A spell checker
A) cannot automatically correct misspelled words as you type.
B) highlights words it doesn’t recognize.
C) suggests synonyms.
D) has eliminated the need for proofreading.
E) is always more effective than a human editor.
Answer:
The best approach for an application letter depends on
A) how badly you want the job.
B) whether or not your résumé is up to date.
C) how long you have been on the job market.
D) whether you are sending a solicited letter or an unsolicited letter.
E) your personal preferences.
Answer:
Unlike a claim, a request for adjustment
A) is a formal complaint.
B) should be phrased in a more aggressive tone.
C) does not require supporting documentation.
D) seeks a specific settlement.
E) should always open with a buffer.
Answer:
Using humor in business messages is
A) an effective way to build strong relationships with international clients.
B) usually not effective for formal and intercultural messages.
C) appropriate for external messages, but never for internal.
D) expected in virtually every profession.
E) none of the above.
Answer:
If you’re a frequent user of social media, much of what you write will involve
A) orientations.
B) lengthy narratives.
C) reference materials.
D) business mission statements.
E) status updates and announcements.
Answer:
Which of the following is not a general purpose common to business communication?
A) To inform
B) To persuade
C) To negotiate
D) To entertain
E) All of the above are common general purposes.
Answer:
Which of the following is not an element normally included in the introduction of a
proposal?
A) Background/statement of the problem or opportunity
B) Proposed solution to the problem
C) The scope of the report
D) Statement of qualifications
E) All of the above are normally included.
Answer:
An executive summary
A) is never longer than a few paragraphs.
B) may contain headings and visual aids.
C) comes before the synopsis in the prefatory section of a report.
D) is always included with reports longer than 10 pages.
E) is the same thing as a synopsis.
Answer:
The American Psychological Association (APA) style uses ________ to document
report sources in text.
A) the author-date system
B) the author-page number system
C) superscripts and footnotes or endnotes
D) full citations within the text itself
E) the deconstruction model
Answer:
An effective introduction to a presentation will accomplish all of the following except
A) arousing the audience’s interest in your topic.
B) establishing your credibility.
C) preparing the audience for the rest of the presentation.
D) allowing you to boast about your qualifications.
E) none of the above.
Answer:
The ability to update content quickly and easily makes ________ a natural medium
when communicators want to get messages out in a hurry.
A) websites
B) podcasting channels
C) blogs and microblogs
D) user-generated content sites
E) virtual networks
Answer:
A recent survey of hiring professionals revealed that
A) most employers understand that candidates may need to answer their smartphones
during the interview, and that doing so has no effect on the outcome.
B) candidates who answer mobile phone calls during interviews are more likely to get
the job because they are perceived as busy and important.
C) answering mobile phone calls or texting in the middle of an interview is the most
common mistake candidates make during their interviews.
D) candidates who warn the interviewer ahead of time that they might have to answer a
call during the interview have a better chance of getting the job than those who do not.
E) none of the above
Answer:
What would be the most concise and compelling title for a formal report analyzing your
company’s proposed acquisition of Freedman’s Nuts & Bolts?
A) “To Acquire or Not to Acquire”
B) “A Study of the Feasibility of Angstrom Hardware Inc. Acquiring the Concern
Currently Operating as Freedman Fasteners”
C) “The Pros and Cons of Acquiring Freedman Fasteners”
D) “Why Angstrom Should Forget About Acquiring Freedman”
E) “An Easy Decision”
Answer:
In business communication, good etiquette
A) is not a major concern, as long as you get your point across.
B) is important, but only in formal written messages.
C) indicates respect for the audience and minimizes negative emotional reaction.
D) now means nothing more than responding promptly when others contact you.
E) is important only when communicating with older individuals.
Answer:
You should include a title fly with business reports when you want to
A) give the name of the company for which the report has been prepared.
B) add a touch of formality to the report.
C) protect the report from dirt and careless handling.
D) provide a page for the reader to make notes on.
E) make it easier for readers to get straight to the text of your report.
Answer:
An employee who writes a report on her experiences during last week’s sales calls is
preparing
A) an analytical report.
B) an informational report.
C) a status update.
D) a work plan.
E) a justification report.
Answer:
When emailing your résumé to a prospective employer, you should
A) always send it as a Microsoft Word attachment.
B) make it less formal than you would for other formats.
C) include in the subject line the reference number or job ad number.
D) use lots of colors to make your résumé stand out.
E) use a subject line that will grab attention, such as “This is the one.”
Answer:
In part because of limited opportunities for feedback, written communication and most
forms of electronic communication require ________ than oral communication.
A) less care
B) fewer nouns
C) more tact
D) shorter sentences
E) less formality
Answer:
Starbucks Coffee, Animal Planet, and Turner Classic Movies offer videos to their
followers via their ________ on YouTube.
