Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Susan was looking for a job for a very long time. Finally, after many months of
sending lots CVs a letter was sent to her. The letter Susan received said: “We want
to interview you. You need to take a psychometric test, too”. Last year, more than
70% of the companies used these tests for potential employees. Susan had applied
for the job of assistant in the Public Relations department of one of those
companies.
On the day of the interview, she arrived early and she was taken upstairs to the
office where she had to take the test. Susan respected the short time limit set for
the test. She ended up choosing, as quickly as she could, the adjectives that better
described her at work. However, she had a difficult time with the test and she
didn’t fill out all the answers.
One week later, a letter with a copy of her profile analysis was sent by the company
and she found out that she was turned down for the job. Susan disagreed with the results as she was described
as an ambitious and impatient person. She refused to give up and she called a psychologist friend and asked for
an explanation. After talking to her, Susan sent a polite disagreement letter to the company. The company
answer back apologizing.
Susan was asked to take a longer and more detailed psychometric test and to keep on with the recruitment
process. This time she didn’t run out of time and the results she got were more realistic and accurate. The
position as Public Relations assistant was given to her and they understood that a 10-minute test is not enough
to give all the necessary information about a job candidate.
Reading comprehension questions
1. In the reading, which of the following IS NOT mentioned for psychometric tests?
a) Are used by more than 70% of companies to test potential employees.
b) Gives important information about a potential employee.
c) Have time limits for the potential employees to answer.
d) Are done always by the psychologist of companies.
2. What was the time limit for the first test? The time limit for the first test was 10 minutes
4. What did the results say about Susan? She is an ambitious and impatient person
5. What was the difference between the first and the second psychometric test?
The second psychometric test was longer and more detailed. _
A phrasal verb is a combination of a verb and preposition, a verb and an adverb, or a verb with both an
adverb and a preposition. A phrasal verb has a meaning which is different from the original verb. That's
what makes them fun, but confusing. You may need to try to guess the meaning from the context, or, look it up
in a dictionary. Phrasal verbs are mainly used in spoken English and informal texts. (The more formal a
conversation or text, the fewer phrasal verbs are found.)
Examples
look up – consult a reference book (look a word up in a dictionary)
look for – seek (look for her ring)
look forward – anticipate with pleasure (look forward to meeting someone.
Activity 4.1: Look for phrasal verbs in the job interview reading and write them in the boxes below.
Activity 4. 3: Complete the sentences with the appropriate form of the verbs from the boxes. There is an extra
word you don’t need.
1. When looking for the first job, it is crucial that people are persistent and don’t give up .
2. Some people hand in or send out around 200 CVs before getting a job.
3. Additional to your CV, there are some companies that require for you to fill out an application.
4. Build up your confidence before facing a job interview.
Passive voice is used when the focus is on the action. This one is not important or not known; however, who
or what is performing the action.
Always use verb to be according to the tense and the past participle form of the main verb!!!
Example 1: Active: Marc writes a letter (present simple)
Passive: A letter is written by Marc (passive- present simple)
Example 2: Active: Marc wrote a letter (past simple)
Passive: A letter was written by Marc (passive- past simple)
Activity 5.2: Complete the table with missing verbs in past and past participle
Present form Past form Past Participle Present form Past form Past Participle
form form
Respect Respected Respected Keep Kept Kept
Send Sent Sent Throw Threw Thrown
Call Called Called Break Broke Broken
Use Used Used Pay Paid Paid
Give Gave Given Get Got Gotten
Choose Chose Chosen Find Found Found
Reject Rejected Rejected Run Ran Run
Write Wrote written Wake Woke Woken
Activity 5.3: Change the following sentences into passive voice in present tense:
4. 70% of companies in the United States use psychometric tests for potential employees.
Psychometric tests for potential employees are used by 70%
Activity 5.4: Complete the following sentences using the verbs from the box into passive voice in past tense.
a. A resignation letter Was wrote by John to his boss, when he decided to quit the job.
b. The best candidate was chosen by Human Resources for the sales position.
c. The dress code by employees who don’t like the idea of someone telling them
was used what
to wear.
by psychologists to analyze potential employees.
d. Psychometric tests
was rejected