CMM001_Communication Skills

Writing Skills 45 B. Taking leave When an individual is working there can be days when you may want to take a leave from work. However, asking for a leave from work place can be difficult and there is always a polite way of requesting for the same. Always use sentences like, “I know the intensity of work, but the leave which I have to take is unavoidable” or, “It will be really considerate of you, to allow me a leave for a day” or “ I would request you to please grant me a leave for a day” or “it would be great if you could grant me a leave” The above are a few ways of taking a leave. C. Introducing oneself Introducing oneself is one of the key qualities which every individual should have. Many people get clueless when they are told to speak about themselves. Usually, people can start their self- introduction with their name, their passions, and overview of themselves, their choices and their experiences. For example: My name is XYZ, I am passionate about writing, I am polite and a happy go lucky person. I believe in living life to the fullest and I believe in making a positive impact wherever I go, I believe in uplifting each other and also prefer people with similar mind-set. D. Striking up a conversation Often when we meet new people it gets difficult to strike up a conversation, the feeling of awkwardness is common. When you meet new people, you can strike up conversations with common topics like the weather, preferences or even with a compliment. You can start with sentences like, “I really like your command over the language” or “The weather is really pleasant today” or “You can always try this new drink”. Sometimes you can even ask few things but be very careful that the conversations should not sound like an interview. Always remember to have a casual body language as that matters a lot. Beginning with basic things can also be very helpful to strike up a conversation which will lead to a proper conversation after a while. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

46 Communication Skills 3.5 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 47 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)

48 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, 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 49 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. Some important books for references and guidance for IBPS z Comprehensive Guide to IBPS-CWE Specialist IT Officer Scale I and II – 2nd Edition. z Bank Specialist Agricultural Field Officer Common Written Exam Complete Guide z Bank Specialist Officers (IT Officer/Agriculture Field Officer/Rajbhasha Adhikari/Law Officer/HR/Personnel Officer/Marketing Officer) Common Written Exam (CWE) Guide z IBPS – CWE Specialist Officer 101 Speed Tests – Agriculture Officer/Marketing Officer/ IT Officer Questions: 1. Why is it necessary to specially prepare for IBPS exam? 2. What is the purpose of reference books in IBPS preparation? 3. What are the last minute revision which a candidate can do? CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

50 Communication Skills 3.6 Summary z Paragraph writing is essential to be able to master the verbal and non-verbal communication. Knowing how to write paragraphs can add the necessary effects which are required to make the write-up interesting. Knowing when to pause and when to continue is the main essence of paragraph writing. This is very important in terms of writing skills. Students often fail to understand as to when the break should actually be given. Write-ups can usually be divided into 3 parts or 3 paragraphs which is Introduction, Body and Conclusion. Introduction writing usually includes the information for understanding the characters, location and a background hint. After this paragraph, the students can switch to a new line and begin the story. When the student reaches the end of the story, it is known as the conclusion. This should start from a new paragraph which will also be the last paragraph. z Stress and intonation speaking is essential to make an impactful conversation. It is imperative to know which word has to be put more stress on. Sometimes, a word is stressed more to add more effect on the sentence which has been spoken. This kind of stress allows to draw focus on the word which you want people to attentively listen to. Knowing when to stress on a word helps to give clarity to the listeners as to which topics are important. This stressing of words is also very helpful for noting down keywords which may be very useful in relating with the content. In order to make the right kind of emphasis, the speaker should have clarity in themselves first as to what they want to extract from their listeners and emphasise on the words accordingly. z One has to speak well, be confident and be able to frame the words in a convincing manner to achieve successful outcomes from the conversation. This can only happen if people prepare in advance and know exactly to which crowd they are dealing with. The speaker has to sound extremely convincing with his tone. This will help in making the listeners feel that what is expected out of them is validated and they will work accordingly in agreement. However, all of this can only happen if the communication has been done in a positive and impactful manner. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Writing Skills 51 3.7 Key Words/Abbreviations z Comprehension: A paragraph full of information and questions asked on basis of communication. z Paragraph: A set of words usually consisting of information, introduction or conclusion. z Confidence: An ability to communicate without hesitation or fear. z Speaking skills: To be able to speak in different yet effective manner. 3.8 Unit End Questions 1. Write a paragraph on how tigers are on the verge of extinction. 2. Explain the vowel sounds with examples of 5 word for each letter. 3.9 Reference z Wren and Martin English Grammar Book ‰‰‰ CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

52 Communication Skills UNIT 4 GRAMMAR SKILLS Structure: 4.0 Learning Objectives 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Parts of Speech 4.3 $UWLFOHV 4.4 Modal Verbs 4.5 Word Formation 4.6 3UHIL[ 4.7 6XIIL[ 4.8 Compounds 4.9 Homophones 4.10 Homonyms 4.11 +RPRJUDSKV 4.12 Summary 4.13 Key Words/Abbreviations 4.14 LearningActivity 4.15 Unit End Questions CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Grammar Skills 53 4.0 Learning Objectives After studying this unit, you will be able to: z Learn basic grammar such as Parts of Speech z Articles, z Modal verbs, z Build vocabulary, z Prefix, z Suffix, z Homonyms, z Homophones and z Homographs 4.1 Introduction Grammar is the base for any great communication skills. One can communicate well, only when he can frame the sentences well. However, a great sentence formation can only happen when the base is strong. Whether it is written or oral communication, grammar can be a great support in making impactful conversations or a great write-up. Thorough knowledge in grammar can help in enhancing the conversation skills and also make a lasting impression on the person spoken with or written to. 4.2 Parts of Speech Meaning: Parts of speech can be called as a base or the home of all other important grammar. Parts of speech is important because it helps in detecting the problems in a sentence or in the formation. The 8 major parts of speech are as follows: CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

