Reviewing a Hybrid-Working Trial
About this practice test
Develop B2 English listening through a workplace discussion about interpreting trial results, supporting new staff and deciding what to test next.
What you’ll practice
Understanding detail
Follow specific information and examples.
Interpreting ideas
Identify main points and inferences.
Evaluating arguments
Assess claims, evidence, and limitations.
What to expect:
5 questions with explanations to review after submission.
Study the questions and tasks
Work through the material below, or start the interactive practice above to complete an attempt. Try the exercises before opening any answer or transcript sections, then use them to review your work.
- Practice level
- B2. Try this level if you can follow the instructions and understand most of the language; choose an earlier level if you need more support.
- Question formats
- Single choice
How to approach this practice
Read the questions, then listen before opening the transcript. Notice names, numbers and any corrections the speaker makes.
A review meeting about hybrid working
Read the transcript
Nina: Omar, the eight-week hybrid-working trial finishes on Friday. The headline looks encouraging: the team closed twelve percent more customer cases than before. Omar: It does, Nina, but we should look below the headline. Several large accounts moved to another team just before the trial. The cases left with us were generally quicker to handle. I would be careful about crediting the working pattern for the whole increase. Nina: Agreed. The staff survey is positive too. Most people value having two days at home, although the new starters were less enthusiastic. They said it was harder to ask small questions when everyone was scattered. Omar: That surprised me at first. We gave them a shared online help channel, but some worried that posting there would make a basic question visible to the whole department. Their difficulty was not a lack of technology. Nina: Perhaps we should give each new starter a named colleague and a short private check-in. They could still use the group channel when they wanted a wider answer. Omar: Yes, and let us keep one shared office day. Several people said the informal conversations on that day helped them solve problems later in the week. We should not lose that just because individual case totals look good. Nina: The director wants a permanent policy next Monday. I think the evidence supports continuing, but not making that promise yet. Omar: Could we extend the trial for another six weeks? We should record case difficulty as well as totals, and ask new starters whether the check-ins actually help. Then we would have a fairer comparison. Nina: That is what I will recommend. We can retain the two home-working days during the extension and judge the revised arrangement before deciding whether to make it permanent.
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Question 1 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
Why is Omar cautious about the rise in completed cases?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- The work may have become easier.
- The team worked longer office hours.
- The trial lasted less than a week.
- Fewer staff replied to the survey.
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- The work may have become easier.
Omar says the remaining cases were generally quicker after large accounts moved away. The increase may therefore reflect a change in workload rather than the working pattern alone.
The cases left with us were generally quicker to handle. I would be careful about crediting the working pattern for the whole increase.
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Question 2 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
What mainly discouraged some new starters from using the help channel?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- They did not know that it existed.
- They could not connect from home.
- They felt exposed asking basic questions publicly.
- They preferred to solve every problem alone.
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- They felt exposed asking basic questions publicly.
The new starters worried about the whole department seeing a basic question. Omar explicitly says that access to technology was not the problem.
some worried that posting there would make a basic question visible to the whole department. Their difficulty was not a lack of technology.
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Question 3 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
What is Nina's proposed response to the new starters' concerns?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- An end to home working for the whole team
- A private check-in with an assigned colleague
- A rule requiring every question to be posted publicly
- An additional training video on the help software
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- A private check-in with an assigned colleague
Nina proposes a named colleague and short private check-in, while leaving the shared channel available.
Perhaps we should give each new starter a named colleague and a short private check-in.
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Question 4 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
Why does Omar want to keep a shared office day?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- New starters refuse to ask questions at home.
- Informal exchanges can help with later problems.
- It makes the survey results easier to calculate.
- It lets the team complete its easiest cases together.
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- Informal exchanges can help with later problems.
People reported that informal conversations helped them solve problems later. Omar values that benefit beyond individual case totals.
Several people said the informal conversations on that day helped them solve problems later in the week.
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Question 5 · Single choice
Choose one answer.
What do Nina and Omar agree to recommend?
Return to the passage, recording or visual- A permanent policy based only on case totals
- A return to full-time office working next Monday
- A new survey after the permanent policy is announced
- A longer trial with support changes and better measures
Check answers and explanations
- Answer
- A longer trial with support changes and better measures
They agree to extend the trial, introduce support for new starters and record case difficulty before making a permanent decision.
We should record case difficulty as well as totals, and ask new starters whether the check-ins actually help.
We can retain the two home-working days during the extension and judge the revised arrangement before deciding whether to make it permanent.
What to review next
Listen again to difficult sections, then open the transcript to check what you heard. Repeat a useful phrase aloud and try the recording once more without the text.
A focused practice result shows how you did on these tasks. Use several activities across skills to decide what to study next; one practice score does not certify an overall CEFR level.
Before you practise: a worked example
Listen for the final information, especially when a speaker corrects or changes an earlier statement.
Example transcript: “Let’s meet at five — actually, half past five would be better.” What is the final suggested time?
The final suggested time is 5:30. Actually signals a correction; the first time is replaced by the later suggestion.
This teaching example is separate from the scored questions. After your test, compare any mistakes with the explanation and revisit the topic before trying again.