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1. The Beggar

Anton Chekhov

About the Author

Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860-1904), a pioneer of modern short story and drama,

was born in the city of Taganrog in southern Russia. Chekhov had humble beginnings-his

father was a grocer and his grandfather was a serf. He studied medicine at Moscow University

and wrote stories and sketches to support his family financially. His first collection, Motley

Stories (1886), was well received and it was followed by two more collections, At Twilight

(1887) and Stories (1888). Beginning with The Seagull in 1898, Chekhov established himself

as a dramatist through his association with the Moscow Art Theatre. Later, Uncle Vanya

(1899), The Three Sisters (1901) and The Cherry Orchard (1904) had a great impact on

modern European drama. Chekhov wrote nearly 800 short stories that illustrate his gift as a

writer of short fiction, and the present selection is one such story.

About the Text:

Completed in 1887, this story explores themes of struggle, kindness, compassion and

alcoholism. Chekhov presents the story of a beggar who lies about his identity in order to

extract money from a lawyer, but ends up confessing to him instead? It follows the turn his

life takes as he comes to work for the lawyer, comes in contact with his cook Olga and finally

learns to take charge of his life and becomes a gentleman.

Major characters:

Lushkov: He is the beggar of the title of the story. He is poor and drinks too much. He lies to

get money or food. Finally, he changes into a gentleman.

Skvortsov: He is a lawyer, kind hearted man and have compassion for the poor. When

Lushkov begs to him the lawyer does not give alms but tells him to work for him and get

money.

Olga: She is the cook of the lawyer. Olga is strict by her nature but full of kindness she scolds

the beggar for drinking - but she does his work and causes a change in him.

Summary:

Ono day a beggar asked Skvorstov to help him. Ho was poor and hungry. He said that

he was a schoolmaster but was discontinued because of false witness. Skvortsov felt that he

had seen the man earlier. He soon remembered that he had met him earlier. Ho had told him

that he was a student who was expelled from the college. But the beggar said that he did not

meet him earlier. He repeated that he was a dismissed schoolmaster. He would also show the

documents to prove his point. The lawyer called the beggar a liar and moved with anger. The

beggar again asked for help. But the lawyer did not like him to tell lies. So, he said that he

would call police and give him to them. The beggar admitted that he was really lying. He

worked in the Russian choir. But they dismissed him because of his habit of drinking. He

added that if he told the truth, nobody would give him anything. The lawyer advised the

beggar to work somewhere. But the beggar said that he was not liable to work anywhere

Finally, ho became ready to chop wood for the Lawyer. The lawyer called the cook. Her name

was Olga. He told her to take the beggar into the shed and get some wood chopped by him.

The cook took him to the shed. The beggar could not chop woods properly. The lawyer felt

pity for the beggar for giving him hard work. But he did it for the beggar’s goodness. After an

hour, Olga came to his study room and informed him that the wood was chopped. The lawyer

gave her money. He told her to give half a rouble to the beggar. He should be told to come

every month to chop wood. He would get money for it. The beggar visited every month and

did the work. He also did some other small things in the house. One day the van came and

took the chopped Wood.

After the departure of the van, the lawyer called the beggar. He gave him one rouble

for his work. He added that he did not need to do that hard work. He told him to go to his

friend with the note given by him. He would give him the work of copying. He advised him

not to drink but work. The beggar started to go. The lawyer felt pleased thinking that he had

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put a man on the right path. The beggar took the letter (note) and left the lawyer's house. Two

years later, the lawyer was buying a ticket for a film at the window of a theatre. Soon a little

man with a cap camo near the window. He asked for the ticket of the balcony. He was none

but Lushkov, the beggar. He told the lawyer that he worked in a notary's office and got

35roubles per month. The lawyer became glad. He said that he was his godson. It was he who

had put him on the right way. He had scolded him harshly. He thanked the man for following

his advice. Lushkav too thanked the lawyer. He felt grateful to him and also to his cook, Olga.

He added that Olga was a noble - hearted woman. It was really Olga who had saved him. The

lawyer could not understand anything. He asked him what she did for him. The man told the

lawyer the realty. He could not chop wood because of this drunken condition. So, it was Olga

who chopped the wood for him. She scolded him for drinking. She cried for his poor

condition. Looking at her concern for him, he gave up drinking. Thus, her words and her

behaviour brought change in the beggar’s life and life style. The beggar confesses the favours

of Olga the cook, and gives thanks to her as well as the lawyer and went for the movie. This is

how the beggar becomes a gentleman.

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Best of Luck!!!!!!

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2. Black Money and the Black Economy

C. Rammanohar Reddy

C. Rammanohar Reddy is an economist who has been writing on economic policy

since the later 1980s. He was Editor of the prestigious Economic and Political Weekly

between 2004 and 2016.He is now Readers' Editor for Scroll.in.

About the Text

The extract is a chapter from Demonetisation and Black Money, a book which focuses

on India's decision to demonetise its Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes in an attempt to

eliminate counterfeit notes, stop terror funding and fight corruption and black money.

A) Black money or Black income: -

This chapter introduces the terms 'black money' and black economy and explains how

the two interact with a 'white or legal economy. We know that it is illegal to possess' black

money. Black money means the income which Is earned through two different processes. One

of them is the income created from illegal activities such as drugs and corruption. The other is

the income got by legal ways but taxes on it are not paid to the government. Thus, black

money is the income earned by illegal way or by legal ways without paying taxes.

In India both kinds of black money are found. Illegal ways in the form of corruption are

found among government officers and elected leaders. Similarly, tax avoiding too is found

both at central and state levels. It is difficult to estimate the amount of black money. The

illegal or uncounted income is stored in different kinds of assets. They include real estate i.e.

land, gold,' benami 'bank deposits, or even cash. This loo comes in the field of black money.

A) The Black Economy:

The black economy contains the activities which generate black money. It is also where

the black money is employed in its illegal activities. Black money can be further invested in

illegal activities like smuggling or bribes to public officers to get saved from crimes. Black

money comes from Black Economy. So, if black money is to be removed from the economy,

black economy must be destroyed.

B) Interchangeability of the Black and the White:

There is constant flow of money between white and black streams. For example, a real

estate developer may use his uncounted fund in a variety of ways. One of its part will be paid

to the cement seller. However, the cement seller also wishes to hide his sale from the tax

authorities. This part of black money then circulates in the black economy. Thus, a flat is built

and sold. In this way the black money is turned into white money.