54 Communication Skills 1. Verb: Verbs are usually action which is described in the sentence such as eat, drank, ran. Sometimes, the word is also described in the state of presence or in being like “eats” “has” “is”. Often, verb is related to the time of the action or when it is conducted. Any action specifically is a verb. E.g.: I eat three times a day. E.g.: I love to trek in the summer holidays. 2. Noun: Noun is actually termed for places, things, feelings and sometimes measures. There are various kinds of nouns which actually help in giving information in the sentence. It is rather a plain definition for a person, place or thing. In the below examples, Mumbai is a place and hence a noun, Dog a living being and hence a noun. E.g.: Mumbai is the biggest city of India. E.g.: I love watching my dog playing with his toys 3. Pronoun: The support system for the noun words are known as pronouns. It is only because of the pronouns that the sentences don’t sound repetitive. Pronouns are used as a representation for a people, things or places. In any case, you cannot repeat one word or one name in one sentence more than once. Like, Sita is a girl, she is an artist. In this situation, Sita is the noun and she is the pronoun E.g.: He is one of the people Ram looked upto. E.g.: They love to meet one another in the garden. 4. Adjective: The words or parts of sentences which give more information about a noun or rather uses descriptive words to describe a noun is known as Adjectives. Any kind of extra describing word makes up for an adjective. Like, the shimmering sea engages its viewers, here, the sea is described with the word shimmering. E.g.: They live in a beautiful house. (Here, the house is described as beautiful.) E.g.: Minaz’s hair is gorgeous. (Here, the hair is described as gorgeous.) CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Grammar Skills 55 5. Adverb: Adverb usually provides more information to the verbs or in the sentence. This can be even one word or a describing information in the sentences. Usually, the adverb words end with the tail –ly. Like The doll is beautifully dressed. E.g.: He speaks politely E.g.: He swims swiftly 6. Preposition: Preposition usually represents the relationship between the objects in the sentences. Usually, the preposition words are on, in, under, above, of, before, after, above, across, though, inside, blue, etc. E.g.: Are you sure about your decision? E.g.: The book is in the cupboard. 7. Conjunction: Conjunction are connectives which joins two different sentences and make it into one. The two parts of the sentence are joined with joining words like as, and, because, or, so etc. E.g.: I have to find a new college because I want to complete my degree. E.g.: Margaret was late for her job and she received a cut in her pay. 8. Interjection: The sentences which usually end with an exclamation mark are interjections. The purpose of interjections is to create a sense of surprise and shock to the readers. Like, Oh! Darn! E.g.: Wow! Her dance is so full of expressions. E.g.: Voila! I won the lottery! ([DPSOHV 1. Hurray! Spain won the world cup! Ans: Hurray! – Interjection Spain – Noun Won – Verb CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

56 Communication Skills 2. My investments doubled last year and I bought a yacht. Yippie! Ans: and – Conjunction Bought – Verb Doubled – Adjective 3. I was not sure if I could take up the initiative. Ans: if – preposition 4. Lastly, she thanked her mother for her success. Ans: Lastly – Adverb 5. Seema is a dancer. She is also a singer. Ans: She – Pronoun Learning Activity: Identify and state the various parts of speech from the underlined words. 1. It is not possible to run fast without practice. 2. Her excellent vocabulary draws people close to her. 3. Damn! what is this world coming to. 4. I was confident that things will get better if I get the post. 5. She was a teacher and a counsellor. 6. Rarely do we find beautiful people like you. 7. Mother has been cooking all day. 8. Bali is a famous holiday destination in Indonesia. 9. She swims swiftly. 10. His father is an inspiration to him. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Grammar Skills 57 4.3 Articles 0HDQLQJ An article most of the times modifies the noun present in the sentence. An article improvises the sentences very well and also gives the clear idea on what article can be used before what kinds of word. There are two major types of articles. The first type of article is Definite article and the second type is Indefinite article. Definite article comes before the word. The word “The” before a noun will become a definite article. Indefinite article comes before plural nouns. The words “an” will come before singulars and plurals starting with alphabets a, e, i, o and u. The word, “a” will come in all other plural nouns which do not start with the previously mentioned alphabets. In some exceptional cases, a sentence may not require articles at all. ([DPSOHV 1. I want an orange from that basket. The word apple starts from the specified list of alphabets which is a singular object. Therefore, the article “an” can be used for orange. 2. The temple on the corner is progressive There are two “the” in one sentence, but only the first the will be considered since it is placed before a noun. Temple is a common noun. 3. I borrowed a pen from your stationary. Indefinite article “a” is mentioned as an article because it is placed before a singular noun pen and the initial alphabet of pen does not come under the specified list and therefore “an” will not be used. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

58 Communication Skills Learning Activity: Identify the articles from the following sentences. Also state whether the articles are definite or indefinite. 1. The children love to play in groups. 2. The perspective of an individual is formed by the experiences he gains in his life. 3. Life is too short to hold a grudge. 4. The angels come to earth in the form of innocent animals. 5. An apple a day keeps the doctor away. 6. The way to Mr.Gomes' house is towards the left. 7. Ravi is an excellent orator. 8. Life is sometimes unfair with the poor. 9. The world needs to be more positive and more giving towards each other. 10. Omkar is a dedicated film maker. 4.4 Modal Verbs 0HDQLQJ Modal verb usually indicates a possibility or a necessity with words like shall, must will, should, can, could, may, would and might. These words are usually present in the sentence which usually expresses possibility or permission upon speaking or hearing. ([DPSOHV Meaning Example Modal to express ability ,canspeak a little French. Can to request permission Can,RSHQ\\RXUFXSERDUG\" Can to express possibility ,maybe home late in the evening. May to request permission May, VLW GRZQ SOHDVH\" May to express obligation ,mustJHW LQ WRXFK ZLWK WKH WHDFKHU QRZ must CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Grammar Skills 59 must to express strong belief 6KHmustEH RYHU  \\HDUV RI DJH should to give advice <RXshouldVWRSRYHUHDWLQJ would to request or offer Would\\RX OLNH D FXSRI WHD RU FRIIHH\" would in if-sentences If I were you, I wouldVLQFHUHO\\DVNIRUIRUJLYHQHVV Learning Activity: Fill in the blanks with a suitable modal auxiliary from the given options. 1. She _______ have to seek permission from the authority. (May/Might) 2. You _______ express your right on him. (Can/Could) 3. Gold _______ be bought from a trusted jeweller. (Should/Shall) 4. You _______ leave without wasting any second. (Must/May) 5. ___________ you like some water? (Will/Would) 6. You _______ respect all living beings. (Must/May) 7. It will be great if you ________ pick me up. (Can/Could) 8. I ________ be honoured to be able to help you. (Will/Would) 9. Mr. Soni’s wife __________ be here any moment. (Will/Would) 10. The judge ________ support the right. (Shall/Should) 4.5 Word Formation Meaning: Word formation is basically a creation of a new word with few changes either in pronunciation or in spelling and sometimes in the meaning itself. When two words are split and are joined together with altogether a different word, it is known as word formation. When we add an affix or a tail to a general word, it together creates a new word, rather forms a word. Many may feel word formation, complicates the language, but in reality it only makes the sentence more meaningful and increases the worth. Blend of few alphabets of two different words can lead to word formation as well. For CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

