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UNIT 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 What And How To Learn English at Semester V.

Pada semester ini para siswa akan belajar bahasa Inggris dengan fokus
pada lisan dan tulisan. Ada 7 Unit yang akan dibahas secara keseluruhan yaitu
Notes Taking, Compose Paragraph, Melakukan Meeting, Negosiasi, Business
Report, Presentation To the Board, dan Writing and Presenting Simple Papers.
Setiap Unit menuntut siswa untuk melatih keterampilan Berbicara,
Mendengarkan, Membaca, serta Menulis baik secara individu maupun kelompok.
Judul Unit hanyalah sarana bagi siswa untuk menggunakan bahasa Inggris
mereka dalam situasi nyata yang prospektif. Karena waktu yang diberikan
terbatas maka siswa juga diberikan beberapa pekerjaan rumah untuk dikerjakan.

1.2 Reviewing the Topics Learned in the Previous Semester


Read the(body) of the letters below and then answer the questions:

1. What kind of business letter is it?


2. What is the letter about?
3. What is each paragraphs about?

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a.

b.
Dear Ms. Rahmawati

We thank you for your letter of 23 June, and are glad to inform you that we have a
great range of typewriters for modern office. We are enclosing a brochures for the
items you are interested in.
If you wish to place a firm order, will you please arrange for settlement of the
invoice by draft through your bank, and advise us at the same time.

We can guarantee delivery to Malang within 4 weeks of receiving your orders.


Besides the brochures, we are also enclosing details of our terms of payment, and
would be happy to discuss discounts with you if you would kindly let us know
how large your orders are likely to be.

We are looking forward to hearing from you, and ensure you that your orders will
receive our immediate attention.

Yours faithfully

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c.

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d.

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Dear Mr. Taylor,

Thank you for your order No: 68/ GT dated 9Th March 2014 for requesting an
extension of your credit for the payment of $100,000 against 20.000 spare
parts supplied in November 2012 for a duration of three months.

We regret to inform you that under the current situation of the economy, we
would only be prepared to supply on a cash basis.

As soon as the economy shows an upward trend, we will resume our credit
policies as earlier. We sincerely hope that you will consider our situation, and
continue to share a business relationship.

Yours sincerely
M. Jacob
M. Jacob
Sales Manager

e.
Dear Sirs
On 25 September we placed our order number RT56 for printed headed
notepaper and invoice forms. You acknowledged the order on 30
September. As that is some 3 weeks ago and we have not yet received
advice of delivery, we are wondering whether the order has since been
overlooked.

Your representative promised an early delivery and this was an important


factor in persuading us to place this order with you.
The delay in delivery is causing considerable inconvenience. We must ask
you to complete the order immediately, otherwise we shall have no option
but to cancel it and obtain the stationery elsewhere.

Yours faithfully

UNIT 2
NOTE - TAKING

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2.1 What is Note Taking?
Note-taking (sometimes written as note-taking or note taking) is the
practice of recording information captured from another source. By taking notes,
the writer records the essence of the information, freeing their mind from having
to recall everything.[1] Notes are commonly drawn from a transient source, such
as an oral discussion at a meeting, or a lecture (notes of a meeting are usually
called minutes), in which case the notes may be the only record of the event. Note
taking is a form of self discipline.

Many different formats are used to structure information and make it


easier to find and to understand, later. The format of the initial record may often
be informal and/or unstructured. One common format for such notes is shorthand,
which can allow large amounts of information to be put on paper very quickly.
Note-taking is an important skill for students, especially at the college level. In
some contexts, such as college lectures, the main purpose of taking notes may be
to implant the material in the mind; the written notes themselves being of
secondary importance. Historically, note-taking was an analog process, written
in notebooks, or other paper methods like Post-It notes. In the digital
age, computers, tablet PCs and personal digital assistants (PDAs) are common.

Note-taking is a race against time. The note taker typically is under severe time
pressure, and different note-taking styles and techniques try to make the best use
of time. The average rate of speech is 2–3 words per second, but the average
handwriting speed as only 0.2–0.3 words per second.[5]

Regardless of the medium (paper, computer), note-taking can be broadly divided


into linear and nonlinear methods, which can be combined.(cited 2016, June 26)
Available at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Note-taking

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Develop a note-taking method that works for you. Fine-tune the structure
and organization of your notes to increase your note-taking speed and
comprehension later.

• Start each new lecture on a new page, and date and number each page.
The sequence of material is important.
• Write on one side of the paper only. You can set them out side-by-side for
easier reviewing when studying for an exam.
• Leave blank spaces. This allows you to add comments or note questions
later.
• Make your notes as brief as possible. “Never use a sentence when you can
use a phrase, or a phrase when you can use a word” (Berkeley).
• Develop a system of abbreviations and symbols you can use wherever
possible.
• Note all unfamiliar vocabulary or concepts you don’t understand. This
reminds you to look them up later. (cited 2016, June 26) Available at
http://jerz.setonhill.edu/writing/academic1/taking-notes-5-college-
success-tips/

An example: Look at the text on underwater cameras below and then look at
how the text is presented in note form. The most important words to include in notes are
the information words. These are usually nouns, adjectives and verbs. (cited 2016,
July 12) Available at https://student.unsw.edu.au/note-taking-skills.

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Many of the strategies for reading note taking also apply to listening note
taking. However, unlike reading, you can't stop a lecture and review as you listen
(unless you listen to a taped lecture). Therefore preparation prior to listening can
greatly improve comprehension.
The use of symbols and abbreviations is useful for lectures, when speed is
essential. You also need to be familiar with symbols frequently used in your
courses. Develop a system of symbols and abbreviations; some personal, some
from your courses and be consistent when using symbols and abbreviations.

Abbreviations can be classified into three categories: (1) Common


abbreviations, e.g: c.f.(confer)=compare, i.e. (id est) = that is, e.g (exempla grate)

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= for example, NB (nota benne) =note well, etc.(et cetera)= and so on. (2)
Discipline-specific abbreviations, e.g. in chemistry: Au for gold and Mg for
magnesium, (3) Personal abbreviations. Here you can shorten any word that is
commonly used in your lectures. E.g. diff =different, Gov = government, NEC =
necessary.

Use concept maps and diagrams. You can set down information in a
concept map or diagram. This presents the information in a visual form and is
unlike the traditional linear form of note taking. Information can be added to the
concept map in any sequence.

Concept maps can easily become cluttered, so we recommend you use both
facing pages of an open A4 note book. This will give you an A3 size page to set
out your concept map and allow plenty of space for adding ideas and symbols.

▪ Begin in the middle of the page and add ideas on branches that radiate from
the central idea or from previous branches.
▪ Arrows and words can be used to show links between parts of the concept
map.
▪ Colour and symbols are important parts of concept maps, helping illustrate
ideas and triggering your own thoughts. (Cited 2016, July 12) Available at
https://student.unsw.edu.au/listening-and-note-taking-strategies.

2. 2 Exercises and Practices

a. Now Try to take note on the passage ‘Underwater Camera’ above using
Concept map or Diagram.

b. Take a note on the passages below!

Passage 1.

Jobs trends for the future emphasize careers in sales and marketing. Most
of the growth will come in international sales, high technology, and

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electronic marketing. Research shows that overseas sales of high tech
equipment and technology will increase 20% in the next decade.

The internet is the primary source for advertising and marketing to these
overseas customers. At the same time, however, successful marketers
must find new avenues to increase consumer awareness of their products.
As some clients inundated by information on the internet, and as others
are still just learning to navigate the web, the marketers of the future will
have to be inventive.

More traditional sales skills, such as bilingualism and an agreeable


character, are still useful. Willingness to travel is also a plus.

Passage 2 .

NPWP ... The Tax Identification Number

The Indonesian tax office (Direktorat Jenderal Pajak) requires all resident
individuals in Indonesia to have their own personal tax numbers, Nomor
Pendaftaran Wajib Pajak or NPWP. This regulation includes expatriates.
Naturally this excludes young children who are too young to work.

