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• Francisco Javier Medrano Sánchez

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Advanced index 1. Essays 2. Reports 3. Proposals 4. Reviews 5. Letter to an authority 6. Letter of recruitment 7. Letter of application 8. Letter to the editor 9. Letter of complaint 10. Personal letters or emails As general recommendation for all these writings: extension about 220 – 260 (plus 10 more) words, although it is recommendable not to use more than 240 in order to make possible changes. At the same time, we can measure the length of our work by the average of words within a line (9 or 10 words/line). ESSAYS Basic features of an Essay for Cambridge Advanced Level      

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No title, nor headings, neither bulletin points. Four paragraphs: introduction, body I, body II and conclusion. Target audience: a rector, a lecturer, your teacher, an academic authority, the classroom. Topics: education and instruction, work, job and training, environment and means of transport. Agents related: the government, the authorities, politicians, employers, employees, teachers, students and young or old people. Areas related: the school, training courses, educational curriculum, subjects, the city and its natural resources, the workplace, retirement, unemployment, saving for the future, environment, public institutions in general which receive or need to receive a public subvention, Main objective: discuss the best option between two given approaches to a common purpose. Besides of discussing it, we need also to attract, compare or contrasting ideas, highlight their positive and negative points in order to persuade the reader of our choice in the conclusion. This is a discursive style, not a balanced one, so we need necessarily to choose only one approach and to justify it. Formal style, passive & impersonal forms with elaborated tenses, participle and gerunds. This implies the avoidance of phrasal verbs, slangs, contractive forms, inversions, idioms and use instead of fixed phrases for cohesive device and linking words. Grammar resources: interrogative questions to catch the reader’s interest, distributive adverbs (both, either, neither), enumeration (not only, but also), external signposting, fixed phrases, cohesive devices and linking words, modals, conditionals, comparisons, appositions, relative pronouns and clauses, cleft sentences, leading to consequences. Accurate vocabulary developed for the topic by means of rewording or reformulation strategies. Reinforcing ideas and support it adding reasons why and examples (for example, namely, for instance, imagine that…, in case that…, say, which is to say, which means…). Discursive essay philosophy: each measure, supported by a fact, which produces both a series of positive and negative effects, which are related to the next one in the following paragraph (connecting ideas). Basic plan: INTRO: Describe the situation (topic) and set the dilemma: A or B? 10% Body I, II: option A/B + support or refute with a given comment 37% each Conclusion: justify your with the positive effects of A and B. 15%

Positive effects A, B Negative effects A, B

 In the introduction (short: 2 sentences, about 45 words): Start your essay describing the topic situation that gives way to the problem by means of a passive-impersonal formal form. Examples: “It is thought/known/ felt/ known that (by) … so the government/local authorities is/are required to…”. Then introduce the dilemma question: “It is felt that too much contamination is produced by the constant traffic in the city centre so the local authorities are required to prevent people from using their own vehicles. But what could be more effective, investing in public transports or educating people to walk instead?”  In the body, we must treat both paragraphs as a whole part (they’re interconnected).  The average measure of each paragraph must be about three sentences (85 words).  Signposting (a fixed phrase headed by an adverb: probably, generally, usually, etc.) a) to connect with the introduction instead of enumeration: “Probably one of the most essential measures to adopt in this case would be…”; b) to connect one paragraph each other: “In connection with the latter expressed idea,…”. This implies the use of participles, gerunds and modals (would, could, might) to express possibilities.  Supporting positively or negatively the point, depending on the given statement. To this purpose, we need: a) to reword what is claimed; b) Find either positive or negative consequences too; c) link this positive or negative consequences with linking words or other cohesive devices elaborated to compare or give new ideas (on the other hand, nevertheless, as consequence), enumeration as a resource to persuade (not only…, but also…; additionally, what is more, furthermore) or exemplification (for example/instance, namely, say, imagine that…)  The arguments to persuade a government to take or reject a measure should always be related to benefits/advantages in the orbit of capitalism and legal repression; thus, the “excessive” public waste is always the “enemy” to defeat by means of the social marketing (education, health, safety, environment): a) Saving money and time for the best production without damaging the environment or improving it. b) Investing more now (education, health, environment, training) to obtain the major benefits in the future. Investing more in healthy habits and sports to reduce the cost of public services, for example. c) More safety or well-being (accommodation, holidays, days-off, leisure, relax, reducing stress) in the job to increase the production gradually, d) Reducing salaries to encourage working more and to increase then the production reducing the costs. e) Receiving/reducing public subventions to improve private business with social marketing or intentions (promotion of culture/ sports/ education/ social cares or other). f) Imposing bans to prevent certain antisocial behavior, increment taxes or imposing new ones to gain more money by the public arches. g) Removing bans/taxes or reducing it to encourage more public inversion in private business. h) Adopting new technologies and revolutionary techniques to replace workers by machines and obtaining the best benefits with the lesser wastes and being more effective. i) Publicity campaigns with an apparently educative goal to increment the selling, reducing public wastes or attracting investors. As example: “Possibly, one of the most essential measures to adopt in this case would be increasing the number of buses and trains, as well as improving its service, timetables, attention to public in the stations or other facilities. Thereby, if citizens would have the possibility to commute with ease, they would leave parked their vehicles, saving then

