While you’re making design choices for an electronic slide deck, let simplicity be your
guide because
A) simple materials often take less time to create.
B) simple visuals are less likely to be misinterpreted.
C) keeping things simple reduces the chances of something going wrong.
D) all of the above.
Answer:
When you are criticizing or correcting, it is best to
A) focus on what the audience members can do to improve.
B) emphasize the audience’s mistakes so that they will not make the same ones again.
C) be honest and call attention to the audience’s failures or shortcomings.
D) single out the guilty audience members as an example for everyone else to learn
from.
Answer:
Ronnie has just started an internship with Finedum & Sellum, Inc., a provider of online
surveys for retailers. One of her first assignments involved drafting an online
questionnaire for a local apparel store. After reviewing the questions she had written,
her manager told her to revise a question that read, “Do you prefer that we extend our
weekend hours for the convenience of customers?” Why did Ronnie’s manager want her
to revise that question?
A) It is an open-ended question.
B) It is a leading question.
C) It is an ambiguous question.
D) It is a closed-loop question.
Answer:
When you are refusing a routine request from someone in an established relationship,
you
A) should use the indirect approach.
B) should invoke company policy if that is a possible out.
C) don t need to invest as much time and effort as you would for other kinds of negativeʹ
messages.
D) should give the name of the person making the decision.
Answer:
In order to optimize your writing time, reserve about ________ of that time for
revising, producing, proofreading, and distributing your message.
A) 10 percent
B) 20 percent
C) 25 percent
D) 15 percent
Answer:
The general purpose of a proposal is to
A) showcase your writing skills.
B) adorn your company’s Facebook page.
C) educate readers about your company.
D) persuade readers to do something.
Answer:
When receiving business-related phone calls,
A) you should use frequent verbal responses (such as, “I see”) to show that you are
listening.
B) it is impolite to say things such as, “I understand” while the other person is speaking.
C) it is perfectly acceptable to put the caller on hold without explanation.
D) do none of the above.
Answer:
The best time for college students to begin developing a job-search strategy is
A) about six months prior to graduation.
B) now even if they are a year or more away from graduation.
C) no earlier than the second semester of their junior year.
D) immediately after graduation.
Answer:
Because recruiters typically skim a résumé for essential information, produce your
résumé with a
A) casual, nonlinear design.
B) clean, professional-looking design.
C) colorful, sparkling design.
D) dense, information-intensive design.
Answer:
If you have strongly negative information to deliver as part of a positive message, you
should
A) open with the negative information.
B) use the indirect approach.
C) put the negative information in a separate message.
D) apologize for having to spoil the moment.
Answer:
Which of the following sentences contains the strongest and most effective wording?
A) Given the parameters of the situation, the most propitious choice would be to make
adjustments in certain budget areas.
B) We need to cut the operating budget by 12 percent or profits will decrease.
C) Someone’s going to need to do some budget cutting around here or heads will roll.
D) Perusal of budgetary figures reveals that a 12 percent reduction in operations is
called for if we are to stave off a negative impact on profits.
Answer:
Which of the following media would be best for sending a brief message (requiring no
response from your audience) about an upcoming software update?
A) Podcast
B) Email
C) Blog
D) Videoconference
Answer:
Describing your organization’s qualifications in a formal proposal is
A) considered arrogant and should be avoided.
B) appropriate, but only in the introduction.
C) an essential part of the body section of the proposal.
D) a good idea only when your recommendations are controversial.
Answer:
Performance reviews in the workplace are designed to
A) clarify job requirements.
B) give employees feedback on their performance.
C) promote personal action plans for improving performance.
D) all of the above.
Answer:
If you’re resigning from your current position to accept a job with another employer,
________ when you write your letter of resignation.
A) vent your frustrations
B) criticize your coworkers
C) remain polite and tactful
D) pinpoint the company’s flaws
Answer:
Unlike a summary, a paraphrase
A) restates the original material in your own words and with your own sentence
structures.
