CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH IELTS 3
GENERAL TRAINING
READING AND WRITING
TEST B
SECTION 3 (Questions 28-40)
Look
at the passage below.
FIRST
IMPRESSIONS COUNT
|
A
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Traditionally uniforms were -
and for some industries still are - 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.
|
B
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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 —
particularly in ‘customer facing" industries , and especially in
financial services and retailing. From uniforms and workwear has emerged
‘corporate clothing’. "The people you employ are your
ambassadors," says Peter Griffin, managing director of a major
retailer in the UK. "What they say, how they look, and how they behave
is terribly important." 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.
|
C
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Truly effective marketing
through visual cues such as uniforms is a subtle art, however. 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. Neatness can suggest
efficiency but, if it is overdone, it can spill over and indicate an
obsession with power. "If the company is selling quality, then it must
have quality uniforms. If it is selling style, its uniforms must be
stylish. If it wants to appear innovative, everybody can’t look exactly the
same. Subliminally we see all these things," says Lynn Elvy, a
director of image consultants House of Colour.
|
D
|
But translating corporate
philosophies into the right mix of colour, style, degree of branding and
uniformity can be a fraught process. And it is not always successful.
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.
|
E
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A successful uniform needs to
balance two key sets of needs. On the one hand, no uniform will work if
staff feel uncomfortable or ugly. Giving the wearers a choice has become a
key element in the way corporate clothing is introduced and managed. On the
other, it is pointless if the look doesn’t express the business’s marketing
strategy. The greatest challenge in this respect is time. When it comes to
human perceptions, first impressions count. Customers will size up the way
staff look in just a few seconds, and that few seconds will colour their
attitudes from then on. Those few seconds can be so important that big
companies are prepared to invest years, and millions of pounds, getting
them right.
|
F
|
In addition, some uniform
companies also offer rental services. "There will be an increasing
specialisation in the marketplace," predicts Mr Blyth, Customer
Services Manager of a large UK bank. The past two or three years have seen
consolidation. 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. Huge investments have been made in new systems, information
technology and amassing quality assurance accreditations.
|
G
|
Corporate clothing does have
potentials for further growth. Some banks have yet to introduce a full
corporate look; police forces are researching a complete new look for the
21st century. And many employees now welcome a company wardrobe. A recent
survey of staff found that 90 per cent welcomed having clothing which
reflected the corporate identity.
|
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.
Example
The number of companies
supplying the corporate clothing market.
|
Answer
D
|
28
|
different
types of purchasing agreement
the
original purposes of uniforms
the
popularity rating of staff uniforms
involving
employees in the selection of a uniform
the
changing significance of company uniforms
perceptions
of different types of dress
|
29
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30
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31
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32
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33
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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
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NO
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if
the statement contradicts the writer’s views
|
NOT
GIVEN
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if
it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this
|
34
|
Uniforms
were more carefully made in the past than they are today.
Uniforms
make employees feel part of a team.
Using
uniforms as a marketing tool requires great care.
Being
too smart could have a negative impact on customers.
Most
businesses that supply company clothing are successful.
Uniforms
are best selected by marketing consultants.
Clothing
companies are planning to offer financial services in the future.
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35
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36
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37
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38
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39
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40
|
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ANSWER
KEY
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