This regulation has not been enforced in the past due to the reliance on
individuals having no source of income outside their employment or
whose earnings fall outside the minimum level for inclusion in the tax
scheme. The government assumption was that companies were paying the
tax for their employees, but in fact it wasn't happening in many local
firms.

The tax office requires all expatriates resident in Indonesia to register with
the tax office and obtain their own separate tax number (NPWP) and pay
monthly income taxes, file annual tax returns, and pay tax on their income
earned outside Indonesia, less tax paid in other jurisdictions on the
additional overseas income.

c. Passage 3

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Accounting Cycle Steps

This cycle starts with a business event. Bookkeepers analyze the


transaction and record it in the general journal with a journal entry. The
debits and credits from the journal are then posted to the general ledger
where an unadjusted trial balance can be prepared.

After accountants and management analyze the balances on the


unadjusted trial balance, they can then make end of period adjustments
like depreciation expense and expense accruals. These adjusted journal
entries are posted to the trial balance turning it into an adjusted trial
balance.

Now that all the end of the year adjustments are made and the adjusted
trial balance matches the subsidiary accounts, financial statements can be
prepared. After financial statements are published and released to the
public, the company can close its books for the period. Closing entries are
made and posted to the post closing trial balance.

At the start of the next accounting period, occasionally reversing journal


entries are made to cancel out the accrual entries made in the previous
period. After the reversing entries are posted, the accounting cycle starts
all over again with the occurrence of a new business transaction.
(Cited 2016, July 15) Available at
http://www.myaccountingcourse.com/accounting-cycle/

d. Passage 4

The terms "tax avoidance" and "tax evasion" are often used
interchangeably, but they are very different concepts. Basically, tax
avoidance is legal, while tax evasion is not.

Tax avoidance is the legitimate minimizing of taxes, using methods


approved by the IRS. Businesses avoid taxes by taking all legitimate
deductions and by sheltering income from taxes by setting up employee
retirement plans and other means, all legal and under the Internal Revenue
Code or state tax codes.
Some examples of tax avoidance:
• Taking legitimate tax deductions to minimize business expenses and
thus lower your business tax bill.

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• Setting up a tax deferral plan such as an IRA, SEP-IRA, or 401(k)
plan to delay taxes until a later date.
• Taking tax credits for spending money for legitimate purposes, like
taking a Work Opportunity Tax Credit

Tax evasion, on the other hand, is the illegal practice of not paying
taxes, by not reporting income, reporting expenses not legally
allowed, or by not paying taxes owed.

Tax evasion is most commonly thought of in relation to income taxes,


but tax evasion can be practiced by businesses on state sales taxes
and on employment taxes. In fact, tax evasion can be practiced on all
the taxes a business owes.
Tax evasion is the illegal act or practice of failing to pay taxes which
are owed. In businesses, tax evasion can occur in connection
with income taxes, employment taxes, sales and excise taxes, and
other federal, state, and local taxes.
Examples of practices which are considered tax evasion:
It's considered tax evasion if you knowingly fail to report income.

Under-reporting income (claiming less income than you actually


received from a specific source
• Providing false information to the IRS about business income or
expenses
• Deliberately underpaying taxes owed
• Substantially understating your taxes (by stating a tax amount on
your return which is less than the amount owed for the income you
reported).
Because tax evasion is considered intentional, the IRS can bring you
under criminal charges and tax evasion can result in jail time as well
as substantial fines and penalties. (Cited 2016, July 15) Available at
http://biztaxlaw.about.com/od/businesstaxes/f/taxavoidevade.htm

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UNIT 3
COMPOSING PARAGRAPH

3.1 What is Paragraph?

A paragraph is defined as “a group of sentences or a single sentence that


forms a unit” (Lunsford and Connors 116). Length and appearance do not
determine whether a section in a paper is a paragraph. For instance, in some
styles of writing, particularly journalistic styles, a paragraph can be just one
sentence long. Ultimately, a paragraph is a sentence or group of sentences that
support one main idea. In this handout, we will refer to this as the “controlling
idea,” because it controls what happens in the rest of the paragraph.

What to Put in a Paragraph?


Before you can begin to determine what the composition of a particular
paragraph will be, you must first decide on an argument and a working thesis
statement for your paper. What is the most important idea that you are trying to
convey to your reader? The information in each paragraph must be related to that
idea. In other words, your paragraphs should remind your reader that there is a
recurrent relationship between your thesis and the information in each paragraph.
A working thesis functions like a seed from which your paper, and your ideas,
will grow. The whole process is an organic one—a natural progression from a
seed to a full-blown paper where there are direct, familial relationships between
all of the ideas in the paper.
The decision about what to put into your paragraphs begins with the
germination of a seed of ideas; this “germination process” is better known
as brainstorming. There are many techniques for brainstorming; whichever one
you choose, this stage of paragraph development cannot be skipped. Building
paragraphs can be like building a skyscraper: there must be a well-planned
foundation that supports what you are building. Any cracks, inconsistencies, or
other corruptions of the foundation can cause your whole paper to crumble.

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So, let’s suppose that you have done some brainstorming to develop your thesis.
What else should you keep in mind as you begin to create paragraphs? Every
paragraph in a paper should be:
• Unified: All of the sentences in a single paragraph should be related to a
single controlling idea (often expressed in the topic sentence of the
paragraph).
• Clearly related to the thesis: The sentences should all refer to the central
idea, or thesis, of the paper (Rosen and Behrens 119).
• Coherent: The sentences should be arranged in a logical manner and should
follow a definite plan for development (Rosen and Behrens 119).
• Well-developed: Every idea discussed in the paragraph should be adequately
explained and supported through evidence and details that work together to
explain the paragraph’s controlling idea (Rosen and Behrens 119).

How to Organize a Paragraph?


There are many different ways to organize a paragraph. The organization
you choose will depend on the controlling idea of the paragraph. Below are a few
possibilities for organization, with links to brief examples:
• Narration: Tell a story. Go chronologically, from start to finish.
• Description: Provide specific details about what something looks, smells,
tastes, sounds, or feels like. Organize spatially, in order of appearance, or
by topic.
• Process: Explain how something works, step by step. Perhaps follow a
sequence—first, second, third.
• Classification: Separate into groups or explain the various parts of a topic.
• Illustration: Give examples and explain how those examples prove your
point.( Cited 2016, June 27) Available at
http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/paragraphs/

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3.2 Paragraph Analysis

Sometimes a student understands all the sentences in the reading material,


but still does not understand what it is saying as a whole. This is because he does
not know how the material is organized. In order the student to be able to
understand each paragraph thoroughly, he should be trained to :
• find the topic
• find the main idea
• find major supporting details
• find minor supporting details.
3.2.1 Find the topic.
The topic of a paragraph is what a paragraph is about. The topic must be
precise– not too specific and not too general.

EXAMPLE
Animals produce a wide variety of sounds. Birds whistle, porpoises click,
wolves howl, and gorillas produce a drum like sound as they beat their
chest. The list is almost endless.

The topic of the paragraph is ………………………..

3.2.2 Find the main idea

After finding the topic, the student is to look for the main idea, which can
be a definition, a classification, a purpose, or an explanation of the topic. He
can often find the main idea in the topic sentence. If the paragraph has no topic
sentence, the student should make up his own topic sentence by drawing the
requisite information from the paragraph.

A topic sentence is a sentence whose main idea or claim controls the rest
of the paragraph; the body of a paragraph explains, develops or supports with
evidence the topic sentence's main idea or claim. The topic sentence is usually the

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first sentence of a paragraph, but not necessarily. It may come, for example, after
a transition sentence; it may even come at the end of a paragraph.

Topic sentences are not the only way to organize a paragraph, and not all
paragraphs need a topic sentence. For example, paragraphs that describe, narrate,
or detail the steps in an experiment do not usually need topic sentences. Topic
sentences are useful, however, in paragraphs that analyze and argue.

EXAMPLE 1

Latex is collected from the trees by tapping. Workers cut a narrow


slanting groove about halfway around the trunk. It is just deep enough to
pierce the living layers of cells beneath the bark. At the bottom of the cut
a metal spout is attached, and below it, a cup. The milky white latex oozes
from the cut and drips into the cup.