The second part of the black income of the real estate developer can be used to buy gold.

It is not reported to the tax authority. The most part of the income is kept in cash. These

remains as uncounted assets. The cement seller can use his cash income to pay the wages of

his workers and servants in cash. He would not mention it in his books of account. The

workers may use the cash to buy things like groceries and get receipts on which tax is shown.

Thus, the black money of the cement trader is turned into white money. This interchanging of

black and white money creates problems in finding out black money. Someone may take his

black money in a foreign country. He will invest them in a bank or in an asset. Then he can

bring the money back to India through a legal way. He can invest it as legal money In Indian

economy. This called the round tripping of black money.

C) Forms (kinds) of Generation (creation) of Black Money:

Various ways in which black money is produced are given in the 2012 White Paper. They

are as follows.

i) The 'Crude Way': The first way is called crude way. In its income generated from

illegal activities are hidden from the law.

ii) The Sophisticated Way: Another way is called the more sophisticated way. It is the

activity of generating income from legal activities that is not reported to the tax authorities.

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These ways of generating black money have been acquiring an increasing sophistication

in financial practices. They include transfer pricing in trade, money laundering in trade and

offshore financial centres. The White Paper also speaks about some sectors as more

vulnerable (changing) to the creation of black money. They are as follows:

a) land and real estate transactions

b) Gold Jewellery transactions

c) financial market transactions

d) public procurement

e) the non- profit sectors

d) the informal sector with its cash economy.

The relative importance of these sectors for generation of black money has changed

over the years. Earlier, gold trade was an important source of generation of black money.

However, in recent years, the real estate, financial market transactions, corruption in public

procurement and practices in the non-profit sectors such as hospitals, schools, colleges and

charitable trusts are the major sectors to generate black money. Because there is no direct

government control over there. Accounts are manipulated and shown all is well but actually

situation is totally different.

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BEST OF LUCK!!!!!!!

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3. THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE ROSE

Oscar Wilde

Introduction:

Oscar Wilde is a great Irish dramatist of modern age. He is famous for his great wit

and brilliance. Wilde tried his hands at various literary activities but he is world-wide

recognized for his plays like The Importance of Being Ernest, She Stoop to Conquer etc.

Wilde wrote The Picture of Dorian Gray his only novel. Wilde has written fine short stories

also. “The Nightingale and the Rose is one of such stories. It is about love.

Central Theme of the Story- The main theme of the story is true love. The poet has

expressed contrasting views about love. Some people take love as a spiritual thing and even

die for it. On the contrary, some people are haunted by material things. The young lover in the

story weeps to win the heart of his beloved. He becomes very happy to get a red rose. But his

beloved breaks his heart for the material costly things given by another young man. The story

is mainly about a nightingale and a rose. They try to help the young man to win the heart of

his beloved.

Characters of the Story

1.The Student: - He is a young man He is in love with the Professor's daughter. He offers rose

to her.

2.The Professor's Daughter: -She is the beloved of the student but then rejects his rose.

3. The Nightingale: - The Nightingale is major characters in the short story. She helps the

young student to get a red rose by sacrificing her life.

4.The Rose Tree: - It given the student a red rose by taking a toll of the Nightingale’s life.

5.The Rose Trees, The Lizard, the Daisy and the Butterfly:-These are minor characters in the

short story.

6.The Chamberlain's Nephew: - A rich young man. He gives the professor's Daughter some

real jewels.

Summary: -

The Nightingale and the Rose is a short story about love. Wilde presents that there was

a student. He was in love with the Professor's daughter. Once she told him that she would

dance with him in Ball Dance arranged by the Prince. The young student becomes very

happy. He imagines that he would be with his beloved throughout the night. He also imagines

that he would hold her in his arms. However, the beloved demands a red rose. Unfortunately,

there was no red rose in the student's garden. The boy gets nervous and expresses his agony.

The Nightingale heard his problem. She thought that he was a true lover. The Nightingale has

romantic notions about love. She thought that love is a wonderful thing. What she sings about

love hurts the student. What joy is to her is pain for him. The young student said loudly that

the Professor’s Daughter will not dance with him because he will not be able to give her a red

rose. Saying this he threw himself down on the grass and started weeping.

The Green Lizard and the Butterfly could not understand why the boy was crying.

Daisy asked the Nightingale why the boy was crying. The Nightingale told her that he was

crying because he wanted a red rose to offer his beloved and it is not available in the garden.

They laughed at the boy. But the Nightingale come to know the cause of the student's sorrow.

She sat silent in the Oak tree and thought about the boy.

Then the Nightingale decided to help the young student. She flew over the garden. She

saw a rose plant. She went to the rose - tree and asked it to give her a red rose. But the tree

had only white roses. So, he told the Nightingale to go to his brother who is at old sun-dial.

The Nightingale went to the sundial and met the brother of the white rose tree. She demands a

red rose. She would sing a sweet song in return. However, the tree told her that his roses are

yellow. But he told her to go to his brother who grows beneath the window of the house of the

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student. The Nightingale went there. She asked for a red rose and she will sing the sweetest

song for him. The tree told her that he grows red roses no doubt. But it is the winter season

and it has chilled the veins of the rose - tree.

The Nightingale tells the tree that she wanted only one red rose. The tree said that

there is one way but it is terrible. So, he will not tell it to her. However, the Nightingale said

that she is not afraid of anything. So, he should tell about the way of getting a red rose. The

tree told her that she would create a red rose on him. She would have to sing with her chest

against his thorn. She will have to do it for the night. The thorn will get her blood in the body

of the tree. Finally, the thorn would pierce the heart of the Nightingale. It would create a red

rose but at the cost of the death of the Nightingale. The Nightingale said that Death is a big

price for a red rose. Life is dear to everyone. But Love is better than Life. Her heart is nothing

as compared to a man's heart. The Nightingale then flew all over the garden. The young

student was still lying on the grass. Tears had not yet dried.

The Nightingale said to the student:" Be happy young man. You will have your red

rose. I will make it out of music by moonlight. I will then colour it with my own heart's blood.

What I want in return is only that you should be a true lover. The young boy listened to the

Nightingale and stood up. But he could not understand what she said. However, the Oak - tree

understood everything she said. She had built a nest in his branches. He was very fond of her.

