Grimsby’s Feed Satisfies Viewers

In the three-part miniseries Feed, filmmaker David Grimsby _____(1) explores the modern food industry. The series takes viewers behind the scenes at farms and factories to reveal shocking details about the things we eat and how they are produced.

While there are numerous other documentaries on this _____(2), a combination of smart narration, intriguing interviews, and animated graphics makes Feed stand out. _____(3). It presents both the benefits and drawbacks of modern food production without endorsing any one point of view. Richly informative and visually interesting, the series is _____(4) captivating that many people will want to see it twice. The first episode of Feed will air this month on the Modern Film Channel.

Tips for shopping through the mail

Every year, thousands of people successfully order goods from mail order catalogs. However, some more unfortunate individuals find that the goods they ordered look nothing like the pictures, arrive damaged, or don't arrive at all. Here are some tips to help protect yourself when you shop through the mail.

. Before placing your first order, ask around. Have your friends or family used this catalog before? How was their experience? Were they satisfied with the goods and service? Would they use the company again?

. Read all available information, including the return policy. Look for companies that offer a no-questions asked return policy. Check whether you will have to pay postage if you need to return goods.

. Always include shipping costs and sales tax in the final price when comparing costs. In some cases, the shipping costs can really add up. Make sure you know exactly what you are paying for.

. How long will you have to wait for your order. If you need something in a hurry, shopping by mail might not be the best option.

. Keep records of your orders, including the catalog name, address, telephone number, and the date that you placed the order. Of course, you should also keep track of items ordered, operator name, and expected date of delivery.

. If you encounter any problems with a mail-order company, contact a consumer advocacy group. You can easily find telephone numbers for such groups in the telephone directory or on the Internet.

To: Barbara Clemons
From: Susan Poletti
Date: January 16
Subject: Employee E-mail

Dear Ms. Clemons,

Thank you for your kind e-mail regarding the service you received from one of our employees. A copy of your e-mail has been forwarded to the Personnel Department and will be included in the employee's file.

It is so rare that a customer takes the time to express her appreciation of our service. In fact, I was so touched by your action that I feel inclined to reward you.

Please accept the enclosed voucher, which, when presented, will entitle the bearer to a ten percent discount on any merchandise in our store.

This is but a small token of our appreciation of customers like you. Our company's success depends on your satisfaction, and with your support we will continue to grow and prosper in this competitive marketplace.

Again, on behalf of everyone at Fine Clothes, thank you for your praise.

Susan Poletti
Director, Customer Services

July 16, 20--

Customer Service Office
National Bank of Augusta
1398 State Street
Augusta, MD

Dear Customer Service Office,

I am a new customer at your bank. I opened an account with you last month, and I have recently received my first monthly statement. I find that there is a service charge on three of the checks that I wrote. I understood that this account had free checking, so I was surprised to see this charge. Perhaps it is a mistake. I am enclosing a copy of the statement. Please clarify this matter for me.
Thank you.

Sincerely,

Marvin Gardner.

August 3, 20--

Marvin Gardner
145 Merrywood Lane
Augusta, MD

Dear Mr. Gardner,

We recently received your letter asking about charges to your account. While it is true that your account has free checking, some restrictions apply. You may write five checks a month free of charge. After that you must maintain a minimum average balance of $600 in your account in order to continue with free checking. Since your average account balance last month was only $435, you were entitled to only five free checks. A service charge was applied to the checks you wrote beyond that minimum. I hope this explanation is satisfactory to you.

Let me take this opportunity to make sure that you are aware of other services you can get with your account. You can arrange to have your monthly utility bills deducted from your account. You are also eligible to borrow small amounts of money from the bank at a low interest rate. If you are interested in these or an other services, please visit us at the bank, and an officer will be happy to explain all the details to you. Thanks you for being a National Bank of August customer.

Sincerely,

Eloise Lockwood
Customer Service Officer

Hours of Work

All employees are expected to be present and on time for every working day. When circumstances prevent you from reporting to work, or when you know in advance that you will be late, you are expected to notify your manager prior to your normal start time.

If you are absent from work for three consecutive working days for reasons of illness, a doctor's statement regarding the nature of your illness and verifying consultation time and date may be required. Failure to provide doctor's verification of illness upon request may result in the time off being classified as an unexcused absence and your pay may be adjusted.

If you are absent from work without notification, it may be assumed that you are not returning, and we reserve the right to immediately terminate your employment and include a noted in your record stating "voluntarily quit without notice."

March 11th, 2005

Dear Mr. Witherspoon,

I'm writing to you in the hopes that you will understand my situation. I trust that by now you will have heard about my situation from my manager. I hope that I can at least be given the chance to explain my side of the story. As for my manager, she is only doing her job, but I do think she has been totally unreasonable in following company policy to the letter and not giving the least bit of consideration to normal human error.

I was very ill from February 20th to 24th, and I took those days off work to recover. I did not go to the doctor as it was just a case of food poisoning, and all I really needed was bed rest. I did, however, call each day to tell my manager. When I returned to work, she asked me for a doctor's note, and I told her I couldn't produce one. That was the last I heard about it until payday when I noticed that my pay was short. I asked my manager about it, and she told me that I wasn't being paid for the days I was home sick from work. That's when she told me about the policy. And when I complained, she insisted I bring it up with you.

Needless to say, I'm very upset that this money was withheld from my pay. It was my understanding that I was allowed to take paid sick days from work, and I'm sorry to say that I had no idea about this policy about having to hand in a doctor's note. I really need that money as I have a very tight budget this month. It was a mistake, and, had I known, I certainly would have gone to the doctor about my condition. I hope you can understand my situation.

Yours sincerely,
Brenda Wilson