It is ideal to use the word “you” for reports with multiple audiences, in order to help
readers identify with your recommendations.
Answer:
In complicated direct requests, one should avoid anticipating possible responses,
because they will confuse the audience.
Answer:
While editing and proofreading your application letter, remember to show gratitude to
the reader for reading your letter.
Answer:
In your social networking profiles, include only professional interests without
mentioning your personal interests.
Answer:
Instant messages should be used specifically for long messages on critical issues such
as getting feedback on a report or negotiating a price.
Answer:
While writing the budget section of a proposal, it is important to clearly justify costs
which might seem to benefit yourself instead of the sponsor.
Answer:
An audience’s reaction to a message is affected not only by personal feelings and
preferences, but also by the political environment of the organization, the economy, and
current events.
Answer:
Formal corporate cultures are generally characterized by individually empowered
workers.
Answer:
Telephone skills in job interviews have become less important in the 21st Century.
Answer:
Replacing the word “manning” with the word ‘staffing” changes a sexist term to a
nonsexist term.
Answer:
A disability refers exclusively to a physical impairment that interferes with the major
tasks of daily living.
Answer:
While using a pattern of organizing messages, you should realize that every message
that uses the basic pattern will have every element of that pattern.
Answer:
The best common grounds in a message to a larger audience are usually ambiguous and
generic.
Answer:
Inattention and emotions can cause listeners to misinterpret a speaker.
Answer:
While focusing on the length of your application letter, if you have excellent material
that will not fit on one page, cut some of it to make it fit one page.
Answer:
The goal of positive psychology connects closely with goodwill, you-attitude, and
positive tone, all of which help increase employee happiness.
Answer:
Today’s interviews may involve taking one or more tests, including drug tests,
psychological tests, aptitude tests, and so forth.
Answer:
An interview that starts out as a referral interview can turn into an information
interview.
Answer:
A way to resolve a team conflict in which one person criticizes everything is to ask the
person to follow up the criticism with a suggestion for improvement.
Answer:
When some of the information is new to an audience, you should avoid linking new
information to old information that the audience already knows.
Answer:
One effective way you can stand out from the hordes of people being interviewed is to
tell a memorable story about yourself.
Answer:
While using positive emphasis, it is important to check if the content is appropriate,
sincere, and realistic.
Answer:
The conclusions and recommendations section of a report presents new information that
was excluded from the rest of the report.
Answer:
Categorizing information into chunks will result in making data seem
incomprehensible.
Answer:
In order to solve a problem, it is essential to develop several solutions and measure
them against the audience and purposes.
Answer:
Stella is writing a business report on the progress of her project. When she finishes
writing, she reads her report out loud to a colleague sitting about three feet away. This is
a good way for Stella to improve her style.
Answer:
The costs undertaken by global companies for failing to adapt to local cultures can be
high.
Answer:
Follow-up questions like: “What exactly did you do to handle the situation? How did
you feel about the results?” are typical of a stress interview.
Answer:
It is important to highlight information in a subject line if the information is neutral or
negative.
Answer:
Errors, such as sentence fragments and run-on sentences, disturb most educated readers,
and these errors should be best avoided.
Answer:
One effect of the recession in the United States was to push more businesses into
focusing on their customer service.
Answer:
In order to make a piece of writing more sophisticated and easier to read, it is best to
make long sentences stand by themselves instead of combining them.
Answer:
When talking about people with disabilities, use people-first language to focus on the
person, not the condition.
Answer:
E-mails are a more formal mode of communication than presentations.
Answer:
Job duties get more emphasis in a list than in a paragraph.
Answer:
Reports can be termed as persuasive messages if they recommend action.
Answer:
The pro-and-con pattern of organizing data is most useful when there is a need to
de-emphasize the disadvantages of a proposed solution.