He would feel lonely after her death. The Nightingale sang for the Oak-tree as he wished her

to sing one song for him. The young boy only wondered at the singing of the nightingale. He

went into his house, lay on his bed, thought about his beloved and slept.

When the moon rose, the Nightingale flew to the Rose-tree. For the whole night she

sang with her breast against the thorn of the Rose - tree. The thorn went deeper and deeper

into her breast. She sang a love song. And there appeared a beautiful rose at the branch of the

Rose -tree. But it was pale not red. So, the Nightingale pressed her breast closer to the thorn.

The rose should be completed before the sun - rise. The thorn had not yet reached the heart of

the Nightingale. So, the heart of the rose still remained white. Finally, the thorn touched her

heart and she cried loudly. And there appeared a red rose. But the Nightingale's voice became

fainter. The white Moon heard her song. The Rose - tree said, Look, Nightingale. The red rose

is completed. But there was no reply. The Nightingale was lying dead in the grass with the

thorn in her heart.

At noon, the young student woke up. When he opened the window of his bedroom, he

saw the red rose. Ho wondered to see the beautiful rose. He plucked it and almost ran to the

Professor’s house. The Daughter was sitting in the door way with her little dog. He told her

that she had said that he would dance her if he brought a rose. So, he had brought one. It was

the most beautiful rose in the world. But the girl said with anger that it may not match her

dress. In the same way, the Chamberlain's Nephew had sent her some real jewels. All know

that jewels are costlier than flowers. The student became sad. He called the girl an ungrateful

woman. He threw the flower into the street. A cart -wheel went upon it. The girl called the

student a rude man. She added that he was a poor fellow. She got up and went into her house.

The student too turned to go. While going away he said that love is a silly thing. It does not

prove anything. It makes us to believe those things which are not true. It is unpractical. And in

this age to be practical is everything. He decided to go back and study Philosophy and

Metaphysics. He went home and really began to read a big dusty book.

Thus, the writer has expressed two different views to love. One is spiritual. It is

represented by the view of the Nightingale. The other is material. It is represented by the

Professor's daughter. But the writer wanted focus on the sacrifice of the Nightingale for the

sake of love and it according to the writer is an unpractical thing.

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Best of Luck!!!!!!!

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4. Muhammad Yunus: An Economics for Peace

Farida Khan

Introduction:

Dr. Farida Khan has a background in International Trade Policy and works on development in

South Asia, primarily on Bangladesh. She has worked on the topics related to capital goods,

micro-credit, gender, and more recently environmental issues. She is the Professor of

Economics and Co-Director, Centre for International Studies, University of Wisconsin -

Parkside, USA. She works for economic development in South Asia. The story is about

Muhammad Yunus, the economist who has made great efforts for peace and got Nobel Prize.

About the Text:

This is a remarkable story about the great efforts made by the economist for peace,

Muhammad Yunus, in the building of a new economy with micro- credit systems. The story

tells that how Muhammad Yunus was able to reduce the evils of poverty.

Summary:

Muhammad Yunus: An Economist for Peace:

Muhammad Yunus is the Bangladeshi microcredit pioneer. He is the first economist to

win Nobel Peace Prize. He has got it for his Grameen Bank which has put development

economics at the service of women's empowerment. It is really wonderful that economics

cultivates peace. The 2006 Nobel Peace Prize was given to Yunus and the Grameen Bank for

their efforts to create economic and social development from below (level).

A Banker to the Poor:

Muhammad Yunus belongs to Bangladesh and he came to Bangladesh after

completing his doctorate in Economics and teaching at a university in United States. He was

guided by Nicholas Georgescu-Roegen who was a great thinker. He had created "

Evolutionary Economics ". He told Yunus that without the human side Economics is just as

hard and dry as a stone". After coming to Bangladesh in 1972, he started teaching in

Chittagong University. During the 1974 famine, Yunus was much troubled by the difference

between academic Economics and the reality of people dying of hunger. Then Yunus meets

Sufia Khatun a local woman from the village named Jobra. She used to weave and sell cane

stools. She had to borrow money for her work from the local money lender. So, she was not

able to make a profit in her small business. Yunus decided to increase her income. He lent

money to the woman and forty-one other persons for their work. To their wonder, that time,

the woman got 25 dollars and she was trembling with happiness. She had never seen such a

big amount in her life. She was advised to put the money in a safe place so that it may not be

stolen. The above incident led to the establishment of an innovative group lending system.

interest free loans were given and the group members were collectively responsible for

repayment of the loans. In the year 1976, the Grameen Bank was formally founded. It was

owned by its borrowers. It was notable that 95% clients of the Bank were women who owned

less than half an acre of lands. The bank helped to empower women. However, the males and

so-called religious leaders opposed to the working of the Grameen Bank. But they could not

do anything. The Bank was started with the intention of raising social consciousness. It soon

became an instance of economics confronting power.

The success of the Grameen Bank was replicated in rural Arkansas when Bill Clinton

was the governor. Since 1970's, the micro credit idea has been used everywhere. It was

originated with the Grameen Bank. Probably, in all the developing countries in the world,

microcredit has been tried as a measure to counter poverty. Even the World Bank funds many

schemes regarding microcredit all over the world. Professor Yunus thus has spread the idea of

micro credit far and wide. He has tirelessly advocated the notion that credit is human right.

The Grameen Bank now provides various facilities to other areas too. These include business

loans, information technology to rural women, introduction of pension schemes and so on.

Muhammad Yunus is now a remarkable development economist. This is mainly because of

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his work of finding and applying the right business ideas for rural Bangladesh. His efforts to

reduce poverty have won him the 2006 Nobel Prize in Economics.

The above incident led to the establishment of an innovative group lending system.

The interest free loans were given and the group members were collectively responsible for

repayment of the loans. Then in 1976, the Grameen Bank was formally founded. It was

owned by its borrowers. It was notable that 95% clients of the Bank were women who owned

less than half an acre of lands. The bank helped to empower women. However, the males and

so-called religious leaders opposed to the working of the Grameen Bank. But they could not

do anything. The Bank was started with the intention of raising social consciousness. It soon

became an instance of economics confronting power. The success of the Grameen Bank was

replicated in rural Arkansas when Bill Clinton was the governor. Since 1970's, the micro

credit idea has been used everywhere. It was originated with the Grameen Bank. Probably, in

all the developing countries in the world, microcredit has been tried as a measure to counter

poverty. Even the World Bank funds many schemes regarding microcredit all over the world.

Professor Yunus thus has spread the idea of micro credit far and wide. He has tirelessly

advocated the notion that credit is human right. The Grameen Bank now provides various

facilities to other areas too. These include business loans, information technology to rural

women, introduction of pension schemes and so on. Muhammad Yunus is now a remarkable

development economist. This is mainly because of his work of finding and applying the right

business ideas for rural Bangladesh. His efforts to reduce poverty have won him the 2006

Nobel Prize in Economics.

In this way Muhammad Yunus has shown that with the proper planning and

implementation we can reduce poverty and make progress of the country.

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Best of Luck!!!!

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1. UP-HILL

Christina Rosetti

Introduction: -

Christina Georgina Rossetti (1830-1894) was the sister of Dante Gabriel Rossetti, the

influential Pre-Raphaelite artist and poet. She started writing from a very young age, and, as

she grew older, experimented with many poetic forms. Her most well- known book of verse,

Goblin market and Other Poems, received immediate and widespread critical acclaim. Within

a few years she became important female poets of her time.

About the poem:

Rossetti’s allegorical poem Up Hill compares life to a painful journey.

The poem is in a question-answer form: one voice asks the questions about the journey, while

a second voice provides answers to them It is a metaphoric poem. We learn that the journey

will be long, difficult and full of hard ship; but we will be rewarded with a peaceful resting

place at the end. It is a conversation between the traveller and the guide. The poem is typical

of Victorian religious poetry, which counsel goodness, duty and sacrifice in the midst of

suffering, and promises a heavenly reward in return.

Title of the Poem:

The poetess wants to go to the inn (hotel) on the hill. So, the poem has a title like this

which is come in very first line of the poem.

Central Idea of the Poem:

The poem is about the conversation between two persons. However, metaphorically

the poem is about life and death.

Summary of the poem:

The poetess asks her guide whether the road winds up hill completely. The guide

replies that it goes uphill till the end. The poetess asks the guide whether the journey will take

the whole day. The guide agrees. The poetess (traveller) asks the other persons if there is

lodging there. The other person agrees again. He adds that she cannot miss the inn. When

asked, the other person Informs the poetess traveller that she will meet there the persons who

have already gone there. She will be received by them warmly. She will find comfort there. It

will be the sum of her labour. Finally, the poetess traveller asks the guide whether all of them

will get beds. The guide replies that all who come there get beds.

Poetic devices:

i) Style of the poem - common style for poetry

ii) Rhyming pattern- ab ab

iii) Figures of speech- The poetess has used metaphor e.g. “Does the road wind up

All the way?

Yes, to the very end.” This is metaphorical poem.

iv) Form of the poem – dialogic form

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2. Stay Calm

Grenville Kleiser

Introduction:

Grenville Kleiser(1868-1935) was the author of a long list of inspirational books and

guides to oratorical success and personality development .Among his titles were Inspiration

and Ideals; Christ the Master Speaker; How to Succeed in life; and Taking god into

Partnership .During the great Depression of the 1930s,he sent out cheques for one dollar

each, enclosed with a note reading To Aid Business.

About the Poem:

In this poem, Kleiser counsels’ readers to keep calm in the face of the many big and

small upsets of life, stating that a tranquil temperament is the most potent weapon one has

against adversity. As its title suggests, the poem deals with the

importance of keeping silence.

Title of the Poem:

The title of the poem is apt and suitable. In the poem, the poet tells us to keep quiet

and not to argue with others.

Summary of the:

Sometimes we feel to say something after we will have to regret. It would not

be easy to forget. At this time, we should control our anger and keep silence. This is because,

when one's mind is calm, all of his/her evil thoughts come to an end.

It is easy to be angry when someone cheats you or opposes your opinion. We feel

disappointed when our wishes are not fulfilled. Similarly, sometimes we have to fight against

selfishness or ill-will. To win such war one should keep complete silence.

We should keep mental balance when an enemy attacks us. When some danger is

expected, we should keep quiet. When there is struggle around us, we should keep silence. In

fact, silence is the most important thing in life. We should master it.

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Best of Luck!!!!!

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Communication and Life Skills

Unit - 1: Meeting and Greeting People

Language is used for communication i.e. sharing of ideas, thoughts, information,

passion and feeling with each other. For this purpose, we should know how to use English to

greet people politely. It is very essential to follow certain manners while conversating with

the people. Here are some specimens that will be guide lines for effective communication.

(Mr Anand meets Amita, a student who lives in his neighbourhood, at a bookstore. They

have met before, but do not know each other very well.)

Amita : Good morning, Mr Anand. How're you?

Mr Anand : Good morning. Amita. I'm very well, thank you. What about you?

Amita : I’m fine, thanks. We haven't met for quite some time, have we?

Mr Anand : Yes, you're right. I have been away in Nagpur.

Have you found something interesting to buy?

Amita : No, not really, I just came in a few minutes ago.

Mr Anand : Well, it was nice meeting you, Amita. I could have given you a lift

home but I'm afraid I have to rush to keep an appointment. I do hope you'll

excuse me.

Amita : Oh, that’s quite all right, Mr Anand. I hope we can meet again soon.

Mr Anand : Yes, please do come over sometime. Bye!

Amita : Bye, bye, Mr Anand!

(Barkha meets Farha, who used to be a classmate at school, after long time at a

wedding.)

Barkha : Hello, Farha! What a lovely surprise! Good to see you after so long.

Farha : Hi, Barkha! Yes, it's great to see you too! How're you and where have

you been?

Barkha : Just fine, thanks. I was away in Aligarh. And how are things with you'?

Farha : Everything's okay, thanks. Hey, we must meet and catch up on all that's

been happening.

Barkha : We must do that. Let me jot down your telephone number.

Farha : Here, I'll write it down for you. Wish I could have stayed longer, but I

must run. I have to pick up mother from the station.

Barkha : Sure, see you sometime. Bye!

Farha : Bye, bye!

1. Introducing yourself

Many times, while meeting people who are un familiar to us, we need to introduce

ourselves in formal or informal situations. Here are some useful specimens to study and

practice. These specimens will be helpful to introduce effectively.

