Motivating Drives - IELTS Reading Answers & Explanations
From IELTS Recent Actual Test 4 Academic Reading Test 6 · Part 3 · Questions 27–40
Reading Passage
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 27-40, which are based on Reading Passage 3 below.
Motivating Drives
Scientists have been researching the way to get employees motivated for many years. This research is a relational study which builds the fundamental and comprehensive model for study. This is especially true when the business goal is to turn unmotivated teams into productive ones. But their researches have limitations. It is like studying the movements of car without taking out the engine.
Motivation is what drives people to succeed and plays a vital role in enhancing an organisational development. It is important to study the motivation of employees because it is related to the emotion and behaviour of employees. Recent studies show there are four drives for motivation. They are the drive to acquire, the drive to bond, the drive to comprehend and the drive to defend.
The Drive to Acquire
The drive to acquire must be met to optimise the acquire aspect as well as the achievement element. Thus the way that outstanding performance is recognised, the type of perks that is provided to polish the career path. But sometimes a written letter of appreciation generates more motivation than a thousand dollar check, which can serve as the invisible power to boost business engagement. Successful organisations and leaders not only need to focus on the optimisation of physical reward but also on moving other levers within the organisation that can drive motivation.
The Drive to Bond
The drive to bond is also key to driving motivation. There are many kinds of bonds between people, like friendship, family. In company, employees also want to be an essential part of company. They want to belong to the company. Employees will be motivated if they find personal belonging to the company. In the meantime, the most commitment will be achieved by the employee on condition that the force of motivation within the employee affects the direction, intensity and persistence of decision and behaviour in company.
The Drive to Comprehend
The drive to comprehend motivates many employees to higher performance. For years, it has been known that setting stretch goals can greatly impact performance. Organisations need to ensure that the various job roles provide employees with simulation that challenges them or allow them to grow. Employees don't want to do meaningless things or monotonous job. If the job didn't provide them with personal meaning and fulfillment, they will leave the company.
The Drive to Defend
The drive to defend is often the hardest lever to pull. This drive manifests itself as a quest to create and promote justice, fairness, and the ability to express ourselves freely. The organisational lever for this basic human motivator is resource allocation. This drive is also met through an employee feeling connection to a company. If their companies are merged with another, they will show worries.
Two studies have been done to find the relations between the four drives and motivation. The article based on two studies was finally published in Harvard Business Review. Most authors' arguments have laid emphasis on four-drive theory and actual investigations. Using the results of the surveys which executed with employees from Fortune 500 companies and other two global businesses (P company and H company), the article mentions about how independent drives influence employees' behaviour and how organisational levers boost employee motivation.
The studies show that the drive to bond is most related to fulfilling commitment, while the drive to comprehend is most related to how much effort employees spend on works. The drive to acquire can be satisfied by a rewarding system which ties rewards to performance, and gives the best people opportunities for advancement. For drive to defend, a study on the merging of P company and H company shows that employees in former company show an unusual cooperating attitude.
The key to successfully motivate employees is to meet all drives. Each of these drives is important if we are to understand employee motivation. These four drives, while not necessarily the only human drives, are the ones that are central to the unified understanding of modern human life.
Questions
Questions 27–31 Multiple Choice (One Answer)
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
Questions 32–34 Multiple Choice (Three Answers)
Choose THREE letters, A-F.
Questions 35–40 Yes / No / Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in Reading Passage 3?
