A Workaholic Economy — IELTS Reading Answers

Today, employees are facing a reduction in working hours.

“In fact, working hours have increased noticeably since 1970 — perhaps because real wages have stagnated since that year”

The text says working hours have increased noticeably since 1970, contradicting the claim that employees face a reduction in working hours.

Social planners have been consulted about US employment figures.

“Only a generation ago social planners worried about what people would do with all this new-found free time. In the US, at least, it seems they need not have bothered”

The passage says social planners worried about free time a generation ago but never says they were consulted about US employment figures.

Salaries have not risen significantly since the 1970s.

“In fact, working hours have increased noticeably since 1970 — perhaps because real wages have stagnated since that year”

The writer says real wages have stagnated since 1970, supporting the claim that salaries have not risen significantly.

The economic recovery created more jobs.

“Indeed, the current economic recovery has gained a certain amount of notoriety for its “jobless” nature: increased production has been almost entirely decoupled from employment”

The current recovery is notorious for its jobless nature, with increased production almost entirely decoupled from employment.

Bailyn’s research shows that part-time employees work more efficiently.

“She cites both quantitative and qualitative studies that show increased productivity for part-time workers: they make better use of the time they have, and they are less likely to succumb to fatigue in stressful jobs”

Bailyn cites studies showing increased productivity for part-time workers, who make better use of their time and resist fatigue.

Increased leisure time would benefit two-career households.

“She says the U.S. market for goods has become skewed by the assumption of full-time, two-career households”

The text mentions two-career households skewing the goods market but never discusses whether extra leisure would benefit them.

Bailyn argues that it is better for a company to employ more workers because

1. Ait is easy to make excess staff redundant.
2. Bcrises occur if you are under-staffed.
3. Cpeople are available to substitute for absent staff.correct
4. Dthey can project a positive image at work.

““The extra people can cover the contingencies that you know are going to happen, such as when crises take people away from the workplace.””

Bailyn says extra people can cover contingencies such as when crises take people away from the workplace, i.e. substitutes for absent staff.

Schor thinks it will be difficult for workers in the US to reduce their working hours because

1. Athey would not be able to afford cars or homes.correct
2. Bemployers are offering high incomes for long hours.
3. Cthe future is dependent on technological advances.
4. Dthey do not wish to return to the humble post-war era.

“She says the U.S. market for goods has become skewed by the assumption of full-time, two-career households. Automobile makers no longer manufacture cheap models, and developers do not build the tiny bungalows that served the first postwar generation of home buyers”

Schor notes car makers no longer produce cheap models and builders no longer build tiny bungalows, so workers could not afford cars or homes.

“companies have responded to improvements in the business climate by having employees work overtime rather than by hiring extra personnel Even hourly employees receive benefits - such as pension contributions and medical insurance - that are not tied to the number of hours they work “It’s taken as a ‘negative signal’...”

B, D, F and G fit: firms prefer overtime to hiring, benefits reward long hours, hours signal commitment, and managers use hours as a proxy for output.