IGNOU

BEGE-103

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q1) What is Epidiectic rhetoric? Give two short examples of this variety of rhetoric

ans) According to Aristotle, one of the three major branches of rhetoric: speech or
writing that praises or blames. (The other two branches are deliberative and judicial.)

Also known as ceremonial discourse, epideictic rhetoric includes funeral orations,

obituaries, graduation and retirement speeches, letters of recommendation, and
nominating speeches at political conventions. Interpreted more broadly, epideictic
rhetoric may also include works of literature.

Examples of Epideictic Rhetoric: Daniel Webster in Praise of John Adams and Thomas
Jefferson “Adams and Jefferson, I have said, are no more. As human beings, indeed, they
are no more. They are no more, as in 1776, bold and fearless advocates of
independence; no more, as at subsequent periods, the head of the government; nor
more, as we have recently seen them, aged and venerable objects of admiration and
regard. They are no more. They are dead. But how little is there of the great and good
which can die! To their country they yet live, and live for ever. They live in all that
perpetuates the remembrance of men on earth; in the recorded proofs of their own
great actions, in the offspring of their intellect, in the deep-engraved lines of public
gratitude and in the respect and homage of mankind. They live in their example; and
they live, emphatically, and will live, in the influence which their lives and efforts, their
principles and opinions, now exercise, and will continue to exercise, on the affairs of
men, not only in their own country but throughout the civilized world.”

And I’m here today to say a final thank you, Sister Rosa, for being a great woman who
used your life to serve, to serve us all. That day that you refused to give up your seat on
the bus, you, Sister Rosa, changed the trajectory of my life and the lives of so many other
people in the world. I would not be standing here today nor standing where I stand
every day had she not chosen to sit down. . . . Had she not chosen to say we shall not--we
shall not be moved.’’

Q2) Write a farewell speech for a principal of a school or the section-head in an office
dealing also with negative emotions, attitudes and experiences.

ans) A very good morning to all. Dear teachers and my students, we are gathered here to
celebrate the farewell party of Mr Bhaskar, our college principal today
As being the principal of this college (or school), I would like to recite an honor speech
on the farewell party of Mr Bhaskar about his distinguished personality. Mr. Bhaskar
was a most responsible teacher and an efficient principal in our college for many years
and followed his all the responsibilities as a good teacher with full commitment. I feel
very sorry that today we are losing a most responsible teacher in our college however
we cannot change the fate. He and his works would be always in our heart forever.

We can never forget his valuable and effective suggestions during the bad times in the
college. It seems that he join the college now and the time of going of him has come very
soon. He was like my best teacher of the college, my guide as well as icon to many
teacher. He really deserves to hear the praiseworthy words from my voice

He was a role model in my college and his dedicated years of service would be live in
our memory. It is our honour that a teacher from my college has been selected to work
in such a great institution. This success of him is not his fate, it is his continuous and
committed love for hard work. College will never forget his distinctive disciplined
framework during his all time teacher-ship at the workplace as well as his immense
contribution in the college to make an unique educational environment for the students.
His all the works would be in the record and adored always. He has established his
unique personality in this college. His disciplined and committed works makes him
different than others

I would like to say a big thank to Mr. Bhaskar for his all the supports and love to this
college.

Thank you very much.

Q3) Based on your own experience write a brief script for the young television viewers
on how television can be a liberal education.

ans) Television is an audio-visual and sophisticated scientific device. It telecasts

programmes from far and wide areas of the country and abroad. It has an important
role to play for entertainment and education of people all over the world.

Citizenship training is the biggest task of a democratic country like India. Television
plays a pivotal role to achieve this objective through documentaries, debate and
discussion serials. The programmes telecasted to develop patriotic feeling and ensures
obligation of people to country, love and sympathy for follow men and creates
awareness about rights and duties of the citizen

The need of national integration and international understanding is felt essential all
quarters in modern times. The countries are coming close to each other now-a-days
through rapid communication revolution. The sense of unity, co-operation and mutual
relation are to be fostered among people to ensure a peaceful living in the globe, TV
programmes on the role of UNESCO, UNO and World Bank for international
understanding as well as common cultural programmes like Celebration of National
Day, Birth Centenary of greatmen for strengthen national integration are widely
welcomed

Environment pollution and ecological imbalances have challenged the life on the earth
in modern times. Rapid population growth, Urbanization problem of drain, huge stock
of garbage, deforestation, evacuation of sarcastic gases from industry and automobiles
are some of the reason of environment pollution.

Necessity of clear environment for health and hygiene, needy of sanitation information
about birth control devices are to be taught to mass through different programme.
General awareness about the environment and its problems are raised through TV
programmes.

Socio-Political and Cultural achievement of the country described through different

programmes to foster the sense of brotherhood among the people of different caste,
creed and sex. Changing social systems, cultural and political issues are also brought for
discussion and debate and exhibition on cultural exchange and political reviews are
necessary for preservation of cultural values.

