CMM001_Communication Skills

Reading Skills 145 UNIT 10 READING SKILLS Structure: 10.0 Learning Objectives 10.1 Write-ups on Sustainable Development 10.2 Write-ups on Emerging Technologies 10.3 Summary 10.4 Key Words/Abbreviations 10.5 LearningActivity 10.6 References CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

146 Communication Skills 10.0 Learning Objectives After studying this unit, you will be able to: z Develop reading skills and habits 10.1 Write-ups on Sustainable Development In this century, when the world is getting far from nature, getting far from understanding the value of things given by nature, we need sustainable development. Many people are still not educated about the term, “Sustainable Development”. Sustainable development means using things which save nature and natural resources responsibly. With the way resources are being depleted due to increasing population, sustainable lifestyle is the need of the hour. Switching to bio degradable substances, green revolution, renewable energies will make a huge difference to Mother Nature. If factories started throwing their sewage through safe disposal mediums instead of in the sea, it would help the aquatic life a big deal. Even for us, when we use and throw plastic, unknowingly we are creating trouble for 100 years to earth. Plastic takes 100 years to dissolve and in the span of 100 years it kills a lot of innocent animals. Recently, a baby whale died because of gulping down plastic used by us. Sometime back, a cow’s neck was choked due to plastic ingestion. There are numerous cases, where in the living beings who do not even use plastic, die because of it. Only if people, stopped using plastic and used better alternatives like carrying their reusable water bottle, or drinking water in bamboo shoots, it would save the earth a great deal. The world has become so full of plastic things, that you can see plastic use even in the smallest of things. This use can be replaced with paper plates, banana leaf plates and so much more. Sustainable living starts from home. Starts from you. You must have noticed a lot of people are dying of diseases or of breathing issues, this is only because of lack of sustainable living. On a social plane, sustainable and natural life choices will help in improving one’s health and will correct the environmental situations at various levels. Ecological living is one choice that one can make as it has several benefits for living beings and nature. We must never forget that nature, animals, plants, fishes, sea, land, mountains, rivers, lakes and man were all made to co-exist with each other, not to be superior from one another. Today, in the advancement of technology, man has forgotten to take care of his first mother which is nature, CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Reading Skills 147 forgotten to listen to the beautiful chirping of the birds, forgotten to listen to the waves of the sea and has forgotten to look for love into the eyes of animals. It is time, we come back to nature, living below our belt even if it means living less with what you can afford by living for everyone and not only for ourselves. It is imperative at this time, to live ecologically so that we can teach the principles of sustainable development for the future generations so that they don’t need to worry about depleting natural resources like water, electricity or even life in that matter! After reading this, many will agree for sustainable living but will wonder how they can do so in day to day life. Here are a few ways: 1. Switch from plastic to paper or leaves. Stop carrying plastic bottles and begin using a permanent bottle. 2. Recycle old clothes and make things out of it. For instance, old clothes can be converted into rugs, mats, hand bags, blankets and so much more. 3. Use banana leaves instead of aluminium foils to keep food hot in tiffin. 4. In any case, you need to use plastic bottles, please close the lid and throw. Don’t make a thousand pieces of plastic and then throw as smaller the piece. It takes much time to dissolve and small pieces can easily be digested by animals. 5. Close water taps when not in need. Collect the water which falls from AC and use it to water plants or to clean the toilets. 6. Try to grow at least one plant in your house, this will bring a fresh input of oxygen in your house. 7. Feed or take care of minimum one animal, this brings you closer to nature. 8. Volunteer for some environment saving programmes like lake cleaning drive, beach cleaning drive, recycle and reuse of biodegradable products etc. 9. Try to avoid using anything much ruins the biodiversity. 10. Always remember, Reuse – Recycle – Reduce. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

148 Communication Skills Learning Activity: Read the following write up and have a discussion in class. Loy Krathong INTRODUCTION: Loi Krathong is a celebration commended yearly all through southwestern Tai societies (Thailand, Laos, Shan, Tanintharyi, Kelantan, Kedah and Xishuangbanna). The name could be made an interpretation of as “to buoy a bushel”, and originates from the convention of making krathong or light, brightened wicker container, which are then skimmed on a stream. Loi Krathong has been praised in Thailand for many years, and every year brags everlasting recollections for any individual who has come to encounter the snippets of gliding the Krathong as an image of warding off the unpalatable past and inviting good fortunes. HISTORY: Loi Krathong is regularly guaranteed to have started in the Sukhothai by a court woman named Nopphamat. Nonetheless, it is currently realized that the Nopphamat story originates from a ballad written in the early Bangkok period. As indicated by H.M. Ruler Rama IV, writing in 1863, it was a Brahmanical celebration that was adjusted by Thai Buddhists in Thailand to respect Buddha, Prince Siddhartha Gautama. The flame worships the Buddha with light, while the Krathong’s drifting symbolizes relinquishing all one’s contempt, outrage, and debasements. Individuals at some point trim their fingernails or hair and spot the clippings on the Krathong as an image of relinquishing past transgressions and negative contemplations. Numerous normal Thai utilize the Krathong to thank the Goddess of Water, Phra Mae Khongkha. The history behind the celebration is perplexing, and Thais celebrate for some reasons. The fundamental rice harvest season has finished and it’s a great opportunity to thank the Water Goddess for a year of her bottomless supply, and additionally a conciliatory sentiment for dirtying the waters. Some trust that this is the opportunity to typically ‘skim away’ all the displeasure and hard feelings you have been clutching, and including a fingernail or a lock of hair is seen as a method for relinquishing the dim side of yourself, to begin once again free of negative emotions. On the off chance that your light stays land until your Krathong vanishes beyond anyone’s ability to see, it implies a year of good fortunes. WHY IS IT CELEBRATED? Loi Krathong is regularly guaranteed to have started in the Sukhothai by a court woman named Nopphamat. In any case, it is presently realized that the CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Reading Skills 149 Nopphamat story originates from a sonnet written in the early Bangkok period. As per H.M. Ruler Rama IV, writing in 1863, it was a Brahmanical celebration that was adjusted by Thai Buddhists in Thailand to respect Buddha, Prince Siddhartha Gautama. The flame loves the Buddha with light, while the Krathong’s coasting symbolizes relinquishing all one’s disdain, indignation, and contaminations. Individuals at some point trim their fingernails or hair and spot the clippings on the Krathong as an image of relinquishing past transgressions and negative contemplations. Numerous standard Thai utilize the Krathong to thank the Goddess of Water, Phra Mae Khongkha. The history behind the celebration is unpredictable, and Thais celebrate for some reasons. The principle rice harvest season has finished and it’s a great opportunity to thank the Water Goddess for a year of her rich supply, and in addition an expression of remorse for dirtying the waters. Some trust that this is the opportunity to typically ‘glide away’ all the indignation and hard feelings you have been clutching, and including a fingernail or a lock of hair is seen as a method for relinquishing the dull side of yourself, to begin again free of negative sentiments. In the event that your flame stays land until your Krathong vanishes beyond anyone’s ability to see, it implies a year of good fortunes. Since this celebration is a spiritual, old, and consecrated issue that welcomes fresh starts by means of profound purifying, going to as a westerner ought to be viewed as a benefit, which is the reason it’s imperative to treat the occasion with the appropriate measure of appreciation. 10.2 Write-ups on Emerging Technologies With each passing day, there is a birth of new technology which pledges to make life easier and faster. We have technology for almost everything. There is technology for you to communicate, a technology to travel to another country, a technology to make a difference with your thoughts and write up, a technology to know ideas of different places, technology for reading, technology for security, technology for banking and the list simply goes on. Emerging technologies aim at bringing the world closer and in a click. When one is technologically ahead, it somehow makes you more prepared and able to handle things even when you are not physically not present there. Such technology is needed to improve the quality of life and to be at par with the other parts of the world. This rise in technology makes life better and easier. For instance, when you have a phone banking app, transfer of funds becomes possible at any time and any hour. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