Answer:
Aliya is presenting a report on “Negative Impacts of Genetic Engineering” at a
conference on Food Security in Manhattan. The audience consists of scientists,
government officials, and members of civil society groups, some of these are skeptical
about the subject. Which of the following would best help Aliya handle the audience?
A. Presenting the good ideas of genetic engineering at the end of the report
B. Presenting the main points of the report in the middle of the report
C. Making the milestones achieved section clear in the first paragraph
D. Approaching the issue of genetic engineering indirectly
E. Identifying one main audience benefit instead of several benefits
Answer:
The process of _____ refers to making changes in content, organization, and tone that
will better satisfy the writer’s purposes and the audience.
A. editing
B. proofreading
C. revising
D. brainstorming
E. planning
Answer:
Which of the following guidelines should be used while designing a brochure?
A. Trying not to repeat any design elements since this can make a piece boring
B. Avoiding placing a central selling point on a cover as it reduces a reader’s curiosity
C. Using the same font style and size for headings and other text for consistency
D. Using enough white space with short paragraphs and extra white space between
them
E. Using me-attitude instead of you-attitude to demonstrate confidence in one’s
brochure
Answer:
Which of the following should always stand as separate categories, even if you have
only one item under each head?
A. Honors and Awards
B. Activities and Interests
C. Name and Contact Information
D. Campus Activities and Community Service
E. Education and Experience
Answer:
Which of the following is NOT a part of nonverbal communication?
A. Personal space
B. Gesture
C. Body language
D. Touch
E. Documentation
Answer:
In order to create a professional image, which of the following is recommended for job
application letters?
A. Use a smooth, concise writing style with technical jargon.
B. Use words that sound legal like “utilize,” “commence,” and “transpire.”
C. Do not use the exact language as the job advertisement.
D. Use stuffy words that are open to interpretation.
E. Use words such as “plead” and “apologize” to come across as polite.
Answer:
Selena needs to schedule a meeting for her manager, Lee, with an important business
client. She receives an e-mail in the morning from the client’s assistant. The e-mail
states that 11 a.m. on Tuesday suits them well and requests that Selena confirm the time
as soon as possible. Selena needs to confirm the meeting by first checking if the time
works well for Lee. Which of the following would be the best mode of communication
for Selena?
A. E-mail
B. Blog
C. Wiki
D. Telepresence
E. Phone
Answer:
In which of the following ways does the body of the interview help the interviewer?
A. It gives the interviewer a chance to sell you on the company.
B. It gives the interviewer a chance to find out about your major.
C. It gives the interviewer a chance to ask about your interests.
D. It gives the interviewer a chance to tell you what happens next.
E. It gives the interviewer a chance to tell you whether or not you have been hired.
Answer:
Mova Technologies Inc., a consumer electronics firm, has been facing tough
competition in the industry. The company has realized that the only way to improve its
market share is by providing customers with intrinsic benefits to purchase its products.
Thus, Mova Technologies Inc. will have to:
A. offer discounts on its products.
B. provide gifts and freebies on purchases above $250.
C. offer extended warranty for its products.
D. design its products to help customers optimize their use of time.
E. allow customers to exchange old products for new ones.
Answer:
Which of the following is a guideline for constructing bar charts?
A. Label the horizontal and vertical axis only when the title is not present.
B. Vary the bar width according to the values each bar represents.
C. Put all labels either inside or outside the bars.
D. Always use different colors for each bar.
E. Always use a three-dimensional (3D) perspective.
Answer:
Which of the following phone skills should you adopt while leaving a message on voice
mail?
A. State only your name, because the number will be recorded.
B. Leave a clear and concise message so it will be easily understandable.
C. State your phone number quickly because the line may get disconnected.
D. Be persistent and keep trying the number if you repeatedly get voice mail.
E. Leave an elaborate message in order for it to be clear to the receiver.
Answer:
Richa creates a résumé and it fills only three-fourths of the page. Her best alternative is
to:
A. move the text to the middle of the page so that the bottom margin is not huge.
B. leave it as is; it is what appears on the page that counts, not what is missing.
C. include a section that highlights course projects relevant to the job she is seeking.
D. put her photo at the top right-hand corner of the résumé to fill space.
Answer:
When writing a document for multiple audiences, which of the following practices
should be adopted to effectively address the audiences’ different needs?