In boxes 35-40 on your answer sheet, write
YES
NO
NOT GIVEN
if the statement agrees with the claims of the writer
if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer
if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q27 | C | But their researches have limitations. It is like studying the movements of car without taking out the engine | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that studies done before had problems. It compares these studies to looking at how a car moves without actually looking at its engine. This means the studies missed the main, important part of what makes people motivated. Answer Explanation: The answer says that scientists who study how to make employees want to work more have focused too much on ideas and not enough on practical things. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is supported by the first paragraph, which talks about the limitations of past research on motivation. It uses a clear example, stating that 'their researches have limitations. It is like studying the movements of car without taking out the engine.' This means the studies were missing important practical parts, like the 'engine' of a car, suggesting they were too focused on theories rather than the core, practical drivers of motivation. |
| Q28 | A | the article mentions about how independent drives influence employees' behaviour and how organisational levers boost employee motivation | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that employees' personal desires ('independent drives') have an effect on ('influence') how they act ('employees' behaviour'). It also explains that methods used by companies ('organisational levers') help increase ('boost') how eager employees are to work ('employee motivation'). This means giving employees what they need will cause their behavior to change. Answer Explanation: The answer means that if workers get what they want or need (their 'drives' are met), their actions and how they work can change in a good way. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A because the passage directly states that employees' innate desires or 'drives' have an impact on their actions. The text mentions that 'drives influence employees' behaviour', meaning that when these drives are satisfied or met, it can lead to positive changes in how employees act, such as showing more commitment or expending greater effort in their work. Therefore, fulfilling these drives causes a positive alteration in their 'behaviour'. |
| Q29 | D | Successful organisations and leaders not only need to focus on the optimisation of physical reward but also on moving other levers within the organisation that can drive motivation | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that good companies and managers should not just give the best money rewards, but also use other methods inside the company to make employees want to work harder and do more. Answer Explanation: The answer means that in order to help employees work as well as possible, companies need to offer them money rewards and praise them for their good work. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is supported by paragraph three, which discusses how to make employees work better. It states that "Successful organisations and leaders not only need to focus on the optimisation of physical reward but also on moving other levers within the organisation that can drive motivation." 'Physical reward' means giving money or other financial benefits (financial incentive). The phrase 'other levers' includes 'recognition', as mentioned earlier in the paragraph when it says 'the way that outstanding performance is recognised'. Both financial incentives and recognition help improve employees' performance. |
| Q30 | B | Employees don't want to do meaningless things or monotonous job. If the job didn't provide them with personal meaning and fulfillment, they will leave the company | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that workers do not want to do jobs that feel useless or boring. If their job does not give them a sense of personal importance and satisfaction, they will quit the company. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the desire to understand helps workers do better because it makes them feel their work is important and has a purpose for their company. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is B because paragraph five explains that the 'drive to comprehend' makes employees want their jobs to have personal meaning and fulfillment. If their work feels important and not just repetitive, they will be motivated and perform better. The passage directly states that employees will leave if their job doesn't provide them with 'personal meaning and fulfillment'. |
| Q31 | C | This drive manifests itself as a quest to create and promote justice, fairness, and the ability to express ourselves freely | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that this motivation, called 'the drive to defend', means people want things to be fair and right, and they also want to be able to speak their minds without limits. Answer Explanation: The answer means that people want to be able to share their thoughts and feelings openly without fear. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is C because paragraph six clearly states that the 'drive to defend' is about wanting to have the 'ability to express ourselves freely'. This means employees believe it is very important to say what they think and feel, or to 'voice their own opinions'. |
| Q32 | — | — | |
| Q33 | — | — | |
| Q34 | A / E / F | Employees will be motivated if they find personal belonging to the company If the job didn't provide them with personal meaning and fulfillment, they will leave the company If their companies are merged with another, they will show worries |
Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that workers are motivated when they feel they belong to the company. The passage also explains that if a job doesn't feel meaningful, workers will quit. Finally, the passage states that employees get worried when their company joins with another one. Answer Explanation: The answer says that (A) workers feel motivated when they feel like they belong to their company, (E) they will quit if their job is not challenging, and (F) they will get worried if their company is sold or joins with another company. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A, E, and F. For answer A, the section 'The Drive to Bond' explains that employees want to feel like they are an important part of the company. It says that feeling a 'personal belonging' motivates them. For answer E, the section 'The Drive to Comprehend' states that employees need jobs that challenge them. It says if a job is boring or has no meaning, employees will 'leave the company'. A job 'lacking challenging' is a job with no meaning or fulfillment. For answer F, the section 'The Drive to Defend' gives an example of this feeling. It says that if companies are 'merged' (joined together), employees 'will show worries'. Being sold is very similar to being merged. |
