The Institute of Company Secretaries of India 2010 CS Foundation English and Business Communication (New ) - Question Paper
2010 The Institute of Company Secretaries of India CS Foundation: English and Business Communication (New Course): December 2010 University ques. paper
ENGLISH AND BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
Roll No.
151
Maximum marks : 100
Time allowed : 3 hours
Total number of printed pages : 6
Total number of questions : 6
NOTE : Answer all questions.
1. (a) Write an essay of about 300 words on any one of the following :
(i) Business and morality
(ii) Reservation for women
(iii) Common Wealth Games and image of India.
(10 marks)
(b) Make a precis of the following passage in about one-third of its length and suggest a suitable title (Use precis-sheet given at the end of the answer book) :
Even before the end-users are gearing up to take advantage of the economic recovery to buy houses, high net-worth individuals (HNIs) are flocking to the market. They are deftly booking houses ahead of any further increase in prices of residential units. Currently, financial investors constitute around 30% of the sale in residential units, even though it has not reached the peak level of 2007. As per industry estimates, almost 70% of the newly-launched projects in 2007 were bought by investors and remaining 30% by the end-users. Typically, investors, comprising HNIs, flock the housing market keeping a 6-12 month return in mind, whereas an end-users demand is a function of job security and affordability.
With demand picking up in the residential space, investors are entering the market rather aggressively. Sale of premium houses is not solely dependent on prices, but location. Savvy financial investors are increasingly cashing in on this segment. Given the robust economic growth and the fact that prices are still below the peak level of 2007-08, financial investors are confident that genuine demand for residential projects is going to stay or even increase further in near term.
Real estate was one of the worst-affected sectors in the financial meltdown. Fearing job losses, buyers turned away from the market and banks became wary of lending. The situation is now changing as buyers sentiments have turned positive in the backdrop of renewed activity on the employment front and increasing income scenario, coupled with benign interest rates of home loan.
During the slowdown, prices of residential units had fallen to 35%, which have started to move northwards. However, in extended suburbs and Tier II-III cities, prices are expected to remain under control as supply of residential units in these locations still outstrip demand.
Though investor sentiments have started showing up in certain projects, primarily in the premium housing category, sale in the mass market is still being driven by end-users, the analysts said. The fact that there has been a significant increase in housing loans in the recent months shows that it is mostly the end-users who are buying houses now. This is very good for both realty firms and consumers as there will be less volatility in the prices.
(369 words) (8+2 marks)
2. (a) Attempt the following as directed against each :
(i) Much remain to be done. (Correct the sentence.)
(ii) This proposal is tentative. However, I request that it should be accepted immediately. (Join the two sentences with the help of a semicolon.)
(iii) Purinder, he said, has been chosen as an Assistant Professor. (Re-write the sentence in direct speech.)
(iv) He will finish the work within a fortnight. (Change into passive voice.)
(v) Charity begins__________home. (Fill-in the blank space using appropriate
preposition.)
(vi) Bengaluru is the most polluted city in India. (Change the degree of comparison.)
(vii) The client must make certain that accurate records are kept. (Give one word for the underlined words.)
(viii) A general vote by the electorate on a single political question that has been referred to them for a direct decision can be expressed in one word as___________. (Fill-in the blank space.)
(ix) Posthumous means___. (Fill-in the blank space.)
(x) If you do your work honestly then everyone will trust you. (Avoid unnecessary word/s.)
(1 mark each)
(b) Choose the most appropriate answer from the given options in respect of the following :
(i) The term feeding means
(a) Consuming
(b) Supplying
(c) Nourishing
(d) Encouraging.
(ii) A person chosen by disputing parties to settle their differences is called
(a) Agent
(b) Partner
(c) Arbitrator
(d) Owner.
(iii) A person who has no national prejudices and is at home in every country is called
(a) Cosmopolitan
(b) Nomad
(c) Connoisseur
(d) Agnostic.
(iv) Murderer of ones own brother is called
(a) Patricide
(b) Regicide
(c) Matricide
(d) Fratricide.
(v) The apostrophe ( ) is used to
(a) Denote possession and other kind of relationship
(b) Introduce direct speech
(c) Join words and sentences
(d) Point out the readers attention forward.
(1 mark each)
3. (a) Make sentences of your own using the following pair of words to bring out their meanings :
(i) Whose Whos
(ii) Between Among
(iii) Anxious Eager
(iv) Canvas Canvass
(v) Inter-State Intra-State.
