Read the following article from a website.
The federal government says recent changes to its home caregiver program are starting to work, but caregivers and the families who hire them still disagree about what should come next. Under the program, workers from abroad look after children, older adults or people with disabilities, often living in the same house where they work, and can later apply to stay in Canada permanently. About seventy thousand applications are now waiting, and some caregivers have waited close to three years. A parliamentary committee will hear from both sides next month.
Marites Concepcion trained as a nurse in the Philippines and came to Canada as a caregiver fifteen years ago. She now speaks for a caregivers’ network in Toronto. “Labour law protects us on paper, but inside a private home it barely reaches us,” Concepcion said. “In my first two years I was shouted at almost every day, and I told nobody.” What hurts most, she says, is the wait. “We raise other families’ children while our own grow up on video calls,” she said.
Lucian Drummond, a senior official in the immigration department, says the reforms have made a real difference. “A standard contract, a help line and open work permits for people waiting on residency have changed lives,” Drummond said. “A caregiver can now leave a bad employer without losing her status.” Agathe Comeau, who leads an association of families that employ caregivers, says she supports inspections, but only by appointment. “Many of our members are over eighty, or they use a wheelchair,” Comeau said. “Imagine two strangers knocking on the door of a frail woman who lives alone. That visit can do harm too.”
Anwar Dalal, who practises labour law in Winnipeg, points out that a caregiver who leaves a bad home has to find work and a new bed within the same day. “Without money to live on, most people will stay with a bad employer rather than sleep in a shelter,” Dalal said. “Give them a small fund while they look for work, and more of them would come forward about abuse.” He also wants inspectors who can arrive without notice when a complaint is filed. “A warning call gives a bad employer a full day to hide the problem,” he said.
Using the drop-down menu (▾), choose the best option according to the information given on the website.
The main point of the article is that 2..
The reporter’s tone shows 3..
Most likely, Marites Concepcion has 4..
According to Dalal, inspectors who phone before a visit 5..
The following is a comment by a visitor to the website page. Complete the comment by choosing the best option to fill in each blank.
AI explanationShows the answer. Tap to open.
Correct Answer: a debate over a program for caregivers from abroad
Why this is correct: The article describes the federal caregiver program and its recent changes. Caregivers, an official, employers and a lawyer then argue about what should come next.
Passage Reference: The federal government says recent changes to its home caregiver program are starting to work, but caregivers and the families who hire them still disagree about what should come next.
Tips: Check each option against what Concepcion, Drummond, Comeau and Dalal say. Cross out the options that belong to one speaker, then compare what is left.
Why the other options are wrong:
- a shortage of nurses in Toronto hospitals: Concepcion trained as a nurse, but the article does not discuss hospitals.
- a new law that lowers child care fees: Child care fees are never mentioned in the article.
- a plan to build homes for older adults: Older adults appear as people who hire caregivers. Nobody plans new homes.
Correct Answer: the reforms have done some good, but serious problems remain
Passage Reference: A caregiver can now leave a bad employer without losing her status. ... Labour law protects us on paper, but inside a private home it barely reaches us ... most people will stay with a bad employer rather than sleep in a shelter
Why this is correct: Drummond says the reforms help, because a caregiver can now leave a bad employer. Concepcion and Dalal show that abuse and long waits are still real problems.
Tips: Read the article from start to finish and test each option against every speaker. Drop any option that one of them proves wrong.
Why the other options are wrong:
- the program should be closed to new arrivals: Nobody in the article asks to close the program. The speakers argue about how to improve it.
- caregivers and families now agree on what comes next: The reporter says caregivers and families still disagree about what should come next. Each speaker asks for something different.
- most caregivers now work outside private homes: The reporter says caregivers often live in the same house where they work. Concepcion and Dalal describe life inside private homes.
Correct Answer: a wish to inform rather than persuade
Passage Reference: Under the program, workers from abroad look after children, older adults or people with disabilities
Why this is correct: In the reporter’s own sentences, you learn how the program works and how many people are waiting. The opinions all come from the people quoted.
