ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN UNIVERSITY, ISLAMABAD

(Department of English Language & Applied Linguistics)

WARNING
1.
2.

PLAGIARISM OR HIRING OF GHOST WRITER(S) FOR SOLVING

THE ASSIGNMENT(S) WILL DEBAR THE STUDENT FROM AWARD
OF DEGREE/CERTIFICATE, IF FOUND AT ANY STAGE.
SUBMITTING ASSIGNMENTS BORROWED OR STOLEN FROM
OTHER(S) AS ONES OWN WILL BE PENALIZED AS DEFINED IN
AIOU PLAGIARISM POLICY.

Course: Compulsory English-I (1423)

Communication Skills

Level: BA/BS
Total Marks: 100

Semester: Autumn, 2016

Pass Marks: 40

ASSIGNMENT No. 1
(Units 14)
Q.1 You read in Unit 1, Section C how to guess the meanings of words from the text.
Read the following statements and guess the meanings of the words in italics. Also
write the dictionary meanings of these words.
(15)
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.

Because there was so little precipitation this year, the crops dried up and
died.
Although I was unable to understand all of the details of the presentation, I
did get the gist of it.
At a special ceremony, the police chief gave the officer a commendation for
bravery.
One brother is an erudite professor; the other brother, however, has never
shown any interest in books or learning.
Night is the time when many animals forage, or search for food.

Q.2 Complete the following compound sentences by using joining words such as: and,
but, for, or, so etc. Follow the example. Also read Unit 1, Section D for guidance
about compound sentences.
(10)
Example: My friend was late, so I didnt go to receive him.
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.

I went home early,............................................................................................

I searched for bananas in the market,................................................................
She slapped her student,...................................................................................
He didnt allow me to enter the room,..............................................................
They were fired,................................................................................................
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Q.3 Complete the following sentences by using appropriate question tags. Follow the
example. Unit 2, Section A of your text-book deals with question tags.
(15)
Example: Snow is white, isnt it?
You havent finished your assignment, have you?
i.
They attended the meeting,...............................................................................
ii.
He didnt kill the man,......................................................................................
iii. Amina resigned from the job,...........................................................................
iv. Its Sunday tomorrow,.......................................................................................
v.
Muslims pray five time a day,...........................................................................
Q.4

Write an informal personal letter to a friend who is living abroad, asking him to buy a
laptop for you. Read Unit 2, Section D, for learning how to write personal letters. (15)

Q.5 Read the example and express your agreement/disagreement about the following
issues. Choose a different expression each time. Unit 3, Section A, can guide you
how to do so.
(10)
Example:
Statement:
Agreement:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
vi.

Buy land to built a house in Islamabad

I think you are right. We need to build a house in Islamabad because
most of our family members live there.
Give money to the beggars.
Pray five times a day.
Get a new mobile phone.
Go for shopping.
Rent your home.

Q.6 Look at the cover pages of different books given below. What does each cover page
tell you about the book? Write down five sentences (each) guessing the contents
each book may have. Read unit 3, Section C for guidance.
(10)

Q.7 Read the sentences given below and make a list of all those words/phrases that
express possibility/impossibility. Read Unit 4, Section A for more guidance.
(10)
i.
It is probable that my grandfather repairs my bike.
ii.

Perhaps the problem wont be serious.

iii.

It will probably rain this evening.

iv.

Im likely to do the work myself.

v.

I dont suppose my grandfather will repair the bike.

vi.

I doubt my father will buy me a new computer, either.

vii.

She is unlikely to return home early this evening.

viii. Id be surprised if he got the best score.

ix.

Its unlikely he will find his lost keys.

x.

He may have robbed your computer while you were out.

Q.8 In Unit 4, Section C, you learnt how to scan a text. Scan the following paragraphs
and answer the questions given at the end.
(15)
The Alaske pipeline starts at the frozen edge of the Arctic Ocean. It stretches across
the largest and the northernmost state in the United States, ending at a remote icefree seaport village nearby 800 miles from where it begins. It is a massive size and
complicated to operate. The steel pipe crosses windswept plains and endless miles of
delicate tundra that tops the frozen ground. It weaves through crooked canyons,
climbs sheet mountains, plunges over rocky crags, makes its way through thick
3

forest, and passes over or under hundreds of rivers and streams. The pipe is 4 feet in
diameter, and up to 2 million barrels (or 84 million gallons) of crude oil can be
pumped through it daily. The pattern of the pipelins up-and-down rout is determined
by the often harsh demands of the arctic.
The pipelines up-and-down route is determined by the often harsh subarctic climate,
the tortuous lay of the land, and the varies compositions of soil, rock, or permafrost.
A little more than half of the pipeline is elevated above the ground. The remainder is
buried anywhere from 3 to 12 feet, depending largely upon the type of terrain and
the properties of the soil.
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.

