Communicating Styles & Conflicts - IELTS Reading Sample with Explanation
The IELTS reading section examines a candidate’s comprehending skills within the stipulated amount of time. The reading section comprises passages followed with different kinds of questions to holistically judge a student’s grasping abilities while reading. This particular IELTS Reading Practice Test has a passage on- “Communicating Styles & Conflict”, which consists of the following type of question:
- Choosing the correct heading
- True/False/Not Given
- Choose the correct option
The IELTS Reading Practice Tests contain a variety of sample passages with different kinds of questions which will equip a student with all the possible dimensions of this section. These practice tests should be taken with utmost seriousness to perform brilliantly on the D-Day.
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Section 1
Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions
Communicating Styles & Conflicts IELTS Reading Sample
A - Physical explanation
As far back as Hippocrates’ time (460-370B.C.), people have tried to understand other people by characterizing them according to personality type or temperament. Hippocrates believed there were four different body fluids that influenced four basic types of temperament. His work was further developed 500 years later by Galen. These days there are any number of self-assessment tools that relate to the basic descriptions developed by Galen, although we no longer believe the source to be the types of body fluid that dominate our systems.
B - The benefits of understanding communication styles
The values in self-assessments that help determine personality style. Learning styles, communication styles, conflict-handling styles, or other aspects of individuals is that they help depersonalize conflict in interpersonal relationships. The depersonalization occurs when you realize that others aren’t trying to be difficult, but they need different or more information than you do. They’re not intending to be rude: they are so focused on the task they forget about greeting people. They would like to work faster but not at the risk of damaging the relationships needed to get the job done. They understand there is a job to do. But it can only be done right with the appropriate information, which takes time to collect. When used appropriately, understanding communication styles can help resolve conflict on teams. Very rarely are conflicts true personality issues. Usually they are issues of style, information needs, or focus.
C - Summarizing personality types
Hippocrates and later Galen determined there were four basic temperaments: sanguine, phlegmatic, melancholic and choleric. These descriptions were developed centuries ago and are still somewhat apt, although you could update the wording. In today’s world, they translate into the four fairly common communication styles described below:
D - A lively person who encourages
The sanguine person would be the expressive or spirited style of communication. These people speak in pictures. They invest a lot of emotion and energy in their communication and often speak quickly. Putting their whole body into it. They are easily sidetracked onto a story that may or may not illustrate the point they are trying to make. Because of their enthusiasm, they are great team motivators. They are concerned about people and relationships. Their high levels of energy can come on strong at times and their focus is usually on the bigger picture, which means they sometimes miss the details or the proper order of things. These people find conflict or differences of opinion invigorating and love to engage in a spirited discussion. They love change and are constantly looking for new and exciting adventures.
E - Factual and analytical personality
Tile phlegmatic person - cool and persevering - translates into the technical or systematic communication style. This style of communication is focused on facts and technical details. Phlegmatic people have an orderly methodical way of approaching tasks, and their focus is very much on the task, not on the people, emotions, or concerns that the task may evoke. The focus is also more on the details necessary to accomplish a task. Sometimes the details overwhelm the big picture and focus needs to be brought back to the context of the task. People with this style think the facts should speak for themselves, and they are not as comfortable with conflict. They need time to adapt to change and need to understand both the logic of it and the steps involved.
F - Cautious and caring
A melancholic person who is soft hearted and oriented toward doing things for others translates into the considerate or sympathetic communication style. A person with this communication style is focused on people and relationships. They are good listeners and do things for other people-sometimes to the detriment of getting things done for themselves. They want to solicit everyone’s opinion and make sure everyone is comfortable with whatever is required to get the job done. At times this focus on others can distract from the task at hand. Because they are so concerned with the needs of others and smoothing over issues, they do not like conflict. They believe that change threatens the status quo and tends to make people feel uneasy, so people with this communication style, like phlegmatic people, need time to consider the changes in order to adapt to them.
G - Demanding and unsympathetic personality
The choleric temperament translates into the bold or direct style of communication. People with this style are brief in their communication - the fewer words the better. They are big picture thinkers and love to be involved in many things at once. They are focused on tasks and outcomes and often forget that the people involved in carrying out the tasks have needs. They don’t do detailed work easily and as a result can often underestimate how much time it takes to achieve the task. Because they are so direct, they often seem forceful and can be very intimidating to others. They usually would welcome someone challenging them. But most other styles are afraid to do so. They also thrive on change, the more the better.
H - Combined styles for workplace
A well-functioning team should have all of these communication styles for true effectiveness. All teams need to focus on the task, and they need to take care of relationships in order to achieve those tasks. They need the big picture perspective or the context of their work, and they need the details to be identified and taken care of for success. We all have aspects of each style within us. Some of us can easily move from one style to another and adapt our style to the needs of the situation at hand-whether the focus is on tasks or relationships. For others, a dominant style is very evident, and it is more challenging to see the situation from the perspective of another style. The work environment can influence communication styles either by the type of work that is required or by the predominance of one style reflected in that environment. Some people use one style at work and another at home.
The good news about communication styles is that we have the ability to develop flexibility in our styles. The greater the flexibility we have, the more skilled we usually are at handling possible and actual conflicts. Usually it has to be relevant to us to do so, either because we think it is important or because there are incentives in our environment to encourage it. The key is that we have to want to become flexible with our communication style. As Henry Ford said, “Whether you think you can or you can’t, you’re right!”
Section 2
Solution and Explanation
Question 1-8
Reading Passage has eight sections A-H
Choose the correct heading for each section from the lists of headings given below.
Write the correct number i-x in boxes 1-8 on the answer sheet.
List of Headings:
- Summarizing personality types
- Combined styles for workplace
- Physical explanation
- A lively person who encourages
- Demanding and unsympathetic personality
- Lazy and careless personality
- The benefits of understanding communication styles
- Cautious and caring
- Factual and analytical personality
- Self-assessment determines one’s temperament
- Section A
Answer: iii
Supporting sentence: Hippocrates believed there were four different body fluids that influenced four basic types of temperament.
Keyword: physical, body fluids
Key Location: paragraph A, 2nd line
Explanation: this is the correct heading because this paragraph deals with body fluids which is essentially a physical component.
Read More IELTS Reading Related Samples
- Section B
Answer: vii
Supporting sentence: The values in self-assessments that help determine personality style.
Keyword: benefits, communication styles
Key Location: paragraph B, 1st line
Explanation: this is the correct answer because this section talks about how understanding communication styles can be really helpful.
- Section C
Answer: i
Supporting sentence: Hippocrates and later Galen determined there were four basic temperaments: sanguine, phlegmatic, melancholic and choleric.
Keyword: personality types
Key Location: paragraph C, 1st line
Explanation: this is the correct heading because this section briefly explains the various types of personalities.
- Section D
Answer: iv
Supporting sentence: Because of their enthusiasm, they are great team motivators.
Keyword: lively, encouraging
Key Location: Section D, 4th line
Explanation: This section talks about enthusiastic individuals who energize the entire team.
- Section E
Answer: ix
Supporting sentence: Tile phlegmatic person - cool and persevering - translates into the technical or systematic communication style.
Keyword: factual, analytic
Key Location: paragraph E, 1st line
Explanation: This is the correct heading as the section talks about phlegmatic individuals who’re essentially very technical in their way of communicating.
- Section F
Answer: viii
Supporting sentence: Tile melancholic person who is soft hearted and oriented toward doing things for others translates into the considerate or sympathetic communication style.
Keyword: cautious, caring
Key Location: paragraph F, 1st line
Explanation: This is the correct heading for this paragraph as it talks about melancholic individuals who put others feelings first and are caring.
- Section G
Answer: v
Supporting sentence: They are focused on tasks and outcomes and often forget that the people involved in carrying out the tasks have needs.
Keyword: demanding , unsympathetic
Key Location: Paragraph G, 3rd line
Explanation: This is the correct heading because this section talks majorly about how when people are too focused on end results, they become ruthless and don’t cater to what people need.
- Section H
Answer: ii
Supporting sentence: A well-functioning team should have all of these communication styles for true effectiveness.
Keyword: team, communication styles.
Key Location: paragraph H, 1st line
Explanation: This is the correct heading because paragraph H talks about how various communication styles help in the smooth functioning of the team.
Questions 9-13
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the Reading Passage?
In boxes 9-13 on your answer sheet, write
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this
- It is believed that sanguine people dislike variety.
Answer: False
Supporting sentence: Sanguine people love change and are constantly looking for new and exciting adventures.
Keyword: sanguine, dislike, variety
Key Location: Paragraph D, last line
Explanation: This is the correct answer because it is categorically mentioned that Sanguine people love change and are constantly looking for variety and the question statement contradicts this.
- Melancholic and phlegmatic people have similar characteristics.
Answer: True
Supporting sentence: phlegmatic people need time to consider the changes in order to adapt to them.
Keyword: melancholic, phlegmatic, similar
Key Location: Paragraph F, last line
Explanation: In the passage, melancholic people are compared with phlegmatic people to show the common characteristics.
- Managers often select their best employees according to personality types.
Answer: Not Given
Supporting sentence: No sentence supports the above question statement.
Keyword: managers, best employee, personality type
Key Location: None
Explanation: No such thing is mentioned in the passage.
- It is possible to change one’s personality type.
Answer: True
Supporting sentence: Some of us can easily move from one style to another and adapt to different styles according to the situation.
Keyword: change, personality type
Key Location: Paragraph H, 4th line
Explanation: This is given in the passage that one’s personality is not static and changes from time to time.
- Workplace environments can affect which communication style is most effective.
Answer: True
Supporting sentence: For others, a dominant style is very evident, and it is more challenging to see the situation from the perspective of another style.
Keyword: workplace environment, communication style
Key Location: Paragraph H, 6th line
Explanation: The work environment can influence communication styles either by the type of work that is required or by the predominance of one style reflected in that environment.
Question 14:
Choose the correct letter A, B, C or D.
Write your answers in box 14 on your answer sheet.
- The writer believes using self-assessment tools can
- help to develop one’s personality.
- help to understand colleagues’ behavior.
- improves one’s relationship with the employer.
- directly resolve conflicts.
Answer: B
Supporting sentence: People have tried to understand other people by characterizing them according to personality type or temperament.
Keyword: self-assessment tools
Key Location: Paragraph A, 1st line
Explanation: It is clearly given that the writer understands people through their personality type and temperament.
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