Why You Should Delegate Tasks To Team Members & Choosing The Right Format For Your Cv - IELTS Reading Answers & Explanations
From Cambridge IELTS 13 General Training Reading Test 2 · Part 2 · Questions 15–27
Reading Passage
==== Read the text below and answer Questions 15-20. ====
Why you should delegate tasks to team members
Delegation helps you get more done, helps your team members progress through learning new things and spreads the load in the team.
When you give someone a project task to do, make sure that they have all the information they require to actually get on and do it. That includes specifying the date it is due, writing a clear definition of the task, providing any resources they need to get it done or names of people you expect them to talk to. It also means informing them of any expectations you have, such as delivering it as a spreadsheet rather than a Word document.
If you have concerns that someone doesn’t have the skills to do a good job (or they tell you this outright), make sure that you offer some help. It might take longer this time but next time they will be able to do it without you, so it will save you time in the long run.
Once you have given the task to someone, let them get on with it. Tell them how you expect to be kept informed, like through a report once a week. Then let them get on with it, unless you feel things are not progressing as you would like.
As a project manager, you have to retain some of the main project responsibilities for yourself. You shouldn’t expect someone else on the project team to do your job. Equally, don’t delegate tasks such as dull administrative ones, just because you don’t want to do them. But remember that project management is a leadership position so you don’t want your role to be seen as too basic.
One way to free up your time to spend on the more strategic and leadership parts of project management is to delegate things that are regular, like noting whether weekly targets have been met. Could someone in your team take this on for you? This can be a useful way of upskilling your team members to complement any ongoing training and allowing them to gain confidence too.
So in summary, be clear, supportive, and don’t micromanage. Don’t become the problem on your project that prevents progress just because you’re afraid to leave people alone to get on with their jobs.
==== Read the text below and answer Questions 21-27. ====
Choosing the right format for your CV
A good CV should be clear, simple and easy to understand. Here are four of the most popular CV formats and advice on when to use them:
Chronological
This is the traditional CV format and is extremely popular because it allows employers to see all the posts you have held in order. It provides flexibility because it works in almost all circumstances, the exception being if you have blocks of unemployment that are difficult to account for. This type of format is particularly useful when you have a solid and complete working history spanning five years or more.
Functional
The functional CV is designed to describe your key skills rather than the jobs you have done. The functional CV format is typically used by people who have extensive gaps in their employment history, or have often changed jobs. It also suits those who want to go in a different direction work-wise and change industry. You might choose it if you want to highlight skills learned early in your career, points that might get missed if a chronological format is used. It is also appropriate if you have done little or no actual work, for example, if you are one of the current years graduates.
Because this format is often used to cover a patchy employment history, some interviewers may view such CVs with suspicion, so be very careful should you choose it.
Achievement
An alternative to the functional CV is to use an achievement-based resume highlighting key achievements in place of skills. This can help show your suitability for a role if you lack direct experience of it.
Non-traditional
With the explosion of digital and creative industries over recent years, CV formats have become more and more imaginative. You can present information through graphics, which can be more visually engaging and turn out to be an unusual but winning option. This will definitely make you stand out from the crowd. It also demonstrates design skills and creativity in a way that a potential employer can see and feel. However, a highly creative CV format is only really appropriate for creative and artistic sectors, such as those involving promoting products, though it would also work for the media too.
Questions
Questions 15–20 Sentence Completion
Complete the sentences below.
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the text for each answer. Write your answers in boxes on your answer sheet.
- Ensure team members are aware of any 15 there are regarding how the work should be presented.
- Make sure support is made available if any 16 exist as to the team member’s ability to do the work.
- Ask the team member to detail how the work is developing, for example by providing a regular 17
- Don’t delegate administrative tasks simply because they are 18
- Managers can ask a team member to check on the achievement of 19 at fixed intervals.
- If you 20 you risk delaying the whole project.
Questions 21–27 Note Completion
Complete the notes below.
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the text for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes on your answer sheet.
