# Office space design - 科目：雅思听力真题（Part 4） - 考频：高频 - 最近考试：2021.3.4 - 题目数：10 - 来源页：https://www.yaquan.site/paper/c73a5aa9-8665-44c7-a51a-1a31eeb07a2c（在线机考练习与音频请访问该页面） - 数据更新：2026-10-29 ## 题目原文 00:00:01,600 Part four. 00:00:03,740 You will hear part of a talk about recent research into the design of workplaces. 00:00:11,500 First, you have some time to look at questions thirty-one to forty. 00:00:21,220 Now listen carefully and answer questions thirty-one to forty. 00:01:15,120 Hello, everyone. I recently completed some important research into the way office space is designed and its impact on employees. The open plan office had been the norm for offices around the world. I'm sure you can picture one, a big room with maybe fifty or a hundred workers sitting at their workstations. You might think open plan designs are a recent phenomenon, but they actually came about in the early twentieth century when businesses needed large numbers of people to do typing. 00:01:51,030 These employees, usually women, used to have to sit in rows, working away at their typewriters under the watchful eye of their supervisor. Over the years, designers have come up with several variations on the open theme. In particular, this has been achieved through furnishings. The early designs featured separate desks. A subsequent design introduced the concept of the cubicle. These can have either high screens that workers can't see over or a screen just low enough to keep a lookout for the manager. 00:02:28,170 [laughs] And nowadays, with the increase in large call centers, a phenomenon known as hot desking is common. In this system, employees working on different shifts are asked to share the same workstation. As you can imagine, this is not very popular with staff as there is little opportunity to personalize your workspace. 00:02:55,800 In fact, my research shows that employees in general dislike the open plan design. As a part of my research, I conducted a survey of the staff in several large companies with open plan offices. The employees all voiced similar concerns about the design. Firstly, they felt that the open plan took away their privacy, but many also felt the need to carry their valuables with them at all times. So to some extent, they also felt there was less security with these designs. 00:03:30,410 Another common complaint may be something for employers to consider when choosing this type of design, and this was that these types of office space are bad for the health. I was intrigued by this possibility, but looking at staff records, it does seem to be borne out. 00:03:49,300 So if this design is so unpopular, why is it so commonplace? Well, the answer to that is in the benefits that the employers feel this type of design has. Of course, there is the obvious benefit that this design significantly reduces costs, both in terms of rent and even in terms of energy use. Employers also argue that an open plan design leads to better teamwork and communication. They also feel that new staff can learn from observing other workers, so this design can actually help in training staff. However, the complaints voiced by employees seem to suggest that the disadvantages far outweigh the advantages. The reality is that unhappy workers are unlikely to work well together, and there is plenty of evidence to suggest workers are frequently distracted from their work by the noise that is all around them. 00:04:51,040 What is clear is that as designers, we need to think carefully about the impact that our design has both on the staff involved and the work that they do. 00:05:04,780 That is the end of part four. You now have one minute to check your answers to part four. ## 题目与答案 ### 31. Early 20th Century - workers employed to do 31_____ were arranged in rows Early 20th Century - workers employed to do 31_____ were arranged in rows **答案**：typing 原文定位：You might think open plan designs are a recent phenomenon, but they actually came about in the early twentieth century when businesses needed large numbers of people to do typing;These employees, usually women, used to have to sit in rows, working away at their typewriters under the watchful eye of their supervisor ### 32. 1960s to present Variations in design of open-plan offices: - first, workers had individual 32_____ 1960s to present Variations in design of open-plan offices: - first, workers had individual 32_____ **答案**：desks 原文定位：The early designs featured separate desks 同义替换：「first」↔「The early」；「individual」↔「separate」 ### 33. - later, they had cubicles with high or low 33_____ . - later, they had cubicles with high or low 33_____ . **答案**：screens 原文定位：A subsequent design introduced the concept of the cubicle. These can have either high screens that workers can't see over or a screen just low enough to keep a lookout for the manager 同义替换：「later」↔「subsequent」 ### 34. - nowadays, workers may have to 34_____ a work area - nowadays, workers may have to 34_____ a work area **答案**：share 原文定位：And nowadays, with the increase in large call centers, a phenomenon known as hot desking is common. In this system, employees working on different shifts are asked to share the same workstation 同义替换：「workers」↔「employees」；「work area」↔「workstation」 ### 35. Survey results Attitudes of employees to open-plan designs: - there is a lack of 35_____ Survey results Attitudes of employees to open-plan designs: - there is a lack of 35_____ **答案**：privacy 原文定位：Firstly, they felt that the open plan took away their privacy, but many also felt the need to carry their valuables with them at all times 同义替换：「Attitudes」↔「concerns」；「a lack of」↔「took away」 ### 36. and 36_____ and 36_____ **答案**：security 原文定位：Firstly, they felt that the open plan took away their privacy, but many also felt the need to carry their valuables with them at all times. So to some extent, they also felt there was less security with these designs ### 37. - they pose a risk to our 37_____ (staff records support this) - they pose a risk to our 37_____ (staff records support this) **答案**：health 原文定位：Another common complaint may be something for employers to consider when choosing this type of design, and this was that these types of office space are bad for the health. I was intrigued by this possibility, but looking at staff records, it does seem to be borne out 同义替换：「pose a risk to」↔「bad for」 ### 38. Attitudes of employers to open-plan designs: - they significantly reduce rent and 38_____ costs Attitudes of employers to open-plan designs: - they significantly reduce rent and 38_____ costs **答案**：energy 原文定位：Of course, there is the obvious benefit that this design significantly reduces costs, both in terms of rent and even in terms of energy use ### 39. - they improve teamwork and communication - they can make 39_____ staff easier - they improve teamwork and communication - they can make 39_____ staff easier **答案**：training 原文定位：They also feel that new staff can learn from observing other workers, so this design can actually help in training staff ### 40. - In reality, employees are unhappy and they are often distracted by the 40_____ in the office - In reality, employees are unhappy and they are often distracted by the 40_____ in the office **答案**：noise 原文定位：The reality is that unhappy workers are unlikely to work well together, and there is plenty of evidence to suggest workers are frequently distracted from their work by the noise that is all around them 同义替换：「employees」↔「workers」 --- 以上内容由鸭圈雅思真题库（www.yaquan.site）提供，收录近期雅思考试真题回忆，支持在线机考模式免费练习。