Televisions another function is to provide entertainment to people through the

programmes like Cinema, Serial, and Sports etc. Its role as an important communication
medium is noteworthy for promoting national unity, developing economy and refining
socio-cultural life of people. Its great contribution to humanity is education through
different programmes

Q4) Write a short note on proxemics.

ans) Proxemics is the study of the distance people leave between themselves and others
within various situations and in various cultures. In everyday life people distance
themselves although it is a subconscious action. Proxemics was observed between the
employees working in the radiology department of a local hospital. The observation
took place throughout the whole department which included exam and procedure
rooms as well as staff lounges and waiting rooms. The department is relatively small
and does not allocate a large amount of space in between work environments. Gender,
age, education, family background, and level of association are factors that determined
the proxemics in the radiology department.

Gender does appear to help determine the amount of distance one employee will place
between themselves and another employee. It appears as though the men will place
themselves closer to women they find attractive. If the woman is not particularly
attractive, the man will leave a wider gap between himself and her. For example, one
male subject sat closer to a woman who was young and thin, while the same subject left
a good distance between himself and the older, heavier woman. Men seem to leave an
equal distance between themselves no matter what the situation is, unless there is a
disagreement. One of the subjects was upset that he felt he was asked to do something
not in his job description. He proceeded to discuss this with his supervisor, who was
also a male. When the supervisor told him to just do the requested job, the subject
became irate and closed the gap between himself and his boss. This gap remained
closed until the disagreement was resolved. Women will also position themselves closer
to men they find attractive. One female employee always hugs and gives backrubs to
another male employee she finds attractive, while she is just polite to the other male
employees.

Q5) Explain the importance of body language in communication.

ans) Definition of Body language.

Body language is a language without spoken words, it is called non verbal

communication .

We use it all the time in our social life and business life so it is all about gestures
movements and expressions made by people to deliver a specific message to other
people .

The role of Body language.

When we connect with a person, we also have to make it clear to each other how the
content of a spoken message needs to be interpreted but sometimes we are unable to
deliver our messages by spoken or even written languages so we use the body language
to supplement what we want to say by gesturing ,moving or even giving some facial
expressions .

Body language in different cultures.

We should know that body language has different meanings in different cultures, so if
we need to travel abroad to a country that has different culture or traditions, we shoul
read about how people act there and study about their body language, especially when
we need to conduct a meeting there or if we are one of the participants in that meeting
or other business situations such as job interviews, because if we do not take this into
account we may get ourselves in some serious troubles.

Eye Contact:

In the United States and Canada, INTERMITTENT eye contact is extremely important in
conveying interest and attention. In many Middle Eastern cultures, INTENSE eye contact
between the same genders is often a symbol of trust and sincerity however, between
opposite genders.
Q6) Describe the process of building a site map for the world wide web.

ans) An Information Development Methodology for the Web

Patterned after design and development processes similar to those used by many
technical communicators1, writers, designers, and software developers 5, this
methodology involves six process and six elements. I base this methodology on the
characteristics and qualities of the Web and on the particular experiences of Web users.

My methodology involves six sets of information, which I call elements:

1. Audience information is a store of knowledge about the target audience for the
web as well as the actual audience who uses the web.
2. The purpose statement defines the reason for and scope of the web's existence.
3. The objectives list defines the specific goals the web should accomplish.
4. The domain information is a collection of knowledge and information about the
subject domain the web covers.
5. The web specification is a detailed description of the constraints and elements
that will go into the web.
6. The web presentation is the full description of the technical structures
(hypertext and other media) by which the web is delivered to the users.

The communicator develops these elements while engaging in these six processes:

1. Planning is the process of defining and gathering information about the web's
audience, purpose, objectives, and policies for information development and use.
2. Analysis involves evaluating information consistency and correctness as well as
checking the technical makeup of the web.
3. Design is the process of creating a map of the relationships among pages of the
web and the look and feel of individual pages.
4. Implementation: is the process of creating files of HTML (and associated
software, such as Java applets).
5. Promotion: involves providing publicity releases for general Web audiences,
potential users, and current users.
6. Innovation is the process of continuously and creatively working for
improvement in the web to meet user needs.

You'll notice that this methodology contains many of the same elements as a traditional
information development process as well as shares a resemblance to software
engineering practices. However, since Web works often are very dynamic and
competitive, a web information developer should work on all these processes
continuously. There's no "final state" analogous to a ship date for a paper document,
software, or CD-ROM--every day is a new deadline, and each day brings a new
information environment.
Q7) How would you make enquiries about `procedures' ? Write your answer in the form
of a conversation. Use wh-questions but also statements that function as questions.

ans) Business processes, procedures and standards

Processes, procedures and standards explain how a business should operate.

For example, a retail or hospitality business may want to:

 put a process in place to achieve sales

 create mandatory procedures for staff that are opening and closing the business
daily
 set a standard (policy) for staff clothing and quality of customer service.
 Customer: Hi, I need to open an account in your bank so could you please guide
me for that?
 Bank Manager: Sure Sir, I will be guiding you regarding the formalities to be
completed for opening an account.
 Customer: Let me know what all details are required for that.
 Bank manager: You need to fill the form and submit the same at counter 5.
 Customer: What all ID proofs do I need to submit?
 Bank manager: You need to submit one hard copy each of your address proof,
your electricity bill, and your aadhar card.
 Customer: But the electricity bill is generated on my father’s name.
 Bank Manager: In that case, you can submit your license and your previous bank
details.
 Customer: Will my previous bank transaction statement work?
 Bank Manager: Yes, it will work.
 Customer: And where I need to submit all my details?
 Bank manager: At the same counter. You need to attach all these documents with
the form.
 Customer: How much cash I need to deposit at the time of opening an account
 Bank Manager: You will have to deposit at least 500 INR at the time of account
opening.
 Customer: Will I get the debit card and the checkbook on the same date?
 Bank manager: No It will take a week and it will be sent to the address
mentioned in the form.
 Customer: Okay Sir, thank you so much.
 Bank manager: You’re welcome.