(2 marks each)
(b) Give full form of the following :
(i)
(ii) CII
(iii) vs.
(iv) NBFC
(v) CWG.
(1 mark each)
4. (a) State, with reasons in brief, whether the following statements are true or false.
Attempt any five :
(i) Communication is the life blood of every organisation.
(ii) Horizontal communication between peers is a luxury.
(iii) External communication can have a far-reaching impact on a firms reputation and ultimate success.
(iv) Feedback may take many forms.
(v) In some occupations, actions speak louder than words.
(vi) Raising an eyebrow does not signify anything.
(vii) Always see your message from your receivers point of view.
(2 marks each)
(b) Following are the 7Cs of communication :
Completeness, Conciseness, Consideration, Concreteness, Clarity, Courtesy and Correctness.
Explain any five of them in brief with suitable example(s).
(10 marks)
OR
A customer of your company wants to settle his accounts within 10 days of delivery. Your companys policy is to allow a discount @ 2% of the total invoiced amount on such early payments. The customer has enquired about possibility of flexibility in the discount rate.
Draft a polite and tactful reply denying any such possibility.
(10 marks)
5. Attempt any three of the following :
(i) The Ministry of Railways (Railway Board), Government of India has decided to convert the Express train numbers from 4-digit to 5-digit w.e.f. 20th January, 2011. All 4-digit numbers shall have prefix 1 (one). The Express train names are not to be changed. The prefix to holiday express train numbers shall have prefix 0 (zero).
Draft a public notice to this effect.
(ii) Your firm had informed the National Assurance Co. Ltd. of its intention to move its office from 17, M.G. Road, Chennai to 71, Mount Road, Chennai within a month. Now, the firm has moved its office to the new location.
Draft a letter (body only) to the National Assurance Co. Ltd. to amend the insurance records showing your firms new address.
(iii) Draft a show-cause notice to Sundar, working in Accounts Department of a bank for divulging information about the Non Performing Assets (NPAs) of the bank, a week before the public issue subscription, to the correspondent of a newspaper The Current News.
(iv) What points must be kept in mind while drafting a goodwill letter ?
(5 marks each)
6. Attempt any three of the following :
(i) What do you mean by representation ? State in brief the general rules to be kept in mind while drafting a good representation.
(5 marks)
(ii) Re-draft appropriately the following Tender Notice :
Tender Notice
Registration of Book Supply Vendors for INMAS library
Book Supply Vendors are invited by the Director, INMAS from reputed Book Supply Vendors in India for supply of current science & technology and medical books for a maximum period of three years. All the details and tender forms can be downloaded from the website. The last date and time for submission of forms is 15th January, 2011 before 1800 hours. The Director, INMAS reserves the right to reject any or all tender(s) without assigning any reason, whatsoever.
(5 marks)
(iii) A company has written the following letter of appointment in semi-block format. Find out any five mistakes in this letter :
26 - December - 2010
Mr. Atul Ghosh G-234, Gupta Colony New Delhi - 12 Dear Mr. Atul Ghosh:
Re: Offer of employment with New Heaven Associates as Sales Manager, Delhi.
We are happy to offer you the position of Sales manager, Delhi.
You will be responsible for determining and implementing targets which will in no case be less than 110% of the current sales in each of the seven segments you will be addressing.
You will be responsible for the recruitment and training of a competent sales staff. You are to determine the levels of incentives and discounts to be offered within the broad guidelines provided by the finance Department.
In return the company will pay you a salary of Rs.30,000 per month. Housing, conveyance and other applicable benefits will be payable as per company rules. You will also be entitled to 0.5% of the total sales volume achieved as commission.
The company and you reserve the right to terminate this employment at will.
We would like you to join by 20th January, 2011. In case, this is not convenient, please call us and we can work out a satisfactory arrangement.
Please confirm the acceptance of the offer by 20th February, 2011.
Yours sincerely
Manager - Human Resources
(5 marks)
(iv) For Monarch Bank, during 2009-10, its total business crossed Rs.4,00,000 crore (a growth of 24.3%); net profit crossed Rs.3,000 crore (up by 45.8%); branch network expanded to 3,046 mark (addition of 314 branches); return on average assets stood at 1.3% (international benchmark being 1%); and book value of its share increased to Rs.305.83 (Rs.244.87 for the previous year).
Draft a suitable press release for publication in newspapers. (No covering letter is required.)
(5 marks)
-o-
2/2010/EBC
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