A. Using personal pronouns to ensure that all members of the audience interpret the
text in a similar fashion
B. Writing the document in an informal style if it is meant for both internal and
external audiences
C. Presenting background and explanatory information under the same heading
D. Using a table of contents so that readers can turn to the portions that interest them
E. Keeping the body of the document as short and brief as possible for the convenience
of the decision makers
Answer:
“You have probably been in a situation where you had to work with a team member
who just would not cooperate. How did you handle this?” In an interview, this is an
example of a:
A. critical incident question.
B. mirror question.
C. hypothetical question.
D. probe.
E. situational question.
Answer:
Jada is preparing a budget for a business proposal. Which of the following guidelines
will help Jada obtain the required budget?
A. Asking for a minimum sum to sound realistic
B. Making the basis for her estimate specific
C. Excluding costs pertaining to use of office space
D. Quoting a lower figure than the going rate for skills required
E. Excluding less obvious costs such as overhead costs
Answer:
When responding to criticism, which of the following is a purpose of paraphrasing?
A. To understand the critic’s emotions
B. To identify the real problem
C. To communicate that you are taking the critic’s ideas and feelings seriously
D. To highlight the unspoken ideas and feelings that may actually be more important
than the voiced criticism
E. To allow you time to think so that you can respond appropriately
Answer:
Rebecca, a human resource executive, received a letter from her manager, advising her
to organize an interactive program for some of the employees of the organization.
Rebecca needs to call her manager to find out the objective of the program, when it
needs to be organized, and which employees need to attend the program. In this
scenario, the manager’s letter does not represent good business and administrative
communication because:
A. it allows the reader to act on it instantly.
B. the message is incomplete.
C. the message is incorrect.
D. the reader requires more time to understand the message.
E. it prevents the reader from guessing.
Answer:
Which of the following is a good feedback strategy during team decision making?
A. Feedback should always be external, and should never come from within the team.
B. Feedback should be rare; when it occurs it should have a higher ratio of
negative-to-positive interactions.
C. Feedback should be regular to keep members contributing their share of the work in
a timely fashion.
D. Feedback begins to be generated as soon as a team is formed.
E. Feedback should never come from outside the team.
Answer:
Saleem, who is creating a report, is currently working on a section where he is using an
informal writing style. He ensures that it orients readers to his report, while also
building his credibility and that of the report. Which of the following sections is he
writing?
A. A memo of transmittal
B. An abstract
C. An executive summary
D. An introduction
E. A recommendation
Answer:
Albert has just completed a report for his journalism class. While revising it, he realizes
that the report contains several instances of sexist language. Albert immediately
replaces all instances of sexist language with non-sexist language. He does this because
the use of sexist language diminishes the _____.
A. design of his report
B. clarity of his report
C. logic of his report
D. style and tone of his report
E. organization and layout of his report
Answer:
Which of the following is true of interviews in the 21st Century?
A. They are no longer a preferred method for evaluating job candidates.
B. They always conduct the first round through Skype.
C. They place special emphasis on the phone skills of potential employees.
D. They have replaced all face-to-face interviews with telephone interviews.
E. They have done away with written tests altogether.
Answer:
Revisions for you-attitude often _____ because the revision is more specific and has
more information.
A. change the basic meaning of sentences
B. result in crisper sentences
C. result in more ambiguous sentences
D. increase the wordiness of sentences
E. increase the length of sentences
Answer:
Lola is a sales manager at a bank. She recently received an e-mail from a team member,
Dario, requesting leave during Christmas. Though the mail was framed well, she felt
like Dario was shouting at her. Which of the following is most likely the reason for
Lola’s reaction?