The Topic of the Paragraph is …………………


The Main Idea of the Paragraph is …………………...

EXERCISES

The largest icebergs in the north are one-half to one mile in length and
may show 300 feet of ice above the water. Since only about one-ninth of
the total iceberg is visible above water, such icebergs actually may attain
heights of up to 2700 feet. The greatest of all icebergs are those that are
broken off the Antarctic glaciers. Some of these icebergs are over forty
miles in length and a thousand feet thick. They are usually flat at the top
and bottom, and are described as tabular.

The Topic Is ………………………………………………………


The Main Idea is ………………………………………………….

3.2.3 Find Major Supporting Details

The students should practice to find the major supporting details that
modify the main idea. They should also know the function of these details, which
are of many types as follows :

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a. Details that Define
This type of detail support the main idea by giving a definition of
something presented in the main idea.
b. Details that Classify
This type of detail expands the main idea by classifying something
presented in the main idea. To locate this type of detail, the signal words
would be of great help such as : furthermore, moreover, also, and, either
…..or, neither …….nor, in addition, first, second, next, the other, another,
etc.
c. Details that explain.
This type of detail expand the main idea by explaining/describing
something. In general, it is used in explaining /describing processes,
measurements, forms, properties, and functions.
d. Details that illustrate/exemplify
This type of detail expand the main idea by illustrative examples. The
signal words to locate this details are as follows : that is , for4 example,
for instance, such as, include.
e. Details that Compare/Contrast
This type of detail expand the main idea by comparing similarities and
differences of objects or concept. The signal words that are helpful in
locating this type of detail : like, unlike, similarly, in the same way,
likewise, etc.
f. Details that show cause-effect relationship
This type of detail expand the main idea by showing cause-and-effect
relationships. The signal words are if, in consequence, consequently, so,
as a result, therefore, thereby, for this reason, thus, since, because,
accordingly, the effect, that is why, etc.
g. Detail that restate

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This type of detail restates the main idea by repeating it in another way,
or by concluding it. The signal words are : in other words, that is, in
conclusion, in brief, in short, etc.
EXAMPLE

(1) Many scientists believe that life on earth will eventually end. (2)
The oxygen supply in our atmosphere, for example, has been gradually
decreasing and will be used up in a billion years. (3) Other fates may
overtake us before that time. (4) The sun may explode, as other stars
occasionally do, destroying life in an instant. (5) Or another star may
pass so close as to disrupt the gravitational pull between the sun and
the earth and shift the earth closer to the sun, where it will face
destruction from the intense heat.

The topic is ………………………………………………………….


The main idea is ……………………………………………………
The major supporting details expand the main idea by illustrating examples of
how life on earth will eventually end. There are three examples given.
Which sentences are they ?

3.2.4 Find Minor Supporting Details


Minor supporting details support major details.
EXAMPLE
(1) The purification of water is basically a two-step or three-step process carried
out under the strict supervision of public-health scientists and engineers.(2)
As the first step, natural water from the least contaminated source is allowed
to stand in large reservoirs, where most of the mud, silt, and clay settle out;
this is called “ sedimentation.”(3) Often, in water with high mud content, lime
and aluminum sulphate are added to the water in the setting reservoirs.(4)
These chemicals react in the water to form aluminum hydroxide, which
settles slowly and carriers much of the suspended material, including most of

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the bacteria, to the bottom of the reservoirs. (5) As the second step, the water
is filtered though beds of sand and gravel, which remove other impurities and
chemicals in it. (6) During or after filtration, antibiotic chemicals are
ordinarily added to the water to kill any remaining harmful bacteria.(7)
Chlorine is one of the most common chemicals used for this purpose. (8) A
third step taken by some municipalities is adding to the water other beneficial
chemicals such as fluoride to make tooth enamel hard, and soda ash to make
the water itself soft. (9) The water purification process, carried out with little
variation from one large city to another, is perhaps the biggest factor in the
prevention of major outbreaks of disease.
The topic of the paragraph is………………………………………………….
The main idea of the paragraph is …………………………………………….
Major supporting details are sentence number ………………………………
Minor supporting details are sentences number ……………………………
The function of sentence number 9 is ………………………………………..

3. 3 Exercises and Practices

3.3.1 Paragraph Analysis

Read the paragraphs (passages) below and answer the Questions!


a. Passage 1

ENERGY STAR is a government program that gives people the power to


protect the environment in a cost effective way and without sacrificing quality
or product features. Products that earn the ENERGY STAR prevent
greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy efficiency guidelines set
by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Department
of Energy (DOE). In the average home, 75% of all electricity used to power
home electronics is consumed while the products are turned off. ENERGY
STAR qualified home electronic products in the off position use up to 50%
less energy than conventional equipment.

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b. Passage 2

Acer warrants any Acer computer hardware product (“system”) first sold
to an end-user in a country of the Asia Pacific area (the “Territorial Scope”),
to be free from defects in materials or workmanship under normal use for the
duration of the warranty period as stated on this limited Warranty Booklet
supplied with your system (“Warranty Booklet”). The warranty period
commences on the date of purchase. Your original purchase invoice (sales
receipt), showing the date of purchase of the system, is your proof of the date
of purchase. This Limited Warranty extends beyond the original purchaser to
any lawful successor in interest, provided, however, that anyone claiming
under this warranty must, upon request, produce the original purchase invoice
to be entitled to warranty services. Warranty service will be performed based
on the primary language used in the Acer Asia Pacific (“AAP”) country
where the service request is made. Warranty repair services involving
language based aspects of your System (e.g. keyboards, software) may not be
capable of being performed in another language than the primary language
used in the AAP country where the service request is made. Acer will, as its
position, repair or replace any defective System or parts thereof covered by
this Limited Warranty with new or factory-refurbished parts or Systems that
are equal to new products in performance. All exchanged parts and Systems
replaced under this limited Warranty will become the property of Acer.

Questions (for passage 1 and 2 above)

2. What is the paragraph about?


3. What is the main idea of the paragraph?

c. Passage 3: Philips Lighting Solution

According to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) climate


change is one of the most critical challenges of our time. Climate change and

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an increase in global temperatures can cause decrease agricultural activity,
decreased water quality and increased incidence of diseases. Other effects
may include changes in the amount and pattern of rainfall resulting in floods
and drought.

Currently, lighting consumes 19% of the world’s electricity output


(source IEA). Philips recognizes that energy efficiency is one essential
answer to global climate change and with its number one position in global
lighting recognizes the need to take the lead in changing the lighting industry.
Philips made a serious commitment to develop, promote and market more
energy-efficient solutions-which could significantly reduce costs, save energy
and cut CO2 emissions.

There has been a revolution In lighting technology during the past 10 – 15


years. Switching the older lighting to the latest technology will bring huge
savings in energy costs and CO2 emissions. The traditional, incandescent
light bulbs are very energy inefficient because 95% of the energy consumed
is wasted as heat. As approximately 80% of all lighting in the home is still
using incandescent light bulbs, the collective energy waste is enormous.
Using the new technology- CFLi for home use – can save 80% of the energy.
Philips believes that just by switching from old to new technology, massive
savings could be made. An achievable energy saving of 40% on all lighting
currently installed globally would save EUR 106 billion in energy costs. This
equates to: 555 million tons of CO2, 1,560 million barrels of oil per year or
the annual output of 530 medium sized power stations at 2 TWh/yr. However,
Philips does not expect this change to happen overnight, but we believe the
process should start now. ( source: Greeners, volume 2 Edisi09/ Desember
2007)

Queations.

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1. Why is it said that climate change is one of the most critical
challenges of our time?

2. It is said that switching the older lighting to the latest technology will
bring huge savings in energy costs and CO2 emissions. Why?
Explain your answer!

