Unlike most search engines, a web directory yields results that have been screened by
human editors.
Answer:
In application letters it is acceptable to mention that you will follow up with a phone
call in a few days.
Answer:
Dealing directly with resistance is never good for team maintenance.
Answer:
The number 29 is the mode in this set of figures: 25, 29, 34, 29, 29, 42, 8.
Answer:
When you get a vague request for information, the best way to handle it is to provide all
the information you can and allow the audience members to pick and choose what is
useful to them.
Answer:
Flatter organizational structures generally create less distortion when it comes to
internal communication.
Answer:
In word-processing software, the autocompletion feature is essentially the same thing as
the autocorrection feature.
Answer:
A job interviewer will expect you to raise the issue of salary.
Answer:
A synopsis or executive summary is usually less useful in a formal proposal than in
other types of formal reports.
Answer:
Because each electronic medium has unique requirements, basic communication skills
do not usually transfer from one system to another.
Answer:
When responding to social networking recommendation requests, a single sentence that
focuses on one positive aspect is often all that is necessary.
Answer:
The main purpose of a résumé is to list all your skills and abilities.
Answer:
Although they are popular for personal use, user-generated content sites such as Flickr
and YouTube generally are not useful for business communication.
Answer:
If you’re still in school, you should present your educational background in depth since
that is probably your strongest selling point.
Answer:
Foreign language instruction is one area where social networking technology has failed
to have much of an impact.
Answer:
Making a presentation with the help of an outline or notes is the most effective and
easiest delivery mode.
Answer:
In business reports, it is never appropriate to combine the direct and indirect approaches
by revealing conclusions and recommendations as you go along.
Answer:
When traveling to another country to conduct business, you should assume that frequent
eye contact is regarded as a sign of honesty and openness in any culture.
Answer:
If you are frustrated that virtually no one responds to your emails, you should set the
message priority to “High” for all the messages you send.
Answer:
If your purpose is to analyze, persuade, or collaborate, you should organize your speech
around conclusions and recommendations or a logical argument.
Answer:
A justification report is an internal report designed to persuade top management to
approve a proposed investment or project.
Answer:
As long as your message is clear, the size of your audience should not affect your
approach.
Answer:
The AIDA model can be used with both the direct and indirect approaches for
persuasive messages.
Answer:
When writing for electronic media, you can choose from only three different
compositional modes.
Answer:
One effective informal method for learning more about your audience members’
information needs is to ask them directly for input.
Answer:
Items in a list do not need to have parallel construction.
Answer:
“If we can’t meet the deadline, our losses will be significant” is a compound sentence.
Answer:
Boolean operators include terms such as AND, OR, and NOT.
Answer:
When writing a persuasive claim or request for adjustment, you should appeal to your
audience’s sense of fair play, goodwill, or moral responsibility.
Answer:
When writing a work plan, it’s important to begin by developing a problem statement.
Answer:
In a letter agreeing to make an adjustment even though the buyer technically was at
fault, a courteous tone is less important.
Answer:
It is sometimes acceptable for the title page to serve as the report cover.
Answer:
Firing an employee whose performance reviews were all positive can result in a
lawsuit.
Answer:
If sales for the first six months of the year were $24,000, $20,000, $23,000, $20,000,
$19,000, and $21,000, the mean for the six months would be $20,000.
Answer:
As a general rule, if a document you have written scores well on a readability index,
A) it is probably too simple for business communication.
B) you should assume that it is well-written.
C) you should not assume that it is well-written.
D) you should increase the length of your sentences, but not your paragraphs.
E) none of the above
Answer:
In requesting a sales report from a co-worker, you should
A) use the indirect approach.
B) get straight to the point.
C) maintain a formal style and tone.
D) use circular reasoning to justify your request.
E) do all of the above.
Answer:
When evaluating the work of others, you should
A) make sure you understand the writer’s intent before you begin suggesting or making
changes.
B) talk with the writer about his or her intent only after you suggest changes, since this
is a good way to test the effectiveness of the document.
C) avoid talking with the writer about the document, since other readers may not have
that opportunity.
D) compare the other person’s writing style with your own, and if yours is better,
rewrite the document in your own style.
E) always point out problems and make suggestions for improvement, even when you
do not believe they are truly needed.
Answer:
Career counseling
A) has been cut at most colleges and universities due to budget constraints.
B) is generally of little value, now that it is so easy to find job postings on the Internet.
C) is helpful only for students who have never had a job.
D) often provides valuable advice, training, and services for job seekers.
