CA6 The Business of Selling

Summaries practice & Summaries Test 04/12/20 - 18/12/20 Tool/Classroom space

Summaries practice and 1. Summaries practice

Summaries Test​ (20% of CA6 mark) 2. Summaries Test

TASK 6.1 04/12/20 - 10/12/20​* Tool/Classroom space

Pre-task 6.1 1. ​The Business of Selling Part 1 ​self-correcting 1. Materials

exercises
2. Prepare to write your essay

TASK 6.1 1. ​For and against! Essay Forum

(40% of CA6 2. Q & A
mark)

Post-task Reflect on essay writing over the course Forum

6.1

TASK 6.2 11/12/20 - 18/12/20​* Tool/Classroom space

Pre-task 6.2 1. ​The Business of Selling Part 2 self-correcting 1. Materials

exercises
2. Online quiz about entrepreneurs 2. Quiz link (see below) and
Forum

TASK 6.2 1. Prepare for video presentation

​ hat’s my product? ​Video
(40% of CA6 2. W Langblog
mark) 3. Guess the product

Post-task Watch other videos and comment Langblog and Forum

6.2

*Work can be sent in earlier if you wish.

CA6 Objectives

● prepare and give a presentation

● write a discursive essay
● comment on your classmates’ contributions

CA6 Assessment

CA6 is worth 20% of your Final CA mark. See ​Appendix 1​ for the assessment criteria.

1
CA6 The Business of Selling

In order to pass Continuous Assessment, you must participate in the tasks in ​all six​ CAs.

Important: ​All work you submit for this course must be original. Do not copy-paste from
the web or other sources - your contribution must be written ​in your own words​. Any
material taken from another source must be credited. For more information, see:
http://cv.uoc.edu/adf/~s_eao_0005_u01/plagiarism_IM.htm

 Summaries practice and Summaries Test 04/12/20 - 18/12/20

Summarising is an important skill in our everyday lives, especially in academic contexts

because it enables us to identify the most ​important ​ideas in texts (written or oral). This
makes it easier to remember information as we have a condensed and objective account of
the main ideas and features of a text. Summarising improves ​critical reading and ​listening
skills as we identify the main points and also helps ​writing and ​editing skills as we rewrite the
original text in our own words. There are three basic features in a good summary:
conciseness, accuracy, and objectivity. In order to practise this skill, do the ​Summaries
practice ​exercise first and then take the ​Summaries Test​.

The ​Summaries Test is worth ​20% of the mark for CA6 and will close at 23:59 on ​18/12/2020​.
You can do the exercises as many times as you wish but only your ​last attempt ​will count. To
do this activity, click on the links ​Summaries practice & Summaries Test​ in your classroom.

 Pre-task 6.1

For ​TASK 6.1​, you’ll write an ​essay about a topic related to the field of business. To prepare,
do the following pre-task activities.

1. The Business of Selling Part 1 self-correcting exercises

Start by ​doing the exercises in ​The Business of Selling Part 1 ​in ​Materials ​in the classroom.
They‘ll help you widen your vocabulary, revise grammar areas and you’ll read and listen to
ideas about the topic in the assessed task.

Don’t forget to share different vocabulary items, expressions and grammar points
that you have learnt in the ​I’ve learnt something today! ​folder in the Forum.

2. Prepare to write your essay

There are different types of essays and for this CA activity, you are going to write a ​discursive
essay​, sometimes referred to as a “for and against” or an “argument” essay. As with all essays,

2
CA6 The Business of Selling

the structure is very important: there should be a clear ​introduction​, the ​main body and a
conclusion​.

In a discursive essay, the ​introduction should clearly indicate ​what you are going to write
about, ​why ​you are writing about it and ​how the topic will be presented. The ​main body
should include two opposing points of view. One way to organise the main body is to present
arguments in favour in one paragraph and arguments against in a separate paragraph. Finally,
the ​conclusion​ should sum up the main points in your essay.

Look at the following ​links​ for more information about essay writing:

● Discursive writing revision

● Write an Essay Introduction
● End an Essay

One key feature of a good essay is effective linking of ideas. From the self-correcting
exercises, you have come across a variety of common linking words and expressions, see
Appendix 2​ for more.

