UNIT 1

FUNCTIONAL ENGLISH

OBJECTIVE:

1 To enable students speak effectively in formal and informal
situations.

When starting conversations, people have lot of problems which include not
knowing what to say or how to keep the conversation going once it has been
started.
Such problems can be conquered by some simple tips such as:
1 The search for a common ground
When starting conversations initially with people whom you do not
know, try and structure topics around common ground subjects.
Some typical common ground subjects include
- Work
- Where you live
- Sports
- Music
- Travel
2 Keeping the conversation going
Ask open ended questions: why? how? what? Find the hot button
topics(topics that you both are interested in )
Be attentive: Learn to listen actively.
Attitude: What can I learn from this person?
What is this person really saying?

Dont be afraid to change the subject!

3 Self Disclosure
- Talk about yourself
- Tell stories
- Share experiences (provide details, use dialogues)
- Give opinions
- Express feelings
- React emotionally
- Show enthusiasm

4 Create reciprocity: Give feedback, compliments, use names
Refer to the situation: Surroundings, circumstances, people, etc.
Be light: Use wit and humour.
Conversation Tips(Business)
Questions you could ask at work or any business related functions
How did you come up with the idea ?
Describe a typical day on the job?
How did you get started in this industry ?
What got you interested in Marketing /IT?
What do you enjoy most about it ?
Describe some of the challenges in your industry?
What are the trends in your business?
What advice would you give for someone just starting in this
business?
Any significant changes?
Strangest incident you have experienced in your business?
What is the best job you ever had?
Most difficult part of your job?

Instructions to improve conversations:

Step 1 Stay up to date on what is happening in the world so that
you have plenty of things to talk about. Read the local paper and
watch the news so that you can knowledgeably participate in
discussions about current events.

Step 2 Ask a lot of questions. People like to talk about
themselves and their lives. However, make sure you keep the
questions simple dont ask anything too personal or invasive.

Step 3 Listen to others. People can sense when you are not really
interested in, they have what they have to say. They dont want to
waste time talking to someone who doesnt listen. You must
show a sincere interest in others for them to express a sincere
interest in you.

Step 4 Take note of what is going on around you. Use your
surroundings to come up with a conversation later.

Step 5 Smile and look at others in the eye. Everyone enjoys
being around positive, confident people. The more confident you
act, the more confident you will become. Relax and stay calm.

Step 6 Keep practicing. Force yourself to strike up conversations
with strangers in different situations. The more you practice, the
better you will become at starting conversations.

Practicing conversation skills
1. Kick starting conversations

There is nothing worse, than that awkward silence after the initial greeting.
Kick the silence into orbit with these conversation starters.
- How was your day?
- You look really nice.
- How was work?
- What kind of music do you listen to?
- What interesting things did you do this weekend?
- What kind of food do you like?
- Where are you from?
- Which college did you go to?
- Have you read any good books lately? Was it interesting?
- Do you like (an interest of yours)?
- What is the nearest place you have traveled to?
Starting and keeping conversations going

Here are some useful tips to start and keep conversations going:
1 Be the first to say hello
2 Introduce yourself to others.
3 Remember peoples names.
4 Show interest in others conversations.
5 Restating their comments in another way.
6 Communicate enthusiasm.
7 Let the natural person in you come out.
8 Tell others something interesting about what you do.
9 Seek some common interest with other person
10 Keep up to date on current events.
11 Seek out other peoples opinions.
12 Look for the positive aspects of the people you need.
13 Listen carefully for free information.
14 Compliment others about what they are doing or seeing.
15 Prepare for each business or social function you attend.




BODY LANGUAGE

Body language or Kinesics is a term for communication i.e., using body
movements or gestures instead of words. Studies show that the words account
for only 7% of the message we convey. The remaining 93% is non- verbal. Of
the 93%, 55% of the communication is based on what people see and the other
38% is transmitted through tone of voice.

Body language is the meaning behind the unspoken words. It is understood
as the process of communication through sending and receiving wordless
messages. We emit signals of communication using parts of the body. Here are
details of the contributions of each part of the body in the communication
process:
Facial Expressions: The facial expressions for happiness, sadness, anger and
fear are similar throughout the world.
Gestures:
Deliberate movements and signals are an important way to communicate
meaning without words. Common gestures include waving, pointing, and using
fingers to indicated number.
Paralinguistic:
Paralinguistic refers to vocal communication that is separate from actual
language. This includes factors such as tone of voice, loudness, infliction and
pitch.
Body language and posture:
Posture and movement can also convey a lot of information.
Proxemics:
People often refer to their need for personal space which is also an important
type of non-verbal communication. The amount of distance we need and the
amount of space we perceive as belonging to us is influenced by a number of
factors including social norms, situational factors, and personality
characteristics
Haptics: Communicating through touch is another important non-verbal
behaviour. There has been a substantial amount of research on the importance
of touch in infancy, and early childhood.
Appearance : Our choice of colour, clothing, hair styles and other factors
affecting appearance are also considered as means of non-verbal
communication. Research on colour psychology has demonstrated that different
colours can invoke different moods. Appearance can also alter physiological
reactions, judgement, and interpretations.
Eye contact: Eye contact is an important aspect of social interaction, and it is
something that many shy and socially anxious people have difficulty with.
Often people with social anxiety describe looking at someone in the eyes as
anxiety provoking and uncomfortable.
Eye gaze: Looking, staring, and blinking can also be important non-verbal
behaviour. When people encounter, people or things that they like, then the rate
of blinking increases and pupils dilate. Looking at another person can indicate a
range of emotions, including hostility, interest, and attraction.

Communication through body language - 55%
Communication through tone - 38%
Communication through words - 7%


Types of body language:

There are six types of body language one has to be aware of:
2 Eye Contact
3 Facial Expression
4 Head Movements
5 Gestures and Body Movements
6 Postures and Stance
7 Proximity and Social Distance
8 Handshake

Eye Contact:

Eyes are so transparent; that through them, one sees the soul.

Researchers have discovered that one of the main differenced between
people who make friends easily, and those people who have a hard time making
new friends is how much eye contact they make with their conversation
partners. On the other hand, if you make too much eye contact or if you stare
too hard at other people, they will feel uncomfortable
We need to learn a good balance between making eye contact and looking
away.
Uses of eye contact

There are different purposes of eye contact. They are:
1 Showing attention
2 Showing interest
3 Inviting interaction
4 Providing feedback
5 Revealing attitudes

Facial Expression: Facial expression of emotion is similar among human
beings regardless of age, culture, religion or region. Facial expression is
universal. Smile is the essential ingredient of a facial expression.

A smile sends positive message. Smiling adds warmth and an aura of
confidence. Others will be more receptive if you remember to smile.

