A popular English language magazine has invited readers to send in letters giving their views on the impact of social media on our lives. You decide to send in a letter, in which you briefly describe your experiences using social media, explain the reasons why some people use social media, and assess what the consequences of that impact might be in the future.
Showing posts with label On Screen p 035. Show all posts
Showing posts with label On Screen p 035. Show all posts
On Screen p 35. The Impact of Social Media on Our Lives. Letter to the Editor
On Screen p 35. Letter in favour of social media. Cloze
Dear Sir/Madam,
I would like to give my views (1)___________ the benefits of social media. Many articles and research papers have been written on the adverse (2)__________ of the medium, but I believe there are a number of positive aspects to (3)____________ use.
Personally, I use social media to keep in touch with friends and family who live far away. I enjoy receiving their news and updates (4)____________ it brings me closer to them (5)__________ the distance that separates us. In (6)______________, social media has (7)___________ me to make contact with long-lost friends from school. Being able to reconnect with an old friend is a wonderful thing, and I have social media to (8)___________ for it.
(9)_____________ it not for social media, many people who live in isolation would be cut (10)___________ from the rest of society. Those who are house-bound (11)_________ to illness or family circumstances need an outlet, and social media (12)____________ this. They can stay in contact with friends or family elsewhere, or (13)_________ use social media as a way to have some harmless fun and break up the boredom or drudgery of their lives. Going (14)__________, what I see is a continued role of social media in my life. As I plan to travel extensively in the future, social media will enable me to keep my family informed of my movements, and share with them the places that I intend to visit. Social media will also play a role in my career once I complete my studies and enter the (15)_____________.
Social media is unparalleled as a means of staying in touch with loved ones, and reestablishing contact with friends from the past. What is more, it is a godsend for the isolated and lonely. It serves a very useful purpose as (16)____________ as it doesn’t become the epicentre of one’s existence.
Yours (17)______________,
Jane Barkin
KEY
1. on
2. effects
3. its
4. as/ since/ because/ for
5. despite
6. addition
7. enabled
8. thank
9. Were
10. off
11. due
12. provides
13. even
14. forward
going forward: from this point on into the future.
15. workforce
16. long
17. faithfully
Dear Sir,
I would like to give my views on the benefits of social media. Many articles and research papers have been written on the adverse effects of the medium, but I believe there are a number of positive aspects to its use.
Personally, I use social media to keep in touch with friends and family who live far away. I enjoy receiving their news and updates as it brings me closer to them despite the distance that separates us. In addition, social media has enabled me to make contact with long-lost friends from school. Being able to reconnect with an old friend is a wonderful thing, and I have social media to thank for it.
Were it not for social media, many people who live in isolation would be cut off from the rest of society. Those who are house-bound due to illness or family circumstances need an outlet, and social media provides this. They can stay in contact with friends or family elsewhere, or even use social media as a way to have some harmless fun and break up the boredom or drudgery of their lives. Going forward, what I see is a continued role of social media in my life. As I plan to travel extensively in the future, social media will enable me to keep my family informed of my movements, and share with them the places that I intend to visit. Social media will also play a role in my career once I complete my studies and enter the workforce.
Social media is unparalleled as a means of staying in touch with loved ones, and reestablishing contact with friends from the past. What is more, it is a godsend for the isolated and lonely. It serves a very useful purpose as long as it doesn’t become the epicentre of one’s existence.
Yours faithfully,
Jane Barkin
I would like to give my views (1)___________ the benefits of social media. Many articles and research papers have been written on the adverse (2)__________ of the medium, but I believe there are a number of positive aspects to (3)____________ use.
Personally, I use social media to keep in touch with friends and family who live far away. I enjoy receiving their news and updates (4)____________ it brings me closer to them (5)__________ the distance that separates us. In (6)______________, social media has (7)___________ me to make contact with long-lost friends from school. Being able to reconnect with an old friend is a wonderful thing, and I have social media to (8)___________ for it.
(9)_____________ it not for social media, many people who live in isolation would be cut (10)___________ from the rest of society. Those who are house-bound (11)_________ to illness or family circumstances need an outlet, and social media (12)____________ this. They can stay in contact with friends or family elsewhere, or (13)_________ use social media as a way to have some harmless fun and break up the boredom or drudgery of their lives. Going (14)__________, what I see is a continued role of social media in my life. As I plan to travel extensively in the future, social media will enable me to keep my family informed of my movements, and share with them the places that I intend to visit. Social media will also play a role in my career once I complete my studies and enter the (15)_____________.