money and time, reducing considerably the emission of gases, and what is more, they could finish their way to work either by bicycle or well on foot. In connection with the latter idea, an education campaign to promote the appreciation for walking to work would need to be taken into account. To this purpose, it would be necessary not only to encourage people to enjoy the pleasure of walking into town, but also to inform them about the healthy benefits that it could bring about to their general well-being by means of motivating advertisements in the media. On the other hand, it is necessary to consider that this desired change of mind would take necessarily it’s time to be really effective.  In the conclusion (to conclude, all in all), we are in a discursive essay, so it is necessary to choose personally only one option (in my opinion, I believe that) and we will justify it adding the positive consequences from both previous paragraphs, but reworded (our choice would be the second paragraph to avoid the reader to come back to the beginning, but this is optional). According to this philosophy, one option must to content finally the other within (sometimes, we only highlight the bright side of one argument, but this is not a solid argumentation). Essay #1: cars in the city centre. Your class has attended a panel discussion on what methods governments should use to discourage the use of private cars in the centre of the city. You have made the notes below. Methods governments could use to discourage the use of private cars in the city centre:   

Investment Education Taxes

Some opinions expressed in the discussion:

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“Make businesses pay parking levies for their employees and they’ll move out of the city centre”. “Improve the public transport system; then people won’t need their cars”. “If people understood how much better pedestrianised city centres are, they wouldn’t want to bring their cars in”.

Write an essay for your tutor, discussing two of the methods in your notes. You should explain which method you think is more important for governments to consider, giving reasons to support your opinion. You may, if you wish, make use of the opinions expressed in the discussion but you should use your own words as far as possible. Write your essay in 220-260 words in an appropriate style. The constant traffic causes too much contamination, noises and inconveniences in the city centre. Therefore, the government is required to prevent people from using their own vehicles but what could be more effective, to invest more in public transport or educating people to walk instead? Possibly, one of the most essential measures to adopt in this case would be increasing the number of buses and trains, as well as improving its service, timetables, attention to public in the stations or other facilities. Thereby, if citizens would have the possibility to commute with ease, they would leave parked their vehicles, saving then money and time, reducing considerably the emission of gases, and what is more, they could finish their way to work either by bicycle or well on foot. In connection with the latter idea, an education campaign to promote the appreciation for walking to work would need to be taken into account. To this purpose, it would be necessary not only to encourage people to enjoy the pleasure of strolling into town, but also to inform them about the healthy benefits that it could bring about to their general well-being by means of motivating advertisements in the media. On the other hand, it is necessary to consider that this desired change of mind would take necessarily it’s time to be really effective.

To conclude, I believe that a multi-faceted educational campaign would be the most effective and lasting measure because, with time, it would preserve not only the city environment, but also it would promote healthy habits in their citizens. Essay #2: POSITVE THINKING AT SCHOOL Your class has attended a seminar on the benefits of training students to think positively. You have made the notes below. The benefits of training students to think positively: • reduces stress • improves productivity • increases creativity Some opinions expressed during the seminar: • Having a positive outlook helps people to put their problems into perspective.’ •The training is empowering. I feel I can achieve so much more.’ • ‘It gives people the tools they need to find alternative solutions to their problems.’ Write an essay for your tutor, discussing two of the benefits in your notes. You should explain which benefit you think is more important, giving reasons to support your opinion. You may, if you wish, make use of the opinions expressed during the seminar but you should use your own words as far as possible. Write your essay in 220-260 words in an appropriate style. When it comes to face their exams, often students need to be trained by teachers to develop a positive thinking, but what is better, increasing their levels of production or well favouring their creativeness? Possibly, one of the most relevant measures to increase students’ production would consist of encouraging them to observe a certain extent of discipline in their daily activities in the classroom and also at home as a preparation for their exams. For example, it is necessary not only to help them see the importance of finishing their homework, but also to present accurately their notebooks. On the other hand, motivation plays also an important role here: the more motivated students, the best qualifications they would obtain. In connection with the idea of motivation, we should need also to stress also the question of creativeness in the classroom, because if students have been correctly motivated to learn by their own, they would be able of being creative too. For instance, they could design their own study strategies, being able of using each means at their disposal, such as the Internet or specific Android applications as an useful alternative to other not so effective traditional methods. On the other hand, favouring students’ creativity would promote their positive attitudes to exchange their genuine opinions and points of view each other. All in all, I believe that promoting creativeness among young students is the best choice to implement in education by the government in order to favour in students a major degree of positivity and self-confidence in their capacities. Essay #3: CULTURAL HERITAGE Your class has attended a lecture on the action governments can take to make sure cultural heritage is preserved for future generations. You have made the notes below. Priorities for governments aiming to preserve cultural heritage:   

