This Academic IELTS Reading post focuses on solutions to IELTS Cambridge 2 Reading Test 3 Reading Passage 1 which is titled ‘ABSENTEEISM IN NURSING: A LONGITUDINAL STUDY’. This is a targeted post for IELTS candidates who have big problems finding out and understanding Reading Answers in the AC module. This post can guide you the best to understand every Reading answer without much trouble. Finding out IELTS Reading answers is a steady process, and this post will assist you in this respect.

IELTS Cambridge 2 Test 3: AC Reading Module

Reading Passage 1: Questions 1-13

Title of the passage: ABSENTEEISM IN NURSING: A LONGITUDINAL STUDY

Questions 1-7: YES, NO, NOT GIVEN

In this type of question, candidates are asked to find out whether:

The statement in the question matches with the claim of the writer in the text- YES
The statement in the question contradicts with the claim of the writer in the text- NO
The statement in the question has no clear connection with the account in the text- NOT GIVEN

[TIPS: For this type of question, you can divide each statement into three independent pieces and make your way through with the answer.]

Question no. 1: The Prince William Hospital has been trying to reduce absenteeism amongst nurses for many years.

Keywords for the question: Prince William Hospital, trying to reduce, absenteeism, nurses, for many years,   

Let’s take a look at the first paragraph. Here, take a look at these lines, “ . … . The study reported here was conducted in the Prince William Hospital in Brisbane, Australia, where, prior to this time, few active steps had been taken to measure, understand or manage the occurrence of absenteeism.”

Here, prior to this time, few active steps had been taken = has been trying to reduce absenteeism amongst nurses for ONLY A FEW years,

So, the answer is: NO

Question no. 2: Nurses in the Prince William Hospital study believed that there were benefits in taking as little sick leave as possible.

Keywords for the question: nurses, Prince William Hospital study, believed, benefits, taking as little sick leave, as possible,    

In the ‘Nursing Absenteeism’ section, the writer mentions in the very beginning, “A prevalent attitude amongst many nurses in the group selected for study was that there was no reward or recognition for not utilising the paid sick leave entitlement allowed them in their employment conditions.. .. .”

Here, there was no reward or recognition for not utilising the paid sick leave = there were NO benefits in taking as little sick leave as possible.

So, the answer is: NO

Question no. 3: Just over half the nurses in the 1986 study believed that management understood the effects that shift work had on them.

Keywords for the question: just over half, nurses, 1986 study, believed, management, understood, effects, shift work, had on them,       

In the ‘Nursing Absenteeism’ section, the writer mentions in the second paragraph, “ . .. .. . Further, 67 per cent of nurses felt that administration was not sympathetic to the problems shift work causes to employees’ personal and social lives. .. … ..”

Here, 67 per cent of nurses = just over half the nurses, administration was not sympathetic = management DID NOT understand, the problems shift work causes to employees’ personal and social lives = management understood the effects that shift work had on them,

So, the answer is: NO

Question no. 4: The Canadian study found that ‘illness in the family’ was a greater cause of absenteeism than ‘work to do at home’.

Keywords for the question: Canadian study, found, ‘illness in the family’, greater cause, absenteeism, than ‘work to do at home’,

The third paragraph in the ‘Nursing Absenteeism’ section has the answer. The writer of the text says here, “In another longitudinal study of nurses working in two Canadian hospitals, Hacket Bycio and Guion (1989) examined the reasons why nurses took absence from work. The most frequent reason stated for absence was minor illness to self. Other causes, in decreasing order of frequency, were illness in family, family social function, work to do at home and bereavement.”

Here, may choose entrepreneurship = may set up their own businesses, The most frequent reason = greater cause, minor illness to self = illness in the family,

So, the answer is: YES

Question no. 5: In relation to management attitude to absenteeism the study at the Prince William Hospital found similar results to the two 1989 studies.

Keywords for the question: management attitude to, absenteeism, study, Prince William Hospital, found, similar results, two 1986 studies,

Such comparison CANNOT BE FOUND in this text.

So, the answer is: NOT GIVEN

Question no. 6: The study at the Prince William Hospital aimed to find out the causes of absenteeism amongst 250 nurses.