3. What is the first paragraph about?


4. What is the second paragraph about?
5. What is the third paragraph about?

d. Passage 4: A Beginner’s Guide to Avoiding Viruses

Aaaaaahhhhhh! I’ve been invaded by a virus!” Getting a virus means getting


sick and no one in their right mind wants to be ill. Well, now that computers
have become our close friends, it’s a shock to learn that foreign bodies too
can invade them with malicious intent. No, your computer doesn’t get a runny
nose or diarrhea. This is a sickness that stops your friend from functioning
properly, sick in bed, incapacitated.

Well in Nature viruses occur from a power outside of our control. But, with
computers it’s different, humans, mean or ignorant humans are creating these
viruses. Why? Usually these are disgruntled people who want to wreak some
havoc on others or companies that they feel have done wrong to them. In any
case we have to be in the know and prepared to deal with these debilitating
scourges.

There are many ways to approach the protection of your computer. First of all
there’s the step of awareness. Be aware of how viruses are transmitted. You
can catch them from a disc but in most cases it is through your email system.
Check your email carefully. Be very wary of anything that has an attachment.
Check whom it’s from and look at the title of the mail, is it something you
were expecting? Even if it’s from someone you know, be careful as their
computer could be infected and the virus being transmitted without their
knowledge.

Next, read the cover message, you can’t catch the disease without actually
opening the message. Look at the name of the attachment; remember viruses
are written to entice you. Beware of free offers and generally anything from
people you don’t know, as well as messages that sound irrelevant to your -
contact’s usual style. Delete them straight away. Delete, delete, delete. This
will ensure you of a lower risk of infection. You can even send the message
back to the sender without opening it to make sure it is valid.

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Now for the heavy protection: Virus scanning and virus protection software,
and rescue discs are all readily available and easily utilized. Some are free,
and others are obtained for a very small charge. Most software manufacturers
offer subscriptions for updating services, which automatically download
protection to the latest viruses.

There are two main types of virus scanning software: one searches through
your entire computer files looking for recognizable viral signatures, the other
scans your incoming and outgoing emails. Alerts will show you when a file
needs to be erased or repaired. If you do receive a virus that none of the
software can repair you can send a copy of it to a company like Symantec
who will be happy to develop a cure for it.

The main message here is not to get too worried about your good friend Mrs.
PC getting ill or sick. The humans are on top of the case and they seem much
better adapted at fixing their technology than they are at beating the viruses
that attack our physical bodies. If only we could cure human virus and illness
as easily as we solve the problem of computer sickness.

Jesse S. Somer

Questions

1. What is the passage about?


2. What is each paragraph about?
3. What is the main idea of each paragraph?
4. How is the passage organized?

e. Passage 5

Accounting is process of identifying, measuring, and communicating economic


information to various users

The main goal of accounting is to provide a company with clear, comprehensive,


and reliable information about its economic activities and status of its assets and
liabilities. This information is presented in the form of accounting reports like the
balance sheet, income statement, statement of changes in equity (also called
shareholders' equity statement), and statement of cash flows (also called cash
flow statement). By means of accounting reports it is possible to perform the
following (list non-inclusive):

23
• Understand and re-allocate internal resources of the company to ensure its
financial stability
• Review profitability of the company's economic activities
• Understand the company's cash inflows and outflows
• Verify conformity of a company's economic activities to government
regulations

Internal users of accounting reports are managers, owners, and employees.


External users of accounting reports are investors, creditors, and government.

Audit is independent appraisal performed by an independent expert of an activity


or event. There are operational, technical, ecological and other types of audit.
Most commonly, nevertheless, this term refers to audits of financial statements.

Audit of financial statements is the process of examining the financial statements


and the underlying records of the company in order to render an opinion as to
whether the statements are fairly presented. Most commonly financial audits are
performed on a company's request for the benefit of financial information users
(i.e. internal and external). Auditors analyze and compare accounting reports
and confirmation documents as well as verify conformity of a company's
accounting with established standards and regulations (e.g. US GAAP, IFRS).
Therefore, the main goal of an audit is to perform thorough evaluation of a
company's financial records and reports and provide a company with
improvement recommendations based on that evaluation.

As we can see, accounting provides financial information to users of such


information, and auditing is a means to ensure such information is reliable and
comforts with established rules and regulations.(Cited 2016,July15) Available at
http://simplestudies.com/difference-accounting-auditing.html

f. Passage 6

Depreciation is an accounting method of allocating the cost of a tangible


asset over its useful life. Businesses depreciate long-term assets for both
tax and accounting purposes. For tax purposes, businesses can deduct the
cost of the tangible assets they purchase as business expenses; however,
businesses must depreciate these assets in accordance with IRS rules
about how and when the deduction may be taken.

24
For accounting purposes, depreciation expense does not represent a cash
transaction, but it indicates how much of an asset's value has been used up
over time. For example, if a company buys a piece of equipment for
$50,000, it can either write the entire cost of the asset off in year one, or it
can write the value of the asset off over the life of the asset, which is 10
years. This is why business owners like depreciation. Most business
owners prefer to expense only a portion of the cost, which artificially
boosts net income. In addition, the equipment can be scrapped for
$10,000, which means it has a salvage value of $10,000. Using these
variable the analyst calculates depreciation expense as the difference
between the cost of the asset and the salvage value, divided by the useful
life of the asset. The calculation in this example is: ($50,000 - $10,000) /
10, which is $4,000.

This means the company's accountant does not have to write off the entire
$50,000, even though it paid out that amount in cash. Instead, the
company only has to expense $4,000 against net income. The company
expenses another $4,000 next year, and another $4,000 the year after that,
and so on, until the value of the equipment is completely written off in
year 10.(Cited 2016. July 15) Available at
http://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/depreciation.asp

Questions (for passage 5 and 6 above)

1. What is the passage about?


2. What is each paragraphs about?

3.3.2 Composing/Writing Paragraph

a. Write a short paragraph of your own topic (dealing with Accounting,


Marketing, Tax, etc).

b. Write a short passage of your own topic (dealing with Accounting,


Marketing, Tax, etc).

25
UNIT 4
CONDUCTING MEETING

4.1 How to Conduct a Meeting


Meetings can be useful, productive tools, but only if conducted properly.
Having a meeting that is properly laid out with an agenda and a time frame
can help a company or organization accomplish much more in a shorter
period of time.

Solid Preparation. The first step to a productive meeting is to be well


prepared for it. This means defining the objectives and desired outcomes of
the meeting in an agenda. This agenda lets the meeting attendees know
exactly what to expect. Include the topics that will be covered during the
meeting in as much detail as necessary. Deliver the agenda through mail or
email before the meeting so the participants have a chance to look over it and
make notes of anything they wish to discuss during the meeting. Bring extra
copies of the agenda to the meeting in case any unexpected attendees show
up or someone leaves their agenda behind. Make sure to have enough copies
of any other handouts that will be distributed during the meeting.

All the equipment needed for the meeting should be readily available. This
may include audio/visual equipment such as a laptop, a Wi-Fi network
connection, an LCD, and a microphone rental (if necessary). Some meeting
organizers like to provide refreshments such as coffee, tea, water, or cookies
to the attendees.

Effective Moderator. Each meeting should have a moderator. It is the


moderator’s job to help the meeting attendees keep on track and the meeting
move along if conversation gets stalled on one particular topic. Every
meeting should have someone assigned to take notes. This helps the
attendees of the meeting review what was covered later and also allows those

26
that could not make it to know what was discussed. This duty can be
permanently assigned to someone or regular meeting attendees can swap the
note taking duties.

Before discussing the agenda, make any necessary introductions so the


attendees are all familiar with each other. When the meeting starts, the
moderator should review the agenda and let attendees know exactly what is
to be covered and the desired outcome of the meeting. He or she should let
all attendees know the timeframe of the meeting. Sticking to this timeframe
helps keep the meeting on track.

Group Contribution. While conducting the meeting, the moderator and all
other attendees should take the time to hear each person’s opinion on a
matter. Meetings work best if everyone is allowed to contribute. If no one
offers any ideas, it is the moderator’s job to try to employee brainstorming
techniques to help come to a decision on a topic. Stay focused on the agenda
and don’t allow the attendees to stray to other areas. If a good topic arises,
but will involve some detailed discussion, ask the note taker to add that topic
to the agenda for the next meeting so it can receive its proper discussion
time.

