Assignment Code: BEGAE-182 / TMA / 2022-23

Course Code: BEGAE-182

Assignment Name: English Communication Skills

Year: July 2022-January 2023

Verification Status: Verified by Professor

SECTION A

1. Write short notes on any four (150 words): (4 x 5 = 20)

Q 1. a) Verbal Communication

Ans) Verbal communication is a form of oral communication in which the message is communicated by speaking the words aloud. Here, the sender verbalises his emotions, ideas, and viewpoints in the form of speeches, discussions, presentations, and conversations.

Verbal communication is spoken communication. There are two possible modes for this: written or oral. We use oral communication the majority of the time because it is more organic and spontaneous. Oral communication accounts for a large portion of our communication. However, written communication is necessary in formal settings, and not everyone can do it well. This might be as a result of psychological obstacles or a lack of skill.

Since the sender and the receiver are both simultaneously sending and receiving the message, verbal communication provides immediate feedback. The effectiveness of verbal communication depends on a person's listening abilities in addition to their speaking abilities. The effectiveness of communication is determined by how well a person listens to the topic. Both formal and informal types of situations can benefit from verbal communication.

Q1. b) Essentials of a Good Group Discussion

Ans) For a group discussion to be successful, a few requirements must be satisfied. Some of these requirements are predetermined by the nature of the task, but there are some general guidelines you need to keep in mind to participate successfully.

Some of the essentials are:

1. There is only one topic for discussion

2. All the members must express their views only on this topic under discussion.

3. Members must take turns to talk; they must listen to one another, talk to one another, and respond to one another.

4. They must put forward more than one point of view on the topic.

Members of the group must also follow certain rules for the success of the group discussion. These are:

1. Equality, freedom to express, and respect for participating members.

2. Reasonableness, orderliness, and truthfulness

Q1. c) Characteristics of a Good Communication

Ans) Good and Effective communication is a message that is understood as the communicator meant it to be understood. In order to help ensure understanding, communicators need to understand and apply the 7 Cs of Effective Communication. 

An effective communication should be:

1. Clear—main ideas easily identified and understood. The primary character of any spoken or written form of transmission of information should be to state the message clearly. The sentences should be short and simple.

2. Concise—gets to the point without using unneeded words or images. Communication is time sensitive. Normal attention span is minutes. If your message is clear and beautiful but very long, the main point may be lost.

3. Concrete—includes specific examples or explanations. Whatever message or information or data is present in your communique, it should be well-footed. Your arguments should have data that suitably backs it up. A tangible argument is always easy to understand.

4. Correct—in information, word choice, and grammar. A coherent write-up is well-planned, logical, and sequential. The main ideas should be separate and follow some rules.

5. Coherent—information presented in a logical sequence. Well-planned, logical, sequential information presentation is key to coherence. Main ideas should be distinguishable and follow rules.

6. Complete—enough information so the audience can understand. The information provided should be complete in bringing out the meaning and purpose of communication.

7. Courteous—polite, professional tone. The presenter should be honest, respectful, considerate, open, and polite. Care and kindness will help spread the message.

Q 1. d) Homonyms and Homophones (with suitable examples)

Ans) Homonyms are two or more words with the same spelling or pronunciation, but with different meanings.

Examples of Homonyms with sentences:

1 Break: pause, stopover

Brake: curb

a)Who broke this glass?

b)I could not brake while in the car.

2. Site: place, location

Sight: seeing, vision

a) Almost all the sites in our country are historical.

b) They are not all within sight.

3. Finnish: relating to the Finns or their language.

Finish: end, complete

a) Our neighbours who have just moved to the apartment are Finnish.

b) I finished the morning swimming race first.

4. Route- Root:

a) We created our route and set off tomorrow.

b) We started to investigate the root of this language.

Homophones are two or more words that share the same pronunciation, but which have different spellings or meanings.

Examples of Homophones with sentences:

weather / whether: The weather is going to be hot and sunny tomorrow and I am not sure whether to go to the park or to the cinema.

1. brake/break: When teaching my daughter how to drive, I told her if she did not hit the brake in time, she would break the car's side mirror.

2. cell/sell: If you sell drugs, you will get arrested and end up in a prison cell.

3. cent/scent: I will not spend one cent on a bottle of perfume until I know that I love the scent.

4. die/dye: If you accidentally drank a bottle of fabric dye, you might die.