Uses of facial expression

Facial expression can be used to express the following emotions and
feelings.
1 Facial expression showing happiness
2 Facial expression showing sadness
3 Facial expression showing displeasure
4 Facial expression showing anger
5 Facial expression showing fear
6 Facial expression showing interest/disinterest

Head Movements:

The position of your head speaks to people. When you find two people
talking, you find besides the mouths and faces, the heads talking.

Head movements are significant not only in talking but also in listening.
If the head movements are not used carefully and appropriately, it can adversely
affect the relationship.

Use of head movements
Head movements are used for variety of purposes. They are used in
1 Indicating attitude
2 Supporting what is said
3 Contradicting what is said
4 Indicating the direction in which one has to travel
5 Expressing doubt
6 Expressing arrogance
7 Expressing feeling of superiority
8 Expressing easy going and casual approach

Gestures and body movements

Gestures communicate as effectively as words-maybe, even more
effectively. We use gestures everyday, almost instinctively. But no two people
will use similar gestures.
Nor will people of the same culture act in a predictable, uniform fashion.
This pattern becomes definitely more distinct and different across cultural
barriers. This is simply because gestures are spontaneous.

Gestures mean making expressive movements with hands and arms.
Gestures can be used as a vehicle to send a variety of messages. Real mastery
over body language can be developed only when we learn to use gestures
appropriately.

Gestures can be used to express the following feelings such as
1 Openness
2 Defensiveness
3 Readiness
4 Reassurance
5 Frustration
6 Confidence
7 Nervousness
8 Acceptance
9 Expectance
10 Relationship
11 Suspicion

Handshake:

Handshake has an immediate effect on the outcome of an encounter with
other persons. In the business world, particularly when you deal with people
from other cultures, you need to shake hand well. Pay attention to where your
hands are. Never keep you hands in the pockets. Having your hands anywhere
above the neck is considered unprofessional.

Good hand shakers are seen as being more extrovert and, eventually,
more hirable.
The only thing that is better than a good handshake is no handshake at
all.










UNIT 2
VOCABULARY BUILDING

Objective:
1 To equip the students with a wide range of vocabulary, so as to enable
them to use language more effectively.
2 To help the students perform better in international tests like GRE,
TOEFL, IELTS, etc.

Vocabulary knowledge is the single most important area of language
competence and is of concern to all four language skills. One may not be able
to listen or speak confidently or read and write effectively if he/she does not
have reasonable vocabulary competence, which may include our stock of
perceptive vocabulary as well as productive vocabulary. All successful
communicators do have a reasonable stock of words. We should therefore,
develop our vocabulary.

What does vocabulary development mean? What does learning a new
word involve? Does it involve knowing just the meaning of the word?
Learning or knowing a new word involves knowing its different shades of
meaning (both denotation and connotation), use in context, grammatical
characteristics, and pronunciation and so on.

STUDY OF WORD ORIGIN

The origin and historical development of a linguistic form or language is shown
by determining its- basic elements, earliest known use, and changes in form and
meaning, tracing its transmission from one language to another, identifying its
cognates in other languages, and reconstructing its ancestral form .
The Study of word origin is called Etymology. Etymology focuses on., Where
do words come from? How and when were they invented? Why are there so
many different languages? Why do many languages share the same or
similar words for the same things?
The answers to all these questions lie in the study of Etymology This concerns
the study of Roots of words, Coining new words, Word meanings, Word
opposites their usage and how the sounds and spellings, as well as their
meanings, have evolved over time.



WORD ROOTS

A root is the part of any word that reveals its essential meaning, a meaning that
never changes, even though other letters or word parts may be added at the
beginning or the end. The quickest, most useful, and easiest way to increase
word power is to analyze and understand how words are put together. Once we
learn to recognize the building blocks called the roots, many previous
unfamiliar words become meaningful and useful. Besides, roots can help you
memorize clumps of words with similar meanings, and they can help you
decode words you dont know.



Root

Meaning

Example

am, amic

love, friend

amity, amicable, amiable, amorous

ben, bon

well, good

benefactor, bonjour

mor, mort

die, death

morbid, mortal, immortal, mortuary

auto

self

automatic, autonomous,
autobiography

chrono

time

chronology, synchronize,
anachronism

corp

body

corpse, corpulent

morph

form

metamorphosis, amorphous,
morphology

ac, acu

sharp

acrid, acute

spec, spic

see, look

spectator, spectacular, conspicuous
loq speech,talk
speech, talk
Soliloquy, eloquent, loquacious
soliloquy, eloquent, loquacious

Prefixes

Prefix means a word or a part of a word fixed before another word to add
something to its meaning. It may be even a syllable. Most of the English
prefixes are borrowed from Latin and Greek.

A list of prefixes is provided hereunder with illustrations:



Prefix

Meaning

Word

Anti

Ante

Auto

Bi

Co

De

Demi


Dis

En, Em


Against

Before

Auto

Two or Twice

With

Down

Half


Apart

In, On


Anticlimax, Antidote, Anti-
national etc

Antedate, Antenatal, Antecedent,
etc

Autocrat, Automobile, Autograph,
etc

Bilateral, Bigamy, Bisect,
Biweekly, etc

Co-operative, co-existence,
Collision etc

Dethrone, Defame, Demoralise, etc

Demi-god, Demi-official, Demi-
paradise, etc.

Disconnect , Disorganise, Discard,
etc

Endanger, Enable, Embody,
Emplane, etc.

Equi

Ex

Hetero

Hexa

Hyper


Mono

Non

Omni


Semi

Poly

Sub

Phil








Equally

Out of

Different

Six

Over


Alone

Not

All


Half

Many

Under

Love


Equilateral, Equivalent,
Equidistant, etc.

Expel, Extract, Extend, Express,
etc.

Heterogeneous, Heterodox, etc.

Hexameter, Hexagon, etc.

Hypersensitive, Hypertension,
Hypercritical, etc.

Monogamy, Monologue,
Monopoly, etc.

Nonsense, Non-violent, Non-entity,
etc.

Omnipresent, Omnipotent,
Omniscient, etc.

Semi-colon, Semi-final, etc.

Polygamy, Polyandry, etc.

Subconscious, Subhuman, etc.

Philanthropy, Philanderer, etc.














SUFFIXES


A suffix can change the word-class and meaning of a word. Suffixes may
be used to form nouns from verbs and adjectives, and adjectives from nouns and
verbs.
The following list contains different suffixes and their uses to form new words:


Nouns from verbs:


Suffix

Verbs

Nouns

-ment


-tion


-ance


-al

-sion

-ing

-ure

Amuse, move, conceal


Act, add ,adopt, invent


Perform, assist, attend


Arrive, deny, dismiss

Expel, Divide, extend

Learn, bless, build

Fail, furnish

Amusement, movement,
concealment.

