In refusing a customer’s request for adjustment, you are concerned about possible
defamation charges. You should
A) make the refusal by phone instead of in writing.
B) explain why you are making the refusal.
C) consult your company’s legal department or an attorney if you think a message might
have legal consequences.
D) insist that the customer come to your office if he wants an answer.
E) do all of the above
Answer:
The best way to clarify your main idea in a presentation is to
A) provide a lengthy handout for your audience to review during your presentation.
B) describe it using jargon and complicated language to emphasize its importance.
C) develop a single sentence that links your subject and purpose to your audience’s
frame of reference.
D) allow your audience to figure it out on their own.
E) restate it in three identical sentences, one right after the other.
Answer:
When preparing a message to someone from another culture, you should
A) never write more than a single paragraph.
B) assume that the audience is familiar with common U.S. phrases and references.
C) remove all graphics, in case they might offend someone.
D) express numbers and dates in the format used in that person’s culture.
E) write in simple sentences only.
Answer:
Social media empower stakeholders to participate in the communication process by
allowing them to
A) share content.
B) revise content.
C) respond to content.
D) contribute new content.
E) all of the above.
Answer:
If you face hostile or difficult questions during a question-and-answer session
A) step down from the podium and leave the room.
B) enlist the help of the audience to silence the questioner.
C) respond honestly while keeping control of your emotions.
D) stand your ground and respond to the questions aggressively.
E) ignore anyone who asks such questions and change the subject.
Answer:
The list of secondary sources at the end of a report can be labeled “References” when
A) it contains fewer than 10 items.
B) it contains more than 50 items.
C) it is incomplete.
D) you want the tone of your report to be conversational.
E) you include works consulted but not mentioned in your report.
Answer:
Don’t try to memorize a presentation because
A) you might forget your lines.
B) you’ll probably sound stilted when you deliver the message.
C) you won’t be able to respond to questions during your presentation.
D) all of the above.
E) none of the above.
Answer:
The close of a routine reply or positive message should
A) clearly state who will take action next, what they’ll do, and when they’ll do it.
B) explain the reasons for any negative information you have included.
C) offer an explanation for why this decision was made.
D) create some ambiguity, so the audience will be more likely to contact you.
E) always end with a question.
Answer:
The text of a proposal
A) must always follow the AIDA plan.
B) is usually presented in outline form.
C) consists of the introduction, body, and close.
D) should be italicized.
E) is always organized using the direct approach.
Answer:
All of the following except ________ are elements in the planning phase of the
three-step writing process.
A) analyzing the situation
B) organizing information
C) gathering information
D) selecting the right medium
E) adapting to your audience
Answer:
Periodically making yourself unavailable for instant messaging
A) is a wise move that can increase your productivity.
B) is never a good idea in today’s high-tech environment.
C) is acceptable, as long as you notify everyone who has access to your system to
explain what you are doing.
D) has been shown to decrease overall productivity.
E) is helpful and expected unless you are a manager, supervisor, or executive.
Answer:
All of the following except ________ will make a business message easier to read or
skim.
A) including items in bulleted and numbered lists
B) using parallel structure in words, phrases, and clauses
C) including headings and subheadings
D) presenting ideas in lengthy paragraphs
E) varying the length of sentences
Answer:
“All the characteristics and experiences that define each of us as individuals” is the
definition of
A) ethnicity.
B) diversity.
C) culture.
D) pluralism.
E) none of the above.
Answer:
When speaking in English to people who use English as a second language, the best
approach is to
A) forget about feedback; just make sure you get your message across.
B) repeat your sentences often, a little louder each time.
C) speak slowly and clearly.
D) use plenty of adjectives such as fantastic and fabulous.
E) limit your sentences to no more than 5 words each.
Answer:
Whatever the length of your message, you should limit the number of major supporting
points to roughly
A) two.
B) three.
C) six.
D) ten.
E) twenty.
Answer:
Which of these documents would not qualify as primary research?
A) A recent survey of your company’s top clients
B) The most recent issue of a trade magazine in your industry
C) Notes from a conversation you recently had with a local government official
D) Your company’s latest balance sheet
E) All of the above are examples of primary research.
Answer:
Suppose that you’re a manager who must make a negative announcement to employees
regarding a routine business matter. What should you do?
A) Use a blunt, no-nonsense tone.
B) Leak the news to the media so you won’t have to announce it.
C) Assume that they’ll accept the announcement, so don’t bother explaining it.
D) Close the message with as much positive sentiment as you can under the
circumstances.
E) Don’t make the announcement; instead, let the employees learn about it via the
grapevine.
Answer:
Advantages of using instant messaging (IM) include its
A) ability to eliminate “junk mail” messages.
B) availability on a wide range of devices.
C) ability to mimic conversations.
D) lower cost than phone calls.
E) all of the above
Answer:
If price is one of your strong selling points, you should
A) mention special offers, such as volume discounts, before actually stating the price.
B) compare the price to the cost of some other product or activity (“This exercise
equipment costs less than a health club membership”).
C) break the total price into smaller units (“Just six easy payments of $19.95 will bring
you this lovely collector’s item”).
D) give it a position of prominence, such as in the headline or as the last item in a
paragraph.
E) not overemphasize it, since you might need to fall back on it later.
Answer:
A typical paragraph contains the three basic elements of
A) a topic sentence, support sentences, and transitional words and phrases.
B) simple, compound, and complex sentences.
C) the main idea, supporting ideas, and evidence.
D) a problem, discussion, and a solution.
E) strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities.
Answer:
When preparing a formal report that will be bound, leave at least a
A) uniform 2-inch margin on all sides.
B) 2-inch margin at the top and bottom and a 1-inch margin on the sides.
C) 1-inch margin on three sides and a 1-1/2-inch margin on the bound side.
D) uniform 1-1/2-inch margin on all sides.
E) 3-inch margin on the left side of each page.
Answer:
For electronic distribution of reports and proposals, you should
A) always send documents as word-processor files, unless the audience requests
otherwise.
B) always send documents as PDF files, unless the audience requests otherwise.
C) send the documents multiple times as email attachments, just to make sure they get
there.
D) send WordPerfect files, rather than Microsoft Word or PDF.
E) do none of the above.
Answer:
Business-related blogs and microblogs
A) are generally not very helpful to job applicants.
B) can help you get comfortable with the jargon and buzzwords in a particular field.
C) can be useful in a job search, but only for those seeking positions in technical fields.
D) are very difficult to find online.
E) are almost always thinly veiled attempts to sell products and services.
Answer:
Including transitions and other directional aids is important
A) in online reports, but not usually necessary in written ones.
B) whether your report is in print or online.
C) in print reports, but not in those published online.
D) in any report longer than a couple of pages.
E) only if English is not your audience’s first language.
Answer:
When it comes to nonverbal communication,
A) culture does not influence how signals are interpreted.
B) the senderrather than the receivergets to determine what signals mean.
C) it pays to be careful, since others might interpret things very differently than you
intended.
D) eye contact is a universal symbol of respect.
E) don’t forget that you can never smile too much.
Answer:
All appendixes should be
A) listed in the table of contents, but not mentioned in the text of the report.
B) mentioned in the text of the report but not listed in the table of contents.
C) mentioned in the text of the report and listed in the table of contents.
D) included in the index, but not listed in the table of contents.
E) printed in a font that is different from the rest of the report.
Answer:
When you’re writing an application letter to accompany your résumé,
A) use text-messaging jargon and emoticons to show that you’re tech-savvy.
B) remember that most employers won’t bother to read it.
C) use it as a free-form way to convey your career aspirations.
D) treat it with same care that you took with your résumé.
E) none of the above.
Answer:
In business communication, using discovery techniques such as free writing and
sketching
A) is a waste of time.
B) can be helpful to unskilled writers, but is not useful to those with expertise and
experience.
C) is helpful when you need to generate ideas and uncover possible avenues to research.
D) usually leads to confusing, disorganized messages.
E) generally increases writer’s block and the frustration that comes with it.
Answer:
If the audience for a presentation will be interested in, but neutral to, what you have to
say,
A) reward their goodwill by speaking in a relaxed, confident manner.
B) dismiss their concerns and persuade them that they are mistaken for feeling that way.
C) consider the indirect approach to establish common ground and diffuse skepticism.
D) build your credibility as you present compelling reasons to accept your message.
E) none of the above.
Answer:
A ________ suggests an individualized solution for a potential customer and requests a
purchase decision.
A) grant proposal
B) sales proposal
C) solicited proposal
D) project proposal
E) managerial proposal
Answer:
Describe the general function of internal proposals, and provide at least one example to
illustrate.
Answer:
How can businesses use social networking to support collaboration?
Answer:
Name the four tasks involved in planning business messages.
Answer:
Briefly describe the elements of a negative message that uses the direct approach.
Answer:
Briefly explain how the growth of electronic communication has become both a
blessing and a curse for business communicators.
Answer:
Conclusions should accomplish what two tasks?
Answer:
Briefly explain the difference between a synopsis and an executive summary.
Answer:
List at least three drawbacks of using instant messaging in business.
Answer:
Briefly describe “groupthink.”
Answer:
List the four delivery methods for oral presentations.
Answer:
Define cultural pluralism.
Answer:
List at least two types of biased language and explain how to avoid each type.
Answer:
Briefly describe how cultures can differ when it comes to future orientation.
Answer:
Offer some practical suggestions for overcoming anxiety related to public speaking.
Answer:
Rewrite the following sentence using more respectful wording: “You should not have
put the blender into the dishwasher.”
Answer:
Explain how to include keywords that will attract prospective employers to your
résumé, and how to select those keywords.
Answer:
What is the difference between delivering negative news and being negative?
Answer:
List the three major disadvantages of Internet search engines, and then briefly describe
other electronic research tools that overcome those shortcomings.
Answer:
Explain the difference between a title fly and a title page.
Answer: