Paper 2, Part 2 (formal letter)
Date: 2015-10-07; view: 495.
Writing
In Paper 2, Part 2 you may have to write a formal letter. For this type of task it is very important to:
- think about the purpose of writing and the target reader
- use a style, tone and register suitable for the task
- use a consistent register – you will lose marks if you mix registers in your answer.
1) You are going to write a letter of complaint about an advertisement you have seen. First, read the information below about the UK Advertising Standard Authority and discuss these questions.
1 What is the function of this organization?
2 Is there a similar organization in your country?
| ASA The Advertising Standards Authority was set up in 1963 and acts independently of both the advertising business and the government to make sure that the millions of advertisements that appear in the UK each year are: legal decent honest and truthful The Authority safeguards the public by applying the rules contained in the British Codes of Advertising and Sales promotion to all advertisers. The Codes stipulate what is and is not acceptable in newspapers, magazines, poster and direct marketing sales promotion, cinema, video and electronic media. Advertisers who break the Codes' rules risk receiving damaging adverse publicity and they will be refused space to advertise. In addition to the Codes' general rules, advertisements are subject to the following requirements: · They should contain nothing that is likely to cause offence on the grounds of race, religion, sex or disability. · They should contain nothing that condones or is likely to provoke violence or anti-social behaviour. The ASA handles around 10,000 complaints each year. WRITE One letter is all it takes |
2) Read the following case study and discuss these questions.
1 On what grounds do you think the complaint was based?
2 Do you think complaints 1 and 2 were upheld or not upheld? (You can check your answers on page 238.)
Complaint:Objections were raised to a trade press advertisement. The advertisement showed a picture of a nuclear power plant alongside pictures of sheep grazing on green fields and a man fishing in a pond. The complainants challenged:
1. the implication, in the claim that “BNFL* can transform old nuclear installations into land that can be used again” and the picture, that land used for nuclear installations could be re-used for any purpose; and
2. the claim “… we've perfected ways to deal with all type of nuclear waste.”
Adjudication:
*BNFL: British Nuclear Fuels plc
3) Work in pairs. Student A, look at the advert on page 234. Student B, look at the advert on page 236. Take turns to describe your advert are intended to be shocking. How do you react to them?
4) Think of some advertisements that you have seen recently in your national press, in magazines, on posters or in the cinema. Describe them to a partner. Your partner should decide if any of them could be accused of breaking the ASA requirements described on page 63.
5) Any formal letter should normally follow a similar pattern. Put the sections below into the order you think they should appear in a letter. (Each section should have a separate paragraph.)
any requests for action or information
clarification of situation
further details, if necessary
reason for writing
Note: In the exam you don't need to include addresses, unless the task specifically asks you to.
6) Read the following writing task. How many parts does it have? Look back at Exercise 5. Which section of the letter will each of these parts come in?
| TASK A company has put up a large advertising hoarding in your local town centre. The advertisement seems to you likely to provoke unacceptable behaviour. Write a letter of complaint to your local council, explaining why you object to it and what you would like them to do about it. (300-350 words) |
7) Read the following letter, which was written in answer to the task, and answer these questions.
1 What kind of advert is the writer complaining about?
2 What is the reason for his complaint?
3 What does he want done?
4 How does he conclude the letter?
5 Are the tone and register appropriate to the task? Are they consistently maintained?
| Dear Sir, I am writing to complain about the car advertisement currently being displayed on the hoarding outside the main post office in the centre of town. The advertisement shows a car speeding away from a set of traffic lights, with the caption, ‘0-100 in under 10 seconds'. I feel that this claim is misleading and irresponsible. For a start, there is so much traffic on the roads these days that it is extremely unlikely that anyone could reach a speed of 100 kilometres per hour in a town. The advertisers also seem to have forgotten that there are speed limits on most roads. In my view, this type of advertising only encourages drivers to break the law. Furthermore, the advert suggests that the best cars are the fastest cars and places undue emphasis on the power of this car in particular, implying that its best feature is its speed. I would argue that this can only encourage those people who buy the car to drive fast in order to maintain that image. However, we all know that speed kills, and more often than not it is the innocent pedestrian who is the victim of the speeding driver. Don't you think car companies should behave responsibly and try to reduce fatalities on our roads by giving safety a better image? May I request that you have this advertisement taken down as soon as possible? While I have no objection to cars being advertised, I feel strongly that this type of advertising should not be allowed. I have already written to the company concerned, requesting that they remove this advertisement from their campaign and giving them my reasons in detail. I enclose a copy of this letter for your information. I look forward to hearing from you. Your faithfully, Sam Broadbent Sam Broadbent Encs.* |
*Encs: short for ‘enclosures'
(301 words)
8)
1 A letter of complaint is usually written in formal style, and it clearly stated the writer's point of view. Underline the formal phrases or set expressions used by the writer of the letter to indicate his own views.
