LESSON 4

Writing a report

30. a)How can the word report be interpreted into Russian?b) In what area(s) of activity are reports a usual tool of communication? Why do you think so?

c) What are the main elements of a report and their functions?d)What are the extra elements of a report? What are the functions of

references, recommendations and appendices?

TECHNICAL REPORT FORMAT

TO: Who is the report to, may include contact infoFROM: Your name here (sign your INITIALS), may include contact infoDATE: Today`s date here with month written outSUBJECT: Brief description of content (a title basically)

IntroductionThe introduction should contain:Relevant background material to give the reader context and justify the report.Any goals, objectives, or hypotheses that the report is addressing. Tell the reader why you are writing this report.

MethodsThe methods section should contain enough information so that a reader familiar with the discipline could reproduce what was done. It also gives the reader all the necessary information to place the results in appropriate context. This includes information on the Where: Where was the work done and what are the characteristics of the study sites? When: When was it done? Be specific.What: What was done? The reader needs just enough information to be able to reproduce what you did.How: How did you do what was done? Were there any specific methods used? Use terminology. Reference any relevant publications that describe methods you used.

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A report is a factual description of an event or situation. It may be written for: a superior (e.g. tutor, manager) a peer group (e.g. colleagues) a general audience (e.g. a committee)

A report will certainly contain some factual descriptions and explanations and possibly some suggestions, justifications or recommendations. Due to the factual nature of reports, they would not normally include the writer`s opinion.

Who: Who did the work? This is often implicit from the FROM line at the beginning, but you may wish to indicate the size of the field crew who assisted with data collection.

ResultsDescribe what was learned, using data whenever possible. Use tables and graphs as appropriate. The results section describes the data but does not make any inferences based upon your data. Only include what the data actually say, not what they mean. What they mean goes in the discussion section.

31. Read the introduction of a report. Give a comment on it:a) Who is the target audience of this report?b) What is the purpose of this report?c) What is the content of this report?

Report on light water nuclear reactors1

IntroductionAs of 1983, there are approximately five hundred nuclear power plants in operation or under construction worldwide. These plants can produce as much as 370.000 megawatts of electricity. These nuclear power plants can be categorized into four types: light water reactors, heavy water reactors, gas-cooled reactors2, and breeder reactors3. Regardless of the type, nuclear power plants operate by having a central unit, called the core, in which nuclear fission reactions take place and produce heat. A liquid, called the coolant, flows through the system and absorbs the heat produced in the core. The coolant is then converted into steam that drives a turbogenerator to produce electricity. The purpose of this report is to present the basic design, operation and safety measures of light water reactors to the Association of U.S. City Councils, which is currently investigating alternatives to coal-fired production of electricity. This report provides high-level detail on the two types of light water reactors, their design, operation, and their safety and economic aspects. Although their operation does involve complex chemistry and physics, these topics will be minimized. The four parts of this report discuss:

Design and operation of light water reactors Safety measures employed Economic aspects of light water reactors

32. Read the report below. Work in pairs and discuss ideas for its improvement. Take into consideration text organization, accurate presentation of purpose, etc.

Progress report TO: Professional Intern Program (PIP) CoordinatorFROM: Intern`s OrganizationSUBJECT: PIP 3-Month Level I Progress report

1 Ядерный реактор на легкой воде2 Реактор с газовым охлаждением3 Ядерный реактор-размножитель

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This is a brief report of my experience, work responsibilities, and training progress since joining the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) on the 31st of August, 2016 as an electronics engineer. I am part of an effort to investigate fiber optic technologies. This Fiber Optic Data Bus System is an attempt to provide a specification and definition of fiber optic bus capability and its usefulness in future applications. Within a group of engineers and technicians, my task involves learning and implementing actual fiber optic portion of the system, such as analyzing optical power budget. Initially, learning about this technology was not difficult because most of the reading materials required only basic math and physics on optics. Applications of the optical components were understandable since their specifications were quite clear.I have attended the New Employee Welcome training. The first session was given on September 3, 2016, and the speakers included the Center Director and the Director of Management Operations. Last month I attended a 4-day training course on Fiber Optics. During the first week of April I am scheduled to attend the Career Transition Workshop. The transition from being a full-time student to a full-time employee has been smooth and my mentor, Jake Taurus, has been particularly helpful in explaining procedures and policies and guiding me in my work assignments.I have experienced a difficulty. I have had difficulty in obtaining access to the personal computer in our branch.John Malkovich

33. Choose one of the topics mentioned below and write your own report. Usefulness of an extra-curricular course you have taken part in recently.Necessity of the trade union organization for students in BMSTU.Laboratory facilities/instrumentation of the leading courses.Museum pieces of Bauman University.Results of an extra research activity you have provided recently.Organization of part-time work for students in the children`s holiday camp ‘Baumanetz’.

NB It is essential that your headings clearly indicate what is contained in the section referred to. There is also a convention that all headings are to be parallel, i.e. they must all be nouns, questions, V-ing forms and so on.

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Grammar

You had better/ you`d better+the Infinitive = it is advisable to do it. If you don`t do it, there will be a problem or a danger.e.g. We`d better stop for petrol soon. The tank is almost empty.

You`d better not go to work today.

up (try to find a particular piece of info)

up to smb (to admire and respect smb)

lookahead (think about plans in the future)

forward to smth (feel happy and excited about something that is going to happen)

34. Fill in the gaps.

a) Looking _______, I think the company needs to develop some new services. b) He had worked hard and was looking ___________ his retirement. c) I didn’t know what ‘loquacious’ meant and had to look it ___ in a dictionary. d) He’s a role model for other players to look _________.

out for smb (do smth to help smb)

together (make smth by joining all its parts)

puton (cover a part of your body with clothes)

up (build smth)

35. Fill in the gaps.

a) I don`t see why I should ___________ myself ________ for him. b) Dorothy _________________ her coat and went out. c) Grants were available to help with the cost of ____________ new school building. d) Kim had forgotten to _________ his watch _____. e) Will you help me to ________ this desk _____________? f) John was in the garden ______________ a fence ____________.

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Revision

36. Insert ‘to’ where necessary before the Infinitives in brackets.

e.g. He made me do it all over again.

a) You needn`t (say) anything. Just nod you head and he will (understand). b) I want (see) the house where our president was born.c) He made her (repeat) the message. d) May I (use) your phone? e) You needn`t (ask) for permission; you can (use) it whenever you like. f) I couldn`t (remember) his address. g) You`ll be able (do) it yourself when you are older. h) Would you like (go) now or shall we (wait) till the end? i) They won`t let us (leave) the Customs shed till our luggage has been examined.j) He didn`t dare (argue) with his boss. k) I used (smoke) forty cigarettes a day. l) Will you help me (move) the bookcase? m) He wouldn`t let my baby (play) with his gold watch. n) They refused (accept) the bribe.o) Please let me (know) your decision as soon as possible. p) Could you (tell) the time, please? q) We must (send) him an e-mail. r) Where would you like (have) lunch? s) I`d like him to go to a university but I can`t (make) him (go). t) We could (go) to a concert, unless you`d prefer (visit) a museum. u) The kidnapers told the parents not to inform the police, and the parents didn`t dare (disobey).v) Need I (come)? I`d much rather (stay) at home. w) You can (take) a horse to water but you can`t (make) him (drink). (proverb) x) I`m sorry (disappoint) you but I can`t (let) you (have) any more money till the end of the mouth.

37. Insert ‘to’ where necessary before the Infinitives in brackets. In some of the sentences a present participle could be used instead of an Infinitive.

e.g. It is easy to be wise after the event.

1. Do you (wish) (make) a complaint. (wish, to make)2. If you can`t (remember) his number you`d better (look) it up. 3. Visitors are asked (not feed) the animals. 4. It`s better (travel) hopefully than (arrive). (proverb) 5. He should (know) how (use) the film projector, but if he doesn`t you had better (show)

him. 6. I heard the door (open) and saw a shadow (move) across the floor.7. He tried (make) me (believe) that he was my stepbrother.8. I felt he house (shake) with the explosion. 9. Before he let us (go) he made us (promise) (not tell) anyone what we had seen. 10. -Would you (like) (come) in my car?