Q8) Describe in your own words Marshall McLuhan’s concept of the global village.

ans) Herbert Marshall McLuhan was a Canadian educator, philosopher, and scholar–a
professor of English literature, a literary critic, a rhetorician, and a communication
theorist. McLuhan’s work is viewed as one of the cornerstones of the study of media
theory, as well as having practical applications in the advertising and television
industries global village

Global Village is a term closely associated with Marshall McLuhan, popularized in his
books The Gutenberg Galaxy: The Making of Typographic Man (1962) and
Understanding Media (1964). McLuhan described how the globe has been contracted
into a village by electric technology and the instantaneous movement of information
from every quarter to every point at the same time. In bringing all social and political
functions together in a sudden implosion, electric speed heightened human awareness
of responsibility to an intense degree

How small the world has become with the rise of technology can only be truly
understood by those who can successfully imagine their lives in times when there was
no technology as we witness it today. Life in the time when there was no jetliner, no
electricity, internet, emails, telephones, television and other means of communication,
would be quite different from what it is now – good or bad is something open to debate
and we must not go into that, but one thing is quite sure that the world would have been
too large for us then. Technology has but shrunk the world. We can now talk to anyone
living in any place in world within seconds, we can know what is happening in the other
side of the globe, so on and so forth.

We will look into the fact that how technology has changed the ways of our lives in last
150 years. With the change in the means of communication, there is a sudden need of
change in the needs of communication as well. We can no longer remain confined to the
culture and society in which we grew up. We constantly feel the need to explore the
other parts of the world which are different from the one we know. And all this is
because of the rise and growth of the technology.

Q9) Write a letter from Coordinator of an IGNOU study centre to a student who hasn’t
received her identity card and study material and has sought his help in getting them.

ans) To,

The Examination

IGNOU Study Centre

Rajghat, New Delhi

Respected Sir

My name is Naman Suri. I am from NIOS, Odisha region division I have submitted my
application form for Stream-1 April, 2017 exam to NIOS Delhi Office before 5 months
(last week of March, 2016). I have submitted all the documents with required fees
through online payment
But till date i.e. now it’s 10th, October, 2016 I have not received a single status of my
admission.

Can you please tell me that when my admission will be confirmed and I will get my ID
card along with the needed study material.

Ref. No:A1516300854

Yours Sincerely

naman suri

Q10) English as a World Language

ans) As the global communication expands throughout the world, so does the need for a
global language. English has become the lingua franca in many parts of the world. This
essay will discuss the merits and demerits caused by English as a global language.
English is a very effective language as it is proved by the native and non-native speakers
all over the world. Statistics suggest that nearly half of the world population is familiar
with this language. Moreover, English is easier to learn than any other language. For
example, unlike Chinese, English has only 26 alphabets which put together to form
words. Adding to that, a number of English words are borrowed from many other
languages and many English words are adopted in other languages and are used as part
of their own language. Furthermore, English is the language of technology. To make the
best use of internet knowing English is necessary. Also, any international meeting will
be probably done in English. It also makes tourism easy, as it helps in better
understanding among the people.
However, many fear that English as a global language would result in the extinction of
local cultures which are inter related with regional languages. Moreover, it is bounded
to be divided into dialects. Another drawback is that the works of many authors and
writers who are belonging to different territories become incomprehensible.
In conclusion, I believe that there are more advantages than disadvantages in
globalizing English language. In future, the demand for English would rise as more
number of people are learning this language and would decrease the nation barrier.
Q11) Global English and Indian English

ans) There are over 350 million English users in India, making Indian English one of the
most widely spoken varieties of English in the world. Indian English has been used and
developed since the East India Company began trading in India, four centuries ago.
While the language is easily identifiable as an English, it differs in many areas.
Phonological differences exist, from the additional stress put on vowels to the accent
used. There are lexical differences, such as the shortening of words to form new ones
with different classes, or the extensive use of initialisms. Indian English users use many
compound formed words, allowing them to express ideas which do not have an
equivalent in Standard English. Users of Indian English often lengthen sentences by
changing the tense, and have various grammatical quirks that Standard English users
would find strange. Indian English has a long history, and is still being developed today.

Indian English has been developing since the East India Company first set up ports in
India. However, it did not gain widespread usage until the nineteenth century.
Originally, the Company encouraged English people living in India to learn Sanskrit or
another local language. Despite this, English slowly began to take hold. 1774 was an
important year for English in India as it is when English finally became “the language of
the Supreme Court in Calcutta” (Gupta 1996). Soon after, in 1835, Lord Macaulay wrote
his Minute on Indian Education. This convinced the Governor-General of India to
establish a position for the use of the English language in Indian educational
Institutions, writing "the great object of the British Government ought to be the
promotion of European literature and science among the natives of India" (Thirumalai
2003). The East India Company, with its huge political influence, eventually became the
Raj, concreting English’s place in India.