60 Communication Skills Example, the word zebra is derived from a Portuguese word. In the 16th century, zebra was known as “zebros” and since it has half body which looks like a wild ass, the name was changed to zebra. Examples: Verb Adjective Adverb Attract Attractive Attractively Noun Attend Attentive Attentively Attraction Create Creative Creatively Attention Salute – – Creation Add Additional Additionally Salutation Addition Learning Activity: Fill the blanks: Verb Adjective Adverb Noun Learn Donation Introduce Nature Conditional Morally Vocational Carelessly Intent Preparation Develop 4.6 Prefix Meaning: Prefix is usually a two or more letter word which is placed in front of noun or a verb. When prefix is added, the pronunciation and meaning of the word completely changes. Prefix is added in CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Grammar Skills 61 the beginning of a word. This is very important in word formation and also helps to create new words with new meanings. Examples: Word Word with prefix Efficient In efficient Developed Un developed Expensive In expensive Biased Un biased Happy Un happy Learning Activity: Fill in with the right prefixes Word with prefix Word Create Examine Read Cover Existing Colour Work Sect Living Hygienic 4.7 Suffix Meaning: Suffix is usually a two or more letter word which is placed in the end of noun or a verb. When suffix is added, the pronunciation and meaning of the word completely changes. Suffix is added in the ending of a word. This is very important in word formation and also helps to create new words with new meanings. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

62 Communication Skills Examples: Word Word with suffix Efficient Efficiently Developed Development Lavish Lavishly Crazy Crazily Happy Happily Learning Activity: Word with suffix Fill in with the right suffixes Word Fashion Redevelop Magical Brand Automatic Major Amaze Social Threat Able 4.8 Compounds Meaning: Compounding in grammar means blending of two words and making it a constructive new word which can be used in the daily use spoken as well as written. Compound words are sometimes written or spoken together like swimsuit, sometimes written with a hyphen and spoken with a pause like co-operate, sometimes written separately but spoken together like swimming costume. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Grammar Skills 63 Examples: 1. Babysitter 2. Backspace WRITTEN AND SPOKEN TOGETHER 3. Backend 4. Bedbug WRITTEN WITH HYPHEN AND SPOKEN TOGETHER 5. Blackberries WRITTEN SEPARATELY IN LITERATURE BUT SPOKEN TOGETHER 1. Good-looking 2. Part-time Learning Activity: 3. X-ray Provide 5 types under each variant of compound sentence. 4. Close-up 5. Half-hearted WRITTEN AND SPOKEN TOGETHER WRITTEN WITH HYPHEN AND SPOKEN 1. Apple tree TOGETHER 2. Fire drill WRITTEN SEPARATELY IN LITERATURE 3. Bus stop BUT SPOKEN TOGETHER 4. Swimming pool 5. Police station 4.9 Homophones Meaning: The term homo means similar. Homophones are two same words in pronunciation but different in meaning. Homophones may sound alike but may also have different spellings. The noun ale means a drink one must avoid of having too much whereas the noun ail means to fall sick. Here if you notice, the word ail and ale is same in pronunciation but meanings and spellings are totally different. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

64 Communication Skills Examples: (a) Ad: The ad for new shampoo interested me. (b) Add: I can add up the work as per your choice. In the above two sentences, the word add and ad can be pronounced in a similar fashion. However, the meanings and use of each of the word is different. Learning Activity: Identify the difference between the following words and make two different sentences with two different meanings. 1. bug – bug 2. sea – see 3. hear – here 4. weather – whether 5. muscle – mussel 6. addition – edition 7. bawl – ball 8. course – coarse 9. creak – creek 10. weak – week 4.10 Homonyms Meaning: Homonyms are two different words with same pronunciation and same spellings but different meanings. Similar words with similar spellings change their meaning depending upon what kind of a sentence it is and in what pretext is the word being used. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Grammar Skills 65 Examples: (a) Bid: Ramesh placed a winning bid at the auction (b) Bid: The gentleman bid the child a farewell. In the above two sentences, the word bid is pronounced and spelled identical but used in different meanings in the sentence. In the first sentence, it’s a price quoted at an auction. In the second sentence, it’s a form of a goodbye. Learning Activity: Identify the difference between the following words and make two different sentences with two different meanings. 1. address – address 2. ring – ring 3. match – match 4. mean – mean 5. rose – rose 6. spring – spring 7. well – well 8. date – date 9. park – park 10. ruler – ruler 4.11 Homographs Meaning: Homographs are also known as heteronyms, here the words have the same spellings but different meanings, origins and pronunciations. For instance, a word like homer, one meaning can be an ancient unit of measure and another meaning can be a homerun. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

