Fruit Picking Work In Australia & Haast Legal Services: Orientation Day For New Employees - IELTS Reading Answers & Explanations
From IELTS Trainer 2 General Training Reading Test 2 · Part 2 · Questions 15–27
Reading Passage
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 15-27, which are based on Reading Passage 2 below. Read the text below and answer Questions 15-21.
Fruit Picking Work in Australia
Because Australia is such a large place, it has several weather zones and many different crops are grown. This means that there is usually work for fruit pickers somewhere in the country. It's worth remembering that there are other related jobs available after the harvest period, such as pruning and planting.
If you're interested in picking fruit in Australia, plan well and be prepared to work hard!
Here are some tips to help you:
Working in the sun
- Wearing sunglasses, to avoid the glare, and sunscreen is absolutely essential if you want to avoid sunburn. A long-sleeved cotton shirt may not seem appealing, but you will be thankful for it in the heat of the day.
- Keeping hydrated is crucial. You will find that you may drink up to eight litres of water a day if you are working outside. It will save time if you keep your water in something that is clipped onto your belt so that you can take a drink whenever you need to.
Other requirements
- Every farm is different. Sometimes, employers don't supply tools, so workers need to use their own. Check first to make sure you have what you need.
- Consider taking an MP3 player or another device so that you can listen to music. The days can be long, and it makes the time go faster.
Various roles
- Instead of working in the orchard, you may find yourself in a packing shed. There is a lot to be done here too, from packing fruit into boxes, checking quality control and using a forklift to loading large pallets onto trucks.
Payment methods
- Fruit should not be picked when wet so, in the case of rain, you will have to stop work. Therefore, you will not be paid in most instances.
- Some farms pay a flat rate (by the hour), but getting a fixed amount is not common for work that involves collecting fruit; this type of payment is generally for work in the shed. The other, more usual, model is the piece rate: your pay depends on the amount of fruit you bring in at the end of the day.
Remember conditions vary greatly from farm to farm so be sure to check anything you need to know with the employer before you start.
______________
Read the text below and answer Questions 22-27.
Haast legal services: Orientation day for new employees
Here at Haast, we run regular staff-orientation sessions for our new employees. In your first week with Haast, you can expect to attend an orientation program to help you familiarise yourself with the workplace. Generally, this will be conducted for groups of three or more. Below is a rough outline for the day:
9:00 Induction session, Boardroom 2
Here you will learn about the history of our company and meet some of our team. Our HR manager will take you through what is expected of employees from an HR policy perspective and outline the chief priorities of our firm.
10:15 Tour, morning tea, Cafeteria
Our office manager will take you around the office to show you where everything is, including bathroom facilities, stationery and photocopying, first aid kit and payroll. You'll finish in the cafeteria where you'll have the chance to speak to our administrative support staff as well as some of the executives who sit on the board. This is an informal yet important part of the day.
11:00 Sensitive information awareness, Boardroom 3
Here at Haast we often deal with matters of a sensitive nature whether they be personal / family disputes or financial difficulties. This requires a clear understanding of privacy concerns and a commitment to respecting our clients' information. One of our senior staff will outline our policies.
12:30 Lunch
1:30 HR session, 1 Atrium
Be here after lunch to have your photo taken. You will be issued with an employee card (which can be collected from reception at the end of the day). Topics that will be covered include how to apply for various types of leave, submission of timesheets and our dress code.
2:30 Training in your own department
This is where you will learn more about your specific position. If possible, you will join the person who previously held your role for a handover. If this is not possible, your team leader will tell you what you need to know.
Online modules
You will have a week to complete two online modules which cover Haast's sustainability policy and safety in the workplace. Feedback will be given via the portal or in person if necessary.
Questions
Questions 15–21 Sentence Completion
Complete the sentences below.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the text for each answer.
- Sometimes there are employment opportunities following the 15 time when fruit is picked.
- Wearing appropriate clothing, eyewear and 16 is necessary to protect your body.
- It is recommended to take a water bottle that can be attached to a 17.
- It is necessary for fruit pickers to bring 18 if these are not provided.
- Other jobs on the farm may involve moving big 19.
