Compréhension écrite : Is Thursday the New Friday?

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יש לקרוא את הטקסט ולענות באנגלית על השאלות בחלק A (70 נקודות). אחר כך עונים על חלק אוצר המילים (30 נקודות). אין להשתמש במילון: רשימת המילים שמתחת לטקסט מסבירה את המילים הקשות. אפשר לענות במילים שלך, אלא אם השאלה מבקשת להעתיק מהטקסט.

Read the text and answer the questions in Part A in English (70 points). Then do the Vocabulary part (30 points). You may NOT use a dictionary; the word list under the text explains difficult words. Answer in your own words if the question does not ask for words from the text.

A report on the four-day work week

For most of the last hundred years, the five-day work week has been

normal in many countries. Now a growing number of companies are asking a

simple question: what would happen if employees worked four days instead of

five, but for the same salary?

One of the best-known experiments took place in the United Kingdom in

2022. About sixty companies, from small shops to software firms, gave their

workers a paid day off every week for six months. When the trial ended, most

of the companies decided to continue with the shorter week. Managers

reported that their businesses had not lost money, and many employees said

they felt less stressed and slept better.

Similar trials have also been carried out in other countries. At

Brightline, an Israeli design company with forty employees, the staff have

worked from Sunday to Wednesday since last year. "We were worried at first,"

admits the company's director, Ronit Shalev. "But people are more focused

now. We have fewer long meetings, and people don't waste time, because they

know they have only four days to finish their work."

For many workers, the extra day has changed their lives. Avi Cohen, a

graphic designer at Brightline, uses his Thursdays to look after his two

young children. "Before, I hardly saw them during the week," he says. "Now I

take them to the park, and my wife can go back to her studies." Other

employees use the day for sport, hobbies or simply to rest.

However, the four-day week does not suit every job. Hospitals, schools

and shops need people every day, so they cannot simply close for an extra

day. In some trials, employees had to work much longer hours on the four

days, and they ended up more tired than before. Critics also warn that

customers may become annoyed if they cannot reach a company on Thursdays.

Experts agree that the shorter week works best when companies change the

way they work, and not only the number of days. "If you try to fit five days

of work into four, you will fail," explains Ronit Shalev. "You have to

decide what really matters and stop doing the rest."

Whether the four-day week will become the new normal is still not clear.

For now, though, the workers at Brightline have no plans to go back.

Exercices

Part A — Reading comprehension

Exercice 1

What question are a growing number of companies asking? Choose the correct answer. (lines 1–4)

  1. Should companies close on Fridays and Saturdays?
  2. Should employees work four days and earn less money?
  3. Should employees work five days for a higher salary?
  4. Could employees work four days instead of five for the same salary?
Voir la réponse et le corrigé

Réponse : D Could employees work four days instead of five for the same salary?

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Exercice 2

Complete the table about the trial in the United Kingdom. (lines 5–10)

Columns: Detail | Information

Number of companies — ____

Voir la réponse et le corrigé

Réponse : Number of companies — About sixty companies

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Exercice 3

Complete the table about the trial in the United Kingdom. (lines 5–10)

Columns: Detail | Information

Length of the trial — ____

Voir la réponse et le corrigé

Réponse : Length of the trial — Six months

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Exercice 4

Complete the table about the trial in the United Kingdom. (lines 5–10)

Columns: Detail | Information

Result for the businesses — ___

Voir la réponse et le corrigé

Réponse : {{en|They had not lost money (most decided to continue)}}

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Exercice 5

Complete the table about the trial in the United Kingdom. (lines 5–10)

Columns: Detail | Information

Result for many employees — ___

Voir la réponse et le corrigé

Réponse : {{en|They felt less stressed and slept better}}

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Exercice 6

According to Ronit Shalev, why are people at Brightline more focused now? Give TWO reasons. (lines 13–16)

Voir la réponse et le corrigé

Réponse : {{en|They have fewer long meetings; People don't waste time, because they know they have only four days to finish their work.}}

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Exercice 7

The employees at Brightline work from Sunday to Thursday.

Voir la réponse et le corrigé

Réponse : Faux · “the staff have worked from Sunday to Wednesday since last year”

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Exercice 8

Avi Cohen spends more time with his children than before.

Voir la réponse et le corrigé

Réponse : Vrai · “Before, I hardly saw them during the week," he says. "Now I take them to the park”

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Exercice 9

All the employees at Brightline use their free day in the same way.

Voir la réponse et le corrigé

Réponse : Faux · “Other employees use the day for sport, hobbies or simply to rest”

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Exercice 10

How has the four-day week helped Avi's wife? Explain. (lines 17–20)

Voir la réponse et le corrigé

Réponse : {{en|Avi looks after the children on Thursdays, so his wife can go back to her studies.}}

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Exercice 11

Give TWO problems with the four-day work week that are mentioned in the text. (lines 22–26)

Voir la réponse et le corrigé

Réponse : {{en|It does not suit every job: hospitals, schools and shops need people every day; In some trials employees worked much longer hours and became more tired / customers may be annoyed if they cannot reach a company on Thursdays.}}

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Exercice 12

According to the text, when does a shorter week work best? Choose the correct answer. (lines 27–30)

  1. When workers fit five days of work into four.
  2. When managers hold more meetings.
  3. When companies decide what really matters and stop doing the rest.
  4. When workers stay longer at the office every day.
Voir la réponse et le corrigé

Réponse : C When companies decide what really matters and stop doing the rest.

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Exercice 13

In your opinion, should more companies in Israel try a four-day work week? Give TWO reasons. At least ONE of them must come from the text.

Voir la réponse et le corrigé

Réponse : {{en|Personal answer. Text-based reasons: workers are less stressed and more focused, have time for family or rest, businesses did not lose money / or against: not suitable for hospitals, schools and shops, longer days make people tired, customers get annoyed. Reason from the text + second reason + clear English.}}

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Part B — Vocabulary

Exercice 14

Complete each sentence with a word from the box. There are more words than you need

Words: flexible · efficient · temporary · salary · require

Many parents want ____ working hours, so that they can pick up their children from school.

Voir la réponse et le corrigé

Réponse : Many parents want flexible working hours, so that they can pick up their children from school.

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Exercice 15

Complete each sentence with a word from the box. There are more words than you need

Words: flexible · efficient · temporary · salary · require

The new machine is very ____: it does the same job in half the time.

Voir la réponse et le corrigé

Réponse : The new machine is very efficient: it does the same job in half the time.

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Exercice 16

Complete each sentence with a word from the box. There are more words than you need

Words: flexible · efficient · temporary · salary · require

This is only a ____ job for the summer. I'll go back to school in September.

Voir la réponse et le corrigé

Réponse : This is only a temporary job for the summer. I'll go back to school in September.

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Exercice 17

Choose the answer closest in meaning to the word in the text “suit” (line 22)

  1. change
  2. be right for
  3. wear
  4. pay
Voir la réponse et le corrigé

Réponse : B be right for

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Exercice 18

Choose the answer closest in meaning to the word in the text “warn” (line 25)

  1. say that something bad may happen
  2. forget
  3. promise
  4. agree
Voir la réponse et le corrigé

Réponse : A say that something bad may happen

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