Page 1
1.
________ is the system of symbols (words) we use to think about and communicate
experiences and feelings.
A)
Denotative code
B)
Connotative code
C)
Language
D)
Body language
2.
Grammatical rules that dictate how words should be pronounced are referred to as
______
A)
syntactical rules.
B)
phonetic rules.
C)
phonological rules.
D)
articulation rules.
3.
Andy compliments his mother’s new hairstyle just before he asks her if she can loan him
some money for the weekend, hoping that this will put her in a good mood and improve
his chances of getting the loan. His compliment is serving which functional
communication competency?
A)
feeling
B)
ritualizing
C)
informing
D)
control
4.
The relationship between symbols, objects, people, and concepts and the meaning that
words have for people, either because of their definitions or their placement in a
sentence, defines which of the following terms?
A)
pragmatics
B)
labeling
C)
semantics
D)
abstraction
5.
The consistently accepted definition of a word is referred to as its _____
A)
denotative meaning.
B)
connotative meaning.
C)
encoded meaning.
D)
cognitive language.
Page 2
6.
When Joe’s roommate asks if Joe would bring his cat home after the winter holidays,
Joe remembers how his aunt’s house smelled like a soiled litter box and that there was
cat hair all over the furniture. Joe feels a great sense of reluctance. His response is
related to what kind of meaning for “cat”?
A)
denotative meaning
B)
connotative meaning
C)
encoded meaning
D)
cognitive language
7.
Using abstract words that have unclear or misleading definitions to get out of an
uncomfortable situation is referred to as ______
A)
euphemizing.
B)
equivocation.
C)
evasion.
D)
imagining.
8.
Jane says her cousin is “big boned,” instead of saying she’s overweight, obese, or fat,
because she understands those other terms might have insulting connotations. What type
of language abstraction is Jane using?
A)
jargon
B)
euphemism
C)
equivocation
D)
evasion
9.
Over dinner Ashleigh tells her family a hilarious story about how she and her bestie
photobombed a couple trying to take a selfie in the food court at the mall. Her sister
laughs and shouts “you’re cray!” While the girls laugh, their parents stare blankly. The
parents are most likely confused by the girls’ use of which language form?
A)
jargon
B)
slang
C)
euphemism
D)
equivocation
10.
Technical language that is specific to members of a particular profession, interest group,
or hobby is referred to as ______
A)
euphemism
B)
slang
C)
jargon
D)
abstraction
Page 3
11.
In which of the following contexts would you be most likely to use high language?
A)
You meet your friends for coffee at Dunkin’ Donuts.
B)
You interview for an internship at an advertising agency.
C)
You run into your best friend’s mom at the mall.
D)
You meet for a study session with friends from your sociology class.
12.
What term refers to a form of accommodation in which a communicator changes his or
her regular language and slang to fit into a particular group?
A)
political correctness
B)
hedging
C)
qualifying
D)
code switching
13.
The theory that holds that the words a culture uses (or doesn’t use) influence the
thinking of people from that culture is ______
A)
linguistic anthropology.
B)
high-context culture.
C)
Sapir-Whorf hypothesis.
D)
political correctness.
14.
Vocal elements like pauses and changes in volume or pitch are all part of verbal
communication.
A)
True
B)
False
15.
Unlike with other codes, there is a natural and universal connection between language
symbols and the things they represent.
A)
True
B)
False
16.
The cognitive language you use about someone or something else affects your
experiences with them.
A)
True
B)
False
Page 4
17.
Although grammar is important in written communication, the transactional nature of
oral communication means that using correct grammar is not required to communicate
effectively.
A)
True
B)
False
18.
Grammar includes rules about how words should be pronounced as well as how they
should be placed in sentences.
A)
True
B)
False
19.
Asking questions is a way of using language to accomplish the functional competency
of informing.
A)
True
B)
False
20.
Competent communicators adjust their language to each person, group, or context they
encounter.
A)
True
B)
False
21.
The communication competency of expressing feeling emphasizes that emotions are
deeply personal and that there are no real standards of appropriateness or effectiveness
for how we express feelings.
A)
True
B)
False
22.
The imagining functional competency refers to our ability to use language to play as
well as our ability to think ahead and anticipate what someone else might say.
A)
True
B)
False
23.
When someone says a disagreement is related to semantics, he or she is suggesting that
the root of the problem is disagreement about the meaning the words have to the people
involved.
A)
True
B)
False
Page 5
24.
Pragmatics refers to the meanings words have for people.
A)
True
B)
False
25.
Every word has both a denotative and connotative meaning.
A)
True
B)
False
26.
When Joe’s professor says he will have to give a presentation in class, Joe feels his heart
start to race and his palms begin to sweat. Joe probably reacts this way because his
denotative meaning for the word “presentation” is unpleasant.
A)
True
B)
False
27.
On the abstraction ladder discussed in the text, the word “fork” would be more abstract
than the word “utensil.”
A)
True
B)
False
28.
Although lower abstractions ensure clarity, we sometimes use high abstractions to
accomplish specific communication goals.
A)
True
B)
False
29.
On their first date, Rebecca asked Andy what he did for a living. Andy responded
vaguely, “Oh, I work in retail.” Rebecca had to ask Andy “What types of stores?” and
“What types of positions have you held?” in order to get him to provide any specific
details. We would categorize Andy’s initial highly abstract response as equivocation.
A)
True
B)
False
30.
When Tom’s manager sat down to tell him he was fired from his job at the car wash, he
said, “Tom, I’m going to have to let you go.” This less offensive turn of phrase would be
considered a euphemism.
A)
True
B)
False
Page 6
31.
Jargon is an informal form of language that is known to most people in a particular
culture at a particular time.
A)
True
B)
False
32.
The use of politically correct language is unanimously accepted in the discipline of
communication as a positive thing because it removes bias from language and helps
people communicate more clearly.
A)
True
B)
False
33.
Using informal language within a conversation can create a comfortable and informal
context.
A)
True
B)
False
34.
Medical jargon like “phlebotomy” is an example of high language.
A)
True
B)
False
35.
According to the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, we don’t have to have a word for something
in order to think about or understand it.
A)
True
B)
False
36.
When comparing men and women who have equal status, men tend to interrupt more
often than women do.
A)
True
B)
False
37.
“I feel like maybe this movie is too violent for us to see as a family.” This statement
includes a disclaimer.
A)
True
B)
False
Page 7
38.
Speakers who use qualifiers, hedges, and disclaimers are usually perceived to be
uncertain or hesitant and, therefore, less powerful.
A)
True
B)
False
39.
When Kent, who lives in Illinois, visited his cousins in Los Angeles, he got a confused
look when he asked them if they had any “pop.” After a few seconds, his aunt said, “Oh,
you want a soda!” Geography can account for linguistic differences like this.
A)
True
B)
False
40.
Competent communication through technological media like e-mail requires
communicators to use clearer language than is usually required in face–to-face
communication to make up for the nonverbal cues that are missing.
A)
True
B)
False
Page 8
Answer Key
1.
C
2.
C
3.
D
4.
C
5.
A
6.
B
7.
B
8.
B
9.
B
10.
C
11.
D
12.
D
13.
C
14.
B
15.
B
16.
A
17.
B
18.
A
19.
A
20.
A
21.
B
22.
A
23.
A
24.
B
25.
A
26.
B
27.
B
28.
A
29.
B
30.
A
31.
B
32.
B
33.
A
34.
B
35.
A
36.
A
37.
B
38.
A
39.
A
40.
A