A) retail channels
B) private channels
C) branded channels
D) pay-for-view channels
E) cable-ready channels
Answer:
Formal presentations differ from informal ones in that
A) formal presentations always include obscure, unfamiliar vocabulary.
B) formal presentations are always much longer.
C) formal presentations are often delivered from a stage or platform.
D) when delivering a formal presentation, you should speak more rapidly.
E) formal presentations are much easier to prepare and deliver.
Answer:
When gathering information for a business message, keep in mind that audiences
respond best to information that
A) they could have found by doing their own research.
B) has not been categorized or grouped in any way.
C) approximates the findings from their own research efforts.
D) has been filtered and prioritized according to their needs.
E) pertains to a broad cross-section of possible scenarios.
Answer:
When adapting to business cultures, a sense of humor
A) is inappropriate and unprofessionalbusiness is no laughing matter.
B) can help people move past awkward and embarrassing moments.
C) is helpful unless you are in a management or executive position.
D) is accepted and helpful in many cultures, but not in the U.S.
E) will not help, since humor does not transfer from one culture to another.
Answer:
When it comes to planning business messages, social media
A) enable you to quickly locate experts and vital information on a wide variety of
topics.
B) are not really helpful, although they can be used to send the message in the
completing step.
C) can be helpful for personal situations, but are inappropriate for business.
D) are generally useful only for getting quick feedback from close associates.
E) are distractions that decrease your chances of creating an effective message.
Answer:
Which one of the following is the best example of functional animation?
A) Having each bullet point fly from the left side of the screen
B) Moving a color bar on the screen to highlight the steps in a process
C) Using a cartwheel effect to bring in a block of text from outer space
D) Making a clipart image spin around in circles
E) All of the above
Answer:
Using the active voice is helpful when you
A) want to be diplomatic in pointing out a problem or error.
B) want to point out what’s being done, without giving credit or assigning blame.
C) want to make your writing more direct, livelier, and easier to read.
D) need to avoid personal pronouns in order to create an objective tone.
E) are unsure what action the subject of your sentence will take.
Answer:
In order for audience members to respond appropriately to a business message, they
must
A) remember the message.
B) be able to respond to the message.
C) be motivated to respond to the message.
D) do all of the above.
E) do none of the above–communication is a simple process that everyone is naturally
good at.
Answer:
Which of the following is not a typical function of the introduction to a report?
A) Telling the audience what the report is about
B) Explaining to readers why they should be concerned about the topic
C) Outlining how the report is organized
D) Documenting sources
E) All of the above are typical functions.
Answer:
In the indirect approach to delivering bad news, the negative news comes
A) immediately after the buffer.
B) immediately before the reasons.
C) immediately after the reasons.
D) at the end of the message.
E) none of the above
Answer:
The prefatory parts of a formal proposal may include
A) a letter of authorization.
B) a copy of the RFP.
C) an index.
D) visual aids.
E) an appendix.
Answer:
Unlike structured slides, free-form slides
A) are random and lack design consistency.
B) are fast and easy to create.
C) are self-contained and don’t require interpretation by a speaker.
D) deliver information visually, without the need for text.
E) achieve unity through colors, fonts, and images, rather than rigid templates.
Answer:
Conducting successful meetings by phone or online
A) is much easier than doing so face-to-face.
B) is virtually impossible.
C) dramatically reduces the distractions participants must overcome.
D) requires extra planning before the meeting and more diligence during the meeting.
E) eliminates the need for anyone to take minutes.
Answer:
When drafting content for online reports, it is helpful to use the inverted pyramid style
of organization in which you
A) cover the most important information first and then gradually reveal more detail.
B) cover the least important information first and work your way to the main idea.
C) pretend you’re headed in one direction, and reveal your true intentions at the end.
D) walk readers through arguments you don’t support, and then explain why.
E) use as many complex sentences as possible.
Answer:
Consider the following statement: “We cannot afford to continue this program.” In a
negative message, which of the following would be the most effective alternative to that
statement?
A) “The program will conclude on May 1.”
B) “Much as we would like to support it, the program must be stopped.”
C) “Due to a new company policy, we can no longer fund this program.”
D) “There’s no more money to extend this program.”
E) “To no one’s surprise, this program will probably be cut.”
Answer:
Parliamentary procedure
A) tends to slow meetings down.
B) contributes to dissent among participants.
C) helps meetings run more smoothly.
D) is useful only for meetings with more than a dozen participants.
E) is a longstanding tradition in Europe, but has not caught on in the U.S.
Answer:
Telephone calls are
A) completely incapable of conveying nonverbal signals.
B) now acceptable only for external communication.
C) capable of conveying quite a few nonverbal signals.
D) no longer practical when compared to email.
E) preferable to electronic media when you need a permanent record.
Answer: