Practice English Reading Exercises for B2 – First Days & Workplace Adaptation 4

Exercises:   123456

Reading 1

You are going to read an article about four people sharing their experiences of a terrible onboarding process where no one seemed to know they were starting work that day.

For questions 1-10, choose from the people/sections (A-D). The people/sections may be chosen more than once.

Which person/section

1   eventually had to perform tasks far below their professional level?

2   assumed they had been mistaken for a visitor to the building?

3   hesitated to point out an error due to a lack of confidence?

4   had to cope with an absent supervisor?

5   was forced to rely on obsolete company documentation?

6   believes that a particular situation could have been avoided if communication had been better?

7   felt awkward occupying a workspace that clearly belonged to someone else?

8   spent a significant amount of time listening to irrelevant information?

9   highlights the frustration of dealing with unprepared administrative staff upon arrival?

10   was entrusted to the care of an overwhelmed and busy coworker?

The Invisible Employee: When Your New Job Forgets You

A Mark

On my very first morning at the marketing firm, I turned up ten minutes early, eager to make a good impression. However, the receptionist just stared at me blankly when I announced my arrival. Not only had my security pass not been authorised, but my name wasn’t even on the visitor log. Consequently, I was left awkwardly hovering in the lobby for almost an hour. At one point, a director walked past, shook my hand, and offered me a coffee, clearly convinced I must have been a prospective client waiting for a pitch. If human resources had bothered to send a simple confirmation email to the front desk, the entire fiasco would have been prevented. Eventually, my line manager was tracked down and came to fetch me, looking utterly bewildered. I was told that my start date had been recorded as the following Monday in their database. It certainly wasn’t the seamless introduction I had envisioned!

B Sophie

When I was hired as a financial analyst, I took it for granted that my workstation would be set up before I arrived. Instead, I was directed to a cubicle that was still littered with the previous occupant’s personal belongings, including half-empty coffee mugs and framed family photographs. It was incredibly uncomfortable having to clear away someone else’s mess just to put my bag down. To make matters worse, IT hadn’t been informed I was joining, which meant I had no login credentials or access to the network. Desperate to appear busy, I asked if there was anything I could review. A colleague dug out a massive training handbook from a dusty drawer. I spent the entire afternoon poring over it, only to realise later that it had been printed six years prior and the software it described had been completely phased out. Looking back, they must have completely forgotten I was coming.

C David

I had been thrilled to accept a position at a prestigious architectural practice. The manager who hired me had spoken at length about the exciting projects I would be involved in from day one. However, when I walked into the open-plan office, I was informed that he had flown abroad for an urgent site visit and neglected to tell anyone else about my arrival. Unable to reach him, the department head hastily handed me over to a junior designer who was visibly drowning in deadlines. She was so stressed out that she simply didn’t have the capacity to explain the software or brief me on any current designs. As a result, she apologetically asked if I wouldn’t mind helping out with some basic administrative chores. I ended up spending my entire first day standing by the shredder and making rounds to the coffee machine, which was a massive letdown after all my initial enthusiasm.

D Anna

My induction at the logistics company was a textbook example of poor organisation. Upon entering the building, a flustered assistant hastily ushered me toward a glass boardroom, assuming I was the new regional supervisor. Before I could introduce myself properly, I was pushed into a high-level strategy meeting that was already underway. The terminology they were using went completely over my head. Since the participants were aggressively debating supply chain algorithms, I felt far too intimidated to interrupt and point out that I had actually been hired as a graphic designer. I sat there in silence for two agonizing hours, nodding along to data projections that meant absolutely nothing to me. It wasn’t until the session concluded and they asked for my input that the misunderstanding came to light. The regional supervisor had apparently been delayed by traffic, and the team had simply assumed I was her. It was absolutely mortifying!

Reading 2

You are going to read an article about four young adults talking about their first day working in a busy restaurant kitchen.

For questions 1-10, choose from the people (A-D). The people may be chosen more than once.

Which person

1   underestimated the sheer quantity of items they had to process?

2   initially questioned if they had made the right employment decision?

3   was surprised by the stark contrast in atmosphere between two different areas?

4   struggled significantly with the extreme temperatures in their specific workspace?

5   found that maintaining intense concentration added to their overall fatigue?

6   was taken aback by a sudden, intense surge of customer orders?

7   suffered physical discomfort as a result of performing the same action continuously?

8   felt a sense of accomplishment for getting through the shift despite the exhaustion?

9   had to conceal their stress to maintain a professional appearance?

10   sustained a minor physical wound while working?

Into the Fire: Surviving Day One in a Professional Kitchen

A Tom

When I took on the role of kitchen porter, I foolishly thought it would be a breeze. I was completely oblivious to the reality of a busy Friday night service. From the moment the doors opened, a seemingly endless mountain of greasy plates, pots, and pans came crashing into my sink area. I had severely misjudged the sheer volume of equipment that required washing. By midnight, my hands were raw from the scorching water and harsh chemicals, and my back throbbed from standing hunched over for nine hours straight. If I hadn’t worn such supportive footwear, I would undoubtedly have collapsed. There were moments when I felt entirely submerged in the chaos, desperately trying to keep my head above water. However, when the final pan was scrubbed and the head chef gave me an appreciative nod, a wave of satisfaction washed over me. I was physically shattered, yet I felt surprisingly proud that I hadn’t cracked under the immense pressure.

B Sarah

I’ve always loved cooking at home, so stepping into a commercial kitchen as a prep cook felt like a natural progression. Unfortunately, I quickly realised that dicing vegetables for a family dinner is a far cry from doing it for hundreds of demanding diners. I spent six solid hours standing in exactly the same spot, chopping mounds of onions and carrots at breakneck speed. Executing identical knife movements for hours took a severe toll on my wrists, which were aching agonizingly by the end of the shift. Moreover, the absolute necessity of working rapidly without slicing my fingers off demanded such fierce mental focus that my brain felt completely fried. Halfway through the evening, leaning against a cold stainless-steel counter, I genuinely found myself wondering if I was cut out for this notoriously tough industry. I dragged myself home feeling utterly depleted, questioning why I had ever signed up for such a gruelling ordeal.

C Mark

Being assigned to the grill station on my very first day was an incredible trial by fire, both literally and figuratively. I knew professional kitchens were high-pressure environments, but nothing could have prepared me for the staggering heat. Standing inches away from blazing open flames for an entire shift was suffocating; my chef’s whites were completely soaked with sweat within the first hour. I was just about keeping up until the dinner rush hit at seven o’clock. Out of nowhere, an avalanche of tickets printed out simultaneously, completely catching me off guard. In my frantic rush to flip multiple steaks at once, my forearm brushed against the blistering hot metal, resulting in a nasty burn. I had no choice but to grit my teeth, slap a bandage on it, and push through the pain. By the time I tumbled into bed that night, every single muscle in my body was screaming in protest.

D Elena

As a food runner, my job involves acting as the crucial bridge between the kitchen and the dining room. What shocked me the most on my first day was the jarring difference between these two distinct zones. In the dining area, there was soft music, dim lighting, and relaxed guests enjoying their meals. Yet, pushing through the swinging doors into the back felt like stepping into a frantic, noisy battlefield. Whenever I carried plates out to the tables, I had to plaster a serene smile on my face, completely masking the breathless panic I felt behind the scenes. I hadn’t anticipated how physically demanding the role would be, either. I was constantly darting back and forth, dodging chefs and waiters, carrying heavy trays. According to my smartphone, I had inadvertently hiked over ten miles by the end of the night! When I finally took my shoes off at home, my feet were swollen and I was too exhausted to even speak.

Exercises:   123456