Peng 021: Communication Skills 2010 Question Paper
Peng 021: Communication Skills 2010
Course:Certificate Of Pre-University English
Institution: Kabarak University question papers
Exam Year:2010
COURSE CODE: PENG 021
COURSE TITLE: COMMUNICATION SKILLS
STREAM: SEMESTER TWO
DAY: WEDNESDAY
TIME: 9.00 – 11.00 A.M.
DATE: 08/12/2010
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Answer ALL the questions in the booklet provided.
2. Ensure that your work is neat.
QUESTION ONE 15 MKS
1. What do you understand by the term ‘noise’ in communication? Give three
examples of sources of noise. (4 mks)
2. List three features of communication. (3 mks)
3. Explain the meaning of the following terms as used in communication. (6 mks)
a) Encoder
b) Decoder
c) Channel
4. What is non- verbal communication? Give two examples. (2 mks)
QUESTION TWO 15 MKS
Write an essay on the three major types of listening and the variables affecting them.
(15 mks)
QUESTION THREE 20 MKS
a) What is a library? (2 mks)
b) List 6 sections of Kabarak university library. (3 mks)
c) Explain any 5 functions of an academic library (5 mks)
d) Briefly, explain how you can get a book from your library. (3 mks)
e) What do you understand by the following: (3 mks)
a) Skimming
b) Scanning
c) Note making
f) Show the distinction between reference and bibliography? (4 mks)
QUESTION FOUR 20 MKS
Read the passage below and then answer the questions that follow.
Why is there so much talk about global warming? Well, simply because the
average temperature of our planet has been rising gradually over the last 100 or so
years. Scientists have identified the culprit as increased levels of carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere.
Now, the atmosphere comprises mainly of nitrogen (about 78 percent) oxygen (21per
cent), carbon dioxide (0.04%) and smaller amounts of other gases.
The total mass of all this air around the planet is about 5 million billion tones, thus carbon
dioxide weighs about 200 billion tones only.
Emissions from fuels add about 30 million tones of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.
Now that is a small amount compared to 200 billion total; but it is enough to cause worry.
If this situation continues for 100 years, the total amount will rise by 3 billion tones –
about 15 per cent.
Now carbon dioxide is not a bad thing. Together with other gases, it helps keep our planet
warm and habitable. In fact, if there were no atmosphere, the earth would be a cold
place. The intensity of solar radiation is about 1000 watts per square meter. An object
heated at the rate would maintain a stable temperature of negative 20 degrees Celsius and
that would be inhabitable. The problem is that carbon dioxide is a very poor conductor of
heat. It has about half the conductivity of nitrogen. Secondly, it is heavier than most
naturally occurring gases, therefore it remains in the lower atmosphere (it is one of the
reasons why carbon dioxide is used in fire extinguishers).
These two properties make this gas a very good “blanket” around the earth. Thus
increasing its quantity in the atmosphere raises the average temperature of our planet by a
big amount. “Big” here means about a degree or so, but it has catastrophic effects on the
planet. For example, ice melts at zero degrees Celsius. Increasing the average
temperature by one degree will melt naturally occurring ice and the water thus formed
will flow to the oceans; sea levels rise and any islands are submerged.
This is not a simple problem and simply reducing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere might
not be a permanent solution. The process of extracting energy by chemical reaction (for
example, burning a fuel) always produces a gas as an exhaust. Thus even if we were to
get an alternative fuel to replace oil, we would still have to deal with global warming
because of the increased mass of the atmosphere. An increase in any gas will increase the
size of the atmospheric blanket and therefore raise global temperatures.
But firewood might hold a key. The reason is that a tree absorbs carbon dioxide while
growing and then releases it when burned. It is no wonder that there has been so much
interest in biofuels in recent years.
1. Why has global warming been a concern? (2mks)
2. What is the cause of global warming as mentioned in paragraph one? (3 mks)
3. What constitutes the atmosphere? (5 mks)
4. Explain the merits and demerits of the emission of carbon dioxide. (5 mks)
5. How does firewood solve the problem of global warming? (2 mks)
6. According to the passage, which fuel emits most carbon dioxide? (1 mk)
7. Explain the meaning of the following words as used in the passage. (2 mks)
i. catastrophic
ii. atmospheric blanket
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