66 Communication Skills Examples: (a) Beat: Can you beat him at the scores? (b) Beat: The police walks his beat at night. Here the spellings are same but pronunciation and meanings are totally different. Learning Activity: Identify the difference between the following words and make two different sentences with two different meanings. 1. bat – bat 2. contact – contact 3. bow – bow 4. brace – brace 5. console – console 4.12 SUMMARY z Parts of speech include all the basic grammar topics like adverb, noun, verb, pronouns, interjections, prepositions, conjunctions and adjectives. These 8 parts are required at all levels of English grammar. Hence, knowledge on the sub-topics with their sub-types is highly recommended to be able to make a lasting impression especially when using the grammar skills in practical life. z Articles comprise of two main types, viz., Definite article and Indefinite article. Definite article is represented by the word “the” and indefinite articles are represented by the words “a” and “an”. Articles can also be called as the veins of the grammar. z Modal Verbs usually indicate the possibility which is reflected by the presence of words like may, might, could and can majorly. Although there are exceptions, most parts of the modal verbs include a possibility or sometimes a permission. This tone is injected with the probability of the modal words. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Grammar Skills 67 z Word formation means creation of a new word with the noun forms, adjective forms, verb forms and adverb forms. This can be done by adding and removing some words. z Prefix are affix which are added in the start of the word. The prefixes usually add a new meaning to the words. z Suffix are affix which are added in the end of the word. The suffixes also usually give altogether new meaning to the words. z Compound words are those which are created by joining two parts of different words. These co-joined words have altogether a new meaning and are used differently in the sentences giving different effect on the sentence which it has been used in. z Homophones are two words with similar pronunciation with different meanings and different spellings. z Homonyms are those words which have similar pronunciation, spellings and different meanings. z Homographs are those words which have same spellings but totally different pronunciations and meanings. z Correct grammar is very important in framing a proper sentence. The importance of Grammar is much underrated as people feel it is enough to just speak and writing does not hold much importance. However, this perception is not true, the importance of grammar is equal to the importance of salt in daily consumption. Having perfect knowledge of Grammar can do wonders in making a powerful impact on the listeners or readers. 4.13 Key Words/Abbreviations z Grammar: Set of rules acting as a base usually for all languages. z Verbs: The action words z Parts of speech: a set to which a word is assigned in the protocol of grammatical order noun, pronoun, adjective, determiner, verb, adverb, preposition, conjunction, and interjection. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

68 Communication Skills z Homophones: words having the same pronunciation which may sound same but have different meanings, origins, or spellings. z Homonyms: words having the same spelling or pronunciation but different meanings and origins z Homographs: words that have the same spelling but are not pronounced similarly. they may also have different meanings and origins. 4.14 Learning Activity 1. Debate on “World wide financial crunch” and make sure points are discussed after research. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- 4.15 Unit End Questions (MCQs and Descriptive) A. Identify and state the various parts of speech from the underlined words. 1. Sita is good at cooking Mexican dishes. 2. Her artwork is excellent. 3. Yippie! we won the match. 4. The secret will only be revealed if the team is able to unlock the code. 5. He was a writer and a philanthropher. 6. Rarely do we find good-looking men like you. 7. Mohini has been practising and singing all day. 8. Bangkok is a famous shopping destination in worldwide. 9. She eats swiftly. 10. Rita loves her niece too much. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Grammar Skills 69 B. Identify the articles from the following sentences. Also state whether the articles are definite or indefinite. 1. The puppies are a great source of happiness. 2. The nature of a person can be understood by their action. 3. An example set by a teacher, stays a lifetime with the students. 4. The deeds done by a person, stays longer than him. 5. Kindness and appreciation are a vital source for well-being. 6. The world is full of people showing black and white shades of life. 7. Prathamesh is an entrepreneur. 8. A poor man has a sound sleep. 9. The Hollywood is at a constant search for actors. 10. An advice from the right person, can be a great guidance. C. Fill in the blanks with a suitable modal auxiliary from the given options. 1. The students _______not come today as it was picnic yesterday. (May / Might) 2. You _______ have put across your view forward. (Can / Could) 3. A strict action _______ be taken against him. (Should / Shall) 4. You _______ comply with the rules of the organisation. (Must / May) 5. ___________ you like to be a part of the annual day? (Will / Would) 6. You _______ learn to read people through their behaviour towards you. (Must / May) 7. It will be great if you ________ give me some financial advise. (Can / Could) 8. I ________ be obliged to you for a lifetime. (Will / Would) 9. The principal __________ be giving the judgement any moment. (Will / Would) 10. The common man ________ always support the right. (Shall / Should) CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

70 Communication Skills D. Fill the blanks with the correct word formation: Noun Verb Adjective Adverb Challenge Deaf Cheer Delightfully Damage Harmfully Embarrassment Glorify Red Security Sight E. Fill in with the right prefixes Word Word with prefix Marine Size Practice Star Natural Food Accurate Ordinary Agree Appear CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Grammar Skills 71 F. Fill in with the right Suffix Word Word with Suffix Delight Cheer Care Disaster Meticulous Miracle Nasty Late Calm Broad G. Fill in the blanks with correct compound word: Provide 5 types under each variant of compound sentence. WRITTEN AND SPOKEN TOGETHER WRITTEN WITH HYPHEN AND SPOKEN TOGETHER WRITTEN SEPARATELY IN LITERATURE BUT SPOKEN TOGETHER Exercise (Homophones): Identify the difference between the following words and make two different sentences with two different meanings. 1. none – nun 2. meat – meet CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

72 Communication Skills 3. morning – mourning 4. male – mail 5. soul – sole 6. sun – son 7. wait – weight 8. tail – tale 9. root – route 10. sail – sale Exercise (Homonyms): Identify the difference between the following words and make two different sentences with two different meanings. 1. pen – pen 2. pitcher – pitcher 3. play – play 4. nail – nail 5. sink – sink 6. wave – wave 7. cool – cool 8. right – right 9. crack – crack 10. clay – clay CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Grammar Skills 73 Exercise (Homographs): Identify the difference between the following words and make two different sentence with two different meanings. 1. quarter – quarter 2. bat – bat 3. bar – bar 4. desert – desert 5. left – left 6. accent – accent 7. advocate – advocate 8. bass – bass 9. blessed – blessed 10. chest – chest ‰‰‰ CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

74 Communication Skills UNIT 5 BUSINESS COMMUNICATION Structure: 5.0 Learning Objectives 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Ethics in Communication 5.3 Imortance or Significance of Ethics in the World of Business 5.4 Dilemmas in Ethical Communication 5.5 Summary 5.6 Key Words/Abbreviations 5.7 LearningActivity 5.8 Unit End Questions 5.9 Reference CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Business Communication 75 5.0 Learning Objectives After studying this unit, you will be able to: z Learn ethical communication and how ethics is used in organization. z Explain the advantages or importance of ethical communication z Discuss the factors affect organizational ethics z Explain the dilemmas in ethical communication. 5.1 Introduction Business Ethics is a part of the philosophy of business. Business is buying and selling goods for a profit. Ethics are moral guidelines that govern good behaviour. To a shallow thinker the term business ethics may appear contradictory but it is not so. Behaving ethically or morally is a part of good business practice that results in good business. 5.2 Ethics in Communication In the face of severe competitions and market pressures maintaining a high degree of ethics and corporate responsibility is difficult for employees. Therefore, modern organization has modes of ethics and responsibility. According to John Donaldson, Business ethics, in short can be described as the systematic study of moral matters pertaining to business, industry or related activities, institutions, or practices and beliefs. According to Keith Davis, ‘Ethics is a set of rules that define right and wrong conduct.’ “A business that makes money is a poor kind of business” said Henry Ford. Behaving ethically as one does business is good business. “Being good is good business” says Dame Roddick. Goodness is always rewarding in the long run and ethical behaviour corresponds to human needs. Thus, one cannot overlook the factor of ethics in business. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

