Allama Iqbal Open University s8

ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN UNIVERSITY, ISLAMABAD (Department of Mass Communication)

Course: Language Skills and Communicative Abilities (964) Level: M.Sc Semester: Autumn, 2017

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Assignments 1, 2, cover Units 1-4 and 5-9 respectively. 2. Each assignment carries 100 marks. 3. Write the assignment in your own words. 4. Since the nature of assignment questions requires you to be more analytical, therefore, supplement material from the study guides with information from other suggested readings. Some of the questions require use of examples from Pakistani perspective/setting, so do not simply rehash material from the study guide verbatim but rely on synthesizing materials from different units of the study in your own language. 5. Being an English Language course, the assignment of this course should only be attempted in English.

List of Contents:

This package comprises the following material: 1. Study guide 2. Assignments No. 2 3. Assignment Forms 2 sets 4. Schedule for submitting assignments and attending tutorial meetings.

If you find anything missing from the above-mentioned material, kindly inform:

The Mailing Officer Mailing Section Allama Iqbal Open University, H-8, Islamabad. Ph No:051-9057611-12

Best of Luck

(Babar Hussain Shah) Course Coordinator

1 ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN UNIVERSITY, ISLAMABAD (Department of Mass Communication)

WARNING 1. PLAGIARISM OR HIRING OF GHOST WRITER(S) FOR SOLVING THE ASSIGNMENT(S) WILL DEBAR THE STUDENT FROM AWARD OF DEGREE/CERTIFICATE, IF FOUND AT ANY STAGE. 2. SUBMITTING ASSIGNMENTS BORROWED OR STOLEN FROM OTHER(S) AS ONE’S OWN WILL BE PENALIZED AS DEFINED IN “AIOU PLAGIARISM POLICY”. ASSIGNMENT No. 1 (Units 1–4) Course: Language Skills and Communicative Abilities (964) Semester: Autumn, 2017 Level: M.Sc Total Marks: 100 Pass Marks: 40

Q.1 Differentiate between linguistic and non-linguistic communication? Explain different aspects of linguistics communication with the help of relevant examples. (20)

Q.2 Define grammar. Also explain different parts of speech with suitable examples. (20)

Q.3 Elaborate grammatical units of English and mechanics of grammar with relevant examples. (20)

Q.4 Examine any news article from a newspaper and choose prepositions, conjunctions and interjections used in it. Also paste the article along with your answer. (10)

Q.5 Elaborate in detail the concept of speaking and listening skill. (10)

Q.6 Suppose you are a newspaper reporter and reporting a news story about energy crises. You are assigned to interview minister of Water and Power. What type of questions would you like to ask to satisfy your readers? Write at least twenty questions. (20)

2 ASSIGNMENT No. 2 (Units 5–9) Total Marks: 100 Pass Marks: 40

Q. 1 Elaborate some of the differences between spoken and written language. How these differences account for the difficulties experienced by a speaker or writer of a second language? (20)

Q. 2 How journalistic writing evolved? Write comprehensive note on different forms of journalistic writing. (20)

Q. 3 Discuss prerequisites of journalistic writing. How it is different from literature? (10)

Q. 4 Explain the guidelines of précis writing. Also enlist some of the uses of précis writing. (20)

Q. 5 Make a précis of the following passage. Also suggest suitable title for it. (10)

During my vacation last May. I had a hard time choosing a tour. Flights to Japan, Hong Kong and Australia are just too common. What i wanted was somewhere exciting and exotic, a place where i could be spared from the holy tour crowds. I was so happy when john called up, suggesting a trip to Cherokee a country in the state of Oklahoma. I agreed and went off which the preparation immediately. We took a flight to Cherokee and visited a town called Qualla Boundry surrounded by magnificent mountain scenery, the town painted a paradise before us. With its Oconaluftee Indian Village reproducing tribal crafts and lifestyles of the 18th century and the outdoor historical pageant Unto These hills playing six times weekly in the summer nights, Qualla Boundary tries to present a brief image of the Cherokee past to the tourists. Despite the language barrier, we managed to find over way to the souvenir shops with the help of the natives. The shops were filled with the rubber tomahawks and colourful traditional war bonnets, made of dyed turkey feathers. Tepees coneshaped tents made from animal skins, were also pitched near the shops. “Welcome! Want to get anything? We looked up a saw a middle-aged man smiling at us. We were very surprised by his fluent English. He introduced himself as George and we ended up chatting till lunch time when he invited us for lunch at a nearby coffee shop. Sometimes I’ve to work from morning to sunset during the tour season. Anyway, this is still better off than being a woodcutter ... “Remembrance weighted

3 heavy on George’s mind and he went on to tell us that he used to cut firewood for a living but could hardly make ends meet. We learnt from him that the Cherokee do not depend solely on trade for survival. During the tour off-peak period the tribe would have to try out other means for income. One of the successful ways to the “Bingo Weekend”. On the Friday afternoon of the Bongo weekend, a large Bingo hall was opened, attracting huge crowds of people to various kind of games like the super jackpot and the warrior Game Special. According to George, these forms of entertainment fetch them great returns. Our final shop in Qualla Boundary was at the museum where arts, ranging from the simple hand woven oak baskets to food and stone carving of wolves, ravens and other symbols of Cherokee cosmology are disabled. Back at home, I really missed the place and i would of course look forward to the next trip to another exotic place.

Q. 6 Select any five news stories that appeared in Urdu news paper and translate them into English. Stories must be consists of different issues like sport, religion, economic, politics and crimes. Never forget to attach original news stories along with your answer. (20)