Action, addition, adoption,
invention

Performance, assistance,
attendance

Arrival, Denial, Dismissal

Expulsion, Division, Extension

Learning, blessing, building

Failure, furniture



SYNONYMS AND ANTONYMS

SYNONYMS:

Synonyms and antonyms are as important as any other grammatical item.
In fact, no word gives exactly the same meaning as any other word gives. But,
there are some same shades of meaning we find in them. They are used in
different senses, in different contexts but are treated as synonyms. Words of
like meaning are called synonyms. Given below is a list of synonyms:


Word

Synonyms

Word

Synonyms

Abandon
Auxiliary
Admire
Anger
Candid
Deadly
Fabricate
Hamper
Illegal
Infer
Hideous
Laudable
Quantum


Scold
Ultimate
Vain
Yield


Leave, forsake
Accessory, subsidiary
Praise, esteem
Ire, wrath, rage
Frank, straightforward
Dangerous, fatal
Forge, construct
Block, disturb
Unlawful, illicit
Conclude, deduce
Repulsive, ugly
Commendable,
praiseworthy
Amount, share


Rebuke, reprove
Final, last
Fruitless, conceited
Give, surrender



Abbreviate
Adept
Assist
Bold
Crazy
Devoid
Forbid
Ignorant
Indicate
Initiate
Insight
Proficient
Revenge


Teach
Vacant
Winsome
Zest

Abridge, shorten
Skilled, expert
Help, support
Daring, valiant
Insane, mad
Vacant, empty
Disallow, prohibit
Unaware,
unreasonable
Show, hint
Start, begin
Instigate, provoke
Adept, expert
Retribution,
vengeance


Instruct, educate
Empty, void
Charming, attract
Gusto, relish


ANTONYMS:

Antonyms are the words that give opposite meaning. Sometimes in the
absence of exact equivalence, we understand the meaning of words with the
help of antonyms.


Word

Antonyms

Word

Antonyms

Above
Asset
Beautiful
Boom
Create

Below, beneath
Liability
Ugly
Slump
Destroy

Accept
Base
Benevolent
Confident
convex

Reject
Noble
Malevolent
Diffident
Concave
Democracy
Famous
Harsh,
Lewd
Optimistic
Promote
Reverence
Tranquil
Vague




Autocracy
Obscure
Gentle
Virtuous
Pessimistic
Demote
Scorn
Disturb
Clear

Ebb
Genuine
Keen
Monogamy
Orient
Remarkable
Sympathy
Urbane
Zenith
Flow
Spurious
Blunt, dull
Polygamy
Occidental
Ordinary
Antipathy
Rude
Nadir


ONE WORD SUBSTITUTES

In the process of learning a language we come across some lengthy phrases
and clauses that can be expressed in a single word. A learner, if acquires
command over such words, will be able to use the language with comfort and
ease. The words given hereunder will help promote the knowledge of a learner
pertaining to that aspect.


Aborigines : The original inhabitants of a place.
Accomplice : A partner in crime.
Ambiguous : Capable of being interpreted in two way of double meaning.
Ambidextrous : Able to use the left hand as well as the right.
Amphibian : Living both on land and in water.
Anachronism : Something out of harmony with the present time.
Archaeology : Study of antiquities, especially of the pre-historic period.
Astronaut : One who flies a space vehicle.
Atheism : Disbelief in the existence of God.
Autocrat : One who rules with absolute power.
Blasphemy : Words uttered impiously about God.
Bourgeois : Of the middle class.
Carnivorous : Feeding on flesh.
Compatriot : A person belonging to ones own country.
Complacent : Satisfied with ones own character, achievements, etc.
Connoisseur : One well versed in any art.
Cosmopolitan : Free from national or regional prejudices.
Extempore : Speaking without previous preparation.
Fauna : The animals of a particular region.
Flora : The plants that grow in a particular region.
Genealogy : Account of a persons descent from his ancestors.
Hallucination : Seeing something which is not actually present.
Hedonist : One who lives for pleasure/one who seeks pleasure.
Insuperable : That cannot be overcome.
Misogynist : One who hates women.
Misogamist : One who hates marriage.
Misanthrope : One who hates mankind.
Nemesis : Retributive justice/downfall that justifies such justice.
Nepotism : Undue favour shown by a person in power.
Omnipotent : Having infinite power.
Omnipresent : Being present everywhere.
Omniscient : Having infinite knowledge.
Panorama : Unbroken view of surrounding region.
Posthumous : Occurring after death.


IDIOMS AND PHRASES

Languages undergo many changes in course of time. What was considered
to be slang at one time might be acceptable at a different time. Resultantly, the
style of language also changes from time to time. An important fact that is
stressed is that idioms are not only colloquial expressions as people believe but
they appear in formal style and slang. They find place in poetry, in the
language of Shakespeare or that of The Bible. An idiom, we can say, is number
of words which, taken together, means something different from the individual
words of the idiom when they stand alone. They have some special features.
So, we have to learn them as a whole. English is very rich in idiomatic
expressions. Even native speakers are not aware that they are using an idiom.
A non native learner makes the correct use of idiomatic English. Some idioms
are illogical and grammatically incorrect. They cause him difficulty. Only a
careful study and exact learning will help us.


Ex: Come off means succeed.
Make up your mind means decide.

Given below is a list of few idioms and phrases :

1. Arm in arm(interlinked).
2. Ex: America and India work arm in arm.

3. Beat about the bush.(approach a matter in a round about way).
4. Example: Some speakers beat about the bush when they explain some
points.

5. Bag and baggage(with all ones belongings).
6. Ex : To travel with bag and baggage is a Herculean task.

7. Blow ones own trumpet(praise oneself)
8. Ex: Some people blow their own trumpet though nobody likes it.

9. Corner stone(something of great importance)
10. Ex: The philosophy of karma is the corner stone of Hindu philosophy.
11. A dead letter (obsolete).
12. Ex: The regulation is already a dead letter.

13. End in smoke(failed).
14. Ex: All the plans of the father ended in smoke.

15. Egg on(instigate).
16. Ex: Some lectures egg on students to resort to strike.

17. Eleventh hour(last minute efforts).
18. Ex: Some students make eleventh hour preparation.

19. From hand to mouth(without making provisions for the future).
20. Ex: Most of the Indians lead a hand to mouth living.

21. Kick the bucket(die).
22. Ex: The old man kicked the bucket at the age of 90.

23. Move Earth and heaven(make a great effort)
24. Ex: America moved Earth and heaven to suppress Vietnam.

25. Neither head nor tail(unable to understand).
26. Ex: He could make neither head nor tail of his new teachers
explanation.