increase funding for museums protect old buildings teach the importance of cultural heritage in schools

Some opinions expressed in the discussion:

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‘Museums are the best places to keep shared memories of a community.’ ‘Cultural heritage isn’t just about buildings - it’s about a way of life.’ ‘It’s the responsibility of the older generation to pass on a cultural heritage to the next generation.’

Write an essay for your tutor discussing two of the priorities in your notes. You should explain which priority you think is more important, giving reasons to support your opinion. You

may, if you wish, make use of the opinions expressed in the discussion but you should use your own words as far as possible. Write your essay in 220-260 words in an appropriate style. Our history, values and culture as a nation are present in our cultural heritage. Therefore, our government should make their best to preserve it for the next generations, but what could be the best approach, to support economically museums or teaching the relevance of our culture at schools? Possibly, one of the first measures required to be taken would be to increase the subsidising of public centres of culture, such as museums and galleries. It goes without saying that these constitute at present-day the most effective places to understand the most significant episodes of our national history through the particular view of different painters and sculptors. On the other hand, the increasing use of the Internet and the new technologies can play an important role when it comes to promote “virtual” tours for our young students. In connection with this latter idea, we should emphasise that students need to be taught to observe a positive attitude towards our cultural heritage not only to learn to appreciate the riveting beauty of our most outstanding masterpieces, but also to share their own opinions at respect and, what is more, to develop their critical and creative senses. Thereby, if youngsters are encouraged to researching online for our pictorial legacy – namely playing “webquests”- they would acquire the required aesthetic praiseworthy taste to appreciate any cultural manifestations in depth. To conclude, I believe that our government would promote the preservation of our cultural features by means of education; the sooner students began to appreciate it, the sooner they begin to participate in their conservation.

Essay #4: DRESS CODE AT SCHOOL. Your class has been involved in a discussion on whether a dress code should be introduced at the college where you are studying. You have made the notes below. Advantages of proposed dress code:   

image of college health and safety discipline

Some opinions expressed in the discussion:   

‘Wearing more formal clothes will prepare students for the workplace’ ‘College isn’t work or school, so students should be free to wear what they want. ‘Students are turning up to college in inappropriate clothes more frequently, so it’s time for a dress code.’

Write an essay for your tutor discussing two of the advantages in your notes. You should explain which of the advantages you think would be most important for the college to consider in deciding whether to introduce a dress code, giving reasons to support your opinion. You may, if you wish, make use of the opinions expressed in the discussion but you should use your own words as far as possible. Write your essay in 220-260 words in an appropriate style. A series of different discussion between students on their way of dressing that hind their personal relationships take place often in the school, but what is better, to persuade them to wear uniforms or allow them to wear their clothes freely? Probably, the most immediate measure that any school will take would be the implantation of a dress code in order to promote not only equality between students, but also the main educational values of the institution. Thereby, students will have the opportunity to share a sense of belonging to same school centre. Furthermore, our

centre will be given to know to the community and, finally, fathers will save both time, when it comes to have washed and prepared their children’s daily clothes, and money in expensive fashionable complements or capricious trends. In connection with this latter idea, we need to highlight the right of the learners to express their own personality also in the school, boosting their clothes according to the current fashions. In this sense, our school should be like any other public centre, where persons are free to wear their clothes according either to safety or well commodity requirements. However, it is always important to moderate the messages of the T-shirts, whenever, for example, they could result offensive to the beliefs of other children or teachers. All in all, I believe that allowing our students to dress freely according to their needs would be the best option to consolidate a relaxed school and, what is more, to offer a better impression about the values of freedom that always have characterised this institution. Essay #5 Your class has attended a panel discussion on what methods the government should use to encourage an appreciation of scientific research. You have made the notes below. Methods governments could use to encourage an interest in science:   

Media coverage. Adult education. Greater financial investment.

Some opinions expressed in the discussion:   

‘Science reporting in the media often emphasises less useful research.’ ‘Some older adults didn’t enjoy their science classes at school, so they won’t want to go to science classes now.’ ‘The problem is that politicians don’t understand the importance of science.’