150 Communication Skills In any case of emergency, a person need not wait to go to the bank next day, instead the transfer simply happens in seconds with just two clicks. Technology makes life easy and hassle-free. Emerging technologies are necessary to meet global standards. These kind of rise in tech know how helps in dealing with world problems too. We, all the people of this world know about things which are happening around is simply because of technology. World initiatives take place because of the technology which informs and binds us together. Just imagine, a life without technology. Imagine a life without online platforms, without mobiles, without apps, without TV, without Netflix and without any technical interference in general. Life would be so dull, we would still be living like the way people lived in the 18th century. Technology plays a pivotal role in bringing about positive changes in our lives and in increasing our standard of living. Without technology, we would have not been able to be as groomed as we are today. However, this is not it, technology keeps on emerging and is growing positively towards world growth and development. It will rather be right to say that the world is positively meeting all the potentials which mankind combined with technology can craft. Learning Activity Read the following write-up and have a discussion in class. Popular IT courses and career scopes in current market When it comes to technology, there is always a lot to explore and learn. Even though, there are so many inventions, there are a certain technologies which always have a higher demand than the others. The demand is high for a variety of reasons like convenience, faster speed and more facilities. Thus, we have shortlisted some famous courses for the aspirants of current and future markets. 1. Cloud Computing The technique which helps in delivering the service through the medium of network, majorly via the internet is called as cloud computing. The demand for cloud computing is increasing with each passing day because it makes accessing files and apps much easier. As per statistics, 25% of the most renowned Multinational Companies are on a hunt for those individuals who are aware and are experienced in virtualisation, development, and software in terms of service (SaaS), platform in CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Reading Skills 151 terms of service (PaaS). As of today, the cloud computing has grown close to $123 billion market. Amazon, a popular online portal itself owns AWS of close to $18 billion. 2. Java Being one of the most popular programming language, Java is one of the most popular and much used programme in terms of web development. Java was developed and known to masses in 1995 and has been popular even 20 years later. Java is much preferred because the programmes which are originally developed for Microsoft Windows can be run on Mac as well. Thus, Java is a worldwide accepted and preferred language for applications. Demand for Java is very high and the top companies are looking to hire candidates from Java backgrounds. 3. Big Data Big Data is usually generated to handle huge and ever growing data. Today, Big Data has a business with a net worth of $6 billion dollars. And it is estimated that around 2018, the business may have a business close to $50 billion. Top IT companies like Hadoop, Map Reduce and NoSQL are having a constant and a rising demand for Big Data. 4. Development of Mobile Application Large number of people in India are using mobile phones. The phones are either android or Iphones. The Android and iOS development needs to keep changing and updating itself to meet the changing demands of people. The sale of mobile phones and tablets will keep increasing and thus the demand for application developers is also increasing. Consumers do not want to be left behind in any aspects of life especially when it comes to technology or some convenient online applications. Thus, mobile application developers are the need of the hour and so the openings for the same are plenty. 5. Javascript Javascript plays a key role in web development, HTML and CSS forms. Javascript has been around for quite some years and the increase in online businesses today only makes the demand for the web originators higher. The demand of web developers is significantly rising with the positive changes which are being enforced in the market. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

152 Communication Skills 6. Ruby on Rails The demand for Ruby on rails has been on an increasing trend for quite some time. Today, the changes in the construction of the web applications is only because of Ruby on Rails. Ruby on Rails has full control over the presentation layer of the code for HTML, CSS and Javascript. Thus, if you are person, with great coding skills, you need not worry as top companies today are stating their requirements for coders. Twitter also works entirely on Ruby on Rails. 7. Python Python is a very popular and an advanced level language programming which is designed especially for users. The syntax of Python basically keeps in mind the preferences of the users. Between a comparison of Java and C++, Python gives more writing space in lesser lines of code. Python developers are required on a very large scale by big companies like IBM, Yahoo and Google. Thus, making a career in Python is definitely more promising and well paying. 10.3 Summary z Reading is a great habit which one should develop and inculcate. Reading at least one page a day makes you far more knowledgeable than what you got up with. Reading opens up the mind to more than one perspective. It helps to fill in you fresh new ideas and allows you to be open to different visions on one particular topic. Reading fulfils your soul and enriches your mind in various ways. z Nowadays, a major topic of concern is climate change and environment. With the rise in population, the resources are getting used up without any ways of rejuvenating it. It is very important for people to be aware about the alarming problems of nature. People should start using products which are recycled and can be used without harming the environment. Replacement of plastic products with natural eco-friendly products should be practiced. This can save the environment to a large extent. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Reading Skills 153 10.4 Key Words/Abbreviations z Sustainable living: to live responsibly keeping in mind the nature, the concept of recycle, reuse. z Green revolution: to grow more plants, to be eco friendly and nature conscious. z Eco-friendly lifestyle: the concept of living with the attitude of recycle and optimum utilisation of resources 10.5 Learning Activity A. How to win friends and influence people by Dale Carnegie? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- B. Innovation and its enemies by Calestous Jumas. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- 10.6 References 1. www.google.com 2. Environment and Life – Article Written by Sri Kumar in the Times of India. ‰‰‰ CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

154 Communication Skills UNIT 11 WRITING SKILLS Structure: 11.0 Learning Objectives 11.1 Summarising 11.2 Note Making and Note Taking 11.3 EmailWriting 11.4 Digital Content Writing: Blogs and Websites 11.5 Listening to Details 11.6 Taking Notes, Points and Sub-points 11.7 Listening and Understanding Themes 11.8 Summary 11.9 Key Words/Abbreviations 11.10 Unit End Questions 11.11 References CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Writing Skills 155 11.0 Learning Objectives After studying this unit, you will be able to: z Summarise paragraphs z Take and make notes z Write email, blogs and digital content z Develop listening skills 11.1 Summarising Summary making is basically writing a long content in short. Summary writing is an art where in the writer can express a long information in a very brief manner without skipping the primary information. Summary is actually an overview for the reader to understand about the detailed subject in just few words. Some tips for writing an effective summary: z Summary should always be written in paragraph format. z Preparation of important points is mandatory before preparing the summary. These pointers help in making a summary with complete information. z The content of the summary should be plagiarism free and must be originally written covering all essential points. z Summary should not include any points of imagination or creative elements of the writer but should only present the facts mentioned in the long story or information paragraph in a short manner. z The last sentence should be final sentence which just wraps up everything in one line. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

156 Communication Skills Learning Activity: Prepare a summary of the following paragraph. Depression is a very common phenomena which occurs to people in today’s world. More and more people are affected with this mental disease. Depression can happen to any person at any age and anytime. Unfortunately, the statistics say that every 2 out of 3 people are diagnosed with depression. Depression is a problem which affects the mind, then the heart and lastly the body. There are various reasons why a person may be depressed. One of the most common reasons why people get depressed is because of financial problems, family issues and work stress. Another reason for depression in teenagers and young adults is social media. Depression takes birth because of stress. Stress takes place when an individual is upset or overthinks about a particular person or a situation beyond limits. Stress only aggravates depression which takes a toll on an individual’s health in a massive manner. However, a layman terms the stress of life as the ups and downs of livelihood. This happens because of lack of awareness in terms to depression or the symptoms of depression. If you notice yourself or your loved one depressed for more than two weeks, please make sure you talk to that person. Being upset for more than two weeks is surely a sign of depression. There are various symptoms which I have listed below: 1. Lost interest: Usually in depression, individuals begin to reduce or rather lose interest in activities they once loved. This sudden withdrawal of interest is certainly a sign of rising depression which can affect the emotional state of a person to an unimaginable extent. You may be depressed if, for more than two weeks, you’ve felt sad, down or miserable 2. Lost memory of usual things: If you notice yourself or your loved one being forgetful of day to day things too often, please understand that it’s time to help that person. Forgetting small things time and again clearly indicates that there is something else which has taken over the thoughts of the person. 3. Lost social life: Depressed people rarely do go out or interact much with outsiders. Noticing such symptom can indicate that depression has reached a really high stage and this can even tempt the victim to have suicidal thoughts. During such times, talking helps. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Writing Skills 157 4. Lost Focus: Usually, the person who has been a victim of depression has only one or few things clouding their thoughts. The attention of such an individual usually gets split and they lose focus really easily. 5. Lost self-control: Often the depressed person seeks for pleasure to distract themselves from the thoughts or stress. Such times are testing times for the individuals and they usually give in to alcohol, sedatives and much more. 6. Lost confidence: Confidence is where depression hits the victim really hard. A depressed person begins to feel guilty for almost everything they do. When an individual begins to lose his self-confidence, he eventually loses himself. 7. Lost patience: Depressed people commonly get irritated at the slightest of things. They can develop an anger or irritation on almost anything and everything. They do not keep the patience to maintain understanding or calmness in a situation. 8. Lost themselves: People who are victim to this mental disease usually loose themselves, their identity and their status in society. They become very vulnerable and easy traps of con men and fake god people. They lose their abilities, knowledge and skills. 9. Lost positive thinking: One of the reasons the person gets into depression is because the positivity in thoughts and life is missing. When the positivity converts into negativity, depression begins to set in. 10. Lost physical energy: An individual who is suffering depression becomes very lazy and demotivated in life. They often avoid going out or even performing remote tasks which involves basic physical energy. 11. Lost appetite: Another warning sign of depression is when a person stops eating. Sudden loss of appetite can be a major sign which should be looked upon immediately. Such a sign may require a meeting with the counsellor or a psychologist. 12. Lost faith in others: Depressed people often think that others may not be interested in them or they may not be of use to others. They start losing faith in others assuming that they would be a liability to others. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

