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1. Two roommates having a conversation is an example of __________ communication.
A) interpersonal
B) group
C) mass
D) mediated
2. Which term refers to the literal meaning of a message?
A) Content meaning
B) Relational meaning
C) Convergence
D) Shared meaning
3. __________ refers to what a receiver believes a message relayed through interpersonal
communication says about the relationship.
A) Content meaning
B) Relational meaning
C) Convergence
D) Shared meaning
4. A small group is a limited number of people who __________.
A) have strong communication skills
B) live in the same area
C) work toward a common goal
D) practice mass and mediated communication
5. Which type of communication is NOT an example of mass media?
A) Television
B) Radio
C) Magazines
D) Telephone
6. You use communication in your personal life when you __________.
A) talk on the phone with your sibling
B) deliver a speech at a town hall meeting
C) lead a team to complete a project at work
D) speak with an instructor about an exam
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7. Which is an example of using communication to help your career?
A) Having a conversation over lunch with a friend
B) Asking a neighbor to turn his or her music down
C) Leading a sales meeting with a prospective client
D) Making a presentation in one of your classes
8. __________ is an example of using communication to help yourself as a student.
A) Working with your cousin to plan a surprise party for your grandfather
B) Describing a crime you witnessed to a police officer
C) Asking your supervisor for a raise
D) Discussing an assignment with an instructor
9. You use communication to help yourself in your community when you __________.
A) discuss a medical condition with your spouse
B) work with others to organize a youth baseball league
C) volunteer to join a committee at your office
D) take part in a group assignment for your history class
10. Which is NOT one of the three actions involved in gaining communication competence?
A) Achieving communication goals
B) Building a communication repertoire
C) Improving communication skills
D) Choosing appropriate communication behaviors
11. To communicate well, you need to understand the messages your communication partner
is trying to express. This concept is most closely associated with which part of your
communication repertoire?
A) Listening skills
B) Empathy
C) Communication style
D) Communication channel
12. Active listening does NOT involve __________.
A) communicating to your partner that you understand
B) receiving the message without considering its content
C) processing the message to uncover its meaning
D) verbally and nonverbally responding in a manner that shows interest
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13. Having the best interest of others in mind is a key component of __________.
A) active listening
B) empathy
C) nonverbal expression
D) channels of communication
14. What would you be doing if you decided that it would be more effective if you used
humor to make your point instead of speaking in a forceful manner?
A) Adjusting your communication style
B) Changing your channel of communication
C) Listening actively
D) Exhibiting empathy
15. The last time Phil spoke with his coworker Emily, he discovered that she doesn’t like to
talk about her personal life at the office. So when he saw her on Monday morning, he decided it
would be a good idea to simply say, “Good morning!” instead of asking how her weekend was.
Which factor had the MOST impact on Phil’s decision to modify his communication behavior?
A) Experience
B) Culture
C) Feedback
D) Context
16. While you are communicating with others, they will provide both verbal (words) and
nonverbal responses. These responses are called __________.
A) experience
B) culture
C) feedback
D) context
17. The person expressing the idea is referred to as the __________.
A) source
B) receiver
C) decoder
D) channel
18. Which term refers to the ideas conveyed through communication?
A) Interference
B) Message
C) Noise
D) Channel
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19. The exchange of messages using language is called __________.
A) nonverbal communication
B) verbal communication
C) decoding
D) mediated communication
20. When receivers process the source’s verbal and nonverbal symbols to form their own
perception of the message’s meaning, they are __________.
A) creating interference
B) encoding
C) decoding
D) giving feedback
21. What does noise do?
A) Enhances communication between source and receiver
B) Provides a communication channel between source and receiver
C) Gives feedback to the source and the receiver
D) Disrupts communication between source and receiver
22. Jason cannot concentrate in class because he is thinking about his golf tournament on
Friday. What type of noise is he experiencing?
A) External
B) Internal
C) Positive
D) Negative
23. Xiomara is speaking with her mother on the phone but can’t hear because the fire alarm
just went off in her office. What type of noise is she experiencing?