SECTION B

Q 1. An International Conference is being organized by your institute. There are participants from different parts of the world. You happen to meet one such participant from London. Write a series of 8 (eight) dialogues exchanged between the two of you introducing yourself, your country and the socio-political situation of your countries during Pandemic. (10)

Ans)

Topic: International Conference on Socio-Political situation during Pandemic:

Mohan: Hi, I am Mohan from India, and I am glad to make it to the first International Conference which was organised by our Institute.

Kevin: Hi, nice to meet you. I am Kevin from London. Yes, it is great to be here. I am looking forward to seeing what steps would be taken to improve the situation particularly during this pandemic spreading around the globe.

Mohan: Oh, nice to meet you too. Well, how is the situation in your country now?

Kevin: You mean regarding the pandemic or something else.

Mohan: I was wanting to know the socio-political situation out there.

Kevin: Well, as a threat, this pandemic has indirect implications for social, economic and political conditions both at domestic and international levels. Thus, collective and comprehensive efforts are needed in responding to and preventing the expansion of infections caused by the virus, including Covid-19.

Mohan: I agree, however, this international conference provides the discourse on social, economic as well as political issues regarding the condition after the pandemic. I am sure things will be normal soon again.

Kevin: I hope so. Social issues are studied through social welfare, sociology, governance, communication and international relations approaches. Meanwhile, economic problems are discussed through business, economic development and economic management approaches.

Mohan: Yes, in fact speakers from several countries provided solutions and alternative perspectives in preventing and dealing with socio -political problems to deal with after the Covid-19 pandemic.

Kevin: From what I understood, this International Conference on Social and Political Issues aimed to bring together leading academic scientists, researchers and research scholars to exchange and share their experiences and research results on all aspects of Social and Political Issues. It also provides a premier interdisciplinary platform for researchers, practitioners and educators to present and discuss the most recent innovations, trends, and concerns as well as practical challenges encountered, and solutions adopted in the fields of Social and Political Issues.

Mohan: Yes, it was the need of the hour. Okay let us the attend the final session of the conference now. Great meeting you.

Kevin: Same here. Take care and looking forward to seeing you again.

Q 2. Make a presentation on the topic (any one). (10)

Q2. (ii) Education during Pandemic

Ans) Topic: Presentation on Education during Pandemic

Introduction

We all remember our school days being filled with both excitement and tension as we raced to the front of the classroom and worried that the teacher would chastise us for not doing our homework. We believe that without students, teachers, classrooms, benches, desks, and blackboards, education is incomplete. But, thanks to the pandemic, we now believe that education can take place outside of the classroom.

As schools remain closed due to the ongoing pandemic, classes have become virtual, with students and teachers interacting via computer screens. Let us look at how the introduction of COVID-19 has changed the education system in this essay on education during pandemics.

Impact of COVID-19 on Education

Even though we were concerned about sending our children to school due to the virus's spread, we were more concerned about how this would affect their studies. With schools closed, students were unsure about their education and how they would learn. While children were content to stay at home and play all day, their parents found it difficult to manage them. However, as time passed, children grew tired of doing the same things over and over. We realised that we needed to provide them with a high-quality education from the comfort of their own homes. As a result, online learning was introduced, which altered our perceptions of education. Let us learn about its advantages through this pandemic essay.

Benefits and Limitations of Online Education

Online learning is here to stay. Online education is best for students because they do not have to get up early. They will have education anywhere. Online learning is the best way to keep young children's attention through interactive worksheets and activities. Children never tyre of studying or playing because work and play are balanced.

This essay on pandemic education discusses the benefits and drawbacks of online education. During the pandemic, this new form of education isolates children from their teachers and friends. Kids learn best through real-life interaction, so this could be boring. Online learning may cause them to overuse their phones or laptops. E-learning is the best way to educate students in our time. Online learning can provide a new and improved education despite the pandemic.

Conclusion

As we enter the COVID-19 recovery phase, it is critical to consider the role of educational systems, particularly vocational education, in building resilient societies. Disruptions on this scale are not limited to pandemics, but can also be caused by natural, political, economic, and environmental instability. In the future, our ability to respond effectively and efficiently will be dependent on governments' foresight, readiness, and preparedness. Education systems will need to be at the centre of this planning due to their role in developing the competencies and skills required for tomorrow's society.

True change often occurs during deep crises. In this sense, the pandemic is also a wake-up call to recommit to the Sustainable Development Goals. At the heart of the global agenda and education's promise to our future society is ensuring that all young people have the opportunity to succeed in school and develop the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values that will allow them to contribute to society.

