Model Paper

Answer all the questions.

01. Use the verbs in the box to complete the sentences below. You may have to change the
forms of the verbs to fit the grammar of the sentences. (15 marks)

(assimilate/ be/ begin/ disagree/ disperse/ exemplify/ have/ inundate/ leave/ live/ relax/
study/ talk/ visit)

1. She has been……………………………………..Chinese for the last five years.

2. The discussion had already…………………………………….when we arrived.
3. He has …………………………………..…in Chicago for eight months.
4. The flight to Salt Lake City…………………………………….at ten past three.
5. Sam……………………………….in North Dakota 5 years ago.
6. They are going to ………………………………….. a research conference.
7. Louise……………………………………..the head office once a month.
8. We all……………………………….about what to do next.
9. She quickly…………………………..the instructions she had been given.
10. I didn’t understand what she was……………………………..………….about.
11. Guests can…………………………………..………in the bar before going to eat in the restaurant.
12. The crowd ………………………………….…rapidly once the meeting was over.
13. We have been ………………………………………with requests for tickets.
14. The new art gallery…………………………………American architecture at its best.
15. Why ……………………………………… (look) at me like that. What’s the matter?

02. Write the following sentences in passive voice. (15 marks)

1. They make vehicles in Japan.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. They will hold the next conference in Sri Lanka.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. Board of Directors was discussing the proposal at the last meeting.
 …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. The company has launched a new product.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5. The contractor will have completed the project by the end of next year.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
6. The president had declared a holiday.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
7. Management is considering a new plan of action.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
8. The Secretary took a decision last month.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
9. Japan still produces No. 01 standard vehicles in the market.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
10. All the members have reached a common agreement.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

03. Write the following sentences from passive voice to active voice. (10 marks)

1. The buildings had been destroyed by the earthquake.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. The project will have been completed by the end of next year.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. A new circular was issued by the management regarding leave.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. A new marketing campaign is being considered.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5. Proposals relating to the new projects were being discussed at the last month’s
meeting.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
04. Complete the following sentences appropriately. (15 marks)

1. If he tries to intimidate us I will complain……………….…........................................................

2. If people are committed………………….…………………………………………………………………

3. If I knew about him…………………………………………………………………………………………

4. If people had planned it early…………………………………………………………….

5. If I had money…………………………………………………………………………………………..

6. If I went to his farewell party…………………………………………………………………………

7. If I knew that the boss was in Sri Lanka……………………………………………………......................

8. If they agree to give a discount…………………………………………………………………………...………

9. If they come up with a better solution……………………………………………………………………

10. If a better idea comes to your mind……………………………………………………………………

05.Combine the two independent clauses by adding a comma and a coordinating conjunction.

( 5 marks)
1. The new printer was installed. No one knew how to use it.
....................................................................................................................................................
2. He was tired. He rested a little.
....................................................................................................................................................
3. They are discussing this matter now. I can hardly hear anything.
....................................................................................................................................................
4. The weather was very good yesterday. We decided to go out.
....................................................................................................................................................
5. The chairperson was late to start the meeting. The meeting ended on time.
....................................................................................................................................................
06. Read the following passage and answer the questions. (20 marks)

HR Challenges of Building a Global Remote Workplace and How to Mitigate Them

Studies show that remote working helps companies and employees generate significant savings
and helps improve worker productivity rates. Reports show that telecommuters are up to 70%
more productive than people working from offices. The increased productivity rates result from
the fact that workers don't waste long hours traveling to and from work through busy, hectic,
traffic-packed roads every day.

More than 53% of reputed global corporates offered work from home options to employees
even before the dawn of the Covid-19 era. While remote working arrangements offer a range of
perks, they also pose challenges for the HR department. Hiring an employer of record to take
care of employee hires and payments might solve several remote working issues.
Hiring New Employees
HR managers of remote workspaces typically hire employees through video meetings or phone
calls. Making accurate assessments of a potential employee's skills and capabilities over the
internet might be challenging. It might not be easy to employ spontaneous tests or innovative
techniques online to test employee caliber online.

The manager will also have to deal with technological issues like slow internet connections and
wavering signals. The solution to this issue might be a more elaborate recruitment process.