A) External
B) Internal
C) Positive
D) Negative
24. __________ occurs when everyone involved in the communication of a message
understands it.
A) Mass communication
B) Small group dynamics
C) Shared meaning
D) Convergence
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25. Which of the following is NOT a principle of ethical communication?
A) Ethical communicators do not deceive or manipulate others, and they take
responsibility for their own communications.
B) Ethical communicators carefully listen to others’ ideas and keep an open mind.
C) Ethical communicators properly acknowledge the work of others when they borrow
their ideas.
D) Ethical communicators recognize that the integrity of communication is secondary
to getting the task done quickly.
26. Communication is transactional because all participants continuously send and receive
messages.
A) True
B) False
27. Interpersonal communication is centered on a large audience.
A) True
B) False
28. The content meaning of a message highlights what the message says about your
relationship.
A) True
B) False
29. To work effectively, group members must be aware of small group dynamics.
A) True
B) False
30. Public speakers do not receive feedback from the audience while delivering a speech.
A) True
B) False
31. When selecting a topic for a speech, it’s important to consider the audience’s interests.
A) True
B) False
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32. Mediated communication is communication that occurs face-to-face.
A) True
B) False
33. A television broadcast is an example of mass communication.
A) True
B) False
34. The study of communication can help you maintain your personal relationships.
A) True
B) False
35. To communicate effectively, you must focus on your own goals and disregard the goals
of your partner(s).
A) True
B) False
36. Passive listening involves processing the message to uncover its meaning.
A) True
B) False
37. It is often effective to use different communication styles in different situations.
A) True
B) False
38. Your communicative behaviors are influenced by your personal experiences and your
culture.
A) True
B) False
39. When you use verbal and nonverbal symbols to express ideas, you are decoding a
message.
A) True
B) False
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40. When having a conversation with a friend, your voice acts as a channel.
A) True
B) False
41. The person to whom a message is communicated is called the source.
A) True
B) False
42. To encode a message, receivers process the source’s verbal and nonverbal symbols to
form their own perception of the message’s meaning.
A) True
B) False
43. All noise is caused by external sources, such as a police siren or cell phone ringtone.
A) True
B) False
44. A response to a message is called feedback.
A) True
B) False
45. Words have the same meaning for all people in all cultures.
A) True
B) False
46. A goal of many communicators is to create shared meaning.
A) True
B) False
47. Ethical communicators do not deceive or manipulate others.
A) True
B) False
48. Communicating every day guarantees that you communicate effectively.
A) True
B) False
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49. Communication is always positive.
A) True
B) False
50. Not even highly effective communication can change most people’s closely held beliefs
and attitudes.
A) True
B) False
51. The literal idea expressed by a message is called the ______________.
52. ______________ refers to the ways in which members relate to one another and view
one another’s functions within the group.
53. The superimposition of one medium on the platform of another medium is called
______________.
54. The ability to achieve your communication goals is referred to as ______________.
55. Your _____________ consists of all the skills you have available for interacting with
others.
56. Your ______________ include all the words in your vocabulary that you might use to
express an idea to others.
57. You exhibit ______________ when you put yourself in the other person’s shoes.
58. In the communication process, the person with the ideas to express is the
______________.
59. ______________ means communicating without words.
60. ______________ refers to the medium of delivery.
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61. The person who attempts to make sense of the message through decoding is called the
______________.
62. Responses to our messages are called ______________.
63. Rules and values that a group uses to guide conduct and distinguish between right and
wrong are referred to as ______________.
64. ______________ is a form of negative communication that often involves the use of
words in an attempt to gain power over others.
65. Identify and discuss the four contexts in which communication can occur.
66. Explain the difference between content meaning and relational meaning, and provide an
example of each.
67. Identify the four aspects of life in which effective communication can help, and discuss
how it is beneficial to each.
68. Identify and describe the six types of skills that are important to have as part of your
communication repertoire.
69. Explain four misconceptions about communication.
Answer Key
1. A
2. A
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45. B
46. A
47. A