Read the dialogue below. Pay attention to the expressions used in the situations where people

introduce themselves to each other in a formal or informal situation.

Dialogue-

(Mrs. Shakti Thomas walks up to Mr. Ajay Shinde, an employee in the bank where she has

just started work.)

Mrs. Thomas: Good morning! I’m Mrs. Shakti Thomas. I have joined the bank today as an

assistant accounts officer. I was working in a private finance company in Chennai earlier.

Mr. Shinde: (rising to his feet): Good morning Mam! I am happy to meet you. I am Ajay

Shinde, and I am a manager in the housing loans division. Welcome to our bank!

Mrs. Thomas: Thank you Mr. Shinde. Very nice meeting you too.

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2.Introducing People to One Another

Whenever we come across different people, we have to introduce our acquaintances to

others. It is required to introduce people to one another appropriately as our introduction helps

to form opinions about the new acquaintances.

Exercise-1

Q. Working first in pairs and then in groups of three, write and enact the following situations

in the form of brief dialogues choosing appropriate expressions from those given above.

1. Rohit Kumar from Alpha Electronics Kanpur, enters the Delhi office of his company’s-

chartered accountant with whom he has an appointment. He introduces himself to the person's

secretary, explaining who he is, where he is from and why he is there.

Ans.:

Rohit Kumar: Good morning! I'm Rohit Kumar from Kanpur. I have an appointment to see

Mr.……... (the company’s-chartered accountant) at 10' o clock today.

Secretary: Good morning Mr. Kumar! Mr.………is waiting for you. Please take a seat while I

call him and apprise

Secretary him that you are here.

Rohit Kumar: Thank you very much.

Exercise. 2

Look at some expressions used in both formal and informal situations to introduce two

persons to each other and those that they can respond. Read each item and repeat it filling a

name of your choice.

1) I'd like to introduce you to ------------------------------------------------------------.

Ans: I'd like to introduce you to Mr. Sujit More the new Sales Officer.

2) Please meet ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ans: Please meet Mr. Mehta as he is the team leader in the accounts department.

3) This is ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.

Ans: This is Ajay, an old friend of mine.

4 ) --------------------------------- ,meet ---------------------------------------------------.

Ans: Mr. Raghav, meet Mr. Gupta.

5) I'm happy to meet you.

6) This is indeed a pleasure.

7) Nice meeting you.

3. Making and Accepting an Apology

While dealing with day to day activities sometimes we commit mistakes knowingly or

unknowingly. The moment we realize it. It is essential to apologize it to the concern person or

persons.

Similarly, when someone is apologizing, accepting the apology and pacifying the

situation is a skilful art. At that time, one should be calm, composed and it should be done in a

pleasant tone and manner, without offending anyone.

Dialogue:

(Jeevan knocks over a crystal vase, breaking it into pieces. His mother scolds him, and he

apologizes to her.)

Mother: Jeevan, what have you done? You have broken my favourite vase! How can you be

so careless!

Jeevan: Ma, I am so sorry. I was running to answer the telephone and slipped on the freshly

mopped floor. Please forgive me.

Mother: All right, didn’t you hurt yourself? You should be careful and calm. Take care.

Jeevan: Thanks, Ma! I promise that I won’t run about inside the house again. I would take

care in future.

Arun introduces his friend Madhuri, to his father.

Arun: Dad this is Madhuri.

Dad: how do you do?

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Madhuri: I am fine.

Dad: Where are you from, Madhuri?

Madhuri: I am from Kurnool. I have come to Hyderabad recently.

Dad: How do you find Hyderabad and its people?

Madhuri: I am fascinated by Hyderabad but I don’t think I can comment on the people here,

because I've been here only for a few weeks.

Dad: Yes, of course. It will take you a while to get to know people.

Arun: Carry on talking. I'll be back with Mom in a minute or two.

2. A student tries to introduce his brother to the principal while the latter is talking to

the Vice-chancellor in the corridor.

The student: Good afternoon, sir. This is my brother, Raja Rao. He works as a Manager in

FCI.

Principal: Vinod, I am glad to meet your brother. But, you know, right now I'm talking to our

Vice-chancellor. Could we meet a little later?

Student: I am extremely sorry. Please forgive me for interrupting.

Some Useful Expressions

Following are very useful expressions or short sentences that can be used effectively

in day to day communication. You can practice the expressions both alone and with your

classmates in order to be able to use them with skill and confidence when speaking English.

➢ Apologies and Responses

When we commit mistakes knowingly or unknowingly use the selected following expressions

or short sentences to apologize.

Please allow me to offer my apologies.

Please don't worry.

I can't tell you how sorry I am about this lapse.

Let's forget it.

Please forgive me for my ignorance.

There is no need to apologize.

We are extremely sorry for troubling you like this.

It doesn't matter at all.

It was foolish of me to have talked so irresponsibly.

Please don't feel bad about it.

Pardon me please.

That's alright.

I am terribly sorry for the inordinate delay.

Please don't worry.

Oh! I’m very sorry

That’s O.K.

Agreeing (A) and Disagreeing (D)

Sometimes, we agree with the person, friend and our relatives on various issues. But

sometimes we will not be agreed with these persons. While agreeing or disagreeing use the

following useful expressions effectively.

1.Could I take this please?

A. Yes, of course.

D: I’m afraid you can't

2. May I speak to the Chief Minister, please?

A: Yes, you may.

D: I’m sorry. I don't have the authority to let you speak to the Chief Minister.

3. Is it alright if I return these books next month?

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A: By all means

D:m afraid that’s not possible.

4.Would you mind my opening the window?

A: Please go ahead.

D: Sorry, don’t open it.

5. If you don't mind. I would like to take my fees back.

A: I don't have any objection.

D: Sorry, you can't

6.Would it be possible to extend my stay in this hotel?

A: Yes, of course.

D: I’m afraid it’s not possible. Some other party has already booked the same suite for

tomorrow.

7.May I help you? /Could I help you?

A: That's most thoughtful of you.

D: No, please don't bother.

8. Let me do it for you.

A: That’s very kind of you.

D: No, thank you. I can manage it myself.

9. Please let me know if there's anything I can do for you.

A: Thank you.

D: Thanks a lot, but Ms. Savitri is already on the job.