Where does Alaska pipeline start from?

Where does it end?
What is the diameter of the pipe?
How much oil can be pumped every day?
How much of the pipeline is elevated above the ground?

ASSIGNMENT No. 2
(UNITS: 5-9)
Q.1 Decide whether the following sentences are written in Active or Passive form.
Then change the voice of the sentences. You may take guidance from Unit 5,
Section B on active and passive speech.
(10)
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.

The snake bit him.

The window was broken by the thief.
The timetable was prepared by Mr. Ali.
His mother told him to make his bed.
He has been cleaning his room for two hours.

Q.2 Write a job application letter for the following job advertisement. Unit 5, Section D
deals with job applications.
(15)

REQUIRED
A well reputed organization in Karachi requires young and
energetic persons for the following posts:

Production Officer/supervisor:
Diploma in Chemical/Mechanical Technology or B.Sc. having 2-3
years experience preferably in Soap Industry.

Security Officer:
Retired armed force, Intermediate, age between 40-50 years,
having 2-3 years of civil experience. Officer from fighting Arms
are encouraged to apply.
Please send CV with recent photographs & testimonials.
Q.3 Read the following paragraph and identify the theme, topic sentence, and the
supporting details of the text. For knowing more about theme, topic sentence and
supporting ideas read Unit 6, Section C.
(15)
It is physically impossible for a well-educated, intellectual, or brave man to
make money the chief object of his thoughts just as it is for him to make his
dinner the principal object of them. All healthy people like their dinners, but
5

their dinner is not the main object of their lives. So all healthy minded people
like making money ought to like it and enjoy the sensation of winning it; it is
something better than money.
A good soldier, for instance, mainly wishes to do his fighting well. He is glad of
his prayvery properly so and justly grumbles when you keep him ten years
without ittill, his main mission of life is to win battles, not to be paid for
winning them.
Q.4 You have read how to ask for/refuse permission in Unit 7, Section A. Fill in the
following blanks with the vocabulary used for asking/granting.
(10)
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.

------------------ I make a call from your cell phone?

------------------ it okay if i go home early?
------------------ if I borrow this book?
You ------------------ take edibles to the library.
Sorry, we ------------------ any further orders.

Q.5 Unit 7, Section D deals with writing descriptive essays. Write a descriptive essay
on the topic Recent Trend in Fashion.
(15)
Q.6 You have read about indirect and direct speech in Unit 8, Section B. Convert the
following sentences into indirect speech.
(10)
i.

He said, I cant go to school today.

ii.

Finish your meal, his mother shouted.

iii.

His friend told him, You need to buy a new car.

iv.

Be nice to your brother, he said.

v.

Always respect your elders, his father told him.

Q.7 You have read about how to make inferences in Unit 8, Section C. Read each
passage and then respond to the questions. Each question will ask you to make a
logical inference based on textual details. Explain your answer by referencing the
text.
(15)
i.

Ali will not stop talking in class. His teacher asked him to be quiet, but he
does not listen. He has to write his homework twice. Why does he have to
write his assignment twice?
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ii.

The farmer and his wife had been giving the sheep all the good food to fatten
him up. Today they went for shopping and bought everything they needed.
What do you think happened to the sheep?

iii.

Shan is in middle school for his first year. He is learning that he is growing
and needs more food to fill him up. Shan had five candy bars, three bags of
chips for lunch, and two big pieces of cake for dessert. He skipped dinner
last night. He also drank a chocolate shake for lunch. The doctors had to
keep him in the hospital for overnight. What do you think happened to him?

Q.8 You have read how to differentiate between facts and opinions in Unit 9, Section C.
Look at the following picture and write five sentences expressing facts and five
expressing your opinions about it.
(10)