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Indicate the answer choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
1. Those with an action-oriented listening style prefer brief, to-the-point communication and become impatient
when communicating with those who are long-winded.
a.
True
b.
False
2. What is one primary difference between feedback and paraphrasing?
a.
Paraphrasing summarizes others’ comments after they talk.
b.
Feedback is a way to summarize the speaker’s thoughts.
c.
Paraphrasing is done while someone is speaking.
d.
Feedback involves repeating back the exact words that were spoken.
3. If Vic, who is concerned his girlfriend might still be angry with him after a recent fight, carefully listens not
only to the words she is saying but also to how they are said, he is listening to:
a.
support.
b.
appreciate.
c.
discern.
d.
comprehend.
4. Using paraphrasing as a listening strategy can be problematic when:
a.
the receiver feels it is accurate.
b.
the receiver feels it is overused.
c.
it leads to conversational coherence.
d.
it allows the conversational topic to advance.
5. Hearing impairment is a problem with:
a.
seeing.
b.
receiving.
c.
attending.
d.
understanding.
6. Selective listening is the greatest challenge to active listening.
a.
True
b.
False
7. You go to a karaoke bar because your shy friend, Ted, is performing there for the first time tonight and is
incredibly nervous about singing in front of a crowd. Which listening function would be most appropriate for
you to practice?
a.
listening to discern
b.
listening to analyze
c.
narcissistic listening
d.
listening to support
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8. Which of these statements is true of long-term memory?
a.
It is a temporary storage place for information.
b.
It is the place where new information is stored.
c.
It plays a minimal role in the understanding stage of listening.
d.
It is related to permanent information storage.
9. In some collectivistic cultures, Confucian teachings emphasize that listening is:
a.
people-oriented.
b.
content-oriented.
c.
sensitive to others’ feelings.
d.
All of the options are correct.
10. Provocateurs bait online responders by posting messages and then attacking their responses.
a.
True
b.
False
11. In recalling information, we tend to remember our own behavior as more positive and constructive than the
behavior of others.
a.
True
b.
False
12. In individualistic cultures such as the United States, the predominant approach to listening can be
characterized as:
a.
people-oriented.
b.
content-oriented.
c.
other-oriented.
d.
time-oriented.
13. Pseudo-listening is:
a.
effective.
b.
appropriate.
c.
active.
d.
deceptive.
14. Long-term memory is used in the receiving stage of the listening process.
a.
True
b.
False
15. People who consistently use aggressive listening may also:
a.
engage in eavesdropping.
b.
think less favorably of themselves.
c.
experience less violence in their relationships.
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d.
achieve more success in their personal goals.
16. One simple method for bolstering memory is to incorporate as many of the five senses as possible.
a.
True
b.
False
17. Which of these listening behaviors is considered ineffective?
a.
content-oriented listening
b.
paraphrasing
c.
selective listening
d.
listening to discern
18. Men tend to practice:
a.
action-oriented listening.
b.
people-oriented listening.
c.
content-oriented listening.
d.
listening for support.
19. Which of these listening styles is the most likely to be concerned with others’ emotions?
a.
action-oriented listening
b.
content-oriented listening
c.
time-oriented listening
d.
people-oriented listening
20. Back-channel cues are effective for offering negative feedback to a speaker.
a.
True
b.
False
21. When a professor in a public speaking class listens to a student speech in order to grade it, which listening
function is she demonstrating?
a.
listening to discern
b.
listening to appreciate
c.
listening to support
d.
listening to analyze
22. Psychologists have suggested which strategy for improving one’s attention?
a.
engage in multitasking online
b.
increase noise pollution
c.
reduce hearing impairment
d.
limit multitasking online
23. Your friend Tysha, who cannot focus her attention on a single task for more than five minutes at a time, is
experiencing the impact of:
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a.
mnemonics.
b.
short-term memory loss.
c.
brain plasticity.
d.
mental bracketing.
24. Jon says, “I am so upset—I can’t believe I was fired today.” His roommate, Omar, responds by saying,
“Wow, it sounds like you are disappointed that you lost your job.” Omar is using:
a.
mental bracketing.
b.
passive listening.
c.
paraphrasing.
d.
pseudo-listening.
25. If someone views listening as an opportunity to establish commonalities with others, which listening style
does he or she exemplify?
a.
action-oriented listening
b.
time-oriented listening
c.
people-oriented listening
d.
content-oriented listening
26. When communicating with a man, you should assume that he will use either a people-oriented or a content-
oriented listening style.
a.
True
b.
False
27. Listening is our most primal and primary communication skill.
a.
True
b.
False
28. In an individualistic culture such as in the United States, time-oriented and action-oriented listening styles
are valued over other styles.
a.
True
b.
False
29. We should avoid mental bracketing because we can easily fall prey to our wandering attentions.
a.
True
b.
False
30. Both internal and external factors can impact one’s attention level for listening.
a.
