In MS Word, the AutoCorrect feature can
A) correct common typing errors.
B) add or delete footnotes and endnotes.
C) insert names and addresses from a database.
D) promote consistency throughout your document.
E) all of the above.
Answer:
Supplementing a traditional résumé with a PowerPoint presentation
A) makes you appear desperate.
B) enables potential employers to click through to sections of interest.
C) is limited since it does not offer multimedia capabilities.
D) is more convenient for employers than an online résumé.
E) is none of the above.
Answer:
One effective way to arouse interest at the start of a speech is to
A) always start things off with a joke.
B) unite the audience around a common goal.
C) use a teaser statement that implies what you’ll be discussing.
D) say something outrageous to shock your audience into paying attention.
E) do none of the above.
Answer:
As a new supervisor, you need to introduce yourself to your team of ten employees. The
best medium for this type of non-routine message would be
A) meeting face-to-face.
B) text messaging.
C) video podcasting.
D) microblogging.
E) instant messaging.
Answer:
As it applies to business communication, writing in a well-organized manner
A) helps your readers understand the message.
B) encourages your readers to accept the message.
C) allows your readers to save time.
D) enhances your reputation in the workplace.
E) all of the above
Answer:
The primary audience for your message consists of
A) all who receive it.
B) the key decision makers in the audience.
C) those people with the highest status.
D) those people who represent the opinions and attitudes of the majority.
E) every single person who will (or might) get your message.
Answer:
When preparing a background design for slides,
A) you will need to consult a professional graphic artist.
B) be careful when using the design templates that come with your software.
C) any of the designs that come with your software program will do.
D) choose the most exciting colors and graphics you can find.
E) none of the above are advised.
Answer:
One way to overcome audience resistance to your message is to
A) use the hard-sell approach.
B) present all sides of the issue before making the case for your position.
C) emphasize your impeccable logic.
D) speak negatively about your competitors.
E) do all of the above.
Answer:
If you are engaging in critical listening, your goal is to
A) understand and retain information.
B) understand the speaker’s feelings, needs, and wants.
C) evaluate the logic and validity of the message.
D) appreciate the speaker’s point of view.
E) criticize the speaker’s ideas as promptly as possible.
Answer:
You would not need to cite a source if you
A) used a direct quotation of under 250 words from a book titled Modern Economics.
B) used a table from the 1985 Farmer’s Almanac.
C) described, in your own words, a plan for organizing production lines, which
appeared in a professional journal.
D) used it to gather general knowledge about your topic.
E) found it on Google, Yahoo, or Bing.
Answer:
Ask ________ to solicit opinions, insights, and information; ask ________ to elicit yes
or no answers.
A) direct questions; indirect questions
B) closed questions; open-ended questions
C) open-ended questions; closed questions
D) reflective questions; descriptive questions
E) incisive questions; circuitous questions
Answer:
When you begin the ________, focus your attention on content, organization, style, and
tone.
A) production process
B) editing process
C) writing process
D) revision process
E) distribution process
Answer:
Which of the following is not a strategy for structuring reports focused on logical
arguments?
A) 2 + 2 = 4 approach
B) Direct approach
C) Yardstick method
D) Indirect approach
E) None of the above
Answer:
You and several coworkers serve on a task force charged with updating the company’s
personnel-policy manual. To proceed effectively, you should concentrate on
A) pointing out as many typos, misspellings, and grammatical errors as possible.
B) ensuring that all members have a clear and shared sense of purpose.
C) making other team members feel good.
D) making the manual as long as possible (to let everyone know you are serious).
E) doing all of the above.
Answer:
Which of the following punctuation marks is used to separate a dependent clause at the
beginning of a sentence from the rest of the sentence?
A) Semicolon
B) Colon
C) Comma
D) Dash
E) Exclamation point
Answer:
Overusing the “cc” function when sending email
A) is no longer a big deal since very few people pay attention to these messages.
B) is a violation of email hygiene.
C) can waste a great deal of time by generating more reply messages than necessary.
D) is a good way to protect yourself in a hostile work environment.
E) lets coworkers and clients know that you are well connected.
Answer:
Which of the following is a demonstrative pronoun?
A) He
B) This
C) Who
D) Anyone
E) We
Answer:
A claim is ________; an adjustment is ________.
A) a goodwill message; a means to an end
B) an emotional reaction; a calculated response
C) a formal complaint; a settlement of a claim
D) an informal complaint; an emotional reaction
E) an assertion; a shift in point of view
Answer:
In the opening paragraph of an application letter, it is vital to
A) demonstrate that you are desperate to find a job.
B) let the employer know that you have other options.
C) give the recipient a reason to keep reading.
D) let the employer know that he or she can skip the rest and go straight to your résumé.
E) make sure the employer understands that you need a response within 24 hours.
Answer:
Email etiquette requires that writers do all of the following except
A) make sure every email they send is absolutely necessary.
B) respect the chain of command.
C) be careful to keep their emotions in check when composing messages.
D) mark all emails as “urgent” to make sure they are read.
E) use an email signature file to give recipients your contact information.
Answer:
Which of the following is an example of Business Communication 2.0 in action?
A) A manager sends out weekly newsletters to employees.
B) An electronics store invites customers to submit YouTube videos showing how to
install home theater systems.
C) An advertising firm creates a television commercial for a local automobile dealer.