Write an essay for your tutor discussing two of the methods in your notes. You should explain which method you think is more important for governments to consider, giving reasons to support your opinion. You may, if you wish, make use of the opinions expressed in the discussion but you should use your own words as far as possible. Write your answer in 220-260 words in an appropriate style. According to a recent research carried out on young students, they show interest for other careers different from sciences. In this sense, the government should promote sciences careers but, what is better, promoting it by means of media coverage or well increasing considerably the financial investment? Possibly, one of the most valued approaches to consider would be a campaign in the media to promote scientific investigation and divulgation. Nevertheless, it is generally felt that channels seems to be more focused on the mere entertaining - namely, experiments with celebrities- than in explaining diverse scientific phenomena, such as chemical reactions or electromagnetism, useful for studying. Consequently, these formats sometimes don’t seem to be the appropriate medium for promoting the scientific divulgation between students. On the other hand, despite the lack of interest shown at this respect by our educational authorities, an increasing of the economical support aimed to investigation could be also taken into consideration. New laboratories and modern installations for investigation, for instance, would act as motivating resource to attract the students’ attention, as well as their training in the application of new technologies to sciences. Finally, an official school’s website could be not only useful to searching for new data, but also an outstanding way of exchanging for our young scientists to give to know their advances all over the world. All in all, I believe that investing more in better equipments and structures is the key to motivate students definitely to opt for technical careers. The more sophisticated means of investigation, the more motivated scientific we have.

Essay #6: training or advice? Your class has taken part in a seminar on whether the education system does enough to help young people to find jobs which fit their abilities and interests. You have made the notes below: Methods schools and universities use to help students find suitable jobs: • • •

providing courses and qualifications work experience programmes careers advice

Some opinions expressed in the seminar:   

'We study lots of things which we'll never use in any future job.' 'Without work experience you'd have no idea what to study at university.' 'Some of my teachers can't give me advice because they've never done any job other than teaching.'

Write an essay discussing two of the methods in your notes. You should explain which method is more effective, giving reasons in support of your answer. You may, if you wish, make use of the opinions expressed in the seminar, but you should use your own words as far as possible. Write your answer in 220-260 words in an appropriate style. When it comes to obtain the most suitable job, young people find it more difficult than older ones. But what is better, training or a favourable guidance? Probably, the first measure to take into consideration could be possibly the organisation of a training circuit in different companies, due to the fact that real practices are felt as essential to aspire to a similar occupation in the future. This way, students would acquire not only the knack for their positions, but also they learn to work in teams having a deep knowledge of these procedures. Furthermore, the most of students who carry out real practices end up being recruited by these same companies. However, training jobs are frequently underpaid – or even unpaid -, therefore it can be sometimes demoralising for them. On the other hand, it is well-known also that motivation plays an important part in succeeding, so a previous orientation offered by a knowledgeable teacher would result motivating enough. Thereby, receiving advice could be decisive to meet their future targets. Unfortunately, these lectures would often result excessive theoretical and, in consequence, irrelevant for our students’ entrepreneur spirit in too much occasions. In this sense, this tutorial function would be enhanced with other students’ experiences to embrace more in depth each possibility offered by the current job market. In view of these arguments, I believe that a real practices approach is the best possible one since it is necessary to know before how to work at each area than taking risks in our future careers because of an inadequate advice.

ESSAY #7 Your class has listened to a debate about methods employers should use to ensure that their workforce is happy and motivated. You have made the notes below. How can employers ensure that their employees are happy and motivated?   

establish good communications make employees feel valued as people encourage a work-life balance

Some opinions expressed in the debate:   

'You need to be able to discuss problems with your colleagues and your manager.' Most employees are satisfied if they are well paid' 'The happier employees are, the more efficient and productive they will be.'

Write an essay discussing two of the methods in your notes. You should explain which method you think is more important for employers to adopt, providing reasons to

support your answer. You may, if you wish, make use of the opinions expressed in the debate, but you should use your own words as far as possible. It is thought that employees need to take pleasure and being encourage enough to work correctly. But what could be the better approach, favouring inner communication in the company or making compatible their work and personal lives? Probably, one of the most immediate measures to take into consideration could be a series of efficient channels of inner communication, namely, an intranet would allow workers to treat directly with their boss difficult issues in their workplace, taking relevant decisions together and receiving feedback to support it. On the other hand, the increasing of communication technologies in the workplace could imply dealing with new skills related to the Internet. At the same time, meetings after the work would contribute to make flexible their relationships. In connection with this last idea, it could be also necessary to establish a compatible time of work with their personal lives, so motivation is a relevant factor to achieve a better production - a positive outlook on life could contribute definitively to increment the quality of their services-. However, to this purpose, employers are required to facilitate more periods of holidays, as well as a flexible schedule not only to reduce the stress, but also to stimulate their creativity working at home. In view of the above arguments, I would suggest to reward the better employees with more free time either to relax or well to work at home, due to the fact that the company would reduce thereby considerably their costs and will improve definitely their products and services. ESSAY @8 You have taken part in a seminar discussing how schools and universities can help to make the exam period less stressful for students. You have made the notes below. How can schools and universities help to ensure that students do not suffer from stress during the exam period?   

