Question 14
ComprehensionJAMB 1987 Passage III: The untidy Conference Room
Manager: Mr. Mbu, I would not describe you as an inefficient worker; I therefore find it difficult to understand why the Conference Room is so untidy, in spite of the fact that I had reminded you of the meeting scheduled to take place there this afternoon.
Secretary: Sir, I did instruct the cleaner to tidy up the place before the meeting
Manager: Are you trying to hold the cleaner responsible for the untidy condition of the room?
Secretary: Partly, sir, I gave him an instruction which he failed to carry out. It is certainly my intention to make a formal complaint against him for dereliction of duty.
Manager: And would you wash your hands off any blame after that? Do you think that just making a formal complaint against the cleaner absolves you of all blame? When do you consider an assignment as properly executed: when the execution is properly supervised or not? Was it sufficient for you to give instructions to the cleaner without ensuring that he actually carried them out?
Secretary: Sir, I do not see what else I could have done, short of doing the job myself. The cleaner is a six-footer and I could not have intimidated him physically.
Manager: I see, I await your complaint against the cleaner, but I shall not forget that you allowed a board meeting to take place in an untidy Conference Room
Secretary: Sir, I did instruct the cleaner to tidy up the place before the meeting
Manager: Are you trying to hold the cleaner responsible for the untidy condition of the room?
Secretary: Partly, sir, I gave him an instruction which he failed to carry out. It is certainly my intention to make a formal complaint against him for dereliction of duty.
Manager: And would you wash your hands off any blame after that? Do you think that just making a formal complaint against the cleaner absolves you of all blame? When do you consider an assignment as properly executed: when the execution is properly supervised or not? Was it sufficient for you to give instructions to the cleaner without ensuring that he actually carried them out?
Secretary: Sir, I do not see what else I could have done, short of doing the job myself. The cleaner is a six-footer and I could not have intimidated him physically.
Manager: I see, I await your complaint against the cleaner, but I shall not forget that you allowed a board meeting to take place in an untidy Conference Room
The secretary's attitude seems to be
- A.'manager sir, you employed this huge and recalcitrant cleaner and I am not going to do his job for him'
- B.'It is not the duty of a secretary to enforce the instructions he gives to his junior workers'
- C.'I am a secretary by profession not a cleaner
- D.'It is not terribly important how tidy the Conference Room is for the meeting'
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: B ('It is not the duty of a secretary to enforce the instructions he gives to his junior workers')
Explanation
The secretary believes that giving the instruction was enough and says he could not have done anything else, so he does not see enforcing it as his duty.