Most phonological variation between Standard and Indian English is in the accent.
There is a great variation in this aspect of the language across India. Some people speak
with and accent very close to Received Pronunciation, while others have a much
stronger Indian accent.

Q12) What is plagiarism ? Why is it wrong to plagiarise and how would you avoid it ?

ans) Plagiarism at UNSW is using the words or ideas of others and passing them off as
your own. Plagiarism is a type of intellectual theft.

Plagiarism can take many forms, from deliberate cheating to accidentally copying from a
source without acknowledgement Consequently, whenever you use the words or ideas
of another person in your work, you must acknowledge where they came from.

Three steps to learning about plagiarism

It's important to know what plagiarism is, and what form it takes (some common types
of plagiarism are listed here). It's also important to know how plagiarism happens. The
final step is to develop effective academic skills. Many students who plagiarise do so
unintentionally, often because they don't have the academic skills to avoid over-reliance
on the work of others or because they aren't sure what constitutes plagiarism. So, it's
important to take every opportunity to develop your academic skills.

One of the contradictions of academic writing is that, while you are expected to research
and refer to experts and authorities, you are also expected to produce original work.
This is based on the assumption that you are very clear about your own ideas and about
how the works of other scholars have influenced your understanding.
It is important to recognise that all scholarship involves understanding, researching and
building on existing research to some degree. Undergraduates, for instance, often base
their assignments on selecting, ordering, summarising and interpreting what others
have said to support their own academic arguments. Therefore, it is important to learn
how to reference well; that is, how to consciously and clearly acknowledge the sources
you have used in your work. Then your own contribution can be clearly identified and
appreciated.

Plagiarism is unethical for three reasons.

Firstly, it is unethical because it is a form of theft. By taking the ideas and words of
others and pretending they are your own, you are stealing someone else’s intellectual
property.

Secondly, it is unethical because the plagiariser subsequently benefits from this theft.

Thirdly, a degree is evidence of its holder’s abilities and knowledge. If a student gains
employment on the basis of a qualification they have not earned, they may be a risk to
others.

Q13) What is rhetoric ? Name five rhetorical devices and explain them with the help of
suitable examples.

ans) Rhetoric[a] is the art of persuasion. Along with grammar and logic (or dialectic –
see Martianus Capella), it is one of the three ancient arts of discourse. Rhetoric aims to
study the capacities of writers or speakers needed to inform, persuade, or motivate
particular audiences in specific situations. Aristotle defines rhetoric as "the faculty of
observing in any given case the available means of persuasion" and since mastery of the
art was necessary for victory in a case at law or for passage of proposals in the assembly
or for fame as a speaker in civic ceremonies, calls it "a combination of the science of
logic and of the ethical branch of politics". Rhetoric typically provides heuristics for
understanding, discovering, and developing arguments for particular situations, such as
Aristotle's three persuasive audience appeals: logos, pathos, and ethos. The five canons
of rhetoric or phases of developing a persuasive speech were first codified in classical
Rome: invention, arrangement, style, memory, and delivery.

A rhetorical device uses words in a certain way to convey meaning or to persuade. It can
also be a technique used to evoke emotion on the part of the reader or audience.

Skilled writers use many different types of rhetorical devices in their work to achieve
specific effects. Some types of rhetorical devices can also be considered figurative
language because they depend on a non-literal usage of certain words or phrases.
Here are some common, and some not-so-common, examples of rhetorical devices that
can be used to great effect in your writing:

Alliteration

Alliteration refers to the recurrence of initial consonant sounds. The phrase "rubber
baby buggy bumpers" is one example you might remember from your childhood.
Alliteration is often associated with tongue twisters for kids, but brand names
commonly use this technique too, such as American Apparel, Best Buy, and Krispy
Kreme.

Allusion

Allusion is a reference to an event, place, or person. For example, you might say, "I can't
get changed that quickly, I'm not Superman!" Referring to something well known allows
the writer to make a point without elaborating in great detail.

Amplification

Amplification repeats a word or expression for emphasis, often using additional

adjectives to clarify the meaning. "Love, real love, takes time" is an example of
amplification because the author is using the phrase "real love" to distinguish his
feelings from love that is merely infatuation.

Analogy

An analogy explains one thing in terms of another to highlight the ways in which they
are alike. "He's as flaky as a snowstorm" would be one example of an analogy. Analogies
that are very well known are sometimes called idioms or figures of speech.

Anaphora

Anaphora repeats a word or phrase in successive phrases. "If you prick us, do we not
bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh?" is an example from Shakespeare's Merchant of
Venice. The use of anaphora creates parallelism and rhythm, which is why this
technique is often associated with music and poetry. However, any form of written work
can benefit from this rhetorical device.

