Part 1: Reading Correspondence

Time Allotted: 11 Minutes

Read the following message.

Dear Ms. Green,

I am sorry to bother you, as I know you are very busy, but I would like to change my vacation time request. I asked to take the first 2 weeks of July off, but now, if it is okay, I would like the first 2 weeks of August instead.

The rule is that no changes may be made once requests have been submitted in writing, but I think that requiring requests to be made in January is a little unreasonable. It is difficult for some people to know, 6 months in advance, what their summer plans will be. I understand that time is needed to hire temporary replacements to take care of things while people are away. I am also aware that everyone needs to coordinate their vacation plans in a way that ensures no single department is understaffed. However, I believe 2 or 3 months' notice should be sufficient. According to my friends, that's the amount of notice required by other places of employment here in Canada.

The reason I am changing my request is that I had originally planned to take a trip to Japan during the first 2 weeks of July. However, I have now decided to go to Africa instead, and that tour is scheduled for the first 2 weeks of August. My husband and his retired parents have already made a non-refundable deposit for the trip to Africa for the four of us, and they are really looking forward to it. In fact, my husband, who will be taking a solo business trip to Mexico afterwards, bought six suitcases yesterday and has already started planning everything. I do not want to disappoint my family with news that I cannot get the time off. As I am still giving 5 months' notice, I hope it will be sufficient.

Please let me know at your earliest convenience whether I can change my vacation time to the first 2 weeks of August, as I will need to either finalize the booking with Global Travel Agency or try to get our non-refundable deposit back!

Questions 1-6:

Choose the best option according to the information given in the message.

1. It was unnecessary for the writer to mention the

o date of her initial request.   

o expected period of absence.

o name of the travel agency.

o type of deposit she made.

2. Mrs. Birch accepts that

o advance notice of vacation is required.

o most departments are understaffed.

o replacement workers are unavailable.

o 6 month’s notice is the minimum.

3. Mrs. Birch disagrees with the

o "changes not allowed" rule. 

o "no other employment" rule.

o "requests must be in writing" rule.

o "6 months' notice" rule.

4. The trip to Africa

o is offered only in the summer.  

o occurs when July is over. 

o takes 4 weeks in total.

o will depart from Japan.

5. Mrs. Birch's travel plans include

o family members.  

o her close friends.  

o only her husband.

o her co-workers.

6. In general, Mrs. Birch seems

o confused.

o happy.

o pressured.  

o sorry.

Questions 7-11:

Here is a response to the message. Complete the response by filling in the blanks. Select the best choice for each blank from the answers.

Dear Else,

Thank you for your recent email asking me to 7………………………………I would like to assure you that I very much appreciate your comments about our policy. You are certainly not the first employee here at the Fabulous Furniture Company to 8…………………………. the requirements. I am aware as your email suggests, that other companies are 9………………………………. policies.

Given the information you have provided, I'm pleased to say that I have decided to make an exception and 10………………………………….

I do hope you enjoy your adventure—I myself have wanted to visit 11………………………………. for some time now.

Regards,

Ms. Green

7.

o change the dates you'll be away.

o confirm your travel insurance.

o give you extra time off work.

o revise our vacation policy.

8.

o have difficulty meeting   

o insist on changes to  

o need an explanation of 

o refuse to follow

9.

o different in terms of their

o ignoring such vacation

o now changing such strict

o popular because of their

10.

o approve 2 months' vacation  

o forward your message upwards   

o grant your revised request

o hire your temporary replacement

11.

o Africa 

o Canada

o Japan   

o Mexico

1.

name of the travel agency

Compared with other answer choices, the name of a travel agency should not matter to Ms. Green because it does not affect the company's affairs.

2.

advance notice of vacation is required

I believe 2 or 3 months' notice should be sufficient.

3.

"changes not allowed" rule

The rule is that no changes may be made once requests have been submitted in writing, but I think that requiring requests to be made in January is a little unreasonable. So, Mrs. Birch disagrees with "changes not allowed" rule.

4.  

occurs when July is over

I have now decided to go to Africa instead, and that tour is scheduled for the first 2 weeks of August. So, the trip to Africa occurs when July is over.

5.

family members

I do not want to disappoint my family with news that I cannot get the time off.

6.

pressured

Please let me know at your earliest convenience whether I can change my vacation time to the first 2 weeks of   August, as I will need to either finalize the booking with Global Travel Agency or try to get our non-refundable deposit back.

7. 

change the dates you'll be away

I am sorry to bother you, as I know you are very busy, but I would like to change my vacation time request.

8.

have difficulty meeting

It is difficult for some people to know, 6 months in advance, what their summer plans will be.

9.  

different in terms of their

I believe 2 or 3 months' notice should be sufficient. According to my friends, that's the amount of notice required by other places of employment here in Canada.

10.

grant your revised request

The rule is that no changes may be made once requests have been submitted in writing, but when Ms. Green says, “I'm pleased to say that I have decided to make an exception", it can be inferred that Else's request has been granted.

11.

Africa

The reason I am changing my request is that I had originally planned to take a trip to Japan during the first 2 weeks of July. However, I have now decided to go to Africa instead, and that tour is scheduled for the first 2 weeks of August. The word "instead" means Africa is the new travel plan, so Ms. Green's use of "I myself have wanted to visit" must mean the same destination, Africa.