B) presents the gist of the original material in fewer words by eliminating some of the
original words.
C) does not require complete documentation of sources.
D) is never acceptable in business documents.
Answer:
In the world of blogs, microblogs, and social media, word-of-mouth marketing is often
called
A) we talk, you listen marketing.
B) virtual marketing.
C) community-driven marketing.
D) viral marketing.
Answer:
Most routine informative messages have a ________ tone.
A) positive
B) relational
C) neutral
D) dogmatic
Answer:
A typical paragraph contains the three basic elements of
A) a topic sentence, support sentences, and transitional words and phrases.
B) simple, compound, and complex sentences followed by compound-complex
sentences.
C) the main idea, supporting ideas, and evidence.
D) a problem, discussion, and a solution.
Answer:
Speeches and oral presentations are much like any other messages in that
A) they require similar planning.
B) they require no planning.
C) the interaction between the audience and speaker is similar.
D) they deal with emotional or personal issues to a similar extent.
Answer:
If you choose to apologize in a negative message, you should
A) phrase the apology in a conditional manner (“If I have offended anyone …”).
B) imply that not all of the blame lies with you or your company.
C) be sincere and make it a true apology.
D) always demonstrate sincerity, but never accept blame.
Answer:
All of the items listed below except ________ are important when you’re completing
messages for your blog.
A) determining the scope and subject of your message
B) evaluating the content and readability of your message
C) proofreading your message to catch and correct errors and oversights
D) using your blogging system’s tools to post your message
Answer:
One of the most effective ways to arouse interest in your presentation involves
A) beginning with off-color humor.
B) apologizing about the shortcomings of the venue.
C) uniting the audience around a common goal.
D) dwelling on your personal feelings and idiosyncrasies.
Answer:
Four important design elements to consider when creating slides include all of the
following except
A) choosing color.
B) selecting background designs.
C) writing content.
D) selecting fonts and type styles.
Answer:
According to professional proofreaders, ________ will help to ensure high-quality
results.
A) multitasking to get more done
B) concentrating on what you’re doing
C) reviewing complex digital documents on-screen
D) reading large amounts of material in one sitting
Answer:
In corresponding with customers, making statements such as, “Thank you for
purchasing the most durable notebook computer you can buy” is
A) to be avoided in routine positive messages.
B) a good way to build customer relationships.
C) an important part of all negative responses to claim letters.
D) all of the above.
Answer:
The answers you receive from a person you’re interviewing will be influenced by
A) the types of questions you ask.
B) the way you ask your questions.
C) his or her cultural and language background.
D) all of the above.
Answer:
Unlike proposals, justification reports
A) are designed to affirm decisions after they have been made.
B) are internal as opposed to external reports.
C) are always in memo format.
D) do not require a great deal of supporting data.
Answer:
The ________ for a report describes what you plan to accomplish and outlines the
boundaries of your work.
A) mission brief
B) purpose statement
C) outcome forecast
D) intention statement
Answer:
A ________ suggests what ought to be done in response to the information you have
presented in your report.
A) conclusion
B) correlation
C) referendum
D) recommendation
Answer:
The purpose of a résumé is to
A) induce the reader to hire you.
B) list all your skills and abilities.
C) get you an interview.
D) take the place of an application letter.
Answer:
When checking the location of your presentation in advance, you should
A) not worry about seating arrangements they have no effect on how you deliver your
remarks.
B) always request a whiteboard, even if you aren’t sure you will need it.
C) find out whether the venue offers a projection system that you will be expected to
use.
D) do all of the above.
Answer:
Informal techniques for gathering insights and focusing your research efforts do NOT
include
A) listening to the community.
B) asking the audience for input.
C) distributing questionnaires and surveys.
D) reviewing reports and other company documents.
Answer:
Whether or not you should apologize when delivering bad news about transactions
depends mainly on
A) how much the customer has purchased from your company in the past.
B) the medium you are using for the message.
C) how long it has been since the problem occurred.
D) none of the above.
Answer: