On Screen p 35. Examples of Proposal. Writing

 What is a proposal?

Complete this paragraph with the words given below.

convince, convictions, document, evaluate, formal/neutral, forward-looking, justifies, language, points, punchy, recommendations, succint.

A proposal is a 1___________ that is designed to be 2_______________. It sets out- and 3________________- a particular course of action in response to a particular situation or context. It is 4________________ in orientation and contains clear 5_________________. Its purpose is to 6________________, therefore both the 7______________ used and the ordering of 8________________ are persuasive throughout, reflecting the 9_______________ behind the proposal. It starts with a 10____________________ introduction, is appropriately 11______________ in tone and concludes with a suitably 12____________ ending

KEY

A proposal is a 1document that is designed to be 2 evaluated. It sets out- and 3 justifies - a particular course of action in response to a particular situation or context. It is 4 forward-looking in orientation and contains clear 5 recommendations. Its purpose is to 6 convince, therefore both the 7 language used and the ordering of 8 points are persuasive throughout, reflecting the 9 convictions behind the proposal. It starts with a 10 succinct introduction, is appropriately 11 formal/neutral in tone and concludes with a suitably 12 punchy ending

Vocabulary
set out: to present ideas, facts, etc. in an organized way, in speech or writing. E.g. He set out his objections to the plan. She set out the reasons for her resignation in a long letter.
course of action: a way of acting in or dealing with a particular situation. E.g. What course of action would you recommend? 
forward-looking: looking at the future in a positive way and happy to try new ideas and methods. Planning for the future. E.g. a forward-looking company. We need someone dynamic and forward-looking. A forward-looking policy/strategy/plan.
succinct: /səkˈsɪŋkt/ expressed clearly and in a few words. Concise. E.g. Keep your answers as succinct as possible.
punchy: having a strong effect because it expresses something clearly in only a few words. E.g. a bright, punchy style of writing


Layout 
A proposal has a similar layout to a report, but is a recommendation for the future, while a report is about something that has happened. The text is divided in paragraphs, each of which has a subheading, which is usually written in bold letters or underlined.

Examples of subheadings:

Introduction
Main problems
Recommendations
Conclusion

Introduction
Current situation
Recommendations
Conclusion 

Useful phrases 

INTRODUCTION

As requested, I am submitting the following proposal (in order to)...

The main purpose / aim of (this proposal) is to outline / present / discuss / examine / evaluate...

This proposal outlines / looks at / is based on...

This proposal contains the relevant information concerning ..., which you  requested / asked for ...

MAIN PROBLEMS / CURRENT SITUATION

It is a fact that..., which means that...

It is clear from the citizens' / inhabitants' / customers' / students' feedback that...

In the light of (this year’s experience),...

With regard to..., the general view seems to be...

RECOMMENDATIONS 
(describing your ideas, justifying them and listing the benefits)

We suggest / propose that... / -ing. We would then be able to...

If the centre / school / organisation is to attract more customers / students..., it is vital that...

I (therefore) recommend that we should... / -ing

It is strongly advised to...

We / I feel certain that.../ believe that... / I feel strongly that we should ...

I propose that radical changes should be made to...

We should / could also...

It is (therefore) believed / obvious that...would be ideal for...

 

It is vital/essential...

It would be a good idea to...

It would seem sensible to...

To improve the situation, we recommend opting for the following course of action: ...

It would (not) be advisable / practical to...

If we were to..., we could... / it would...

In the short / long term, we suggest you should consider...-ing

My recommendations are as follows: ...

This idea is feasible because...

In the first instance, this would mean...

The short term / long term benefits include...

The advantages of the approach proposed would be that ...

This course of action would be beneficial since...

This would be of considerable benefit to...

A (more spacious area) would be the solution…/ an effective way of…

Perhaps the most effective way of…

We hope to develop... 

It is recommended that… 

CONCLUSION

To sum up / To conclude,...