10. Is there anything we can do for you?

A: Yes, thank you. Could you help me with …?

D: No, thank you.

11. Do you mean to say that he is the author of the winning essay?

A: There can't be any doubt about it.

D: I’m not certain about it

12. Are you sure about his honesty?

A: I’m quite sure.

B. I can’t say for sure.

13. Did you hear about the burglary in the science lab?

A: Yes, I did.

B: I’m afraid I didn’t.

14. Is there any chance of his winning the bouts?

A: It’s quite possible.

B: It’s quite impossible.

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Unit - 2: Group Discussion and Interview and Interviewing Skills

When a group of people discuss a topic in an organised way, either in a professional or

academic context, it is called a group discussion (GD). A GD is considered an important tool

for assessing the suitability of a candidate for a job. As a participant, you should be aware of

three important elements of a group discussion-initiating, continuing and concluding.

➢ Initiating a Group Discussion

Anyone in the group can initiate the discussion. You can initiate a GD as you do

presentations, by using questions, anecdotes, quotes or surprising statements. But you need to

have good language skills, a sound knowledge about the topic and the ability to put the topic

in perspective. Do not take a stand on the topic right at the beginning of the discussion.

➢ Continuing a Group Discussion

You should keep the following points in mind while carrying on the discussion:

1) Turn taking:

Each participant must take turns appropriately. No one should take up too much time to make

a point

2) Referring to arguments raised by others

You should relate your ideas and viewpoints to those of others by either agreeing, disagreeing

or adding on to their statements

3) Focusing on the topic

Try not to deviate from the topic and discuss unnecessary things. This will help you to

complete the discussion on time.

4) Exploring different perspectives

If the discussion gets repetitive, you may offer new points or suggest new angles to the topic

5) Carrying the discussion to a logical end

Participants should have open and receptive minds during the discussion. Only then will it be

possible to arrive at a broad consensus on the topic at the end of the discussion.

6) Concluding a Group Discussion

At the end of the discussion, you should summarise the main points that were discussed. The

summary should be brief and should not have any new points.

What do Employers Look for in a Group Discussion?

The interviewers generally rate you in your GD session, on the basis of these qualities:

Innovativeness: Novelty in your approach

Behavioural Skills: Your temperament and approach

Communication: Persuasive non-verbal and verbal skills

Quality of Content: Knowledge and Information about your subject conveyed in your speech

Logical Ability: Ability to involve the entire group in sharing your point of view, at the end

of your talk

Leadership: Your interaction and behaviour with the other team members

While talking in a GD session, make sure you take two turns, in the entire time

allotted. Firstly, put forth the required information and the second time around, reiterate your

point of view, besides making a reference to valid points of other group members. Do not take

long pauses in between and not to be repetitive.

More importantly, never make personal remarks or display emotion. Use Effective

speaking skills, a rich vocabulary, maintaining eye-contact and pleasing body language as

well as a friendly and composed manner can make the GD round a cake-walk for you!

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- Sit in a group of four and read the passage given below.

Plastic Money in India:

In the late 1990s, the plastic money market in India, comprising credit cards, smart

cards, debit cards, charge cards, stored value cards and others picked up momentum like never

before, growing at an annual rate of 25%. The reason for this is the rapidly increasing number

of people who use debit cards. This confirmed the fact that the Indian market had finally

realized the potential of plastic money.

Credit cards spare one the hassle of carrying around a lot of cash, hence allowing

convenient and flexible purchasing, especially when it comes to shopping online or on the

phone. One can withdraw money as and when required, in a jiffy. Not only does shopping

become a more methodical experience with purchases consolidated into a single statement but

many cards offer additional benefits such as additional insurance cover on purchases, cash

back, air miles and discounts on holidays. One can keep an account of the purchases made.

They are like a magic wand in the hand of modern man where one doesn’t have to give a

second thought to what he is buying because one can buy first and pay later.

However, this boon seems to be a disaster for the urban Indian in the future. An

extensive survey has found that more and more households seem to be borrowing not for

creating assets like building a house or buying a car, but to meet basic consumption needs

ranging from food, transport and medical bills to even repaying loans. Cards can encourage

the purchasing of goods and services one cannot really afford. Is it because of the increasing

inflation or the pressure of coping with a modern-day lifestyle which thrives largely on brands

and lavish spending? This tosses up the major question-are we allowing credit cards to run

our lives and our pockets? The inclination of being an impulsive buyer and tending to

overspend owing to the ease of using credit cards, are the other hazards. Credit cards are a

relatively expensive way of obtaining credit if not used carefully, especially because of the

high interest rates and other costs. Using a credit or debit card inevitably involves an element

of risk. Lost, stolen or misused and risk of being hacked.

➢ Interview and Interviewing Skills:

A job or an academic interview, is a formal meeting at which people are asked questions by

one or a panel of interviewers to find out if they are suitable for a job or a course of study.

Job interview usually follow an application being sent by a candidate, in response to an

advertisement.

Preparing for an Interview

An interview calls for the same degree of planning and preparation that you will need for an

examination. Some points you must bear in mind, for the days preceding the interview and for

the day itself, are as follows:

✓ Brush up on the subject or area related to the interview and update yourself on recent

developments. It also helps to get some information on the organisation and its

activities/products.

✓ Prepare answers to some questions you think the interviewers will ask. Some of these

could be:

-Tell us a little about yourself.

-Why do you want to be with us?

-Could you tell us why you want to change your job?

-What are your strengths and weaknesses?

-Would you be willing to travel?

-How do you expect to contribute to the field/institution?

✓ Arrange the papers and certificates that you may be asked to produce neatly in a

folder. Check the interview call letter sent to you to see if there is anything you have

missed.

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✓ Wear something that is comfortable as well as appropriate for the occasion.

✓ Be comfortably early as this will give you time to familiarise yourself with your

surroundings and to relax.

✓ Think positive, pleasant thoughts and try to regulate your breathing to remain calm.

Facing an Interview: Techniques

➢ Wait for your name to be announced, and knock or seek permission before you enter.

➢ Greet the people in the room formally, but in a pleasant manner.

➢ Do not sit down until you are asked to.

➢ Be conscious about making eye contact with the person speaking to you and of

maintaining a proper and relaxed body posture and a steady tone of voice, which

should not be either too loud or too soft.