27. Pick holes(find fault).
28. Ex: Some narrow-minded people pick holes in every matter.

29. Root and branch(completely).
30. Ex: The factory was destroyed root and branch due to bomb blasting.

31. Rolling stone(wanderer).
32. A rolling stone gathers no mass.

33. Splits hairs(make very fine distinctions).
34. Ex: Some lawyers are experts in splitting hairs.

35. Under ones thumb(under ones control).
36. Ex: A henpecked husband wants to be under the thumb of his wife.

37. White elephant(very expensive).
38. Ex: The motor car is like a white elephant for a middle class man.

39. From A to Z(completely).
40. Ex: She is thorough with Gita from A to Z.


PHRASES

1. Break down(to stop due to a mechanical fault).
2. Ex: The bus broke down due to some mechanical problem.

3. Cut off(to isolate).
4. Ex: The unexpected floods cut off the city from the rest of the villages.

5. Get at(to find).
6. Ex: The judge got at the truth by questioning.

7. Keep off(be away from).
8. Ex: We must keep off black sheep.

9. Make off(to run away).
10. Ex: The thief made off with the suitcase.
11. Pass for(to pose as someone else)
12. Ex: Some people pass for genuine guests at the wedding dinners.

13. Cotton on(understand)
14. Ex: It took me sometime to cotton on to why my boss was angry with
me.

15. Deal in(buy and sell)
16. Ex: I deal in leather goods.

17. Figure out(understand)
18. Ex: I cannot my figure out.


40 Hush up(keep secret by enforcing silence about it)
Ex: These days, it is difficult to hush up murders for political causes.

41 Trim down(reduce)
Ex: We have to trim down our spending to fit our income.

42 Back out(fail to do what is expected)
Ex: You said you stand by me, why did you back out now?

ANALOGY

The ability to grasp the similarity or difference between pairs of words is,
in a way, necessary for scientists, engineers and technologists.

The following examples of pairs belonging to different classes and
categories may help the learner:

1.Broad Narrow
Animal: Tiger: : Stationery: Pen

2. Person-Quality
Dwarf: Shortness: : Solomon: Wisdom

3. General-specific
World: India: : Transport: Train

4. Word-Synonym
Cunning: Deceptive: : Contented:Satisfied

5. Operation Stage
Football: First Hal: :Cricket: First Innings

6. Word_Antonym
Kind: Cruel: :Criminal: Innocent

7. Word_Definition
Isolation: Loneliness: :Invalidation:Scratching

8. Male-Female
Boy: Girl: : Governor:Governess

9. Relationships
Mother:Father: :Aunt:Uncle

10. Virtue-Failing
Virtue: Vice: :Generosity: Stinginess

11. Element Extension
Rain: storm: : Error: Blunder
12. Lesser Degree Greater Degree
Smile: Laughter: : Cruelty: Ferocity

13. Singular - Plural
Mouse: Mice: :Child: Children

14. Part Whole
House: Kitchen: : Tree: Branch

15. Elements of time
Forenoon: Afternoon: : Dawn: Dusk

16. Time Sequence
Sleep: Awake: : Initiate: Conclude

17. User Tool
Doctor: Stethoscope: : Barber: Scissors

18. Creator Creation
Sculptor: Statue: : Carpenter: Table

19. Cause Effect
Rain: Flood: : Fever: Weakness

20. Person Profession
Engineer: Construction: : Minister: Service

21. Tool - Function
Hammer: Nailing: : Brush: Painting

22. Symbol Institution
Parcel: Post office: : Black coat: Judiciary
23. Reward Action
Nobel Prize: Literature: : Bhatnagar Award: Science

24. Object Obstacle
Boat: Flood: : Agriculture: Drought


25. Object Operator
Pen: Nib: : Stove: Burner

26. Object Material
Spoon: Steel: : Mirror: Glass































UNIT 3

GROUP DISCUSSION


Group discussion is commonly known as G.D as the name suggests, it
is a group activity. People are grouped in a bunch for a common purpose.

1 For job, academic, professional purposes.
2 Share Knowledge.
3 Exchange Opinions.
4 Brain storm (find solutions innovative look for improvements).
5 Job selection process.


To perform G.D activities well:
Youll require positive attitude.
Effective skills.
Good amount of knowledge.
Good language and communication Skills.


Activities


Knowledge Attitude



Skills


Knowledge:-

- General (world Knowledge).

Read News Papers , Watch News channels, Assimilate views


Verbal English/Local
Language
Non Verbal Body Movements.





Activities:-


Appropriate Views to be expressed The Discussion should be
expressed spontaneous

Speaking with proper pitch and rate Listening for details
Of speech


Skills

1) Listening.
2) Speaking.
3) Timing.(Spontaneity)
4) Logic (arguing).


Attitude

1) Dont Dominate.
2) Dont Suppress.
3) Dont be silent for too long.
4) Be tolerant.
5) Be team player.
6) If it is a G.D for selection remembers you cant be listening all the time
because you will be one of the five or six to show your skills in 15-20
minutes nor you can complain that you werent given a choice.

Its up to you to look for pauses between sentences of the team mate and enter a
discussion smoothly.

--You score point for
1. Leading the discussion
2. Directing discussion in a different angle.
3. Summarizing in the middle and closing discussion appropriately.




1 GD for academic or professional purpose (Brain storming).
2 Forget your ego.
3 Appreciate and applaud (encourage) others views.
4 Encourage silent partners to be communicative.
5 Remember here there are no points to score. You as an individual
dont matter, its the team that matters.


G.D:-
G.Ds can be Topic-based or case-based.

Topic-Based:
1. Factual Topics.
2. Controversial Topics.
3. Abstract Topics.

Factual Topic:-
Topics which an ordinary person is aware of in his day-
to-day life. These can be current.
Eg: Environment pollution
Child Labour.


Controversial Topics:-

Topics which are argumentative in nature.
Eg: Should reservations be removed?



Abstract Topics:-
Topics are about intangible things. Which test the
participants creativity.


Dos


- Sit at the center.
- Take notes.
- Use appropriate gestures.
- Allow others to talk.
- Keep eye contact.
Donts:

- Avoid sitting at corners.
- Dont interrupt into others speech.
- Dont become emotional.
- Dont silence others.
- Dont talk for long.
- Dont look only at one person.
- Dont repeat what already said.

For a successful G.D:-

1 Agreement on Group Goals.
2 Goal oriented Interaction.
3 Agreement on procedures.
4 Cooperative and friendly atmosphere.
5 Use of effective communication techniques.
6 Equitable distribution of participation.
7 Shared Leadership is important.

Leader ship functions during a G.D include initiative, analysis,
assertiveness, self-confidence, objectivity, patience and
composure, persuasiveness (persuasion is an art that requires
an ample amount of convincing power) and motivation.