Gratitude and Appreciation. As the meeting ends, be sure to thank all


attendees for coming. Many meetings are viewed as chores to attend, but if
the participants are thanked and feel that their input was appreciated, they
will think more highly of them. If this is a regular meeting, the moderator
may want to give the next meeting date and make sure that is a good time for
everyone. Once the meeting is over, have the note taker or appropriate
person type up the minutes of the meeting and distribute to each attendee
either through mail or email. (Cited 2016, June 27) Available at
https://meetingtomorrow.com/content-library/how-to-conduct-a-meeting

27
4.2 Example of a Meeting

Below is an example of a meeting conducted at Renwicks. They are a UK


nationwide chain of garages, In addition to all the usual garage services, they are
also the franchise for the Peugeot Talbot group. This means that they are
responsible for sales, marketing, and after- sales for the Peugeot Talbot range of
vehicles across the country.

The meeting was attended by 3 people, Gordon Cameron (General


Manager), Peter English (After-sales Manager) and Rob Ward (Workshop
Controller). In this meeting there are three agenda items discussed those are:
Current situation of workshop development, Staff recruitment, and Saturday
working. In this example only one items discussed, Staff recruitment is presented
as follows:

Gordon: OK. Ehm …can we go on to staff recruitment? Firstly, on that item is


…er …the promotions which we’ve actually carried out to encourage
people to come and join the company – I understand we’ve done a
couple. We’ve had an open evening and also we’ve advertised on radio.
What ….success have we had there?

Rob :Well the open evening …er…last time we had it was quite successful,
wasn’t it?

Peter : Mmm.

Rob : But we didn’t seem to have …. I don’t know….you get about one in
ten people out of it that are any good.

Gordon : Well, you’re bound to get a lost…….lot of oddballs coming along.

Rob : Yes

Peter :We employed one of them through that and the chap we’re actually
giving a trial to at the moment actually came on that evening as well…
but he actually re applied … er …through the …..the newspaper when

28
we ran the advert two weeks ago. So he’s come on trial through that and
he finishes today and we’ve just got him on a three day trial.

Gordon: Are you going to keep him …er …What do you think?

Peter : Well the funny thing is that it’s turned out…..that he seems to be a bit
better than the guy that we’ve actually employed, at the moment.

Gordon: Is that just because he’s …er… you know, he’s working on …er … you
know – on a short term basis? Is he under pressure and that’s why he’s
performing that much better or ……?

Rob : No… even when he’s not ….. he’s no high performer or anything like
this he’s just …er…he’s got a better attitude to it and can get into it and
he’ll ask questions if he’s got problems.

Gordon: OK. Great

Peter : He’s steady guy.

Gordon: So, as far as staff recruitment’s concerned, we’ve got all the people that
we need.

Peter : Yeah, we’ve got one starting on Tuesday….

Gordon: Uhuh .

Peter : …from Mann Egerton. We’ve got good reference from them; and
we’ve got another guy starting a week Monday from Station Garage in
Topshamp who Seth saw, and….. Chris spoke to him as well. I haven’t
seen him – I don’t think you saw him either and you Rob?

Rob : No. I haven’t seen him …..

Peter : Yeah, but I mean Chris thinks he’s OK, so that will do for me.

Gordon : OK, if Chris says that, that’s great. Erm …and obviously we’ve in
…informed head office, the Salaries Department, so they are gonna get
paid, have we?

Peter : Yeah. Yeah.

Gordon : There are letters of appointment going out ….

29
Peter : Letters of appointment have all gone out, they’ve gone to David Morley
so that’s not a problem.

Gordon : So,…the Training Manager’s got that. And what about training = do
any of them actually need any training?

Peter : Well, obviously, as time goes by we’ll sort be able to ascertain that = I
workshops and see how they get on…

Gordon : At this moment in time they are …they’re up and running = we don’t
need anything to do with them yet.

Peter : Well, we need to work out what their strengths and weaknesses are,
really, before we decide on a …training policy.

Rob : We’ve actually got one down for a course already, haven’t we?

Peter : Yeah, we’ve got one course available.

Gordon : What course is that?

Peter : That’s ..er….

Rob : XU engines.

Gordon : Yeah

Peter : Which is …..

Rob : It’s a four day course, isn’t it?

Peter : It’s a four day course. It … it’s not a particularly intense course it’s
quite a basic course as sort but it’ll give them a good idea of the
product…..which will be quite useful. And that’s in June. But other than
that there is no other courses available from Peugeot so we’d have to
look elsewhere if we decide to do some training on .. with them.

Gordon : Right. OK = that seems to be a problem just now, doesn’t it?

Peter : Mmm.

30
Vocabulary
Oddballs : strange, unusual people – in this case it means time-wasters
Trial : a test period
That’s do for me : I am satisfied with that
To ascertain : to discover the situation

A. Read the discussion above and decide if the following statements are true
or false.
1. They employed a lot of oddballs through the open evening
2. They are going to keep the new recruit who has been on a three-
day trial
3. The man coming from Station Garage has not been seen by
anyone.
4. The new recruits need immediate training
5. There are no Peugeot training courses available apart from the one
in June.
B. Write down the words which the speakers use in place of the phrases in
italics
1. “ ….you get about one in ten people out of it that are any good.”
“ Well, you are sure to get a lot of oddballs coming along”
2. “He’s a steady guy.” “ So with reference to staff recruitment,
we’ve got all the people that we need.”
3. “…at the moment we’re gonna have to put them in the workshops
and observe their progress….”
4. “ But apart from that there is no other courses available…”
5. “Right. OK – that seems to be a problem at the present time,
doesn’t it ?

C, In a group of three Dramatize the meeting above!

31
4.3 Role-Play

In a group of three or four, please prepare and then perform a Role-play


based on a certain situation. For Example, for the last 6 months the products sales
in the company where you work in is decreasing. The General Manager then
invites the Marketing Manager, Sales Manager, and Chief Accounting for a
meeting to discuss that problem. The meeting aims at investigating the causes
why the sales decrease and finding out the solutions.

UNIT 5
NEGOTIATION

5.1 What is Negotiation?

Negotiation is used by each of us everyday of our lives. It is at its most


obvious in the worlds of business and politics but is often not recognized for what
it really is in our personal lives.

Negotiation is a method by which people settle differences. It is a process


by which compromise or agreement is reached while avoiding argument and
dispute.

In any disagreement, individuals understandably aim to achieve the best


possible outcome for their position (or perhaps an organization they
represent). However, the principles of fairness, seeking mutual benefit and
maintaining a relationship are the keys to a successful outcome.(Cited 2016, June
25) Available at http://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/negotiation.html

Look at the list of situations in the business and personal life of a


manager. Write down ‘Yes’ next to those which you think involve negotiation.
Discuss the answers with your partner.

32
1. setting a deadline
2. planning holidays date
3. finalizing a contract
4. buying a new house
5. allocating the budget

5. 2 Negotiation – art or science?


Read the two conversations below then answer the questions!
Conversation 1.
Interviewer : Mr Wells, is it fair to say that negotiation is an art?
Mr Wells : Well, I think it’s both an art and science. You can prepare for a
negotiation quite scientifically but the execution of a negotiation has quite
a lot to do with one’s artistry. The scientific part of a negotiation is in
determining your strategy: What do you want out of it? What can you
give? What do you expect? What do you need? Then of course there are
tactics: How do you go about it? Do you take an opening position in the
negotiation which differs from the eventual goal that you’re heading for?
And then, of course, there are the behavioral aspects.
Interviewer : What do you mean by the behavioral aspects?
Mr Wells : Well, That’s I think, where the art comes in. In your behavior
you can either be an actor, you can pretend that you don’t like things
which you’re actually quite pleased about, or you can pretend to like
things which you’re quite happy to do without. Or you can be the honest
type negotiator, who’s known by his partners in negotiation, and always
plays everything straight. But the artistic part of a negotiation, I thing, has
to do with responding immediately to cues one gets in the process of
negotiation. These can be verbal cues or even body language. This is
where the artistry comes in.
Interviewer : So really you see two types of negotiator then: the actor or the
honest one.

