— Read the article below about report writing and the questions on the opposite page. — For each question 13-18, mark one letter (A, B, C or D) on your Answer Sheet for the answer you choose. Report writing: a growing demand Writing reports is an essential business skill, one which is often thought to be quite distinct from those required for letter writing and speech making, for instance, yet in each case success comes from taking a common basic approach. Nowadays, the availability of computers makes it tempting to devote much of the planning stage of writing a report to experimenting with graphics and layout - which may well benefit the reader - but we risk focusing on presentation at the expense of substance. After all, the absence of visible corrections may not mean an absence of errors. Skill at report writing is needed for anything from a short magazine article to a lengthy submission to a public enquiry. In business, it is nor only required for more and more jobs; it can also make a difference to your chances of promotion. When you speak, people know that you don't have the time to organise your ideas, or choose the fight words. But when you write, they assume you've got the time, and expect better organisarion, more careful expression. And - worryingly, perhaps, for many - they may read your words several times. The increasing importance of reports reflects changes in the workplace. Gone are the days when businesses or departments were small enough for decisions to be taken after a discussion between the manager and a specialist on the shop floor. Companies and organisations have expanded and are now increasingly dependent on documentation. This provides a record of decisions taken, and evidence that the issues have been analysed, Effective reports can enable management to retain the confidence of shareholders, directors and bankers. Some reports, like the minutes of a meeting, record the main points of discussions, any decisions made and advice given. They also have one eye on the future. Lawyers and other professionals file reports as a record of their contact with clients. These are then available for future reference and for consolation by colleagues if necessary. A report filed at the time is considered an accurate account of events should the facts be challenged subsequently. It provides evidence that you took appropriate steps, which may be valuable if things go wrong Later. It is always important to be clear about who your readers are. The report may be written for a particular senior executive, but, unless it is confidential, a number of other people are likely to see it. Make sure your report is relevant to their needs too. If you are set a deadline, you will give a poor impression if you miss it. Busy managers can only cope with all the documents they receive by being selective, perhaps turning just to the introduction and summary. If they are really harassed, your report may not even leave the pending tray! To be successful, a report must be read without undue delay, understood without undue effort, accepted and, where appropriate, acted upon. But reading a report can be a daunting experience, in which case the recipient will resist the idea of spending time wading through it. This natural resistance is known as the 'cognitive cost'. A technical, closely typed report, written in a ponderous style, without illustrations, will have a high cognitive cost. It is clearly going to be hard work absorbing the contents. What point does the writer make in the first paragraph?