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Answer Explanation - First Impressions Count
Go to the Reading Passage: First Impressions Count
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.
Questions /Answers & Explanation:
Question 28: different types of purchasing agreement
Answer: F.
Explanation: Paragraph F discusses various purchasing agreements, including rental services and the role of suppliers as 'managing agents' offering comprehensive services. It also states how clothing companies offer a total service ( a combination of different required services) from sourcing, inventory management, budget control and distribution. This indicates different types of purchasing agreements available in the corporate clothing market.
Evidence sentence: "In addition, some uniform companies also offer rental services. 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."
Therefore the answer is F.
Question 29: the original purposes of uniforms.
Answer: A.
Explanation: The first two lines in paragraph A outline the initial/original purposes of uniforms, such as protection for workers, symbolizing hierarchy, and conveying authority or intimidation (in military contexts).
Evidence sentence: "Traditionally uniforms were... 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."
Here, origianl = initial, origianlly intended.
Therefore, the answer is A.
Question 30: the popularity rating of staff uniforms
Answer: G.
Explanation: The last sentence in paragraph G mentions a survey where 90% of staff welcomed clothing reflecting corporate identity, indicating the popularity of staff uniforms.
Evidence sentence: ......... "A recent survey of staff found that 90 per cent welcomed having clothing which reflected the corporate identity."
Here, popularity rating = survey.
So, the answer to this question is G.
Question 31: involving employees in the selection of a uniform
Answer: E.
Explanation: Paragraph E highlights the importance of staff comfort and the practice of giving wearers a choice in their uniforms, emphasizing employee involvement in selection. Look at the second sentence, and you will find that it mentions that giving the wearers (employees) a choice has become a key element in the way corporate clothing is introduced and managed.
Evidence sentence: "... Giving the wearers a choice has become a key element in the way corporate clothing is introduced and managed...."
Here, involving = giving the wearers (employees) a choice.
Therefore the answer is E.
Question 32: the changing significance of company uniforms
Answer: B.
Explanation: Paragraph B discusses the evolution of uniforms from simple identification to tools for projecting a company's image and uniting the workforce, indicating a shift in their significance.
Evidence sentence: "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.........." 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.
Thus, the answer is B.
Question 33: perceptions of different types of dress
Answer: C.
Explanation: Paragraph C explores how different clothing styles and colors send various subliminal messages, affecting perceptions of authority, approachability, conservatism, and openness. It outlines that dresses that are dark in color give an aura of authority while lighter pastel shades suggest approachability. It also mentions how certain dresses create a sense of conservatism and openness to new ideas... and so on.
Evidence sentence: "...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..."
Therefore, the answer is C.
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
Questions /Answers & Explanation:
Question 34: Uniforms were more carefully made in the past than they are today.
Answer: NOT GIVEN.
Explanation: The reading passage does not provide any information comparing the quality or care in the making of uniforms in the past versus today.
Question 35: Uniforms make employees feel part of a team.
Answer: YES.
Explanation: Paragraph B mentions that uniforms play a role in uniting the workforce into a homogeneous unit, indicating that they help employees feel part of a team. If you also look at the last sentence in this paragraph, you will notice that it says "From being a simple means of identifying who is a member of staff, ........
Evidence sentence: "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." ..........From being a simple means of identifying who is a member of staff, the uniform is emerging ..........
Question 36: Using uniforms as a marketing tool requires great care.
Answer: YES.
Explanation: The very first line in paragraph C, emphasizes that effective marketing through uniforms is a subtle art, implying that careful consideration is necessary when using uniforms as a marketing tool.
Evidence sentence: "Truly effective marketing through visual cues such as uniforms is a subtle art, however. ........."
Question 37: Being too smart could have a negative impact on customers.
Answer: YES.
Explanation: Paragraph C suggests that excessive neatness in uniforms can indicate an obsession with power, (which might negatively affect customers' perceptions).
Evidence sentence: "Neatness can suggest efficiency but, if it is overdone, it can spill over and indicate an obsession with power."
Here, neatness overdone = too smart, it can spill over = can have a negative effect, and indicate an obsession of power = convey a negative message to customers.
Question 38: Most businesses that supply company clothing are successful.
Answer: NO.
Explanation: Paragraph D mentions that there are 1000 companies that supply company clothing and just 22 of them constitute the 85% sales volume. In other words, the remaining 982 companies have only 15% sales share. It indicates that most businesses that supply clothing to corporates and offices are NOT successful.
Evidence sentence: "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."
Question 39: Uniforms are best selected by marketing consultants.
Answer: NOT GIVEN.
Explanation: The passage suggests that employees should be involved in uniform selection, emphasizing comfort and practicality. However, there is NO mention that marketing consultants are great and best at selecting uniforms...
Question 40: Clothing companies are planning to offer financial services in the future.
Answer: NOT GIVEN.
Explanation: To answer this question, you need to read paragraphs E and F. Paragraph E mentions that big companies are preparing to invest time and money. It says that they are preparing or planning to invest money, but it does not say if the clothing companies are planning to offer money or financial services.
Then paragraph F states that clothing companies offer renting services and big clothing suppliers are becoming managing agents which means they offer a total service ... including reliable sourcing, managing the inventory, budget control and distribution to central locations or to individual employees. Huge investments have been made in new systems ... But it does not say if the clothing companies are going to offer any financial services or not.
Therefore, the answer to this question is NOT GIVEN.
This is the end of the "Answers Explanation" section for the reading passage "First impressions count".
Do you have any questions regarding this answer explanation section? If so, we'd highly appreciate your comment.
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