Antanagoge

Antanagoge places a criticism and compliment together to lessen the impact. "The car is
not pretty, but it runs great" would be one example because you're referring to the
vehicle's performance as a reason to excuse its unattractive appearance.

Antimetabole
Antimetabole repeats words or phrases in reverse order. The famous John F. Kennedy
quote, "Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your
country" is a well-known example.

Q14) What do you understand about conversation conventions ? Provide suitable

examples to illustrate your points.

ans) Interaction describes a range of processes. A previous “On Modeling” article

presented models of interaction based on the internal capacity of the systems doing the
interacting .At one extreme, there are simple reactive systems, such as a door that opens
when you step on a mat or a search engine that returns results when you submit a
query At the other extreme is conversation. Conversation is a progression of exchanges
among participants. Each participant is a “learning system,” that is, a system that
changes internally as a consequence of experience. This highly complex type of
interaction is also quite powerful, for conversation is the means by which existing
knowledge is conveyed and new knowledge is generated.

Based on direction and tone, I grouped conversations into four types: debate, dialogue,
discourse, and diatribe.

 Debate is a competitive, two-way conversation. The goal is to win an argument or

convince someone, such as the other participant or third-party observers.

 Dialogue is a cooperative, two-way conversation. The goal is for participants to

exchange information and build relationships with one another.

 Discourse is a cooperative, one-way conversation. The goal to deliver information

from the speaker/writer to the listeners/readers.

 Diatribe is a competitive, one-way conversation. The goal is to express emotions,

browbeat those that disagree with you, and/or inspires those that share the same
perspective.
To highlight the differences between these types of conversations, let’s use politics as an
example:

Debate: two family members from opposite sides of the political spectrum arguing over
politics.

Dialogue: two undecided voters talking to each other about the candidates, trying to
figure out who they want to vote for.

Discourse: a professor giving a lecture on international affairs.

Diatribe: a disgruntled voter venting about the election’s outcome.

It is important to know which type of conversation you are in, because that determines
the purpose of that conversation. If you can identify the purpose, you can better speak
to the heart of that conversation. But, if you misidentify the conversation you are in, you
can fall into conversational pitfalls.

Here are a few examples of conversational pitfalls I’ve written about:

“Talking At, Not With: The Problem of Disconnected Conversations” — sometimes your

dialogue might actually be two separate discourses (or diatribes) instead; will you
recognize that in time?

“When Arguing Over Value Issues, Sometimes Facts and Truth Don’t Matter” —
 sometimes people just want to diatribe; what can you do when that happens, especially
when you want to have a dialogue or debate?

If someone appears to be in a conversational pitfall, you can help them climb back out.
Regardless of how one climbs back out, the solution always starts with identifying
which hole you are in. You must first know the problem before you can find the solution.
And, sometimes, just identifying the pitfall itself is enough to draw attention to the
problem and correct the conversation.

Parting Thoughts

When you are in a conversation, take a moment to think about which conversation you
are actually in. Each of the types of conversation are meaningless on their own; you give
them meaning in their use. And, ultimately, it is up to you to decide what type of
conversation you want to be part of.

Q15) Compare and contrast the significance of verbal and non-verbal communication.
How are they complementary

ans) Definition of Verbal Communication

The communication in which the sender uses words, whether spoken or written, to
transmit the message to the receiver is known as Verbal Communication. It is the most
effective form of communication that leads to the rapid interchange of information and
feedback. There are fewer chances of misunderstanding as the communication between
parties is clear, i.e. the parties are using words for saying anything.

The communication can be done in two ways (i) Oral – like face to face communication,
lectures, phone calls, seminars, etc. (ii) Written – Letters, E- mail, SMS, etc. There are
two types of communication, they are:

 Formal Communication: Also termed as official communication, it is a type of

communication in which the sender follows a pre-defined channel to transmit
the information to the receiver is known as formal communication.
  Informal Communication: Most commonly known as grapevine, the type of
communication in which the sender does not follow any pre-defined channels to
transmit the information is known as informal communication.

Definition of Nonverbal Communication

Non-verbal communication is based on the understanding of the parties to

communication, as the transmission of messages from the sender to receiver is
wordless i.e. the communication uses signs. So, if the receiver understands the message
completely and proper feedback is given afterwards, then the communication succeeds.

It complements the verbal communication many times, to understand the mindset and
the status of the of the parties, which is not spoken by them, but it is an act of
understanding. The types of Non-verbal communication are as under:

 Chronemics: The use of time in communication is chronemics, which speaks

about the personality of the sender / receiver like punctuality, the speed
of speech, etc.
 Vocalics: The volume, tone of voice and pitch used by the sender for
communicating a message to the receiver is known as vocalics or paralanguage.
 Haptics: The use of touch in communication is the expression of feelings and
emotions.
 Kinesics: It is the study of the body language of a person, i.e., gestures, postures,
facial expressions, etc.
 Proxemics: The distance maintained by a person while communicating with
others, communicates about the relationship of the person with others like
intimate, personal, social and public.
 Artifacts: The appearance of a person speaks about his personality, i.e. by way of
clothing, carrying jewellery, lifestyle, etc. This kind of communication is known
as artifactual communication.

