Practice English Reading Exercises for B2 – First Days & Workplace Adaptation 9

Exercises:   123456

Reading 1

You are going to read an article about four individuals talking about the awkwardness of having nothing to do on their first day because their workload hadn’t been prepared yet.

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

Which person/section

1   worried that their new peers would doubt their professional commitment?

2   experienced a delay due to a task not yet receiving official permission?

3   lacked the necessary passwords to begin their digital work?

4   gave the false impression of being absorbed in their duties?

5   took it upon themselves to tidy up a communal area?

6   was let down by the unexpected absence of their immediate supervisor?

7   drank an excessive amount of something as an excuse to avoid their desk?

8   felt they were bothering a colleague while observing them work?

9   spent their day examining the company’s past records?

10   discovered that a specific team had completely forgotten their arrival?

The First Day Waiting Game

A Mark

I had meticulously prepared for my first day as a marketing executive, choosing the perfect outfit and arriving ten minutes early. I took it for granted that I’d be thrown in at the deep end. However, upon arrival, I was informed that my line manager had unexpectedly called in sick. While my workstation was fully equipped, absolutely no tasks had been assigned to me. Not wanting to look like a spare part, I desperately tried to give the illusion of being deeply engrossed in my duties. I managed to locate a shared folder containing previous campaign reviews and spent seven hours meticulously reading through the firm’s historical reports. By the late afternoon, my eyes were aching, but at least it provided a plausible cover. Looking back, I should have just asked another team member for something to do, but I was too shy to speak up. It was undeniably the slowest eight hours of my professional life.

B Sophie

You would expect a major financial firm to have a highly organised onboarding process, but my first day was an absolute disaster. It turned out the human resources department had completely neglected to process my start date. Consequently, when I was directed to my cubicle, there was no computer, and I hadn’t been issued any of the essential login credentials required to access the network. I literally had to sit at a barren desk twiddling my thumbs. Eventually, another junior analyst took pity on me and suggested I shadow him for the afternoon. While I appreciated the gesture, I couldn’t help but feel like an absolute nuisance hovering behind his chair, asking endless questions while he tried to concentrate. If they had simply told me to go home and return the following day, it would have saved us all a great deal of awkwardness.

C James

As a newly qualified architect, I was brimming with enthusiasm to start drafting designs. After a brief morning tour of the studio, the director told me he would ‘find me a project shortly’ and disappeared into a prolonged meeting. The promised project never materialised. Terrified that my new colleagues would conclude I lacked a strong work ethic, I found myself constantly retreating to the staff kitchen to avoid sitting idly at my desk. I must have consumed about eight cups of espresso simply to justify my presence in the breakroom. I ended up making small talk with people from completely different departments who came in to heat up their lunches. By closing time, I was completely over-caffeinated and exhausted from trying to look busy without actually doing anything. It was a bizarre situation to be in; I was being paid handsomely to essentially drink coffee and chat.

D Anna

My transition into my new role as an event coordinator started with a massive anti-climax. My boss was incredibly apologetic, explaining that the budget for the festival I was supposed to be managing hadn’t been officially signed off yet. Without that crucial approval, my hands were tied, and there was literally nothing for me to initiate. She suggested I take the day to ‘settle in and familiarize myself with the office’. After an hour of aimless browsing on the internet, I couldn’t stand the boredom any longer. I took the initiative to completely overhaul the disastrously messy stationery cupboard at the end of the corridor. It wasn’t exactly the glamorous event planning I had signed up for, but sorting out the pens and notepads provided me with a sense of purpose. It actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as my colleagues were thrilled with the organized space!

Reading 2

You are going to read an article about four people sharing their experiences of shadowing a highly experienced, fast-paced employee on their first day and struggling to keep up.

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

Which person/section

1   admits to feeling like an obstacle rather than a help?

2   was surprised by their mentor’s relaxed reaction to an error they made?

3   found it difficult to grasp the specialised language being spoken?

4   was unable to accomplish a specific task before a deadline?

5   marvelled at their mentor’s capacity to do several things at once?

6   realised that their formal education was inadequate for the actual job?

7   mentions being instructed to simply watch rather than actively take part?

8   eventually developed the ability to predict difficulties before they occurred?

9   was initially intimidated by their mentor’s reputation but found them approachable?

10   mentions doubting their own suitability for the profession during the shift?

In the Fast Lane: Surviving Day One with a Pro

A Tom

When I landed a trial shift at a prestigious restaurant, I knew it would be tough, but nothing could have prepared me for the sheer pace. I was shadowing Chef Marco, a culinary legend. From the moment the doors opened, he was a blur of motion, effortlessly stirring sauces, calling out orders, and plating up dishes all at the exact same time. I was absolutely mesmerised by his capacity to juggle so many responsibilities simultaneously. However, keeping up was another story entirely. I was supposed to be prepping vegetables, but I continually found myself standing in the wrong place. Far from assisting, I felt like a nuisance constantly tripping him up. Although I managed to avoid making any disastrous mistakes, I had never felt so physically drained in my life. By the time we closed, my feet were throbbing, and I could barely keep my eyes open. It was a baptism of fire, but it definitely confirmed my passion for the industry.

B Chloe

Starting my nursing placement on a busy trauma ward was incredibly daunting. I’d been assigned to shadow Sarah, the head nurse, whose formidable reputation preceded her. I’d worked myself up into a panic, assuming she would be exceptionally strict and unforgiving. To my surprise, she was incredibly warm and reassuring. The ward was operating at breakneck speed, and I struggled to keep pace. At one point, I misread a patient’s chart and nearly fetched the wrong medical supplies. I braced myself for a harsh reprimand, but Sarah just smiled, gently corrected my oversight, and showed me the proper procedure. Later, during a complex emergency admission, the environment became so chaotic that she told me to stand back and simply observe how the experienced staff handled the crisis. If she hadn’t taken the reins so calmly, I would have undoubtedly lost my nerve. It was frustrating not to be useful, but I understood why she intervened.

C Marcus

Having recently graduated with top marks in economics, I walked onto the financial trading floor feeling quietly confident. That illusion was completely shattered within the first ten minutes of shadowing my manager, David. The environment was deafening, with screens flashing and people shouting across the room. David was making split-second financial decisions while effortlessly conversing with high-profile clients. I tried to follow his logic, but I was completely thrown by the heavy use of industry acronyms and slang. Despite my degree, I couldn’t make head nor tail of the conversations taking place around me. It was a harsh reminder that university lectures hadn’t equipped me for the practical intensity of the real world. By lunchtime, a wave of self-doubt washed over me, and I seriously questioned whether I was cut out for such a high-pressure environment. Thankfully, David took me aside later to decode some of the terminology, assuring me that everyone feels overwhelmed initially.

D Aisha

My first day at the event management agency was an absolute whirlwind. I was shadowing the senior director, Lisa, during the setup of a massive corporate conference. Lisa moved like lightning, seamlessly transitioning from negotiating with caterers to directing the audiovisual team. She handed me a seemingly straightforward assignment: assembling the VIP gift bags before the guests arrived at noon. However, I underestimated how intricate the presentation needed to be. Despite working frantically, the doors opened, and I still had fifty bags left to pack. I felt incredibly guilty for letting her down and failing to beat the clock. Yet, I must have looked completely overwhelmed because Lisa didn’t make a fuss; she just called over two colleagues to help me finish. Over the next few weeks, shadowing her taught me a vital skill. I slowly figured out how to stay one step ahead, spotting potential logistical hiccups and solving them before they could even materialise.

Exercises:   123456