support from tutors a structured revision timetable prior to exams time for relaxation and leisure activities

Some opinions expressed in the seminar   

'Students need to remember that there is more to life than exam success.' 'Revising for 24 hours a day before exams doesn't necessarily lead to success.' 'You won't do well on the day if you feel stressed.

Write an essay discussing two of the methods in your notes. You should explain which method you think is more important for schools and universities to adopt, providing reasons to support your answer. You may, if you wish, make use of the opinions expressed in the seminar, but you should use your own words as far as It is thought that stress during the exams can prevent students to achieve the better qualifications, but what is better supporting teachers or a well-organised studying plan? Probably quite often a few of useful advices can play an important part in the students’ orientation to pass the exams. At this respect, a positive outlook of life is required to understand that succeeding in exams is not the only goal of their learning, but merely an academic routine. Furthermore, a positive attitude to studying would be influential to overcome that possible common fear to fail at these ages and, what is more, it could be necessary also to obtain an open their horizons in order to face their future careers. On the other hand, and in connection with the idea of achieving their goals, it is felt necessary to maintain certain degree of self-discipline when studying.

However, most of students at those ages tend to fatigue themselves studying without rest the day before of taking their exam. Therefore, it is necessary for students to understand that doing so the day before would be useless if they have not open the textbook during the whole course or even if they use to left undone their school tasks. At this respect, a well-organised timetable with theoretical and specific training to obtain the better qualifications is required. Having in account the above arguments, I would suggest that following a wellstructured plan is essential to achieve their objectives as well as to get the appropriate habit of doing their homework. #-9 Your class has participated in a discussion on the following proposition: technological progress makes us live faster, but it also means we have less time for the important things in life, such as relationships. You have made the notes below. Some areas to cover • • •

entertainment/ leisure time working life /studying health

Some opinions expressed during the discussion:

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''Technology allows us to communicate with more people.' 'Our great-grandparents could not have imagined the opportunities open to us today.' 'In the past, large amounts of time were spent on chores.

Write an essay on the proposition above. Discuss two of the areas in your notes, expressing your own opinions and giving reasons to support them. You may, if you wish, make use of the opinions expressed during the discussion, but you should use your own words as far as possible. It is felt that our lives are fastened by the using of new technologies, however social relationships in general are lessened so it is required on our part an effective distribution of time. But, what is better: using it only for entertainment or for working? Probably, entertaining and social relationships would be the better use of the internet, or at least it has been its genuine purpose since its creation. Thereby, thanks to online chats, making friends not only within our city, but also all around the world is nowadays possible just clicking the mouse. Furthermore, the majority of the offered jobs can be found in social networks such as, for example Facebook, so we would have new chances of careers not seen before whereas chatting. On the other hand and in connection with this last idea, the Internet would useful enough to work from home, where we only need a laptop and a Wi-Fi connection. Therefore, if companies engage their employees in telecommuting, it would be possible to increase significantly their incomings, bringing about at the same time some benefits for the stuff, such as free time both for relaxing and having social relationships either by means of chats or in the real life, even at the cost of being always located by our bosses through the GPS. All in all, I believe that using the Internet to work is the better choice, due to it will allow us living at our own pace as well as maintaining a balance between our employment and socialisation.

REPORTS Reports for CAE are similar in extension, vocabulary, areas/subjects of action and formal style (same features: impersonal and passive forms, grammar resources, etc) to essays, and we should follow the same given indications, but it has its own characteristics as we are seeing now.

 Main objective: to resume, summary, outline, describe, inform, highlight, comment, reflect or other (the verb is given by the statement) a series of problems that can be given at a certain area/s (work, school, environment or other) and suggest different methods or measures to solve it (it can be exactly the opposed to an essay).  Appearance: title (“Report on...”), four headings (one for each given point plus two fixed ones for “Introduction” and “Recommendations”) and optional bulleting points (enumeration of events, for example).  Mechanics of reasoning in reports: we need to gather in each point the diverse factors that affect to a certain area, discussing and making comparison between them that lead us to a series of positive and negative consequences or effects. The discussion follows a parallel sequence (something leads to another that has a concrete effect, for example).  Recommendations: we suggest a series of measures to solve the given problem, using bullet points, for example. Therefore, we need to observe here similar targets on the optimization of work, studies, production, environment or other, as we have seen in the essay previously. We justify our measures by supporting it with both positive effects/consequences finally derived from the two given points. REPORT #1: LEARNING LANGUAGES A leading educational publisher is interested in language learning in different countries. You have been asked to write a report on foreign language learning in your country. In your report you should deal with • •

the languages people learn, who learns them and where they learn them recommendations for improving language learning in your country.

