IELTS Reading #97: The future of work

Questions 1–4: Multiple Choice

Choose the correct letter A, B, C or D.

1. The first paragraph tells us about

A) the kinds of jobs that will be most affected by the growth of AI. B) the extent to which AI will after the nature of the work that people do. C) the proportion of the world’s labour force who will have jobs in AI in the future. D) the difference between ways that embodied and disembodied AI with impact on workers.

2. According to the second paragraph, what is Stella Pachidi’s view of the ‘knowledge economy’?

A) It is having an influence on the number of jobs available. B) It is changing people’s attitudes towards their occupations. C) It is the main reason why the production sector is declining. D) It is a key factor driving current developments in the workplace.

3. What did Pachidi observe at the telecommunications company?

A) staff disagreeing with the recommendations of AI B) staff feeling resentful about the intrusion of AI in their work C) staff making sure that AI produces the results that they want D) staff allowing AI to carry out tasks they ought to do themselves

4. In his recently published research, Ewan McGaughey

A) challenges the idea that redundancy is a negative thing. B) shows the profound effect of mass unemployment on society. C) highlights some differences between past and future job losses. D) illustrates how changes in the job market can be successfully handled.

Questions 5–8: Summary Completion

Complete the summary below.
Drag words from the box into the blanks.
Write your answers in boxes 5–8.

Word Box:

pressure satisfaction intuition promotion reliance confidence information

The ‘algorithmication’ of jobs

Stella Pachidi of Cambridge Judge Business School has been focusing on the ‘algorithmication’ of jobs which rely not on production but on (5) . While monitoring a telecommunications company, Pachidi observed a growing (6) on the recommendations made by AI, as workers begin to learn through the ‘algorithm’s eyes’. Meanwhile, staff are deterred from experimenting and using their own (7) , and are therefore prevented from achieving innovation. To avoid the kind of situations which Pachidi observed, researchers are trying to make AI’s decision-making process easier to comprehend, and to increase users’ (8) with regard to the technology.

Questions 9–14: Classification

Classify the following according to the passage.
Write the correct letter, A, B, or C, in boxes 9–14. NB You may use any letter more than once.

List of people

A. Stella Pachidi
B. Hamish Low
C. Ewan McGaughey

9. Greater levels of automation will not result in lower employment.	A	B	C
10. There are several reasons why AI is appealing to businesses.	A	B	C
11. AI’s potential to transform people’s lives has parallels with major cultural shifts which occurred in previous eras.	A	B	C
12. It is important to be aware of the range of problems that AI causes.	A	B	C
13. People are going to follow a less conventional career path than in the past.	A	B	C
14. Authorities should take measures to ensure that there will be adequately paid work for everyone	A	B	C

IELTS Reading Practice Test: The future of work

Reading Passage Content Summary

Question Types Included

Test Information

Reading Passage Content

Questions 1–4: Multiple Choice

Questions 5–8: Summary Completion

Word Box:

The ‘algorithmication’ of jobs

Questions 9–14: Classification

List of people

Reading Passage Content

Questions 1–4: Multiple Choice

Questions 5–8: Summary Completion

Word Box:

The ‘algorithmication’ of jobs

Questions 9–14: Classification

List of people