Section C

Q 1. How can one be an active participant in a meeting? Discuss some of the etiquettes that must be followed while attending a meeting. (10)

Ans) To be an active participant in a meeting one should participate meaningfully in the meeting. One should speak when given a chance and has something to contribute to the issue being discussed. Speak courteously and cooperatively with others. Do not talk for the sake of talking.

One can be an active participant by taking the following steps:

1. You should speak when given a chance and if you have something to contribute to the issue being discussed.

2. Contribute to both the subject of the meeting and smooth interactions among the participants.

3. Always keep a pen and paper to note down any point which seems relevant or requires discussion in detail. This also gives the impression to others that you are serious and respect the views of others.

4. Ask pertinent questions whenever required.

Some of the meeting Etiquettes are listed below:

1. Never be late for a meeting: If the meeting has already begun then this will not only disrupt the meeting but also be a barrier in the continuity of the discussions. Arriving late is a sign of disrespect to the Chairperson and other members. Unless there is a very pressing reason or circumstances beyond your control, be punctual for meetings. Building up a reputation of punctuality at meetings will pay you in the long run.

2. Speak courteously and cooperatively with others: Do not talk for the sake of talking. Do not monopolize the meeting. Speak as briefly and as coherently as possible. Analyse if what you are saying really contributes and facilitates the discussion. Other members will appreciate you for this and listen to you seriously. Choose an appropriate time to voice your opinion.

3. Use language which is courteous and control your tone: Emotional outbursts will hinder the progress of the meeting and also cause unpleasantness.

4. Do not use your mobile phone while attending a meeting: Either put your phone on silent mode or if possible, switch it off.

5. Maintain order and discipline in the meeting heeding to the requests and instructions of the Chairpersons: Cooperate both with the participants and the Chairperson to achieve the goals of the meeting.

Q 2. List three recommendations on how a meeting should end and what should happen after a meeting. (10)

Ans) When you close a meeting, you want to provide clarity and ensure that everyone understands what needs to happen. You should also clearly communicate action items and who is responsible for them. Finally, you want to leave the team energised and motivated. You want to end a meeting on a high note.

1. Summarize the main meeting ideas

When the meeting is coming to an end, summarise the main points. Review the key concepts and remind participants of what they talked about during the meeting. If your agenda includes desired outcomes, double-check that you completed all tasks. Allow time for questions to help clarify information.

2. Assign tasks to specific attendees with due dates

You can remind attendees where they can go to find meeting information. You could send the meeting agenda and next steps to all attendees via email, or you could post the presentation online. If you are going to share resources after the meeting, tell the attendees where and how they can get them. You can also inform them that they can contact you if they have any questions.

3. Thank the meeting participants

You can remind attendees where they can find meeting information. You could send the meeting agenda and next steps to all attendees via email, or you could make the presentation available online. If you plan to share resources after the meeting, make sure everyone knows where and how to get them. You can also inform them that they can come to you with any questions.

After the Meeting

Whatever type of meeting it is, it is critical to conclude with a restatement of objectives, a summary of what was accomplished, and a list of actions to be taken. It is also critical to take action following the meeting. A concise summary of the findings should be written and distributed.

1. Distribute minutes. Ensure that minutes are produced and promptly distributed to all attendees including guests.

2. Archive meeting documents. All meeting documents including the agenda, minutes and supporting documents should be kept together and archived.

3. Check on action.

People who were unable to attend the meeting should be informed of the important decisions made. Finally, each meeting should be regarded as a learning opportunity. Future meetings should be improved by soliciting people's feedback and evaluations and determining what actions are necessary to conduct better meetings.

Q 3. Distinguish between ‘Silent Reading’ and ‘Reading aloud’. Also explain the two techniques of reading needed for the proper understanding of a text. (10)

Ans)

Differences between Silent Reading and Reading Aloud:    

Silent Reading

1. Meaning - Silent Reading means reading silently without any lip-movement.

2. Purpose - The main purpose of Silent Reading is to comprehend the content.

3. Types - Silent Reading can be categorized into Extensive Reading & Intensive Reading. Intensive Reading can further be categorized into Scanning, Skimming, Critical Reading

4. Body Posture - This type of reading is done in sitting and comfortable position. However, it is focused that backbone should be straight while sitting during silent reading.

5. Time Duration - Less time is required to read the given/ specific for silent reading.

6. Length of Content - More content can be covered /read by this type of reading.

7. Time Duration - Less time is required to read the given/ specific for silent reading.

Reading Aloud

1. Meaning - Aloud Reading means reading the content loudly at the top of his voice by the reader.

2. Purpose - The main purpose of Aloud Reading to improve pronunciation.

3. Types - Aloud reading can be categorized on two bases. Based on Classroom Teaching, it can be categorized as Model Reading & Simulated Reading and on the basis of number of Readers it can be categorized into Individual Reading & Group Reading.

4. Body Posture - Correct Body Posture plays a major role in this type of reading like how to stand or how to hold a book.

5. Time Duration - More time is required to read the given content for this type of reading.

6. Length of Content - Only small length of content can be read effectively by this type of reading.

7. Time Duration - More time is required to read the given content for this type of reading.

Techniques of Reading

Another important aspect of reading for meaning is that we do not need to read every letter of every word, nor every word in each sentence. This is because, if the text makes sense, we can guess much of what is said as we read it. For example, when we read this sentence.

A m— was walk —— d—n the s t, c—r- ing a gr—n —.

Even if more than half of the letters are missing, you should be able to read the sentence and even guess the last word without using any letters. You may have also noticed that once you guessed the second word, you were able to guess the rest of the sentence. This is only one sentence as an example. When reading connected sentences in a text, each sentence assists you in predicting what the next one will be, and so on throughout the text.

Skimming and scanning are two reading techniques that use rapid eye movement and keywords to move quickly through text. Skimming is the process of reading quickly in order to get a general overview of the material. Scanning is the process of reading quickly to find specific facts. While skimming tells you what general information is contained within a section, scanning assists you in locating a fact. Skimming is like snorkelling, while scanning is similar to pearl diving.

Q 4. Explain the importance of shared assumptions between writer and reader. (10)

Ans) The more assumptions that are shared, the more effective the communication will be. Understanding the message that the writer is trying to convey will be extremely challenging, if not impossible, in the absence of shared assumptions.

Reading is the process of extracting from a text the meaning that the author intended for it to convey as precisely as one can. This perspective on reading is shared by a significant number of people. According to this point of view, the meaning contained in the text is conveyed through the use of words, and the meaning can be taken up by the mind of the reader in the same way that a sponge takes up water. To put it another way, the reader's mind is a blank vessel into which the author of the text pours ideas, facts, and other information. On the other hand, it could be compared to a blank slate, which the text then uses to imprint its words, ideas, etc.

The author has done everything that is necessary for understanding his or her message, and the reader does not need to make any effort to do so; rather, the reader only needs to let his or her mind passively absorb it. Therefore, it can be said that the role of the reader is one of passivity. Obviously, we are aware that things do not occur in this manner at all. The reader does not actually absorb each and every one of the meanings contained in the text. Reading has taught us that the same piece of writing that one person finds simple may present a challenge to another reader in exactly the same way.

That is, if the writer and the reader come from closely similar backgrounds and share similar attitudes, beliefs, and assumptions, then the reader will have no apparent need to make any conscious effort to interpret the text. Similarly, a writer may make the assumption that his or her reader will likely share a great deal of his or her knowledge, beliefs, etc., when in reality, the reader may find it difficult to understand what is being communicated.

Q 5. What is meant by efficient Reading? What are the characteristics of reading? (10)

Ans) Efficient reading is developing effective reading strategies that match your purpose for reading. It is an active process and involves making decisions about what you are looking for and how you can locate it.

The characteristics of reading are as follows:

1. Reading is purposeful. That is, there is always a reason for reading. In general terms, we read either for information or pleasure. Your purpose in reading a textbook is obviously different from your purpose in going through a novel, or in reading a poem. But there is nothing like purposeless reading - even when you read a novel during travel, you read it to pass your time, and that is the purpose.

2. Reading is selective. Your reading style or purpose determines how you read a text. You can quickly scan the RWA phonebook for a name, number, or address, but you must read every word of a legal document. We scan for specific information, noting only what is relevant to our current purpose and rejecting or ignoring the rest. We skim to get the main idea. Or we read to decode the writer's message.

3. Reading speed varies according to content and purpose. Efficient readers use the minimum number of clues in the text - semantic and syntactic - to extract the information they need. You will agree that you generally read a novel, or a short story faster than you read your textbook or study material, unless you are a literature student.

4. Reading is silent. Reading aloud is a specialized skill used, for example, by actors and newsreaders, but seldom by the general reader. If it is used, its purpose is to communicate to another person a written message to which that person does not have access.

5. Reading is text-based. It seldom involves the mere decoding of individual sentences isolated from context. We cannot make sense of some sentences because they are together without any relationship among them. They do not constitute a text at all and so we cannot ‘read’ this set meaningfully.