The best solution seems to be...

The evidence (undoubtedly) points towards...

In light of the above, we believe the following measures should be adopted: ...

There appears to be no alternative but to...

I trust these recommendations... / these proposals will be given due consideration...

I trust you will give my proposal your full consideration.

I hope that the plan / recommendations outlined / presented in this proposal meets /meet

with your approval... / will receive your serious consideration.

I feel certain / believe that the course of action proposed above will achieve... / answer the needs of...

In the short/long term, we suggest you should consider…

Examples of proposals

1. You are asked by the Principal of a college in Australia where you are studying to write a proposal for how to improve the college’s website. The suggestions given include the classrooms, library, language laboratory, canteen and sports field, and you are asked to choose two of these in order to give an idea of the variety of the facilities which the college offers.

Here is an example of how to write a proposal. Pay attention to the layout (title, subheadings) and the neutral style, appropriate for this type of writing.

Suggestions for the new College Website
Introduction
The purpose of this proposal is to suggest which two of the college’s many facilities should feature on the updated website, and to give reasons for my choice.

The language laboratory
Our college prides itself on its international atmosphere, and in order to maintain and develop this aspect of its appeal, I think we should give prominence to the support given to students whose first language is not English. Our language laboratory provides a first-class resource for students wishing to improve their listening comprehension and spoken fluency, and I know from my own experience that many students have found this an invaluable resource.

The Sports Field
One major factor students take into account when choosing an institution is the opportunities for recreation that it offers. For this reason I think that we should give space on the website to promoting our sports field, where students can relax and enjoy themselves after time spent in the library or classroom. This facility also provides opportunities for students from different courses to meet and socialize.

Conclusion
Although it is not easy to single out just two facilities among the many on offer, I think that the two I have selected, the language laboratory and the sports field, give the clearest idea of the range of services the college offers to its students.


Example 2 
You local council is proposing to ban all cars from the town centre because of problems with traffic, pollution and accidents. However, the following comments were made at a public meeting to discuss the situation:
- My car is the only way I have of taking my children to school safely and quickly.
- The shops in the town centre will close because people will go elsewhere to do their shopping.
- Public transport here is dreadful. We can't rely on it and it's too expensive.
The local council is inviting people to send in proposals in which they express their views on the council's plan and offer possible solutions to people's concerns.
Write your proposal. (300-350 words)

An approach to this task.
You should begin by thinking about what you will say. Probably the easiest approach is to come out in favour of the proposal, but add modifications in order to address the concerns of residents. For example:
- taking children to school – proposed solution, a school bus
- shopping – a new car park with shuttle bus
- public transport is dreadful – you propose improving it
You can then make an outline, like this
Introduction – the council's plan, my view (favourable), objections
Taking children to school – state problem, offer solution
Shopping – state problem, offer solution
Public transport – state problem, offer solution
Conclusion – a brief summary of your proposals

Here is an example answer.
 

A Proposed Solution to the Traffic Problems in Brigston Town Centre
Introduction
The Council's plan and objections to it
As is widely-known, the Brigston Town Council are proposing a ban on all motor traffic
from the town centre, an area which includes the main shopping area as well as St Mary's
Primary School. I strongly support this plan, which I feel will result in a noticeable
improvement in the quality of life of local residents. However, several concerns were
raised at the recent public meeting held to discuss the proposed ban. In this proposal I will
address these concerns and attempt to find workable solutions for each of them.

Taking and collecting children from school
Several parents expressed the view that the car was the only way to take their children to
school and collect them in the afternoon. I propose a radically improved school bus
service, with an increased number of pick-up and drop-off points. In this way parents
would no longer need to drive their children to school and pollution from car fumes would
decline substantially.