Social media is unparalleled as a means of staying in touch with loved ones, and reestablishing contact with friends from the past. What is more, it is a godsend for the isolated and lonely. It serves a very useful purpose as (16)____________ as it doesn’t become the epicentre of one’s existence.
Yours (17)______________,
Jane Barkin
KEY
1. on
2. effects
3. its
4. as/ since/ because/ for
5. despite
6. addition
7. enabled
8. thank
9. Were
10. off
11. due
12. provides
13. even
14. forward
going forward: from this point on into the future.
15. workforce
16. long
17. faithfully
Dear Sir,
I would like to give my views on the benefits of social media. Many articles and research papers have been written on the adverse effects of the medium, but I believe there are a number of positive aspects to its use.
Personally, I use social media to keep in touch with friends and family who live far away. I enjoy receiving their news and updates as it brings me closer to them despite the distance that separates us. In addition, social media has enabled me to make contact with long-lost friends from school. Being able to reconnect with an old friend is a wonderful thing, and I have social media to thank for it.
Were it not for social media, many people who live in isolation would be cut off from the rest of society. Those who are house-bound due to illness or family circumstances need an outlet, and social media provides this. They can stay in contact with friends or family elsewhere, or even use social media as a way to have some harmless fun and break up the boredom or drudgery of their lives. Going forward, what I see is a continued role of social media in my life. As I plan to travel extensively in the future, social media will enable me to keep my family informed of my movements, and share with them the places that I intend to visit. Social media will also play a role in my career once I complete my studies and enter the workforce.
Social media is unparalleled as a means of staying in touch with loved ones, and reestablishing contact with friends from the past. What is more, it is a godsend for the isolated and lonely. It serves a very useful purpose as long as it doesn’t become the epicentre of one’s existence.
Yours faithfully,
Jane Barkin
On Screen p 35. Higher Education. Letter to the Editor. Word formation
An international magazine has recently published a feature entitled "Higher education is valuable for a young person's future as it provides more opportunities." The editor has asked readers to submit letters describing their own or someone else's experiences on the topic. You should also assess the extent to which higher education is a valuable experience for young people. Write your letter using around 200 words.
Sample Answer
Dear Editor,
I am writing with regard to the (1)_____________ (DEEP) feature you have recently published on the value of education for a young person’s future. It is a (2)_________________ (THINK) topic and I wish to share my opinion on the matter.
I would like to use the (3)______________ (HAND) experiences of my Aunt Sophie as an (4)________________ (ILLUSTRATE) example of the (5)_____________ (COMPLEX) of the issue. Aunt Sophie had always been (6)_______________ (PASSION) about physics and (7)_______________ (EXCELLENT) in the subject so it seemed (8)____________ (PERFECTION) (9) __________ (NATURE) that she would (10)___________ (VIGOUR) pursue a degree and (11)_____________ (SUBSEQUENT) a post-graduate degree in theoretical physics. (12)_____________ (FORTUNE), on (13)____________ (COMPLETE) of her studies, she found that very few jobs were available for a theoretical physicist. Having searched (14)_______________ (SUCCESS) for several years, she then (15)______________ (WILL) accepted a job as a secondary school
physics teacher. In this case, her advanced degree did not provide her with (16)______________ (GREAT) opportunities than her first degree. However, she learned a great deal from this (17)__________ (VALUE) experience, has never expressed any regret, and maintains that she finds teaching extremely (18)__________ (REWARD).
(19)____________ (TAKE) the above into (20)____________ (CONSIDER), I believe that while a higher education should (21)________________ (THEORY) lead to more opportunities, that is sometimes not the case. Job (22)_______________ (AVAILABLE) depends on the needs of the society and positions that require highly (23)____________ (SPECIAL) skills, while (24)___________ (DESIRE), are limited. Sometimes experience gained working in the real world could place someone higher on the career ladder than someone who invested the same time in (25)_________ (FAR) education. On the other hand, (26)_______________ (TRANSFER) skills gained in education can always be applied and would be a (27)___________ (PRICE) asset in most positions.