➢ Remember not to interrupt the interviewer and allow him/her to finish speaking before

you answer a question or react to a statement or an opinion.

➢ Listen carefully to the interviewers’ questions and comments, and speak clearly and at

a moderate pace to avoid having anyone repeat themselves.

➢ Do not ask questions to impress, but only if they happen to be genuine, intelligent

queries. Avoid repetitions, long silences and fillers, such as ‘hmm…’err…you

know…and ‘okay”.

➢ Avoid answering questions with Just ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. Even in the case of yes-no

questions, the interviewer will find it more satisfying if you add to your reply or

explain it briefly. Thus, in reply to Is your mother tongue Bengali?’, you could say.

‘No, it’s Punjabi. But I can speak Bengali fluently.

➢ Do not feel embarrassed to say that you do not know the answer to a question. Use

expressions such as ‘I’m afraid I don’t know…’ and I’m sorry, but I’m not really

certain….

➢ In case you do not hear a question, you are asked or if you do not understand it, you

could politely ask for it to be repeated or explained. For example: I’m sorry, but could

you repeat the question, please. I’m afraid I’m not sure what you mean. Are you

asking me if I.? /Could you clarify the question, please.

➢ Express your opinions politely, not aggressively, using expressions such as 1 think…,

I believe… and ‘In my opinion….

➢ Do not get into arguments or speak negatively or criticise former teachers, colleagues

or employers.

➢ Do not boast or display your knowledge, skills and experience, but if asked, state your

achievements simply and honestly.

➢ Wait for the interviewer to invite you to ask questions in case you have queries. In

case this does not happen, wait until you sense that the interviewers are done before

asking them politely if they could clarify something for you. Examples of the

questions you may want to ask the interviewer are, ‘Could you tell me whether the

position involves travelling, please’ and ‘Could I know when I can expect to hear from

you, please.

➢ Wait for the interviewer to tell you that the interview has ended before you get up

from your

➢ chair. Thank all the people in the room before walking out of the door and closing it

softly behind you.

Interviewing Techniques:

It is very essential to know some code and conduct to held interview for the specific

purpose. The following tips are meant to help you conduct interviews.

-Prepare to conduct an interview by getting information on the candidate’s educational as

well as personal background, his/her area of work, experience, etc.

- Be clear about the purpose for which the interview is conducted- to select a candidate

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for a position, to get expert opinion or to talk to a celebrity about his or her life and work.

-Always begin by greeting the interviewee politely and end the interview by thanking the

person

-Your tone and body language should be appropriate-polite, friendly and interested, not

critical, aggressive or intimidating.

-Use a variety of questions-yes-no as well as Q-word-to conduct an interview. Examples

of the two kinds of questions are ‘Are you willing to relocate to Nagpur?’ and ‘Where did

you do your internship?”.

-Another technique is to make a statement about some known aspect of the candidate’s life or

work about a fact related to the subject area on which an expert has been invited to share

his/her views and knowledge, and follow this up with a question.

For example:

You were born into a family of poets and writers. What role did this play in your

development? As a sensitive and articulate human being?

-While it is always important to be courteous, vary your approach slightly when conducting

interviews of different kinds. Make an effort to put the interviewee at ease especially in a job

interview.

Interviews conducted to seek expert opinion are usually very formal, while interviews

with celebrities could sometimes be chatty and less formal.

-When interviewing dignitaries or people in authority, it is appropriate to use less direct

questions of the following kinds:

If I may ask, ...

Could you now tell us about…, please?

Would you mind telling the viewers…?

If you don’t mind, could you explain ..., please.

-Except when you are conducting a radio or a television interview, it is useful to make

quick, brief notes. This has to be done without disturbing the interviewee or making him/

her wait for the next question.

➢ Sample Interview

Candidate : Can I come in, please, ma’am?

Manager : Yes, please come in. Good morning.

Candidate : Good morning, ma’am.

Assistant Manager : Please sit down.

Candidate : Thank you, sir.

Manager : Could you begin by telling us something about yourself, please.?

Candidate : Ma’am, I belong to West Bengal, but I grew up in Nanded,

where my father worked until he retired. I’m married and have a baby

daughter, who is a year old.

Assistant Manager : I assume you speak both Bengali and Marathi. Am I right?

Candidate : Yes, sir, absolutely. I also speak Hindi.

Manager : Why do you want to join our company?

Candidate : You’re one of the leading publishers of law books in the

country. With my background and work experience, I hope to be

able to contribute to the company and also find here the opportunity to

grow further.

Manager : Actually, the vacancy we have is for Lucknow. Would you be

open to the idea of being based there?

Candidate : Yes, ma’am. I’m willing to relocate from Mumbai to any part of

the country.

Assistant Manager : Could you tell us what kind of salary you expect, please.

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Candidate : I’m earning Rs 22,000 net in my present job, sir. I think

anything a little over that should be all right.

Manager : Well, thank you, Mr Shravan Kumar. We’ll get back to you in a

week’s time.

Candidate: Thank you.

Unit 3. Presentation Skills

Definition:

A presentation is a talk which gives information about a product, a subject or an idea.

It has become an important form of oral communication in the field of education. This is

because, it is used to present reports, proposals or studies. It is also closely linked to career

and personal growth. Students, teachers, managers and administrators all need presentation

skill in the course of their day-to-day work.

Kinds of Presentation:

There are various kinds of presentation. Some of them are as follows.

1) overhead projection transparencies (OHPS)

2) 35mm slides

3) computer projection (PowerPoint, applications such as Excel, etc.)

4) flipcharts or black or white boards, sometimes used as scratchpads to expand on a

point

5) video or film

6) real objects (such as a product or plant specimen)

Of these, PowerPoint is probably one of the most effective and widely used tools

today.

Guide lines for Preparing Presentations:

➢ The first step in planning your presentation is to decide on its subject. This, of course,

is usually given to you, but when it is not, choose a topic that suits the occasion and

the audience.

➢ Begin preparing the content of your presentation by putting down its objective, or

purpose: is it meant to inform, persuade or report?

➢ Think of who your audience is going to be; the level of your content, formality and

style will depend on this.

➢ Next, list the main points you want to make in your presentation in the order in which

you think of them. Read the points again. You may want to omit some, add more,

combine points or split them. It is important not to pack too much content into a

presentation because this will diffuse its effect. For example, a presentation of about

twenty minutes should not have more than five main paints. After you have a final list

of points, arrange them in a logical sequence.

