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An assessment report is usually written for someone in authority such as your employer. It presents and evaluates the positive and negative qualities of a place, person, etc in order to make some kind of judgment or recommendation.

Reports always contain factual information.

We always begin a report by saying who the report is for and their position, the writer’s name and position and what the report is about.

Introduction

In the first paragraph we present the purpose and content of the report.

Main Body

In the main body, we present each topic in detail under separate sub-headings.

Conclusion

In the last paragraph we summarise the information and state our general assessment or evaluation.

We usually write reports in a formal, impersonal style. We write short sentences containing factual language so that the information can be understood easily. We normally use present tenses in assessment reports as well as the passive voice and full verb forms.

Analysing the Rubric

47 Read the rubric, underline the key words, and answer the questions.

The editor of the magazine where you work as an assistant editor has asked you to write a report assessing the good and bad points of the Taj Mahal Indian restaurant. Write your report describing the restaurant’s food, prices, service, and atmosphere.

1Who is going to read your report? a The restaurant’s staff.

b Your editor.

c The restaurant’s customers.

2 What is your position according to the rubric?

3What subheadings should the report have?

4Match the nouns to the adjectives, then say which of these are positive and which are negative.

slow service (negative)

5What should(n’t) a good restaurant have? Use your answers to make up sentences, as in the example.

A good restaurant should not have slow service. However, it should have ...

Analysing a Model Text

48 Read the report and fill in the appropriate subheadings from the list.

ñConclusion ñ Service ñ Introduction

ñAtmosphere ñ Food and Prices

ñWhich are the positive/negative points that the writer makes? What linking words has he used to link contrasting ideas? similar ideas?

Style

49 Replace the informal phrases with appropriate formal ones.

50 Which of the following can you use to start/end a report?

The purpose/aim of this report is to assess ...

On the whole …

I would (not) recommend …

The report was carried out to assess

In spite of the (dis)advantages …

As requested, this report is to assess …

To sum up …

Clauses of Concession

51 Join the sentences using words from the list, as in the example.

ñfurthermore ñ however ñ despite the fact

ñin addition ñ although ñ what’s more

1The staff were courteous and helpful. The service was slow at times.

The staff were courteous and helpful althoughthe service was slow at times.

Despitethefactthat the staff were courteous and helpful, the service was slow at times.

The staff were courteous and helpful. However, the service was slow at times.

2The restaurant offers a wide variety of main courses. There was little choice for dessert.

3The food was very reasonably priced. Drinks were cheap.

4It is in a poor location. The exterior of the building looks shabby and run down.

5The lights were too bright. The restaurant has a pleasant atmosphere.

6It offers a wide variety of Japanese and Thai food. There are some English dishes for the less adventurous.

Discuss & Write

52 a. Which of the following would you expect to find in a fastfoodrestaurant?

fast service clean tables

helpful, friendly staff low prices

silver cutlery

wide variety of foods white tablecloths

b. Listen to the customers talking about Marco’s fast food restaurant and tick ( ) the comments that they make.

The prices are reasonable.

The staff are friendly and helpful.

The service is slow when it’s busy.

There are not many dishes to choose from.

The restaurant opens early.

8

There are too many waiters.

The restaurant is old and not very clean.

There is nowhere to park your car.

It has long opening hours.

It has a friendly relaxed atmosphere.

53 a. Read the rubric, underline the key words and answer the questions in the plan.

You are the assistant manager of Marco’s, a fast food restaurant which is part of a large chain. The manager has asked you to write a report assessing the food and prices, service and atmosphere, and suggesting any changes that you think need to be made.

To: Who are you writing to?

From: Who are you?

Subject: What are you going to write about?

Introduction

(Para 1) Why are you writing the report?

Main Body

(Paras 2-4) What information about food and prices, service, atmosphere and facilities will you include?

What are the good and bad points?

Can you make any suggestions?

Conclusion

(Para 5) What is your overall impression? What are your recommendations?

b.Now write your report (120-180 words). You can use the report in Ex. 48 as a model.

54 Try to explain these quotations in your own words. How do they relate to the theme of the unit?

The proof of the pudding is in the eating.

Miguel de Cervantes (Spanish writer)

A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand.

Barbara Johnson (American cook and author)

129

Vocabulary & Grammar

17I’m afraid horror films are not really my cup of

............................. .

Use of English

3Complete the second sentence using the word in bold. You must use two to five words including the word given. Don’t change the word given.

1The cupboards are practically empty.

2That’s the garage where they fixed Ann’s car.

3There are only a few strawberries left.

4“Why don’t we go to the park?” Tony said. suggested Tony ..................................................

