Business Communication Essentials, 6e (Bovee/Thill)
Chapter 8 Writing Negative Messages
1) A negative message opens with piece of a bad news, proceeds to the reasons for the situation
or the decision, and ends with a positive statement aimed at maintaining a good relationship with
the audience. Which of the following approaches is used here?
A) personal
B) indirect
C) formal
D) direct
E) long
2) Which of the following approaches to organizing negative messages opens with the reasons
behind the bad news before presenting the bad news itself?
A) indirect
B) short
C) direct
D) informal
E) personal
3) The direct approach to organize negative news messages should be used when ________.
A) the blow of the negative news is to be softened
B) the reader has an emotional investment in the situation
C) the situation is routine or minor
D) a need to maintain a close working relationship with the reader arises
E) the news is expected to come as a shock to the reader
4) The direct approach to organize negative news messages should be used when ________.
A) the blow of the negative news is to be softened
B) the reader has an emotional investment in the situation
C) the bad news is not expected by the reader
D) a close working relationship is to be maintained with the reader
E) the bad news will not come as a shock to the reader
5) The direct approach to organize negative news messages should be used when ________.
A) the blow of the negative news is to be softened
B) the reader has an emotional investment in the situation
C) the reader’s attention is needed immediately
D) a close working relationship with the reader is to be maintained
E) the bad news will come as a shock to the reader
6) The direct approach to organize negative news messages should be used when ________.
A) the reader has ignored repeated messages
B) the reader has an emotional investment in the situation
C) the blow of the negative news is to be softened
D) a close working relationship with the reader is to be maintained
E) the bad news will come as a shock to the reader
7) In which of the following situations is it appropriate to use the direct approach to organize
negative news messages?
A) The news has considerable consequences for the reader.
B) The reader is likely to react emotionally to the news.
C) The reader is not expecting this news.
D) You are keen on maintaining a positive working relationship with the reader.
E) You need to immediately get the reader’s attention.
8) As a Fire Insurance Claims Adjuster with Veritas Insurance, Marshall must send a message to
Synthesis Inc. refusing their claim for damages caused due to a fire in their warehouse. He uses
the direct method to organize the message. Which of the following statements, if true, would
support Marshall’s choice?
A) Synthesis Inc. will be in serious financial trouble if Veritas refuses to cover the damage, and
would probably have to file for bankruptcy.
B) This is the first claim ever made by Synthesis Inc. in the 10 years that it has insured with
Marshall’s company.
C) Synthesis Inc.’s policy is a comprehensive one that indemnifies for loss arising out of fire,
burglary, theft and third party risks.
D) A preliminary report filed by Veritas with Synthesis Inc. immediately after the fire, indicated
that the fire was a result of a robbery and would be covered under the company’s Theft Insurance
policy.
E) This fire was the second such incident in a year in Synthesis’ warehouses, and the claim on the
first one had been paid in full by Veritas.
9) The indirect approach to organize negative news messages should be used when ________.
A) the reader’s attention is needed
B) the audience prefers short messages
C) the situation is routine or minor
D) the bad news will come as a shock to the audience
E) the audience is expecting the news
10) The indirect approach to organize negative news messages should be used when ________.
A) the reader’s attention is needed
B) the reader has an emotional investment in the situation
C) the situation is routine or minor
D) the audience prefers short messages that get right to the point
E) the audience is expecting the news
11) In which of the following situations is it appropriate to use the indirect approach to organize
negative news messages?
A) The reader’s attention is needed immediately.
B) The audience will not understand the possibility of receiving bad news.
C) The news is not likely to seriously impact the audience.
D) The audience does not have the time to read long, rambling messages.
E) The audience is expecting the bad news.
12) As an executive in the Admissions Office of Greenwood College, Janet must send rejection
letters to applicants of the MBA program at the college. She decides to organize her messages
using the indirect approach. Which of the following facts, if true, would support Janet’s choice?
A) All the rejected applicants are offered the option of registering for the two-year diploma
course in management instead, which has the same standing in the job market as an MBA.
B) The college was recently refused a grant that it had applied for to support its MBA program.
C) The college’s decision is final and further discussion or communication about the matter will
not be entertained.
D) All the applicants know that the decision hinges on their scores in an aptitude test and have
already been informed of their scores and the cut-off for the year.
E) Owing to the large number of enrollments it accepts and its above average rating, this college
is considered a “safety net” college by several applicants—a college they wouldn’t mind getting
into if the bigger names don’t work out.
13) Kimberley needs to convey to a customer that his shipment will arrive a week late. Which of
the following lines should Kimberley use in communicating this news, most effectively?
A) We regret to inform you that your shipment will arrive a week late.
B) Due to unavoidable circumstances, your shipment has been delayed by a week.
C) Your shipment will be delivered next week.
D) We’re sorry you will be receiving your shipment only after a week.
E) Your shipment will arrive next week, even though we promised that you would receive it this
week.
14) The advantage of using the direct approach is that it ________.