76 Communication Skills 5.3 Importance or Significance of Ethics in the World of Business 1. Ethical behaviour amounts to creation of goodwill and credibility with the public: When one of the cars of Tata sumo was reported to be faulty Tata motors immediately recalled the batch of car and made the appropriate checkups and changes and then released it to the customers. The trust and faith that the customers have shown by buying the company’s product should be consistently maintained and strengthened through ethical behaviour on company’s part. 2. Ethical behaviour with the employees builds a trustworthy and cordial atmosphere: Transparency in the recruitment process, fairness in giving increments, promotions, appreciation, rewards and other perks creates a work culture based on fairness and justice. 3. Ethical behaviour leads to better decision making: When decisions are to be made on the basis of rules and regulations that are fair, without reporting to favoritism or corruption, the decision making process is quicker and smoother. 4. Ethical behaviour sustains customer’s loyalty and maximizes profit: Customer’s satisfaction leads to continued patronizing of products. If a product is adulterated, one should give the faithful and honest details of efficiency of the product and its ingredients then the customers will never feel cheated because they precisely know what they are buying and its use. Exaggeration of the benefits of the product can lead to distrust among the customers. 5. Efficient utilization of business resources: In an organization, there is a tendency that juniors follow the seniors and so they also copy the ethics. If the seniors follow ethical practices then employees will follow the same. Ethical behavior of employees will never lead to wastage of company resources whether- it is the raw material, energy, time or paper. The resources of the company will never be used for personal purpose thereby increasing the efficiency level of resources. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Business Communication 77 6. Creates goodwill in the market: Reputation of the company is one of the prime assets of the organization. An organization which is well-known for ethical behaviour/ practices creates goodwill in the market with relation to customers, investors, as well as other shareholders. Employees too remain loyal to an organization that engages in ethical practices. 7. Helps promoting high standards: Corporate governance is often defined as business ethics. Corporate often chart the code of ethics that has to be followed by the associated shareholders in the company, the investors, employees and management. They all are bound to follow the ethics of loyalty, thereby leading to higher standards of production and management. The following factors affect organizational ethics: 1. Corporate Culture: If the corporate culture/environment is such that the seniors and colleagues value ethical behaviour, it will surely forge ethical practices at the work place. Workplaces where corruption and bribery is rampant would make it difficult to even accept ethical behaviour. 2. Existence and application of a written code of ethics: If the corporate house has a written code and makes the employees follow the code strictly then ethical behaviour at the workplace becomes a norm. At many workplaces an unsaid code of ethics is also made known to the employees through word-of-mouth. Breach of the written code of ethics will lead to punishment. 3. Norms of accepted behavior: What is acceptable in one corporate culture may not be acceptable in another. These norms are usually through explicit or implicit means made known to the employees. 4. Rewarding system: Some corporate houses have system that rewards their employees for the ethical behaviour. The rewards may be in the form of oral or written appreciation, a trophy or bouquet of flower or a monetary package to appreciate the efforts of the employees. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

78 Communication Skills 5. The corporate attitude towards employees: If the corporate house handle its employees with a humane attitude it affects the overall work culture of the corporate house. 6. Hiring practices: If the recruitment process is based on merit and does not resort to favoritism, it creates an atmosphere that is positive which in turns gives importance to transparency in the administrative process. In such corporate culture bribery and corruption cannot survive. Malpractices are easily detected and frowned upon. 7. Decision-making process of the company: A strict tyrant like, dictatorial kind of leaders creates resentment among the subordinate. A democratic form of administration is more suited to the creation of an atmosphere that forges ethical behaviour. 8. Behaviour and attitude of the leaders in the organization: Leaders in the organization should be the people of integrity who encourage their employees to follow ethical practices. If the superior gives importance to ethical practices, the subordinates too would do the same. Personal integrity is the quality of being honest with yourself and others, and living a life that is aligned with your moral principles. Developing personal integrity requires examining your beliefs and value system, and taking conscious steps to behave in ways that are consistent with your personal moral code. Here are some ways to develop personal integrity. Steps : 1. Identify aspects of your behaviour that require change: Reflect on your interactions with others in the workplace, at home and in social situations to determine specific areas in need of improvement. For example, if you are late for work every day and feel guilty about creating excuses for this behaviour, this may be an opportunity to develop greater personal integrity. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Business Communication 79 2. Determine your reasons for not behaving with greater personal integrity: For example, you may be pushing unpleasant work tasks on to other employees instead of being honest with your boss about your inability to do the tasks. You may be afraid to admit to yourself or to your boss that you do not possess the right skills or that the job is not the right fit for you. 3. Face the obstacles that cause you to lie or violate your moral code: This might involve finding a more suitable job, facing your fears about how others may perceive you and/or seeking out counseling to address emotional challenges and insecurities. 4. Practice truthfulness: Consider all of the relationships at home and work that will benefit from greater truthfulness. For example, if managing a team of employees, be honest and direct with each individual about your expectations and employee performance. Avoid backbiting or gossiping. Refrain from causing harm. Part of developing personal integrity is gauging when and how to deliver the truth. Be careful not to confuse truthfulness with anger-driven and brutally honest confrontation. 5. Make a list of tasks and behaviours in which you will become more trustworthy: The list might range from basic tasks, such as taking out the trash as promised to repaying large sums of money in a timely manner. 6. Respect the property of others: Consider any complaints you may have received in the past about using another person’s belongings, parking in someone else’s parking spot or littering on another person’s property. Make a concerted effort to respect other people’s belongings. 7. Listen to and respect the opinions and decisions of others: Part of possessing personal integrity is acknowledging the human rights of others. Respecting diverse thoughts and decisions is a sign of open-mindedness and integrity. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

