Task 6. Fill in the blanks to complete the sentences.

1. Memos are less _ _ _ than other business correspondence like letters.

2. If you provide me with the _ _ _ for the proposal, I’ll be happy to draft it for you.

3. You _ _ _ earlier in our conversation that you’ re going to Europe for vacation.

4. _ _ _ for vacation should be made two weeks in advance.

5. The _ _ _ e-mail system is down again. No one can send messages to their colleagues.

6. I need to copy this memo and this photocopier is slow. Could you _ _ _ and take this to the copy shop?

(formal; requests; mentioned; help me out; guidelines; interoffice)

Task 7.Match the sentences in column a with their endings in column b. Translate them into Ukrainian.

1. Every time I turn around, there’s a new … .	a) the company are outlined in the employee handbook.
2. The steps you have to follow to apply for positions within … .	b) cut back on my coffee intake.
3. The presidents new policy … .	c) procedure in place.
4. I am so nervous. I think I need to … .	d) than the last day of the month if you want to be paid on time.
5. Submit time sheets to the accounting office no later … .	e) will create hundreds of jobs for American workers.
6. Would you please explain … .	f) in the executive summary that accompanied the report.
7. The information was presented concisely … .	g) why we must have such strict policies? I don’t understand why they are so rigid.

Task 8. Read one more example of memo and write your own (see the task below) Memorandum

To: Manager, Training Department

Date: 3 October 2003

From: Manager, Avionics Department

Avionics Training Programme

I am concerned about the effectiveness of the training programme for trainee avionics mechanics. An analysis of trainee performance over the past 6 years shows that there is a drop-out rate 30% and that, of the remainder, 30% take an additional year and 20% an additional 2 years certify.

Such a failure rate is not only wasteful of current resources, but will also cause considerable delay in having this department fully staffed by Abudai nationals.

My own observations indicate several possible reasons for this high failure rate:

1. Trainees have considerable difficulty reading the technical manuals.

2. Language barriers between trainees and expatriate counterpart workers, very few of whom speak Arabic.

3. Some expatriate employees may not be motivated to train Abudai nationals to take over their jobs.

I feel that priority must be given to reviewing the entire programme, including the preliminary year in the training centre. Given the possible reasons identified above, I recommend in particular that we investigate the possibility of out-of-country training in either Europe or the USA.

Guided Reading

Questions

What is the problem? What action does the Avionics Manager want to take? How does the Avionics Manager know there is a problem? What are the consequences of the problem for: the economy of the company? manpower planning? What factor is common to two of the causes of the problem that the Manager identifies? Why do you think he wants to have the preliminary year of training included in the review? Why does he recommend that the company should consider sending the trainees to Europe or the USA?

Language Analysis

What expressions does the Avionics Manager use to:

• introduce the problem?

• link the two consequences of the problem?

• state what his opinion of the causes of the problem is based on?

• emphasise need to review the programme?

• state what his final recommendation is based on?

Layout Analysis

The Avionics Manager is unhappy with the service provided by another department. In his memo he deals with several aspects of the situation. Using a maximum of three words per paragraph, state what he does in each paragraph.

Planning Memos

Usually a memo simply conveys information. Sometimes its purpose is to request or advise a course of action. In this case it will normally state the following:

1. The situation prompting the writing of the memo

2. The possible consequences of this situation

3. Any action already taken

4. The action to be taken by the recipient

Writing

1. For some time you have been dissatisfied with the quality of recruits shortlisted by the Personnel Department for employment in your department. Your choice of new employees has been limited to those shortlisted. Recent statistics show that the level of performance in your department has fallen over the past year.

Write a memo to the Personnel Manager requesting that some action must be taken.

2. Write a memo to either your superior or one of the service departments in your company, describing a problem that has arisen and requesting that action must be taken. The main service departments are the finance, personnel, public relations, training, legal and maintenance departments.

UNIT 3

ELECTRONIC MAIL