Q16) What is are soft skills? Briefly explain some of them with the help of examples

ans) Emotional Intelligence and Soft Skills: Emotional intelligence is the ability to
perceive emotions, to access and generate emotions so as to assist thought, to
understand emotions and emotional knowledge, and to reflectively regulate emotions
so as to promote emotional and intellectual growth

Soft skills is a sociological term relating to a person’s “EQ” (Emotional Intelligence

Quotient), the cluster of personality traits, social graces, communication, language,
personal habits, friendliness, and optimism that characterize relationships with other
people. Soft skills complement hard skills (part of a person’s IQ), which are the
occupational requirements of a job and many other activities

Soft skills are personal attributes that enhance an individual’s interactions, job
performance and career prospects. Unlike hard skills, which are about a person’s skill
set and ability to perform a certain type of task or activity, soft skills relate to a person’s
ability to interact effectively with co–workers and customers and are broadly applicable
both in and outside the workplace. A person’s soft skill EQ is an important part of their
individual contribution to the success of an organization. Particularly those
organizations dealing with customers face-to-face are generally more successful, if they
train their staff to use these skills. Screening or training for personal habits or traits
such as dependability and conscientiousness can yield significant return on investment
for an organization. For this reason, soft skills are increasingly sought out by employers
in addition to standard qualifications. It has been suggested that in a number of
professions soft skills may be more important over the long term than occupational
skills. The legal profession is one example where the ability to deal with people
effectively and politely, more than their mere occupational skills, can determine the
professional success of a lawyer. Soft skills are behavioural competencies. Also known
as Interpersonal skills, or people skills, they include proficiencies such as
communication skills, conflict resolution and negotiation, personal effectiveness,
creative problem solving, strategic thinking, team building, influencing skills and selling
skills, to name a few.

Soft Skills: Some Components Following is the list of components of the cluster of soft
skills. Apart from that, there are few which must be added are: (a) The ability to sense
and respond to what is required in different environment. (c) The ability to learn by
watching those around you who are the most successful. (c) The ability to speak, read,
and write standard English appropriately in a business envir-onment. One may possess
the hard skills of knowing that what kind of uses is correct and what kind wrong. But
the lack of soft skill of knowing when to use what and with what tone may defeat the
purpose.

A Cluster of Soft Skills

1. Behavioural traits such as attitude, motivation and time management.

2. Business etiquette.

3. Personal appearance and social graces.

4. Team spirit.

5. Negotiation skills.

6. Problem solving ability.

7. Leadership qualities.

8. Ross-cultural communication.

9. Report writing abilities.

10. Effective listing.

Behavioural Traits Such as Attitude, Motivation and Time Management: Following

abilities come under it:

(a) To arrange one’s own tasks for best performances.

(b) To learn from experience.

(c) To ask questions and correct one’s mistake.

(d) To absorb criticism and direction without feeling defeated, resentful and insulted

Om Puri, India’s one of the finest actor when was in class ninth did not have enough
money to support his own studies so with the help of his headmaster he got to teach
some junior students to earn money. Here he learnt the idea of time management and
schedule. To teach the students he would wake up early in the morning to do his
homework and note down the points so to make his students understand him better. He
also learned the importance of through preparation which helped him later in his career

Business Etiquette: Business etiquette is in essence about building relationships with

people. In the business world, it is people that influence your success or failure.
Etiquette, and in particular business etiquette, is simply a means of maximising your
business potential.

If you feel comfortable around someone and vice versa, better communication and
mutual trust will develop. This comfort zone is realized through presenting yourself
effectively. Business etiquette helps you achieve this

Business etiquette revolves around two things. Firstly, thoughtful consideration of the
interests and feelings of others and secondly, minimizing misunderstandings. Both are
dependent upon self-conduct. Business etiquette polishes this conduct

Some people believe that competition among brothers or sibling is a good place to start
with the idea of negotiation skills. In such case, children learn to negotiate when two
people want the same or different things. They also learn to face failures and come up
with their strength and weakness.

Problem Solving Ability: It is important to learn to able to solve the problems rather
than creating it. In today’s business scenario, people face new challenges every day,
which are both technical and non-technical in nature. So people who have the ability of
solving problems would be able to keep up and those who do not will be left behind

Leadership Qualities:Another quality that is important is leadership quality. Well, you

may say that not everyone is going to lead a project in future, that may be true but still
we must stick to the fact that organizations are quite frequently turning back to their
employees for assistance in training and monitoring new team member and those with
good leadership skills are more likely to climb the ladder

Cross-cultural Communication: Communicating across cultures begins with the basic

understanding that one size does not fit all. Simply because you practice certain cultural
habits or patterns does not mean the rest of the world does. “When in Rome, do as the
Romans do” makes perfect sense in Rome, Romania or Rio de Janeiro

Stereotyping Doesn’t Work: The idea of dealing with people from a different culture
makes us feel vulnerable and insecure, and that’s when we begin stereotyping people on
the basis of what we’ve heard, read or experienced. Approaching someone with
preconceived notions and generalizations builds up negative inferences that hurdle the
communication process