Keywords for the question: study, Prince William Hospital, aimed to find out, causes, absenteeism, 250 nurses,

In the ‘Method’ section, the writer mentions in the very first lines of the first paragraph, “In an attempt to reduce the level of absenteeism amongst the 250 registered and enrolled nurses in the present study, the

Prince William management introduced three different, yet potentially complementary, strategies over 18 months.”

Here, an attempt = the aim of the study,

The lines suggest that the aim of the study was to reduce the level of absenteeism, NOT to find out the causes of absenteeism.  

So, the answer is: NO

Question no. 7: The study at the Prince William Hospital involved changes in management practices.

Keywords for the question: study, Prince William Hospital, involved, changes, management practices,

Again, take a look in the ‘Method’ section, the writer mentions in the very first lines of the first paragraph, “In an attempt to reduce the level of absenteeism amongst the 250 registered and enrolled nurses in the present study, the Prince William management introduced three different, yet potentially complementary, strategies over 18 months.”

Here, the Prince William management introduced three different .. . . strategies = the study involved changes in the management practices,

So, the answer is: YES

Questions 8-13: Completing notes

[In this type of question, candidates are asked to complete different notes with ONE OR TWO WORDS from the passage. Keywords are important to find answers correctly. Generally, this type of question maintains a sequence. However, we should not be surprised if the sequence is not maintained. Find the keywords in the passage and you are most likely to find the answers.]

Question no. 8: In the first strategy, wards with the lowest absenteeism in different periods would win prizes donated by __________.

Keywords for the question: first strategy, wards, lowest absenteeism, different periods, would win prizes, donated by,      

In the ‘Method section, the writer mentions in the second paragraph,  

“Strategy 1: Non-financial (material) incentives

Within the established wage and salary system it was not possible to use hospital funds to support this strategy. However, it was possible to secure incentives from local businesses, including free passes to entertainment parks, theatres, restaurants, etc. At the end of each roster period, the ward with the lowest absence rate would win the prize.”

Here, the ward with the lowest absence rate = wards with the lowest absenteeism,

it was possible to secure incentives from local businesses = the prizes were donated by local businesses,

So, the answer is: (local) businesses

Question no. 9: In the second strategy, staff were given more control over their __________.

Keywords for the question: second strategy, staff, given more control, over,

In the ‘Method section, the writer mentions in the third paragraph,

“Strategy 2: Flexible fair rostering

Where possible, staff were given the opportunity to determine their working schedule within the limits of clinical needs.”

Here, staff were given the opportunity to determine = staff were given more control,

So, the answer is: (work/working) schedule / rostering / roster(s)

Questions no. 10 & 11: In the third strategy, nurses who appeared to be taking 10. __________ sick leave or 11. __________ were identified and counselled.

Keywords for the questions: third strategy, nurses, appeared, taking, sick leave, or, were identified, counselled,

Again, in the ‘Method section, the writer mentions in the fourth paragraph,

“Strategy 3: Individual absenteeism and counselling

Each month, managers would analyse the pattern of absence of staff with excessive sick leave (greater than ten days per year for full-time employees). Characteristic patterns of potential ‘voluntary absenteeism’ such as absence before and after days off, excessive weekend and night duty absence and multiple single days off were communicated to all ward nurses and then, as necessary, followed up by action.”

Here, were communicated to all ward nurses and then, as necessary, followed up by action = were identified and counselled,

So, the answers are:

10. excessive
11. voluntary absence / absenteeism

Question no. 12: Initially, there was a __________ per cent decrease in absenteeism.

Keywords for the question: initially, percent, decrease, absenteeism,   

In the ‘Results’ section, the writer says in lines 5-6,

“This represents a 20 per cent improvement. .. .. .”

Here, 20 per cent improvement = 20 per cent decrease in absenteeism,

So, the answer is: twenty / 20

Question no. 13: The second and third strategies generally resulted in better ________ among staff.

Keywords for the question: second and third strategies, generally resulted in, better, among staff,   

The answer lies in the ‘Discussion’ section, in the second paragraph. Take a look at these lines,

“Over the time of the study, staff were given a larger degree of control in their rosters. This led to significant improvements in communication between managers and staff. A similar effect was found from the implementation of the third strategy..”

Here, staff were given a larger degree of control in their rosters = the second strategy, significant improvements = better, between managers and staff = among staff,

So, the answer is: communication

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 2 Test 3 Reading passage 2

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 2 Test 3 Reading passage 3