Write your report. FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING IN MY COUNTRY Introduction The aim of this report is to comment on the languages that are learnt by people in my country, to indicate who learn them and the places where they are learnt, and to recommend possible changes that could be made to improve their learning. Language learners New foreign languages, such as English, French and German are required in our current globalised society and the increasing use of the Internet. Thereby, new language learners with different ages and needs come into play searching for a better promotion in their studies or jobs, respectively, although there is a lack of specific training courses. These new learners can be interested in studying or working abroad, so they need different types of languages certifications to these purposes. Places to learn languages These new languages can be learnt at school or well in the workplaces by means of qualified courses, although the language academies are the most frequent places. On the other hand, a great number of people decide to learn them by their own, finding then available a great number of multimedia CD’s, digital dictionaries, podcasts and websites to learn at home. What is more, the most important publishers put at their disposal diverse graded courses to obtain their certifications online. Recommendations I would recommend that the government should subsidise the learning by means of the new technologies so as the internet in general. This would have the effect of allowing more specific training courses while at the same time it would allow the promotion of the individual learning. REPORT #2: WORK ENVIRONMENT The international organisation where you work has a sum of money available for making improvements to the work environment in your office to make it more productive. You have been asked to write a report for your manager in which you:

  

outline the problems with your work environment summarise the improvements you and your colleagues suggested recommend two changes.

Write your report. Write between 220 and 260 words. Report on workplace improvements Introduction The aim of this report is to outline the deficiencies that may be given in the workplace with the purpose of increasing the productivity, to summarise the possible enhancements and to suggest two significant changes in it. The workplace To date, a number of problems is suffered in the office environment. Firstly, the technological equipment is seriously outdated, so the new laser printers does not match with them, being impossible the printing and correction of documents in paper. As consequence, workers are required to make their printings in a shop near the office building, losing a great deal of money and time of work. Finally, the seats are often less than satisfactory in relation to comfort and stability, so they end up suffering of painful backaches. Possible enhancements The aspects covered earlier suggest that the first measure that should be taken probably would be to replace the old computers by new ones that allow our staff to edit their materials at the office. Thereby, saving time and money our company would increase its production and our workers would have at their disposal more time to design new approaches that make it also more competitive. At the same time, ergonomic chairs would be of great help to mitigate the tensions generated by long hours in front of the monitors. Recommendations To conclude, I strongly recommend replacing the old printers by new ones as well the chairs. Both changes will produce an increment in productivity whereas they promote a better and relaxed work environment. REPORT 3: TRAINING PRACTICES You have been working in an international hotel chain for a month as part of a work experience programme. The training manager has asked you to write a report in which you • • •

describe the tasks and activities you participated in explain any problems with the programme make recommendations for two improvements for future programmes.

Write your report. Write between 220 and 260 words. Report on working experience programme at hotels Introduction The main aim of this report is to describe the tasks and activities realised in the training programme at the Excelsior Hotel, to explain the possible difficulties found out in it and to make some suggestions in order of its improvement. Tasks and activities A series of tasks and activities have been realised in this training programme. During the first weeks, the administration system where shown to internships with the intention of being familiarised with it. Then, in the following weeks, the applicants began to deal with telephone attendance and accounting by their own, making reservations and providing clients with the required information. Problems The aspects covered earlier suggest that the first difficulty that is found out could be that the period of learning is felt as insufficient, due to the great amount of data to be dealt with by the trainees. In second term, it is thought also that the new applicants must to attend alone the telephone assistance as well as the booking of rooms, without being supported by a figure of authority in the company, which leads frequently to suffer the reclamations of certain clients because of their lack of experience. Recommendations

To conclude, I strongly recommend that the training period will be longer as well as it could be monitored by a tutor at any moment. Both improvements would result in a better training of the students at the same time it will reduce the possible complaints of clients during the learning period. REPORT 4: STUDENTS FACILITIES A committee is looking into ways of improving facilities in your place of study. The committee chairperson has asked you to write a report on the current situation and make suggestions for improvements. Address the interests of these three groups of people: • • •

students staff members: teachers and administrative staff visitors: prospective future students and others.

