Text Building Skills in English Book 3

6 Setting up a company

Answers
1 Gathering information
Student Book pages 136–139
Activity 1
1 Answers could include listening carefully, making notes, noting any questions.
2
Key point Persuasive because ...
Concept: everyday person can be a Contrast of ‘everyday’ and ‘celebrity’ – with
celebrity for a day positive connotations
Has been lookalike for nine years Suggests his experience
Has top 30 lookalikes Suggests company is large and successful
Has got exclusivity contracts with casinos, ‘exclusivity’ is a positive word and makes his
etc. idea more special
A massive industry for this Suggests the idea will be popular

Activity 2
2
 ROSS transports and purifies water in poorer countries
 Many people have poor access to clean water and die
 UK government has pledged money to help
 ROSS means people have to walk less far and can carry more water
 Movement of wheels purifies the water
 Online retailers are interested
3 Questions could include:
 How much will it cost to make and to buy?
 Has it been thoroughly tested?
 Has it been used in the developing world?

Activity 3
Questions Celebrity ROSS
Experience
Who will buy this product or service? Unclear People in poorer
countries; charities;
everyday people as a
‘gift with a conscience’
Do lots of people need or want this product? Unclear Yes
Was the presentation persuasive? Partly Yes
Would you give lots of your money to these Probably not Yes
people?
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6 Setting up a company
Activity 4
1 a Formal, complex language.
b It is appropriate to the formal situation and allows the inventors to explain their product
in detail, reflecting their intelligence and competence.
2 a It explains the current, problematic situation.
b It explains how the product will change and improve the situation.
c The figures act as evidence supporting the argued benefits of the product, and allow the
listener to compare easily the ‘before’ and ‘after’ situations.
d
 1.2 billion people across the globe do not have access to safe water
 every day 10,000 people will die from preventable illnesses
 the UK government has pledged to spend £200 million each year.
3 a Emotive language is used to emphasise this dramatic problem.
b i The product will save lives.
ii The people are in desperate need of the product – and we sympathise with them.
iii The company has the power to do good as well as make money.
c ‘10,000 people will die’. Again, this emphasises the need for the product and engages
our sympathy.

Sharpen your skills: First, second and third person

1 A = third person; B = first person; C = second person.
2/3 Look for answers that recognise the persuasive effect of the second person in directly
addressing the audience; and the first person in providing first-hand evidence. Note also
that the third person can suggest an impartial and authoritative knowledge.

2 Developing a product
Student Book pages 140–143
Activity 4
1 a/b
 Sound Asleep pillow: plays on a well known pun to describe to function of the product.
 Sudoku Toilet Roll: directly describes the product.
 Eggxactly: a pun suggesting that the product cooks an egg precisely to your taste.
 Reverse Osmosis Sanitation System: describes exactly what the product
 Celebrity Experience: a pun on the phrase ‘double dates’ and celebrity doubles,
suggesting a special event or meeting with a double.

Sharpen your skills: Sequencing

1 There is no one correct answer: points can be sequenced in linked pairs, e.g.
advantages/disadvantages; success/more success, or almost any other combination. Note
that finishing on disadvantages may be the least successful solution.
2 Suggested possible answer:
D Introduce ourselves.
G What the product is called.
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6 Setting up a company
E What problem does our product solve?
B How does our product solve the problem?
F What the product does.
C How we came up with the name of the product.
H Who will want to buy our product?
A Any questions from the audience?

3 Describing a product
Student Book pages 144–145
Activity 1
1 The description gives some very basic information with little detail.
2 The writer could:
 add more detail
 use more persuasive, positive vocabulary
 tell the reader why they want to buy/own the product.

Activity 2
2 a unique, creative, novelty, cool, funky, immortalised, easy, personalise, fun.
b The language emphasises its originality and appeal to a young adult audience.
3
 ‘you can give it to someone for their birthday, Christmas, or just because you want to
give them a…present’
 ‘You don't need to be a movie star, a cartoon character or a member of a rubbish
band...’
 ‘a T-shirt, skirt and trousers’
4 The writer uses alliteration.
5 It emphasises how versatile the doll is – and suggests the wide range of ways in which the
reader might want to ‘use’ it.

Activity 2
1 a Talking directly to the reader can be very persuasive: it suggests a relationship between
reader and writer; and acts as a ‘call to action’.
b The name of the product is repeated throughout the text to make it more memorable.
2 a The description has an excited, humorous tone which suggests that this is an exciting
product.
b Use of humour: ‘The stuffed youdoodoll can be made to resemble whoever you like (or
dislike).’
c This is a novelty product, intended to make people laugh.
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6 Setting up a company

4 Planning a presentation
Student Book pages 146–149

Activity 1
1 a To persuade.
b Adults, male and female, focusing on finance/business/profit.
c Age and interests will influence the presentation; gender is irrelevant here.
2 Language choice, formality, sentence, paragraph and text structure are all vital to the
suiting the purpose and audience of the task. As this is a spoken text, spelling and
punctuation are less vital other than in the support they offer in delivering the presentation
fluently.

Activity 2
1 a A is appropriately formal, B is inappropriately informal, C is inappropriately over formal,
using overly complex vocabulary.
b A is most likely to achieve its purpose because it is most appropriate to the purpose and
audience.

Activity 3
1 Possible structures include:
D Introduce yourself.
C Introduce and explain the product or business you are presenting.
E What problem does your product solve?
B How does your product solve the problem?
F Why will it be successful?
G Why will people want to pay for this product or service?
A Explain why you need the investors’ money.
or
C Introduce and explain the product or business you are presenting.
A Explain why you need the investors’ money.
D Introduce yourself.
E What problem does your product solve?
B How does your product solve the problem?
G Why will people want to pay for this product or service?
F Why will it be successful?
3
Paragraph Point
1 D, E
2 C
3 B
4 F
5 G
6 A
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6 Setting up a company
Activity 4
2
Example from extract
Simple sentences We charge the restaurant a commission on each order.
Compound sentences It’s a bit like the Yellow Pages but all the menus are right there too.
Complex sentences When you put your postcode in, you get a personalised directory of
your local takeaways.

3 It’s less effective. Shorter, simple sentences make the text more appropriate for a much
younger, less literate audience.

Activity 5
1 An effective explanation might suggest that the company can capitalise on and add to this
growth – and that any investors will also benefit!

Sharpen your skills: Personal and possessive pronouns

1
 ‘He says that he invented the product. That means that it is his, not yours.’
 ‘He says you helped him but that he did most of the work.’
 ‘He thinks you should share it. Then it would be his and yours.’

5 How to deliver a presentation

Student Book pages 150–151
Activity 1
1/2 A presentation where there is no attempt to connect with the audience or any expression of
excitement or enthusiasm suggests the presenter does not believe in their product or is not
excited or enthused by it. Too much enthusiasm can be hard to believe and suggest
insincerity.

Activity 3
The open-hand gesture would be most appropriate as it suggests openness and is a silent
invitation for assistance. A clenched fist or pointed finger might be too aggressive or accusatory.

Activity 4
1 a To grab the audience’s attention; to reinforce the point being made.
c A visual aid can make a point more clearly, and more memorably.
3 One, possibly two. More might distract from the overall message of the presentation and
become progressively less attention-grabbing.

Activity 5
2 Other golden rule suggestions could include these.
 Speak loudly and clearly.
 Vary your volume, pace and expression for effect.
 Make eye contact as often as possible.
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6 Setting up a company

6 Writing a formal letter

Student Book pages 154–155

Student sheet Starter activity

Situation Most effective Reason
method of
communication
You have bought a faulty Letter or email A formal letter suggests a more
product. You want to ‘weighty’ complaint; an email, using
complain and ask for your appropriately formal language,
money back increases the speed of communication
You want to invite your friends Text or email Ease, speed, informality
to your party
You want to apply for a job Letter More formal, and a more ‘permanent’
You want to tell your bank Letter method of communication
that they have made a
mistake and owe you £100

Activity 1
2
 Include the sender’s (your) address in the top right-hand corner.
 Put the recipient’s address on the left above the valediction.
 Put the date below your address.
 Begin the main body of your letter with the salutation (Dear...).
 Use formal language throughout.
 Use a range of sentence types: simple, compound and complex.
 Finish your letter with the valediction (‘Yours sincerely’ if you know the recipient’s
name; ‘faithfully’ if not).
 Sign the letter and underneath give the sender’s (your) name (and job title where
appropriate).
3 Possible order of points:
 Thank him for his letter.
 Explain why you are the right person to manage his Product Development Department.
 Explain your contribution to the development of your product and your company.
 State what you would like to happen next.
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6 Setting up a company

Sharpen your skills: Active and passive voice

1
Active voice Passive voice
a You can use it in the kitchen, on the stairs b It can be used in the kitchen, on the stairs or
or in the garden. in the garden.
c This product will improve your life d Your life will be improved enormously by this
enormously. product.
E You’ll never regret buying this product. f Buying this product will never be regretted.

2 The active voice is generally more persuasive, particularly when it uses direct address (e.g.
you).

7 Writing a report
Student Book pages 156–158
Activity 1
2 Report A audience: head teacher. Report A purpose: inform and explain.
Report B audience: school council. Report B purpose: inform, explain and, in making
recommendations, analyse.
3 Language: Report A is likely to be very formal because of its audience and the serious
nature of its content. Report B will also be formal but perhaps less so as it is aimed at
students on the school council.
Information: Report A will contain eyewitness information from the writer. Report B will
collate information from a range of sources, e.g. the catering staff, students/staff who use
the canteen.
Recommendations: Report A is less likely to give recommendations, this being the ‘job’ of
the audience rather than the writer. Report B will ‘compile’ the recommendations of those
people who use the school canteen.

Activity 2
2 Possible answer:
Key points Opening sentences
Asked by school council to write This report has been written
report. because of some concerns
Introduction Students/parents dissatisfied. expressed about the quality and
range of food available in the
school canteen.
Views of canteen users: range, A range of people who use the
quality, cost, healthiness. canteen were asked for their
Main body
views, including students, their
parents and teachers.
Definitely room for improvement. The majority of people interviewed
felt that there were several things
Conclusions
which could be done to improve
the school canteen.
How things can be improved. There are three clear areas in
Recommendations which the school and the canteen
staff need to consider changes.
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6 Setting up a company

Activity 3
 Student interviews
 Teacher interviews
 Parent interviews
 Canteen staff interviews
Or
 Range
 Quality
 Cost
 Healthiness

Activity 4
2/3
Topic sentence: It is not possible to give an absolutely accurate report of these events.
Then: The large crowd that gathered made it difficult to see and hear what happened.
Then: This is perhaps why several witnesses have given conflicting accounts.

Activity 5
2 a A Year 8 boy was very negative about the canteen food and said he would never eat it.
b A Year 9 boy said that he liked the sandwiches but would prefer the canteen to provide
healthier options such as pasta and salad.
c A Year 7 girl said she quite liked the food but felt that it was very expensive.

Activity 6
1 Key features mentioned should include:
The structure of the report: introduction, main body, conclusion, recommendations.
The structure of your paragraphs: topic sentence, plus two or three sentences adding
detail.
How to organise your information: using subheadings, or a bullet-pointed or numbered
list.
The language you choose: formal vocabulary; some use of indirect speech.