HS 6151 TECHNICAL ENGLISH I SPECIAL IMPROVEMENT TEST OF JJCET 20-11-13

J.J. COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

Students’ Improvement Test

B.E./B.Tech. Degree Examination, 2013

             First Semester HS6151 – Technical English-I

                                (Common to all branches) (Regulation 2013)

Time: 4.:00-5:30                                                       Date:20-11-13                               Maximum Marks: 100

                 Answer All Questions                                               (10X10=100)

1. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given at the end of it: 

Humans have struggled against weeds since the beginnings of agriculture. Marring our gardens is one of the milder acts of weeds – any plants that thrive where they are unwanted. They clog waterways, destroy wildlife habitats, and impede farming. Their spread eliminates grazing areas and accounts for one third of crop loss; they compete for sunlight, nutrients, and water with useful plants.  The global need for weed control has been answered mainly by the chemical industry. Its herbicides are elective and sometimes necessary, but some pose serious problems, particularly, if misused.

Toxic compounds threaten animal and public health when they accumulate in food plants, ground water and drinking water. They also harm workers who apply them.  In recent years, the chemical industry has introduced several herbicides that are more ecologically sound. Yet new chemicals alone cannot solve the world’s weed problems. Hence scientists are exploring the innate weed killing powers of organisms, primarily insects and microorganisms.

The biological agents now in use are environmentally benign and are harmless to humans.  They Can be chosen for their ability to attack selected targets and leave crops and other plants untouched.

In contrast, some of the most effective chemicals kill virtually all the plants they come in contact with, sparing only those that are naturally resistant or have been genetically muddied for resistance. Furthermore, a number of biological agents can be administered only once, after which no added applications are needed. Chemicals typically must be used several times per growing season.

(a) Complete the following statements :

(i) The topic dealt with in the passage is ______________

(1) The importance of chemical industry

(2) The dangers of toxic chemicals

(3) Advantages of biological agents over chemicals

(4) A proposal to ban the use of all herbicides

(ii) The term the author defines in the First paragraph is____________

(1) Grazing areas

(2) Weeds

(3) Wildlife habitats

(4) Nutrients

(iii) According to the passage, biological agents consist of__________________

(1) Insects and microorganisms

(2) Useful plants

(3) Weed

(4) Herbicides

(iv) A simple damaging effect of weeds is seen in

(1) farms

(2) gardens

(3) environment

(4) chemical factories

(b) Mention whether the following statements are True or False :

(i) Chemical agents are occasionally required.

(ii) Farmers have been fighting with undesirable plants.

(iii) Weeds alone cause crop loss.

(iv) The chemical industry should not produce herbicides.

(v) Biological agents are more advantageous than chemicals.

(vi) Ground water has been badly affected by chemicals.

2. Rewrite the jumbled sentences in sequential order so that they follow one another in a logical and coherent manner.

    i) He swirled through the mass of other dancers like Scheherazade.

   ii) Berjiz reminded the most accomplished dancer.

   iii) Even the germless Jeffery was dancing, his thumbs in his best loops, for so bending                                    forward at the waist, the classic status quo boogy.

   iv) But his thunder was soon to be stolen.

   v) Within ten minutes the dance floor was full.                   

3. Write a set of ten recommendations for students to make optimal use of the library facilities in the college.

4.  Write a set of ten instructions for the maintenance of the electrical equipment in your department.

5. Write two paragraphs of 200 words on the following topic.

The Evolution of Communication Technology from Ancient to Modern times.

6. Write the process of reserving a ticket in railway reservation counter.

7. Read the following and draw a flowchart and give a suitable title.

Static electricity enables a photocopier to produce almost instant copies of documents. At the heart of the machine is a metal drum which is given a negative charge at the beginning of the copying cycle. The optical system then projects an image of the document on the drum. The electric charge disappears where light strikes the metal surface, so only dark parts of the image remain charged. Positively charged particles of toner powder are then applied to the drum. The charged parts of the drum attract the dark powder, which is then transferred to a piece of paper. A heater seals the powder to the paper, and a warm copy of the document emerges from the photocopier.

8. Write a letter to your friend about your first day college experience.

9. Write a short biography of Dr.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam in 200 words.

10. Read the following passage carefully and make notes:

Cultural growth in the twenty-first century has heightened the emphasis on interpersonal communication in an intercultural setting. As our world grows, expands and becomes increasingly more interconnected by various technological advances, the need for effective interpersonal communication among differing cultures has become quite clear. Due to the advancement of technology in today's world, a world in which some businesspeople are involved in transactions with other businesspeople in faraway countries, the call for knowledge of intercultural communication within this setting has become a reality. Interpersonal communication is a form of communication that involves a small number of people who can interact exclusively with one another and who therefore have the ability to both adapt their messages specifically for those others and to obtain immediate interpretations from them. Although interpersonal communication is usually thought of as being performed in small, centralized groups, a need to broaden these groups and bring about a general feeling of cultural awareness has become apparent. To a certain degree, all communication could be called interpersonal, as it occurs between two or more people. However, it is useful and practical to restrict the definition to distinguish those relationships that involve a relatively small group of people, such as couples, families, friends, workgroups, and even classroom groups from those involving much larger numbers of people, as would occur in public rallies or among massive television audiences. Unlike other forms of communication, interpersonal communication involves person-to-person interactions. Additionally, the perception that a social bond has developed between the interacting members, however tenuous and temporary it may seem, is also much more likely.