Writing and Communication Skills

What are ‘fillers’ according to the passage?

Directions: Read the passage and answer the question that follows:

Just as a chef is attuned to the subtleties of flavour and trends in the culinary arts, a presentation coach is attuned to the subtleties of language and trends in the communication art. One trend I’ve noted recently is the expression, “Does that make sense?” often used by a speaker during a conversation — or a presenter during a presentation — to check whether the listener or audience has understood or appreciated what the speaker has just said. Unfortunately, the expression has two negative implications:
- Uncertainty on the part of the speaker about the accuracy or credibility of the content
- Doubt about the ability of the audience to comprehend or appreciate the content.
“Does that make sense?” has become so pervasive, it joins the ranks of fillers, empty words that surround and diminish meaningful words, just as weeds diminish the beauty of roses in a garden. Most speakers are unaware that they are using fillers, and most audiences don’t bother to think of their implications.

Directions: Choose the appropriate number (1 - 4) according to the information given in the passage.From a psychological point of view, training in the organization of subject-matter is urged because

Reading Passage

Read the passage and answer the given question. 
 
DEVELOPING THE ABILITY TO ORGANIZE 

1. The importance of organization. It has been pointed out in the preceding chapters that the silent reading period should be used to develop speed and thought getting, if pupils are to learn how to study effectively. The superior student is one who has acquired a third important skill, namely, the ability quickly and effectively to organize the subject-matter read. The term organization, as here used, includes making outlines and summaries and having pupils prepare lists of questions which they consider leading ones. The importance of developing the ability of pupils to organize can scarcely be overemphasized. 

2. Psychologists have done much valuable research in the field of the higher mental processes. The results of their investigations include the establishment of many basic principles in the science and art of organization. The psychological point of view. From a psychological point of view, training in the organization of subject-matter is urged because it requires the pupil to analyze, select, and synthesize. ! It requires much concentration, judgment, evaluation, and association and is considered one good test of general intelligence. Organization is a great aid to memory or retention. To the degree that a lesson or discussion is well organized, to that degree each minor point is seen in its proper relation to the major idea, and each major thought in its relation to the whole. 

3. The love of rhythm is said to be instinctive, and for that reason applied psychology urges the organization of a lecture or lesson in the most logical manner so that the preferred paths may function. The sociological point of view. Nor is the ability to organize of secondary importance when considered from the sociological point of view. How many men and women are failing in their several vocations every day, not so much because of some defect in personality, but because organization is sadly lacking in every proposition which they set forth? The fundamental principle in public speaking is organization. Because organization is of great consequence in life, both in and out of school, one feels justified in testing pupils to see how much organizing ability they have, and how that ability may be developed. 

4. Present lack of ability to organize. The inability of many grade pupils to organize the main points of a lesson under headings and subheadings is very noticeable in many schools. Teachers do not seem to realize that training pupils and developing in them an appreciation of the worth of organization is one effective method of building up good study habits. Too often pupils are not made to feel that they are expected to organize, weigh, and discriminate in their reading. Making a problem assignment stimulates the child to see for himself what sentences in the lesson are most worthwhile. 

5. Some teachers make a specific assignment of three or four questions. These questions act as guides to the pupil's reading; they form the topics for discussion in the next recitation period. Pupils thus learn to discriminate between points having little or much bearing on the question before them. After a few weeks of such training, summaries can be made at the close of a recitation period. The teacher and pupils together sum up the main points in the lesson that were brought out or that should be discussed. Having one section of a class prepare the questions for another section to evaluate is an effective device.