Assessment of Communicative Language Competences.

Reading Comprehension - 30 points

Read the text and complete the tasks that follow.

Champion Yourself at Work

If you’re a younger employee, you’ve no doubt run up against the struggle of getting noticed for your work. One
of the biggest battles in the workplace is getting recognition for the work you do without coming across as
boastful or a braggart. Even older, seasoned workers have to fight to get their work recognised.
The truth is, however, that you have lots of opportunities to champion yourself at work and point out
your victories: in meetings, presentations and even company-wide e-mails. If you're always talking about how
good you are at your job and how lucky the company is to have you, you'll come across as conceited, or even just
as an idiot. But speak too little of your work, and you could miss out on assignments, raises, promotions, and
your own private jet. OK, maybe not the last one, but if you want to take your career to the next level, you need
to champion yourself at work.
The first rule of championing yourself at work is to have something worth crowing about. You need a
particular achievement, because going around telling people you're great for no reason at all makes you sound
full of yourself. You should always have something specific, and it should be measurable. Measurements are a
sure way to show change, improvement in an area that was weak. There's a saying in business: “If you can't
measure it, you can't manage it.” Numbers are an easy handle. Your boss could spend a few hours a week sitting
in on the sales team, watching how many deals are made, and the overall mood of the division. Or, he could read
the sales figures for the month, and the number of employees who've quit this year versus last.
When you achieve the result you've aimed for, you truly have something to brag about. However, if you
play that victory off the wrong way you'll come across as cocky. So instead of going around bragging about what
a fine job you did, share with the others around you how proud they should be of the success the company had.
Do what you can to share the praise.
Have you ever had a question for your boss or something to get their feedback on and felt brushed off by
them? You may have even felt unimportant or unappreciated to them. Well, barring the few truly bad bosses out
there, most bosses care about their teams a great deal. Your boss doesn't mean to ignore you, he’s just busy. So
don't feel bad if you get a lukewarm reception from your boss -- you may have caught them at a bad time. Keep
bringing up the good things you're accomplishing. Don't give up, and keep reminding your boss of your past
accomplishments and the big projects you're currently facing.
No. Item Score
I. Circle the letter corresponding to the correct variant to complete the statements. 4 points
1. If you want to take your career to the next level, you should … .
A
a. speak too little of your work.
0
b. miss out your own private jet. 1
c. champion yourself at work.

2. Measurements are a certain method to … .

a. manage your business. A
0
b. show change and improvement. 1
c. tell people you’re great for no reason.

3. If you achieve the targeted result you … .

a. should play that victory off the wrong way.
A
b. should come across as cocky. 0
 c. indeed have something to brag about. 1

4. Your boss doesn’t mean to ignore you because … .

a. he is busy. A
b. he isn’t a bad boss. 0
1
c. you feel unimportant.

II. In the text, identify the meaning of the words. Circle the letter corresponding to the 2 points
correct variant.
1. The word “braggart” in the text means:
A
a. show-off
0
b. champion 1
c. leader
2. The word “praise” is closest in meaning to:
A
a. goal
0
b. inspiration 1
c. admiration
III. Answer the questions below, choosing words and/or numbers from the text. 4 points
1. What should you point out in order to champion yourself at work? A
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 0
2. What is “If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it” in business? 1
2
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3
3. How much time could your boss spend sitting in on the sales team? 4

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4. What should you keep reminding your boss besides the big current projects?

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IV. Match the halves of the sentences. Write the answers in the table below. One is extra. 4 points
1. One of the biggest battles in the workplace a. something specific. A
2. You have lots of opportunities to b. unimportant to them. 0
1
3. You should always have c. is getting recognition for the work you do. 2
4. You may have even felt d. the number of employees. 3
4
e. champion yourself at work.

1 2 3 4

V. Identify if the statements are true or false. Circle the letter corresponding to the correct 6 points
variant. Justify the answer by quoting the text and write it on the lines below.

1. If you’re always talking about how good you are at your job and how lucky the company
is to have you, you will certainly succeed. A
0
 a. True b. False 1
2
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2. There are many truly bad bosses in the work world. A

0
a. True b. False
1
2
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3. You shouldn’t feel upset if your boss brushes you off, he/she is probably very busy.
a. True b. False A
0
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1
2
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VI. Write the most important ideas in order they come in the text. Fill in the table with the 8 points
letter corresponding to the correct variant (A, B …)
A. Prove that you are worthy, show a particular achievement, yet do not tell people you are A
great for no reason. 0
2
B. The biggest struggle in the workplace is to get recognition for the work you do.
4
C. Brag about your accomplishments and share your praise only if you made your company 6
succeed. 8
D. Be sure you behave in a proper way, yet speak about your accomplishments in order to
champion yourself at work.

1 2 3 4

VII. What is the main idea of the text? Circle the letter corresponding to the correct variant. 2 points
a. In order to get promoted you should brag about your results showing that you are better A
than your coworkers. 0
b. In order to be appreciated by your boss you should always speak about your achievements 2
and remind him of your past accomplishments and big projects you are involved in.
c. In order to get recognition for the work you accomplish you should find opportunities to
champion yourself at work presenting something specific yet measurable.

TOTAL 30
points