Karim had an interview for his first job at a bookshop. He was nervous, so he prepared carefully. The night before, he read about the shop on its website and wrote down three questions to ask. In the morning he chose clean, simple clothes and left home early, because he did not want to be late if the bus was delayed. He arrived fifteen minutes before the time and waited quietly. During the interview, the manager asked why he wanted the job. Karim answered honestly that he loved reading and enjoyed helping people to find books. When the manager asked about his weak points, he said that he was sometimes shy, but that he was working to improve. The manager smiled and said that honesty was important to her. A week later, Karim received a phone call offering him the job.
Question: What is the main idea of the passage?
- Careful preparation and honesty helped Karim to get a job
- Karim hates books
- Buses are always late
- Managers prefer shy people
Show answer
Correct answer: Careful preparation and honesty helped Karim to get a job
Preparation and honesty helped Karim get the job.
Test structure: ETEC information about STEP
Questions last reviewed: 21 October 2026