Up to 14% of workers may need to change occupation within 15 years. Stella Pachidi warns that algorithms in knowledge work can stop novices learning, make staff dependent, and even tempt them to feed in false data. Hamish Low predicts multi-stage careers and more jobs, not fewer. Ewan McGaughey blames law, not technology, for unemployment and calls for a social revolution.
The multiple choice (27-30) covers the opening paragraph, Pachidi's first comments, the telecoms study, and McGaughey's research. The summary (31-34) is Pachidi's section. The people matching (35-40) spans the whole passage.
Multiple choice
Questions 27-30
How to attack this block: The first paragraph is about how much work will change, not which jobs. Pachidi sees the knowledge economy as where the most fundamental changes are happening. At the telecoms firm, staff fed the algorithm false data to hit targets. McGaughey shows how retraining and redeployment can handle job change.
Question 27
Answer: BParagraph 1, first sentence
What is the opening paragraph mainly about?
3-14% of the global workforce will need to switch to a different occupation within the next 10-15 years, and all workers will need to adapt as their occupations evolve alongside increasingly capable machines
Question says → Passage says
the extent to which3-14% of the global workforce / all workers
alter the nature of the workswitch to a different occupation / their occupations evolve
Why: The paragraph measures how much work will change: a share of people will switch jobs and everyone else will have to adapt. That's the extent of change, which is B.
The trap: D picks up 'embodied' and 'disembodied' AI, but the paragraph only names them as two types. It never compares how they affect workers. A fails because no particular jobs are named, and C misreads the percentage: it's people changing occupation, not people working in AI.
Question 28
Answer: DParagraph 2, first sentence
How does Pachidi see the knowledge economy?
some of the most fundamental changes are happening as a result of the 'algorithmication' of jobs that are dependent on data rather than on production - the so-called knowledge economy
Question says → Passage says
a key factor drivingsome of the most fundamental changes are happening as a result of
current developments in the workplacethe 'algorithmication' of jobs
Why: 'As a result of' tells you the knowledge economy is causing change, and 'most fundamental' makes it a key cause. Changes happening now in jobs = 'current developments in the workplace'. D.
The trap: C borrows 'production', but the passage only contrasts data-based jobs with production-based ones. It never says production is declining, let alone why. A is out because the paragraph says nothing about job numbers.
Question 29
Answer: CParagraph 7
What did Pachidi see staff doing at the telecoms firm?
Pachidi and colleagues even observed people developing strategies to make the algorithm work to their own advantage. 'We are seeing cases where workers feed the algorithm with false data to reach their targets,'
Question says → Passage says
staff making suredeveloping strategies
AI produces the results that they wantmake the algorithm work to their own advantage / to reach their targets
Why: Feeding the algorithm false data so that it helps them hit targets is manipulating it to get the outcome they need. That's C.
The trap: D looks right because paragraph 6 says workers become 'dependent on its instructions'. But D describes laziness, staff letting AI do their own jobs, and the observation the question points to is about gaming the system. A and B are feelings the passage never reports.
Question 30
Answer: DParagraph 12, first two sentences
What does McGaughey's research show?
'History is clear that change can mean redundancies. But social policies can tackle this through retraining and redeployment.'
Question says → Passage says
changes in the job marketchange can mean redundancies
can be successfully handledsocial policies can tackle this
illustrates howthrough retraining and redeployment
Why: He admits change brings redundancies, then shows the fix: social policies, retraining, redeployment. Showing how a problem can be dealt with is D.
The trap: A goes too far. He accepts redundancies happen; he doesn't argue they're a good thing. B is the opposite of his tone, since he calls 'apocalyptic' views misguided. C borrows 'History', but he doesn't contrast past and future job losses.
Summary completion (word list A-G)
Questions 31-34
How to attack this block: Map each gap to Pachidi's words: 'dependent on data' becomes information, 'dependent on its instructions' becomes reliance, and 'human instinct' becomes intuition. Researchers want AI to be more trustworthy, which the summary turns into users' confidence.