➢ Think of subpoints that could come under your main points. It is best to put only the

main points and the subpoints on slides (or flip chart or transparencies) and speak

briefly on each of these.

each of these. Prepare graphs, tables or pie charts that you want to put on slides.

➢ write down what you want to say on each point and practice saying it over and over

again, until you are confident that you will be able to speak without looking at the

written script. To make you feel surer of yourself, you can prepare cue cards, which

are numbered cards with key words and phrases related to what you want to say on

each point in your presentation.

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Structure of Content:

All presentations must be complete in themselves. It must have a beginning. a

body and an end. The first part must contain greetings, a clear statement of the subject,

the purpose of the presentation and an outline. The second part must contain the main

content of the presentation. It will have its own internal structure. The last part must

consist of a brief recap or

summary of the important points. It must be followed by remarks made to conclude

the presentation. It should also have a brief session for questions and clarifications.

In addition, the main content of the presentation should be logically structured.

That would help the audience to follow the presentation easily. For example, one

should begin by talking about a problem, go on to give solutions, discuss the

advantages and disadvantages of each of them. Finally, one of them should be

recommend.

Finally, the content of the presentation should be made Interesting and easy. This will

help the audience to understand it easily. For this purpose, proper examples and visual

aids must be used.

Visual Aids:

One should prepare good visual aids like slides, video clips and use them

effectively. These are aids to a presentation because they prepare the framework which

supports it. One should keep in mind the following tips to make the visual aids.

➢ The visuals to be shown on the screen must be related to the talk.

➢ The slides, charts etc. should be in proper order.

➢ Too much information should not be put on one visual. It will make the slide

unreadable. Similarly, the reader will spend time on reading the slide rather than on

listening to the presentator's talk.

➢ Written matter on the slides or transparencies should be in the form of words, phrases

points or short sentences only.

➢ The matter should be checked grammatically. Spelling mistakes and punctuations

should be corrected.

➢ Slides must be prepared in such a way that the audience should see only one point at a

time.

➢ The presentator should say one or two lines about the slide. Then he/she should

explain it fully.

➢ The presentator should practice moving backwards and forwards within the

presentation.

➢ It would be better if the audience are given handouts.

➢ The visuals should be made simple, clear as well as appealing.

➢ A proper type face (font) should be used so that all the participants will be able to read

it.

➢ Finally, before starting the presentation, it should be checked whether the projector

works properly. It should also be checked whether it is kept in the right position or

not.

The Language of Presentation:

A presentation is a form of oral communication. So, the presentator should use spoken

language while making it. Some useful expressions which can be made while making a

presentation may be given as follows

Opening remarks:

-Hello, everyone, (especially appropriate for an informal presentation for a small

group of people you interact with every day)

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-Good afternoon, everyone. I'm happy to be here this afternoon. I'm …. (designation)

at …. (name of the company).

-Good morning. Let me introduce myself. My name is…. and I'm from….

-Good morning. I'm...from...Thank you for inviting me to talk to you this morning.

Before I begin, I’d like to/ let me tell you something about myself.

Stating the purpose:

-As you know, the subject of my presentation today is…

-I'm here this morning to…

-My aim is to…

-The purpose of my talk today is to…

-In my presentation today, I'm going to/I’ll

Giving an outline:

-I've divided my presentation into...

-I’ll first… then we'll… Finally, I’ll…

-I'll begin by… and after that I’ll deal with… before going on to… The presentation

will conclude with…

- I’ll be talking about…

Giving other preliminary information and starting with the content:

-My presentation will take about half an hour or so. If you don't mind, could I deal

with questions after the talk, please.

-I’ll take only about fifteen minutes of your time We’ll have a question-and-answer

session after that.

-The presentation is going to take around forty minutes. Please feel free to interrupt if

you have a question.

-Right, I’ll begin by…

-Shall we begin?

-Let’s begin, shall we?

Moving to another point or going back to an earlier point:

-Let’s now turn to…

-I’d like to move on to…

- Turning/ moving on now to…

-This takes me to my next point about…

-Next, I’d like to consider...

Emphasizing important points:

-What we must understand/realize /do is…

-What we mustn't do is…

-We urgently/really need to…

- …is absolutely true/ highly recommended/totally unacceptable/extremely urgent, etc.

Drawing attention to visuals:

-I’d like to draw your attention to…

-Could you just look at the... on the screen.

-As you’ll see in the next side...

-If you look at this... you will notice that...

-You can see that...

Making recommendations:

-I| (strongly) recommend that…

-My recommendation is that...

-I really think/believe we should...

Keeping the audience involved:

-How would you solve this problem?

-Where are we heading?

-Can you think of a way of dealing with this?

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-What are the options open to us?

-Why should we be concerned about this?

Summarizing and concluding:

-To sum up the main points of my presentation, ...

-Before I end my talk, I'd like to summarize its main points.

-To run through/recap my main points, ...

-I’d like to conclude by saying...

-That brings me to the end of my presentation.

Inviting questions:

-If you have any questions, please feel free to ask them.

-If you want to ask any questions, I'll do my best to answer them.

-If there are any questions, I'll be pleased to answer them.

VII. Making a Presentation:

The presentator should remember the following points while making a presentation

1. The presentation should be planned in such a way that it will be completed within

the given time. It will include five minutes for questions.

2. The presentator should stick to his/her original plan only. Additional matters will

cause confusion.

3. The presentation should speak in clear and audible voice. He/she should not shout

or whisper. He/she should no shout or whisper. He/she should speak neither too fast

nor to slow. Pausing at suitable points makes the presentation effective.

4. The presentator should avoid moving. He/she should stay one place. This will not

distract the attention of the audience.

5. The appearance, facial expressions, and the eye contact with the audience are very

important factors for a successful presentation. The body language speaks as much as

one's words.

6. The presentator should not read the matter on the screen.

7. The presentator should not block the screen. He/she should not face it turning

his/her back towards the audience.

8.The presentator should try to operate the equipment before the presentation. He/she

should see whether it works or not. If someone else is going to operate the equipment,

he/she should be given the needed instructions beforehand.

9.Finally, the presentator should prepare the presentation earlier. He/she should then

rehearse it as many times as possible.

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Best of Luck!!!!