- 20 can affect how much work is done and how much money is earned.
- Most picking jobs pay workers a 21.
Questions 22–27 Flow Chart Completion
Complete the flow-chart below.
Choose ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER from the text for each answer.
Haast New Recruits: Orientation Day
General induction session:
- background of organisation
- expectations at work (HR)
- the organisation's main 22
Meet in Reception, session in Boardroom 2
Tour, Morning tea:
- meet members of the 23 and the admin team
Cafeteria
Information awareness session:
- introduction to issues relating to 24
Boardroom 3
HR:
- go to 25 for employee photo
Training:
- start 26 with predecessor or manager in particular roles
Various departments
- finish training about environmental impact and 27 matters within the week
Online
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q15 | harvest | It's worth remembering that there are other related jobs available after the harvest period, such as pruning and planting | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage points out that even when the main time for picking fruit is over, people can still find different types of work to do on the farm. Answer Explanation: The answer 'harvest' refers to the specific season or time of year when crops and fruits are gathered from the fields or trees. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is supported by the text which explains that after the 'harvest period' (the time when crops are collected), there are 'other related jobs available' (employment opportunities), such as planting or pruning. The word 'following' in the question is a synonym for 'after' used in the text. |
| Q16 | sunscreen | Wearing sunglasses, to avoid the glare, and sunscreen is absolutely essential if you want to avoid sunburn | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that it is very important to use sunglasses and skin protection cream (sunscreen) so that the sun does not hurt your skin while you work. Answer Explanation: The answer is a special cream or lotion you put on your skin to stop the sun from burning it. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "sunscreen" because the passage mentions it as something "absolutely essential"—meaning it is necessary. The sentence in the question lists things needed to protect your body while working outside; the passage specifically groups wearing sunglasses (eyewear), a long-sleeved shirt (clothing), and sunscreen together as the ways to avoid the dangers of the sun. |
| Q17 | belt | It will save time if you keep your water in something that is clipped onto your belt so that you can take a drink whenever you need to | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that attaching your water to your belt makes it easy and fast to get a drink of water while you are working. Answer Explanation: The answer "belt" is a strap you wear around your waist to hold your clothes in place or to carry small items. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "belt" because the text suggests that workers should clip their water container to their belt. This advice is given to help workers save time and stay hydrated while working in the hot sun. In the text, the phrase "clipped onto" matches the phrase "attached to" in the question. |
| Q18 | tools | Sometimes, employers don't supply tools, so workers need to use their own | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that some farm owners do not give workers the equipment they need, so workers have to bring their own sets of gear. Answer Explanation: The answer is equipment or items needed for the job that a worker might have to bring themselves. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'tools' because the passage states that some farms do not provide them to their workers. In these cases, it is up to the individual to bring their own equipment to perform the job. The phrase 'don't supply' in the text matches the phrase 'if these are not provided' in the sentence. |
| Q19 | pallets | Instead of working in the orchard, you may find yourself in a packing shed. There is a lot to be done here too, from packing fruit into boxes, checking quality control and using a forklift to loading large pallets onto trucks | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that there are different jobs on a farm. In the area where fruit is packed, workers often have to load big wooden platforms, called pallets, onto trucks to be moved. Answer Explanation: The answer "pallets" refers to large, flat wooden platforms used to carry and move many heavy boxes at once. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "pallets" because the text explains that outside of the fruit fields, workers might work in a packing shed. In this shed, one of the jobs involves using a machine called a forklift to move "large pallets" onto trucks. The word "big" in the question is a synonym for "large" used in the passage. |
| Q20 | rain | Fruit should not be picked when wet so, in the case of rain, you will have to stop work. Therefore, you will not be paid in most instances | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that fruit cannot be picked while it is wet. If it rains, workers have to stop their work, and because they stop, they do not receive money for that time. Answer Explanation: The answer rain means water falling from the sky. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'rain' because the text says that if it rains, the fruit becomes wet and you must stop picking it. Since work stops, you will usually not be paid for that time. This shows how rain changes the amount of work you can do and the money you earn. |