The HR task force will have to design tests and tasks that can successfully test a prospective
worker's potential in remote recruitment scenarios. Real-time video-monitored tests and more
extended probation periods may be necessary to ensure that the employee fits the role. HR
managers managing remote workforces will also have to be extra cautious while analyzing a
prospective employee's resume and records.

Communicating and Implementing Company Policies

More than 80% of global business organizations made remote working mandatory for
employees because of the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic. Communicating and executing
company policies and staying transparent about the business's changes is essential to build a
competent workforce.
The manager will have to rely on emailing, video conferencing, and other technological
mediums to communicate with their remote workforces. New strategies and policies may
require employee training, and HR managers will have to find ways to provide training online.

Successful remote working companies recommend working with an employer of record to

make the process easier. The EOR will help the HR team formulate effective strategies to
guarantee the successful implementation of company policies. The EOR may also with
technological support needed to provide training and other seminars online.

Managing a Remote Workforce

Since the managers do not have the luxury of monitoring employees from the same physical
office, they will have to design other methods to do the same. Login records and logout records
are often used to monitor employee's time usage. Many remote working companies use
performance assessment and time management software to analyze the productivity levels of
workers.

In a perfect remote working scenario, employees would log in to work on time, manage their
time efficiently, and submit tasks on time, and report minimal idle time rates. However, the
situation might be different in an actual scenario. The lack of monitoring and accountability
might impact productivity rates adversely.

Regular monitoring and communication with employees through technological mediums and
phone calls will help improve efficiency rates and engagement rates.

Employee Recognition
Only 25% of employees in remote workplaces report feeling recognized and rewarded. Remote
workplaces may not focus on the recognition aspect and employee engagement aspect as much
as physical workspaces. Managers in a physical workspace have several opportunities to meet,
greet and reward employees every day. The employer-employee communication in a remote
workspace is often limited to work-related emails and task assignments.

Remote workspaces can consider hiring an employer of record to help with this issue. EOR
companies have adequate experience taking care of payments of remote workforces and other
organizations.
The HR management team can work with the experts and design systems, methods, and
programs to boost employee recognition and engagement rates. Conducting online meetings or
events to recognize high-performing employees or address employee issues will help make the
situation better.

Employee Retention Issues

Research shows that remote working arrangements help increase employee retention rates by
over 30%. Studies and surveys show that employees working from home are more likely to stay
with the company provided other factors are favorable to their retention.
However, it's critical to implement impactful steps to ensure employee retention. Over 70% of
US employees report that they don't intend to stay in the same job for over 5 years. Adequate
work compensation, timely discharge of compensation, and healthy work hours are core factors
that determine employee retention rates. Hiring an EOR can help improve all these factors.

An efficient EOR team can help boost productivity levels of a remote workspace by over 88%.
Hiring an EOR will help improve efficiency levels and free employers of tasks like making
payments to employees and hiring new employees.

01. Due to which reasons has the productivity of telecommuters gone up to 70%?

______________________________________________________________________________

02. What is suggested to mitigate the remote working issues that the HR department faces?

______________________________________________________________________________

03. What are the difficulties faced by HR Managers when hiring employees through video
conferencing and phone calls?

______________________________________________________________________________

04. What measures are suggested to tackle the difficulties encountered in the online
recruitment process ?

______________________________________________________________________________

05. What is expected from an EOR?

______________________________________________________________________________

06. How is the productivity of remote workforce analyzed?

______________________________________________________________________________

07. What can enhance the efficiency rate of the remote workforce?

______________________________________________________________________________

08. Which aspects have been ignored when managing work stations remotely?

______________________________________________________________________________

09. What is the connection seen between employee retention and the opportunity to work
remotely?

______________________________________________________________________________

10. What determines employee retention rate?

______________________________________________________________________________

07. Fill in the missing words / word of the following paragraph with the words in the box below.
(10
marks)

Work stress didn’t __________appear for the first time during the pandemic, but
“there wasn’t this huge other factor _____________above everyone’s head” before
COVID-19 hit, says Malissa Clark, who studies_______________ at the University of
Georgia. _____________can feed into burnout, she says, as can blurring the
boundaries between work and home life or struggling to parent and homeschool
children on top of working. In other words, the pandemic has been a
“______________” for burnout.

looming / magically / uncertainty / employee well-being / perfect storm

08. Do you speak and write differently in formal situations than you do in informal situations?
Explain with examples. (10 marks)
That's the end of the evaluation.