Write your report in 220-260 words. Report on improving college facilities Introduction The aim of this report is to suggest ways in which college facilities could be improved for students, staff and visitors. Computers The need of increasing provision of technological equipment has been commented on both students and staff. The former would welcome more study areas equipped with computers, whereas the last ones felt strongly that they would also be able to work more efficiently if they had their own software. The canteen The cost of food in the canteen is felt unnecessarily high by the staff, who recommended a reduction, and although students did not mention price, they would appreciate a wider choice of food. Parking facilities Dissatisfaction with car parking facilities was expressed by staff and visitors. Ones would like reserved spaces away from other parking areas, while the others would be grateful for extra spaces to be made available to them, especially on certain weekday mornings. In this sense, space key such as, for example, the main reception, would appeal to visitors to be more clearly signposted from parking areas. Sports facilities Enlarging the gym and other sports facilities have been suggested by students in order to take account of the increase in student numbers in recent years. Recommendations All in all, I strongly recommend implementing all the suggestions listed above with the exception of providing more car parking spaces, due to it is clear from past experience that demand for parking is never satisfied. Therefore, I would suggest urging drivers to make alternative travel arrangements instead. REPORT 5: PROMOTING A LANGUAGE SCHOOL Numbers of foreign students attending a language school in your town have been falling recently and a governors' committee has been established to increase future numbers. The school principal has asked you to write a report for this committee on the current situation and to recommend how more students could be attracted to the school. Your report should address the following: • • •

what attracts foreigners to your town new teaching methods and facilities that could be offered how leisure facilities and opportunities for socialising could be improved.

Write your report in 220-260 words. Report on attracting more foreign students to our language school

Introduction The aim of this report is to recommend ways in which more foreign students could be attracted to this language school in the next years. Spanish culture It is felt that our national cultural heritage is in itself a great reclaim to people from all over the world. In this sense, new courses specialised in traditional dances, local painters and monuments would be organised either by the teachers by means of scheduled tours to folkloric dance halls, art galleries and the most emblematic buildings with the purpose to increase its insight. The school website Social networks, namely Facebook or Twitter, could help to increase positively the school’s reputation. The profile on the Internet of this school should be opened to their potential applicants, offering them the possibility of downloading from our website information about the centre itself, the subjects of the course and how knowledgeable our teachers are. Improving socialisation Making friends at the school language is a powerful bound that we would not ignore. To this purpose, the organisation of open days and welcome to the new students, as well as parties and leisure or sports activities from the UK, such as rugby, would be of tremendous help. Conclusion and recommendations All in all, I strongly recommend implementing all the suggestions listed above, especially those ones related to the promotion of both courses and teachers on the Internet, due to it will contribute definitely to launch the school’s corporative image internationally.

Proposals Reports and proposals are quite similar in style and form, although whereas reports suggest recommendations to solve problems, a proposal suggests a measure, personal choice or other and justifies it along a series of four fixed points, offering finally a series of conclusions (advantages) by means of strongly confident verbs (would, will, could) rather than tentative ones (perhaps).  Appearance: title, introduction, background, point 1, point 2, conclusions.  Avoid common words, using other more relevant (appeal to, fascinating, outstanding, many, etc).  We can use “:” instead of for example or other to save words.  General plan: title / introduction/ background/ point 1/ point 2/ Conclusion.  In the background part (optional), we consign the topic starting point: characteristics of the designed place, person, its needs, etc.  In the conclusions, we reformulate the positive arguments exhibited to back our choice and how it could act positively in the area, people, etc. 1You see this notice on the website for your town or city council. The Council is planning to honour a local hero connected with our area. The local hero can be someone well known or an ordinary citizen. He/She could be still living or could be someone from history. Residents are invited to send in proposals identifying a deserving person, giving reasons for their choice and suggesting a suitable way in which this hero should be honoured. Write your proposal in 220-260 words THE AMY LAUNDRY’S REFUGEE FOR ABANDONED ANIMALS Introduction

