Telepresence is a low-cost alternative to video conferencing and allows employees to
connect and collaborate remotely with web cameras that are standard on many newer
laptops or tablets.
Answer:
“Inadequate,” “trivial,” and “objection” are negative words to avoid in business
communication.
Answer:
In order to change from passive voice to active voice, you must make the agent the new
subject.
Answer:
While organizing a persuasive direct request, you should ask immediately for the
information or service you want even if it seems abrupt.
Answer:
The decision of consumers to buy products or services is guided exclusively by logic;
emotional appeal has no place in business decisions.
Answer:
Impersonal expressions don’t focus on things and instead talk only about people.
Answer:
When using humor in a message, you should opt for political or religious humor,
because it always helps to lighten the audience’s mood.
Answer:
Joshua’s team lets Joshua determine all the decisions, because he talks the most and is
the loudest in the team. This is an effective team decision-making strategy.
Answer:
Oral channels are better for group decision making, and allow misunderstandings to be
cleared up more quickly.
Answer:
White space in a document can be created by eliminating headings and using uniform
paragraph lengths.
Answer:
You should present disciplinary notices and negative performance appraisals indirectly
with buffers.
Answer:
Managers often need international experience for top-level jobs.
Answer:
A way to ensure that an e-mail gets read is to use important information in the subject
line.
Answer:
While creating a brochure, it is good to use fixed fonts and avoid repeating design
elements.
Answer:
Agents learn to respond to customer complaints by empathizing with a frustrated
customer. This can make a difference between a bad experience and a good experience.
Answer:
Paraphrasing refers to the failure to cite and document sources.
Answer:
When receiving feedback on a message, it is important not only to know if a message
succeeded or failed, but also to know the reasons it succeeded or failed.
Answer:
Pie charts are most appropriate when one section is being compared to another section
of the whole.
Answer:
While choosing a persuasive strategy for a message, you should focus solely on content
and language and avoid considering the audience.
Answer:
Sales proposals which are long should be presented with a one-page cover letter that
presents the proposal concisely.
Answer:
The easiest way to get the interviewer’s name is to ask for his or her card.
Answer:
An application essay is similar to a cover letter, but does not contain information about
your academic achievements.
Answer:
You should include visuals in your documents when you have them, not just to convey
information the audience needs or wants.
Answer:
All negative messages should contain an apology in order to sound sincere.
Answer:
An interview session is not necessarily a question and answer session.
Answer:
A solicited letter is written by a job seeker who is trying to tap into the hidden job
market.
Answer:
Which of the following statements is TRUE of legal problems in communication?
A. Poor business communication causes legal problems only to an organization.
B. Documents cannot be used as evidence in contexts a writer did not intend.
C. Only letters and e-mails can cause legal obligations for organizations.
D. Instant messages do not cause legal obligations for organizations.
E. Individual communications can result in legal problems.
Answer:
The first paragraph of a prospecting letter should catch the reader’s interest since asking
for a job in the first paragraph is usually dangerous.
Answer:
A chronological résumé emphasizes degrees, job titles, and dates.
Answer:
Visual communications expert, Charles Kostelnick, distinguishes four levels of design,
which provide an organized way to think about the design choices one can make.
Answer:
In order to make a home page easy to use, provide navigation bars horizontally in the
middle of the screen.
Answer:
Research has found that student teams who voiced disagreements as they analyzed,
planned, and wrote a document produced significantly worse documents than those who
suppressed disagreement.
Answer:
You are more likely to build credibility by being factual, specific, and reliable.
Answer:
Margins justified only on the right where lines all end at the same place on the page are
called ragged right margins.
Answer:
Successful professionals communicate well exclusively with managers or superiors.
Answer:
Social media are always the most effective channels to solve customer complaints,
because they expand the positivity.
Answer:
Companies’ annual reports and audit reports are types of analytical reports that present
and interpret data for readers, but do not make recommendations.
Answer:
Good messages apply you-attitude beyond the sentence level by using content and
organization as well as style to build goodwill.
Answer:
Reports that simply share what the author learned at a conference, or during a visit to a
customer or supplier are called progress reports.
Answer:
Which of the following is true of oral communication in Japan?
A. Subtlety is least important and directness is preferred.
B. What is not said is just as important as what is said.
C. Silence is uncommon and treated as rude.
D. Most information is transmitted verbally.
E. Nonverbal communication is avoided so as to prevent misunderstanding.
Answer:
Which of the following should be avoided in a résumé?
A. The word “I”
B. Gerunds
C. Verbs
D. Details in numbers
E. Phrases
Answer:
Which of the following is least likely to be a type of negative message?