Tips: Set the quotes aside and read only what the reporter writes. Ask what attitude comes through in those lines.
Why the other options are wrong:
- anger at the families who hire caregivers: The reporter never criticizes the families. Comeau, who speaks for them, gets space to explain her view.
- pride in the government’s reforms: Drummond praises the reforms. The reporter only says the government believes they are starting to work.
- despair about the long wait: The reporter gives the waiting numbers as facts. The sadness about the wait comes from Concepcion.
Correct Answer: children who live far away from her
Passage Reference: We raise other families’ children while our own grow up on video calls
Why this is correct: Concepcion says caregivers raise other families’ children while their own grow up on video calls. So she most likely has children far from her.
Tips: Read what the reporter writes about Concepcion and her own quotes. Keep the option those lines point to, and drop facts about another speaker.
Why the other options are wrong:
- a job as an immigration official: Drummond is the immigration official. Concepcion speaks for a caregivers’ network.
- never worked inside a private home: Concepcion came to Canada as a caregiver and describes what happens inside a private home.
- trained as a lawyer in Winnipeg: Concepcion trained as a nurse. Dalal is the lawyer in Winnipeg.
Correct Answer: let bad employers cover things up
Passage Reference: A warning call gives a bad employer a full day to hide the problem
Why this is correct: Dalal says a warning call gives a bad employer a full day to hide the problem. So phoning first lets employers cover up abuse.
Tips: Read Dalal’s quotes about inspectors and check each answer against his words.
Why the other options are wrong:
- are the safest choice for frail people: This is close to Comeau’s view. Dalal wants inspectors who can arrive without notice.
- cost the department too much money: Dalal does not talk about the cost of inspections.
- should be replaced by a help line: The help line is part of the reforms Drummond describes. Dalal does not suggest it in place of visits.
Correct Answer: seventy thousand
Passage Reference: About seventy thousand applications are now waiting
Why this is correct: The article says about seventy thousand applications are now waiting.
Tips: The commenter is talking about people still waiting for an answer. Find the number of applications the article gives.
Why the other options are wrong:
- seven thousand: This is much smaller than the number in the article.
- seventeen thousand: This number does not appear in the article.
- seven hundred: This is far smaller than the number in the article.
Correct Answer: two
Passage Reference: In my first two years I was shouted at almost every day, and I told nobody.
Why this is correct: Concepcion says that in her first two years she was shouted at almost every day.
Tips: The commenter is upset about how the woman from the network was treated. Find how long she says it went on.
Why the other options are wrong:
- one: Concepcion gives a longer time than one year.
- three: Concepcion gives a shorter time than three years.
- four: Four years is not mentioned in the article.
Correct Answer: changed lives
Passage Reference: A standard contract, a help line and open work permits for people waiting on residency have changed lives
Why this is correct: Drummond says the standard contract, the help line and open work permits have changed lives.
Tips: The commenter means the government official. Find his short claim about what the reforms have done.
Why the other options are wrong:
- saved money: Drummond never talks about saving money.
- cut paperwork: Drummond never says the reforms reduced paperwork.
- ended abuse: Drummond does not claim that abuse has ended. Concepcion and Dalal show that it has not.
Correct Answer: eighty
Passage Reference: Many of our members are over eighty, or they use a wheelchair
Why this is correct: Comeau says many members of her association are over eighty or use a wheelchair. The commenter repeats her figure.
Tips: The blank needs an age. Find what the head of the families’ group says about her members.
Why the other options are wrong:
- eighty-five: The article gives a younger age than this.
- ninety: Ninety is not mentioned in the article.
- ninety-five: The article gives a younger age than this.
Correct Answer: bed
Passage Reference: has to find work and a new bed within the same day
Why this is correct: Dalal says a caregiver may need a new job and a new bed on the same day.
Tips: Find the lawyer’s words about a caregiver who walks away from a bad employer. He names two things that must be found at once.
Why the other options are wrong:
- work permit: Caregivers already have open permits. Dalal does not say they need a new one.
- reference letter: Reference letters are not mentioned in the article.
- bank account: Bank accounts are not mentioned in the article.
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