Getting Past the Road Blocks: Watch your Pace: When you’re dealing with people from
non-English speaking countries, you need to speak slowly and clearly. Pause after each
sentence, pronounce the words correctly, use simpler words and avoid the use of
idioms, slangs, jargon and abbreviations. Keep the dressy stuff out and use these simple
techniques to make your communication easier to understand

Clarify and Cross Question: For business communication across cultures to be

successful, you should frequently ask your listeners about whether or not they have
understood your point. However, don’t keep on repeatedly asking them ‘have you
understood this?’ as this can leave them somewhat uncomfortable, instead try cross
questioning to see how well they’ve understood your point. Rephrasing and repeating
the important points also helps

Use Multiple Mediums: Whenever possible, you must use more than one medium to
communicate the same message. If you’re giving a presentation use visual aids and
handout notes, to improve the overall understandability. For a telephonic conversation,
you can follow it up with an email or vice versa. The idea is to ensure the receiver
comprehends the message fully, one way or the other.

Q17) What are figures of speech? Show your acquaintance with seven different types of
figures of speech.

ans) Figure of speech is a mode of expression in which words are used out of their
literal meaning or out of their ordinary use in order to add beauty or emotional
intensity or to transfer the poet’s sense impressions by comparing or identifying one
thing with another that has a meaning familiar to the reader. Some important figures of
speech are: simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole and symbol
Epigram: An epigram is a statement, or any brief saying in prose or poetry, in which
there is an apparent contradiction. A very short, satirical and witty poem usually
written as a brief couplet or quatrain.

Examples of Epigrams: “Conspicuous for his absence.” “Beauty when unadorned is most
adorned.” “He was too foolish to commit folly.” “He was so wealthy that he could not
spare the money.”

Euphemism: Euphemisms are coded expressions that we use when whatever we are
referring to is considered inappropriate for the circumstances or when we are
embarrassed or uncomfortable with the literal version. As one might expect, many
euphemisms relate to sex or death. Here are some examples:

Eternal rest (Death)

Mistress (Concubine)

Physically challenged (deaf, dumb, blind, or otherwise physically handicapped person)

Hyperbole: Hyperbole is a figure of speech that uses an exaggerated or extravagant

statement to create a strong emotional response. As a figure of speech it is not intended
to be taken literally. Hyperbole is frequently used for humour. Examples of hyperbole
are:

They ran like greased lightning.

He’s got tons of money.

Her brain is the size of a pea.

He is older than the hills.

I will die if she asks me to dance.

She is as big as an elephant!

I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.

I have told you a million times not to lie!

The media and the advertising industry often use hyperbole (which may then be
described as hype or media

hype).

pun:pun can be referred to as Wordplay that uses homonyms (two different words that
are spelled identically) to deliver two or more meanings at the same time. Harryette
Mullen riffs on the multiple meanings of “slip” in [Of a girl, in white]. “Ah, nothing more
obscure than Browning/Save blacking,” writes Ambrose Bierce in “With a Book,”
making a pun on the name of poet Robert Browning and the color brown

Rhetorical Questions: The rhetorical question is usually defined as any question asked
for a purpose other than to obtain the information the question asks. For example, “Why
are you so stupid?” is likely to be a statement regarding one’s opinion of the person
addressed rather than a genuine request to know. Similarly, when someone responds to
a tragic event by saying, “Why me, God?!” it is more likely to be an accusation or an
expression of feeling than a realistic request for information

Apart from these more obviously rhetorical uses, the question as a grammatical form
has important rhetorical dimensions. For example, the rhetorical critic may assess the
effect of asking a question as a method of beginning discourse: “Shall I compare thee to
a summer’s day?” says the persona of Shakespeare’s 18th sonnet. This kind of rhetorical
question, in which one asks the opinion of those listening, is called anacoenosis. This
rhetorical question has a definite ethical dimension, since to ask in this way generally
endears the speaker to the audience and so improves his or her credibility or ethos. The
technical term for rhetorical questions in general is erotema.

Q18) What preparations are required for appearing for an interview ? Enumerate
various types of questions asked in an interview. Give examples.

ans) In the current job market, you'd better have your act together, or you won't stand a
chance against the competition. Be prepared to the best of your ability. There is no way
to predict what an interview holds, but by following these important rules you will feel
less anxious and will be ready to positively present yourself. Check yourself on these 10
basic points before you go on that all-important interview.

1. Do your research

Researching the company before the interview and learning as much as possible about
its services, products, customers and competition will give you an edge in
understanding and addressing the company's needs. The more you know about the
company and what it stands for, the better chance you have of selling yourself in the
interview. You also should find out about the company's culture to gain insight into your
potential happiness on the job.

2. Look sharp

Select what to wear to the interview. Depending on the industry and position, get out
your best interview clothes and check them over for spots and wrinkles. Even if the
company has a casual environment, you don't want to look like you slept in your outfit.
Above all, dress for confidence. If you feel good, others will respond to you accordingly.
3. Be prepared

Bring along a folder containing extra copies of your resume, a copy of your references
and paper to take notes. You should also have questions prepared to ask at the end of
the interview. For extra assurance, print a copy of Monster's handy interview take-along
checklist.

4. Be on time

Never arrive late to an interview. Allow extra time to arrive early in the vicinity,
allowing for factors like getting lost. Enter the building 10 to 15 minutes before the
interview.

