You should spend about 20 minutes to complete this task.
Read the text below and answers questions 1-14 on your answer sheet.
GT Reading Sample – “MOBILE GARBAGE BINS” & “EMPLOYEE ANNUAL LEAVE AND PAY”
Read the text below and answer Questions 1-7.
MOBILE GARBAGE BINS
A
WEBER only uses special impact-resistant polyethylene (HDPE) from major suppliers for manufacturing mobile garbage bins from plastic. This means that quality variations of the finished products can be avoided. All raw materials have been tested for outdoor use and are sufficiently UV-stabilised. The employment of these high-quality raw materials allows using our mobile waste containers over an extremely wide temperature range from -40 °C to +80 °C.
B
Optimised design for many years of use:
Sustained quality and ruggedness of the domestic waste bins must prove itself in practice. The manufacturer Weber optimises its products with this intent. Optimally dimensioned wall thicknesses and optimised design of the areas exposes to stresses and loads ensure ruggedness and long service life of the WEBER recycling bins.
C
Certified two 2 and four 4 wheel mobile garbage bins with guaranteed quality
All mobile waste containers are certified by an independent testing agency. Certification includes the criteria of the European Mobile garbage bins Standard EN 840 and the additional requirements of the RAL quality mark RAL GZ 951/1. Not only a type sample is certified here but the production of the wheeled refuse bins is regularly monitored, to ensure that series products consistently meet the certified requirements as well.
D
All mobile two 2 and four 4 wheel wheelie bins have received the German GS symbol for Tested Safety without exception. The regulations of the GS symbol are legally stipulated in the Federal Republic of Germany. For example, it includes compliance with AfPS GS 2014:01, i.e. testing and assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) when awarded the GS symbol. The regulation was created by the Committee for Product Safety (AfPS) and specifies limits for these carcinogenic substances.
E
ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 Certified Company
Abfallbehälter & Container Weber GmbH & Co. KG operates a Quality Management System according to ISO 9001 and Environmental Management System according to ISO 14001. Integrated production checks and product examinations ensure consistent high quality and numerous environmental aspects with the production of our domestic waste bins. Quality and environmental management systems are monitored regularly by external certifying agencies.
F
Robustness and durability through high-grade materials and solid wall thicknesses. High-quality domestic waste bins and recycling containers from Weber, directly from the manufacturer.
Questions 1-7
Look at the six advertisements above, A-F.
For which facts are the following statements true?
Write the correct letter, A-F, in boxes 1-7 on your answer sheet.
NB You may use any letter more than once.
1. They have both household bins and recycling receptacles.
2. The mobile waste storage bins can withstand a wide range of conditions.
3. They have been tested for safety.
4. They will last a very long time.
5. They are checked by outside agencies.
6. They meet many requirements.
7. They are made from strong materials and are protected from the suns rays.
Read the text below and answer Questions 8-14.
EMPLOYEE ANNUAL LEAVE AND PAY
Taking annual leave
The Act provides for a basic annual paid leave entitlement of 4 weeks, although an employee’s contract could give greater rights.
It is for your employer to decide when annual leave may be taken, but this is subject to a number of conditions. Your employer must take into account your family responsibilities, opportunities for rest and recreation that are available to you and to consult with you (or your union) at least one month before the leave is to be taken. In addition, annual leave should be taken within the appropriate leave year or with your consent, within 6 months of the relevant leave year. Further holding over (also known as carrying-over) of annual leave at your wish is a matter for agreement between you and your employer.
Holiday pay: Pay in respect of annual leave is paid in advance at the normal weekly rate. If your pay varies because, for example, of commission or bonus payments, your pay for your holidays is the average of your pay over the 13 weeks before you take holidays.
Calculating Annual Leave:
Under Section 19 (1) of the Act, you are entitled to a basic annual paid leave entitlement of 4 weeks. There are 3 different ways of calculating your annual leave entitlement:
- Based on the employee’s working hours during what is called the leave year, which runs from April to March. An employee who has worked at least 1,365 hours in a leave year is entitled to the maximum of 4 working weeks’ paid annual leave unless it is a leave year in which they change employment. Many employers use the calendar year (January-December) instead of the official leave year to calculate entitlement.
- By allowing 1/3 of a working week for each calendar month in which the employee has worked at least 117 hours.
- 8% of the hours worked in the leave year, subject to a maximum of 4 working weeks.
An employee may use whichever of these methods gives the greater entitlement. When calculating the entitlement, employers should include all hours worked including time spent on annual leave, maternity leave, parental leave, force majeure leave, adoptive leave or the first 13 weeks of carer’s leave.
An employee who has worked for at least 8 months is entitled to an unbroken period of 2 weeks’ annual leave.
Part-time work: Generally, the annual leave for part-time workers is calculated using the 3rd method, that is, 8% of hours worked. If you work full time for some months and the rest of the year you work part-time, you should calculate the leave for the full-time and the part-time periods of work separately.
Questions 8-14
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the text above?
In boxes 8-14 on your answer sheet, write
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information present
8. The employer can say when an employee can take their annual leave.
9. You can be paid double for any annual leave you take during quiet work times.
10. Leave is normally 4 weeks in one year.
11. You can have more leave if you ask through written permission.
12. Any employee who has worked for more than 10 months without a break, can have 3 weeks off uninterrupted.
13. Part-time employee leave is decided from 8% of the hours worked.
14. Part-time workers are often invited to work for more hours during the year if they want to have more paid leave.
[Source: https://www.w-weber.com & https://www.citizensinformation.ie]
Answer:
1. F
2. A
3. D
4. B
5. E
6. C
7. A
8. TRUE
9. FALSE
10. TRUE
11. NOT GIVEN
12. FALSE
13. TRUE
14. NOT GIVEN