33
Mr Wells : That’s right. And both can work.

I would say the honest negotiator can be quite effective in some


circumstances. In other circumstances you need an actor.
Interviewer : Which one do you think, in your experience, you would have
used more widely?
Mr Wells : Oh I’m definitely the honest negotiator. It’s impossible for me to
act. My language and my body language give me away immediately so I
can only be myself as a negotiator and try to be as successful as possible.

Questions.
1. According to Mr. Wells, is negotiation an art or science?
2. What does Mr. Wells consider to be scientific about negotiation?
3. What does he consider to be artistic about negotiation?
4. Which are the two types of negotiator that he mentions?
5. Which type does he consider himself to be?

Conversation 2
Interviewer : Is there a definition of what makes a successful negotiator?
Mr Wells : Well, not a definitive one, but I think successful negotiators have
several things in common. They are always polite and rational people;
they are firm but flexible; they can recognise power and know how to use
it; they are sensitive to the dynamics of a negotiation - the way it rises and
falls and may change direction many times; they project an aura of
confidence = and, perhaps most importantly, they know when to stop.
Interviewer : And what about an unsuccessful negotiator?
Mr Wells : Well, this is probably all of us when we start out. We are
probably naïve and overtrusting, too emotional or aggressive. We are
unsure of ourselves and we want to be liked by everyone. The good

34
negotiator s learn fast. The bad one remains like that and go on losing
negotiation.
Interviewer : In conclusion, in your opinion, can negotiation be taught?
Mr Wells : Well, you can teach someone how to prepare for a negotiation.
There are perhaps six stages in every negotiation: get to know the other
side, state your goals, start the process, clarify areas of disagreement or
conflict, reassess your position, making acceptable compromises – and
finally reach some agreement in principle. These stages can be studied
And strategy in each can be planned. But I think the really successful
negotiator is probably born with this sixth sense about responding to the
situation.
Interviewer : The artistic sense as you describe it?
Mr Wells : Yes

Complete the table below!


Successful negotiator Unsuccessful negotiator
1. ……………………………… 1. ………………………………..
2. ……………………………… 2. ………………………………..
3. …………………………….. 3. ……………………………….
4. …………………………….. 4. ……………………………….
5. ………………………………
6. ……………………………...

35
Stages in a negotiation

1 ……………………………………………………………………….
2. ……………………………………………………………………….
3. ……………………………………………………………………….
4. ……………………………………………………………………….
5. ……………………………………………………………………….
6. ……………………………………………………………………….

5.3 Examples of negotiation


Example 1.

Malone : Uh, when we first put these machines in operation, install them in
our factories, can you send over a group of technical advisors who
speak English and could train our engineers and workmen?
Blake :Yes, certainly. In fact we have some engineers in a language
training program now and they could come over within a few
months and be available anytime you need.
Malone : Great, great, that sounds good. Another one of our major concerns
is the service manual. We are quite concerned about getting a
service manual in English that will be easy to read and very clear
and useful for our engineers.
Blake : Yeah. Again, as I told you, we are pre paring a translation of the
Japanese manual we now have, and we expect that to be ready in a
short time.
Malone : By short time ………………… could you give me an estimate?
Blake : Uh, I’d like to say two weeks, but I’d have to get back to you , but
probably say about two or three weeks.
Malone :Oh, that sounds quite reasonable. As you know we have until
January 1st to actually install these machines and get them
operating, no we are under no deadline pressure here.
Blake : Okay, well that gives us a fair amount of time to work with.
Malone : Plenty of time. That sounds good, Mr. Blake. Another concern is
your professional record, performance record in Japan with these
machines.
Blake : Why don’t I send you some reports that we have on the
performance of the robot in some Japanese companies who are
also our clients. And I am sure you’ll be quite pleased with what
you see.
Malone : Okay, great. Could you get those off to me within a few weeks?

36
Blake : Sure. That shouldn’t be a problem. In fact as soon as I get back to
Tokyo I’ll see to it.
Malone : Excellent. Thank you very much.
Blake : Is there anything else?
Malone : Well, no. That covers all the major points.
Blake : Okay, Fine.
Malone : Sounds good.

Example 2.

This is a negotiation between me and the client regarding a request that an agency
representative review all videos before sending them for uploading.

Client: We wish to change the SLA and


include a provision for an agency
representative to review all your works Establishing what the client wants.
before it is sent for uploading on our
website.
Myself: I don’t like the idea of having
one of your representatives reviewing Putting forward opinion and requesting
our work before we send it for a reason
uploading. Why do you request this?
Client: It is so that we know that the
quality of the work is up to the standards
Questioning whether or company is
that we want and expect. After all we
worth the money.
are paying you quite a bit of money. Is
this going to be a problem?
Myself: Well there are several reasons
why I think having our videos reviewed
before uploading is a bad idea. We are
already under the pressure of having to
produce 5 videos a week for you. That
I state why this request can’t be met.
deadline is already quite tight, and
having your representative review each
video and wanting changes would make
it impossible for us to meet your weekly
deadline.
Client: I understand that you have a
tight deadline, but I would like to have a
Acknowledges problem, but also wants
say in what goes in the videos. As a
to have control of what goes in the
client I must be able to have a say in
video.
what we want as I feel we know how
best to advertise our homes.

37
Myself: Our creative design studio is
one of the best in the world. I think we
would know what the difference is
between a good video and a great video.
You hired us knowing we will be doing Asserting how great our creative team is
an excellent job for you guys. I think our and doesn’t need to be shown what to
team is very capable and would know do.
how to create and design a lot better
then what your sales staff would. Just
like vice versa, your sales staff would be
better at selling then my creative team.
Client: Very well. I understand you
guys are professionals at what you do
and I understand what you mean. I don’t
like people telling me how to sell my
homes too. However I still wish to have Client agrees and understands. Client
a little bit of input into a few of the still wants input thou.
homes we are selling. My representative
can give you the best selling points of
the house so that you can exploit them
to your best potential.
Myself: Hmmm. Very well I will allow
you to review 1 home video out of the 5,
but you must tell us upfront which one
that you will be reviewing. We might A little bit of give, if you let me have
need more time then due to the process some extra time
especially if we want to keep producing
at the same quality that we have been so
far.
Client: Agreed. I will extend the
deadline to 2 weeks if u let me review Client agrees and will give more then
and have some input on 2 videos out of enough if promised what she wants.
the 5. Is that an agreement?
Myself: Yes. That will suit us fine then.
We shall work out the finer details at a Satisfied. Win/Win for both parties.
later date.

(Cited 2016, June 27) Available at


http://www.vietnamcentrepoint.edu.vn/bec/?act=n&t=265

38
LANGUAGE FUNCTIONS

Function Phrases
Clarifying/Conforming In fact …
Accepting/agreeing That sounds good.
Expressing/worry … one of our major concern is …
Expressing worry We’re quite concerned about …..
Conforming/clarifying As I told you …..
Requesting/inquiring Could you give me an estimate?
Stalling I’d like to say …., … probably say ……
Accepting/agreeing …. That sounds quite reasonable.
Conforming/agreeing As you know ….
Offering Why don’t I ….
Promising/assuring ..I’m sure you’ll be quite pleased with that you see.
Requesting Could you ….
Assuring/promising That shouldn’t be a problem
Clarifying/conforming In fact …
Promising/assuring I’ll see to it.
Inquiring Is there anything else?
Accepting That covers all the major points.

5.4 Follow-up

Some negotiators prefer to work as part of a team. Team negotiation is a


recognized technique and one which can be very different from one-to-one
negotiation. Try to think of the advantages and disadvantages of team
negotiation and list them below. Discuss your idea with your partners in
group.
Advantages Disadvantages
1. …………………………… 1. ……………………..
2. …………………………… 2. …………………… .