2 Now underline the expressions that mean the following.
1 on show at the moment (para. 1)
2 giving the wrong impression (para. 2)
3 makes something seem too important (para. 3)
4 cut down the number of deaths (para. 3)
5 I don't mind about … (para. 4)
9)Read the following writing task. What do you need to include?
| TASK You have seen a commercial on your local television station which appeared during a children's programme. You feel that an advertisement of this type is not suitable for showing on children's TV. Write a letter of complaint to the television company, explaining why you object to it and what you would like them to do about it. (300-350 words) |
10) Plan your letter before you write. How many paragraphs will it have? What will each contain?
11) Write the letter. Make sure you state your point of view clearly and use a consistent tone and register. After you have written your letter, exchange it with a partner. Evaluate each other's work and suggest improvements.
UNIT 4 review and extension
1) Choose a suitable word or phrase from the box to fill each of the gaps in the following letter.
| accordingly as a result because of this better still first of all for example furthermore in addition last but not least what's more |
| Dear Mr Perkins, I wish to bring to your attention some problems which I encountered at your hotel when you were absent. (1) ………… , when I booked I clearly stated that we required one double and two single rooms on the same floor. When we arrived, we were informed that this was impossible and (2) ………… that it should not have been promised, as all single rooms are on the top floor. (3) ………… , I had explained when booking that we are vegetarians and I was reassured that there is always a vegetarian option on the menu. (4) ………… , I did no request special dietary arrangements. To our horror, we discovered that the vegetarian option is always the same and (5) ………… we had baked aubergine three times in two days. (6) ………… , the dining-room staff were extremely slow and forgetful. (7) ………… , it look three requests to get a simple jug of iced water! (8) ………… , I must inform you that the manner of your deputy was far from polite when these matters were raised with her. Our stay was by no means the pleasant experience he had anticipated and (9) ………… I feel that at least an apology, or (10) ………… a refund, is due to us. Your sincerely, Jack Lawrence Jack Lawrence |
2) Complete the second sentence with three to eight words so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given.
1 Will it matter for this job that she can't they? inability
How much of a handicap ……………………………………… this job?
2 In the circumstances, learning French quickly was essential. given
It ……………………………………… the circumstances.
3 Being market leader is the long-term aim of the company. ultimate
It is the ……………………………………… market leader.
4 Of course, the price has to be right. saying
It ……………………………………… has to be right.
5 Marketing executives usually earn a lot of money. highly
Marketing ……………………………………… general.
6 It is easy to aim advertising at children. targets
Children ……………………………………… for advertisers.
7 It really wasn't necessary for you to apologise at all. totally
Your ……………………………………… really.
8 Our late arrival didn't matter as the concert didn't start on time. unimportant
The fact ……………………………………… as the concert didn't start on time.
3) Read the text below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each gap.
| Shopping heaven? Had a bad week? What you need is a little retail therapy. Meet up with your friends for a quick trip to the shops, make a few (1) ………… buys, collect a few shiny carrier bags with trendy logos and you'll be feeling better in no time. Has the boss been getting at you? A pair of designer shoes will soon put things into (2) ………… . Have you had a row with your family? A few new CDs and you can put them out f your mind. And you don't even need to worry about money – the shops are (3) ………… over themselves to give you credit. Shopping is our fastest-growing leisure activity – the feel-good (4) ………… we've all been looking for. The problem is, of course, that for too many people shopping is a quick (5) ………… but not a solution – and with mounting credit card bills they're in danger of ending up trapped in a vicious downward (6) ………… of debt from which there finally seems to be no escape. |
1 A instant B instinct C impact D impulse
2 A shape B order C dimension D perspective
3 A going B looking C falling D working
4 A factor B feature C element D item
5 A repair B cure C fix D remedy
6 A pattern B circle C ladder D spiral
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