When brainstorming to generate ideas, you should
a. critique each idea as it is suggested.
b. record ideas without judging them.
c. always work alone for greater efficiency.
d. allow no more than five ideas to be discussed.
Arika is following the threepart plan to write a claim message about a problem with her
digital communication service bundle. What should she put in her opening?
a. A clear description of the desired action
b. An explanation of the nature of her problem with the digital communication service
bundle
c. A goodwill statement and end date
d. Her phone number
Which of the following statements regarding bulleted or numbered lists is most
accurate?
a. Lists decrease a reader’s comprehension of the main ideas.
b. Lists allow readers to review main ideas quickly.
c. Lists confuse readers because they are visually distracting.
d. Lists decrease the readability level of a document.
What is a runon sentence?
a. Two independent clauses run together without punctuation or a conjunction
b. Two independent clauses joined by a comma without a conjunction
c. A brokenoff part of a sentence
d. An independent clause containing two dependent clauses
Yolanda must include a long table in a report she is preparing on employee Internet use.
What advice should she follow when creating the table?
a. Avoid distracting her readers with shading.
b. Place the table as close as possible to its text discussion.
c. Leave missing data blank.
d. Because the emphasis is on the data, avoid the use of headings for each row.
Your best plan to create a convincing presentation is to read your entire presentation
from a manuscript so that your audience is confident that you have not omitted
anything.
a. True
b. False
Working with people from other cultures will require tolerance. One of the best ways to
become more tolerant is by
a. practicing empathy.
b. increasing your individualism.
c. encouraging ethnocentrism.
d. knowing your communication style.
The first step in finding a job is writing a wellorganized rsum.
a. True
b. False
ANS: False
RATIONALE: HTMLENTITY#8203HTMLENTITYAlthough it is natural to think that
the first step in finding a job is writing a rsum, the jobsearch process actually begins
long before you are ready to prepare your rsum. You must first spend time and effort in
getting ready by analyzing your interests and goals and evaluating your qualifications.
The body of a persuasive request should motivate action.
a. True
b. False
Roberto is preparing a PowerPoint multimedia presentation for a multicultural
audience. He must choose his background colors carefully.
a. True
b. False
Shawn needs to record his outgoing message on his voice mail system. Which of the
following outgoing messages is most professional?
a. Hi! I’m sorry I missed your call. Please leave a brief message after the tone.
b. This is Shawn. I’m not available right now. But if you leave a message, I promise to
call you back. Be sure to include your name, phone number, and the best time to return
your call.
c. Your call is important to me. Please leave your name and number so that I can return
your call promptly.
d. Hi! You have reached the voice mail of Shawn Berg of Juarez Accounting. I am
currently away from my phone but will return by 2 p.m. Please call back then. Thank
you for calling.
All proposals should use easytounderstand language and show the value and benefits of
the product or services being recommended.
a. True
b. False
The introduction of a presentation should include all of the following except
HTMLENTITY#8203HTMLENTITY
a. an attentiongetting device that gets the audience involved.
b. HTMLENTITY#8203HTMLENTITYa preview of the main points to be discussed in
the body of the speech.
c. explanations and details of each of the main points.
d. a personal credibility statement.
Redundant words or phrases convey a meaning more than once.
a. True
b. False
Which of the following sentences emphasizes an idea through style?
a. Consider adding a statement of qualifications section on your rsum; but, most
important, include specific and relevant previous employment information.
b. Add a statement of qualifications section on your rsum, but also include specific and
relevant previous employment information.
c. A rsum should include a statement of qualifications section and specific and relevant
previous employment information.
d. You should include a statement of qualifications section and specific and relevant
previous employment information on your rsum.
Feasibility reports analyze a problem, discuss options, and present a recommendation,
solution, or action to be taken.
a. True
b. False
Based on their function, business reports typically fall into one of two categories:
instructional or persuasive.
a. True
b. False
If the interviewer begins a question with Tell me about a time when…, you should
a. recognize that this is a trick question and tactfully refuse to answer.
b. politely explain that you have never experienced such a situation.
c. make up any answer and wish that you had been better prepared.
d. describe a situation or task, tell what action you took, and emphasize a positive
result.
While conducting business with a customer from Italy, Zoe was careful to speak slowly
and clearly, using short sentences and familiar words. However, she noticed that the
customer had a glazed expression and did not understand her. Zoe should
a. repeat what she has said in a louder voice.
b. graciously accept the blame for not making her meaning clear.
c. end the conversation until an interpreter can be found.
d. require the Italian businessperson to restate the message in simple words.
Which of the following is an example of a situational question?
a. If you were aware that a coworker submitted false data, what would you do?
b. What is your ideal work environment?
c. What do you predict for the future of our industry?
d. Tell me about a time when you dealt with confidential information.
Which of the following statements about speaking skills is most accurate?
a. Speaking skills are not necessary for entrylevel workers.
b. Recruiters rank speaking skills as an important “soft skill” desired in employees.
c. Effective speaking skills are not important for a successful career.
d. Speaking skills are important only when communicating facetoface with others.
Sammie is planning a persuasive request. What advice should she follow for the
opening of her request?
a. Provide her telephone number.
b. Capture the reader’s attention and interest.
c. Cite facts, statistics, expert opinions, examples, and specific details to support her
request.
d. Identify herself and her company.
Which of the following statements about professionalism in the workplace is most
accurate?
a. Unprofessional behavior affects only the individual who displays it.
b. More organizations are establishing procedures or policies to encourage
professionalism.
c. Employees need to exhibit professional behavior only when working at their desks.
d. You exhibit professional behavior only through nonverbal actions such as dressing
appropriately or maintaining eye contact with others.
When analyzing your audience, you should consider the
a. HTMLENTITY#8203HTMLENTITYeducational level of the audience members.
b. size of the audience.
c. approximate age of the audience members.
d. All answer choices are important factors to consider when analyzing an audience.
The major attraction of instant messaging (IM) in business is realtime communication
with colleagues anywhere in the world as long as a cell phone signal or a WiFi
connection is available.
a. True
b. False
One important guideline when preparing instructions is to
a. follow an indirect approach to soften the impact of the demand for compliance.
b. begin with an admonition or warning of the punishment for failure to comply fully
with directions as written.
c. put all steps of the instructions in one paragraph.
d. divide the process into logical steps and present them in the correct order.
Which of the following statements about screening interviews is most accurate?
a. Screening interviews are conducted after hiring/placement interviews.
b. Screening interviews are always conducted facetoface.
c. Most screening interviews are conducted during job fairs.
d. Companies use screening interviews to save time and money.
The closing of a persuasive request should
a. establish your credibility and demonstrate your competence.
b. meet governmental regulations.
c. describe the problem.
d. motivate action.
Long sentence leadins
a. are unnecessary introductory words.
b. introduce the “meat” of the message.
c. avoid reader confusion.
d. demonstrate effective language usage.
The only advantage of visual aids is that they improve the comprehension and retention
of ideas.
a. True
b. False
One advantage of the direct strategy is that it saves the reader time.
a. True
b. False
You can soften the blow of the bad news in refusing a typical request or claim by
a. emphasizing the bad news.
b. using the active voice.
c. implying the refusal.
d. accentuating the negative.
Business messages are most effective if they convey an informal, conversational tone.
a. True
b. False
To emphasize an important sentence within a business document, type the entire
sentence in capital letters.
a. True
b. False