6. Reading involves complex cognitive skills. The message is not decoded. They predict based on what they read. They make macrolevel assumptions about content and microlevel predictions about text. Reading is a psycholinguistic guessing game.

7. Reading involves chunking of information that the well-developed schema makes possible. When we read, our eyes take in meaningful phrases at a time; they do not move from word to word in a straight line. To understand, cover a text and read it word-for-word. Each time you move the paper, reveal one word. Reading and understanding a text this way is nearly impossible. You lose track of the meaning and must keep scanning for whole sentences. Reading one word at a time slows down so much that you lose context.

8. Reading is based on comprehension. That is, understanding meaning is integral to reading rather than the result of it. The more we comprehend, the more we can, and tend to read.

Q 6. A group of four students have been given the following topic for group discussion (any one) (10). Write out the discussion giving at least 3 turns to each student.

Q6. (a) Climate Change

Ans) Group discussion between four students on Climate Change.

Student 1 - Ravinder

Friends, today's topic of discussion is Climate Change. Climate change is a major issue. This critical issue affects not only India, but the entire world. CO2 and other greenhouse gases are to blame. As a result, the temperature is rising by the day.

Student 2 - Manisha

I agree with Ravinder that the rationale for climate change is an increase in temperature caused by an increase in carbon dioxide, CO, and other greenhouse gases. We may be surprised if we calculate each person's carbon footprint. Each person's daily carbon footprint varies. The main source of emissions is electricity use, with thermal power plants contributing the most. When we use one unit of electricity, the equivalent amount of carbon is emitted by thermal power plants.

Student 3 - Dnyaneshwar

True, we all know that an increase in CO2, CO, and other greenhouse gases is the primary cause of climate change. If we only measured each person's carbon dioxide emissions, we might be surprised to learn that this varies from man to man, as more electricity generated by thermal power plants generates a higher percentage.

Student 4 - Saloni

I suppose I could add that another source of pollution is transportation. Even so, 99 percent of vehicles still run-on fossil fuels. Vehicles emit a large amount of carbon, as we can see if we are inroads.

Student 1 - Ravinder

The fact is factories and automobiles emit harmful gases. People are felling trees and driving with gasoline and diesel. It is not environmentally friendly. In my opinion, we should plant more trees and use electric vehicles and solar panels to generate electricity. But the question is, how can we reduce carbon emissions while also mitigating the problems mentioned?

Student 2 - Manisha

In India, we emit a lot of carbon and other greenhouse gases in our daily lives, which is causing huge problems like global warming and pollution, but we still use a lot of refrigerators, air conditioners, private vehicles, plastics, and conventional electricity. Climate change will be the most serious problem we will face in the near future. To avoid all of this, we must rely on solar and wind energy. Also, instead of using plastic bags, use cloth bags.

Student 3 - Dnyaneshwar

To avoid this, I believe we should use solar and wind energy, which are renewable forms of energy, and by reducing electricity consumption, we can avoid the burning of fossil fuels. As we all know, India was the first country to establish a ministry dedicated to promoting renewable energy sources.

Student 4 - Saloni

In my opinion, we all know that using solar and wind energy costs money at first, but it will save us or the planet from serious problems in the long run. Using public transportation or electric vehicles is also a better option for preserving our environment.

Student 1 - Ravinder

All of these factors, in my opinion, are introduced to us by the platform of what we call technology these days. Isn't it our carelessness that has brought it this far? All of these factors, such as pollution, global warming, and climate change, are friendly to one another, which was fine! However, these factors may one day combine to pose a significant threat to our hospitable planet.

Student 2 - Manisha

It is our responsibility to keep the environment clean in order to reduce dust, pollution, and climate change. The solution begins with a simple common-sense act known as keeping it clean and tidy. In addition, technology should become more environmentally friendly. If not, there are fewer chances of removing these negative factors and more likely chances of restoring it to its original state.

Student 3 - Dnyaneshwar

Also, by using renewable energy, we can reduce emissions from the electricity side. Solar and wind power, in particular. Then there will be no issue with burning coal.

Student 4 - Saloni

So, friends, if we care about our environment and use the additional thing, we can resolve our earth's environment. In the case of industries, vehicles, and other technology, we must use renewable energy that has a lower environmental impact. We are less likely to pollute the environment if we use CNG vehicles.

Student 1 - Ravinder

We had a healthy discussion on the Climate Change taking place globally and we can only hope that the authorities take some practical steps to keep the temperature in control lest the future will be disastrous to mankind in general. I want to thank you all for your wonderful thoughts presented today.