The ​language you use in a discursive essay must be formal. ​For instance, you should avoid
using contractions (e.g. I’m/ It’s etc.) and use full forms instead; you should also avoid using
colloquial words/expressions or slang (e.g. kids) and use more formal words/expressions.
Further information is in the self-correcting exercises in ​The Business of Selling > Part 1
Communication Strategies for Writing​.

Planning your essay will help you make sure the structure of your essay is clear and logical.
Look at ​Appendix 3​ for an ​essay plan example ​and notice how the ideas are structured.

3
CA6 The Business of Selling

 TASK 6.1 For and against! Essay

1. For and against! Essay

Choose ​one ​of the following statements and ​write a discursive essay​ of ​150-200 words​:

● Money is the only thing that motivates entrepreneurs.

● Entrepreneurial skills should be taught in schools.

● A successful entrepreneur has to have a talent for marketing.

● There is no space in the tourist industry for entrepreneurialism and/or new ideas.

● The key to business success is teamwork and not entrepreneurial individuals.

Write the ​word count at the end of the essay and use the ​essay plan ​template in ​Appendix 4
to plan your writing - you need to send your plan with your essay.

2. Q & A

Read ​at least two of your classmates’ essays and ​think of a question to ask about what
you’ve read.

You can ask questions about the ​content ​of their essay or ask them to ​clarify ​something you
didn’t understand. You can also tell them whether you agree with the opinions in their essay.

Don’t forget to read your classmates’ questions and reply to them.

Remember you must include ​two different points of view in your essay.
Cite any sources​ you have used in the essay and list them at the end.

Consult the ​Essay_plan_tips_&_example document and use the

Writing_checklist document to check your essay before you post it to the
classroom. Send the final version in the body of a new message to the
Forum > CA6 essays ​folder; ​attach your plan ​(as a word document) to your contribution.

You must also upload TASK 6.1 (plan + essay) in a Word document to the Continuous
Assessment Register (RAC/REC).

4
CA6 The Business of Selling

 Post-task 6.1

Look back at your CA2 essay about learning online, compare it with the essay you have sent
for ​TASK 6.1 and then post a message to the ​I’ve learnt something today! ​folder answering
the following questions:

● Do you feel more confident about answering essay questions now?

● Do you think planning an essay helps produce a better essay?
● Do you feel you can incorporate linking expressions more effectively?
● Do you think you are able to organise your writing more coherently?

 Pre-task 6.2

1. The Business of Selling Part 2 self-correcting exercises

Start by ​doing the exercises ​in ​The Business of Selling Part 2 i​ n ​Materials ​in the classroom.
They‘ll help you widen your vocabulary, revise grammar areas and you’ll read and listen to
ideas about the topic in the assessed task.

Don’t forget to share different vocabulary items, expressions and grammar

points that you have learnt in the ​I’ve learnt something today! ​folder in the
Forum.

2. Do an online quiz about famous entrepreneurs

Go to the ​Online Business Quiz ​to do an online quiz about the topic of this CA: ​the business
of selling​. Don’t worry if you don’t know the answers because this is just for fun, although it
will help you to prepare for Task 6.2. Report back with your impression of the quiz, extra
information you may know, other examples, etc. to the ​I’ve learnt something today! ​folder in
the Forum.

5
CA6 The Business of Selling

 TASK 6.2 What's my product?

1. Prepare for video presentation​: You see the following advert on television:

We are making a new television quiz programme called ​What’s my product? ​and we need
volunteers to give video presentations of either: ​a) a sales pitch about a product (an existing
or future one) OR ​b)​ a review of a product recently bought.

The product can be ​anything you buy or invest in​, such as: a car, a high interest bond, a
luxury cruise, a new gadget, etc. and our contestants have to guess what you’re talking
about.

Make your video of about ​one minute either a) selling us your product or b) reviewing
something recently bought and we’ll choose the best ones to use on the show!