....................................... to the park.

5“Are you interested in Biology?” Laura asked Tim. if Laura .................................................

......................... interested in Biology.

(5 marks)

(5 marks)

5Read the sentences. If a sentence is correct put a tick ( ). If it has a word which should not be there, write this word on the line.

1 Nowadays the more and more people .......

(5 marks)

Communication

6Put the dialogue into the correct order.

No problem. I’m happy to help you. Goodbye. Oh, really. That’s great news. Sorry to have troubled you.

Let me see. Here it is. The items you ordered were sent out today.

What seems to be the problem Ms Madoc? Hello. This is Ruth Madoc, Customer number XJI2459. I’m calling about my order.

I haven’t received any goods yet and I placed my order over three weeks ago.

Hello, BMS customer services, Lyn speaking. How

may I help you?

(5 marks)

7Complete the exchanges.

3A: I’m having a pool party on Saturday. Would you like to come?

(5 marks)

Self-Assessment Module 4

Listening

(10 marks)

Speaking

9Describe the pictures. Then, in pairs discuss the following:

ñWhich type of food do you prefer eating? Why?

ñWhere do you enjoy going out to eat? How often do you go there? Why do you like it?

(10 marks)

In For a

Penny

In For a

Pound

England has enjoyed a relatively stable single national currency with an unbroken history of over 900 years. The origins of the pound sterling date even further back. In fact, the pound as a unit of currency has never had to be replaced by a new currency, in contrast to many European currencies. The pound has also been preferred and widely accepted in international trade for two hundred years. As a result, other countries had to adapt their currency arrangements to fit in with sterling.

1 |

Economic activity in the very earliest civilizations had to do with trading or "bartering". Services were traded to meet individual needs. For example, a master would reward his servant with food and shelter. Goods of equal value were also exchanged. People then began to use items that had the same value to everyone. In the earliest civilizations cattle, grain, salt, leaves, and seeds were traded to buy necessities. England has returned to barter several times over the course of its history.

2 |

The Ancient Britons used sword blades as currency before they started minting coins. The designs of the earliest coins, dating back to 125 BC, were imitations of Macedonia’s pure gold coins. As their experience of minting grew the designs became more original. The coins started to reflect their lifestyle and interests. The horse was a common feature as they were a rural people. Their love of hunting and farming can be seen in the designs of boars and ears of wheat.

3 |

Coins continued to be used in Britain while it was part of the Roman Empire. The Romans did, however, impose their own coinage on Britain. Small brass and copper "minissimi" coins were used for low value purchases. When the Roman Empire collapsed in the 5th century and Britain was invaded by the Anglo-Saxons, minting and the use of coins ceased in England for over 200 years. The island went back to bartering and using other, more primitive, standards of value.

4 |

With the Viking invasions of England came an enormous increase in the production of coins. Alfred the Great, who prevented the Vikings from conquering all of England, had eight mints built so that he would have enough coins to pay his soldiers and to build forts and ships. The kings who came after Alfred had to keep increasing the number of mints in order to pay for the defense of the country. It became so complicated, that in 928, King Athelstan passed a law stating that there was to be only one single type of money or currency in England, and there has been just one ever since. This occurred many centuries before other major European countries such as France, Germany and Italy had their own national currency.

5 |

The pound was introduced into England by the Normans even before William I conquered and united England in 1066. It was originally an amount of silver weighing a pound and became the basis of the monetary systems throughout the British colonies. With Britain’s head start in the Industrial revolution, developments in banking, her military victories and the spread of the British Empire during the 19th century, the pound sterling became the world’s most important currency.

6 |

In 1816 the standard of value for the sterling changed from silver to gold and other countries followed the British example, making the gold standard an international one. During the worldwide economic crisis in 1931, Britain was forced to abandon the gold standard. The US dollar replaced the pound sterling as the key global currency. Other countries then fixed their exchange rates against the dollar, the value of which remained defined in terms of gold.

7 |

After the Norman Conquest, the pound was divided into twenty shillings. The shillings were made of silver and the weight of twenty shillings was exactly that of one pound. The shillings were then divided into twelve pence or pennies. The pennies were made of copper, and the weight of twelve pennies was exactly the weight of one shilling. On 15th February, 1971, Britain introduced the decimal system. This meant that the pound (í) was equal to 100 pence (p) which made it much easier to use.

A The strongest currency worldwide

B Deciding on a single currency

C The long history of the pound

D Using goods to buy and sell

E Coins showed the ancient way of life

F The oldest money in the world

G Making it simpler for all

H From coins to trade again

IChanging the way the pound is measured

(15 marks)