Shopping in the town
Several shopkeepers were worried about the negative effect that a ban would have on
trade. However, many local residents are already reluctant to patronise shops in the centre
due to the difficulty of finding parking spaces. I propose therefore that the council should
build a large multi-storey car park on King Street, and link this to the centre with a system
of free and frequent shuttle buses. This would make shopping easier for local residents
and visitors to the town alike, as well as reducing accidents, congestion and pollution.

Negative perceptions of public transport.
There is some truth in the view that existing public transport provision is inadequate. In
part, however, this is due to the fact that local residents are unwilling to forgo using their
own car, despite the negative consequences that this provokes. A radically improved
system, as outlined above, should go a long way to altering these perceptions.

Conclusion
The proposals I have outlined, namely, an improved school bus service, a new car park
and a system of shuttle buses will, I am sure, radically improve the quality of life of our
residents and I hope that the Council will take them into consideration.


Example 3: The president of an English-language society has asked its members to put forward proposals to attract more members to the society.

Recommendations to increase the number of members of the English-language society.

Introduction
The aim of this proposal is to give recommendations on what new events to organise in order to attract more people to join our society. It also suggests varied ways in which we can make our current activities more appealing.

The current situation
There are a number of cultural activities that we offer in our society such as the book club, which meets on Saturday afternoons to discuss a classic book, and the cinema group, in which a black and white film is projected once a month. While both events have proved to be popular among older people, mainly middle-aged women, there are very few young people showing interest in participating. As a result of this, the society has failed to grow and in fact our statistics show that we are actually losing members little by little.

How to attract new members
I suggest that we create events aimed at people in their early and mid-twenties. For example, we can organize pop concerts, inviting the local bands who perform English covers, or fan clubs, where members can meet to talk about their favourite British actors or actresses.
We should also try to attract more males to our society and one way to do this is through sport. I recommend forming a football or tennis club. We can get together to watch the EuroCup matches or the Wimbledon games and then talk about them.
Regarding our current events, the book club and the cinema group, I think we should keep them but I suggest discussing modern books and passing premier films from time to time to widen our range of participants.

Conclusion
There should be no delay in creating appealing activities to attract new members, such as the suggested pop concerts, fan clubs and sport groups. We should also maintain the book club and the cinema group, which have proved to be successful in the past, but including the discussion and projection of some modern books and films which may be interesting to young people.

Example 4

A proposal to improve workplace communication

Improving workplace communication: a proposal

Introduction

The aim of this proposal is to assess the current situation with regard to workplace communication, go on to identify the needs which should be addressed by a staff training programme and conclude by describing this training programme.

Current situation

Feedback from other members of staff suggests that the volume of email messages we receive has become a problem. Many people find that they spend several hours a day responding to these messages. A second but related complaint concerned poorly written emails. Many of us receive messages that cause offence, are difficult to understand or are simply far too long.

Key needs to be addressed

Both the number of email messages we receive and the quality of the messages have a negative impact on our productivity. People feel disinclined to respond to rude, confusing or excessively lengthy messages. This issue must be addressed.

Recommendations 

I would suggest the following to the Staff Training and Development Department:

·         All members of staff should be encouraged to communicate by phone whenever possible.

·         Any information that needs to be communicated to the entire staff should be presented in a face-to-face meeting that through email.

·         A training course on writing effective email messages should be offered to all staff members

Conclusion  
The proposals I have outlined, namely, communication by phone as a general policy, face-to-face communication in a staff meeting when necessary and a training course will radically improve the quality of workplace communication and effectiveness. Therefore, I hope that the Training and Development Department will take them into consideration.


Another possible task
The mayor of your city has awarded you a grant to create a cultural space in your city. It can be a sculpture, a mural on the side of a building, or a piece of music to be played through speakers during the day. Choose and design something which you feel will reflect the culture of your city, and decide where it will be installed. 

