Comprehension practice

Friday's order-desk handover

222 words · 5 questions · Open book

Read at your own pace.

Subject: Friday's order-desk handover

Hi team,

I'm covering the supplier call on Friday, so we need a small change at the order desk. Leena will handle incoming orders until 11:00. Omar will take over at 11:00 and stay until the usual 14:00 finish. The customer collection window will not change.

Before leaving the desk, Leena should put any unfinished orders in the shared handover sheet. For each one, include the order number, the next action and the person waiting for a reply. Please keep the notes brief but specific. 'Waiting for a reply' is less useful than 'Waiting for Priya to confirm the blue fabric.'

Omar, start with the entries marked 'today'. Those customers have been told that we will contact them before the desk closes. Other entries can wait until the next working day unless a new message makes them urgent. Mark an entry as complete only after the customer has received the update, not simply after you have read the note.

We will have ten minutes together at 10:50 to discuss any awkward cases. This is a handover, not an extra meeting for the whole team: only Leena and Omar need to attend. If an order is already finished, leave it out of the handover sheet so the open work is easy to spot.

Thanks, Rafi

Start questions

Look back at the passage

Subject: Friday's order-desk handover

Hi team,

Thanks, Rafi

.practice-interactive, .practice-question-link { display: none; }

Check your understanding

Answer these five questions, then open the key to check your answers.

When does Omar take over the order desk?
1. At 10:50.
2. At 11:00.
3. At 13:00.
4. At 14:00.
Who needs to attend the 10:50 handover discussion?
1. Everyone who works at the desk.
2. Rafi and the supplier.
3. Leena and Priya.
4. Leena and Omar.
What is the main purpose of the email?
1. To arrange Friday's desk cover and pass on unfinished work.
2. To extend the customer collection window on Fridays.
3. To introduce a new rule for ordering blue fabric.
4. To give the whole team an additional weekly meeting.
At 11:20, Omar has read a 'today' entry, but the customer has not received the promised update. How should that entry be treated?
1. As complete, because Omar has read the note.
2. As removable, because the handover has finished.
3. As still open, because the customer has not received an update.
4. As postponed, because it can wait until the next working day.
What does 'brief but specific' mean for the handover notes?
1. Leaving out the name of the person waiting.
2. Keeping them short while including the information needed.
3. Writing them only after an order is finished.
4. Including every message previously sent about the order.

Study the answer key

This shows the answers. For a self-check, try the questions first.

1. When does Omar take over the order desk?

Correct answer: At 11:00.

Omar takes over at 11:00. The 10:50 time is for the handover discussion, while 14:00 is the usual finish.

In the passage: “Omar will take over at 11:00 and stay until the usual 14:00 finish.”

2. Who needs to attend the 10:50 handover discussion?

Correct answer: Leena and Omar.

The email explicitly says that only Leena and Omar need to attend. It is not a meeting for the whole team.

In the passage: “This is a handover, not an extra meeting for the whole team: only Leena and Omar need to attend.”

3. What is the main purpose of the email?

Correct answer: To arrange Friday's desk cover and pass on unfinished work.

The email changes who covers the desk and explains how unfinished orders should pass to the next person. The fabric example illustrates useful notes; it is not the main subject.

In the passage: “I'm covering the supplier call on Friday, so we need a small change at the order desk. Leena will handle incoming orders until 11:00. Omar will take over at 11:00 and stay until the usual 14:00 finish. The customer collection window will not change. Before leaving the desk, Leena should put any unfinished orders in the shared handover sheet.”

4. At 11:20, Omar has read a 'today' entry, but the customer has not received the promised update. How should that entry be treated?

Correct answer: As still open, because the customer has not received an update.

Apply the completion rule to this new situation: reading the note is not enough. Since the customer has not received an update, the entry is not complete.

In the passage: “Mark an entry as complete only after the customer has received the update, not simply after you have read the note.”

5. What does 'brief but specific' mean for the handover notes?

Correct answer: Keeping them short while including the information needed.

The example favours a short note that identifies who must confirm what. 'Brief' does not mean leaving out the details needed for the next action.

In the passage: “Please keep the notes brief but specific. 'Waiting for a reply' is less useful than 'Waiting for Priya to confirm the blue fabric.'”

More options

Printable version Try a timed reading test

Version 1 · About the practice materials

Friday's order-desk handover

Check your understanding.