39
3. …………………………… 3. ……………………..
4. ………………………….. 4 ……………………..
5. etc. 5. etc.

UNIT 6
BUSINESS REPORT

6.1 What is Business Report?


When a report is written for business purpose, it is called business report.
It is a little bit different from other reports. It deals with business related
information. A business report is prepared containing business related
information that assists the management to take better decisions. In short,
a business report can be defined as an organized, written statement of facts
related to specific business matter. It helps the interested persons to get insight
into the problem and to overcome the problem. (bizcom_coach,2015) Available
at http://bizcommunicationcoach.com/what-is-business-report-characteristics-of-
business-report/

6.2 Sales Report

A record of calls made and products sold during a particular time


frame kept by a salesperson or their management. For example, a typical sales
report might incorporate data on (1) sales volume observed per item
or group of items, (2) how many new and current accounts were contacted and
when, and (3) any costs that were involved in promoting and selling products.(
http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/sales-report.html)

EXAMPLE

40
Good morning, gentlemen. I want to take a little of your time in this session of
the conference to consider the sales of our products over the last year.
Unfortunately a few of our sales staff are away on business, but this can’t be
helped.

But let’s start with an overview of the situation.

Most our products have had a successful year, and none of them have fallen
below the sales target. However, some of them have been more successful than
others. But more of that later.
As far as our customers are concerned, a few of them have asked us to increase
some of our range in particular our coloured pens. However, all of them have
expressed satisfaction with the quality of our products and our service. I shall
return to this point later.
If you cast your minds back to our last meeting, you’ll remember the
questionnaires we handed out, in which we asked you to put forward suggestions
about our products and services. We have now looked at most of them.
Although all of your ideas were reasonable, some of them were unrealistic in the
present financial climate. However, we intend to give them further consideration
and I am sure a few of them will be implemented. Anyway, I should like to thank
all of you for your co-operation.

But now let’s take a look at the figures in detail.

We’ll start with our most successful product…

41
Complete the table below! TRUE FALSE
A few of the sales staff did not attend the meeting.
All of the company’s products have had a successful year.
None of the company’s products have fallen below the sales
target.
A few of the company’s customers have asked for an increased
product range.
Most of the company’s customers are satisfied.
The questionnaires have now been processed.
Most of the ideas put forward were unreasonable.
The company intends to implement a few of the suggestions

6. 3 Trip Report
Trip reports are written whenever people leave their normal place of work
to do something elsewhere. The reports can cover many kinds of events, such as
:Installation or modification of equipment, Assistance on a field project,
Attendance at a conference, seminar, workshop or a meeting, Repair to client’s
equipment or field instruments, Evaluation of another firm’s buildings, facilities,
or methods.

Trip report can be organized as follows :


1. Summary : This is drawn primarily from the background and the job the
writer had.
2. Background : This brings together all the bits and pieces of information
relating to the trip. It describes who went where, why, and when the job was
done.
3. Job description : For a trip report describing an installation, modification or
repair work, follow these guidelines :

42
• Describe routine work that goes according to plan as briefly as possible,
particularly if there is an instruction of work specification which can be
referred to and/or attended.
• Describe unexpected work, unusual events, or problems in some detail,
and particularly explain how a difficult situation has been resolved.
4. It gives an answer to a questions coming from the readers, sometimes it can
be difficult to identify exactly where the outcomes section starts. Some
people might say it starts at the beginning of the report, or job description.
Other might say it starts after the writer describes the unexpected work,
unusual events, or problems in some detail.

6.4 Occurrence Report

An occurrence report tells about an event that has happened, explains how
and why it occurred, and describes what effect the event had and what has been
done about it. Sometimes it also suggests that corrective action be taken or what
should be done to prevent the event from recurring.
The report arrangement.
The report is mostly arranged in psychological organizational plan. It
contains four main parts those are :
1. summary statement: explain briefly what happened and the effect it had.
2. Background : Answer the questions that ( to whom the report is addressed ) is
likely to ask :
- When did it happen?
- Where did it happen?
- Who is responsible?
- How many casualties are?
3. The event : describe exactly what happened and explain why the event
could not be eventide.
4. The outcome. Answer the question what was done about it.

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EXAMPLE

MEMORANDOM

FROM : Abubakar Andartomo DATE :


TO : Richard Harris SUBJECT : fire

Due to the explosion of our delivered gas tank, one of our customer’s kitchens
caught fire and it damaged part of the kitchen. It causes us to compensate the
customer’s total loss of Rp. 4.000.000.

The fire happened on Friday morning at about 11 o’clock in a home belonging to


a doctor on jalan Raya Pasar Minggu No.23 at the Airport Residential complex.
However the fire brigade and the local people immediately put out the fire before
it spread to other parts of the house and neighbors. No casualties occurred.

The fire was caused by the explosion of a gas tank which was about to be hooked
up. The blaze could not have been extinguished unless the supplier put it out by
water.

Yesterday afternoon, I contracted out insurance company and asked them to


check the incident. This morning the insurance company agreed to compensate
our customer’s loss. We are now checking all gas tanks in the store under 2
police and 3 fire brigade officers’ supervision. Since the incident the office has
been closed. We will open the office when conditions allow us to do so.

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UNIT 7
PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD

7.1 What and How?

One of the questions I most frequently get asked when people hear I sit on
company boards isn’t about executive pay packages. Instead, they want to know
how to present to a board so its members will say yes. The question always calls
to mind a presentation that went wrong. Several years ago, a rather dandified
fellow from inside a company gave a presentation to a board I sat on. He was
snide at times, made several off-colour jokes, winked at board members and
made his political leanings clear with side remarks about the government of the
day. When he didn’t know the answers to questions we asked, he tried to fob
them off as irrelevant. When the chair finally ended the presentation, we looked
at each other in disbelief. We weren’t just unsure about the proposal, but also
unsure of the person who brought the proposal. I think you can guess how we
voted.

Don’t let this be you.

People present to corporate boards for many reasons—they could be suggesting a


new direction for the company, explaining a complex legal issue that needs to be
decided quickly, or simply giving an update on an ongoing project. But boards
come in all shapes and sizes, be they school boards, neighbourhood watch boards,
apartment boards, non-profit boards or employee committees.

No matter the context, the principles of presenting to decision-making bodies are


the same, and getting it right is crucial. It’s not as difficult as it sounds, so long as
you keep some guidelines in mind. Here are nine do’s and six don’ts of being
effective:

Board Presentations Do’s:

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• Know what you are walking into. Board meetings are often jam packed
with a long agenda. In the past couple of months I’ve been in meetings
that have lasted up to 8 hours, covering up to 20 topics. Your topic is
special to you, but you have a finite amount of time to get essential
information across.
• Do your homework. Who is on the board? What is their background? It
helps to be able to tailor the presentation when applicable, so you are not
telling them things they already know, nor assuming knowledge they
might not have.

• Send documents in plenty of time. I try to ensure board members get their
papers at least a week in advance. If there’s a deadline, meet it with
several days to spare in case there is feedback before it goes to the board.
Please don’t “surprise” us, as in “I didn’t provide the papers in advance
because I wanted to keep you in suspense”. This isn’t an Agatha Christie
novel, it’s a board meeting. Give us the tools we need to make a decision.
• Know in advance how much time you have. Do not go over your
allotment. If the chair feels more time is warranted, he or she will extend
it. Make sure to leave plenty of time for questions.

• Ask how the board would like the information presented. For example,
ask the chair, “shall I present the whole thing or hit the high points?”.
Another approach: suggest that you “take the papers as already read”.
That means you presume that everyone has reviewed the documents you
sent in advance, and you will just address the most important points and
avoid repeating every detail.
• Be prepared. Be professional. Be concise. Board members will judge the
content of your presentation, but also the confidence with which you
deliver it.