A. A rejection or refusal
B. An announcement of a policy change that suits the audience
C. A negative performance review
D. A disciplinary notice
E. A notice of defect for a product and a product recall
Answer:
The _____ dichotomy in Myers-Briggs typology measures how individuals prefer to
focus their attention and derive energy.
A. Extroversion-Introversion
B. Sensing-Intuition
C. Thinking-Feeling
D. Judging-Perceiving
E. Channeling-Formatting
Answer:
Which of the following is true of stereotyping?
A. It suggests that differences between the people of a single culture make them
inferior.
B. It is very useful in understanding a culture.
C. It provides valuable insights and information about a culture.
D. It has very few consequences and doesn’t affect communications.
E. It makes well-intentioned efforts at communication seem offensive.
Answer:
Which of the following statements is true of a goodwill ending in positive and
informative messages?
A. It should work if the same basic message is sent to someone else with the same title.
B. It is a good idea to end an e-mail with “feel free to call.”
C. It should focus on the reader’s hobbies, family, or personal life.
D. It should not refer to the company’s relationship with the reader’s organization.
E. It should show you see the reader as an individual.
Answer:
_____ are overviews that tell the audience what a particular section or report will
discuss.
A. Transitions
B. Forecasts
C. Criteria
D. Assumptions
E. Illustrations
Answer:
Which of the following is a key to using conventions effectively?
A. Using conventions only for routine activities
B. Remembering that conventions do not change with time
C. Using conventions without adjusting them for a particular audience
D. Remembering that every organization follows the same conventions
E. Remembering that conventions always need to fit the current situation
Answer:
Which of the following is true of job application letters?
A. Their main purpose is to summarize details about an applicant’s qualifications.
B. They tell you exactly what a company requires from its applicants.
C. They give you information about career openings in a company.
D. They show your interest in a job, but do not convey any information about your
personality.
E. They play an important role in your personal branding.
Answer:
Which of the following should be used in subject lines for problem-solving messages?
A. Placing the request for action in the subject line
B. Using a negative subject line to emphasize the problem
C. Using a benefit which is likely to help the audience
D. Avoid using a common ground in the subject line
E. Avoid using a neutral subject line
Answer:
Sandra, a clothing designer in New York, supplies her designs to major retail companies
in Hawaii, California, London, and Paris. At the end of every financial quarter, she
needs to analyze the demands for and sales from her boutiques in these cities. In this
case, which of the following patterns of organizing information is appropriate?
A. Elimination of alternatives
B. Spatial
C. Chronological
D. General to particular
E. Particular to general
Answer:
Lucas designed a web page with large blocks of text, small graphics, minimum
animation, and a light background. He had also included links that change color when
visited and a page overview. When he presented the web page to his clients, they found
a major problem in the web page. Which of the following is most likely the problem
with Lucas’s web page?
A. Large blocks of text
B. Lack of animation
C. Light background color
D. Small graphics instead of large ones
E. The page overview which takes space
Answer:
Which of the following is a must for a prospecting letter?
A. Immediately indicating that you are applying for the advertised position
B. Focusing on the fact that you are graduating
C. Addressing the letter to a specific individual rather than the company itself
D. Providing details of when you can begin work
E. Asking for a job in the first paragraph
Answer:
Which of the following best describes the connotation of a word?
A. Two or more meanings of similar sounding words
B. A word’s literal or dictionary meaning
C. Emotional associations that convey an attitude
D. The repetition of sound in the first syllable of a word
E. The repetition of a consonant two times in short succession
Answer:
Which of the following statements is true of creating positive emphasis in a message?
A. Linking a negative element to a benefit is good only when the audience
acknowledges it as a benefit.
B. Replacing negative words with words that are exact opposites increases accuracy.
C. Removing negative words means being arrogant and pushy.
D. Using straightforward negativity in a message damages credibility.
E. Putting the negative information at the end of a message is better than putting it in
the middle of a message.
Answer:
Japan is known to have a significant portion of the power structure dominated by men.
In general in Japan, men are expected to be assertive, and there is a clear demarcation
of roles between the sexes. According to Geert Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, which of
the following is most likely true of Japan?
A. Japan has an individualistic culture.
B. Japan has a masculine culture.
C. The gender index in Japan is low.
D. Japan has a collectivistic culture.
E. The sex ratio in Japan is low.
Answer:
Which of the following guidelines should you follow when planning a strategy for your
presentation?
A. You should base your presentation on eight or more key points to help your
audience connect with at least one.
B. You should avoid using colors and visuals in your presentation, as this could divert
your audience’s attention from the main objectives.
