Extract 2
You’re standing at the supermarket checkout, frantically trying to pack
you weekly groceries alone, at the same time fumbling for your purse. The
assistant, meanwhile, does nothing to help, just sits glaring at the queue
that’s growing behind you. If it sounds familiar, you won’t be surprised to learn
5 that British people moan on average to no less than 13 friends about bad shop
assistants. But if poor service is increasing, it could be because, as a nation,
we’re the least likely to make a fuss about it.
Now big stores are turning to Chequers, a company which sends bogus
shoppers – women known as Checkmate – into shops to test out service.
10 Chequers’ reports go back to the stores, some of which have launched new
staff training programs in an effort to improve matters.
76. The word “fumbling” (line 2) can be replaced by _____.
1. grabbing quickly
2. looking carefully
3. searching clumsily
4. checking roughly
77. “The assistant … does nothing to help” (lines 2 - 3) means that the
assistant _____.
1. does not give advice to customers
2. refuses to make change for customers
3. just sits and looks at customers hopelessly
4. does not help customers pack their groceries
78. From the phrase “the queue that’s growing” (lines 3 - 4), we learn that _____.
1. a line of people are on a waiting list
2. a queue of shoppers keep on waiting
3. more and more shoppers are waiting in the line
4. rows of people are waiting one behind the other
79. The phrase “make a fuss” (line 7) means _____.
1. worry
2. argue
3. protest
4. boast
80. The phrase “bogus shoppers” (line 8 - 9) refers to _____.
1. women hired to check service in stores
2. those who own a company called Chequers
3. Checkmates doing the shopping in big stores
4. housewives who go shopping to test out service
81. The word “which” (line 10) refers to _____.
1. reports 2. stores
3. programs 4. Checkmates
82. We learn from the extract that most British people _____.
1. are patient with poor service in supermarkets
2. like talking about bad shop assistants the most
3. don’t mind talking about increasing poor service
4. enjoy shopping at the supermarket on weekends
83. It can be inferred that the staff training program will result in _____.
1. better working condition
2. generating higher profits
3. improving customer service
4. increasing employee morale