Questions 21-22
Choose two letters A-E.
Write your answers in boxes 21-22 on your answer sheet.
Which TWO factors do they link to rising workplace stress?
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shared office space
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extended work time
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constant online access
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travel to work
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weak leadership
(A) is incorrect. Or treated as less well supported.
(B) is correct. Marcus says people are working late, taking fewer breaks and often not using all their holiday, which reduces recovery time.
(C) is correct. They agree that digital technology keeps people from being fully off duty.
(D) is incorrect. Or treated as less well supported.
(E) is incorrect. Or treated as less well supported.
Associated Text:
And then there's the question of hours. People are working late, taking fewer breaks and often not using all their holiday, so recovery time is squeezed from both ends of the week.
(A) is incorrect. Or treated as less well supported.
(B) is correct. Marcus says people are working late, taking fewer breaks and often not using all their holiday, which reduces recovery time.
(C) is correct. They agree that digital technology keeps people from being fully off duty.
(D) is incorrect. Or treated as less well supported.
(E) is incorrect. Or treated as less well supported.
Associated Text:
The digital side looks much more convincing to me. Work emails and messages follow people home now, and people feel they should respond immediately even when no one has explicitly asked them to.
Questions 23-24
Choose two letters A-E.
Write your answers in boxes 23-24 on your answer sheet.
Which TWO health effects do they see as well supported?
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cardiovascular strain
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asthma
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migraines
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digestive illness
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skin conditions
(A) is correct. The strongest evidence comes from cardiovascular studies using clinical measurements over several years.
(B) is incorrect. The recording does not support this option: asthma.
(C) is incorrect. The recording does not support this option: migraines.
(D) is correct. The stomach and bowel evidence is described as dependable.
(E) is incorrect. The recording does not support this option: skin conditions.
Associated Text:
The cardiovascular papers were the most persuasive, especially the ones that tracked employees over several years rather than just asking how stressed they felt.
(A) is correct. The strongest evidence comes from cardiovascular studies using clinical measurements over several years.
(B) is incorrect. The recording does not support this option: asthma.
(C) is incorrect. The recording does not support this option: migraines.
(D) is correct. The stomach and bowel evidence is described as dependable.
(E) is incorrect. The recording does not support this option: skin conditions.
Associated Text:
The gut related studies were stronger, though, weren't they?
Marcus: Same here. The ulcer and IBS studies used better controls, and the pattern was repeated in more than one workplace sample.
Questions 25-26
Choose two letters A-E.
Write your answers in boxes 25-26 on your answer sheet.
Which TWO views do they share about fight-or-flight theory?
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It offers limited workplace guidance.
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It requires more research.
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It gives a false picture.
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It deserves wider acceptance.
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It is hard to explain.
(A) is correct. Marcus and Priya agree that the fight-or-flight theory has little practical relevance for reducing stress in modern offices.
(B) is correct. They say it needs further investigation.
(C) is incorrect. They do not call it misleading, say it should be more widely accepted, or describe it as difficult to understand.
(D) is incorrect. They do not call it misleading, say it should be more widely accepted, or describe it as difficult to understand.
(E) is incorrect. They do not call it misleading, say it should be more widely accepted, or describe it as difficult to understand.
Associated Text:
And even if it is partly right, it has little practical relevance for reducing stress in offices today.
(A) is correct. Marcus and Priya agree that the fight-or-flight theory has little practical relevance for reducing stress in modern offices.
(B) is correct. They say it needs further investigation.
(C) is incorrect. They do not call it misleading, say it should be more widely accepted, or describe it as difficult to understand.
(D) is incorrect. They do not call it misleading, say it should be more widely accepted, or describe it as difficult to understand.
(E) is incorrect. They do not call it misleading, say it should be more widely accepted, or describe it as difficult to understand.
Associated Text:
I do not think there is enough evidence to explain modern workplace stress with it. It was developed to explain immediate danger, not months of deadlines and emails.
Questions 27-30
Choose the correct letter, A, B, or C.
Write your answers in boxes 27-30
on your answer sheet.
27. What do they think about treating workplace stress medically?
28. Why start with Priya's example?
29. What benefit do short breaks have?
30. What comparison do they question?
(A) is correct. The students say there is no recognised clinical form or medical cure for workplace stress, and both doubt that there will ever be one.
(B) is incorrect. They say stress and clinical anxiety are related.
(C) is incorrect. They do not express frustration about stress not being taken seriously.
Associated Text:
There is no diagnosis or effective medical treatment for workplace stress itself, and I doubt there will ever be a medical cure for it. The causes are organisational as much as personal.
(A) is incorrect. They do not choose the example mainly to show difficulty.
(B) is correct. Marcus says most students will recognise Priya's example of juggling part-time work with coursework.
(C) is incorrect. Gender is not discussed.
Associated Text:
Most students will recognise that situation, even if they do not always talk about it.
(A) is incorrect. Posture and team relationships are not given as benefits.
(B) is incorrect. Posture and team relationships are not given as benefits.
(C) is correct. The benefit of short breaks is that people return to work in a better mood.
Associated Text:
Short breaks seem to make people feel more positive when they return to work.
(A) is correct. The students say they find it strange that deliberate quiet time is treated as similar to feeling stressed.
(B) is incorrect. They do not say quiet time is considered necessary for mental health or simply enjoyable.
(C) is incorrect. They do not say quiet time is considered necessary for mental health or simply enjoyable.
Associated Text:
I find it strange that deliberate quiet time is sometimes treated as similar to feeling stressed.
