Now you know the main aspects of business letter writing. Try to write your own business letter

Unit Five

Public Relations

1. Write down the new words in your dictionary:

adjusting	регулирующий
enhancement	улучшение, оздоровление
efficiency	эффективность, результативность
collaboration	сотрудничество; участие, совместная работа
to implement	выполнять, осуществлять
benevolent	благожелательный, благосклонный
interaction	взаимодействие
widespread	широко распространенный
incontestable	неоспоримый, бесспорный
perception	восприятие
discrepancy	разница; различие
charity	благотворительный
sufficient	достаточный; обоснованный
peculiarity	особенность
persuasion	убеждение
detriment	ущерб, вред

2. Read the following text and translate it:

What is PR?

There are many spheres of public life where PR-activity is realized. Depend on these spheres specialists in Public Relations distinguish definite trade-position specializations, where PR-specialist may realize his activity. There are a lot of different opinions about “What is PR?”.

Dictionary of Sociology published in 1944 in the USA defines PR as “theory and practices for adjusting relations of the Subject with its public”. And later on, in the development of their idea, the authors of the Dictionary add, “These theories and practices involve sociology, social psychology, economics, and political science and require special skills of a journalist, actor, administrator, advertising man etc. for solving specific problems in this field of activity”.

The new Webster's Dictionary of 1994 gives the following definition of public relations phenomenon: “public relations are relations maintained by organization with the public through the publicity aimed at influencing public opinion”.

The Dictionary of New Foreign Words published by the Moscow State University gives another definition of PR. "Public Relations is building-up of a public opinion aimed at enhancement of the company (enterprise, firm) efficiency and upholding it's reputation. It is an art of building up interrelations between public (administrative), social institutions and citizens for the sake of the society as a whole".

On demand of the American Foundation for Public Relations Research and Education in 1975, 65 leading scholars on public relations and communication theory tried to summarize next to all definitions of PR that had existed and gave their definition of the term. The analysts considered 472 definitions. Basing on this analysis, they gave a definition that has become one of the classical and accepted ones for many years. This definition is as follows: “Public relations is a specific management function aimed at establishing and maintaining communications, mutual understanding and collaboration between the company and it's public, solving problems and coping with tasks. It provides information on public opinion to the management of the company for them to respond at the proper time, it defines and focuses on the company's management main objective, which is serving to the public interests. It gets the management prepared to any changes and helps using them more effectively acting as a ”early warning system” that warns about the danger. It helps to overcome negative tendencies, it uses research and communication on the ethical principles as the main means of activities”.

Another classical definition expanded in 1987 was given in 1948 by the British Institute for Public Relations (IPR): “Public relations activity is planned and implemented efforts aimed at establishment and maintenance of benevolent relations between a company and it's public”.

The famous theorist and practitioner of public relations, the “founding father” of public relations as the modern specific organizational and administrative practice and special public institution Edward Bernays wrote, “public relations is a sphere of interaction between a person, a group, an idea or another public unit on which it depends”. “Professional practical public relations is a combinations of an art and science, and not financial, but rather public interests are its main motive force. In that case achieving agreement implies constructive social role (PR)”.

However, in Russia the most widespread definition is the one given by the incontestable authority in this field – President Sam Black of the International Public Relations Association: “Public Relations is the art and science of achieving harmony with the environment through mutual understanding based on truth and full information”.

3. Answer the questions according to the text:

1. What definition, in your opinion, reflects the meaning of PR better? 2. How do you understand the term PR? Give your own definition. 3. What is the aim of PR?

4. Here are some more characteristics of a PR Practitioner. Read them:

ühe must be creative in solving problems,

übe strong enough to withstand the stress,

üHe should be able to work in a team,

übe tolerant for different views of his colleagues,

ühelp hammer these views into a solution;

ühe must express confidence,

übe able to answer the questions of his colleagues,

ühave a character and integrity,

üa sense of logic

üthe ability to think creatively and imaginatively,

ütruthfulness and discretion,

üprojectivity,

üa deep interest to the solution of the problems,

ühe should have intellectual curiosity,

üeffective powers of analysis and synthesis,

üintuition

etc.

5. Look attentively at the list of characteristics of a PR specialist. What features are more inherent to you? And where are you failing? Characterize yourself and your partner.

6. Read the new vocabulary and add it to your dictionary:

to accomplish one's goal	достичь своей цели
adversial	враждебный, недоброжелательный
to be dependent on (upon) smb	зависеть от к.-л.
comprehensive	исчерпывающий
contribute to smth	способствовать
credibility	надежность
fact sheet	подборка данных, «объективка»
friction	разногласие
insatiable	неуемный, жадный, ненасытный
medium	средство
media outlets	местные телестудии, радиостанции, редакции, «точки» средств массовой информации
mutual	обоюдный, взаимный
operated page/article	полоса газеты, где публикуются статьи, отражающие точку зрения на какой-либо вопрос; колонка читателей
to process information	обрабатывать информацию
to provide information	предоставлять информацию
accurate	достоверный
respective	соответственный
routine	обычный
to satisfy demand	удовлетворить спрос
story	газетный материал, сообщение в печати
to substantiate	подтвердить данными
timely	своевременный

7. Correct the mistakes:adversiale, rispective, mutuall, midia outlets, provid

information, to satisfy of demand, accomplish, fact shet, supstantiate, frection.

8. Match the words to make up word-combinations:

to satisfy	outlets
mutual	page
a sense of	overall activities
media	understanding
to solve	information
to accomplish	demand
accurate	logic
operated	a problem
to implement	a goal

9. Translate into Russian:to provide information, to substantiate, to satisfy

demand, media outlets, operated article, insatiable, accurate, routine, contribute to smth, to accomplish one's goal, respective, to process information, comprehensive, story.