 year'?
Adebayo Adekusibe
In no 18, I wrote 'by messaging him'. Is it correct?
Janice Macay
Wilson said :
Hi IELTS Mentor, in number 19, if I answer "annual" instead of "annually". Is it right or wrong?
Hi Wilson, the answer should be "annually" as it answers the question "how often" it is held.

Nik
I have written 'once every year'.
Altaf hussain
Will the exam be corrected by a computer or by an English professor? By the way, do we need to write the numbers in full letters or just numbers? Please reply as soon as possible. Thank you in advance.
Abrino
UN stands for the United Nations. I think so.
Chris
@ Sabin you can see a keyword UN General Assembly which shows United Nations.
Funsho
On No.19, I wrote "an annual event" but answers says "annually / once a year / every year / each year". Am I still correct with my answer?
Yousuff
It will be more helpful for learners if all the questions were present here! Thank you nevertheless.
Andrei Frandes
Hi! what if I write "message Cas office" at 18? Is it incorrect?
Sheryl
Theses are the keyword:# non-political unbiased international organisation #international awareness on campus #to build a model of the UN General Assembly.
Jane
Hello, please, let me know why the answer to the question 15 is ''ix''. ''ii/ Education Club'' would have been more appropriate, I assume. Please shed some light on that issue.
Ayesha
Can you please tell how Paragraph 'B' is "United Nations Student Club"?
Wilson
Hi, IELTS Mentor; in number 19, if I answer "annual" instead of "annually", would it be right or wrong?
IELTS Mentor
"Yearly" is also correct.
Abiha
In question 19, can I write 'yearly' instead of 'annually'? Both words mean the same I suppose. Suggestion, please.