Focus on Communication - Texts and Exercises for Students

Cadrul general al cursului

Cursul de limba engleza îsi propune sa dea studentilor care urmeaza cursurile Facultatii de

Comunicare si Relatii Publice în sistemul Învatamânt Deschis la Distanta (IDD) posibilitatea de a

învata si exersa situatii comunicationale si terminologia specifica teoriilor comunicarii, de la foarte

simplu la complex.

Fiecare curs este conceput în patru parti, de aproximativ aceeasi marime si importanta în

structura generala. Cea dintâi componenta este una comunicationala, descriind modelele de

conversatie si scriere corecta si politicoasa în limba engleza, de la prezentare pâna la scrisori

oficiale sau interviuri pentru obtinerea unui post, de la modalitati de concepere a unui articol sau

interviu pentru un ziar pâna la organizarea unor conferinte de presa. A doua structura cuprinde

scheme de baza din gramatica limbii engleze, începând cu verbul, cel mai important si mai dificil

subiect de discutat; fiecare problema este exemplificata cu exercitii si traduceri care vor ajuta

studentii sa înteleaga mai bine partea teoretica. Partea a treia contine texte de comunicare în care

apar notiuni întâlnite în celelalte cursuri ce vor fi studiate în facultate, texte adaptate dupa autorii

clasici în domeniu despre componentele comunicarii, propaganda, presa scrisa si electronica, relatii

publice, creare de imagine, structura organizatiei, imaginea politica, imaginea comerciala; astfel,

studentii vor învata cum se exprima aceste notiuni în limba engleza, pentru a putea face comparatia

cu termenii românesti. A patra componenta a cursului cuprinde exercitii de vocabular uzual la

început pentru ca pe parcurs sa evolueze catre probleme mai nuantate si cât mai apropiate de

domeniul comunicarii sociale si al relatiilor publice.

Structura cursului

Cursul 1: Communication – Past and Future; Presentation; The Indicative Mood

Cursul 2: Propaganda and Persuasion; Making Phone Calls; The Indicative Mood – Simple and

Continuous Tenses

Cursul 3: Masses or Elites?; Writing letters; Passive Voice

Cursul 4: The Power of the Press; Official Phone Calls and Letters; Conditional Clauses

Cursul 5: The Newspapers and the Magazines; Commercial Correspondence; The Subjunctive

Cursul 6: The Radio and the Television; Searching for a Job; Modal Verbs

Cursul 7: Revision

Focus on Communication

3

I. COMMUNICATION – PAST AND FUTURE

A. Presentation

People are generally aware that success in one’s life and career depends to a great extent on one’s

ability to communicate effectively. Because the first impression one makes is very important, each

person has to know certain rules of greeting, of presenting oneself and of having a brief opening

conversation.

A1. Exchanging words with a new acquaintance. Read the following dialogue and try to write down

a similar one taking place between your family and the family of a friend of yours.

John Smith : Mr. Brown, you know my wife, Mary, don’t you?

Michael Brown : No, I don’t think we have met. I didn’t have the pleasure.

Mary Smith : How do you do. It’s an honour for me to meet you, Mr. Brown.

Michael Brown : How do you do. The honour is on my side. Now allow me to introduce you to my

family. This is my wife, Angela, and this is my daughter, Jane.

Angela Brown : I am delighted to make your acquaintance.

Jane Brown : Glad to meet you, madam, sir.

Mary Smith : You have such a lovely daughter. Have you already graduated the highschool,

Jane?

Jane Brown : Yes, I graduated the highschool last year, and now I am a student.

Michael Brown : She studies social communication and public relations. Our child has always

wanted to do something new and interesting, so this field suits her.

John Smith : When we were young, we also dreamt of doing the most fantastic things. We also

left our son the freedom of choice and now he studies the art of painting.

Angela Brown : This gives me an idea. As Mr. Smith and my husband are colleagues, why don’t

we meet some time at our place to find out more about the plans for future of our

children?

Mary Smith : Thank you for your kind invitation, then we shall pay you a visit soon and we

hope you will return the visit to us.

A2. Describing a person

You are on the beach and you see an empty blanket on which there are a few objects spread around.

You look at them and you wonder who is the person that owns these objects. And you are waiting

for it to appear…