158 Communication Skills 13. Loss of sleep: Any individual who loses his sleep over a thought or over multiple thoughts is a clear sign that he or she is depressed. An intense conversation about his problems with solutions can really help this person out. 14. Loss of immunity: Depressed people begin to fall ill more rapidly than those who don’t. When mind cannot face the issue, it begins to show in the pathology. The sickness of the mind begins to reflect in the body too over a period of time. 15. Loss of weight: Due to change in complete lifestyle, the weight also suddenly drop or either increases in a different fashion. Depressed usually appear very weak. Depression slowly takes over the full body and that’s why it is very important for people to understand the early signs and take the right action at the right time. This is a very sensitive issue and proper awareness programmes should be conducted in favour of the general public. Depression can attack anyone at any given point of time, staying alert matters the most. The signs of depression begin very normally and sometimes even in a fun way, but it takes a lot out of the victim and almost kills them. There are still many people who don’t understand how threatening depression can get. 11.2 Note Making and Note Taking Note making is basically a short information with all important details, it is usually a form of recording important stuff from a source. The sources for note making are usually books, interviews, journals, articles and some oral interviews. Note making usually is a much more structured version of presenting information. Note making is very important because it allows readers to focus on key concepts and important topics only. Some tips on creating an effective note making: z Don’t record any unnecessary information in the form of long sentences. z Mostly record keywords and short abbreviations. z Note making should be in pointers format. z Include flowcharts and mind maps in the note to send the message across very clearly. z Don’t make a messy list of many keywords. Keep it short and simple. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Writing Skills 159 Note taking is also a great way of collecting information from the various sources like interviews, books, journals, articles and some oral interviews. It is the ability to filter out information from the sources and present it with necessary factors. It helps to bring clarity to the content which has been said or presented. It is an important task for understanding things much better with the guidelines. It is a systematic way of arranging important information. Some tips on conducting proper note taking: z Highlighting of important information from the document is helpful. z Keeping a note of key words instead of paragraphs or sentences is advised. z Trying to cover big information in the form of flowcharts or mind maps can be very helpful. z Writing short forms for big terminologies also forms an essential part in note taking. Learning Activity: 1. Prepare a note from the following information. Hair comes in all lengths, textures and styles. Some are straight, curly, rough, dry, silky, wavy or oily. However, it is the only one feature that enhances the beauty of any person, be it a man or a woman. Women in general are more concerned about their hairstyle, hair texture and hair length. Men, on the other hand, are generally only concerned about balding and not much else. Thus, products related to hair health and nutrition is popular among the masses. Recently, it has been discovered that most shampoos contains an ingredient called Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, commonly known as SLS. This ingredient, although not very expensive, is a very powerful detergent that cuts through grease which is responsible for the forming of lather while using any soap product. Yes, we all love lather when we use soap, but the lather is no indication of the effectiveness of the soap product. In fact, SLS is known to cause damage to the hair and is regarded dangerous. The beauty industry is thus popularly encouraging people with twingy hair to opt for special sulfate free shampoo for curly hair for smoother curls and long lasting beauty. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

160 Communication Skills 2. Take notes from the following information. How to Prepare for IBPS Officer Exam? The term IBPS stands for Institute of banking personnel selection. This examination is given by aspirants to secure a respectable position in the banking sector. Each year, large number of students appear for this exam in order to be recruited by the leading banks as the specialist officer. Before one proceeds with IBPS, it is very important to know the eligibility criteria, the syllabus, the marking system and the exam pattern. Preparation Tips and Study Plan: There are two parts to this exam – one is the written exam and the other part is the interview. IBPS examinations are conducted on four subjects which are reasoning, English, general awareness and professional knowledge. Two subjects, viz., reasoning and general awareness is for 50 marks and the other two subjects which is English is for 25 marks and professional knowledge is for 75 marks. The duration for these four papers is 2 hours. Those who have selected Marketing, will have to attempt slightly different papers. The subjects will be reasoning holding 50 marks, English language holding 25 marks, quantitative aptitude holding 50 marks and professional knowledge holding 75 marks. The duration of the examination is the same as the prior exam which is 2 hours. These exams are for 200 marks in total. Few preparation tips: z IBPS exams are not tough to crack. They are easy if practiced regularly. Solve more solved question papers from previous years to get an idea of the exam. z IBPS questions are objective based which makes it easier to score. z There is a special book known as the Specialist Officer Test books which should be referred while preparing for IBPS. Subject-wise Preparation Tips: Reasoning Being a common subject in both the types of exams, reasoning requires special training and practice. In this subject, the examinee’s analytical and mental abilities are tested. One can score in this subject if the concepts are clear. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Writing Skills 161 z Students must study from IBPS question bank. z Students must attempt IBPS specialist officer mock test online z It is mandatory for the students to cover each and every topic in order. Skipping of chapters will not help the students in any way. z Topics like data sufficiency, input-output, coding-decoding, number series test, syllogism, blood relations, direction sense, odd figures and miscellaneous test should be revised by the students thoroughly while preparing IBPS. English English is another common paper and is prevalent in every banking examination. Students who are good with English will have an edge over the others in the paper. Not only this, students are also required to leave a lasting impression during the interview. The questions asked in this paper are grammar based. z Students must focus largely on grammar, comprehension, reading, writing and vocabulary. z Topics like phrases, idioms, spot the error questions, grammar, synonyms and antonyms, tenses and vocabulary should not be missed. General awareness General knowledge paper is a very important paper and this subject is extensive. Students who are attempting this paper must have global knowledge of the happenings, events and politics worldwide. z Students must have knowledge about Indian economy, banking policies, currency exchanges, Indian politics, sports, agricultural sectors and many more. z Regular habit of reading newspapers, books, magazines should be developed in order to become a success in this exam. z Attempt online mock tests Quantitative Aptitude Aptitude paper is given to the students to test the calculation speed and the understanding capabilities. Quantitative Aptitude is a time-consuming paper and should be done with utmost CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

162 Communication Skills concentration and careful interpretation. Examiners try to confuse the student in several ways in this paper. z Be clear with the formulas z Topics like average, time and work, number system, data interpretation, ratios, percentage etc. should be revised time and again. z Students must practice sums with different formulas and solve last year’s paper. z Taking a mock test can prepare the student about the examination in advance. Professional Knowledge This paper holds the highest marks from the set of all the papers. Since this paper is of 75 marks, it is necessary to students take this paper seriously. This subject includes questions from IT, agriculture, marketing, law and HR. z Start studying this subject at the earliest because the syllabus is extensive. z Topics like database management system, networking, computer hardware and software, web technologies, operating systems, programming languages, recruitments and selections and many more should be revised for a successful paper. z Students should take this subject with a systematic approach in order to avoid stress and confusion during the exams. Interview Tips: z Be confident z Remember formal greetings z Take your time but answer correctly z Create a lasting impression z Wear formal attire z Maintain corporate hygiene standards. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Writing Skills 163 Some key points to remember: z Negative marking is prevalent and is very strict. z Wrong answers reduce 0.25 points as penalty for wrong answers. z Blank answers or no answers does not lead to penalty. z First attempt those questions you are confident about. z Study plan is the only way IBPS exam can be a success for the aspirant. z Studying topic wise is the only wise way to prepare. z Stay updated with world events. z Develop the art of time management. z Remember practice makes a man perfect. Practice as much as you can before exams. z Make notes regularly for the final revision. z Eat healthy meals and sleep enough. 11.3 Email Writing One of the most important forms of writing which one must know is email writing. Email writing is the new form of communication in the digital era. Email writing is similar to letter writing but the format for the same is slightly different. Normally in a letter, you have to mention the address in the front of the envelope. However, the senders email address is all mentioned in the same page. However, there are a few tips to write the perfect email. They are as follows: z Always mention the subject whenever you have to write an email. z Always start the email with pleasantries i.e. greetings. z Try to keep email short and concise. z Covering of important topics should always be done in the middle paragraph. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