5. Show enthusiasm

A firm handshake and plenty of eye contact demonstrate confidence. Speak distinctly in
a confident voice, even though you may feel shaky.

6. Listen

One of the most neglected interview skills is listening. Make sure you are not only
listening, but also reading between the lines. Sometimes what is not said is just as
important as what is said.

7. Answer the question asked

Candidates often don't think about whether they are actually answering the questions
their interviewers ask. Make sure you understand what is being asked, and get further
clarification if you are unsure.

8. Give specific examples

One specific example of your background is worth 50 vague stories. Prepare your
stories before the interview. Give examples that highlight your successes and
uniqueness. Your past behavior can indicate your future performance.

9. Ask questions

Many interviewees don't ask questions and miss the opportunity to find out valuable
information. The questions you ask indicate your interest in the company or job.

10. Follow up

Whether it's through email or regular mail, the interview follow-up is one more chance
to remind the interviewer of all the valuable traits you bring to the job and company.
Don't miss this last chance to market yourself.
Q19) Discuss the important features of content writing for the Web.

ans) 1. Make sure that what you say is meaningful and serves a purpose

The customer’s purpose, more exactly. To achieve that, you need to know who you are
talking to. Ask yourself: How well do I know my target audience? Can you make a profile
of your typical customer? If not, it’s time to do your homework. After identifying the
profile of your regular consumers, their purchasing behavior, and their psychology, you
need to find ways to connect with them through your content by answering their
specific needs.

2. Say it in simple, but not simplistic, words

Provide relevant information in conversational language. If you want visitors to read

your content, stick to the core, don’t beat around the bush. Remove all irrelevant details
that don’t pertain directly to your topic.

3. Be transparent about your offering and don’t overstate the benefits

You have more chances of winning your customers’ loyalty if you disclose the genuine
value of your product or service than if you speculate the argument of low price and fail
to deliver on your promise. People don’t want cheap low-quality products; they want
quality products at a fair price.

4. Provide clear explanations and telling examples, but in a concise manner

While you’re trying to get new customers, make sure that you don’t neglect your old
ones. Loyalty is hard to find, so create Web content that is targeted at existing
consumers, which keeps them engaged and makes them want to return to your Website.
Serving repeat visitors is more important than running after new ones, so don’t place
existing customers at the end of your checklist when writing content for your Website.

5. Keep it fresh if you want people to return

It’s like going to the marketplace; you go there to find fresh produce. With that in mind,
post new material and update your content regularly, otherwise visitors will look
somewhere else for new and dynamic info on the topic they’re interested in.

Remember: only really useful content will survive, so try to think of the long term and
invest time and effort in your content writing now to reap the benefits in the not-too-
distant future.

Q20) Discuss some important characteristics of American English. How are those
different from British English ?

ans) There is an old saying that America and Britain are “two nations divided by a
common language.”
No one knows exactly who said this, but it reflects the way many Brits feel about
American English. My British friend still tells me, “You don’t speak English. You speak
American.”

But are American and British English really so different?

Vocabulary

The most noticeable difference between American and British English is vocabulary.
There are hundreds of everyday words that are different. For example, Brits call the
front of a car the bonnet, while Americans call it the hood.

Americans go on vacation, while Brits go on holidays, or hols.

New Yorkers live in apartments; Londoners live in flats.

There are far more examples than we can talk about here. Fortunately, most Americans
and Brits can usually guess the meaning through the context of a sentence.

Collective nouns

There are a few grammatical differences between the two varieties of English. Let’s start
with collective nouns. We use collective nouns to refer to a group of individuals.

In American English, collective nouns are singular. For example, staff refers to a group
of employees; band refers to a group of musicians; team refers to a group of athletes.
Americans would say, “The band is good.”

But in British English, collective nouns can be singular or plural. You might hear
someone from Britain say, “The team are playing tonight” or “The team is playing
tonight.”

Auxiliary verbs

Another grammar difference between American and British English relates to auxiliary
verbs. Auxiliary verbs, also known as helping verbs, are verbs that help form a
grammatical function. They “help” the main verb by adding information about time,
modality and voice.

Let’s look at the auxiliary verb shall. Brits sometimes use shall to express the future.

For example, “I shall go home now.” Americans know what shall means, but rarely use it
in conversation. It seems very formal. Americans would probably use “I will go home
now.”

In question form, a Brit might say, “Shall we go now?” while an American would
probably say, “Should we go now?”
When Americans want to express a lack of obligation, they use the helping verb do with
negative not followed by need. “You do not need to come to work today.” Brits drop the
helping verb and contract not. “You needn’t come to work today.”

Past tense verbs

You will also find some small differences with past forms of irregular verbs.

The past tense of learn in American English is learned. British English has the option of
learned or learnt. The same rule applies to dreamed and dreamt, burned and burnt,
leaned and leant.

Americans tend to use the –ed ending; Brits tend to use the -t ending.

In the past participle form, Americans tend to use the –en ending for some irregular
verbs. For example, an American might say, “I have never gotten caught” whereas a Brit
would say, “I have never got caught.” Americans use both got and gotten in the past
participle. Brits only use got.