Team Management:
To acquire this skill Adaptability, positive attitude,
cooperation and coordination are required.

Participating in G.D:
Use appropriate strategies for effective participation in G.D
Eg: well friends, may I request your kind attention
Hello everybody, hello friends.






UNIT 4
INTERVIEWS

Objectives

1 To develop interview skills
2 To know the characteristics of job interviews
3 To understand the strategies of the interviewers to facilitate better
responses during the placement interviews.


Introduction:

The word interview means view between or sight between. It
suggests a meeting between two persons for the purpose of getting a view of
each other. An interview is thus, a means of two way communication. It is not
only an academic test but also a psychological test. One must prepare well and
be in the best frame of mind to face the interview successfully. Many
candidates with excellent academic and scholastic record fail to make a mark,
on account of their inability to face the interview successfully.
The role of the interviewer is to seek information and that of the
interviewee is to provide it.

Types of Interview:

1. Appraisal Interview: It is usually held once a year to discuss the
performance of the employee. It has two goals:
a. Improving job performance and better relations.
b. Improving communication between the manager and the
subordinates.
2. Grievance Interview: This interview is conducted for giving complaint
against the employee.
3. Exit Interview: These interviews are conducted when the employee is
leaving the organization either voluntarily or through dismissal.
4. Depth Interview: A number of questions on a particular area are put to the
interviewee. Answer to any one question does not cover full information. A
number of follow up questions are put by the interviewer.
5. Board Interview: A panel/board interview is well suited for government
organization or autonomous body. This type of interview enables selection of
suitable candidate in just one interview. The board usually consists of four to
six members headed by a chairman. The chairman takes decision after listening
to the impression of all the board members, their comment about the candidate
and finally on his own impression. The candidate gets interviewed on a variety
of subjects related to his field, because each expert covers different areas.
6. Group Interview: In a group interview, a group of interviewees are allowed
together to interact and exchange each others views.

PROCESS OF AN INTERVIEW

The interview process may involve exchange of facts, events, opinions,
reactions, feeling, panel decision, goal setting, evaluation, investigation etc.

The process of an interview contains the following stages:
1. Opening: The first is introduction. In this the parties exchange their
greeting.
2. Object of the interview: Interviewer explains to the interviewee the object of
the interview.
3. Beginning of the interview: In the commencement of an interview, both
parties will be in a light hearted manner and follow the sequences of questions
and topics.


PRE-PLANNING

1. Personal Information

The candidate must post himself with all the information relating to his
family background, his own scholastic and academic achievements, and the
nature of his present employment. The candidate must also post if any, present
emoluments, his extra-curricular activities and other interests in the
professional, research, and other fields. Whatever enquiry is made of these
things, the candidate must readily offer the answer to them.

2. Preparing a Career Statement

The members of the selection committee may pose a number of questions
on the candidates career interests. The candidate may not have imagined the
type of questions that may be asked. Therefore the wisest thing is to prepare a
list of questions that may be asked and work out coherent and convincing
answers to them.

Dress Code

The candidates must be trim and tidy, and neatly dressed. However, for men
candidates dark and light combination with a suitable tie and polished shoe,
seems impressive. In the case of women candidates the Indian saree, and
sandals seem to be a dignified dress. They must avoid gaudy colours and fancy-
type dresses. High heeled shoe may be avoided, because they produce
distracting tapping sounds, and the candidates look extraordinarily tall.

Detection of the Self, Likes and Dislikes

The candidate must be aware of his likes and dislikes, his abilities and
inabilities. When he is asked to list them out, he should be able to do it well as it
shows his self awareness and also helps the interviewer to understand him.

Practicing

The candidates should all go out to grab a career opportunity. As the date of
the interview is fast approaching, they must sit before the mirror and try to
answer the questions raised earlier. Or, they may practice before a trusted
friend or a colleague and take the benefit of the feedback. They may also tape-
record their answers and listen to them with a view to improving their
expressions or answers.

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

The suitability of a candidate for a particular position is evaluated during a job
interview through an oral question/answer session. Thus, the interview contains
specific questions and appropriate answers. The candidate should understand
the nature of different types of interview questions, analyze expected questions
in order to devise answering strategies, and practice these answers. Some tips
on job interview questions and answers are discussed below:


Types of interview questions

We should be familiar with the nature and type of questions being asked during
job interviews so that we are ready to answer them confidently. There are seven
different types of questions that are asked to elicit certain responses from
candidates. They include open, closed, probing, reflective, loaded, hypothetical,
and leading questions.

Open questions: An open question asks the candidates to talk about
something. Its main purpose is to encourage the candidates to talk broadly
about a topic or subject. It broadens the scope of the response by forcing the
candidates to engage in deeper thinking. Following are some of the examples of
open questions:
1 Tell us something about yourself?
2 Talk about your interest and activities?
3 Describe the most difficult situation that you recently faced?
4 What are the advantages of a mixed economy?
5 What do you think about the impact of multinational companies on the
Indian economy?

Closed questions: Unlike open questions, closed questions limit the scope of
the response by asking the candidates to provide specific information or facts.
It permits the candidate no freedom of selection as they are required to give
very specific answers. Following are some such examples:
1 When did you complete your graduation?
2 What was your major subject in the college?
3 Where did you receive your first professional training?
4 Do you know data processing?

Probing questions The main purpose of a probing question is to probe more
deeply or ask for an explanation or clarification of a statement just made.
Probing questions encourage the candidate to talk in greater depth about a topic
or subject. For example, after the response, I believe that students should be
allowed in academic decision making, the interviewer might ask the probing
question, Do you think that this should include all academic decisions?

Reflective questions Reflective questions are asked to confirm the statements
given by the candidate. The purpose is to check that the interviewer
understands what the candidate has said. Following are some examples of
reflective questions:
1 That means you want the public sector companies to be totally privatized?
2 Am I right in thinking that you are against economic liberalization in India?
3 Does it mean that you favour a total ban on any type of violence in movies?

Loaded questions Loaded questions evaluate the candidates response to a
sensitive issue, subject or point. The main purpose of loaded questions is to
judge the candidates ability to handle difficult and sensitive situations. There
may not be any right or wrong answer to a loaded question. Rather, it would be
a reasonable or unreasonable response. The following are some examples:
1 You are too short.
2 Dont you think this is going to be a handicap for you?
3 Your GPA in the first semester of your B.Tech is too low. How do you
justify that?
4 Do you think that a Ram temple should be constructed at the site of Babri
Masjid?
Hypothetical questions A hypothetical question may involve a hypothetical
situation. It may be asked to test the possible reactions of the candidate to a
certain situation. The candidate may be asked the question, what would you do
if .?, or the candidate may be given a situation and asked how he/she will
deal with it. Some examples are given here:
1 What would you do if you face a group of angry employees who want to
harm company vehicles because one of the workers has been hurt by company
lorry?
2 One of your staff has been involved in activities detrimental to your
organization. He has been doing this for money that he needs for the treatment
of his ailing mother. What would you do?