To conclude, I feel that the choice of whether to pursue higher education must be considered (28)_____________ (CARE). This (29)_____________ (RICH) experience should be (30)_____________ (TAKE) out of interest for a subject and for the personal (31)_____________ (GROW) it offers, with the (32)________________ (REALISE) that it may not result in an easier (33)_______________ (HUNT) experience. Thank you for considering my views, and I hope they have been of interest.
Yours faithfully,
Mark Smith
KEY
1. in-depth
2. thought-provoking
3.first-hand/ hands-on
first-hand: obtained or experienced yourself. E.g. to have first-hand experience of poverty.
hands-on: doing something rather than just talking about it.
E.g.
hands-on computer training
to gain hands-on experience of industry
a hands-on style of management
4.illustrative
/ˈɪləstrətɪv/, /ˈɪləstreɪtɪv/, /ɪˈlʌstrətɪv/ helping to explain something or show it more clearly. Explanatory
/ɪkˈsplænətri/
E.g.
an illustrative example
5. complexity / complexities
6. passionate
7. excelled
8. perfectly
9. natural
10. vigorously
11. subsequently
/ˈsʌbsɪkwəntli/
afterwards; later; after something else has happened.
E.g.
The original interview notes were subsequently lost.
Subsequently, new guidelines were issued to all employees.
He subsequently became chairman of the party.
12. Unfortunately
13. completion
the act of finishing something.
E.g. On completion of the building, they make a final inspection.
14. unsuccessfully
15. willingly/unwillingly
willingly: in a way that shows you are happy or pleased to do something or that you do not object to doing something.
E.g. People would willingly pay more for better services.
unwillingly: in a way that involves someone doing something they do not want to do.
E.g.
"Yes, all right. I'll go," she agreed, somewhat unwillingly.
They are being unwillingly dragged into the debate
16. greater
17. invaluable/valuable
18. rewarding
19. Taking
20. consideration
21. theoretically
/ˌθɪəˈretɪkli/
22. availability
23. specialised
24. desirable
25. further
26. transferable
/trænsˈfɜːrəbl/
that can be moved from one place, person or use to another.
E.g.
This ticket is not transferable (= it may only be used by the person who has bought it).
We aim to provide our students with transferable skills (= that can be used in different jobs).
27. priceless
extremely valuable or important
E.g.
a priceless collection of antiques
priceless information
Our family photos are priceless.
28. carefully
29. enriching
30. undertaken
undertake: undertake something to make yourself responsible for something and start doing it. Sp. asumir, emprender.
E.g.
to undertake a task/project
University professors both teach and undertake research.
The company has announced that it will undertake a full investigation into the accident.
31. growth
32. realisation
33. job-hunting
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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...
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…
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
Current situation
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
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.
On Screen p 35. Towns and Villages. A Proposal
You have just had a class discussion on how some aspects of your own neighbourhood could be improved (e.g. public transport, waste collection, traffic congestion, etc…). You are going to write a proposal to your local council and recommend actions or changes to make your neighbourhood a better place to live in.
How to write a proposal: HERE
Sample answer:
On Screen p 35. Towns and Villages. A Proposal Sample
Examples of discourse markers.
Topic: towns and villages.
Suggest some ways of improving life in your town or village.
To begin with I would like to say that I live in a small town in the
________ of Mallorca. It is called ________ and it has got a lot of
historical background. However, nowadays and because of the recession
many people go away looking for a better life.
At the beginning of the last century _________ became widely known
because of its ________________. This is why during the 1960s ...
Moreover,...
In addition to this, ...
As a result,...
Similarly,
What’s more,...
...,so the improvement was not very great....
These are the main reasons why in the 1980s...
From this it can be learnt that a lot needs to be done. Firstly, ...
Secondly, ...
Next,...
Besides, ...
Likewise, ...
Lastly, They should be encouraged to................ in order to ........
In this way more jobs could be created...And therefore, ...
Consequently,...
Furthermore, ...
Thus, ...
...for instance...
...and the most important, the high rate of unemployment could be considerably reduced.
However, I must finally say that ___________, and because of its
location in such a tourist attraction as Majorca is, has changed
through the ages.
In conclusion, development is crucial. So unless new improvements and changes are made...
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