A. Sentences in green font among other text in black
B. Headings which were short and brief
C. Important sentences were in full capitals
D. Long, descriptive sentences
E. White space between text
Answer:
Which of the following is generally true of the prevailing culture of oral communication
in Asian countries like Japan?
A. Disagreements are generally communicated through emotional outbursts.
B. Interruptions tend to be very common.
C. Appreciation is generally considered as a motivational factor.
D. Long periods of silence are typically very common.
E. Communication is generally direct and informal.
Answer:
Which of the following is true of resignation letters written by employees?
A. The best letters try to neutralize the organization’s feeling that they are not good
enough.
B. The best letters try to convey the message that the organization is not good enough.
C. Positive letters can impact your chances for receiving a positive recommendation in
the future.
D. Whether letters are positive or negative, they receive positive recommendations in
the future.
E. Resignation letters are easy to write because they do not have serious future
implications.
Answer:
Which of the following is an example of an external audience for written
communication at work?
A. The human resource team
B. A subordinate
C. A manager
D. A colleague
E. A potential employee
Answer:
Which of the following is NOT a common component of visuals and data displays?
A. Labels or legends identifying axis, colors, symbols, and so forth
B. The source of the data, if you obtained it yourself
C. Clearly labeled units
D. A clear indication of what the data are
E. A title telling the story that the visual or data display shows
Answer:
Which of the following must be true of a buffer for it to be effective?
A. It should put the reader in a negative frame of mind to accept the bad news.
B. It should convey the bad news explicitly in the beginning of a message.
C. It should convey bad news to a reader ambiguously to avoid antagonizing him or
her.
D. It should provide a smooth, natural transition to the body of the letter.
E. It should convert bad news into good news through persuasion.
Answer:
Joshua, who works for a telecom company, recently prepared a proposal for a road
show in Manhattan. In the proposal, he listed out activities, such as producing banners
and props, getting permission from government officials to host the show on Houston
Street, organizing volunteers to interact with crowds, and setting timelines for each
activity to be completed. In which of the following sections will this information most
likely be included?
A. Work schedule
B. Call to action
C. Methods
D. Feasibility
E. Qualifications
Answer:
April is an employee at Gordon Bank and has been given a sales target of 50 accounts
for the present month. She shares her problem with Linda, a co-worker, saying that she
cannot achieve this target, as she has been doing only 30 a month for the last two years.
She feels that she might have to quit her job. Which of the following responses from
Linda best illustrates an active response?
A. You are worrying about nothing! I am sure if you work on weekends, you will be
able to achieve the 50 account mark.
B. A target of 50 is not bad. Josh Lucas from the South Branch has a target of 65!
C. Why don’t you put down a plan on paper and figure out how best you can achieve
the target?
D. You are saying that the target of 50 accounts is unrealistic because so far you have
done 30 accounts.
E. You should have seen this coming. The new sales manager announced a higher
target next month if you remember.
Answer:
Discuss strategies for creating documents for multiple audiences.
Answer:
Explain “groupthink” with the help of an example.
Answer:
While doing research using a computer database, how can you narrow your search and
identify the concepts you’re interested in?
Answer:
Explain the different ways of conducting a survey.
Answer:
List and explain the key steps in conflict resolution.
Answer:
Describe the role of a job application letter in the employment-search process.
Answer:
Explain how poor writing contributes to wasted time.
Answer:
George is creating a personal website to help employers find out more about him and
contact him for available jobs. What should George do to create an effective personal
website?
Answer:
Explain how to label and refer to visuals within the text of a document.
Answer:
Savanna recently gave a presentation for a group of college students on how to choose
the right career path. The presentation was a huge success and the students in their
feedback form stated that the visual appeal of the presentation was excellent. What
characteristics did the presentation most likely have?
Answer:
List and describe some of the tools used for personal branding.
Answer:
List the five techniques that you, as a writer, should use to convey you-attitude.
Answer: