Geoff Brash Reading Answers

Dec 14, 2022

Geoff Brash Reading Answers has 13 questions that need to be answered in 20 minutes. The topic is about Geoff Brash , who was an Australian businessman and a philanthropist. The passage discusses his business development. Geoff Brash Reading Answers comprises three types of questions- true/false/not given, choose no more than three words or a number and complete the notes. Candidates must read the IELTS Reading passage; Geoff Brash Reading Answers to answer the question choosing no more than three words or a number. Candidates must read the IELTS reading passage and decide whether the given statement is true/false/not given. Candidates are required to complete the notes after looking for keywords from the passage. Candidates can undertake IELTS Reading practice papers to practise more on different topics.

Check: Get 10 Free IELTS Sample Papers
Check: Register for IELTS Coaching - Join for Free Trial Class Now

Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

Geoff Brash Reading Answers

Geoff Brash, who died in 2010,was a gregarious Australian businessman and philanthropist who encouraged the young to reach their potential.

Born in Melbourne to Elsa and Afred Brash, he was educated at Scotch College. His sister,Barbara,became a renowned artist and printmaker.His father,Alfred,ran the Brash retail music business that had been founded in 1862 by his grandfather,the German immigrant Marcus Brasch, specializing in pianos. It carried the slogan ' A home is not a home without a piano.’

In his younger days, Brash enjoyed a good life, playing golf and sailing, and spending some months traveling through Europe, having a leisurely holiday. He worked for a time at Myer department stores before joining the family business in 1949, where he quickly began to put his stamp on things. In one of his first management decisions, he diverged from his father’s sense of frugal aesthetics by re-carpeting the old man’s office while he was away. After initially complaining of his extravagance, his father grew to accept the change and gave his soon increasing responsibility in the business.

After world war II (1939-1945), Brash’s had begun to focus on white goods, such as washing machines and refrigerators, as the consumer boom took hold. However, while his father was content with the business he had built, the younger Brash viewed expansion as vital. When Geoff Brash took over as managing director in 1957, the company had two stores, but after floating it on the stock exchange the following year, he expanded rapidly and opened suburban stores, as well as buying into familiar music industry names such as Allans, Palings and Suttons, Eventually, 170 stores traded across the continent under the Brash’s banner.

Geoff Brash learned from his father’s focus on customer service. Alfred Brash had also been a pioneer in introducing a share scheme for his staff, and his son retained and expanded the plan following the float.

Geoff Brash was optimistic and outward looking. As a result, he was a pioneer in both accessing and selling new technology and developing overseas relationships. He sourced and sold electric guitars, organs and a range of other modern instruments, as well as state of the art audio and video equipment. He developed a relationship with Taro Kakehashi, the founder of Japan’s Roland group, which led to a joint venture that brought electronic musical devices to Australia.

In 1965, Brash and his wife attended a trade fair in Guangzhou, the first of its kind in China, they were one of the first Western business people allowed into the country following Mao Zedog’s Cultural Revolution. He returned there many times, helping advise the Chinese in establishing a high quality piano factory in Beijing; he became the factory’s agent in Australia. Brash also took leading jazz musicians Don Burrows and James Morrison to China. On a trip that reintroduced jazz to many Chinese musicians.

He stood down as Executive Chairman of Brash’s in 1988 , but under the new management debt became a problem , and in 1994 the banks called in administrators. The company was sold to Singaporean interests and continued to trade until 1998, when it again went into administration. The Brash name then disappeared from the retail world. Brash was greatly disappointed by the collapse and the eventual disappearance of the company he had run for so long. But it was not long before he invested in a restructured Allan’s music business.

Brash was a committed philanthropist who ,in the mid-1980s, established the Brash Foundation, which eventually morphed, with other partners, into the Soundhouse Music Alliance. This was a not-for-profit organization overseeing and promoting multimedia music making and education for teachers and students. The Soundhouse offers teachers and young people the opportunity to get exposure to the latest music technology , and to use this to compose and record their own music, either alone or in collaboration. The organization has now also established branches in New Zealand, South Africa and Ireland, as well as numerous sites around Australia

Section 2

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage?

In boxes 1-5 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

Question 1: The Brash business originally sold pianos.

Answer: TRUE
Supporting Sentence : His father, Alfred, ran the Brash retail music business that had been founded in 1862 by his grandfather, the German immigrant Marcus Brash, specializing in pianos. It carried the slogan ‘A home is not a home without a piano.’
Keywords: Brash retail, music business, specializing in pianos.
Keyword Location: 2nd paragraph, last lines
Explanation: It is mentioned in paragraph 2, lines 2 to 3, that the Brash company had operated a retail music establishment where they sold specialty pianos.

Question 2: Geoff Brash’s first job was with his grandfather’s company.

Answer: FALSE
Supporting Sentence: He worked for a time at Myer department stores before joining the family business in 1949, where he quickly began to put his stamp on things.
Keywords: worked, Myer department stores, before joining the family business
Keyword Location: 3rd paragraph, lines 2-3
Explanation: The second and third lines of the third paragraph say, "He worked for a period at Myer department stores before joining the family firm." Geoff Brash worked in a retail shop for his first job, so the story goes. Before joining his family's company, he was employed at the department retailer Myer's.

Question 3: Alfred Brash thought that his son wasted money.

Answer: TRUE
Supporting Sentence: After initially complaining of his extravagance, his father grew to accept the change and gave his son increasing responsibility in the business.
Keywords: grew to accept, gave, son increasing responsibility
Keyword Location: 3rd paragraph, last 5-6 lines
Explanation: According to the third paragraph, his father recognised the transformation and handed Geoff Brash more business-related responsibility.

Question 4: By the time Geoff Brash took control, the Brash business was selling some electrical products.

