Achik's Final Revision (Last Series) Ulangkaji Akhir Achik (Siri Akhir)

1. Define 'small talk' and state what you can talk about when making small talk. (May 2011)

# When networking with business partners and professionals at the workplace, sometimes we need to engage in small talk. What topics can we talk about when making small talk? And what topics are not supposed to be touched upon? (January 2012)

Small talk may be defined as chatting about things not directly related to the business at hand. Holidays, travel traffic, public transportation and entertainment are among the daily chat issues. Interests that may have in common can also be a topic of conversation.

# Topics are not supposed to be touched upon or "no-no" areas; Politics and religion. Details of the family may also be considered too personal, especially in the workplace. 2. The aim of a short report is to place information on a page that is easily seen and understood. State FOUR characteristics of a short report. (May 2011)

A good short report should contain the following characteristics: A clear indication of your purpose; Accurate and objective information; A suitable ordering of information; Appropriate formatting. 3. When writing an email, why is etiquette important to both the sender and the recipient? (May 2011)

It maintains and promotes goodwill between the writer and the recipient.

4. For an effective presentations, we need to consider a number of different aspects. State FOUR of the most common aspects of interpersonal communication to be taken into consideration when preparing for a presentation. (May 2011) Audience Awareness Effective Opening Lines Appropriate Visual Aids Non-verbal communication 5. Using appropriate adverbs, write FOUR sentences that show changes in quantity of journal articles downloaded from the OUM Digital Library from January to April.

(May 2011)

In February, journal articles downloaded from the OUM Digital Library steadily increased up to 100% compared to less than 20% in January. But it slightly decreased to 90% in March and continued sharply fall to 20% in April.

6. A memo is a form of written business communication, which is passed around within a company. State FOUR purposes of a memo. (September 2011) Communicates information Explains procedures Announces changes Makes requests Confirms results Offers advice 7. Below is an extract from a letter of complaint from a dissatisfied customer to the store manager. Choose the correct word from the list of words given to fill in the gaps. (September 2011)

working, trouble, defective, purchase, repaired, regret, warranty, honest I was persuaded by your salesman, John to (a) purchase the Kochi Paper Shredder. I (b) regret to inform you that I have had nothing but (c) trouble with it ever since.

As it was still under (d) warranty, I returned it to your store on two occasions for adjustments. Unfortunately, it is still not (e) repaired very well. I am afraid the shredder is (f) defective. To be (g) honest, I am not prepared to have it (h) working for the third time. I would very much appreciate it if you could send me a replacement without delay.

8. These sentences are often used when requesting for information or an action to be done. Each sentence contains a mistake or a missing word. Identify the mistakes or the missing words and rewrite the sentences. (September 2011)

(a) Could you please repeat that again? Could you please repeat that? (b) Sorry, he not in right now. Please come back later. Sorry, he is not in right now. Please come back later. (c) Would you telling me what exactly is the problem? Would you mind telling me what exactly is the problem? (d) Could you please tell me the courses that available? Could you please telling me the courses that available? (e) I afraid I didn't get that. Can you say it again, please? I'm afraid I didn't get that. Can you say it again, please? (f) I wonder if you mind checking there's a class on Sunday. I wonder if you mind checking if there's a class on Sunday. (h) Sorry, I didn't heard what you said. Sorry, I didn't hear what you said. 9. Electronic communication is one of the fastest growing communication trends in the world today. With reference to netiquette, identify FOUR do's and don'ts when it comes to writing emails. (September 2011)

(a) Do's Be polite and civil Keep email short and brief Respect privacy Stay on topic Reply promptly (b) Don't Use capital letters (shouting) Post flame bait Use emotional language Send out unsolicited mass e-mails Claim e-mail as urgent when we are not 10. When sending a resume you also need to attach a cover letter. State FOUR functions of a cover letter. (September 2011) Draw attention to relevant qualifications and work experiences listed in the resume. Make a match between what you have to offer and the potential employer's needs Persuade your potential employer to consider your application carefully. Support your request for an interview. 11. What is the difference between justifications report and progress report? Explain. (January 2012)

(a) Justifications Report This report highlights a course of action or ideas, and then presents evidence to support why something should, or has been done. Basically, the format is as follows: Introduction - Presents purpose of report and describes proposal / course of action. Body - Describes the present situation, need for change, costs and benefits. Conclusion - Evaluates changes and provides recommendations.

(b) Progress Report This report provides information on the progress of a project and forecasts future development. Introduction - Identifies the report's purpose with a subject line and describes the current status of the project. Body - Presents positive features of operation, describes problems that arose and how they were solved, and includes schedule and costs. Conclusion - Points to the future. 12. In formal letters, words that are used must be simple and concise. The aim should be to communicate clearly with the reader. Change the lines below into simple (plain) English. (January 2012)

(a) Please be advised that the goods will be delivered in two batches. The goods will be delivered in two batches. (b) Your kind remittance of the payment... Please post your payment ... (c) Enclosed herewith are the documents. Enclosed are the documents. (d) We would like to refer the matter to your good self. Please refer the matter. 13. You are asked to ring a local florist to order a bouquet of roses for manager's office. When you call, you hear a recorded message which says, "Glam Florist. Thank you for your call. The shop is closed for lunch. If you wish to leave a message, it will be dealt with after 2.00p.m. Please leave your name, address and telephone number to be contacted. Please begin your message after the beep..." Write down your message clearly and concisely. (January 2012)

Good afternoon. This is Nurul Liana from Flamingo Enterprise. My contact number is 012-3456789. I would like to order a bouquet of roses for the manager's officer together with a greeting card that display "Welcome Back". Please send the order to Flamingo Enterprise, 1486-B, Pantai Irama, Bachok. Thank you.

14. There are many types of graphic aids. List Four types of graphic aids.

(January 2012)

The most common types of graphic aids are bar graphs, pictographs, line graphs, pie graphs, organisation charts, flowcharts, line drawings, cutaway drawings and photographs.

15. The expressions below are used to describe trends of a graph. Write ONE sentence for each of the expressions below: (a) sharp fall (b) increased (September 2012) (a) "In March, the price of gold had a sharp fall." (b) "However, it increased steadily in April."

16. Describe TWO functions of a Gantt chart. (September 2012)

A Gantt chart is used for scheduling and tracking key events that are necessary to complete a project. A Gantt chart shows the steps involved in a project and their relationships over time.

17. Choosing the right words is crucial to letter writing. Why is it so? (September 2012)

Selecting the right words will contribute to a courteous tone and offer greater clarify. It is better to use words that are familiar to the reader, concise, precise and get to the point quickly.

18. A 'bad news' letter communicates unwelcome news to the reader. Identify FOUR steps to be considered when organizing information in bad news letters.

(a) Open with a courteous opening, (b) Explain the situation fully, (c) State the bad news,

(d) Close with a positive paragraph.

19. Below are phrases commonly used when taking or leaving telephone messages. Can you think of other phrases?

(a) Offering to take a message e.g Would you like to leave a message? Could I take a message, please? Could I have your name and contact number, please? (b) Leaving a message e.g Can I leave a message for Mr X? Could you ask X to call me back please? Could you ask him to call me at ...?