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b. Retaining the customer on a cash basis
c. Avoiding language that causes hard feelings
d. Avoiding disclosures that could cause a lawsuit
85. To avoid charges of discrimination or wrongful actions, legal advisors recommend that organizations write
employment rejection letters that are ________.
a. as specific as possible
b. written using the direct strategy
c. general, simple, and short
d. form letters
86. Cassandra will be writing a bad-news letter to a customer and wants to follow the four-part indirect plan. In what order
should she organize her letter?
a. Bad news, reasons, buffer, closing
b. Buffer, bad news, reasons, closing
c. Buffer, reasons, bad news, closing
d. Reasons, bad news, buffer, closing
87. The ________ and Equal Credit Opportunity Act state that consumers who are denied loans must receive a notice of
“adverse action” from the business explaining the decision.
a. PATRIOT
b. Class Action Fairness
c. Fair Credit Reporting
d. Sarbanes-Oxley
88. What statement about delivering bad news within an organization is most accurate?
a. A tactful tone is useful when communicating bad news within organizations.
b. Bad news within organizations should always be delivered using the direct organizational pattern.
c. Generally, bad news within organizations is better received when the reasons are given after the bad news.
d. Bad news within organizations should always be delivered in writing.
89. Which is the most effective statement in a letter to a customer about an order for which the customer has not yet paid?
a. We cannot ship your order until we receive your payment.
b. Your order will be canceled unless we receive your payment right away.
c. As soon as we receive your payment, we’ll ship your order.
d. When are you going to submit payment?
90. Deciding whether to use the direct or indirect strategy and thinking through the reasons for the bad news are examples
of ________.
a. prewriting
b. composing
c. revising
d. softening
Enter the appropriate word(s) to complete the statement.
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91. Fill in the blank in the following sentence:
If you’re not sure how your reader will react to a request refusal, use the ________organizational strategy.
92. Fill in the blank in the following sentence:
Two important steps in announcing rate hikes or price increases are explaining the reasons and hooking the increase
to_______.
93. Fill in the blank in the following sentence:
Offering ________ when apologizing to a customer involves explaining concretely what you will do to make things right.
94. Fill in the blank in the following sentence:
A ________ is a neutral or positive opening that reduces shock or pain and does not reveal the negative news.
95. Fill in the blank in the following sentence:
The closing of a negative-news message should include a pleasant statement that promotes _________.
96. Fill in the blank in the following sentence:
________-voice verbs are effective in many bad-news messages because they enable you to highlight the action rather
than focusing attention on a person.
97. Fill in the blank in the following sentence:
________ is the legal term for any false statement, written or spoken, that harms an individual’s reputation.
98. Fill in the blank in the following sentence:
The key to ethical communication lies in the ________ of the sender.
99. Fill in the blank in the following sentence:
________ is the ability to understand and enter into the feelings of another.
100. Fill in the blank in the following sentence:
When the bad news is not damaging, when the reader may overlook the bad news, or when firmness is necessary, the
________ organizational pattern should be used.
101. Fill in the blank in the following sentence:
Business communicators should use the ________ organizational pattern to deliver bad news when the news will be
personally upsetting, will provoke a hostile reaction, will threaten the customer relationship, or is unexpected.
102. Fill in the blank in the following sentence:
One useful technique for reducing the pain associated with a negative-news message is to place the refusal in a(n)
________ clause.
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103. Fill in the blank in the following sentence:
In asking yourself if your message is too blunt or too subtle, you are ________ the message.
104. Fill in the blank in the following sentence:
One way to soften negative news in a message is by suggesting a compromise or ________ to the receiver, such as
suggesting that a loan applicant return with a cosigner to reapply.
105. Fill in the blank in the following sentence:
Without a sound explanation of the __________ for denying a request, refusing a claim, or revealing other bad news, a
message will fail, no matter how cleverly it is organized or written.
106. Fill in the blank in the following sentence:
To avoid charges of discrimination or wrongful actions, legal advisors urge organizations to keep employment rejection
letters general, simple, and ________.
107. Fill in the blank in the following sentence:
Abusive language that is written is called ________.
108. Fill in the blank in the following sentence:
When abusive language is spoken, it’s called ________.
109. Fill in the blank in the following sentence:
Learning of major events affecting their jobs through the grapevine rather than from management can destroy employee
________.
110. Fill in the blank in the following sentence:
Closing a bad-news message with a statement such as Visit our website soon for our summer concert schedule uses
________ information or sales promotion to encourage the customer’s continued patronage.
111. Several techniques can be used to close a bad-news message positively. List four of these techniques and give an
original example of each.
112. When bad news involves one person or a small group nearby, you should generally deliver that news in person.
Identify and briefly discuss four strategies suggested in the chapter for doing so tactfully, professionally, and safely.
113. List three situations when the direct organizational pattern can effectively be used to deliver negative bad news; then
give an original workplace example of each.
114. Many techniques can be used to cushion bad news. List four of these techniques, and give an original example of
each.
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115. When communicating bad news, business communicators have five important goals. List and explain four of these
goals.
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Answer Key
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