# Motivating Employees under Adverse Conditions: answers and explanations

Cambridge IELTS 6, Test 3, Reading Passage 2

Source: Passage, questions and answer key from Cambridge IELTS 6, Test 3, Reading Passage 2. © Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Used for educational practice. Explanations and evidence notes are written by Testmigo.

## Answer key

| Q | Answer | Proof |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 14 | vii | managers should ensure that all employees have specific goals and receive comments on how well they are doing in those goals |
| 15 | iii | if employees see them as unachievable they will reduce their effort |
| 16 | ii | Managers could use their knowledge of each employee to personalise the rewards over which they have control. |
| 17 | iv | Managers need to make rewards contingent on performance. |
| 18 | i | employees perceive that rewards or outcomes are equitable and equal to the inputs given |
| 19 | NO | When an organisation is shrinking, the best and most mobile workers are prone to leave voluntarily. |
| 20 | NOT GIVEN | if the job is running a small business or an autonomous unit within a larger business, high achievers should be sought |
| 21 | NO | High achievers will do best when the job provides moderately challenging goals and where there is independence and feedback. |
| 22 | YES | employees are likely to perceive the participation process as manipulative and be negatively affected by it |
| 23 | NOT GIVEN | must regard the appraisal process as valid |
| 24 | YES | Eliminating the secrecy surrounding pay by openly communicating everyone's remuneration |
| 25 | B | the existence of external goals is less important because high achievers are already internally motivated |
| 26 | C | The clerical workers considered factors such as quality of work performed and job knowledge near the top of their list |
| 27 | A | production workers rated advancement very highly |

## Why these answers are right

**14. vii.** Key Point Two opens by saying managers should make sure all employees have specific goals and receive comments on how well they are doing. Specific goals are targets and comments on progress are feedback, so the heading is vii, establish targets and give feedback.

**15. iii.** Key Point Three warns that if employees see goals as unachievable they will reduce their effort, so managers must make sure staff feel confident their efforts can reach performance goals. Making goals seem achievable matches heading iii, ensure targets are realistic.

**16. ii.** Key Point Four starts from the idea that employees have different needs, so a reward that works for one may not work for another. It says managers should use their knowledge of each employee to personalize rewards, which is heading ii, match rewards to individuals.

The why and the trap for questions 17 onwards are free with an account on the [answers page](https://testmigo.com/ielts/reading/motivating-employees-under-adverse-conditions/answers).

[Practice Motivating Employees under Adverse Conditions](https://testmigo.com/ielts/reading/motivating-employees-under-adverse-conditions)