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Beebe, Beebe and Redmond - Interpersonal Communication, 8e Testbank
Copyright © 2017, 2014, 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Chapter 6 Test Bank: Verbal Communication Skills
Multiple Choice Questions
1) According to the model developed by Ogden and Richards, what are the things represented
by symbols called?
A) thoughts
B) referents
C) words
D) vocalizations
2) A person’s name generally has no logical connection with the actual person, just as the word
“cow” does not look like a cow or sound like a cow. These examples illustrate the principle
that the connection between a word and what it represents is
A) context bound.
B) concrete.
C) arbitrary.
D) denotative.
3) What is the theory that seeks to explain how societies are bound or linked together through
their use of symbols?
A) semantics
B) semiotics
C) symbolic interaction
D) dissonance theory
Copyright © 2017, 2014, 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
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4) When someone uses the word dog and you understand the word to mean “a mangy, dirty, and
disgusting animal, like the one that bit you when you were five years old,” which level of
meaning would you probably be applying?
A) connotative
B) contextual
C) creative
D) reflective
5) Communication that spontaneously and interactively exchanges messages with another
person is called
A) interaction.
B) conversation.
C) dialogue.
D) impromptu talking.
6) Glenda ordered her steak cooked medium-well at her favorite restaurant. When the server
returned with her steak, Glenda cut into it, saw that it was red in the center, and said to the
server, “OK, what part of ‘medium-well’ didn’t you understand? I want you to take this back
and cook it so it’s edible. This is ridiculous!” Glenda’s behavior was
A) assertive.
B) other-oriented.
C) results-oriented.
D) aggressive.
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13) Dad says to Junior, “Hand me the screwdriver.” Junior responds with, “Which kind, a flat-
head or Phillips?” Which language barrier is Junior trying to overcome?
A) bypassing
B) polarization
C) allness
D) failure to be specific
14) After her parents tell her she can’t go to the concert, Helga says, “You never let me do
anything!” Helga is probably suffering from the language barrier of
A) bypassing.
B) allness.
C) polarization.
D) indexing.
15) When general semanticists use the expression, “The map is not the territory,” to which
language barrier are they referring?
A) lack of precision
B) polarization
C) static evaluation
D) biased language
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Beebe, Beebe and Redmond - Interpersonal Communication, 8e Testbank
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A) Describe your own feelings rather than evaluate others.
B) Solve problems rather than control others.
C) Be genuine rather than manipulative.
D) Be flexible rather than rigid toward others.
20) Tom was describing the noises that hens make at his part-time job at the egg farm. He used
the word “cackle” to describe the sound. This work is an example of
A) onomatopoeia.
B) jargon.
C) malapropism.
D) indexing.
21) Ethan realizes that when he communicates with Ji, who is an international student from
South Korea, he may need to be sure that that his messages are more explicit, but they should
not be condescending. This is an example of which of the following?
A) word picture
B) apology
C) elaborated code
D) polarization
22) In response to his son’s request, Dad says, “I don’t care what you want. You’ll do what I tell
you, when I tell you, and that’s that!” Which strategies for creating a supportive climate does
his outburst most likely violate?
A) Solve problems rather than control others.
B) Be genuine rather than manipulative.
Beebe, Beebe and Redmond - Interpersonal Communication, 8e Testbank
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C) Empathize rather than remain detached from others.
D) Describe your own feelings rather than evaluate others.
23) Paul, who is slightly mentally challenged, laughs right along with the people who call him
“the tard” at work. According to the research of John Seiter and his colleagues,
A) as long as it’s clear to everyone that “the tard” is a term of endearment, it probably won’t
affect how Paul is perceived by his coworkers.
B) Paul is more likely to be perceived more sociable by his peers for going along with this
harmless and mostly affectionate nickname.
C) Paul is more likely to be perceived as less trustworthy than if he was referred to in more
positive terms.
D) The people who use this nickname when referring to Paul are likely to lose their jobs if
overheard by their boss.
24) Indexing your comments and remarks is a way to avoid which of the following word
barriers?
A) words are arbitrary
B) allness
C) static evaluation
D) polarization
25) Carly heard her communication professor use a word that she had not heard before and
determined it would be a good idea to find out what the word meant. She consulted two
dictionaries to be sure she had the literal meaning of the word. Carly was looking for which
of the following meanings?
Beebe, Beebe and Redmond - Interpersonal Communication, 8e Testbank
A) connotative
B) abstract.
C) denotative
D) onomatopoetic
1) To Joseph, a “submarine” is a sandwich. To Alfonse, a “submarine” is a submersible ship.
The different meanings Joseph and Alfonse apply to the word “submarine” reflect the fact
that words are arbitrary.
2) The way we talk to another forms the basis of a relationship with that person.
3) When Cecilia is listening to her partner, she occasionally interjects, “Oh, I see” or “uh-huh”
during the interaction, Cecilia is using backchannel talk.
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9) A restricted code is a set of words that has a particular meaning to a person, group, or
culture.
10) A malapropism occurs when two people use the same word to mean two different things.
11) One study found that people who described the world in pessimistic terms when they were
younger experienced negative health effects at middle age.
12) Open-ended questions create a more defensive climate than critical comments.
13) When describing how you view a situation, using sarcasm can take some of the negativity out
of the description.
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Beebe, Beebe and Redmond - Interpersonal Communication, 8e Testbank
most likely involved in this exchange.
3) Explain the concept of extended “I” language and how it can help soften what could be
perceived as a harsh message. Give an example.
4) Hernando has taken on a new case with a patrol officer, LaTonya. He is just meeting
LaTonya and wants to get better acquainted. Help Hernando by giving him suggestions to
start a successful conversation with LaTonya and to sustain it.
5) Describe an effective apology and explain when it’s most appropriate to offer it.
Copyright © 2017, 2014, 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
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6) What is the essence of linguistic determinism?
7) Describe the difference(s) between assertive and aggressive communication and why one is
preferable over the other.
8) Use the word “fish” to describe the relationships between referents, thought, and symbols in
the triangle of meaning developed by Ogden and Richards.
Copyright © 2017, 2014, 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
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9) Name the two concepts that form the basis for the Sapir–Whorf hypothesis, and define what
this hypothesis suggests.
10) Explain symbolic interaction theory and its relevance to the study of interpersonal
communication.
