Rules for a Shared Workspace Trial
About this practice test
A workplace account describes the rules, routines, and early results of a shared-office trial for a small media team.
What you’ll practice
Finding detail
Locate specific information and evidence.
Interpreting ideas
Connect main points and inferences.
Evaluating arguments
Assess claims, evidence, and limitations.
What to expect:
10 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
- B1. 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
- Fill in the blank (dropdown)
How to approach this practice
Read the passage for its main idea, then return to the relevant sentence or paragraph for each question. Base answers on the passage.
Rules for a Shared Workspace Trial
BrightLine Media began a three-month trial of a shared workspace for twelve staff from design, sales, and accounts. The move was not about saving money alone. The old home-office setup had become quiet and separate, and the manager wanted people to solve problems more quickly. Still, everyone agreed that a shared room could easily become messy, so the team wrote simple rules before the trial started. Each person must book a desk by 8 p.m. the day before, and anyone who arrives after 10 a.m. may have to use an overflow table near the windows. Bags, coats, and cups should be kept off the desks, and any visitor needs to sign in at reception. To keep noise under control, phone calls are allowed only in the glass meeting room or in the hallway by the lift. People who listen to music must use headphones. The kitchen is for everyone, but food must be labelled with a name and date so that nothing is forgotten in the fridge. Dirty mugs go in the sink before lunch, not at the end of the day. A small noticeboard near the printer explains these rules again, because new staff sometimes forget them. Maya, the coordinator, checks the board each morning and collects comments in a box beside it. She also asks one person from each department to write down problems after Friday lunch. At first, some workers thought the rules were strict. After two weeks, however, most of them said the room felt calmer and that it was easier to concentrate. They also noticed that people asked for help more often when they were sitting together instead of working alone. Maya said the trial would continue only if most staff believed the rules were fair. She did not want a perfect office; she wanted one that was usable. For her, the best sign of success was simple: fewer complaints and more useful conversations.
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Question 1 · Fill in the blank (dropdown)
Choose the correct option for each blank.
Maya said she did not want a perfect office; she wanted one that was ___.
Return to the passage, recording or visualChoices for blank 1
- expensive
- private
- usable
- temporary
Check answers and explanations
- Blank 1
- usable
The passage says Maya wanted an office that was usable. The other choices do not match her aim: they are about cost, privacy, or how long the trial lasts.
She did not want a perfect office; she wanted one that was usable
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Question 2 · Fill in the blank (dropdown)
Choose the correct option for each blank.
The old home-office setup had become quiet and separate, and the manager wanted people to solve problems ___.
Return to the passage, recording or visualChoices for blank 1
- more quickly
- once a month
- in silence
- at reception
Check answers and explanations
- Blank 1
- more quickly
The passage links the shared workspace to faster problem-solving. 'More quickly' matches the text, while the other options do not fit the reason for the trial.
The old home-office setup had become quiet and separate, and the manager wanted people to solve problems more quickly
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Question 3 · Fill in the blank (dropdown)
Choose the correct option for each blank.
Each person must book a desk by 8 p.m. ___.
Return to the passage, recording or visualChoices for blank 1
- the day before
- at lunchtime
- after two weeks
- on Friday lunch
Check answers and explanations
- Blank 1
- the day before
The rule sets a deadline the evening before the desk is needed. The other choices do not match the time mentioned in the passage.
Each person must book a desk by 8 p.m. the day before
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Question 4 · Fill in the blank (dropdown)
Choose the correct option for each blank.
Anyone who arrives after 10 a.m. may have to use the ___.
Return to the passage, recording or visualChoices for blank 1
- overflow table near the windows
- visitor area
- printer box
- glass meeting room
Check answers and explanations
- Blank 1
- overflow table near the windows
The passage clearly names the overflow table near the windows as the place for late arrivals. The other options are mentioned elsewhere or not at all.
anyone who arrives after 10 a.m. may have to use an overflow table near the windows
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Question 5 · Fill in the blank (dropdown)
Choose the correct option for each blank.
Phone calls are allowed only in the glass meeting room or in the ___.
Return to the passage, recording or visualChoices for blank 1
- kitchen
- visitor area
- hallway by the lift
- printer room
Check answers and explanations
- Blank 1
- hallway by the lift
The passage gives two approved places for calls, and the hallway by the lift is one of them. The other options are not allowed call areas in the text.
phone calls are allowed only in the glass meeting room or in the hallway by the lift
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Question 6 · Fill in the blank (dropdown)
Choose the correct option for each blank.
People who listen to music must use ___.
Return to the passage, recording or visualChoices for blank 1
- cups
- headphones
- labels
- visitor cards
Check answers and explanations
- Blank 1
- headphones
The rule is specific: headphones are required. The other options are unrelated objects or ideas.
People who listen to music must use headphones
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Question 7 · Fill in the blank (dropdown)
Choose the correct option for each blank.
Food must be labelled with a name and date so that nothing is ___.
Return to the passage, recording or visualChoices for blank 1
- moved to reception
- forgotten in the fridge
- cleaned up
- shared at lunch
Check answers and explanations
- Blank 1
- forgotten in the fridge
The passage says labelling food prevents it from being forgotten in the fridge. The other choices do not fit the reason given.
food must be labelled with a name and date so that nothing is forgotten in the fridge
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Question 8 · Fill in the blank (dropdown)
Choose the correct option for each blank.
In paragraph 2, in the sentence "new staff sometimes forget them," "them" refers to ___.
Return to the passage, recording or visualChoices for blank 1
- the departments
- these rules
- the windows
- the mugs
Check answers and explanations
- Blank 1
- these rules
'Them' points back to the rules mentioned just before it: 'new staff sometimes forget them.' The other choices are nearby nouns, but they do not fit the pronoun.
new staff sometimes forget them
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Question 9 · Fill in the blank (dropdown)
Choose the correct option for each blank.
Maya asks one person from each department to write down problems after ___.
Return to the passage, recording or visualChoices for blank 1
- the trial starts
- the office closes
- Friday lunch
- the printer breaks
Check answers and explanations
- Blank 1
- Friday lunch
The passage states the timing directly: the notes are written after Friday lunch. The other options are not supported by the text.
She also asks one person from each department to write down problems after Friday lunch
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Question 10 · Fill in the blank (dropdown)
Choose the correct option for each blank.
After two weeks, most of the staff said the room felt ___.
Return to the passage, recording or visualChoices for blank 1
- less useful
- calmer
- more crowded
- darker
Check answers and explanations
- Blank 1
- calmer
The passage says the room felt calmer. The other options do not match the reported reaction after the trial began.
After two weeks, however, most of them said the room felt calmer
What to review next
Find the words that support each answer. For a mistake, compare the question with the evidence and identify the detail or inference you missed.
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
Look for evidence in the text. Separate what the writer says from what you already know about the topic.
The library normally closes at six, but on Fridays it stays open until eight. When does it close on Friday?
The answer is eight. But introduces an exception to the normal closing time, so the first time mentioned is not the answer.
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.