Read the passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the best answer to each of the following questions from 2...

Read the passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the best answer to each of the following questions from 23 to 30.

        Job hugging describes employees clinging to their current roles for security in a cooled labor market. The practice has seen an uptick as “low-hire, low-fire” conditions dull the payoff of moving. If quit rates fall while openings stagnate, people stay put; if opportunities rebound, mobility may resume. Many workers now prioritize predictability over stretch roles, especially when salary bumps for switches are scarce. In this climate, staying can be rational – even if engagement lags – because risk looms larger than potential upside.

        Monster’s recent findings sketch the contours: three-quarters intend to remain through 2027, and 48% report staying out of fear or uncertainty. Major reasons include pay (27%) and job security (26%). A majority says the trend intensified this year and will grow in 2026. Older workers are seen as more likely to job hug, and 85% admit they’ve done it at least once. Survey methods were explicit: 1,004 employed U.S. workers were polled on October 9, 2025, and they answered scaled questions on motives and risk.

        Stasis does not equal idleness. Many employees explore options passively while diversifying income. Some pursue “side stacking” – multiple side hustles – or adjacent gigs to buffer volatility, akin to “polyworking.” For many, security serves as an emotional safety net; loyalty now signals survival rather than gratification. Even high performers behave less like complacent insiders and more like cautious stewards: they will move if – and only if – an offer clears a higher bar for stability, compensation, and trajectory.

        For organizations, a workforce that stays for safety rather than engagement can flatten initiative and innovation. Leaders should avoid managing by fear; in a “jobless growth” moment, fear may retain bodies while eroding morale and future agility. If companies invest in development, clarity, and credible mobility, retention becomes chosen – not coerced. Otherwise, once conditions ease, pent-up departures could surge, revealing that apparent loyalty was merely prolonged risk management.

(Adapted from Forbes: “‘Job Hugging’: 75% Of Workers Staying Put Through 2027, Study Shows,” Bryan Robinson, Oct 25, 2025)

Question 23. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in paragraph 2 as a reason workers stay put?
A. job security                                        B. pay and benefits

C. fear and economic uncertainty                        D. a shorter commute

Question 24. The word uptick in paragraph 1 can be best replaced by ______?

A. increase                B. setback                        C. plateau                D. distraction

Question 25. The word complacent in paragraph 3 is OPPOSITE in meaning to ______.

A. indifferent                B. vigilant                        C. contented                D. self-satisfied

Question 26. The word they in paragraph 2 refers to ______.

A. employers evaluating loyalty                        B. older workers in management

C. the surveyed employees                                D. job openings nationwide

Question 27. Which of the following best paraphrases the underlined sentence in paragraph 3?

A. Many workers prioritize security as psychological insurance, with loyalty now indicating risk mitigation over job satisfaction.

B. People treat stability as emotional protection; loyalty reflects coping with risk, not chasing enjoyment.

C. Stability functions as emotional reassurance, transforming loyalty from an expression of fulfillment into a defensive posture.

D. For many, job security provides emotional comfort, making loyalty a symptom of economic anxiety rather than engagement.

Question 28. Which of the following is TRUE according to paragraph 2?

A. Fewer than one-third expect to stay in their jobs for the next two years.

B. Most respondents were unemployed and speculating about re-entry conditions.

C. The survey lacked a defined date and offered only open-ended narrative responses.

D. A poll on October 9, 2025 surveyed 1,004 employed Americans about retention motives and risk tolerance.

Question 29. Which paragraph mentions that older workers are more likely to job hug?

A. Paragraph 1        B. Paragraph 2                C. Paragraph 3        D. Paragraph 4

Question 30. Which paragraph mentions employees layering side hustles or similar strategies to diversify income?

A. Paragraph 1        B. Paragraph 2                C. Paragraph 3        D. Paragraph 4