Question 31
Answer: GParagraph 2, first sentence
What do the algorithmicated jobs rely on instead of production?
the 'algorithmication' of jobs that are dependent on data rather than on production
Question says → Passage says
rely not on production but ondependent on… rather than on production
information (G)data
Why: The summary flips the passage's order ('not on production but on') but it's the same contrast. The passage word is 'data', and the box's closest match is information (G).
The trap: 'Reliance' sounds right next to 'rely', but the gap needs the thing relied on, not the act of relying. Reliance is used in the next gap.
Question 32
Answer: EParagraph 6, second sentence
What grew among workers as they learned through the algorithm's eyes?
workers learn through the 'algorithm's eyes' and become dependent on its instructions
Question says → Passage says
a growing ___ on the recommendationsbecome dependent on its instructions
reliance (E)dependent
Why: 'Become dependent' describes something increasing, which is the summary's 'growing'. The noun form of 'dependent on' is 'dependence on', and its synonym in the box is reliance (E). It also fits the grammar: 'reliance on'.
The trap: Confidence (F) can follow 'growing' too, but the passage describes workers being controlled, not trusting the system more. Pressure (A) doesn't fit 'on the recommendations'.
Question 33
Answer: CParagraph 6, last sentence
What are staff discouraged from using?
Alternative explorations - where experimentation and human instinct lead to progress and new ideas - are effectively discouraged.
Question says → Passage says
deterred fromeffectively discouraged
experimenting and using their ownexperimentation and human instinct
innovationprogress and new ideas
Why: The gap sits next to 'experimenting', just as 'human instinct' sits next to 'experimentation' in the passage. Instinct means intuition (C), and 'their own intuition' reads naturally.
The trap: Information (G) is tempting because workers learn from data, but you can't be discouraged from using 'your own information' in this sense. G also belongs to question 31.
Question 34
Answer: FParagraph 8, second sentence
What do researchers want to increase in users regarding AI?
Their objective is to make AI technologies more trustworthy and transparent, so that organisations and individuals understand how AI decisions are made.
Question says → Passage says
easier to comprehendtransparent / understand how AI decisions are made
increase users' confidencemore trustworthy
Why: The passage gives two aims. 'Easier to comprehend' covers 'transparent', so the gap must cover 'trustworthy'. If AI is more trustworthy, users have more confidence (F) in it.
The trap: Satisfaction (B) fits the grammar, but nothing in the passage is about users being happy with AI. The idea is trust.
Matching statements to people
Questions 35-40
How to attack this block: Pachidi gets two: why organisations like algorithms, and the need to understand the dilemmas AI raises. Low gets two: more jobs, not fewer, and careers that no longer follow education, work, retirement. McGaughey gets two: the comparison with earlier revolutions, and policies guaranteeing full employment and fair incomes.
Question 35
Answer: BParagraph 10
Who says more automation won't mean fewer jobs?
If in 30 years, half of 100 jobs are being carried out by robots, that doesn't mean we are left with just 50 jobs for humans. The number of jobs will increase
Question says → Passage says
greater levels of automationhalf of 100 jobs are being carried out by robots
will not result in lower employmentThe number of jobs will increase / we would expect there to be 150 jobs
Why: Low's example says robots doing half the work still leaves more jobs, not fewer: 150, not 50. That's B, Low.
The trap: McGaughey (C) also rejects 'apocalyptic' views and says laws, not technology, cause unemployment. But he doesn't claim job numbers will rise. The specific 'not fewer jobs' argument is Low's.
Question 36
Answer: AParagraph 3
Who gives reasons why businesses like AI?
'Organisations are attracted to using algorithms because they want to make choices based on what they consider is "perfect information", as well as to reduce costs and enhance productivity.'
Question says → Passage says
appealing to businessesOrganisations are attracted to using algorithms
several reasonsperfect information / reduce costs / enhance productivity
Why: 'Attracted to' = 'appealing', 'organisations' = 'businesses', and Pachidi lists three reasons. A.