C. You should make your audience aware of negatives and inconsistencies in your
presentation, even if they do not enquire about them.
D. You should avoid showing the relationship between each of the main points in your
presentation as this could confuse your audience.
E. You should choose information for your presentation that is most persuasive for
your audience and which answers their questions.
Answer:
A way to ensure that a reader stays long enough on a home page is to:
A. avoid letting the reader know about the organization sponsoring the page.
B. make completion of tasks difficult which challenges a reader and increases interest.
C. prevent showing an overview of a page because it makes a reader skim through it.
D. make it clear what readers will get if they click on a certain link.
E. provide navigation bars vertically at the center of a screen.
Answer:
To use a computer database efficiently and to catch all key words, even if they appear in
their related forms, you must use _____ for shortened terms and root words.
A. specialized encyclopedias
B. the database’s wild card
C. the database’s schema
D. citation indexes
E. the database’s blueprint
Answer:
A problem-solving pattern should be used in a persuasive message when:
A. an audience readily agrees to do as a message asks.
B. an audience finds a task easy to perform.
C. logic is more important than emotion in the decision.
D. an audience is easily convinced about a message.
E. feelings are more crucial than rationale in a judgment.
Answer:
Patterson Inc., an advertising firm, is conducting interviews for the position of
communications manager. The HR department likes the resume of Irene, who has
impressive qualifications and work experience. However, during the face-to-face
interview, they are disappointed with Irene and do not short-list her for the next round
of interviews. Which of the following is most likely responsible for Irene’s lack of
success at the interview?
A. She stated why she would be right for the position of communications manager.
B. She stated that she was happy to learn more about the company through its website.
C. She referred to the company specifically as Patterson Inc. instead of as “your
company.”
D. She mentioned that she would love to strengthen networks with Patterson Inc.’s
clients.
E. She clarified that she was using the interview to learn about what the company
offers.
Answer:
Carmen has been working as an environmental campaigner for the last eight years. She
is now looking to change jobs, and recently attended an interview where she was asked
to state details about successes in her career so far. In addition, she was asked to
elaborate on the way she built networks and key decisions made to achieve project
milestones. Which of the following types of interviews did Carmen most likely attend?
A. Topgrading interview
B. Focused interview
C. Stress interview
D. Reference interview
E. Situational interview
Answer:
Which of the following is true of planning a strong opening for your presentation while
organizing your information?
A. You should read out the opening of your presentation from written notes to seem
more professional.
B. You should avoid opening your presentation with a startling statement.
C. You should personalize your opening to the needs and interests of the audience.
D. You should begin your presentation with a joke, directing your humor against the
audience to grab their attention.
E. You should generalize your opening so that it will suit the interests of any audience.
Answer:
Which of the following best describes the term prezumes?
A. They are imitations of product pages complete with user reviews.
B. They are interactive résumés that showcase an applicant’s personality.
C. They are informal résumés with an applicant’s personal anecdotes and pictures.
D. They are traditional résumés with a conventional approach.
E. They are out-of-date blogs that focus on personal details.
Answer:
When writing a document for multiple audiences, it is best to avoid:
A. using personal pronouns.
B. using a formal style of writing.
C. including an executive summary.
D. categorizing information using headings.
E. organizing the message based on the decision makers’ attitudes.
Answer:
Jean works for Help Aid Foundation and needs to raise funds to rehabilitate women in
Ghana. She makes an appointment with a multinational company that has shown
interest in contributing toward the cause. For her presentation, she is now brainstorming
ideas for openers. With the help of examples, provide four possible openers that Jean
can use in her presentation.
Answer:
Which of the following examples is parallel in structure?
A. To ensure that your document is clean, revise it, edit it, and proofread it.
B. There are no typographical errors or wrong grammar in the essay.
C. Moira is convinced that her professor is trying to intimidate her and ruining her love
for the subject.
D. Employees at Flova Inc. receive the benefits of overtime, flextime, and taking
personal days.
E. Josie interviews junior actors, senior actors, and without-experience actors.
Answer:
Chen is interacting with Mark, an unhappy client, who did not receive the products he
ordered on time. Mark says, “This is the second time that the goods have arrived late at
my factory.” Chen tries to accept his criticism positively by identifying the feelings that
Mark seems to be expressing. Which of the following does Chen most likely say?
A. You are disappointed about the delayed deliveries, am I right?
B. You believe that we have started making late deliveries.
C. Are you saying that the delivery reached you late yesterday?
D. It is true that the delivery reached after the scheduled time.
E. Please do not be angry. We will deliver on time next month.
Answer:
Esmeralda is attending her second round of interviews with a company, and she has
been informed that it will be a panel interview. Which of the following is a good tip for
her to follow to ensure that her interview goes well?
A. She should address and make eye contact only with the questioner to avoid feeling
overwhelmed.
B. She should not write down the names of the panel members, as it will show that she
cannot memorize them.
C. She should take in the entire experience rather than focusing on one question at a
time.
D. She should write thank-you notes to each member rather than one collective note to
all of them.
E. She should identify the panel member with most authority and ask only him a
question.
Answer:
Jaylen is recognized by his team members as having excellent team management skills.
Which of the following behaviors does Jaylen most likely engage in during team
meetings?
A. He personally responds to everyone’s comments.
B. He is silent during team meetings and does not help others with their work.
C. He disagrees with everything that is proposed to play the role of devil’s advocate.
D. He takes every opportunity to be the first to speak.
E. He suggests ways to solve interpersonal problems in the team.
Answer:
_____ are numbers or words arrayed in rows and columns.
A. Drawings
B. Gantt charts
C. Dot charts
D. Tables
E. Figures
Answer:
In official communication, when addressing a woman you don’t know well, it is better
to:
A. use “Mrs.” as the courtesy title.
B. use “Ms.” as the courtesy title.
C. avoid a courtesy title.
D. use her last name only.
E. use her first name only.
Answer:
Benito is a manager at a software firm. Benito’s newest team member, Jack, is facing
technical issues with the software system. Due to these issues, Jack is unable to meet
his deadline. When Jack reports the issue to Benito, Benito responds with an impersonal
statement. For the purpose of avoiding blame, which of the following statements used
by Benito best illustrates you-attitude?
A. You should really know how to operate this system by now.
B. This is not really my problem. You should talk to the technical team.
C. You must attend a training seminar on the new software system next week.
D. This new software system has been acting up for a while now.
E. Sam Todd has worked on this system before and will be able to resolve the problem.
Answer:
Which of the following is true of a topgrading interview?
A. It focuses on how an applicant acts in specific employment-related situations.
B. It emphasizes one desired aspect of the candidate’s career.
C. It is an interview which helps cull the list.
D. It is an interview that walks job candidates through their careers so far.
E. It is an interview that checks in with candidates’ references.
Answer:
Which of the following is true of personal space?
A. Personal space refers to the distance people want between themselves and other
people in ordinary interchanges.
B. Personal space refers to the difference between one’s thoughts and actions.
C. Personal space refers to the distance between people in intimate interchanges.
D. People within a culture always want the same amount of personal space.
E. Personal space refers to formulating ideas in one’s mind before implementing them.
Answer:
Describe the two main kinds of jargon and explain how they should be used in business
writing.
Answer:
Explain which stage or stages of the writing process the design of the document should
be considered.
Answer:
List and describe the etiquette for e-mail job-hunting.
Answer:
List any three questions an interviewee must not ask an interviewer during a job
interview.
Answer:
Which of the following is a mirror question for the following answer?
Question: “How often do you use the parking garages downtown?”
“Three times a week”
A. How many times do others use them in a month?
B. How much do you spend a week for parking there?
C. Does it cost too much?
D. Do you use the parking garages an average of three times per week?
E. Is there parking at any other places?
Answer:
Explain how the demographic characteristics of the members of an audience differ from
their psychographic characteristics.
Answer:
What are conventions of communication and how are they best learned?
Answer:
To maintain positive emphasis, what is the best way to place negative information in a
message?
Answer:
Explain how to manage time efficiently while writing a report.
Answer:
Explain why are social media not effective channels to solve customer complaints?
Answer:
Jeremy is writing a job application letter in response to a newspaper advertisement for a
business development executive. Jeremy has experience in this field because he ran his
own small company for some years. In the application letter, Jeremy writes “Running
my own business taught me that you need to learn to maximize every opportunity that
comes your way.” To ensure that his letter demonstrates you-attitude, how would you
rephrase this sentence?
Answer:
Many people think that nonverbal communication is much easier to understand than
oral or written communication. In reality, however, nonverbal cues can be
misinterpreted as easily as verbal ones. Using specific examples, discuss the factors
which are important in nonverbal communication, and how they can affect intercultural
communication.
Answer:
What are some of the key points to keep in mind about hidden negatives?
Answer:
Explain any one strategy of active listening with the help of an example.
Answer:
Beatrice has recently joined a new company as a communications executive and has
been informed by a colleague that the organization has a high-context culture. How
would this piece of information help Beatrice in communicating better with her peers
and superiors?
Answer: