Communicating at Work, 12e (Adler)
Chapter 4 Verbal and Nonverbal Messages
1) Which of the following terms represents words that have more than one common meaning?
A) annotative
B) judicious
C) jargon
D) equivocal
2) Which of the following is NOT a reason why equivocal misunderstandings occur?
A) Different professions sometimes have varying specialized meanings for the same term.
B) Various cultures interpret a term in different ways.
C) Some communicators use lower-level abstractions to clarify their meaning.
D) Regions within the U.S. may hold different meanings for a term.
3) A “low-level abstraction” is
A) a specific, concrete statement that refers to observable objects or events.
B) a mathematical concept.
C) an element of equivocal speaking.
D) a legal brief.
4) A “high-level abstraction” is
A) a specific, concrete statement that refers to observable objects or events.
B) Broussard’s Law of Physics.
C) a broad, general statement.
D) an unequivocal message.
5) Which of the following represents the lowest level of abstraction?
A) The proposal has mistakes in it.
B) The proposal you sent to Mr. Brewer on Jan 8 has incorrect budget totals, misspelled words, and
grammar mistakes.
C) The proposal is lousy.
D) The proposal you sent to Mr. Brewer has mistakes in it.
6) Which of the following statements represents the lowest level of abstraction?
A) “Send me a memo of your ideas.”
B) “Let me know what you think about the idea.”
C) “Send me a memo by the tenth of the month outlining your ideas.”
D) “By the tenth of this month, send me a memo listing the strengths and weaknesses of this
project.”
7) John is the leader of a small work team that is responsible for developing new safety standards
for a small construction company. The group has been having difficulty developing new standards
because John’s instructions have been extremely unclear. He has stated a general goal, but he has
not given the group any specific directions. John could probably improve this group’s ability to
complete its task if he would ________.
A) use only lower-level abstractions when he gives directions to the group
B) use more jargon from the construction field when he gives directions to the group
C) use higher-level abstraction to present the overall goal, followed by lower-level abstractions
when he explains exactly how to complete the task
D) use terms that are more equivocal when he gives directions to the group
8) Which of the following is NOT an equivocal phrase for expressing time?
A) very soon
B) every time I see you
C) in two minutes
D) after a long break
9) Which of the following are good ways to reduce equivocal misunderstandings? Choose all that
apply.
A) If you are the receiver, double check the sender’s meaning of equivocal terms.
B) If you are the sender, use lower-level abstractions to clarify the meaning of equivocal terms.
C) If you are in a multicultural context, ask the receiver to verify their understanding of your
message, especially if their nonverbal cues suggest confusion.
D) If you are in a workplace context, use relative words to make sure your intentions are clearly
understood.
10) Which of the following is an effective guideline for expressing messages clearly?
A) State your main idea using high-level abstraction, then illustrate with low-level abstractions.
B) In most cases, it is best to talk only in low-level abstractions.
C) Use specialized jargon when you are talking with persons outside your profession.
D) You can help others understand your meaning by using equivocal terms.
11) When you are trying to summarize a large amount of information, yet make your meaning
clear, you can often achieve maximum clarity by using
A) highly specific language.
B) highly abstract language.
C) a large amount of nonverbal amplification.
D) an abstract overview followed by specific details.
12) Manager Norris gave the following instructions to Jared:
“I’d like you take on more responsibility. So far, you’ve only been dealing with minor tasks such as
drawing up daily schedules and mailing out customer refunds. Starting with your shift on Tuesday,
I’d like you to assist Kevin with brainstorming new means of customer outreach and with
designing a sticky website for our PRNG program.”
Manager Norris’s instructions include all of the following types of language EXCEPT
A) low-level abstractions.
B) jargon.
C) high-level abstractions.
D) slang.
13) “No one ever thanks me for anything I do” is an example of
A) jargon.
B) slang.
C) a low-level abstraction.
D) a high-level abstraction.
14) “You should write a good cover letter” is an example of
A) low-level abstraction.
B) high-level abstraction.
C) unequivocal language.
D) equivocal paralanguage.
15) A specialized technical form of vocabulary that allows professionals to communicate about
issues important to their field is referred to as
A) ambiguous language.
B) jargon.
C) high-level language.
D) equivocal terms.
16) When coach Corazon uses a cliché such as “Let’s push the envelope,” her players
A) receive a vague idea that they should try harder.
B) know they should sharpen their jump shots.
C) know they should practice the pick and roll more.
D) receive a message that their rebounding needs improvement.
17) When you are presenting an idea to others, it is helpful to start with an abstract generalization
that gives a broad picture of your idea and then to
A) follow it with a less abstract generalization.
B) support it with specific examples and details.
C) support it with only one key example.
D) follow it with a dramatic conclusion.
18) Strategic ambiguity refers to
A) precise, low-level abstractions.
B) the judicious use of slang.
C) the purposeful use of indirect language.
D) a common form of communication in low-context cultures.
19) Do not use strategic ambiguity when your goal is to
A) help the listener understand your precise meaning.
B) promote harmony.
C) soften the blow of difficult messages.
D) avoid a lawsuit by stating your point vaguely.
20) Do use strategic ambiguity
A) when the receiver needs clarity.
B) to prevent potential confusion.
C) to deceive a competitor.
D) when you need to deliver a difficult message, but you want to help the receiver save face.
21) Which of the following are valid situations where strategic ambiguity can be used? Choose all
that apply.