164 Communication Skills z If you have any authority whom you want the email conversation to know, you can keep them on Cc and Bcc options. z It is necessary for the sender and the receiver to have a registered Email Id. It only takes few minutes to create an email id on google or yahoo etc. The format of email writing is as follows: To: [email protected] Cc: [email protected] Bcc: Subject : The concern you are planning to write about. Dear XYZ, Introduction Body Conclusion Regards, XYZ Advantages and Disadvantages of Email Writing Advantages: 1. Budget-friendly: Sending an email is not at all expensive, it is all-inclusive in one internet plan. Emails are very cost-effective as a lot of expenditure on stationary is saved because of digital transactions. 2. Global platform: Using emails helps one to connect at global platforms within just few seconds. There are no additional costs involved in sending messages to another country. Email works as a great tool for communication without any major barriers. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Writing Skills 165 3. Easy to refer: Once you have communicated through emails, record the communication is maintained in the inbox and sent folders. It always gets easier to access these records if any confusion arises. It also acts as a proof. Disadvantages: 1. Email not checked: Many people across the globe do not have a habit to check their emails, wherein they become late to make a reply or to even address a problem on time. 2. Lack of clarity: Often, emails make use of excessive formal language, which lands up giving out an unclear message to the readers. Since there is no verbal communication involved, the doubts seldom resolve. 3. Unnecessary utilisation of time: Often people check their emails rarely, but when they do, they try to check all at one time which leads to maximum time waste, since the list of unopened emails is very high. Learning Activity: Write an email to the Municipal Corporation of your state requesting the authority to take an action against those who indulge in animal cruelty. Raise your voice against animal cruelty. Write an email with proper format. 11.4 Digital Content Writing: Blogs and Websites Content writing is basically writing for online platforms like blogs, websites and social media pages. Now that we all know, maximum people are into digital reading than actual book reading, Digital means are easily available to people. Let us consider ourselves, if we do not know the meaning of something, the first thing we do is Google it, because it is a storehouse of information which is readily available at our fingertips. This is how dependant we are on digital means. Therefore, it becomes very important to keep on adding and updating information on the online platforms especially in today’s time, when almost everything has turned into online portals. This input of information is done by content writers. Just imagine a website with only pictures and no content. Would you be able to understand anything without words? Would you be comfortable in a picturesque platform of only pictures and no CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

166 Communication Skills word?Absolutely not, because words give us clarity about the pictures. Words form the most important aspect of any content. Therefore, when one chooses to write contents for blogs and websites there are some important tips to keep in mind. Some tips to write digital content for blogs and websites are as follows: z Never repeat the words more than twice in a paragraph. z Concentrate on keywords and distribute them evenly. z Make use of good vocabulary. z Always try to give more information in the body and keep introduction and conclusion small but meaningful. z Research well before you begin to write. z Remember minimum length for content writing should be between 300-500 words depending upon the requirement of the website or blog. z Writing should not have unnecessary fillers like when, then, that, like etc. it breaks the link of the reader and also does not make you sound proficient in writing. z Never break the flow of writing. Often writers drift away from the central topic and the content goes away from what it is supposed to be. It is very essential to keep reading your content even in the middle of writing simply to check if the content has been written keeping in mind the main topic. z Lastly, proof reading is the soul to the writing. It is very important to proof read your work to check for errors and changes. Once, you master these tips, you are already on the way of being an excellent writer. Learning Activity: Prepare a content of 500 words on the topic of “Impact of good communication in daily life” This activity should be done individually and performed and discussed in class. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Writing Skills 167 11.5 Listening to Details A good listener is always a great speaker. Being able to listen to understand is a gift which one can cultivate after a lot of practice. When you cultivate the habit of listening, you get to experience knowledge from different perspectives. Listening helps one to learn and understand new things. It opens the mind to new visions. Being able to listen, helps to concentrate on minute details which can be helpful in pinning down important details which could come to lot of use. Listening to details can keep a person planned and prepared with information which can be useful when preparing a final draft about something either verbally or in the written form. For example, if you have to prepare a draft after listening to a learned individual, it will be very important to listen to details so that the draft can be prepared with all the necessary content. Listening to details means keeping in mind only the content which is required and filtering out all the unnecessary stuff. Listening to details helps to be prepared with all chief matters, when only this imperative details are presented well it leads on to make lasting impression. When you listen to details properly, it makes you more prepared and alert than those who don’t care to hear. Learning Activity: Professor must read this text to class and ask students to make notes from the information processed verbally. This should be read twice in a class. Upon listening carefully, details must be recorded. Looking for a job in the medical field? Well you need to be certain about the decision because becoming a doctor or a nurse takes years of study and can be expensive. The course is fairly longer than the other courses. There is a profession that can be entered in a minimum of two to four months. The profession is Phlebotomy. Phlebotomy has become a specialized field in medicine. So long, people think of doctors and nurses taking blood samples, which they do. But the doctors and nurses have become too busy to do this on a regular and routine basis. Now this is where the specialization of Phlebotomy makes its mark in the field. Given below are the pros and cons of becoming a phlebotomist, so you can have a clearer mind if you want to be one. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

168 Communication Skills PROS z Phlebotomy is a field projected to grow at least 15% by the year 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. z The training to become a phlebotomist can range from two months to two years. The education for the study can be acquired in trade schools, community colleges and universities. It is acknowledged that the longer the program, the more in depth the subject is covered. You can acquire specialist training such as donor phlebotomy, after your initial certification. Doing this will surely increase your income. z Many employment options like doctor’s offices, hospitals, outpatient clinics and independent labs will be open for you. z You would work one on one with patients. z In this field, you will have a flexible schedule. CONS z This is one of the lowest paid fields in medicine. z If you are just entering the field, it might be difficult for you to find your first job. z There is no career mobility for you. z You would be considered expendable with just a certification, if budgets are being cut. Further education is required at least for a stable income. z The working hours are irregular. You would have to work irregular hours like daylight, evenings, nights and weekends. However, this depends on how busy your lab is and whether its a hospital, doctor’s office or independent clinic. z Technicians must be aware of the safety and security procedures to prevent infections spreading to other patients or even to themselves because blood is being drawn to test for a variety of diseases. z You will have to be on your feet standing for long hours working with small precision tools. This is a physically demanding job. You should not opt for this if you are physically weak. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Writing Skills 169 z There is also a chance of you becoming attached to critically ill patients like children with cancer. z The competition can become quite fierce as more jobs are opening up and trade schools are also turning out more and more phlebotomists. Entering the medical field through phlebotomy can assist you in managing your educational expenses while you earn a living completing the studies. Becoming a Phlebotomist totally depends on your choice. You are assisting doctors in the efforts to treat/cure the patient. (this will be the job in short) 11.6 Taking Notes, Points and Sub-points The ability of being able to take down notes, points and sub points depends highly on how well one can listen and concentrate. For being able to pen down important details, you need to know how much part of the content is important to record. If it is a lot of content which needs to kept in record, one needs to write all important details in one sentence form and club those points into a note. When the sentences, have some inner details, then they can make points and if those points have some more important stuff to be noted, it becomes a sub point. However, when you have to record these points while reading or listening, it becomes imperative to make a note of all these things in short and very quickly. Taking notes, point or sub-points is not a very big deal if attention is paid enough while listening or reading the main study. However, there are some points one must keep in mind especially while taking notes, points and sub points which are as follows: z Use more of keywords instead of big sentences. z Use abbreviations which means short forms wherever you can. z Make a sign next to those words or points which are very important like a star mark or so. z Go through your notes before you ask for some more details from the source. z Make sure the main topic and the sub points are written in the same page. New topic and new sub points should be written on a new page. z Make use of sticky notes or note pad but avoid writing too much information on one particular page. This will confuse the reader at the time of preparation of final draft. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

170 Communication Skills Learning Activity: Prepare notes, their points and sub points from the following passage: Fastest Power Bank with USB Cord IXCC has successfully launched the fastest power bank along with an efficient micro USB charging cord. This product is a definitely not something to miss out because of the convenience and advantages it provides to its users. With the help of the power bank one can easily charge the iPhone 6 on the go. Power bank is a very helpful device as it is very mobile and can be used at all times. IXCC has come up with one of the best power banks available for iPhone 6. This jet black colour charging bank is a powerful 3200 mAh rechargeable battery which is a Li-polymer, providing one full time efficient charging to the phone. Charging the phone once with the IXCC power bank will ensure up to more than 14 hours of talk time and approximately above 10 hours of web browsing. This high end facility in the device requires the user to charge the phone only once in 24 hours. Also, the LED indicator helps the user realise the exact battery life the phone can sustain. This super-fast power bank helps to detect the device type and change the optimal speed of the charging function accordingly. More and more people are enjoying the efficiency the power bank provides to them. One very happy customer, Martha James says, “I am using I phone for most of my day. Having a smart phone, I am about 60 per cent dependent on my phone, be it to find something out or to call someone or get myself entertained with social media. And, majorly I use my phone majorly for my work purposes. Sadly, with increased usage of my phone the battery life would drain out really quickly which would halt me from completing most of my tasks. That’s when I decided to try the power bank launched by IXCC. And I must say, this is the best I have used so far. All I need to do is charge my cell phone with this amazing power bank and the rest of my day goes without worrying about my phones battery life. Also, the sharp features of this power bank enable me to know how much battery is used up by my phone. This product is a must buy because of the high product quality and the high end features which are available at a very reasonable rate.” IXCC, is definitely one of the most renowned brands in electronics. They strongly believe in providing high quality products blended with amazing features and customer friendly system making them one of the most reliable providers in electronics market. This company is an ever evolving company as it constantly works on improving the quality and service with changing times and changing needs. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Writing Skills 171 11.7 Listening and Understanding Themes Whenever an individual speaks or arranges a conference where many people speak, it always has a theme or a subject where in the discussion or the seminar has been arranged. When an individual visits the conference as an audience or to say more appropriately a listener, it is highly important to able to be attentive. Being attentive to what is being said helps you to know fresh new ideas and fresh perspectives. Sometimes, when we don’t listen enough we have knowledge on only one perspective but interaction with others helps us to realise there are many other aspects too which we often overlook due to our one-sided opinion. To be able to understand the theme of the conversation, it is very important to have an open mind and be attentive. If you lose focus, especially when one is speaking it becomes very difficult to understand what the conversation is about. Focus is the key element in knowing and understanding the central idea of the topic which is being discussed. It is very common that people only physically are seated but don’t really pay attention on what is being spoken too. Such an act is an utter waste of time. Some tips on how to listen attentively and understand the various themes people speak about: z Be positive and enthusiastic about learning. z Learn to be attentive. z Make sure you take back more knowledge than what you came with. z Ask questions but only after listening well. z After you have known what the theme is really about, research more about the topic and complete your knowledge on the subject. Learning activity: Understand the theme of the following passage and explain the theme in about 100 words and give an appropriate title. Gone are the days when children used to play outside the house with other children, when the only ‘gaming, anybody knew was the one that would be out in the open. Gone are also the days when CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

172 Communication Skills owning a computer meant having the luxury of playing indoor games. With technology taking over our day to day living and lifestyles, it has even had its share of influence on the childhood experience of the generation. Today, with mobile phones becoming smarter every year, new games are being designed each day. What started with simple games like Tetris and Snake has now achieved limits beyond the sky. Visual effects and graphics have had a huge role to play in bringing about this change. Previously, only two mobile games existed – Tetris and Snake. Both of these games would come pre-installed on the mobile phone. Snake, introduced by Nokia in December 1997, is known as the world’s most played mobile game and it has been found on more than 350 million devices worldwide. This game made use of shaded squares for animation, owing to their limited capacity for graphics. However, today, with the introduction of camera on mobile phones, the quality and capacity of graphics has increased tremendously. In 2003, Namco introduced an interesting fighting game whereas Panasonic introduced a virtual pet game in the same year. In the initial years of 2000s, mobile gaming became increasingly popular in Japan. Eventually, Japanese phones started coming up with more puzzles and arcade-like games. Even today, Japan remains the biggest market for mobile gaming. Japan is the only country which runs large scale business in the gaming sectors. There are special courses and training sessions held in Japan in order to expertise as a gamer. Namco started introducing the gaming culture in Europe too in 2003. A revolutionary change was brought about in the gaming market when Apple launched its own Apple App Store. It widened the user’s opportunities to choose the place they download their apps from. However, Apple user could only download games from the App store. Users no longer needed to play the only games given by the phone companies and the developers. App store was a fantastic idea as game fanatics could select their choice of games from the large set of options made available to them. Gamers could easily install and uninstall the games as per changing interests and choices. 6LQFH JDPH GHYHORSHUV FRXOG GLUHFWO\\ XSORDG WKH JDPH RQ WKH VWRUH LW HOLPLQDWHG WKH WLUHVRPH negotiation with publishers and distributors, leading to an increase in overall revenue. It would be safe to say then, that the initial commercially successfully games were made only after the launch of the App store. Angry Birds developed by Rovio Entertainment was launched in December 2009 on the iOS and became instantly popular among the masses. The gaming market has revenue has been on an increase from $2.6 billion in 2005, to $5.8 billion in 2008 and a striking $7.8 billion in 2012. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Writing Skills 173 11.8 Summary z Summarising is all about clubbing all important and noteworthy details in short or in one paragraph. Summarising is all about presenting a gist of a long story into a short one with right details. z Note making and note taking is a way of recording all important stuff from the source and making sure, you keep in mind all the tasks which are needed in a neat and efficient manner. z Email writing is the digital method of communication wherein the format is slightly different from the usual letter writing. z Digital content writing is the modern way of writing for blogs, websites and various other online portals. Content writing should be written after keeping the mentioned tips in mind. z Listening effectively allows the listener to be more prepared with the content discussed and also reduces last minute confusion because listening with focus brings about clarity in the conversation. z Taking notes, points and sub-points effectively helps in keeping in mind all the relevant and required data. z One can even understand the theme very well if they hear things with attention and try to understand the reasons behind the speaker sharing certain information. 11.9 Key Words/Abbreviations z Summary: A compilation of information in brief. z Email: Digital form of communication across the globe. z Content writing: Usually a digital write-up for blogs and websites. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

174 Communication Skills 11.10 Unit End Questions (MCQs and Descriptive) 1. Prepare a summary of the following paragraph. The old system of learning and teaching students is turning out to be pretty much a task or rather challenging. There are various issues which crop up while taking studies at the university or college. Shortage of cash, budget fixes, shortage of faculty, non-availability of certain courses and many such problems make studying from the university a bit tiring and not interesting. Since times are changing, students are being presented with more and more opportunities for opening up to the digital world. Students can now access studies and tutors from online channels. They can enrol themselves to online degree courses and along with it they also try to take up an additional short- term course. More and more students are taking up serious education programmes online which is even being enjoyed by them. Studying online is preferred by students because it is convenient and even reduces a few costs like the travelling and the tuitions. Initially, students were not keen on taking up online classes but eventually after trying it, they have loved the idea and found online teaching more comprehensive and easier. The 10 benefits of learning online are as follows: (i) Large options to choose from In comparison with the traditional courses available for students, there are more options provided in online courses. Children can combine subjects of their choice and pursue their interests. This means students are not bound to take up a subject they have no interest in. Students can pursue more than one course in the same time if they are confident about pulling it off with ease. The availability of options provide better scope for students to choose the right course. (ii) Offers variety Online programs offer a large variety in subjects as they are not bonded by a higher power. Options for students are plenty because every field is almost available for students. Subjects like hospitality and human resources to subjects like neurosciences are also available. Online studies offer a huge line of careers. From basic courses to the doctorate ones, online education helps in all. (iii) Less expensive The fees and the other expenses of studying in a university is too much. Studying the same course online works out much cheaper and also within the comfort of the home. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Writing Skills 175 This is because the other courses from the universities include in the fees other costs which are usually not displayed. Studying online saves the travelling costs, material costs and many more. Being a student from the online courses, materials and other references can be found online for free as well. This makes the course very workable and in budget. (iv) High comfort level Studying at the comfort of the house and in private helps to draw the best from the students. There is no barrier of a particular dress code, students can be comfortable in their outfits and put more focus on education and studies. Another advantage is the amount of time students can save in travelling, they need not fight traffic, bear the scorching heat or even find parking spaces. Online education helps in saving time, energy and money. (v) Flexibility When a student studies online, he derives a large amount of flexibility. Flexibility comes in different ways as they can plan their studies during their peak energies. The materials required to study can be found for free online. This allows them to maximise the resources they have with them. Students have the provision of working and performing whenever they are comfortable. This makes studying a completely stress free experience. 2. Take notes from the following information. Along with welcoming new students to college, there is another harmful and unjustified act which follows which is known as, “Ragging”. Ragging is a notorious way of welcoming new students. The seniors feel it is their utmost right to rag the juniors. Ragging usually means teasing or forcing the juniors to do what is asked by the seniors. Senior students find easy targets in fresher’s and make them do things which may have lasting effects emotionally and physically. Students work tremendously hard and take exams not to be ragged. In certain situations, ragging leads to physical injuries and psychological fear. This fear stays for a lifetime. Unfortunately, ragging takes place in the most reputed institutions as well. No matter how hard an individual may try to escape ragging, he or she falls prey to it eventually. Ragging is a very common practice and goes on either openly or under the hiding. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

176 Communication Skills Meaning of Ragging Ragging means playing a rough joke or teaching someone a lesson in a very offensive way. Ragging may also mean irritating someone while he/she is speaking, mimicking in a vulgar way and giving abusive and incorrect commands. As per the Reader’s digest great encyclopaedia dictionary, “Ragging means a noisy disorderly conduct, annual parade of students in fancy dress collecting money for charity, playing rough jokes and throwing into wild disturbance in a person’s life.” Ragging can take place either verbally, physically or in writing. Ragging was initially started in England, where in seniors would play light hearted jokes on juniors and welcome them into the university. With time, ragging got popular everywhere and today it has taken a very ugly form. India is probably the worst country when it comes to ragging. The ragging in India is deadly and at times, it has even led many to commit a suicide. The government has declared many laws against ragging but they don’t seem to be followed by the students. Forms of Ragging Ragging has no limits. Ugly and unforgiving imagination of man definitely has no bounds. Ragging has many different ways, and few are listed below: (i) Dress code ragging This form of ragging is usually in terms of clothes. Students are expected to wear funny and fancy clothes for a certain period of time. They may ask the students to wear a weird outfit, a funny hair do and ask them to roam around in college. This may be quite embarrassing for the student and may attract unwanted attention from other students. This is easy and not very harmful. (ii) Formal introduction New students are asked to introduce themselves in proper Hindi, and if they cannot do so, they will be given a light punishment. Seniors go around in the college, look for juniors and ask for an introduction. (iii) Verbal ragging Verbal ragging involves forcing new students into loose talking. This could be singing a song, talking in a vulgar language and making an abusive statement. This is done against the wishes of the student and he/she may not be comfortable with the verbal form of ragging. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Writing Skills 177 (iv) Sexual abuse ragging This is the dirtiest way of ragging. Seniors ask personal questions to juniors which are related to their sexual preferences, choices and fantasies. In the worst circumstances, the seniors may also ask the juniors to strip in front of them. This can lead to a lifetime of pain and emotional disturbance. (v) Playing the fool Many times, seniors ask the juniors to enact a movie scene, dance on a song, kiss a tree or even propose a teacher. Such foolish things are told to the juniors only for fun and entertainment purposes. (vi) Hostel ragging Another popular form is the ragging which takes place in hostels. Ragging in hostels is usually done in the nights. They may ask the students to clean the rooms, wash the clothes, clean the bathroom and even make the juniors complete their assignments. This kind of ragging mostly happens with those who come from different places in the hostel to study. Thus, ragging is something which should be permanently prohibited. Ragging leaves an unimaginable impact on the student’s life. It may destroy his strength, peace of mind and even future hopes. Probably, soon the concept of ragging will end with evolving times. 3. Write an email to the Municipal Corporation of your state requesting the authority to take an action against corrupt officials who do not help the common man in property documentation. Raise your voice against animal cruelty. Write an email with proper format. 4. Prepare a content of 500 words on the topic of “Digital dependence of people in the 21st century”. This activity should be done individually and performed and discussed in class. 5. Professor must read this text to class and ask students to make notes from the information processed verbally. This should be read twice in a class. Upon listening carefully, details must be recorded. In the fast paced digital world, almost all businesses are incomplete without a website. Website has become a pre requisite for business as it allows them to interact and build better relations with the employees. There used to be a time when only MNC’s would have a website. These days, even CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

178 Communication Skills start ups have a website which eventually helps them to grow their business. With the help of websites, world and businesses get connected at a global level. More and more companies are spending on websites and are always hunting for skilled web developers. Market today offers a huge array of jobs to web developers and the demand for the same is increasing rapidly. The person who works on the website of the company is known as the web developer. In the world of web development, there are two important aspects which is the front end and the back end. Let us understand these terms better. Front end: In the layman’s language, the appearance of the website or the visual interface is called front end. Website which is visible to the customers including designs, colours, animations, images, buttons and content comprise of the front end. Back end: While front end is visible to customers and visitors, back end is not visible to anybody. Back end comprises of coding and database through which the visible data is received and displayed. Back end is more flexible and is purely for technical purposes. Individuals, visitors, users or customers do not have any access to the back end and this part is purely handled by a web developer. Simple use case: Simple use case is the entire mechanism which keeps the website working. The components which are used to keep a website active but without displaying to the members or visitors is the back end. On the other hand, the mechanism which we can clearly see, make choice to and fro come under front end. There are several risks, tasks and duties of the front end developers. One of the biggest task is to ensure a memorable and a convenient experience for the visitor or user in the website. In order to create an impressive web page and layout, there are certain factors to bear in mind. The choice of colour, font, accessibility, animation and convenience are the key requirements. Some important functions of the front end developer are as follows: z Must know how to create, customise and maintain a website. The user interface should always be impressive and convenient. z Must be an expertise in creating templates for development of the website and web pages. z Must keep updating the styling and look of the website. Attractive website is a plus point for any business. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Writing Skills 179 z Must know the art of converting static pages into web pages. A web developer should be able to work in a team. z Must maintain fair co-ordination with the back end developers in order to put to use the coding language. This should be done for producing interactive and innovative web pages. z Must know to edit and control the content which will displayed for the customers and visitors to read. 6. Prepare notes, their points and sub points from the following passage: Revision is one of the most important priorities for a student when preparing for an examination. Having the right kind of revision techniques can go a long way for the student. Proper and timely revision boosts the memory power and also builds confidence in the student. Doing revision in the right way is the only way to be a success in school and high level exams. Here we provide students with some tips to conduct an effective revision before the exams. (i) Timetable Although a large number of students do not make or follow a timetable, it definitely is a pre requisite. Proper timetable helps the student to complete a certain task of revision or leaning within a limited time span. This creates more revision time and also creates focus. This pressure is the right kind of pressure which should be placed on students. Allocating time to each subject helps in inculcating time management skills in young students. However, the timetable should not only consist of studies but also of other activities like rest and play. Preparing for exams in advance allows extensive practice in the forms of test and previous year paper’s. Enough practice allows students to get prepared to tackle the questions which may come in the paper. (ii) Short notes Large number of students make long and too many notes for one subject. Too much notes only creates a mess and results in student getting stressed out before examinations. Instead of lengthy notes, students must prepare short summary cards with the important points. These pointers will also help in revising before the last minutes of the examination. Since, they save time and do not look boring, this tip always works handy for students. Underlining key sections of the textbook also helps CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

180 Communication Skills in finishing last minute revisions successfully. Just browsing through summary cards and underlined content can help the students a big deal. (iii) Code words Many answers have numerous points and memorising all of them can be quite a task! In order to solve this problems students should prepare code words and learn accordingly. This is a very effective method and works successfully for many. Students must take the first alphabets of the point names and combine them together to make it into a word. Each word would represent the answer. Students with less time span in between exams can remember this code words which will eventually allow them to remember the entire answer error free. (iv) Study in groups Many times, students procure better results in group studies than studying in private. There are several benefits of studying together. For instance, a student may not have a certain point in mind, but his classmate may remember the point. This helps in revision of even those points which the student may have forgotten or may have not given importance to. Often, the subject gets covered quicker when studying in a group. Group revision also makes studying and revising a fun process which helps in relieving stress and boosting confidence. However, students must take up group studies or revision sessions only if they are comfortable with it. Studying alone is also a great option provided the student is aware of right techniques for revision. (v) Take breaks and sleep well Sometimes, students are too engrossed in exam preparation, where in they forget to take a break and loosen up a bit. Revisions for a longer durations draws the energy out of the student which eventually leads to poor performance in the exams. Taking regular breaks helps to keep the concentration and interest on the subject intact. Lack of sleep too makes the students feel very tired and unproductive. Therefore, good few hours of continuous sleep is highly recommended during exams. Sleep can improve performance and also have a positive impact on the student as it keeps the mind fresh and positive. For those who get scared or worried before exams, sleep and frequent breaks can help them too. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Writing Skills 181 7. Understand the theme of the following passage and explain the theme in about 100 words and give an appropriate title. Books are probably the best asset a person can own in his or her lifetime. However, not everyone can be avid readers or would be a book lover. The habit of reading books should be developed from a very young age. This habit is a wonder habit as it keeps growing with your child. Not all children are fond of books and inculcating this habit in kids can be a quite a daunting task. But to begin with, children’s books like tinkle comics, Enid Blyton’s stories and fairy tales can be a good start for the kids. Helping children in reading these books can go a long way in developing good habits, values and virtues in them. However, when parents ask children to read the books, they should also be a part of their reading habit as it will encourage the children to read more and more. (i) Illustrated books One of the best ways of introducing children to books is by gifting those illustrated books. Cute pictures, nice graphics and bright colours develop an interest in the minds of the kids to see the book more often. More pictures and less of words is a great way to introduce little kids to books. Books with moral of the story is advisable. Good stories with morals make children look forward to books and take up reading very positively. (ii) Read along When planning to develop reading skills in children, it is very important for the parents to read along. Being a team is always a better way of teaching children. Parents should stick to a specific time where in they would indulge into a reading activity with their child. Always fix up a time to read a certain number of pages in a book, this could be done to only challenge the child’s potential and for fun. Reading to your child will improve listening skills and if he/she is very curious, he/she may read along too. (iii) Don’t forget to discuss Parents should discuss with children about the books they read. You could discuss the story, the characters or even the pictures. Doing this often, allows the parent to realise the understanding potential of the child and also the experience the child has gained upon reading the book. Healthy discussion allows children to express themselves freely and also helps to form a bond with the parents. Reading and talking could well, make your children excellent communicators. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

182 Communication Skills (iv) Start funny and simple The first book a parent brings to the child should be very thin, bright and simple. Complicated books will withdraw the interest of the child from reading immediately. Funny books, activity books or 3D books can incline the attention of the child towards the book. Such books help in keeping children amused and develops the interest towards reading. Starting with simple books will definitely make your children into avid readers of the future. (v) Find your child’s interest After your child has read quite a few books, figure out which kind of book he picks up again and again. Notice if he picks up the book with a lot of pictures, or numbers or colours and according to this pattern understand his choice. Post this, get those kinds of books he/she would like. Encourage them for their choice of books and allow them to choose which book they would like to read. Slowly and gradually encourage them for other kinds of books too. (vi) Replace videogames with books Instead of purchasing an expensive video game, it is always a better option to buy a book instead. Remember, children loose interest very soon, thus getting them one book at a time will ensure the child has read the full book. Once they know they will get a new book only after finishing the old one, the curiosity for the new one will make them finish the old book on time. This also helps in distracting them from video games and all sorts of unproductive gadgets. 8. Elaborate the Cornell Method of Note taking and Note making. 11.11 Reference 1. Wren and Martin Grammar Book. ‰‰‰ CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Speaking Skills 183 UNIT 12 SPEAKING SKILLS  Structure: 12.0 Learning Objectives 12.1 Introduction 12.2 Making Request 12.3 Apologizing   12.4 Narration Speaking and Writing 12.5 Listening  12.6 Narration Speaking and Writing 12.7 Voice Transformation 12.8 Correction of Sentence 12.9 Collocations  12.10 Idioms  12.11 Summary 12.12 Key Words/Abbreviations 12.13 Unit End Questions 12.14 References CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

184 Communication Skills 12.0 Learning Objectives After studying this unit, you will be able to: z Learn how to make request, apologize and listen z Learn grammar concepts, narration, and correction of sentences z Build vocabulary by using collocations and idioms in speaking skills 12.1 Introduction Speaking skills are very important for any person to polish his communication. With the right words an individual can win the world. Concentrating on good speaking skills can pave way to success. Good speaking skills can only be achieved with a lot of practice, observations and efforts. When an individual can communicate well, he can reach heights as he will be able to express his ideas and views far more clearly than others. The right kind of speaking can help to communicate a large sentence into merely two words which will be more impactful and will also sound better. For example, I have been trying to communicate with you for a very long time, can be said in a much more polished manner, like, I was intending to speak to you for the longest time. Speaking skills can improve with a lot of reading too. 12.2 Making Request Request means to ask for a favour or a kind help from someone who is in authority or is not entitled to help or consider you. The term request is a very polite way to get acceptance for your work of personal interest. When speaking in English, good manners and polite speech is held at prime importance. When you make a request to someone, it is important to be very polite and have a good choice of words in order to successfully obtain the help from the individual you are making request to. Usually while writing or speaking for request, we make use of a lot of modal auxiliary verbs like May, Might, Can, Could, Please and a lot more. When making a request one must be very careful of the tone, it should not sound very harsh or authoritative. Let’s take for example, you want to ask for a glass of water. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Speaking Skills 185 Command: Give me a glass of water Request: Could you please give me a glass of water? When requests are made with politeness, humbleness and with a modal verb in the sentence, the listener also gets a positive impact of your request and this leads to successful acceptance of the request. It is very important to use the right words and the right tone, especially for making requests. The words should not sound like a command because if it doesn’t sound very right, it is quite likely that the so called request may get rejected. Some examples are as follows: 1. May I come in? (A request to come inside with the modal auxiliary May) 2. Could you write this for me, please? (A request to come inside with the modal auxiliary could and a request word please) 3. Do you mind if I sit here? (No auxiliary used, only good manners) Learning Activity: Fill in the blanks with a proper request word like please, may, can, could, should, shall and other suitable words: 1. _________ I borrow your stationary? 2. _________ help me with my documentation work. 3. _________ can you lend us your motorbike tomorrow? 4. _________ I carry all the books now? 5. Try to reach by 9 pm, _________. 12.3 Apologizing Apologizing is very important for building relations. We apologize or say sorry when some mistake has been committed either big or small. Apology helps to save relations and even sometimes to recreate it. Being able to apologize or say sorry is a way of showing that you are truly guilty of the act and sincerely hold empathy for the person you have caused hurt to. When a person does not apologize well, somehow the relationship gets compromised. Being able to say sorry the right way CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

186 Communication Skills can mend lot of hurt, anger and can express respect for an individual. The right kind of sorry can also help to avoid misunderstandings. When we hurt someone but we apologize sincerely, we acknowledge that person’s value in our life. Apologizing at the right time, can improve the mental health of the guilty and the victim tremendously. However, apologizing in the right manner is more important, it should sound sincere and polite. Some ways are as follows: 1. Only if I could turn the clock back, I would have never done what I did that day. 2. Please forgive me for my doings, I will never repeat it again. 3. I have understood that my behaviour has wronged you and caused you immense pain. I sincerely want to apologize for that. 4. Please consider my apology and allow me to prove myself. 5. Upon analyzing, I have realized that I have caused you much pain and grief. I sincerely apologize for it. 6. It is unforgivable I know, please at least try 7. Please don’t hold a grudge. 8. I would like to express my regret of my action. 9. I accept full responsibility of my unacceptable behavior, I will ensure this doesn’t happen DJDLQ 10. I just want the ground to swallow me up for my unacceptable behaviour. Apologizing can improve your mental and physical health to an unbelievable extent. There are umpteen benefits of the receiver and giver. 1. The guilt evaporates, once the guilty apologizes and the victim accepts the apology. When a person takes responsibility of their action, it makes the apology process easier. 2. Apology with the right words can sensitize even the angriest person of this world. 3. When a person accepts his mistake, he frees himself from the pain and gains more self- respect. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Speaking Skills 187 4. Apologizing at the right time can help the victim and guilty to stay emotionally connected. 5. Apologizing with right intention, right attitude, right words, right tone and right timing can solve the biggest problems of this world. Learning Activity: Use the correct apology words from the option. 1. I have realised my mistake, please _______ my behaviour. (excuse/pardon) 2. I know I should not have shouted at you, please accept my _______. (sorry/apology) 3. I have understood that, it was indeed my mistake and I am really ______. (sorry/apologetic) 4. I would like to express my _______ for my words. (regret/pardon) 5. I know I am wrong, _______ accept my apology. (please/kindly) 12.4 Narration Speaking and Writing Narration is basically a creation of a content in variety of forms. Narration is basically story writing with a central character with an introduction, body and conclusion. The character in narrative stories is usually non fictional and sometimes fictional too. The narrative story has all sorts of drama whichever a person can possibly imagine. Narratives are an extremely important part of any sorts of writing. Narratives help to create new content and also sometimes polish a draft of a book or content. Narratives are a great experience for learning in the form of stories. There are umpteen factors in a story which help to make it impactful. It is very difficult for people to take in information directly all the time. When information is passed through a narrative, it becomes easier to process an information. Stories allow the writers to come up with creative elements which make it more interesting for the readers and allows them to absorb the information in a much more fun manner. Narratives are very powerful in making clear emotions and giving out right kind of information in a very subtle manner. Not just this, it is also very easy to remember information which has been received in the story form. Readers often get too deeply involved with the creative part of the story line which also makes it an interesting source of information. As amazing narratives are to read, it is very interesting to know how storylines are written. Some tips to write Narratives well are as follows: CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

188 Communication Skills 1. Go easy and treat it like a story telling. Narratives are all about simple language and ability to tell a story. While writing narratives, the narrator must first prepare a basic plot as to know what guidelines the writer is going to use to express the story. Along with the guidelines, the character should also be decided in advance so as to make the narrative interesting. 2. Try to make use of maximum examples. Examples will make it very easy for the readers to connect with the central idea of the story. 3. Originality is the basic key to a successful story telling. Keeping the story plagiarism free and original will develop an interest in the listeners. If the story is not new and original, it can lead to loss of interest in listeners as they might already know the plot. 4. Lastly, involvement of the audiences in the story will make the story telling very successful. No story is ever successful if the audiences don’t feel it strongly. Every emotion has to be told in such a way that the listener feels as though he is the character and he is dealing first hand in the situations. After keeping the above tips in mind, the narration skill gets better and more impactful. Another form of narration writing is also a conversation between two or more people which is expressed between two people in the form of direct and indirect speech. Sometimes it is also written and understood as dialogue writing. With the flow of conversations it can be referred to as a series of conversations between individuals. This topic may also include use of a lot of direct and indirect speech in the content. Learning Activity: Write a narrative content on, “An incident which changed my life” in 500 words. Students must read aloud their written content in front of the full class. 12.5 Listening Listening plays a very important role in verbal communication. In any form of communication, success can be derived if the instructions or details are heard well. When individuals listen well, work progresses very fast and can be completed without any errors. When you are asked to listen, one must try to listen with intent and keep some pointers of the speech ready. After the speaker has CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Speaking Skills 189 finished the speech, the listener must go through the pointers written down and see if he has clear understanding of all points covered in the speech. These points must be revised and right kind of questions should be asked depending upon the speech. Listening attentively helps to reduce misunderstandings and helps to gain right information. Anyone unable to listen attentively can usually get into conflicts due to blunders done by the respective person. Listening with focus is a primary quality which will help you to take right decisions. For instance, you are interviewing someone and ask for all details, it’s important to listen attentively to the candidate so that you can analyze whether the person is suitable enough or no for the job. When listening is done correctly, it enables to make timely precautionary decisions. There are umpteen benefits of listening well. Some are as follows: 1. Helps to improve reputation When one person’s listening skills are noteworthy it helps to know things better and do them better, which in turn improves the reputation of a person to a considerable extent. Knowing details about the speech can make you sound very focused, credible and professional. Any business transacted through verbal communication should have proper facts and that can only be acquired if the listening has been done correctly. 2. Helps to reduce conflict Listening intently can help to reduce conflicts, arguments and confusion. For instance, there is a team work and if the listening part has not been done correctly, there can be a chance of miscommunication which can lead to major issues in all initiatives taken by the team. 3. Listening helps to get motivated When an individual listens well, he gets motivated and inspired by new words, new line of thoughts and much more. Listening carefully can help channelize an individual’s line of thought. It helps to make a person more mentally ready for certain endeavours. Some tips for being a good listener: z If possible catch a few keywords from the speech. z Make a note of the various words and quotes used by the speaker. z Try to focus and rephrase in the mind. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

190 Communication Skills z If possible avoid getting distracted. z Try to concentrate on the words which are repeated by the speaker, repetition of words mean those words are important. Learning Activity: z https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpv—dBo-aM Students must listen to audio by typing the link in the search engine and analyse the various tones used while speaking. Make a note of it and discuss in the class. 12.6 Direct and Indirect Speech Direct and indirect speech is basically different ways of speaking. Direct speech is when you address the person directly and expect an immediate response. Indirect speech is when you speak about someone in their presence or in their absence. Direct speech is usually said with a reference to a person and using hyphens Eg: Shishir told Zanna, “ how are you this morning?” Indirect speech is said for the person irrespective of a person being there or no. Eg: Shishir told Zanna that how was she that morning. Certain rules to be kept in mind. This becomes That Today becomes This Day Yesterday becomes The previous day Tomorrow becomes The next day Learning Activity: Convert the following direct speech into indirect speech 1. Jack asked,” Why has the ambulance not reached?”  My teacher said to me, “May you pass in the test!” 3. Robert told his daughter,” Lisa you must go to the church” CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Speaking Skills 191 12.7 Voice Transformation One of the most important aspects in speaking skills is the voice or the tone of the individual. Voice transformation is very important when wanting to make a lasting impression on the listener. Voice transformation means being able to change the tone of the voice depending upon situation and the person you are conversing with. There should be a balance in two types of voice which a person has, knowing when to shift from one voice to another is very important. Source 1 and source 2 should flow naturally depending upon the situation. This can be achieved only after thorough practice. For instance, a person may speak very casually and in a high tone with a friend but when they speak to an elderly the voice must instantly sound humble and polite. The need for the change of voice should be understood and immediately practiced. The quality of the voice should be supreme because only then there will be an impact of the words spoken on the particular person. The speech and the tone of the voice should be taken care of and it can make any conversation a successful one. Some essentials for a successful and positive voice transformation. 1. Avoid speaking in a monotonous voice, this can make you sound very disinterested in the person and in the conversation. Always have a cheerful tone with voice frequency going high and low during the conversation, makes the recipient feel good as well. 2. Right expressions are very important not only in face but also in speech. The pitch you use or the tone you use, can make a huge impact on the listener. 3. Modulation of voice is very important depending upon the mood the person is, it is essential to gauge a person’s mood when speaking. For instance, if you see a person in an angry or upset mood, speaking politely will be very helpful. 4. Knowledge on how to speak one sentence in different ways depending upon the situation is also an important aspect. Speech Exercises: Always know which sentence should be said loud and which sentence should be said in a humble tone. If you are happy being loud may be supported but if it’s a sad news and you are unhappy, you can try to speak in a lower tone. Few examples may help. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

192 Communication Skills z I am going for a vacation to Bali! (Speak loud) z I lost my grandfather to heart attack. (Speak soft) Again, voice modulation also includes being able to say the same sentence in a different way with different people at different situations. Learning Activity: For example, you are a sales person and you have to convince your customer a new pair of Adidas shoes. (i) These shoes are a must have in your collection. (Speak loud) (ii) You will be proud of your this purchase. (Speak loud) (iii) This is the best product at this price. (Speak soft) (iv) Trust me, buy this product in full faith. (Speak soft) 12.8 Correction of Sentence One of the most important aspects in speaking skills is the knowledge of framing and speaking correct sentence which means how to place verbs, conjunctions and other grammar essentials. Correction of sentence is a very important topic as it helps to make your sentences very impactful and helps in leaving a good impression. However, in correction of sentences there are a set of rules which must be followed to obtain a successful result. (a) Meaning of Subject with Verb agreement The literal meaning of the subject with verb agreement is that the subject and verb must tally in number. Either both of them should be plural or both of them should be singular. Example: 1. The cat is fiddling with the ball. Here the subject cat and the verb fiddling both are singular. 2. The cats are fiddling with their ball. Here the subject cats and the verb are fiddling both are plural. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Speaking Skills 193 When the subject and the verb both are aligned with being singular or plural but both should be following the same pattern. (b) Rule of Repetition One must never write two similar words twice in a sentence. The repetition of two words can make the sentence sound very incorrect and easy to spot the errors. Example: 1. I returned back from the States today. (Returned and back are not supposed to be written together, this is the reason it is an incorrect sentence) 2. I came back from the states today. (Correct sentence) (c) Modifiers Modifiers means the sentence is not incorrect but needs modification in the placement of the words. Example: Unmodified version: z Sitting in the garden, a snake stung her. In the above sentence, there is no specific error which we can spot, but let’s have a look at the modified version. z Sitting in the garden, she was stung by a snake. The modified version sounds better and the words are placed properly. (d) Parallelism Knowledge about the structure of sentence with different words or actions in one sentence is very important. Example: z She likes to read, write and sing. (Correct parallel sentence) z She likes to read, write and singing. (Incorrect parallel sentence as one form of tenses is not used here) CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

194 Communication Skills (e) Diction errors Some words which sound same but have different spellings and different meanings. Often in the sentences, people make errors with words like effect and affect, win against and win from, later and latter etc. Knowing the difference between these words can help in writing correct words in the required sentence which will help in setting a lasting impression upon readers and listeners. Learning Activity: Correct the following sentences: 1. Seema cooks the food today. 2. She comes to my office tomorrow. 3. One of my sisters is coming yesterday. 4. I has not any interest in sports and politics. 5. Do she know what he is doing. 12.9 Collocations Certain words which are usually said or written together are collocations. Two separate words like hard and work are spoken separately and are also said together. We cannot say you must do heavy work instead of hard work. Certain words suit best when are said together, these accepted terms are called as collocations. In English language, especially in speaking skills knowledge of the right collocations are very important in making lasting impressions. Here are a few tips which can help you to identify and use collocations in daily life. 1. Notice the words which are either written together or spoken together from books or magazine or even in random conversations of people you interact with. 2. Collocation dictionaries are available which can help to get an insight on collocation words. The list is humungous. 3. Try to understand the full sentence and not only just a word. This will allow to observe words which are written together. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)