Leading questions: A leading question is asked to obtain a desired response. It
leads the candidate to a particular answer. Such questions generally suggest a
point of view on the part of the interviewer and call for agreement with a yes
answer. Given below are some examples:
1 Dont you agree that our company is a market leader in electronic products?
2 Dont you think that MNCs have boosted the Indian economy?
3 Dont you agree that our economy needs more privatization?

ANSWERING STRATEGIES:

Keys to answering questions:

How a question is answered is sometimes more important than the answer
itself. The way a question is answered reflects a persons communicative
ability. The following suggestions will help in improving the quality of
answers.
Attentiveness: When a person attends a job interview, he /she cannot answer
the interviewers questions correctly unless he/she is listening properly. Many
candidates start answering before they have heard the complete question. This
is wrong. The candidate should listen to the interviewer attentively in order to
understand the question and then respond to it. Moreover, the interviewer
should not be interrupted while he or she is speaking. This constitutes rude
behaviour and is against the norms of any formal interaction.
Accuracy: The candidate should give particular attention to dates, timelines,
persons, places and other details. If he/she cannot remember a date or time, it
should not be mentioned. Giving an incorrect or incomplete answer will reduce
the chances of success. The candidate should not try to bluff the interviewer; it
is better to accept that he/she does not know an answer rather than giving an
incorrect answer. No one is expected to know everything and there is nothing
wrong in accepting ones lack of knowledge.

Brevity: The candidate should be brief and to the point particularly in open
questions, where he/she has the scope to speak as much as he/she can. He/she
should listen to the question carefully and answer only what is asked, not taking
more than on minute to answer any question, irrespective of its nature and
complexity. A long answer does not necessarily mean a better answer; it is
usually otherwise.

Focus: The candidate should be focused and specific. Very often, candidates
deviate from the question asked and do not answer specifically. Trying to
impress interviewers by giving information that is not asked for should be
avoided. The more specific the answer, the more convinced the interviewers are
likely to be of a candidates suitability for the position. Concrete and specific
words and phrases should be used, and obscure, abstract, and vague words that
may confuse the interviewers should be avoided.

Clarity: Candidate should answer directly and clearly. The candidate should
not give the interviewers a chance to ask for an answer to be repeated or
classified. Clarity of expression generally reflects clarity of thought and
professionalism.

Positive Attitude: The candidates answers reflect a positive attitude.
Interviewers may ask negative or sensitive questions to explore the negatives in
the candidates personality. Therefore, it is important to remain positive and
answer even negative questions positively.

Logical Thinking: The ability to think logically is always an asset during and
interview. Answers should always be rational and logical because illogical
answers reflect a disorganized personality. Logical arguments and illustrations
should be used when answering questions that demand careful thinking (that is,
probing and hypothetical questions).

TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS

Telephone interviews have become very common today due to compelling
reasons of time and distance. Unlike a face-to-face interview, which generally
takes place in an office with the focus on a traditional structure of questions and
answers in a conventional setting, a telephone interview takes place in a non-
conventional setting. Although the telephone interview has certain inherent
weaknesses as an interview format, its popularity is increasing, especially for
recruitment to senior positions. Moreover, it is less cumbersome for both the
interviewers as well as the candidates.

The telephone interview generally has a fixed structure. The number of
interviewers may vary from one to eight. The chairperson of the selection
committee introduces the members of the committee to the candidate. Then,
each expert introduces himself/herself and asks questions. This goes on till
each member has talked to the candidate. Each of them may form an opinion
about the candidate and then a final decision is made on the basis of consensus.
The following suggestions will help improve telephone interview skills:
1 Candidates should plan and prepare for the interview in a manner similar to
that for a face-to-face interview. All the relevant interview techniques and
strategies discussed earlier can be applied here too. The interviewers may ask
the candidate to give a date and time for the interview or may fix it themselves.
2 The candidate should ensure that there are no distractions during the
telephone interview.
3 The names of all the members of the interview panel should be written down
at the beginning of the call and they should be referred to by name throughout
the interview. It is important for the candidate to know who is speaking in order
to establish rapport with them. Each member of the pane l should be greeted
when he/she asks the first question.
4 The interviewee must organize his/her papers and documents and keep them
close so that he/she may easily refer to them.
5 He/she must also keep a pen and paper to take notes.
6 When an interviewer passes on the telephone to other members of the
interview board, the candidate must thank him/her.
7 As in a face to face interview it is best to answer briefly in telephone
interviews too.
8 The interviewee should speak clearly and distinctly, keeping his/her voice
level up to reveal a high energy level.

INTERVIEW THROUGH VIDEOCONFERENCING

Interviews may also be held through videoconferencing. This is very
similar to a face-to-face job interview because the interviewers can watch the
candidate answering questions and can assess his/her behavior and non-verbal
gestures. Some organizations might prefer to have a screening interview
through videoconferencing. Situational interviews may also be conducted
through videoconferencing.

The videoconferencing interview also has a fixed structure. The number of
interviewers may vary from one to eight, as in a face-to-face or telephone
interview. The chairperson of the selection committee may introduce the
members of the committee to the candidate. Then, each expert may talk to the
candidate asking him/her a few questions. This may go on till each member has
talked to the candidate. As the form and structure of a videoconferencing
interview is similar to traditional face-to-face personal interview, candidates
may apply the same techniques and strategies of interviewing here.
5.RESUME WRITING


1 Resume is a document that speaks about you.
2 Your Resume contains general information.
3 Building an effective resume focuses on overall organization, font
selection, contact information, education, experience, Honors and
Activities etc.
4 Presentation is everything. The way the Resume is structured organized
and written is important.
5 It is a brief account of personal details, your education, work experience
that you have.
6 Resume must be neatly printed or typed and appealing to the eye.
7 Avoid giving information that is not relevant to the application.

Resume writing

Covering letter
Resume
Thank you letter
Follow up letter
Recommendation.


Recommendation letter

1 Should be typed
2 Use official letter head
3 Sign the letter
4 Put in an envelope
5 Sign across the seal


RESUME DESIGN

The design of a resume largely depends on a persons background, employment
needs, career goals and professional conventions in the area of specialization. A
resume should be original. Although resume writing software may be used to
design a resume or it may be written by professional resume writer, it should be
designed according to individual needs. Keeping a resume job specific gives it
the required focus and makes it more effective.