A) allows the readers to reach the main idea of the message in less time
B) prepares readers for the bad news
C) is useful in limiting your responsibility
D) helps obscure the bad news
E) will divert attention from the problem
15) When using the direct approach in negative news messages, the message should start with
________.
A) a sincere apology
B) a buffer statement
C) a disclaimer limiting the responsibility of the sender
D) a clear statement of the bad news
E) an explanation for the bad news
16) Margaret is in the process of developing a message, using the direct approach, to inform a
customer that the company is currently all sold out of the AT3 model lawnmower that he wished
to purchase. Which of the following lines would best form the opening lines of this message?
A) The AT3 model lawnmower is the best-selling lawnmower in the market right now and a
favorite of homeowners across the country.
B) We regret to inform you that we are currently all sold out of the AT3 model lawnmower that
you had requested.
C) We are currently all sold out of the best-selling AT3 model lawnmower that you had
requested.
D) Summer is peak season for us and we usually see a marked spike in demand for our entire
range of lawn mowers during this time; it’s no different this time.
E) Due to the recent spike in demand, we are currently unable to fill your order for the AT3
model lawnmower.
17) In most cases, when the direct approach to organize a negative message is used, the opening
is followed by a(n) ________.
A) statement that signals the negative news ahead
B) clear statement of the bad news
C) sincere apology
D) optimistic look toward the future
E) explanation of why the news is negative
18) Which of the following statements about using the direct approach in negative messages is
true?
A) The closing of the message should reiterate the bad news.
B) Direct messages take longer to write, and readers need more time to reach the main idea of
the message.
C) One should always offer a sincere apology in the closing of the message.
D) The extent of your explanation for the negative news depends on the nature of the news and
your relationship with the reader.
E) Openly accepting or assigning specific blame is important when using the direct approach.
19) Lara is responding to a customer who complained that his broadband service was down for
two days during a recent storm and that he missed out on some important business
communications as a result. Which of the following lines reflects the best way in which Lara can
apologize to this customer?
A) I am shocked and dismayed that you had to go through this.
B) I take personal responsibility for the inconvenience caused to you.
C) I am sorry that the company could not get your service back up more promptly.
D) I am sorry to hear of your difficulties.
E) I apologize on behalf of the company.
20) When conveying negative news you should always ________.
A) use the indirect approach
B) close on a respectful note
C) offer a sincere apology
D) open with a neutral, noncontroversial statement
E) offer a detailed explanation for the negative news
21) The purpose of using the indirect approach to organize a negative message is to ________.
A) obscure bad news
B) help readers accept the news
C) limit your responsibility
D) help readers get to the main idea of the message immediately
E) reduce the time it takes you to write the message
22) When using the indirect approach to organize negative news message, the opening statement
should be ________.
A) an apology
B) an explanation for the news
C) a clear statement of the news
D) a statement unrelated to the point of the message
E) a buffer
23) A good buffer ________.
A) diverts attention from the problem
B) establishes common ground with the reader
C) indicates that the message contains good news
D) is a statement unrelated to the point of the message
E) promises a positive answer
24) As General Manager of a company, Julian needs to write a message turning down a request
for additional funds for a promotion drive planned by the company’s marketing department.
Which of the following lines would best serve as a buffer statement when using the indirect
approach in organizing this message?
A) We would love to grant your request but budget constraints do not allow us to do so at this
point.
B) We share your goal of increasing the company’s revenues by 25% this year.
C) The marketing department is doing a great job out there and we would like to do all we can to
help.
D) This year has proven to be one of dramatic growth for our company.
E) We have decided that the additional funds you requested cannot be sanctioned at this point.
25) Dana, the HR manager at a small company, must communicate to an employee that his
request for a raise cannot be fulfilled, considering his productivity rates. Which of the following
lines would best serve as a buffer for this message?
A) We would love to grant your request but your productivity is really not up to the mark this
year.
B) We have decided that, considering your productivity rate, we cannot give you the raise that
you had requested.
C) You are doing a great job out there and we would like to commend you on your performance.
D) This year has proven to be one of dramatic growth for our company.
E) After receiving your request for a raise, we did a careful evaluation of your productivity levels
over the course of the last year.
26) In a negative message using the indirect approach, the buffer in the opening is immediately
followed by a(n) ________.
A) clear statement of the bad news
B) explanation for the news
C) neutral statement unrelated to the purpose of the message
D) positive statement, expressing genuine optimism for the future
E) sincere apology for the bad news
27) In a negative message that uses the indirect approach, an ideal explanation section should
________.
A) include a sincere apology
B) give additional information about the bad news revealed in the opening
C) first reveal the bad news and then suggest alternative courses of action
D) signal the negative news ahead
E) take the focus away from the issue at hand
28) Which of the following is a guideline for providing reasons for bad news in a negative news
message that uses the indirect approach?
A) Use “company policy” as the reason most of the time.
B) Start with the most negative points first and move forward to increasingly positive ones.
C) Present your reasons in a clearly apologetic tone.
D) Provide enough detail for the audience to understand your reasons.
E) Avoid couching negative points in positive language.
29) When providing reasons for bad news in a negative news message that uses the indirect
approach, you should ________.