Answer: TRUE
Supporting Sentence: After World War II (1939-1945), Brash’s had begun to focus on white goods, such as washing machines and refrigerators, as the consumer boom took hold.
Keywords: After World War II, white goods, washing machines and refrigerators.
Keyword Location: 4th paragraph, lines 1-2
Explanation: The first few sentences of paragraph 4 state that after World War II, or after 1945, the Brash company started concentrating on marketing white goods. These are electrical items like refrigerators and washing machines. Geoff Brash began working for the family company in 1949; as a result, by the time he took over, the Brash company was only selling a few electrical goods.

Question 5: Geoff Brash had ambitions to open Brash stores in other countries.

Answer: NOT GIVEN
Explanation: The reading passage did not contain any pertinent information related to the question.

Questions 6-10:

Answer the questions below.
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS OR A NUMBER from the passage for each answer.

Question 6: Which arrangement did Alfred Brash set up for his employees?

Answer: share scheme
Supporting Sentence: Geoff Brash learned from his father’s focus on customer service. Alfred Brash had also been a pioneer in introducing a share scheme for his staff, and his son retained and expanded the plan following the float.
Keywords: introducing, share scheme, for his staff.
Keyword Location: In paragraph 5, lines 1-2.
Explanation: The opening sentences of the fifth paragraph claims that Geoff Brash picked up on his father's emphasis on providing excellent customer service. A pioneer in establishing a share plan for his employees, Alfred Brash's son continued and expanded the programme after the company became public.

Question 7: Which Japanese company did Geoff Brash collaborate with?

Answer: Roland/ Roland group/ the Roland group
Supporting Sentence: He developed a relationship with Taro Kakehashi, the founder of Japan’s Roland group, which led to a joint venture that brought electronic musical devices to Australia.
Keywords: relationship, Japan’s Roland group, joint venture
Keyword Location: In paragraph 6, lines 3-6.
Explanation: In lines 3 and 6 of paragraph 6, it is stated that Taro Kakehashi, the creator of the Roland group in Japan, and Geoff Brash grew close. This resulted in Geoff Brash's company forming a partnership with Roland Groups.

Question 8: What type of event in China marked the beginning of Geoff Brash’s relationship with that country?

Answer: trade fair
Supporting Sentence: In 1965, Brash and his wife attended a trade fair in Guangzhou, the first of its kind in China; they were one of the first Western business people allowed into the country following Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution.
Keywords: Brash and his wife attended a trade fair in Guangzhou, the first Western business people
Keyword Location: In paragraph 7, lines 1-3.
Explanation: It is reported in the opening few sentences of paragraph 7 that in 1965, Brash and his wife went to Guangzhou for the first trade fair of its sort in China. After Mao Zedong's Cultural Revolution, they were among the first foreign businessmen admitted to the nation.

Question 9: What style of music did Geoff Brash help to promote in China?

Answer: jazz
Supporting Sentence: He became the factory’s agent in Australia. Brash also took leading jazz musicians Don Burrows and James Morrison to China, on a trip that reintroduced jazz to many Chinese musicians.
Keywords: took, jazz musicians, reintroduced jazz
Keyword Location: In paragraph 7, lines 3-5.
Explanation: He was appointed the factory's Australian agent, according to lines 3 and 5 of paragraph 7. Don Burrows and James Morrison, two prominent jazz musicians, were also brought to China by Brash on a journey that reintroduced jazz to many Chinese musicians.

Question 10: When did the Brash company finally stop doing business?

Answer: 1998
Supporting Sentence: He stood down as Executive Chairman of Brash’s in 1988, but under the new management debt became a problem, and in 1994 the banks called in administrators. The company was sold to Singaporean interests and continued to trade until 1998, when it again went into administration.
Keywords: sold, continued to trade, until 1998
Keyword Location: In paragraph 8, lines 1-3.
Explanation: In the first three lines of paragraph 8, it is mentioned that he resigned from his position as executive chairman of Brash's in 1988. However, under the new management, debt became an issue, and in 1994, the banks hired administrators. After being sold to Singaporean investors, the business operated until 1998, when it once more entered administration.

Questions 11-13:
Complete the following notes below. Choose One Word from the passage for each answer

Question 11: A non-commercial organization providing support for music and music _______

Answer: education
Supporting Sentence: This was a not-for-profit organization overseeing and promoting multimedia music-making and education for teachers and students.
Keywords: not-for-profit organization, overseeing and promoting, music-making and education
Keyword Location: In paragraph 9, lines 1-3.
Explanation: In the first three lines of paragraph 9, it is said that the organisation was a non-profit one. It oversaw and promoted multimedia music production and instruction for both instructors and students.

Question 12: Allows opportunities for using up-to-date ___________

Answer: technology
Supporting Sentence: The Soundhouse offers teachers and young people the opportunity to get exposure to the latest music technology, and to use this to compose and record their own music, either alone or in collaboration.
Keywords: opportunity, get exposure, latest music technology
Keyword Location: In paragraph 9, lines 3-4.
Explanation: In the third and fourth lines of paragraph 9, it is stated that the Soundhouse gives educators and young people the chance to learn about music technology. And use it to independently or collaboratively write and record their own music.

Question 13: Has _______ in several countries.

Answer: branches
Supporting Sentence: The organization has now also established branches in New Zealand, South Africa and Ireland, as well as numerous sites around Australia.
Keywords: established branches, New Zealand, South Africa and Ireland.
Keyword Location: In paragraph 9, lines 5-6.
Explanation: The fifth and sixth lines of sentence nine state that the group has now created branches. Notably, in New Zealand, South Africa, and Ireland in addition to other locations around Australia.

Read More IELTS Reading Related Samples