| Q35 | NO | But sometimes a written letter of appreciation generates more motivation than a thousand dollar check, which can serve as the invisible power to boost business engagement | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that sometimes, a simple thank-you note can make people want to work harder even more than a big amount of money, which acts like a hidden force to make them more involved in their job. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'No'. This means that the passage does not support the idea that giving more money always makes people much more motivated at work. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'No' because the passage explains that while getting paid more (money or 'physical rewards') is a way to make employees want to work more, it is not always the best or only way to get a lot of motivation. The passage gives an example where a simple 'written letter of appreciation' can make people feel even more motivated than a large sum of money. This means that just increasing pay does not guarantee 'high work motivation' and other things are also important. |
| Q36 | NOT GIVEN | Using the results of the surveys which executed with employees from Fortune 500 companies and other two global businesses (P company and H company), the article mentions about how independent drives influence employees' behaviour and how organisational levers boost employee motivation | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that the studies used information from big companies called 'Fortune 500' and two other big international companies, P company and H company. It talks about how these studies show what makes employees work better. However, it does not mention 'local companies' or compare their benefits with 'global companies'. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'NOT GIVEN'. This means the passage does not say if local companies get more help or good things from global companies because of the study. The information is not in the text. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'NOT GIVEN' because the passage talks about studies done with 'Fortune 500 companies' and 'two global businesses', but it never compares how local companies benefit from these studies compared to global companies, or if they benefit more. The passage does not give enough details to agree or disagree with the statement. |
| Q37 | NO | The studies show that the drive to bond is most related to fulfilling commitment, while the drive to comprehend is most related to how much effort employees spend on works | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that studies found that employees feel the most loyalty and dedication (commitment) when their need to connect with others ('drive to bond') is met. It also says that their need to understand and learn ('drive to comprehend') influences how much work ('effort') they put in. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the statement is not correct based on what the writer says in the passage. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is NO because the passage explains which drive helps employees feel the most commitment. It says that the 'drive to bond' is most connected to employees feeling committed. The 'drive to comprehend' is related to how hard employees work, not their commitment. So, the passage contradicts the idea that the drive to comprehend leads to the most commitment. |
| Q38 | YES | For drive to defend, a study on the merging of P company and H company shows that employees in former company show an unusual cooperating attitude | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage talks about a study where two companies, P and H, combined. It says that the workers from the first company (P company) acted in a surprisingly cooperative way when this happened. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'YES'. This means the passage says that the employees in the first company, when it joined with another company, acted in a way that was not expected or normal. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is YES because the passage clearly states that employees in a former company showed a unique reaction when their company merged with another. The passage mentions a study about 'the merging of P company and H company' and specifically notes that 'employees in former company show an unusual cooperating attitude'. This directly supports the idea that their attitude was 'unusual' regarding the merger. |
| Q39 | NO | Two studies have been done to find the relations between the four drives and motivation. | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that two studies were conducted to see how the four natural drives (like the drive to acquire or to bond) relate to 'motivation' (what makes people want to do things) and 'behaviour' (how people act). It also explains how these drives affect how employees act and how company tools can make employees more motivated. The passage does not say the studies looked at 'attitude'. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'NO'. This means the statement, 'The two studies are done to analyse the relationship between the natural drives and the attitude of employees,' is not correct according to the passage. The studies did not focus on employees' attitudes. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'NO' because the passage clearly states what the two studies were done to analyze. The passage mentions that the studies aimed 'to find the relations between the four drives and motivation' and how these drives 'influence employees' behaviour'. It does not say that the studies analyzed the 'attitude' of employees. Since the passage specifically names 'motivation' and 'behaviour' as the subjects of the studies, claiming they also focused on 'attitude' contradicts the information provided about the studies' actual purpose. |
| Q40 | NOT GIVEN | The drive to acquire can be satisfied by a rewarding system which ties rewards to performance, and gives the best people opportunities for advancement | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that giving rewardslinked to good work, and offering chances to grow, helps people feel satisfied with their desire for more. It talks about how rewards motivate, but not about company profits. Answer Explanation: The answer 'NOT GIVEN' means the text does not tell us if giving rewards makes a company lose money or not. This information is simply not in the passage. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'NOT GIVEN' because the passage talks about different drives that motivate employees, including the 'drive to acquire' which can be met through a 'rewarding system'. It explains how these systems work, such as tying 'rewards to performance' and offering 'opportunities for advancement'. However, the passage does not mention anything about whether these rewarding systems cause the company to 'lose profit' or not. This specific financial outcome is not discussed. |