Class 12 Compulsory English Career Opportunities Notes

Working with Words

A. Complete the sentences with the correct words from the box below.

• a. You must learn about 2000 Kanji to develop competence in the spoken Japanese language.
• b. I can type both English and Nepali but not as fast as professional typists.
• c. When she was in class eight, she got the opportunity to participate in a national painting competition.
• d. The Prime Minister gave a long list of his achievement.
• e. He spent many years in jail before reaching the position of a minister.
• f. About fifty workers were made redundant because of the financial crisis in the factory.
• g. He is affiliated to the World Bank as a senior consultant.
• h. They registered my application after making verification of my documents.
• i. I requested my teacher to be my referee in my CV.
• j. To make our country self-sustained in food production is an imperative need at present.

B. Define employment-related terms and use them in sentences.

• Volunteering: Working for an organization without being paid.
  • Sentence: Volunteering is an easy way to get involved in practical conservation.
• On-the-job training: A practical approach to acquiring new skills while working.
  • Sentence: I learned the skills necessary to be a top music producer through on-the-job training.
• Career opportunity: A particular job that may be a stepping stone to loftier ambitions.
  • Sentence: Networking opens a lot more career opportunities and at a faster rate.
• Skill development: The method of detecting skill gaps and improving those specific skills.
  • Sentence: Social skill development needs to be ongoing all the time.
• Apprenticeship: The position of an apprentice learning a trade.
  • Sentence: He served his apprenticeship as a fitter.
• Career counselling: Support provided by counselors to help clients plan their professional paths.
  • Sentence: They oversee career counseling programs and testing which measure students’ aptitudes.
• Credentials: Qualifications or documents that give a title to credit or confidence.
  • Sentence: His campaign has refused to credential any reporter from that outlet.
• Human capital: The economic value of a worker’s experience and skills.
  • Sentence: Investment in education is seen as the key to improving human capital.
• Internship: A period of work experience offered by an organization for a limited time.
  • Sentence: He served his medical internship at Norvic Hospital.
• Soft skills: Personal traits and communication skills that characterize relationships with others.
  • Sentence: Veterans should be valued for their soft skills more than their hard technical skills.
• Minimum wage: The lowest wage per hour that a worker may legally be paid.
  • Sentence: The country requires a minimum wage because workers paid below the poverty line place an added cost on society.
• Recruitment: The process of finding and hiring new people for a job or organization.
  • Sentence: An excellent career opportunity has now arisen with a leading recruitment agency.
• Role model: A person looked up to by others as an example to be imitated.
  • Sentence: She was a great role model and indeed a great mentor to me.
• Aptitude: A natural ability or capacity to do something well.
  • Sentence: He has demonstrated a great aptitude for carpentry skills.
• Assessment: The action of making a formal judgment or evaluation about someone or something.
  • Sentence: It’s a difficult problem that requires careful assessment.

C. Divide words based on vowel sounds (Here /hɪə/ vs. Hare /hɛː/)

• Here (/hɪə/): Fear, beer, ear, leer, cheer, sheer, shear, tear (n.), mere, deer, dear, clear, sneer, gear
• Hare (/hɛː/): Fare, fair, bear, bare, care, heir, air, share, lair, chair, tear (v.), mare, dare, snare

Comprehension

Answer the following questions:

a. What does a CV mean and why is it important in one’s career?

Answer: Curriculum vitae (CV) is a Latin term meaning ‘course of life’. It is a formal document detailing your personal background, working experience, and achievements. It is crucial because it provides an opportunity to reflect on and plan career developments, and it is required when applying for jobs, seeking promotions, or getting research funding.

b. Does the same CV work for all job opportunities? Why or why not?

Answer: No, while a base CV can be used, it is much better to make slight tweaks. Tailoring ensures that the CV highlights the most relevant skills and qualifications based on the specific job description and utilizes terminology found in the listing.

c. What are the different areas where a CV can help you?

Answer: A good CV helps when applying for jobs, seeking promotions, securing research funding, serving as an external examiner, undergoing teaching/research audits, or during professional body validations of a department.

d. What do you mean by ‘staying CV’ and ‘leaving CV’? Which one would you develop for yourself as a freshman?

Answer: A ‘staying CV’ focuses on internal institutional citizenship (committee work, administration, pastoral care, teaching load). A ‘leaving CV’ highlights external achievements (like research output and broader expertise) aimed at prospective new employers. As a freshman, I would develop a leaving/career-focused CV.

e. How can you draft a good CV?

Answer: You can draft a good CV by using a basic framework, seeking recollections, and getting feedback from friends, family, mentors, or experienced colleagues who understand industry standards.

f. What is the difference between academic CV and non-academic CV?

Answer: Academic CVs tend to be longer and grow extensively over time, focusing on verifiable academic records. Non-academic CVs are usually shorter and frequently encourage applicants, especially in management, to emphasize qualitative, transferable skills and assertions rather than exhaustive publication records.

Critical Thinking

a. CV may not represent a person’s skills and abilities accurately because confidence cannot be rendered on paper. What should employers do to find the best people for the job?