1 How do you begin to write the body of the resume for your career
change?

2 Take your achievements , strengths, education and training and writing
them down which one can you group together under one heading

1 Heading could includes
1. leadership
2. financial management
3. account management
4. goal setting and achievement

These headings depend on your own experiences and
achievements.


TYPES OF RESUMES

There are three types

1. Chronological resume
2. Functional resume
3. Combination resume


Name
Address


Career Objective --- 1 sentence
Position sought
Academic qualification
Tech. qualification
Projects /experience
Extracurricular
Personal profile
Name
Fathers Name
DOB/Age
Address
Ref : 1
2
3
Signature





SAMPLE RESUME

Chronological Resume: This is the most common resume style .It focuses on
education and experience. It organizes past employment record or education in
reverse chronological order. It lists work experience items or educational
/professional qualifications starting with the current or most recent and works
backwards in time.
VIBHOR SAXENA
A-25/31, Sector-60, Noida-201301
E-mail: vibhorsaxena@dppc.com

POSITION SOUGHT Manager-Project

OBJECTIVE To contribute to the growth of a leading project
management company by working in a
challenging
position where I will have opportunities to
utilize my exposure to project management
methodologies and experience as project leader in
construction activities of large scale heavy
engineering projects.

EXPERIENCE Project leader, Dharampal Premchand Ltd.,
Sector-60, Noida-201301
December 2001 to present
2 Complete civil projects within ahead of the
schedule through strict planning, monitoring, and
control while maintaining the best construction
standards
3 Supervise erection of auxiliary facilities like water
treatment, ETP, cabling , piping and other utilities
4 Maintain customer relations through effective
presentation of technical expertise.

Assistant Project Manager(Civil), Subhash
Projects and Marketing Ltd, Park Street ,Kolkata
December 1998 to November 2001
1 Assist in the project management of various civil
works being executed Coordinate with Head
Office, sites, various departments and
subcontractors
Maintain close liaison with clients




EDUCATION Pondicherry Engineering College, Pondicherry
B.Tech in Civil Engineering, July 1998
Institute of Information Technology,
Mumbai
Certificate in Computer Programming,
December,
1998

SPECIAL SKILLS
2 Proficient in MS-DOS, Microsoft Windows, Excel,
and Word 98 and
2000
3 Good problem-solving skills
4 Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
5 Competent in speaking French
ACTIVITIES
1 Member, Institution of Engineers, New Delhi
2 Member, National Cadet Corps, 1994-1996
3 Secretary, Society for Promotion of Science, New
Delhi
INTERESTS
1 Badminton, Football, Cycling
2 Classical Music, Movies, Fiction





Functional Resume

Unlike chronological resumes that focus on education and work
experience, functional resumes highlight accomplishment and emphasise skills.
Some employers are more interested in the applicants ability to handle the
position they are applying for, and they would prefer a functional resume rather
than a chronological one. A functional resume provides example of experiences
that demonstrate the skills needed for the targeted position.



VIBHOR SAXENA
A-25/31, Sector-60, Noida- 201 301
E-mail: vibhor_saxena@dppc.com

POSITION SOUGHT
Manager Project

OBJECTIVE

To contribute to the growth of a leading project management company by
working in a challenging position where I will have opportunities to utilize my
exposure to project management methodologies and experience as project
leader in construction activities of large scale heavy engineering projects.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Assisted in the project management of various civil works being executed
at site at Subhash Projects and Marketing Ltd
1 Completed civil projects within or ahead of the schedule at Dharamapal
Premchand Ltd
2 Maintained strict planning, monitoring and control while maintaining the
best construction standards
3 Supervised erection of auxiliary facilities like water treatment, ETP,
cabling, piping, and other utilities






COORDINATION AND CUSTOMER RELATIONS

1 Coordinated with Head Office, sites, various departments, and sub-
contractors
2 Maintained customer relations through effective presentation of technical
expertise
3 Maintained close liaison with clients

SPECIAL SKILLS
1 Proficient in MS-DOS, Microsoft Windows, Excel, and word 98 and
2000
2 Good problem-solving skills
3 Excellent communication and interpersonal skill
4 Competent in speaking French

EDUCATION

Pondicherry Engineering College, Pondicherry
BTech in Civil Engineering, July 1998
Institute of Information Technology, Mumbai
Certificate in Computer Programming, December, 1998

EMPLOYMENT RECORD

2001/Present Project Leader, Dharampal Premchand Ltd., Sector-60,
Noida 201 301
1998/2001 Assistant Project Manager (Civil), Subhash Projects
and Marketing Ltd,
Park Street, Kolkata

ACTIVITIES

1 Member, Institution of Engineers, New Delhi
2 Member, National Cadet Corps, 1994-1996
3 Secretary, Society for Promotion of Science. New Delhi

INTERESTS

1 Badminton, Football, Cycling
2 Classical Music, Movies, Fiction


Combination Resume

As the name suggests, a combination resume follows a mixed style,
drawing on the best characteristics of the chronological and functional resumes.
It highlights skills but includes detailed information about the candidates
education and work experience.

VIBHOR SAXENA
A-25/31, Sector-60, Noida-201 301
E-mail: vibhor_saxena @ dppc.com

SKILLS
1 Conversant in structural steel design and fabrication
2 Have sufficient exposure to project management
methodologies
Competent in managing construction activities of
large scale Heavy Engineering Projects
Proficient in MS-DOS, Microsoft Windows, Excel,
and Word 98 and 2000.
Good problem-solving skills
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
Competent in speaking French.

EXPERIENCE Project Leader, Dharampal Premchand Ltd, Sector-60,
Noida- 201301
December 2001 to present
1 Complete civil projects within or ahead of the
schedule
through strict planning, monitoring and control while
maintaining the best construction standards
2 Supervise erection of auxiliary facilities like water
treatment, ETP, cabling, piping and other utilities
3 Maintain customer relations through effective
presentation of technical expertise

Assistant Project Manager(Civil), Subhash, Projects
and
Marketing Ltd, Park Street, Kolkata

December 1998 to November 2001
4 Assist in the project management of various civil works
being executed at site
5 Coordinate with Head Office, sites, various departments,
and sub-contractors.
6 Maintain close liaison with clients



EDUCATION Pondicherry Eng College, Pondicherry
B.Tech in Civil Engineering, July 1998
Institute of Information Technology, Mumbai
Certificate in Computer Programming, December,
1998

ACTIVITIES
7 Member, Institution of Engineers, New Delhi
8 Member, National Cadet Corps, 1994-1996
9 Secretary, Society for Promotion of Science,
New Delhi


INTERESTS
1 Badminton, Football, Cycling
2 Classical Music, Movies, Fiction








6.READING COMPREHENSION

Objective:

1 Identifying the purposes of reading
2 Identifying the differences between active and passive reading.

Reading is an important communicative process and reading skills are probably
the
most important language skills required for academic and professional purposes.
Quick efficient and imaginative reading techniques are essential in order to
achieve academic success, because academic performance depends on the
quality and quantity of reading.