CV formats
There are several different formats including:
Chronological
– very common
– gives 21 in most cases
– perhaps inappropriate if there are periods where 22 is not easy to explain
Functional
– appropriate for people who intend to follow a new 23 in their career
– suits recent graduates
– can create 24 in recruiters, so is best used with caution
Achievement
– focuses mainly on what the person has achieved
– may be advisable if the person has no 25 in the area
Non-traditional
– enables use of attractive 26 to present data
– suits applications for jobs in marketing or 27
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q15 | Expectations | It also means informing them of any expectations you have, such as delivering it as a spreadsheet rather than a Word document | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that you need to tell team members what you expect from them. This means explaining how you want them to do the work and what format they should use. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'Expectations.' This means what you think should happen or what you want from someone. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'Expectations' because the passage mentions the importance of telling team members what you expect in terms of how the work should be done. It highlights that you need to inform team members about how you want the project delivered, such as the format (for example, a spreadsheet instead of a Word document). Keywords in the passage include 'expectations' and 'informing them of any expectations you have.' |
| Q16 | Concerns | If you have concerns that someone doesn't have the skills to do a good job | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that if you have worries that a person does not have the right skills to complete the task well, you should help them. Answer Explanation: The answer means any worries or doubts you might have. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'concerns' because in the passage, it talks about how if you have worries that someone does not have the ability to do a good job, you should offer help. This means that 'concerns' are the worries about a team member's skills. |
| Q17 | Report | Tell them how you expect to be kept informed, like through a report once a week | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says you should tell them how you want to be updated, for example, with a report every week. This means you want them to inform you regularly about their work. Answer Explanation: The answer 'Report' means a written update about the work. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'Report' because in the passage, it says that you should ask the team member how the work is developing by asking for a regular report. This means you want them to give you updates on their progress. Look for the part where it talks about staying informed through reports. |
| Q18 | Dull | Equally, don't delegate tasks such as dull administrative ones, just because you don't want to do them | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that managers should not give away boring tasks just because they don't want to do them. 'Dull administrative ones' means simple, unexciting tasks. Answer Explanation: The answer means boring or not interesting. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'dull' because the passage mentions that project managers should not delegate tasks that are dull administrative ones just because they do not want to do them. This shows that 'dull' describes tasks that are not exciting or interesting. |
| Q19 | Targets | Could someone in your team take this on for you? This can be a useful way of upskilling your team members to complement any ongoing training and allowing them to gain confidence too | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage talks about how letting team members handle certain tasks can help them learn and gain confidence, which is important for reaching goals. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'targets.' This means specific goals or aims that a team needs to reach. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'targets' because in the passage, it mentions that managers can ask team members to check on the achievement of these targets at fixed intervals. Targets refer to the goals that need to be monitored to ensure the team is making progress. |
| Q20 | Micromanage | Don't become the problem on your project that prevents progress just because you're afraid to leave people alone to get on with their jobs | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that a manager should not be the reason the project stops moving forward because they are worried about letting team members work independently. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'micromanage'. This means when a manager pays too much attention to every small detail of how a team member is working. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'micromanage' because the passage warns against being too controlling or involved in every small part of a team member's work. It says that managers should let team members do their jobs without too much interference, or it can slow down progress. |
| Q21 | Flexibility | It provides flexibility because it works in almost all circumstances, the exception being if you have blocks of unemployment that are difficult to account for | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that using a chronological CV format allows you to adapt to many situations, which is called flexibility. It works well unless you have long periods without work that are hard to explain. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'flexibility.' This means you can change and adapt easily to different situations. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'flexibility' because the passage says that the chronological CV format provides flexibility in almost all situations. This means it can be used in many different cases, showing that it is very useful. |
| Q22 | Unemployment | the exception being if you have blocks of unemployment that are difficult to account for | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that if you have times of unemployment, it can be hard to explain your job history clearly. Answer Explanation: The answer 'unemployment' means times when someone does not have a job. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'unemployment' because the passage mentions that the chronological CV format may not be suitable if there are 'blocks of unemployment that are difficult to account for.' This means if a person has times when they were unemployed, it might be hard to explain their job history using this format. |
| Q23 | Direction | The functional CV format is typically used by people who have extensive gaps in their employment history, or have often changed jobs. It also suits those who want to go in a different direction work-wise and change industry. | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that some people use the functional CV when they want to change the type of work they do. This means they are looking for a new direction. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'Direction', which means a path or focus you want to follow in your job. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'Direction' because the passage mentions that the functional CV format is suitable for people who want to change their work path or industry. This means they are looking for a new direction in their career. |
| Q24 | Suspicion | Because this format is often used to cover a patchy employment history, some interviewers may view such CVs with suspicion, so be very careful should you choose it | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that functional CVs are often used when someone has gaps in their job history. Some interviewers may question these CVs, so it is important to be careful if you choose to use this format. Answer Explanation: The answer means that people may doubt or question something. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'suspicion' because the passage says that some interviewers may view functional CVs with suspicion. This means they might not trust or believe the information in these types of CVs, especially if there are gaps in employment history. |
| Q25 | Experience | This can help show your suitability for a role if you lack direct experience of it | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that the Achievement CV is a good choice for someone who does not have experience in that job area. Answer Explanation: The answer means the skills and knowledge someone has gained from working in jobs before. It is important for showing what you can do. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'Experience' because the passage explains that the 'Achievement' CV format is good for people who do not have direct experience in a role. It highlights what they have achieved instead of their past jobs. |
| Q26 | Graphics | With the explosion of digital and creative industries over recent years, CV formats have become more and more imaginative. You can present information through graphics, which can be more visually engaging and turn out to be an unusual but winning option | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that because creative jobs have grown, CVs can now be more creative. Using 'graphics' helps to show important information in a way that is interesting to look at, which can help someone get noticed by employers. Answer Explanation: The answer means 'pictures or drawings used to show information.' Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'graphics' because the passage mentions that non-traditional CV formats can use 'graphics' to present information. This can make the CV look more interesting and catch the attention of employers in creative jobs. |
| Q27 | Media | However, a highly creative CV format is only really appropriate for creative and artistic sectors, such as those involving promoting products, though it would also work for the media too | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that a creative CV format is good for jobs in creative fields, like promoting products and in media. This shows that using a creative CV is suitable for media jobs. Answer Explanation: The answer is 'Media.' This means areas like television, radio, or online content. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'Media' because the passage says that non-traditional CV formats are appropriate for jobs in creative fields, including those in media. Media jobs often require creative presentation of information, making this choice suitable. |