Objective Proficiency p 75. Words and Expressions

Objective Proficiency p 75. Key and Vocabulary

Ex 3
KEY
To be within your rights:  acting legally in one's own interest. E.g. I know I am within my rights when I make this request. You are not within your rights!

a nose
To be right under your nose: when something is extremely obvious yet you can't see. Right in front of you. E.g. Doesn't the answer always seem to be right under one's nose?


b burst
a burst of applause 

Applause: /əˈplɔːz/ (U) E.g. The audience broke into rapturous (ecstatic) applause. Give her a big round of applause! A burst of applause.


c singularly

singularly very; in an unusual way. E.g. singularly beautiful. He chose a singularly inappropriate moment to make his request.

d stroke
Stroke of luck: E.g. It was a stroke of luck that I found you here.


e for granted
take somebody/something for granted to be so used to somebody/ something that you do not recognize their true value any more and do not show that you are grateful. E.g. Her husband was always there and she just took him for granted. We take having an endless supply of clean water for granted.



f eye
in the public eye well known to many people through newspapers and television. E.g. She doesn't want her children growing up in the public eye.



g exception
take exception to something to object strongly to something; to be angry about something E.g. I take great exception to the fact that you told my wife before you told me. No one could possibly take exception to his comments.



h chord
strike/touch a chord (with somebody) to say or do something that makes people feel sympathy or enthusiasm. E.g. The speaker had obviously struck a chord with his audience.



i widely
widely: by a lot of people; in or to many places. E.g. a widely held belief. The idea is now widely accepted. He has travelled widely in Asia.
 
staggeringly so great, shocking or surprising that it is difficult to believe. E.g. staggeringly beautiful/ expensive.  A staggeringly unjust society. Staggeringly effective.



j thunder
a rumble of thunder

Rumble (of something): a long deep sound or series of sounds. E.g. the rumble of thunder. Inside, the noise of the traffic was reduced to a distant rumble. (Figurative) Although an agreement has been reached, rumbles of resentment can still be heard.


k tune
be in/out of tune (with somebody/something) to be/not be in agreement with somebody/ something; to have/ not have the same opinions, feelings, interests, etc. as somebody/ something. E.g. These proposals are perfectly in tune with our own thoughts on the subject. The President is out of tune with public opinion. 



l view
take the view that: E.g. We take the view that it would be wrong to interfere.

take a firm stand/ line to state your opinion and refuse to change it. E.g. to take a firm stand on something. The government has taken a firm line on illegal immigration.



m seen
not see eye to eye with somebody (on something) to not share the same views as somebody about something. E.g. The two of them have never seen eye to eye on politics.



n childish
youthful typical of young people. E.g. youthful enthusiasm/ energy/ inexperience.


o note 
of note of importance or of great interest. E.g. a scientist of note. The museum contains nothing of great note.



Ex 3 (2002 Edition) 
KEY

1 fit
Fit:  

- (of coughing/laughter) a sudden short period of coughing or of laughing, that you cannot control. E.g. a fit of coughing. He had us all in fits (of laughter) with his jokes.
- (of clothing) (often with an adjective) the way that something, especially a piece of clothing, fits. E.g. a good/bad/close/perfect fit.
- (of strong feeling) a short period of very strong feeling. E.g. to act in a fit of anger/rage/temper.

Carve something up: (disapproving) to divide a company, an area of land, etc. into smaller parts in order to share it between people. E.g. They have been accused of carving up the industry for their own benefit.



2 notice 



3 high



4 peak

Streak: a long thin mark or line that is a different colour from the surface it is on. Sp. Raya. E.g. There was a streak of blood on his face. Streaks of grey in her hair. Dirty streaks on the window. Streaks of sunlight.

In the wake of somebody/something: coming after or following somebody/something. E.g. There have been demonstrations on the streets in the wake of the recent bomb attack. A group of reporters followed in her wake. The storm left a trail of destruction in its wake.



5 strikes

Show sb up: to make somebody feel embarrassed by doing something better than them. E.g. Don't worry about being shown up by the kids—they've always used computers.

Strike up something (with somebody): to begin a friendship, a relationship, a conversation, etc. E.g. He would often strike up conversations with complete strangers.

Strike/touch a chord (with somebody): to say or do something that makes people feel sympathy or enthusiasm. E.g. The speaker had obviously struck a chord with his audience.



6 bar

Clip: to hit the edge or side of something. E.g. The car clipped the kerb as it turned. She clipped the ball into the net.

The bar of a goal: the bar joining the two vertical posts of a goal. 

Ex 4
Writing
KEY

1 C



2 A



3 E



4 B



5 D

Vocabulary

• Pickled (preserved) in formaldehyde: /fɔːˈmældɪhaɪd/ a liquid made by mixing formaldehyde (a gas with a strong smell CH2O) and water, used for preserving biological specimens.

• Crave: to have a very strong desire for something. E.g. She has always craved excitement.  
• Bound up with something: closely connected with something. E.g. From that moment my life became inextricably bound up with hers.
• Ruthless: hard and cruel; determined to get what you want and not caring if you hurt other people. E.g. a ruthless dictator.
• Urbane: /ɜːˈbeɪn/ good at knowing what to say and how to behave in social situations; appearing relaxed and confident. Fino y cortés. E.g. He was charming and urbane, full of witty conversation.
• Discerning: / dɪˈsɜːnɪŋ/ able to show good judgement about the quality of somebody/something. Exigente, con criterio. E.g. The discerning customer will recognize this as a high quality product.
• Hype: /haɪp / to advertise something a lot and exaggerate its good qualities, in order to get a lot of public attention for it. E.g.  This week his much hyped new movie opens in London.
• Jangle: / ˈdʒæŋɡl/ if your nerves jangle, or if somebody/something jangles them, you feel anxious or upset. E.g. She was suddenly wide awake, her nerves jangling. 
• Shun: to avoid somebody/something. E.g. She was shunned by her family when she remarried. An actor who shuns publicity.
• Fathom: / ˈfæðəm/  to understand or find an explanation for something. E.g. It is hard to fathom the pain felt at the death of a child. He couldn't fathom out what the man could possibly mean.
• Old hat: something that is old-fashioned and no longer interesting. E.g. Today's hits rapidly become old hat. 
• The jury is (still) out on something: used when you are saying that something is still not certain. E.g. The jury is still out on whether wine can be good for you.
• Sway:  power or influence over somebody. E.g. Rebel forces hold sway over much of the island. She was brought up under the sway of Communism. He was quick to exploit those who fell under his sway.

Crossword 

• Somebody's pet hate: something that you particularly dislike. 
• Too close to call: ( a competition or an election) impossible to guess the result in advance. E.g. Tonight's semifinals match is too close to call.
• Too hot to handle: to be too difficult to deal with or talk about.  
• Be/stand in awe of somebody/something: to admire somebody/something and be slightly frightened of them/it. E.g. While Diana was in awe of her grandfather, she adored her grandmother.
• Moronic: /məˈrɒnɪk/ an offensive way of referring to something that you think is very stupid. E.g a moronic TV programme.
• Fatuous: /ˈfætʃuəs/ stupid. E.g. a fatuous comment/grin.
• Tight: difficult to manage with because there is not enough. E.g. We have a very tight budget. The president has a tight schedule today. The deadline for finishing the project is too tight (= too soon).
• Stream of something: a large number of things that happen one after the other. E.g. A constant stream of enquiries. The agency provided me with a steady stream of work. Most of the letter consisted of a stream of abuse.

Objective Proficiency p 74. Keys and Vocabulary

Ex 1
KEY
1 B 
Emblem: /ˈembləm/ a design or picture that represents a country or an organization. Sp. Emblema, símbolo. E.g. America's national emblem, the bald eagle. The club emblem.

Token: something that is a symbol of a feeling, a fact, an event, etc. Expression, mark. Sp. Señal. E.g. Please accept this small gift as a token of our gratitude.
 