Reading is a complex communicative process of receiving and interpreting
the written word. It involves recognizing what is written and comprehending the
matter, that is, understanding the main and subsidiary points as well as links the
main and subsidiary points as well as links between different parts of the written
material. Whole receiving and interpreting the written word, the reader is
concerned with fowl factors, that is, decoding, comprehending, text analysis,
and response.

Comprehension is reading to the identification of the central theme, main
ideas, supporting details, and main ideas, supporting details, and writing pattern.
In order to comprehend a technical message, we need to think critically and
analytically about what we are reading so that we are able to respond to the
lexical meaning of words and the relationship between them, understand the
specific details, and recognize the meaning and function of sentence patterns
accurately as well as they logical and thematic coherence.

Reading with a purpose:

An engineering student has to read and interpret text books, research papers,
and articles in technical journals, teaching notes, notices, web materials,
directories, encyclopedias, laboratory instruction sheets, safety manuals and
regulations, technical reports, and reference materials. Although the basic
purpose of reading is to extract information from various sources, it may
primarily be to:

1 Get an introductory idea of a text.
2 Get a broad understanding of the subject matter.
3 Understand scientific ideas, theories, and principles; obtain specific
information; understand new changes and developments in a particular field.
4 Broaden ones outlook and understanding.
5 Discover the authors view points.
6 To see evidence for ones own point of view.

In order to achieve the above reading purposes, we need to understand the
differences between Active and Passive Reading.



ACTIVE AND PASSIVE READING


Active Reading Passive Reading

>The reader pays attention to both
content
as well as style.

>The reader interprets and analyses
what he or she reads in order to
understand both explicit as well as
implicit meaning of a written
message.

>The reader predicts and responds to
the context.

>The reader pays attention to the
writers intention.

>The reader differentiates between
ideas, opinions, feelings, and facts.


>The reader infers the meaning of
unfamiliar words from contextual or
internal clues.

>The reader identifies and evaluates
a writers attitude.

>The reader understands and
interprets graphic information.

>The reader draws inferences and

>The reader pays attention to either
content or style.


>The reader does not analyse what
he or she reads.




>The reader does not predict and
respond to the context.

>The reader doesnt pay attention to
the writers intention.

>The reader does not distinguish
between factual and non factual
information.

>The reader does not infer the
meaning of unfamiliar words from
contextual or internal clues.

>The reader does not identify or
evaluate a writers attitude.

>The reader does not interpret
graphics.


conclusions.


>The reader is only concerned with
the literal meaning of a written
message.



SKIMMING SKILLS:

Skimming is a more sophisticated skill than scanning. It refers to the process of
reading a text or a passage in order to get a rough idea of what the text or
passage is all about. It is a rapid reading technique that prepares the reader for
detailed reading. As the main objective of skimming is to understand the
central idea and the main points of a text, the reader needs to use a reading
strategy that involves fast reading and quick analysis.

Skimming also involves discovering the purpose and organization of a
text. One of the most important purposes of reading for academic and
professional purposes is obtaining relevant information for various purposes.
This involves not the ability to recognize the main ideas and supporting details
but also the ability to identify different writing patterns used to develop these
ideas. Authors use a variety of discourse patterns in scientific writing.

Skimming is essential for better understanding of a text. Skimming
should answer the following questions of a text:
1. What is the overall purpose of the text?
2. What is the central idea or theme?
3. What is the logical organization?(general to specific, specific to general,
chronological, more important to less important, less important to more
important, and so on.)
4. What does the author intend to do? (describe, instruct, report, narrate,
explain, argue, persuade, illustrate, and so on.)
5. What are the main points of the text?


Identifying the central idea:

The first step of skimming is to identify the central idea. Every essay, article,
passage, or text book chapter deals with a theme or central idea. All the other
ideas, points, examples, illustrations in the text support and expand this central
idea. This central idea is also called thesis. The thesis answers the following
three questions:

1. What is the subject?
2. What does the author want to say about the subject?
3. What is the authors point of view?
In order to understand central idea of a text, the reader should carefully read
the following:
1. the title or the main heading
2. the subheadings
3. the opening paragraph
4. the last paragraph

The title or the main heading of a text can give a clue to the content.
Similarly, the subheadings can also help in identifying the central idea. The
opening and the last paragraphs generally sum up the subject and the authors
point of view. The reader should also glance over the beginning of the text to
identify its logical organization.
Identify the discourse technique used in text, i.e., definition, description,
explanation, comparison and contrast, narration, classification, and so on.

Let us try to understand this with the help of an example. Read the
following passage and try to identify the central idea of the passage by quickly
reading the title and the sub headings.

SCANNING SKILLS:

Scanning refers to the ability to locate specific information or facts as quickly as
possible. While trying to look for the meaning of a word in a dictionary or
looking for a telephone number in the telephone directory, we scan and try to
look for specific information. Scanning is an important rapid reading technique,
which provides better comprehension while reading a scientific or technical
text. It may serve several purposes, which include looking for:

a) a specific point or fact in a text
b) relevant graphic details
c) a formula in a text
d) word in a dictionary
e) train or television schedules
f) any reference or bibliographical listings
g) examination results, or
h) any notes/questions/remarks at the end of text

We may know how to scan a newspaper or a dictionary but may do it
slowly with less accuracy. What is important is to increase scanning speed with
accuracy. The following suggestions will help increase proficiency at scanning.

Know What You Want to Find In order to scan any reading material, the
reader needs to know what he/she wants to find. If he/she does not know what
he/she is looking for, he/she will not be able to scan well. So, the purpose of
scanning should be determined and the reader should not be confused about the
information that he/she requires.

Do Not Read Everything As the reader knows what he/she is looking for
before he/she begins to read, he/she should not read everything. He/she should
concentrate on the information that he/she needs with his/her eyes only on the
particular word, phrase, and word group or thought unit that he/she is looking
for. The attempt should be to pursue word groups and thought units quickly.

Use Guides and Aids Every reading material contains certain guides and aids,
which should be used to find what the reader wants.

Know the Organization of the Material to be Read The reader needs to
know the organization of the reading material to scan it with speed and
accuracy. Practise scanning different kinds of reading materials such as
newspaper listings, dictionaries, telephone directories, and analyze the way
information is structured in these materials.

Concentrate while Scanning The reader needs to concentrate while scanning
a reading material. He/she must have the urge to read and scan the material.
This will improve his visible perception and help him identify the required
information quickly.