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• Stay calm and answer the question asked. If you don’t know the answer,
don’t get flustered, defensive or try to fake it. Instead, promise to come
back with the answer as swiftly as possible. Then follow through quickly.
Also, and this is really important, don’t get thrown off if you get a lot of
hard questions.
• Be clear and concise about the outcome. If there is a decision to be taken
by the end of your presentation, make sure the options are very clear. It
never hurts to state the options up front, explain them and then present the
options again.
• End with grace. When it is time for you to go, say thanks and leave. Don’t
linger.

Board Presentations Don’ts:

• You may be kept waiting — don’t complain. Meetings can run late
depending on the agenda. If it is a closed door meeting you’ll be kept
waiting outside. If not, you’ll be there watching other people presenting,
or listening to debates on other agenda items. Don’t under any
circumstances grumble about it, as it will taint the room’s view of your
presentation before it even starts. A cheerful “no problem” goes a long
way.
• Don’t bore us. I recently sat through a report that essentially told everyone
in the room something we all already knew. The presenter quickly lost our
attention. Even worse, we had all mentally checked out by the time he’d
gotten to the “ask”.
• Don’t lobby. Your presentation is not an opportunity to take the stand on
other areas. If you are there to talk about upgrading the IT infrastructure,
throwing in a “while I’m here I’d like to make a pitch for better parking
facilities” is not helpful to you or us.
• Don’t use jargon. We are not necessarily experts in your field. Use clear
language that everyone around the table will understand.

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• We are not all the same — don’t air your bias and political
inclinations. With any luck the group around the table is a diverse one,
with diverse opinions. Off-colour jokes and political comments have no
place in your presentation and could offend the very people you are trying
to persuade.
• Don’t go over the top with bells and whistles. There’s no need to pass out
flowers or an entertaining video unless it is directly related to the topic.
Useful: “Here is a sample of what we are talking about.” Strange: “Here is
a flower for all you lovely people.” And yes, I was in a meeting where
someone once handed out flowers to “all the lovely lady board members”.

Clear, concise and to the point

Think of your presentation as a memo, not a novel. Board members thrive on


facts presented in a clear, concise manner. Even if you leave your presentation
without getting the answer yes you hoped for, you will at least leave the people at
the table with a good impression of you. And that will go a long way if you come
back to the board with a revised proposal.

Give it a go and let me know if it helped, and if you know someone who is
preparing to give a presentation, clip this and send it to them. Chances are not
only will they be grateful, but so will the board members who hear the
presentation.(Lucy Marcus, Cited 2016, July 12) Available at
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2014/10/15-presentation-tips-corporate-boards/

7.2 Example

De Fort is The name of a large UK leisure corporation. It works in the


areas of sports complexes, holiday villages, restaurants and hotels. Below is an
example of a presentation to the board about the performance of one of the
group’s sector.

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Ladies and Gentleman, I should like, now, to tell you something about the
details of ….. er …..the business we were able to do last year in the
company’s hotels. I think you might find the statistics over the course of
the year of considerable interest. First of all, let me tell you that the
number of bed-nights per month in our hotels, last year, was higher than
ever before. At the beginning of the year – that’s to say in April- the
occupancy rates rose to 15.000, and that was after a very bad winter and
was achieved because of our successful press campaign for short weekend
holidays in the country and by the sea side. In May, as you will
remember, we had dreadful weather, and the numbers fell very suddenly
to a trough of 10.000. The early part of the summer also was
disappointing. We continued to have bad weather, the pound got even
stronger and the economic situation abroad deteriorated so that in June
we recorded only 15.000. July – not very good: 18.000 but August was a
great deal better when we reached our target of 25.000 – the peak for the
year. The new conference facilities in the London and south coast hotels
proved very popular indeed and the figures for September – 17.000 – and
October – 16.000 – reflected this. It encourages us to think that we may
extend these facilities to some of our other hotels in the near future. In
November we experienced the normal decrease for the time of year and
we were down to 11.000. The Christmas period, as ever, showed a
substantial increase and in December we had 14.000. January was, I’m
sorry to say, a very disappointing start to the year with 10.000 and
February hardly any better at 11.000. However in March, we started our
‘Spring Weekend’ advertising campaign and achieved a jump to 16.000.
At the moment there’s every sign that this will prove even more successful
I April and May. Now, I think you’ll agree that … er ….in the
circumstances in which we live at the moment these results are really
very satisfactory indeed.

Questions
1. Is the director generally happy, unhappy or satisfied with the result?
2. What are the starting and finishing points for the group’s financial year?
3. There were two new initiatives during the year. What were they?

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Complete the Notes on year’s Performance!
Month Performance Reasons
April good
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
January
February
March

7.3 Describing Graph


In the presentation of figures (above) some specialist language is used,
which you need to be familiar with. Match the following vocabularies on the left
column with the definitions in the right column

1. Peak a. the highest point on a graph


2. Trough b. a downward movement
3. Rise c. the lowest point on a graph
4. Fall d. a general downward direction
5. jump e. upward movement
6. slump f. a period of constant position
7. fluctuations g. a sudden and dramatic upward movement
8. plateau h. a series of upward and downward movements
9. downward trend i. a sudden and dramatic downward movement

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Read the script above once again and then draw the graph below!

DE FORT HOTELS
Number of beds occupied per month (in thousands)

7.4 Exercise and Practice

Exercise 1: Complete the following paragraph with the most appropriate


words/terms . Sometimes you will need to use a noun and
sometimes a verb form.

If we look at last year’s attendance statistic for the Cardiff plant, we can see
some quite informative trends. In January we had the usual seasonal factors
causing the ……………………..(1) of 73%. This increased slightly to 77% for
February and then ………………..(2) to 85% in March. In April, May and
June we reached a ……………………..(3) of 90% for three months but then a
………………...(4) took the figures to 80% for July. If you remember, the
weather was particularly good in July. From August to November we had a
series of ………………….(5) August showed an increase to 85% but this

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……………….(6) to 77% in September, rose to 87% in October and then fell
again to 81% in November. In December, the figures …………………..(7) to a
………………..(8) of 97%, no doubt because of the need for Christmas money
– and of course this month ( January ) it looks like being around 75%.

Exercise 2: Read the passage below carefully and then based on it draw the
graph describing the development of the rate of inflation.

Perhaps we could look briefly at the way inflation has developed during the
period 1975 to 80 since this has certainly had an effect on our general
performance. On the graph in front of us, the horizontal axis represents the
years 76 to 80 divided up into six monthly periods. The vertical axis shows
the % rate of inflation from zero to 25. Let us now look in detail at the
development………

If we start with 1975, we can see that at the beginning of the year, inflation
stood at 5%. It increased steadily over the next 12 months to 8%. Things
improved at the beginning of 1976 and it leveled off for a six moth period.
The improvement continued and inflation decreased gradually by 2% during
the rest of the year. Unfortunately, as we can see, the decline was not
maintained and over the next six months inflation rose slightly and reached
9% by the middle of 1977. Then we hit a bad patch – I am sure you will
remember how inflation went up dramatically to 17% during the next 12
months and the effect this had on our exports. After a drop of 3% over the
second half of 78 when we all thought that things were improving, inflation
increased rapidly until it reached a peak of 24% in mid 79. This marked the
low point for us and the high point for inflation. It then fell to 20% by the end
of 79 and subsequently leveled off until the middle of 1980.

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UNIT 8
WRITING AND PRESENTING SIMPLE PAPERS
In this unit the students are trained to write and present a simple paper
about a certain topic. So far they got a skill already of writing a paper in
Indonesian language. It is their task now to do it in English by either simplifying
and translating their existing papers from Indonesian to English or writing a new
one. They have to do it in a group of maximum 3 people.

REFERENCES

Ashley,……, Business Correspondence, A Hand book.


N.Brieger,J,Comfort,S.Hughes, C.West, 1987: Business Contact, Prentice-Hall
International(UK) ltd.
Ewer,J.R, 1986: Preparing Speed-Reading Materials for EST in ESP in Practice,
Models and Challenges for Teachers, English Language Programs
Division, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs United States
Information Agency, Washinton D.C.
Mark Waistell,1993,Executive Listening Task based activities for Students of
Business English, Thomas Nelson and Sons Ltd. Hongkong.

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