80 Communication Skills 8. Help others in need: If you are in a position to contribute to the development of others or help them to do something they cannot accomplish on their own, make an effort to assist. 9. Assess your progress: Developing personal integrity is a trial and error process that requires persistent effort. Ask yourself on a daily or weekly basis if you are making progress. 10. Enlist the help of others: Colleagues, relatives and friends who know you well and have your best interest at heart can assist your progress by providing objective feedback on a daily basis about the personal changes you are making. 5.4 Dilemmas in Ethical Communication When there is a problem in decision-making process between two possible options where both the options are absolutely unacceptable when you talk from ethical point of view is called an Ethical Dilemma. We do face many ethical and moral problems in our day-to-day life. It is not easy to solve ethical dilemmas as its very challenging. In all the aspects of life like personal, social, professional every person goes through this ethical dilemma. It is very difficult to give an obvious solution which will comply with ethical norms which is a biggest challenge of ethical dilemma. People have always faced it and philosophers have tried to find solutions to the problems. Some approach to solve an ethical dilemma is to analyze the situation carefully and logically prove it false. Even you can choose the option which gives you greater good and lesser evil. Also new alternative solutions can be given. Ethical issues arise in Managers as they work in a smaller budget and they face difficulty in negotiating low-cost benefits. Manager is the point person between boards of directors and employees. Manager need to be very confident in handling the issues. The key information liability issues facing manager are software privacy, proprietary databases of individual rights to privacy. Managers should support ethical behaviour. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Business Communication 81 These dilemmas present interesting real-life cases that will test the reader’s ability to think critically and apply ethical and professional standards to address issues or concerns the reader will face his/ her nursing practice. Whistle-Blowing – A leak is a kind of anonymous whistle-blowing. Some whistle-blowers are motivated by greed, jealousy and revenge. Companies try to know about corporate practices soon. In companies, there can be complaints, concerns and criticisms. These can be handled internally and rather than externally. The open door policy is the typical approach. Grievances are taken to supervisor or managers till they get satisfied with their issues. Open door policy is useful in many situations and they can affect in individual case. In short, sometimes blowing can be problematic. So, one has a plan how to properly channel employee dissent. Leaks – Employees leak information to the press for honorable and dishonorable reasons. Are leaks ethical? Yes, it is same as whistle-blowing. Using a leak is dubious in nature and should be undertaken in the rarest of circumstances. Lying – It is the least morally perplexing. A lie means people intend to deceive or hurt others. Lying breaks down trust between individuals, thus hampering organizational effectiveness. Some people have the habit of saying lies. When an employee lies during crisis, the disaster is never known, as it shakes the foundation of the company also. Ambiguity – It can be used for ethical and unethical purposes. Manager can fine employees for the best of company. Ambiguity is the quality of being open to more than one interpretation, inexactness. 5.5 Summary Ethics is a complex subject and its application is filled with many different arguments. A study of moral matters pertaining to business, industry or related activities, institutions, or practices and beliefs is called Business Ethics. If one has to find an approach to business ethics that is free from conceptual problems, one will probably not find any. Some attention to one’s profit motive and the moral interests of consumers will always lead to morally responsible business decisions. Examples of excellent ethical practices leading to good business are there in front of Indian corporate. The importance of business ethics are it will lead to creation of goodwill CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

82 Communication Skills and credibility with the public, employees will get a trustworthy and cordial atmosphere, better decision-making, sustains customer’s loyalty and maximizes profit, efficient utilization of business resources, creates goodwill in the market and helps promoting high standards. The factors which affect organizational ethics are corporate culture, existence and application of a written code of ethics, norms of accepted behaviour, rewarding system, and the corporate attitude towards employees, hiring practices, decision-making process of the company and behaviour and attitude of the leaders in the organization. Personal integrity is the quality of being honest with yourself and others, and living a life that is aligned with your moral principles. We can develop personal integrity by identifying aspects of your behaviour that require change, determine your reasons for not behaving with greater personal integrity, face the obstacles that cause you to lie or violate your moral code, practice truthfulness, make a list of tasks and behaviours in which you will become more trustworthy, respect the property of others, listen to and respect the opinions and decisions of others, help others in need, assess your progress and enlist the help of others. 5.6 Key Words/Abbreviations z Ethics: The moral values that a person should possess. z Goodwill: The well-known status of a business. z Credibility: When someone trusts and believes in it. z Trustworthy: A person who can be relied as he is honest or truthful. z Hiring: Someone in a job for salary. z Personal Integrity: When a person’s honesty and truthfulness is checked. z Dilemma: It is a situation in which a complex decision has to be made between two or more alternatives, which are equally unwanted. z Whistle-blowing: When a person discloses secret information that is illegitimate, immoral within a private or public organization. z Ambiguity: Confusing. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Business Communication 83 5.7 Learning Activity 1. A debate and discussion on ethical questions like ‘Is Britain/the USA now a damaged global brand?’ Discuss. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- 2. A Case study should be given to the students about telling the truth. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- 5.8 Unit End Questions A. Descriptive Type Questions 1. What do you mean by business ethics? Explain its relevance to present times. 2. Define Business Ethics and explain the factors affecting organizational ethics. 3. Write a short note on the importance of ethics in the world of business. 4. What is meant by personal integrity? How can personal integrity make a difference at the workplace? 5. Explain Ethical Dilemmas in detail. B. Multiple Choice Questions: 1. _______ is a result of self-discipline, inner trust, and a decision to be relentlessly honest in all situations. (a) Exercise (b) Integrity (c) Work 2. Ethics are ________ guidelines that govern good behaviour. (a) Moral (b) Profit (c) Social CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

84 Communication Skills 3. Ethical _______leads to problem in decision-making process. (a) Dilemmas (b) Companies (c) Invasion 4. Corporate ______ is where senior values ethical behaviour. (a) Violations (b) Culture (c) Social responsibility. Answers 1. (b), 2. (a), 3. (a), 4. (b) 5.9 Reference 1. https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/knowledge/other/ethical-dilemma/ ‰‰‰ CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Reading 85 UNIT 6 READING Structure: 6.0 Learning Objective 6.1 Inspirational Stories 6.2 Climate Change 6.3 Summary 6.4 Key Words/Abbreviations 6.5 LearningActivity 6.6 References CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