The aim of this proposal is to design the person of Amy Laundry as deserving to be our local hero for this year, to support this choice and to suggest ways to honour her. Amy Laundry If a person should be chosen as a hero in Springfield, she would be undoubtedly our beloved neighbour Amy Laundry. This school teacher of 59 years old has devoted great part of her life in this village to save abandoned pets for free. As soon as it was noticed the increasing number of forsaken puppies in the street, Amy decided to take part in the adoption of these animals founding a refugee at her home. To date, she has picked up more than a hundred abandoned dogs and cats. Reasons It is an unquestionable fact that the labour of outstanding help not only for the well-being of those animals, but also to the community, whose Town Hall saves amounts of money in subsidising this absolutely independent activity. It goes without saying that wandering animals represent sometimes a problem for the town, above all when they are hungry and starve or can be affected by diverse types of sickness, such as rabid or fleas. Therefore, her uninterested actions have contributed to create a healthier environment. Conclusion All in all, I believe that giving her name to a public animal refuge as well as a commemorative plate there would serve both to attend more animals and giving to know her vivid model to the future generations. 2A television station is planning a series of documentary: programmes about life in your region and is inviting proposals from interested members of the public. The series producer invites you to send a proposal outlining ideas for some of these programmes, which should be of interest to general audiences as well to people who live in the region. You should give reasons for your suggestions and say why you believe people, unfamiliar with the region would find the programmes interesting. PEOPLE IN JACKSONVILLE Introduction The aim of this proposal is to suggest ideas for a reality TV series about living in this region which could be of interest not only to their inhabitants, but also for the audience in general, so I suggest that some episodes could focus in the daily life starting from the personal point of view of their locals. Families and works The first programmes could verse about the most well-known families of this part of the country, such as the Hollands and the Willcox, which are mainly devoted to the wood market and the carbon selling respectively. Therefore, the participants might be able to meet them and overcome different trials of their everyday life either working hard in their sawmill, say, constructing furniture or a great cross for the town temple or well extracting minerals from the mine. The forest On the other hand, we cannot ignore how youngsters in this town spend their days-off practising outstanding survival games in the woods, for example, playing paintball. In this sense, a team of participants could be trained to survive in these harmful forests, namely, learning to identify the sounds of diverse animals, making fire, fishing or hunting minor pieces, such as rabbits or squirrels. Conclusion In my opinion, these programme proposals would be of great interest to people outside as well as those who live here, due to they will learn not also to appreciate the natural wealth of the area, but also diverse techniques and ways to work with materials and survive in the forest. 3

A national TV channel is planning a series of documentary programmes about unusual hobbies and is looking for people and their hobbies to feature in the programmes. The series producer invites you to send a proposal outlining ideas for two of these programmes, which should be aimed at general audiences rather than other people doing these hobbies. Your proposal should suggest hobbies of different types and give reasons why you think they would make successful TV programmes. Write your proposal. Strange hobbies for the Channel 5 series Introduction The aim of this proposal is to suggest different unusual hobbies and to support it in order to make succeed your TV programmes. Toy voyaging worldwide The basis of this unusual leisure is to send toys off on a potentially world-wide adventure by means of the website toyvoyagers.com, being possible to choose a temporary home for them and even to write them or send and receive pictures from them. Thanks to this hobby, the audience will learn more about the costumes and the more relevant places in each countries which have been visited by the toys. Crafts in Taiwan In East Asia, we can find also tattooing race cars, another strange leisure which consists of tattooing words from Buddhist texts onto automobiles as a familiar tradition. Thereby, audience will learn not more about the religion of Buda, but also the secrets for being a real speed race champion. Finally, soap carving is another peculiar job practiced at night markets there. As a hobby, soap-carving is viewed very highly and people often sell their creations as souvenirs (we can always consider the advices of diverse masters in this millenary art). Conclusion In my opinion, these programme proposals would be of interest not only to people practise them, but also to general audience, due to the former will learn new techniques to improve their practice whereas the last would increase their general culture and knowledge, which is one of the most important functions of any TV programme. REVIEWS A review can be considered as a hybrid genre between the report and the article. We need to suggest and recommend a film, a book, a dinner in a restaurant or visit a gallery of art, for example. To this purpose, it is previously necessary to highlight its weak and strong points, make comparisons between different places or similar products. Furthermore, a persuasive language is also required. Apart from the standard number of words for CAE, the genre has its own features:  Title (compulsory) and headings/bulletin points (optional): introduction, background (plot), point 1 (characters, for example), point 2 (places) and recommendations, although these headings are optional.  Main objective: suggest either a cultural or leisure product (film, novels and books in general, a music CD, TV series, a restaurant, art galleries, a videogame, a travel or holidays, clothes and fashion shops) or well a comparison between them (a trilogy of books or films, a singer’s repertoire, paintings, hotels, restaurants, shops, etc) to assure its selling. To this purpose, we use a persuasive language and an active semi-formal form.  We need to attract the attention and interest of the potential client/consumer, so we use a series of linguistic resources at our disposal: interrogations, exclamations, punctuation signs, phrasal verbs, idioms, fixed phrases, reiterations, enumerations, substitutions, ellipsis, inversions, conditionals, participles, gerunds, comparisons, contrasting, suggesting, slogans, sayings, quotation, proverbs, jokes, irony, sense of humour... In this sense, this is the richest of the proposed genres for the CAE tests.