Reading Passage: Remote Work and the Future of the Office

A short reading passage to test your comprehension of B2-level text.

Notice

  • Read the passage below, then answer the comprehension questions.
  • “Over the past decade, remote work has shifted from a rare perk to a mainstream way of working. Advocates argue that it boosts productivity and improves work-life balance, since employees save commuting time and can design their day around their most productive hours. Critics, however, point out that it can erode team cohesion and make spontaneous collaboration harder. Companies are increasingly experimenting with hybrid models, hoping to combine the flexibility remote work offers with the connection that in-person work fosters. Whether this compromise satisfies either side remains to be seen — what is clear is that the traditional nine-to-five office routine is, for many industries, a thing of the past.”

Rule

This is a B2-level reading passage: an opinion-balanced piece on a contemporary issue, similar in style and length to what you’ll meet in real articles and reports.

Practice

  1. According to the passage, what is one advantage of remote work?
    Answer: It boosts productivity and improves work-life balance by saving commuting time.
  2. What is one criticism mentioned?
    Answer: It can erode team cohesion and make spontaneous collaboration harder.
  3. What compromise are companies trying?
    Answer: Hybrid work models, combining remote flexibility with in-person connection.
  4. What does ‘a thing of the past’ mean in the final sentence?
    Answer: Something that used to be common but is no longer typical or standard.

Connect

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CEFR: Reading — read articles and reports concerned with contemporary problems in which writers adopt particular attitudes or viewpoints.

Azizul Hakim
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