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Intermediate Business Reading

Short Texts: Memos

Read the short texts and choose the best answer for each question.

1.

Memo: Office Maintenance Notice

Dear All, Please be informed that there will be scheduled maintenance on the air conditioning system this Friday, 16th July, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. During this time, the office temperature may be higher than usual, so we recommend that staff dress accordingly. If you have any meetings scheduled during this period, please consider moving them to the afternoon or arranging to hold them online. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

How has the company planned to minimise disruption during the maintenance period?

  1. By scheduling the maintenance outside of office hours.
  2. By providing temporary air conditioning units.
  3. By suggesting alternative arrangements for meetings and appropriate clothing.

2.

Memo: New Time-Tracking System

Dear Team, Starting next Monday, we will be transitioning to a new time-tracking system, which will help us better monitor working hours and productivity. All employees are required to use the system to log their hours, including breaks and overtime. Training sessions will be held this Thursday and Friday at 2 p.m. in Meeting Room 2. Please attend one of these sessions to ensure you are familiar with the new system before it goes live. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to the HR department.

What measures has the company taken to ensure a smooth transition to the new system?

  1. Installing the system without prior notice to staff.
  2. Providing training and support before implementing the change.
  3. Making the training sessions optional for experienced staff.

3.

Memo: Safety Procedures Update

Dear All, Please be aware that we have updated our office safety procedures to comply with the latest government regulations. Starting next week, all employees are required to attend a mandatory safety briefing, which will cover new guidelines for emergency exits, fire drills, and health protocols. These sessions will be held on Monday and Tuesday at 9 a.m. in the main conference room. Please make sure to attend one of these sessions. Your safety is our top priority.

What does this memo reveal about the company's approach to workplace safety?

  1. They are proactively updating procedures to meet regulatory requirements.
  2. They are responding to recent safety incidents.
  3. They are testing staff knowledge of existing procedures.

4.

Memo: Printer Usage Policy

Dear Team, As part of our initiative to reduce paper waste, we are updating our office printer usage policy. Starting next week, all employees are encouraged to print only when absolutely necessary and to use double-sided printing whenever possible. Additionally, the colour printing option will be restricted to approved projects. Please speak with your department manager if you need access to colour printing for any specific tasks. Let's work together to reduce our environmental footprint.

How might this policy change affect daily work practices?

  1. Work will become entirely paperless.
  2. Printing costs will be charged to individual departments.
  3. Staff will need to plan their printing needs more carefully.

5.

Memo: IT System Downtime

Dear Colleagues, Please be advised that the IT department will be conducting essential system upgrades this Saturday, 18th July, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. During this time, access to the network, emails, and all internal systems will be unavailable. We recommend saving any important files and ensuring that any work requiring system access is completed before the maintenance begins. The IT team will notify everyone once the system is back online. Thank you for your understanding.

What preparation is required from staff before the system upgrade?

  1. Planning ahead to manage work that requires system access.
  2. Updating their computer software manually.
  3. Backing up all company data to external drives.

6.

Memo: Office Relocation

Dear Staff, We are pleased to announce that the company will be moving to our new larger office starting 1st September. The new office is located at 10 Greenway Business Park, just a short distance from our current premises. The move will take place over the weekend, and all employees are expected to begin working at the new location on Monday, 4th September. Please start packing your workstations by the end of this month. More details about the move will be shared in the coming weeks.

What aspects of the relocation plan indicate careful management of the change?

  1. The immediate requirement to pack workstations.
  2. The decision to move to a different area.
  3. The timing of the move and advance notice to staff.

7.

Memo: New Cafeteria Services

Dear Employees, We are excited to announce that the company will be launching a new cafeteria service next month. The cafeteria will offer a wide range of healthy meal options, including vegetarian and vegan dishes, and will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Employees will also have access to special discounts by presenting their staff ID cards. We hope this new service will make lunchtime more convenient and enjoyable for everyone.

How does this new service reflect the company's business strategy?

  1. By reducing the time allocated for lunch breaks.
  2. By investing in facilities that enhance workplace satisfaction.
  3. By generating additional revenue from food sales.

8.

Memo: Project Deadline Reminder

Dear Team, Just a quick reminder that the deadline for submitting the final project reports is next Friday, 10th August. Please ensure that all reports are reviewed, finalised, and submitted to the project manager by the end of the day. If you need additional time, please inform your team leader as soon as possible. Any delays could affect the overall project timeline.

What does the memo suggest about project interdependence?

  1. Each report is evaluated independently of others.
  2. Individual delays can impact the entire project schedule.
  3. Late submissions will be automatically rejected.

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