The Four-Day Working Week
B2 First · Open Cloze · Cambridge Ready original exercise
For questions 1–8, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each gap. Use only one word in each gap. There is an example at the beginning.
Imagine working four days a week (0) ___ of five and earning exactly the same salary. It may sound too good to (1) ___ true, but a growing number of companies around the world are now trying the idea out. Supporters claim that employees who have a longer weekend come back to work feeling more relaxed, and (2) ___ a result they get more done. In several trials, companies reported that productivity stayed the same or even went (3) ___ , while fewer staff took time off (4) ___ of illness. (5) ___ everyone is convinced, however. Some managers worry that it is difficult to look after customers properly, especially in businesses (6) ___ are open seven days a week. Others say the idea only works if staff stop wasting time in meetings that go (7) ___ for far too long. It is still too early to say (8) ___ the four-day week will spread to every industry, but it seems that the traditional working week is no longer quite as fixed as it once was.
The Four-Day Working Week
Available as a free printable PDF worksheet with an optional answer key.