86 Communication Skills 6.0 Learning Objective After studying this unit, you will be able to: z Develop sound reading habits. 6.1 Inspirational Stories Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was the most loved 11th President of India especially for the period 2002-2007. He was born on October 15, 1931 in Rameshwaram, Madras Presidency, British India. By profession, he was an author, scientist and a professor. He has been given the title of “The Missile Man of India” because he has been recipient of several awards related to science and technology. He has also been awarded with the Bharat Ratna Award which is the highest title of respect in India. Early Life This great man had a very humble beginning. He was born into a very poor Tamil family, with very little means to themselves. His mother was a housewife and his father was an Imaam in a mosque. In spite of not having a strong financial background, his parents ensured that he is raised well and remains humble in all practices of life. The atmosphere he was raised in taught him to always treat people with love and compassion. In order to support the family financially, Kalam sold newspapers in his early years. He did this strenuous job only to provide some financial relief for his family. As a student, he was average in his studies but was very dedicated and hardworking. He was very fond of mathematics and he excelled in the subject till the very end. He aimed at becoming a fighter pilot but was unsuccessful as there were only eight string positions in the IAF and he got the 9th position. He felt the pain of losing with just one position. He always took his failures positively and decided to pursue a career as a scientist. In the eventful year of 1960, he graduated from Madras Institute of Technology. Post this, he joined in as a scientist at the “Aeronautical Development Establishment” after becoming a member of “Defence Research and Development Service” he was a core scientist. He participated in various projects and gained a reputation of a learned person. In the year 2002, Kalam was declared as the 11th President of India. He served his position with all dedication till 2007. He was the most loved President of India because he had a special way of interacting and empathising with common people. He always had a very simple approach and CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Reading 87 people felt very comfortable to speak to him. He was rightly called as “People’s President”. He had a beautiful way of handling the problems of people and made sure justice was served. Even though there were many controversies on his judgement or actions, he always kept his primary focus on justice which he served till his last day. He has written various books and has authored and co- authored several books, including ‘India 2020: A Vision for the New Millennium,’ ‘Wings of Fire,’ ‘The Luminous Sparks: A Biography in Verse and Colours,’ ‘Mission of India: A Vision of Indian Youth,’ ‘You are Born to Blossom,’ ‘Ignited Minds: Unleashing the Power within India,’ ‘Guiding Souls,’ ‘Inspiring Thoughts,’ ‘Turning Points: A Journey through Challenges,’ ‘Transcendence My Spiritual Experiences,’ ‘Beyond 2020: A Vision for Tomorrow’s India,’ and various others. He also played a significant role as an academician and made a huge difference in the lives of the students who remember him as a positive contributor in their lives. He was associated with Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad as a visiting professor. Kalam lost his life, while doing what he loved the most, while teaching. He went amongst the people, he loved the most, the youth. Some important things to know: z Provided public service and had nothing of his own. He had no property, TV, Fridge, Car, AC but had 2500 books, six shirts, pair of shoes, wristwatch, four trousers and three suits. z Never expected nor accepted any gifts other than books. z He never charged a fee for his teaching services. z He was a technology enthusiast. Moral: No matter where you come from, the right passion mixed with compassion can take you places to serve the community. Steve Jobs – An Inspiration for Generations Early Life: The co-founder of Apple Computers, Steve Woznaik was a simple boy who had big ambitions. He was born to a couple studying of University of Wisconsin who gave him up for adoption unnamed. His biological father was a professor and his biological mother was a speech therapist. Steve found out about his biological parents when he was 27. Steve was adopted by Clara and Paul Jobs. His new father was an accountant and his new mother was a coast guard veteran and machinist in California. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

88 Communication Skills Ever since Steve Jobs was young he began showing his interest in electronics and mechanical prowess. He was always an intelligent and an innovative person who felt typical formal schooling was not meant for him. However, he gave in and his intelligence was so admired in his school life that they wanted to give him double promotion which his parents denied. His parents wanted him to go through each phase of schooling. After successfully completing his school life, he pursued college studies of which he dropped out within 6 months. Even though he dropped out of college, he kept his interest in typography and studied in college for this particular subject only. In the year of 1974, Steve worked as a video gamer, post which he took up travelling for spiritual enlightenment in India. Career: In his college days, Steve met his partner and co-founder, Steve Wozniak. Together, they founded Apple computers. They formed this company at a time when people had no idea about what computers and chips actually were. Two young entrepreneurs gave in everything they had to form this company. The duo became famous for their work and gained a lot of popularity. They began to create user friendly computers at reasonable rates. After a certain period, their sales increased by 700% and reached a whooping score of $139 million. In the year 1980, it had reached the benchmark of $1.2 billion which was a huge target achieved by the company. However, after this magnificent success, the company had lots of complaints and flaws especially in terms of designs, quality and market share. Their major competition became IBM computer services. After this, the team came up with Macintosh. Although, it was a successful stint, people still preferred IBM over their company. After observing these unresolved issues, Steve left Apple in 1985. After he resigned, he came up with a new company, called NeXT which made it big in the international IT market. This was however not very successful and an American company, Apple eventually purchased this company in 1996 for $429 million. After this acquisition, Jobs became the CEO for Apple. The revitalised the company and Apple reached its peak after it came up with their I- products. Their products like Macbook Air, iPod, iPad, iPhone, etc. created a buzz in the world markets. They reached a point where they became debt free and had a shining stock market. In 2008, Apple became the second biggest music retailer and made it in the list of “America’s Most Admired companies” CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Reading 89 In 1986, Jobs purchased an animation company, which became Pixar Animation Studio. Pixar gave some unforgettable hits like Toy Story, Finding Nemo, and The Incredibles. The Grip of Cancer Unfortunately, in 2003, Jobs was detected with a rare pancreatic cancer. Instead of going for surgery, he went ahead to change his diet which was called as pesco-vegetarian diet. However, the tech entrepreneur went for the surgery after 7 months of detection. After few years, the disease returned and he had no option but to resign and take care of himself. He left for heavenly abode when he was just 56 years old. Moral: It doesn’t matter where you come from or which background you belong to, the determination to make it big, makes you successful. 6.2 Climate Change Climate change is a serious concern, rather a threat which the world is facing. Climate change was first discovered and widely spoken about, 30 years ago by Nat Geo. The change in the climate occurs due to plenty of reasons and most of them we already know. Major factors affecting the climate are pollution and careless use of natural resources. The day industries were set up, it was the beginning of the end of Nature and natural habitats. Industries began polluting the air through industrial smoke, started polluting water with industrial waste, using up resources like coal and water abundantly. While all these resources were being exploited, very few people gave a thought to nature and maximum only saw profits, business and money. Minimum efforts were taken for taking care of earth and earthlings. This was not enough, man invented plastic. Plastic is the main cause of the death of this world. Plastic was the last and the final blow to nature. The day plastic was invented, it was the beginning of the destruction of this very beautiful house, our earth. Plastic has led to spread of diseases, plastic has led to spread of problems in earth. One plastic bag takes a century to decompose. Today, a large number of animals are loosing their precious life due to plastic consumption which they innocently take in, less realising the consequences. In the unlimited use of plastic, we are taking the lives of those who are closest to nature, plants, animals, ourselves. When we don’t take care of earth, we partially don’t take care of ourselves too. Humans are no longer humans but have turned to people, heartless people. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