Once you have decided whether to make a video for option ​a) or ​b)​, you’ll need to do some
research​ on some basic facts about your product. For example:

Questions for a sales pitch Questions for a product review

Who will your product be targeted at?
How will your product help or change
people’s lives?
How is your product different from other
ones on the market?
Are there any special offers for customers
who buy your product?
Where and when did you buy the product?
Why did you choose this particular one?
What is your level of satisfaction?
Was it worth the money?
Would you recommend it? If yes, who to
and why?

6
CA6 The Business of Selling

What's my product?

2. Post your main video​: give a presentation of about ​one minute ​either ​a) ​selling us or ​b)
reviewing your product but ​DO NOT say​ the name of the product. Follow this basic outline:

Introduction​: give some basic facts about your product but ​DO NOT say ​its name!

Middle​: describe the product and its functions

Conclusion​: now either ​a) ​really try and sell it to us or ​b) ​tell us who you would
recommend this product to (or not) and why

3. Reply to ​at least two of your classmates’ videos with your guesses of the product being
described. These can be audio or video replies.

Post a follow-up video as a reply to your first video to tell us what the product you were
describing actually is so we can see if we guessed correctly!

Post your video in ​Langblog > CA6 What’s my product?

Try to incorporate vocabulary and grammar that you have studied in the self-correcting
exercises in ​The Business of Selling > Part 2 Vocabulary, Communication Strategies and
Pronunciation​. Remember you must ​use your own words and not read directly from the
Internet or a book as that is plagiarism. Speak naturally (ie. don’t read from a written text).
You can make and use notes to remind you of the main points and develop them as you go.

NB: It is your responsibility to check the quality of the recording and repeat the activity if
necessary.

 Post-task 6.2

Watch as many other videos as you can for the Business of Selling task and decide which ones
the producers of the programme should choose to be on the show and why. Share your
thoughts in the ​I’ve learnt something today! ​folder in the Forum.

7
CA6 The Business of Selling

 Appendix 1 Assessment criteria CA6

40% of the mark for CA6 will be based on your writing for TASK 6.1 in the Forum using
these criteria:

● Completion of ​TASK 6.1 (Have you discussed the statement in your own words
including at least two contrasting points of view and taken part in the Q & A?)
● Use of grammar, vocabulary and expressions from the unit
● Organisation of the text into sentences and paragraphs
● Use of formal language and linkers

For more details, see the ​Marking_Criteria_Individual_writing​ document in the classroom.

40% of the mark for CA6 will be based on your contributions to TASK 6.2 in Langblog using
these criteria:

● Completion of ​TASK 6.2 ​(Have you posted two videos and replied to some of your
classmates?)
● Ability to express yourself
● Effective presentational strategies: sentence stress, pauses, fluency, etc.
● Natural intonation
● Use of grammar, vocabulary and expressions from the unit

For more details, see the ​Marking_Criteria_Individual_speaking_Langblog document in the

classroom.

20% of the mark for CA6 will be based on your result for the Summaries Test.

8
CA6 The Business of Selling

 Appendix 2 Linking words

To show To add To show cause To give an To show the next To conclude

contrast information and effect example step

on the one furthermore therefore for example Firstly / to begin in conclusion

hand with

on the other above all as a result such as Secondly to sum up

hand

however In addition because of for instance Then / next / to conclude

this / that after

whereas moreover consequently In other ultimately all in all

words

 Appendix 3 Essay Plan example

Topic area Tax havens

Essay Tax havens are necessary because taxes are too high.
question

Introduction History of tax havens, examples of tax haven states, how they work.

Paragraph 2 Positive effects of tax havens (for): preserve wealth of hard-working

business people; give people alternatives to manage their money; there is
an increasing number of tax havens to choose from.

Paragraph 3 Negative effects ​of tax havens (against):they promote illegal activity; they
deprive home countries from vital tax income; not an easy option for all
citizens.

Conclusion Summary and personal opinion

9
CA6 The Business of Selling

 Appendix 4 Your essay plan

Topic area

Essay
question

Introduction

Paragraph 2

Paragraph 3

Conclusion

10