Answer: Relying solely on a CV can be limiting because it cannot capture interpersonal dynamics or drive. Employers should implement a multi-stage selection process: initial screening based on company terms, a behavioral cover letter or skills assessment phase, and collaborative team interviews (such as meeting potential colleagues informally) to test cultural fit and teamwork capabilities.

b. If employers judge candidates by CVs, how can fresh graduates compete with experienced competitors?

Answer: Fresh graduates can stand out by focusing on transferable soft skills, leadership traits, and personality. Since many graduates use standard templates, applicants can break the mold by designing creative, tailored portfolios or highlighting practical projects, internships, and extracurricular leadership to bridge the experience gap.

Writing

A. Application Letter and CV

Application Letter:

Bharatpur-7, Chitwan

6th June 2021

To,

The Assistant Director,

MM Construction Pvt. Ltd.,

Satdobato Marg, Lalitpur.

Subject: Application for the Post of Civil Engineer

Dear Sir,

With reference to your advertisement in THE PIONEER on 2nd July inviting applications for the post of a civil engineer under your authority, I wish to offer myself as a candidate for the same. My qualifications and experience are detailed below.

I completed my civil engineering degree from the IOE, Pulchowk Campus in the first division and also hold a B.Sc. Physics (Hons.) degree. Throughout my academic career, I have earned multiple scholarships and awards.

Professionally, I worked at ArEiCon Engineers Pvt. Ltd. for five years, implementing advanced engineering techniques that benefited the firm. Currently, I have been working with Global Impex International Pvt. Ltd. for the past four years, handling administrative and supervisory responsibilities. In recognition of my service, my current company has offered me special bonuses, but I am looking for a role that offers broader career avenues. I am ready to work at any of your branches.

I have attached my CV to this application for your reference. I hope to meet you soon to discuss this opportunity further. Thank you for considering my application.

Yours faithfully,

Manoj Poudel

Curriculum Vitae (CV):

• Name: Manoj Poudel
• Address: Pashupati Vision Complex, Ring Road, Kathmandu 44600
• Contact: T: 01-4113713 | M: 981-234-5678 | E: manojpoudel@gmail.com
• Personal Summary: An ambitious and dedicated civil engineer with strong technical skills and diverse experience in construction engineering and project management. Proficient in structural design, safety evaluation, and quality compliance.
• Career History:
  • Senior Civil Engineer – Global Impex International Pvt. Ltd. (January 2018 – Present)
  • Civil Engineer – ArEiCon Engineers Pvt. Ltd. (April 2013 – January 2018)
• Key Competencies: Structural design, site supervision, quality assurance, project management, feasibility studies, and AutoCAD planning.
• Academic Qualifications:
  • B.Sc. Civil Engineering (2009) – IOE, Pulchowk Campus
  • B.Sc. Physics (Hons.) (2011)
• Personal Details: DOB: 1985 | Driving License: Yes | Languages: English, Nepali, Hindi

Grammar

B. Rewrite the sentences using the correct form of the verbs.

• a. If you sell your stocks now, you won’t get much money for them.
• b. A lot of people would lose jobs if the factory closed down.
• c. Our country won’t have to export wheat if it rains in November and February.
• d. If we had found him earlier, we could have saved his life.
• e. If he had not been wearing a helmet, he would have been seriously injured.
• f. Unless you follow the instructions, you won’t pass the exams.
• g. I don’t mind walking home as long as the weather is fine.
• h. The bank will sanction you the loan provided you deposit collateral.
• i. What would you have done if you had not got this job?
• j. If you had the choice, where would you have lived?

C. Change the sentences into conditional (‘if’) sentences.

• a. The driver was talking on the phone so the accident happened.
  • Answer: If the driver wasn’t talking on the phone, the accident wouldn’t have happened.
• b. There is no one at home because all the lights are off.
  • Answer: If there was someone at home, all the lights wouldn’t be off.
• c. He must be an educated person because he has subscribed to ‘The Kathmandu Post’.
  • Answer: If he wasn’t an educated person, he wouldn’t subscribe to ‘The Kathmandu Post’.
• d. His head was not injured in the accident because he had put the helmet on.
  • Answer: His head would have been injured in the accident if he hadn’t put the helmet on.
• e. I am sure he passed the exam because he gave a heavy treat to his friends.
  • Answer: If he hadn’t passed the exam, he wouldn’t have given a heavy treat to his friends.
• f. You didn’t take any breakfast so you are hungry now.
  • Answer: If you had taken some breakfast, you wouldn’t be hungry now.
• g. I am sure he is a doctor because he is wearing the white gown.
  • Answer: If he wasn’t a doctor, he wouldn’t be wearing the white gown.
• h. She is very rich so she drives a Mercedes.
  • Answer: If she wasn’t very rich, she wouldn’t drive a Mercedes.
• i. I didn’t know it was only half a kilometer from my house, so I booked a ride.
  • Answer: If I had known it was only half a kilometer from my house, I wouldn’t have booked a ride.
• j. He has hidden something in his mind, so he does not look fresh.
  • Answer: If he hadn’t hidden anything in his mind, he would look fresh.