D) A small business owner rents sign space on neglected downtown buildings to
promote revitalization efforts.
E) All of the above are examples of Business Communication 2.0.
Answer:
“Virtual offices” that give everyone on a team access to the same set of resources and
information are called
A) instant messaging software.
B) videoconferencing systems.
C) shared workspaces.
D) extended databases.
E) none of the above.
Answer:
Email hygiene refers to
A) the absence of slang and informal language in email messages.
B) a nationwide movement to do away with information overload.
C) all the efforts companies make to keep email clean and safe.
D) refraining from using foul language in email.
E) software that scans email messages for misspelled addresses.
Answer:
When you’re preparing a bibliography in the Chicago humanities style,
A) use italics on titles of articles from magazines, newspapers, and journals.
B) put quotation marks around the names of books, newspapers, and other complete
publications.
C) alphabetize entries by the last name of the lead author or the first important word in
the title.
D) use brackets to present content notations, personal annotations, and regional
anecdotes.
E) do all of the above.
Answer:
Transitional words and phrases
A) tie ideas together and show how one thought is related to another.
B) help overcome poor organization.
C) are essential to analytical reports but unnecessary in informational reports.
D) generally confuse readers, especially in online reports.
E) do all of the above.
Answer:
Thanks to Facebook, you’ve recently connected with an old friend who lives in another
state. She emails you frequently at work, often sharing racially charged jokes that you
find offensive. Concerned about what would happen if your boss or coworkers saw her
emails, you should
A) loosen up, since no one at your company has the right to read your email.
B) politely ask her to stop sending the jokes, and then speak privately with your boss
about the problem and how you have addressed it.
C) simply delete her email messages from your computer so no one will ever know
about them.
D) go online and see if you can find the jokes on the Internet; if so, there is no need to
be concerned.
E) do none of the above.
Answer:
Inexperienced communicators may be tempted to
A) spend too long planning important messages.
B) overestimate the time it takes to complete business messages.
C) dive directly into writing the message without taking sufficient time to plan.
D) waste too much time revising and editing messages.
E) seek excessive input from colleagues when creating messages.
Answer:
After sending your application letter and résumé in response to a job posting that lists a
close date, you should
A) always call the employer prior to that date to see if your materials have been
reviewed.
B) email the employer on the morning of the close date to reiterate your interest in the
job.
C) avoid following up with the employer before that date.
D) wait until the day after the close date and then call the employer to see where you
stand.
E) call the employer and do all you can to set up an interview prior to that date.
Answer:
Before volunteering someone’s name as a reference, always
A) assume you have permission to do so.
B) ask that person’s permission.
C) describe your relationship with that person.
D) list that person’s address and phone number for ease of contact.
E) explain that you’re not really sure what they will say about you.
Answer:
In a ________ letter format, all parts begin at the left margin.
A) block
B) modified block
C) simplified
D) mixed
E) stylized
Answer:
The ideal balance between the visual and the verbal should depend on
A) the needs of your audience.
B) the length of the report/presentation.
C) the amount of money available for underwriting the costs of graphics.
D) internal company guidelines.
E) your own personal preferences.
Answer:
An infographic résumé uses ________ to convey a person’s career development and
skill set.
A) storyboarding
B) visual metaphors
C) keyword summaries
D) digital innuendos
E) boilerplate text
Answer:
As a human need that affects motivation, self-actualization involves the need to
A) cultivate lifelong learning.
B) feel a sense of accomplishment.
C) reach one’s full potential as a human being.
D) control situations or exert authority over others.
E) establish comfortable connections on social media networks.
Answer:
Unlike feasibility reports, justification reports
A) explain a decision that’s been made already.
B) explore potential outcomes of a pending decision.
C) help readers troubleshoot problems.
D) evaluate the likelihood of success for new products.
E) none of the above.
Answer:
If you’re the designated leader of a meeting,
A) don’t interfere if the discussion departs from the goals of the meeting.
B) allow introverted participants to disengage from the meeting.
C) act as an observer, and let the meeting “run itself.”
D) allow only one comment on each issueotherwise discussion can take too long.
E) do none of the above.
Answer:
Should you use the word I in your résumé? Why or why not?
Answer:
List at least three strategies to keep your mind from wandering while listening to a
speaker.
Answer:
Your work history includes a lengthy gap in employment. How can you handle this
challenge when writing a résumé?
Answer:
In addition to your name, what should be included in the Contact Information section of
your résumé?
Answer:
Explain why it is generally best to prepare the prefatory parts of your report after you’ve
written the text.
Answer:
Briefly explain the function builds play in electronic presentations.
Answer:
What potential legal problem can result from writing a critical recommendation letter?
Answer:
Define euphemisms, provide at least one example, and explain how they can be helpful
in writing effective business messages.
Answer:
Many routine requests have several parts. What guidelines should you keep in mind
when your request contains a series of questions?
Answer:
Why is it often helpful to enlist the help of two people when proofreading reports and
proposals?
Answer:
What is the most significant difference between a solicited and an unsolicited proposal?
Answer:
List the two functions of an application letter’s final paragraph.
Answer:
What is cultural competency?
Answer:
Definehedging and briefly explain why it should be avoided in business messages.
Answer:
Describe at least three software tools that can help you revise and polish a document.
Answer: