English: Reading Comprehension Practice Paper Set 3 for Banking and Other Competitive Exams

Reading Comprehension Practice Paper Set 3

Directions: Read the Passage carefully and choose the best answers for questions

An organization must feel the need to change if it is to transform itself extensively. Typically the first people in the organization to senses this need are those who are in continuous contact with the external environment. They could be the company's front-line employees, working in the sales, marketing, or purchase functions. Or they could be senior executives involved in interacting with regulatory authorities.

     

     Whatever their functions these people are the harbingers of change. They communicate the message to the top management, either through formal structured meetings or unstructured personal encounters. This is a critical phase. The senior management team has to be convinced of the need to change. Very often, this process of building conviction is fraught with disagreements. Particularly if the  people concerned are not open to the signals they receive.

     It is easy to ignore the initial signals. most organizations start receiving these at the pre-pain stage, when their market shares and profits have not yet fallen. The organization can either opt for status quo, and break out into a rash of activities after its profits start falling or it can be proactive. An organization that opts for change enters the even more crucial second stage. The first requisite for implementing lasting change is a cross-functional and cross-hierarchical team which is empowered to lead the process of change. The second is that top managers must be prepared  to back that team's decisions. Large-scale organizational transformation is not possible without this.

Questions:

1) According to the passage, the people who sense the need for change in an organization are

1. front-line employees
2. marketing people
3. senior executives
4. All the above

2) The "Critical Phase", according to the passage, is

1. noticing change
2. bringing about change
   
3. communicating the message to change
4. interacting with the regulatory authorities

3) The words " External Environment" in the first para refers to

1. conditions of climate and weather
2. customers and others with whom the organization has contacts
3. other similar organizations
4. competition from abroad

4) The more crucial second stage for an organization is when

1. the top management keeps away from change
2. the people are open minded
3. an organization begins to implement change
4. it finds a cross functional and cross hierarchical team

5) "Pre-pain" stage in para 3 refers to the time.

1. when there is no need for change.
2. when the organization makes profit
3. when change becomes inevitable
4. when the organization does not suffer for not changing.