A) to promote teamwork between two divisions of a company that often conflict
B) to make a criticism of a person’s work more acceptable to the person being criticized
C) to increase the efficiency of a project by providing detailed information
D) to avoid a lawsuit while conveying information that can be easily misinterpreted
22) Strategic ambiguity should be used to
A) convey specific instructions.
B) present a detailed project analysis.
C) soften the blow of firing an employee.
D) encourage an employee doing good work.
23) The statement, “Omar has been nagging me about that job for two weeks” (as opposed to
“Omar has inquired a few times about the status of that job.”) is an example of
A) biased language.
B) low-level abstraction.
C) denotative language.
D) verbal precision.
24) Which of the following is an example of biased language?
A) AARP
B) jerk
C) unknown
D) hyped
25) Which of the following options does NOT use biased language?
A) His speech was long winded.
B) Let’s consider the effects of this plan.
C) Well, that idea is a gamble.
D) What a wishy-washy notion.
26) Biased language has all of the following characteristics EXCEPT
A) painting a negative picture of its target.
B) generating negative feelings.
C) being concrete, measurable, and objective.
D) containing an evaluation.
27) According to researchers, which of the following statements about swearing on the job are
true? Choose all that apply.
A) It is expected in some settings.
B) It should be avoided until you are familiar with the norms of the organization.
C) It has been identified as the leading cause of employee termination.
D) It is rarely considered to be insulting.
28) Language that sets off an intense emotional reaction in a listener is referred to as
A) jargon.
B) trigger words.
C) ambiguous words.
D) equivocal speech.
29) If you accidentally utter a phrase that pulls someone‘s trigger and causes them to have a strong
emotional reaction, your best response is to
A) let them finish their emotional outburst without interruption.
B) make a joke of the situation and then change the subject.
C) accuse the person of being overly sensitive.
D) cut off the person’s angry response by apologizing.
30) A coworker tells you: “It makes me really mad when my boss strolls past my desk and says,
‘Okay, honey, let’s get down to work.’ I am not his honey!” In this contest, the word “honey” is
A) jargon.
B) report talk.
C) a trigger word.
D) an equivocal term.
31) An example of a “more powerful” speech form is
A) “This meeting is running late, isn’t it?”
B) “That was truly quite marvelous!”
C) “We will submit our final report by 3 P.M. this afternoon.”
D) “What do you think should be considered next?”
32) If you want to create an impression that you are powerful, you should
A) attach tag questions such as “shouldn’t we?” at the end of your statements.
B) use a lot of intensifiers, such as “that was such a good job,” when you talk.
C) litter your speech with hesitations, such as “uh” and “um.”
D) use direct language that clearly says what you mean.
33) An advantage of “powerful” speech is that it
A) sounds considerate.
B) helps the speaker achieve relational goals.
C) tends to create a sense of good will.
D) creates an impression that you are a person with authority and conviction.
34) Which is a typical outcome of using “less powerful” speech?
A) It sounds considerate and may help the speaker improve relationships.
B) It creates the impression that the speaker highly competent.
C) It demonstrates conviction.
D) It tends to alienate co-workers.
35) If you want to downplay your authority over others, you should
A) repeat your command at least twice.
B) present your command in question form.
C) use positive language in your command.
D) avoid slang in your command.
36) Which of the following is an example of positive language?
A) You’d better give us until Tuesday to get that inspection done.
B) The inspection won’t be finished until Tuesday.
C) We’ll have to wait until Tuesday to schedule the inspection.
D) We’ll finish the inspection on Tuesday.
37) Which of the following is an example of positive language?
A) When do I have to submit my paper?
B) What is the due date for the paper?
C) How many points will you dock me if I turn in my paper late?
D) When is the latest I can turn in my paper?
38) Which of the following is the best way to accept a compliment from a fellow employee?
A) “You’re welcome.”
B) “No big deal.”
C) “Not a problem.”
D) “Nothing at all.”
39) Which of the following statements are TRUE about filler words such as “like,” “you know,”
“umm,” and “yeah”? Choose all that apply.
A) They reduce your credibility.
B) They are viewed negatively by older generations.
C) They convey an impression of confidence.
D) They can reduce your chances of getting hired.
40) A “disfluency” creates an impression that
A) the speaker is enthusiastic.
B) the speaker is a friendly person.
C) the speaker is a powerful person.
D) the speaker is not very competent.
41) Differences in language use between men and women
A) are distinct and noticeable in the language patterns of every man and every woman.
B) do not characterize all men and women.
C) are biological traits that do not evolve over time.
D) are a myth.
42) A feminine communication style is characterized by which of the following elements?
A) focusing on facts
B) attempting to dominate conversations
C) listening supportively
D) offering advice
43) A feminine style often uses ________ to initiate and maintain conversation.
A) exclamations
B) assertions
C) advice
D) questions
44) One characteristic of a feminine style of communication is
A) instrumentality.
B) rapport talk.
C) report talk.
D) assertiveness.
45) A feminine conversational style uses apologizing forms of speech
A) to avoid sounding dogmatic.
B) because the speaker has low self-esteem.
C) because women are weak.
D) to avoid sounding submissive.
46) Robert is an effective supervisor because he has the ability to interpret a number of spoken and
unspoken conversational cues. His subordinates in his sales division respect him because he also
has the ability to develop strong rapport with each coworker by showing constant support. Which
type of communication style is Robert demonstrating when he is showing support?
A) feminine
B) neutral
C) androgynous
D) masculine
47) Vivienne’s interaction with others often includes assertive statements. Moreover, she
frequently interrupts anyone who voices an opinion that is different than hers. According to the
text, what communication style is Vivienne using?
A) feminine
B) neutral
C) androgynous
D) masculine