-No, thanks, I`d rather (walk). 11. I advised him to ask the bus conductor (tell) him where (get) off. 12. It is better (put) your money in a bank than (keep) it under your bed in an old stoking. 13. He doesn`t even bother (read) e-mails, let alone (answer) them. 14. The bank robbers made the cashier (show) them how (open) the safe.

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15. -If you knew he was wrong, why didn`t you (say) something? –I didn`t like (say) anything because he always gets angry if you contradict him.

16. It`s better (be) sure than sorry. 17. -What do you want me to tell him?

–Tell him that any time he cares (call) I shall be delighted (discuss) the matter with him. 18. -Did you remember (give) him the money?

-No, I didn`t, I still have it in my pocket; but I`ll (see) him tonight and I promise (not forget) this time.

19. That is far too heavy for one person (carry); let me (help) you. 20. There is nothing (do) but (wait) till somebody comes (let) us out. 21. It is up to you (learn) the laws of your own country. 22. Would you rather (be) more stupid than you look or (look) more stupid than you are?

38. In each of the following pairs of sentences the Infinitive used in the first sentence is repeated in the second. Read the sentences, expressing this second Infinitive by TO only. Note that where the second Infinitive has an object, this word/phrase must be omitted.

e.g. -Why didn’t you tell me the truth the first time?-I meant to tell you the truth but I was too frightened.I meant to but I was too frightened.

a) -Did you visit the Pyramids?-No, I wanted to visit them but there wasn`t time.

b) -Why didn’t you pay the bill for him?-I offered to pay it but he refused.

c) -I want you two to apologize to each other.-Well, I am willing to apologize if he apologizes first.

d) -Did you reserve seats on the train?-No, I tried to reserve them but they had all been booked already.

e) -Did you get a chance to fly the aeroplane yourself?-No, I wanted to fly it but the pilot wouldn`t let me.

f) -Why doesn`t he try again?-He doesn`t want to try again.

g) -You ought to stop work now.-Yes, I am just going to stop.

h) -Why did she put parsley in the soup?-I told her to put it in.

i) -Why are we trying to get planning permission?-We have to get planning permission. It is the law.

39. Combine each of the following pairs of sentences into one sentence using too/enough with the Infinitive.

e.g. It is very cold. We can`t go out.It is too cold for us to go out.

He is strong. He can carry it.He is strong enough to carry it.

a) He was furious. He couldn`t speak.b) The fire isn`t very hot. It won`t boil a kettle.c) You are quite thin. You could slip between the bars.d) He was very snobbish. He wouldn`t talk to any of us.e) It was very hot. You could fry an egg on the pavement.f) He is very selfish. He wouldn`t put himself out for anyone.

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40. Use the Perfect Infinitive of the verb in italic with the appropriate auxiliary verb. Phrases in bold type should be repeated, but their meaning should be expressed by the auxiliary + the Perfect Infinitive.

It is possible that he phoned while we were out.He may have phoned while we were out.

You (thank) him for his present but you didn’t.You should have thanked him for his present.

a) You carried it yourself, which was not necessary.b) -I`ve had a toothache for two days.

-You (go) to the dentist when it started.c) -I wonder why he didn`t answer?

-Possibly he didn`t understand the question.d) You lied to him, which was wrong.e) -The plane is late; I wonder what has happened?

-Possibly it was delayed by fog.f) This poem (be) written by Keats, but I am not certain.g) You translated it into French, which wasn`t necessary.

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41. Read the text and find eight more places where the word ‘to’ is missing.

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42. Work in pairs. Make up a dialogue. Start or finish your conversation with one of the expressions below.

8 She is pleasant to look at.

There is much to be done.

He is hard to please.

There is nothing to be gained by it.

I have something to tell you.

There is nothing left to do but wait.

The house is to let.

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There is nothing to be done

Who is to blame? Be sure to come.