The trap: McGaughey talks about the 'promises of these new technologies', but that's about humankind, not why companies adopt AI.
Question 37
Answer: CParagraph 13
Who compares AI's potential to big changes in earlier eras?
'Just as the industrial revolution brought people past subsistence agriculture, and the corporate revolution enabled mass production, a third revolution has been pronounced.
Question says → Passage says
AI's potential to transform people's livesthe capacity to live in a way that nobody could have once imagined
has parallels withJust as
major cultural shifts… in previous erasthe industrial revolution / the corporate revolution
Why: 'Just as' sets up a parallel between AI and two past revolutions. That's McGaughey (C), and he adds that the next revolution will be social, which fits 'cultural shifts'.
The trap: Low (B) also contrasts past and present with the 'traditional trajectory' of careers, but he's describing working lives, not historical revolutions.
Question 38
Answer: AParagraph 8, last sentence
Who says we must understand the problems AI creates?
'We need to make sure we fully understand the dilemmas that this new world raises regarding expertise, occupational boundaries and control.'
Question says → Passage says
It is important to be aware ofWe need to make sure we fully understand
the range of problemsthe dilemmas… regarding expertise, occupational boundaries and control
Why: Pachidi says 'we need to' understand the dilemmas, and lists three areas. 'Need to understand' = 'important to be aware of', and a list of dilemmas = 'range of problems'. A, the second Pachidi answer.
The trap: The sentence before talks about 'many researchers' trying to make AI trustworthy. They aren't on the list of people, so the quote's speaker, Pachidi, gets the point.
Question 39
Answer: BParagraph 9
Who says careers will follow a less traditional path?
'The traditional trajectory of full-time education followed by full-time work followed by a pensioned retirement is a thing of the past,'
Question says → Passage says
less conventionalThe traditional trajectory… is a thing of the past
career pathtrajectory / a multistage employment life
Why: If the traditional route is 'a thing of the past', future careers will be less conventional. Low replaces it with a 'multistage employment life'. B.
The trap: Pachidi (A) also worries about how professionals will develop, but that's about learning a job, not the shape of a whole career.
Question 40
Answer: CParagraph 12, last sentence
Who wants governments to make sure everyone has decently paid work?
pre-empt the coming changes with bold new policies that guarantee full employment, fair incomes and a thriving economic democracy
Question says → Passage says
Authorities should take measuresa call to arms to leaders of organisations, governments and banks / bold new policies
ensureguarantee
adequately paid work for everyonefull employment, fair incomes
Why: 'Guarantee full employment' = work for everyone, 'fair incomes' = adequately paid. These are McGaughey's findings (C).
The trap: Low (B) talks about more jobs in the future, but he doesn't ask governments to act or mention pay. The call for policy is McGaughey's.
D. Pachidi thinks the most fundamental changes come from the algorithmication of data-based jobs, which makes the knowledge economy a key driver. Nothing links it to the decline of production.
B (Low). If robots do half of 100 jobs, we'd expect 150 jobs, not 50. McGaughey also rejects 'apocalyptic' views, but that specific claim is Low's.
Words from this passage worth keeping
disruptive(Paragraph 1)
causing big changes to the usual way things work
outperform(Paragraph 3)
do something better than someone else
novice(Paragraph 4)
a beginner with little experience
short-sighted(Paragraph 6)
not thinking about long-term effects
trajectory(Paragraph 9)
the path something follows over time
fallacy(Paragraph 10)
a mistaken belief based on faulty reasoning
redundancies(Paragraph 12)
job losses because workers are no longer needed
pre-empt(Paragraph 12)
act early to deal with something before it happens
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The full Cambridge 16 Test 1 reading paper: all three passages, 60 minutes, marked the second you finish with a review of every answer. Already done it? Take it again and see if the same traps still get you.
Cambridge IELTS 16, Test 1, Reading Passage 3. The passage and questions belong to Cambridge University Press and are not reproduced here. We quote short extracts only as evidence for our own commentary, and the answers are published for self-marking. Get the book for the full text, or sit the test on Langujet.