| Q21 | piece rate | The other, more usual, model is the piece rate: your pay depends on the amount of fruit you bring in at the end of the day | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that the most common way workers are paid for picking fruit is the 'piece rate' system, where earnings depend on how much fruit is picked by the end of the day. Answer Explanation: The answer 'piece rate' is a way of paying workers based on the amount of fruit they harvest rather than the number of hours they work. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'piece rate' because the text explains that getting a fixed hourly rate is not common for picking fruit. It explicitly states that the 'more usual' method used to pay fruit pickers is the 'piece rate,' meaning workers are paid based on the quantity of fruit they collect. |
| Q22 | priorities | Our HR manager will take you through what is expected of employees from an HR policy perspective and outline the chief priorities of our firm | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that during the first meeting, a manager will explain what the company expects from new workers and describe the most important goals (chief priorities) of the business. Answer Explanation: The answer 'priorities' refers to the most important things or goals that the company chooses to focus on or accomplish first. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is derived from the 'Induction session' section of the text. The flow-chart asks for the 'organisation's main' something. In the passage, it states that the HR manager will outline the 'chief priorities of our firm.' Here, 'chief' serves as a synonym for 'main', making 'priorities' the missing piece of information needed to complete the flow-chart. |
| Q23 | board | You'll finish in the cafeteria where you'll have the chance to speak to our administrative support staff as well as some of the executives who sit on the board | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that during the morning tea in the cafeteria, new workers will meet the office helpers (administrative support staff) and the top leaders of the company, who are members of the board. Answer Explanation: The answer "board" refers to the group of high-level managers or executives who lead the company. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is found in the section describing the tour and morning tea at 10:15. The text mentions that new employees will visit the cafeteria, where they will have the opportunity to speak with "administrative support staff" (which the flowchart calls the "admin team") and "executives who sit on the board". Therefore, the missing word in the flowchart phrase "members of the [input]" is "board". |
| Q24 | privacy | This requires a clear understanding of privacy concerns and a commitment to respecting our clients' information | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that since the company handles personal and sensitive data, new staff must learn about the importance of keeping that information secret and safe. Answer Explanation: The answer 'privacy' refers to the rule of keeping personal or secret information safe and not sharing it with others. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is correct because the flow-chart asks for the topic of the information awareness session held in Boardroom 3. The text states that during this session, employees deal with sensitive matters, which requires an understanding of 'privacy' concerns to protect client information. |
| Q25 | Atrium | 1:30 HR session, 1 AtriumBe here after lunch to have your photo taken | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage shows that at 1:30 PM, there is an HR meeting in a room called the Atrium. It tells new workers that they need to be in this room to get their picture taken. Answer Explanation: The answer "Atrium" refers to the specific hall or open room in the office building where new workers must go to get their photograph taken for their official work cards. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is found in the schedule for the orientation day. Under the 1:30 PM HR session, the text lists the location as "1 Atrium." It then instructs new staff members to be at that location to have their "photo taken." Because the flow-chart asks for the location where the photo happens, the word "Atrium" is the correct name of the place. |
| Q26 | handover | If possible, you will join the person who previously held your role for a handover | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that new workers might meet the person who did the job before them so that person can hand over the work and explain how everything is done. Answer Explanation: The answer 'handover' refers to the process of giving information and tasks from one person to the next person who will do the job. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'handover' because the text explains that during the afternoon training session, new employees learn about their specific job. It mentions that if the person who previously had your job (the 'predecessor') is available, you will join them for this process. The flow-chart asks what you start with the predecessor, and the text uses the term 'handover' to describe this transfer of work knowledge. |
| Q27 | safety | You will have a week to complete two online modules which cover Haast's sustainability policy and safety in the workplace | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that new workers have one week to finish two internet-based lessons. These lessons cover the company's rules for protecting the environment and how to keep people safe while they are working. Answer Explanation: The answer refers to the topic of one of the online training modules that new employees must finish. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'safety' because the text describes two online modules that new staff must finish within their first week. These lessons cover the company's sustainability policy (which relates to 'environmental impact' mentioned in the flow-chart) and 'safety in the workplace'. Therefore, 'safety' is the specific subject that completes the training requirement listed in the online section. |