Attire: /əˈtaɪə(r)/ (U) clothes. E.g. dressed in formal evening attire.



2 C
Flamboyance: /flæmˈbɔɪəns/ showiness. The quality or state of being flamboyant.

Flamboyant: 1.  different, confident and exciting in a way that attracts attention. E.g. a flamboyant gesture/ style/ personality. He was flamboyant and temperamental on and off the stage. 2. brightly coloured and noticeable. E.g. flamboyant clothes/designs.

countenance: /ˈkaʊntənəns/ (formal or literary) a person's face or their expression. Sp. semblante. E.g. her calmly smiling countenance. A young man of handsome countenance.


3 A

Scurry: /ˈskʌri/ to run with quick short steps. E.g. She said goodbye and scurried back to work. Pedestrians scurried for cover.

Tuck in/ tuck into something (British English, informal): to eat a lot of food, especially when it is done quickly and with enthusiasm. E.g. Come on, tuck in everyone! He was tucking into a huge plateful of pasta.

tuck somebody in/up to make somebody feel comfortable in bed by pulling the covers up around them. E.g. I tucked the children in and said goodnight. 

tuck something + adverb/preposition to push, fold or turn the ends or edges of clothes, paper, etc. so that they are held in place or look neat. E.g. She tucked up her skirt and waded into the river. The sheets should be tucked in neatly (= around the bed). Tuck the flap of the envelope in. He tucked his shirt into his trousers.

Latch onto sb/ sth: to become attached to somebody/something. Sp. Agarrarse. E.g. antibodies that latch onto germs.



4. C 



5. D
price tag: a label on something that shows how much you must pay. E.g. (figurative) There is a £2 million price tag on the team's star player.

Flap: a flat piece of paper, cloth, metal, etc. that is attached to something along one side and that hangs down or covers an opening. E.g. the flap of an envelope.

Ostentatious: /ˌɒstenˈteɪʃəs/ behaving in a way that is meant to impress people by showing how rich, important, etc. you are.
 
Affectation: /ˌæfekˈteɪʃn / behaviour or an action that is not natural or sincere and that is often intended to impress other people. E.g. His little affectations irritated her. Kay has no affectation at all. He raised his eyebrows with an affectation of surprise (= pretending to be surprised).



6 B
accessory a thing that you can wear or carry that matches your clothes, for example a belt or a bag. E.g. fashion accessories to dress up your wardrobe.



 
Balloon (out/up): /bəˈluːn/ to suddenly swell out or get bigger. E.g. Her skirt ballooned out in the wind. Unemployment ballooned to fourteen per cent.



7 D


pioneer: /ˌpaɪəˈnɪə(r)/ pioneer something when somebody pioneers something, they are one of the first people to do, discover or use something new. E.g. a new technique pioneered by surgeons in a London hospital.


uphold something to support something that you think is right and make sure that it continues to exist. E.g. We have a duty to uphold the law. The regime has been criticized for failing to uphold human rights.
 
Adherent: /ədˈhɪərənt/ a person who supports a political party or set of ideas. Supporter. E.g. Adherents of all religions. Slowly, we are gaining adherents to our cause.



8 C



dominant: more important, powerful or noticeable than other things. E.g. The firm has achieved a dominant position in the world market. The dominant feature of the room was the large fireplace.
 
Prevalent: /ˈprevələnt / that exists or is very common at a particular time or in a particular place. Common. Widespread. E.g. These prejudices are particularly prevalent among people living in the North. The disease is even more prevalent in Latin America.

Ex 2
KEY
1. a widespread belief that having your/a photo 



2. can't have set off yet
Set off: to begin a journey. E.g. We set off for London just after ten. 



3. takes great pride in 



4. did we know at the time what a 



5. had I returned from the supermarket than



6. Many's the time you've come to mind 
Many a time/ many's the time (that)… many times; frequently. E.g. Many's the time she's forgiven her husband.