True
b.
False
31. Recalling, the fifth step of listening, is crucial because we judge others’ listening skills by their ability to
recall what we said.
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a.
True
b.
False
32. What listening strategy would you recommend to your friend Ron, who says he can’t pay attention in his
interpersonal communication class because his mind often wanders?
a.
eavesdropping
b.
pseudo-listening
c.
narcissistic listening
d.
mental bracketing
33. If you learn that you are expected to remove your shoes upon entering the home of your Japanese friend—
and do so when you visit—what rule of giving positive feedback are you displaying?
a.
negativity
b.
obviousness
c.
immediacy
d.
appropriateness
34. Which of these is an example of an internal factor that can impact one’s attention level?
a.
illness
b.
stress
c.
fatigue
d.
All of the options are correct.
35. If your colleague begins a conversation by saying, “We only have 10 minutes to talk,” she is displaying:
a.
time-oriented listening.
b.
empathic listening.
c.
action-oriented listening.
d.
people-oriented listening.
36. If your friend Bryan spends time posting messages on online discussion boards that are designed to bait
readers’ responses so he can attack the readers, he is acting as a(an):
a.
provocateur.
b.
action-oriented listener.
c.
eavesdropper.
d.
pseudo-listener.
37. You sit toward the front of your classroom, maintain eye contact with your instructor, and nod in agreement
with her remarks. However, your mind is drifting, so you are not actually focused on the content of the lecture.
You are exemplifying:
a.
passive listening.
b.
active listening.
c.
selective listening.
d.
pseudo-listening.
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38. Active listening involves:
a.
ignoring factors that impede attention.
b.
providing clear, timely feedback.
c.
minimizing the effort to improve recall.
d.
deflecting awareness of listening functions and styles.
39. Brain plasticity suggests that our brains are fully formed in adolescence and cannot be retrained later in life.
a.
True
b.
False
40. Studies suggest that people will perceive you as more sensitive if you adopt which listening style?
a.
content-oriented
b.
other-oriented
c.
people-oriented
d.
time-oriented
41. Unlike hearing, listening:
a.
is automatic.
b.
is a physiological process.
c.
requires no conscious effort.
d.
involves conscious, deliberate thought and effort.
42. Both seeing and hearing constitute receiving, the first step of the listening process.
a.
True
b.
False
43. If Kayla moves closer to a couple so she can hear their gossip about her friend even though she has not been
invited to join the conversation, she is engaged in:
a.
narcissistic listening.
b.
eavesdropping.
c.
pseudo-listening.
d.
aggressive listening.
44. To use positive feedback effectively, one should make it:
a.
ambiguous.
b.
approximate.
c.
unclear.
d.
constructive.
45. Your friend Lorie talks a lot, often ignoring what you have to say; in fact, she regularly focuses the
conversation on her own issues, problems, and interests. What type of listening is she displaying?
a.
pseudo-listening
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b.
passive listening
c.
narcissistic listening
d.
active listening
46. Brain plasticity refers to the alteration of brain function in reaction to behaviors such as multitasking online.
a.
True
b.
False
47. When your friend Sheila listens to you recount your day, she often responds with nonverbal and verbal cues,
including “uh-huh,” “yes,” and “okay.” What listening strategy is Sheila using?
a.
feedback
b.
mental bracketing
c.
back-channel cues
d.
paraphrasing
48. If you misunderstand information while attending, you are likely to make flawed decisions while recalling.
a.
True
b.
False
49. Our ability and accuracy in recalling information are usually:
a.
lower with simple rote memorization.
b.
higher with simple rote memorization.
c.
higher with more complex activities.
d.
unaffected by the type of information.
50. Multitaskers have been shown to perform their tasks better than those who focus their attention on only one
task at a time.
a.
True
b.
False
51. Noise pollution has caused hearing impairment in more than 75 percent of college students.
a.
True
b.
False
52. If your partner has trouble focusing on your conversations and seems easily distracted, he or she may be
having trouble practicing mental bracketing.
a.
True
b.
False
53. Which listening style is associated with asking clarifying or challenging questions?
a.
content-oriented
b.
time-oriented
c.
people-oriented
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d.
action-oriented
54. According to research, we can train our brains to sustain attention by focusing upon only one task without
technological distractions.
a.
True
b.
False
55. If you listen to your friend’s new band perform and then offer feedback that contains praise but withhold any
actual judgment, what listening function are you demonstrating?
a.
listening to discern
b.
listening to appreciate
c.
listening to support
d.
listening to analyze
56. Eavesdropping is:
a.
inappropriate.
b.
unethical.
c.
intentional.
d.
All of the options are correct.
57. Who or what has primary control of the salience of a message?
a.
listener
b.
speaker
c.
context
d.
environment
58. Listening is a process that involves both auditory and visual cues.
a.
True
b.
False
59. Which of these statements is true of feedback?
a.
It is always positive.
b.
It never occurs while others are speaking.
c.
It occurs only after others speak.
d.
It might be mistaken as negative.
60. In a collectivistic culture, people-oriented and content-oriented listening styles are valued over other styles.
a.
True
b.
False
61. Which of these is NOT an example of noise pollution?
a.
thoughts
b.
music
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c.
construction
d.
crowds
62. You go to your coworker’s violin recital because you enjoy music and think it might be interesting. What
listening function are you demonstrating?
a.
listening to discern
b.
listening to appreciate
c.
listening to support
d.
listening to analyze
63. Listeners can improve the salience of communication by reminding themselves of the importance of the
exchange.
a.
True
b.
False
64. When a friend or family member turns to you for comfort, the best listening style to apply would be:
a.
selective listening.
b.
time-oriented listening.
c.
people-oriented listening.
d.
content-oriented listening.
65. If Jayson, when listening to his interpersonal communication professor’s lecture, actively seeks to interpret
and understand the information, he is listening to:
a.
discern.
b.
appreciate.
c.
comprehend.
d.
analyze.
66. Which of the following is NOT a step in the process of listening?
a.
recalling
b.
paraphrasing
c.
responding
d.
understanding
67. Women are more likely than men to use time-oriented and action-oriented listening styles.
a.
True
b.
False
Enter the appropriate word(s) to complete the statement.
68. The part of one’s mind devoted to permanent information storage is the _______ memory.
69. The _______ memory is the part of one’s mind that temporarily houses information while one seeks to
understand its meaning.
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70. _______ listeners prefer brief, concise encounters and follow strict schedules.
71. _______ is the process of receiving, attending to, understanding, responding to, and recalling sounds and
visual images.
72. _______ is behaving as if you are paying attention when you are really not.
73. The third step of the listening process, during which one interprets the meaning of information
communicated by comparing new information against past knowledge, is _______.
74. The process in which vibrations travel along acoustic nerves to the brain is _______.
75. Individuals who prefer to be intellectually challenged by messages are _______ listeners.
76. Those who prefer brief, accurate messages that can be used to make decisions or take actions are _______
listeners.
77. _______ listening is when a listener takes in only salient bits of information.
78. _______ is the use of verbal and nonverbal communication to signal attention and understanding while
others are talking.
79. The action of intentionally and systematically setting up situations in order to listen to private conversations
is called _______.
80. The second step of the listening process, during which one pays attention to information, is _______.
81. _______ are people who post online messages designed solely to annoy others.
82. _______ is the systematic process of putting aside irrelevant thoughts while listening.
83. _______ listening is a form of ineffective listening that involves listeners engaging in self-absorbed
listening.
84. _______ are verbal and nonverbal messages, such as nodding your head and saying “uh-huh.”
85. The fourth step of the listening process, during which the listener communicates attention and understanding
back to the speaker, is _______.
86. Attending to what others say solely for the purpose of identifying opportunities for attack or ambush is
_______ listening.
87. Habitual patterns of listening behaviors are called _______.
88. _______ are devices that aid memory during the listening process.
89. People who view listening as an opportunity to establish commonalities with others are _______ listeners.
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90. Summarizing others’ comments after they have finished speaking is called _______.
91. _______ is the first step of the listening process, during which one sees and hears.
92. The fifth step of the listening process, during which one remembers information, is _______.
93. Explain two strategies for improving recall and memory.
94. How can aggressive listening occur online?
95. What are two ways to demonstrate active listening after one’s conversational partner has finished speaking?
96. What are some steps for elevating your listening attention?
97. What are some ways to enhance memory and recall?
98. What are two ways to demonstrate active listening while a conversational partner is speaking?
99. What is the value of empathy in listening?
100. Identify five strategies for becoming an active listener.
101. Identify the four listening styles.
102. Identify the five types of incompetent listening.
103. Explain ways to prevent three types of incompetent listening.
104. List and explain two challenges or barriers to effective listening.
105. Identify the first step of the listening process, along with its two components.
106. Define narcissistic listening, and give an example of how a narcissistic listener might behave in
conversation.
107. Identify factors that influence the attending step of the listening process.
108. Discuss problems associated with online listening.
109. Identify four ways to enhance positive feedback in the listening process.
110. What is the difference between positive and negative feedback?
111. Identify the five steps in the process of listening.
112. Identify and explain the four styles of listening. Give an example of each.
113. How does culture impact listening styles?
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114. If Sean is having relationship problems, what listening function and style would you recommend that his
friend Christina engage in when communicating with him about these problems?
115. Briefly explain the potential negative impact of multitasking online.
116. If Sharon isn’t listening carefully to Marie’s description of a recent trip to Italy because she is more
interested in talking about her own recent trip to France, what form of ineffective listening is Sharon
exemplifying? What can Sharon do to manage this problem?
117. Identify the five functions of listening.
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