A) use “company policy” as the reason whenever possible
B) start with the most positive points and then move on to increasingly negative ones
C) present your reasons in a clearly apologetic tone
D) avoid going into details of the reasons for the bad news
E) avoid couching negative points in positive language
30) When providing reasons for bad news in a negative news message that uses the indirect
approach, you should ________.
A) avoid using “company policy” as the reason most of the time
B) start with the most negative points and then move on to increasingly positive ones
C) present your reasons in a clearly apologetic tone
D) avoid going into details of the reasons for the bad news
E) avoid couching negative points in positive language
31) In a negative message using the indirect approach, well-written reasons are NOT ________.
A) individualized
B) positive
C) apologetic
D) detailed
E) concise
32) Which of the following is a guideline for making a clear statement of the bad news when
organizing a negative message using the indirect method?
A) Put the bad news in the main clause of a compound or complex sentence.
B) Avoid putting the bad news in parenthetical expressions.
C) Minimize the space or time devoted to the bad news.
D) Put the bad news in the beginning or end of a paragraph.
E) Try to disguise the bad news when you emphasize the positive.
33) Which of the following is a guideline for making a clear statement of the bad news when
organizing a negative message using the indirect method?
A) Subordinate the bad news in a compound or complex sentence.
B) Avoid putting the bad news in parenthetical expressions.
C) Maximize the space or time devoted to the bad news.
D) Put the bad news in the beginning or end of a paragraph.
E) Try to disguise the bad news when you emphasize the positive.
34) Which of the following is a guideline for making a clear statement of the bad news when
organizing a negative message using the indirect method?
A) Put the bad news as the main clause of a compound or complex sentence.
B) Use parenthetical expressions to frame the bad news.
C) Maximize the space or time devoted to the bad news.
D) Put the bad news in the beginning or end of a paragraph.
E) Try to disguise the bad news when you emphasize the positive.
35) Which of the following is a guideline for making a clear statement of the bad news when
organizing a negative message using the indirect method?
A) Put the bad news as the main clause of a compound or complex sentence.
B) Avoid putting the bad news in parenthetical expressions.
C) Maximize the space or time devoted to the bad news.
D) Embed the bad news in the middle of a paragraph.
E) Try to disguise the bad news when you emphasize the positive.
36) Which of the following is a guideline for making a clear statement of the bad news when
organizing a negative message using the indirect method?
A) Put the bad news as the main clause of a compound or complex sentence.
B) Avoid putting the bad news in parenthetical expressions.
C) Maximize the space or time devoted to the bad news.
D) Put the bad news in the beginning or end of a paragraph.
E) Deemphasize the bad news.
37) Which of the following is a guideline for making a clear statement of the bad news when
organizing a negative message using the indirect method?
A) Try to put the bad news as the main clause of a compound or complex sentence.
B) Avoid putting the bad news in parenthetical expressions.
C) Maximize the space or time devoted to the bad news.
D) Put the bad news in the beginning or end of a paragraph.
E) Try to use a conditional statement to imply that a favorable answer may be possible in the
future.
38) Which of the following is a guideline for making a clear statement of the bad news when
organizing a negative message using the indirect method?
A) Try to put the bad news as the main clause of a compound or complex sentence.
B) Avoid putting the bad news in parenthetical expressions.
C) Emphasize what you can do or have done rather than what you cannot do.
D) Put the bad news in the beginning or end of a paragraph.
E) Don’t use a conditional statement to imply that a favorable answer may be possible in the
future.
39) Tim is developing a message to inform a customer that though volume 1 of a set of two
books he ordered is being mailed right away, volume 2 can be mailed out only after a week.
Which of the following lines reflects the most effective way of making a clear statement of the
bad news when organizing the message using the indirect method?
A) We regret to inform you that, while we are mailing volume 1 of the Goldwyn anthology to
you right away, we can dispatch volume 2 only next week.
B) The delivery of volume 2 of the Goldwyn anthology has been delayed by a week, while
volume 1 is being mailed to you right away.
C) We are mailing volume 1 of the Goldwyn anthology right away and volume 2 will be
delivered to you next week.
D) While we are mailing volume 1 of the Goldwyn anthology to you right away, there will be a
week-long delay in delivering volume 2 .
E) We are mailing volume 1 of the Goldwyn anthology right away, but volume 2 , we are sorry
to inform you, will be delivered to you next week.
40) Ethan is developing a message to communicate to a job applicant that he is not being offered
the job since he lacks the appropriate experience. Which of the following lines reflects the most
effective way of making a clear statement of the bad news if Ethan chooses to organize the
message using the indirect method?
A) We have decided that we need someone with at least two years of project management
experience for this position.
B) We regret to inform you that we will not be offering you this job.
C) You have not been selected for filling this position since this job requires at least two years of
project management experience.
D) We must deny your application for this position because we looking for someone with at least
two years of project management experience.
E) Because we are looking for someone with at least two years of project management
experience, we will not be able to hire you for this position.
41) When closing a negative message, organized using the indirect approach, you should
________.
A) encourage further communication relating to the matter
B) imply that the matter is open to negotiation
C) act as though the negative news never happened
D) emphasize your respect for the audience
E) express optimism, no matter how bleak the situation