90 Communication Skills People don’t take the problem of climate change seriously. They still think, there is a lot of time for the world to end. People don’t understand that the world doesn’t end suddenly, it meets a painful and slow death which happens due to the carelessness of earthlings themselves. So, many parts of the world are suffering from season change. Rajasthan, a desert region is experiencing snow fall, Arctic Ocean has its glacier’s melting, and Narmada River has become full of foam and less of water. There is no stability in the seasons, it rains in winters and it is cold in summers. For many people, it is fun and they rejoice at these sudden changes. Unfortunately or fortunately, the situation is a serious one. The moment everyone realises that we indeed have very little time, crowds must gather to plant more trees, to recycle natural resources like water, to take care of our fellow living beings like animals and plants. This all can be done for saving the species from getting extinct. It is not easy to fight this alarming issue alone, it can be successfully implemented by large number of people coming together. It’s about time, we try one last time, to give a new birth for this world, earth and all our dear living beings. 6.3 Summary z More people must read inspiring stories of people in the day-to-day life, i.e., the common man. We all need inspiration at some point or the other. Inspiration is something which keeps us going positively and strong. People often don’t give up in life when someone’s inspirational stories keep them going. It is very important to have some motivation in order to be able to stay positive and not give up. Although, it is easy to get astray, it is very much needed to stay active and develop positive attitude to go on with different regular chores of life. z Climate change is a serious issue and needs to be spoken about first hand. Climate change is an ever increasing problem and it is an alarming issue which is creating a global effect. Climate change is a dangerous situation as it will affect all the children taking birth in the future. The intensity of this problem can be solved only if all countries take effort unanimously to address the problem and work on it positively and constructively. There is a dire need as the world may come to an end if the resources are used up or not cared for. 6.4 Key Words/Abbreviations z Climate change: An unpleasant situation for the environment causing a change in the season patterns. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Reading 91 z Inspiration: To look upto someone. z Fighter: To be brave to face every challenge successfully. z Give up: To not be able to sustain life’s challenges or refuse to accept. z Struggle: To keep trying. z Life: Pattern of birth and death. z Climate: Environment. z Animals: Innocent living beings. z Plants: Flora and necessity of world. z Earth: A planet which inhibits life. 6.5 Learning Activity Read the following books and discuss in class. 1. Loosing Earth by Nathaniel Rich ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- 2. The Art of Thinking Clearly by Rolf Dobelli ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- 6.6 References 1. Personal observations 2. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2018/07/embark-essay-climate-change- pollution-revkin/ ‰‰‰ CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

92 Communication Skills UNIT 7 WRITING SKILLS Structure: 7.0 Learning Objectives 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Précis Writing Passage 7.3 LeaveApplication Letter 7.4 Business Letter Writing 7.5 Principles of Effective Business Correspondence 7.6 Components of Business Letter 7.7 Parts of a Business Letter 7.8 MemorandumWriting 7.9 Office Order 7.10 Circular 7.11 Notice 7.12 Summary 7.13 Key Words/Abbreviations 7.14 LearningActivity 7.15 Unit End Questions 7.16 References CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Writing Skills 93 7.0 Learning Objectives After studying this unit, you will be able to: z Learn how to write Précis z Learn how to write different types of letters such as sales, request, order, inquiry and complaint letters with proper formats z Learn to draft memorandum, notice, office order and circular 7.1 Introduction The essential skills required in a business are writing and convey your thoughts clearly. If you are unable to express your ideas then you will not get success. For the documentation purpose one needs to have writing skills. The business documents like reports, proposals, letters, emails, etc. provide information, persuade readers, etc. Good communication skills are very important in business. You have to take care to use the right words, style and approach which suits your readers while writing a business message. Précis Writing Précis writing has got its name from the French language. It is a summary where you ‘cut brief’ or ‘precise’. It is a synopsis of a published work or scholarly article. It can be called a summary of the text but not paraphrased text. When the ideas of a literary work are summed up it is called Précis writing. It is a brief summing up of the ideas. It does not ask your personal opinion. Only important points should be covered. It should be short and to the theme. Tips to Write Précis Writing z Read the article vigilantly and underline or mark the main ideas. z Try to mirror on what author is trying to speak through the text. z Take a close look at evidences that the author has used. z You would need to restate hypothesis given by the author in your own words. Do note that it should be accurate and on-point. CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

94 Communication Skills z You need to write only one or two sentences for each of the section. It would be a summary of each section but not in too many words. z Now you need to re-read article and check whether it is in sync with your summary. z You must evaluate write-up and confirm whether you have covered the main points or not. Always use a rational structure. z Check the text for correctness and clarity. Do a grammar check. Sample Passage There is an enemy beneath our feet – an enemy more deadly for his complete impartiality. He recognizes no national boundaries, no political parties. Everyone in the world is threatened by him. The enemy is the earth itself. When an earthquake strikes, the world trembles. The power of a quake is greater than anything man himself can produce. But today scientists are directing a great deal of their effort into finding some way of combating earthquakes, and it is possible that at some time in the near future mankind will have discovered a means of protecting itself from earthquakes. An earthquake strikes without warning. When it does, its power is immense. If it strikes a modern city, the damage it causes is as great as if it has struck a primitive village. Gas mains burst, explosions CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)