E) at most colleges and universities offers little more than mock interviews and help
with résumé preparation.
Answer:
For most audiences, reading online is ________ than reading from a printed page.
A) easier
B) more difficult
C) neither easier nor more difficult
D) much faster
E) more comfortable
Answer:
The closing section of a positive message
A) highlights a benefit to the audience or expresses goodwill.
B) states the main idea.
C) is the longest part.
D) provides resale information.
E) should usually include a joke or personal comment.
Answer:
In a proposal, the work plan
A) is presented in the conclusion.
B) is contractually binding if the proposal is accepted.
C) outlines the costs of the proposed actions.
D) can be changed at any time.
E) 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) Dash
D) Exclamation Point
E) Comma
Answer:
A Gantt chart is a type of
A) pictogram.
B) line chart.
C) bar chart.
D) pie chart.
E) organizational chart.
Answer:
The best way to decide what to include in an introduction is to
A) consult with more-experienced report writers.
B) figure out what kinds of information will most help your readers follow and
comprehend the report.
C) put in as many standard topics as you can cover in 10 pages or less.
D) do a quick survey of potential readers.
E) skim the report quickly, and list what you remember.
Answer:
When it comes to blogging for business,
A) don’t worry about proofreading—your audience doesn’t expect it.
B) you should apply the three-step writing process as you would for any other business
message.
C) don’t spend a lot of time trying to define your audience: you’re writing for everyone.
D) it is a waste of time unless you are selling high-tech products or services.
E) you can rely on your HTML editor to correct all errors in spelling and grammar.
Answer:
In high-context cultures, ________ media are often more effective than ________ ones.
A) leaner, richer
B) oral, written
C) foreign, domestic
D) written, oral
E) none of the above
Answer:
Email
A) should follow the convention of other business writing in formal situations.
B) should never be longer than one screen.
C) does not need to be proofread.
D) is the best medium for internal messages, regardless of their content.
E) should never include attachments, since they can harm the audience’s computer.
Answer:
The primary difference between an informative synopsis and a descriptive synopsis is
A) the descriptive synopsis is more detailed.
B) the informative synopsis is more detailed.
C) the informative synopsis omits the report findings.
D) the descriptive synopsis is preferable if your report is organized using the direct
approach.
E) none of the above—there are no significant differences.
Answer:
Which of the following is a compound sentence?
A) Interest rates are low, and now is an excellent time to buy a home.
B) Because interest rates are low, now is an excellent time to buy a home.
C) Low interest rates make this an excellent time to buy a home.
D) With interest rates low, now is an excellent time to buy a home.
E) Interest rates are low.
Answer:
Proposals addressed to potential customers and investors
A) are nearly always formal.
B) rarely include a copy of the RFP.
C) are less formal than those addressed to internal audiences.
D) should never include visuals.
E) should always be single-spaced.
Answer:
The most common problem with résumé design is
A) using excessive and distracting design elements.
B) settling for an old-fashioned look.
C) using the wrong type of paper.
D) failing to include at least one graphic.
E) using too much white space.
Answer:
When offering compliments in a goodwill message, you should
A) feel free to exaggerate.
B) always use the strongest words you can think of.
C) be sure to back them up with specific points.
D) temper them with comments on areas for improvement.
E) offset them with negative comments about other employees.
Answer:
To achieve the best physical appearance for your résumé, you should
A) have it prepared by a professional résumé service.
B) make subheadings easy to find and easy to read.
C) use colored paper.
D) use a variety of typefaces in various colors.
E) submit it in a brightly colored envelope or folder.
Answer:
When it comes to communication skills, employers express particular frustration with
A) experienced workers who shun new technologies.
B) recent college graduates who haven’t learned how to adapt to a professional
environment.
C) employees whose first language is not English.
D) male workers.
E) employees who believe they are tech-savvy.
Answer:
Typeface refers to
A) a set of characters in a specific style.
B) the lettering commonly used on the title-pages and covers of business documents.
C) the part of a laser printer that imprints letters on the page.
D) the physical design of letters, numbers, and other text characters.
E) the margin settings of a document.
Answer:
An effective opening for a negative message would be
A) I’m sorry to say I have some bad news.
B) This letter is in reply to your application.
C) Your résumé clearly shows why you are interested in becoming a management
trainee with our company.
D) We have no openings at this time.
E) Hate to tell you, but …
Answer:
The best way to phrase the purpose statement of a report is with
A) complex language.
B) an infinitive phrase.
C) a controversial statement.
D) jargon.
E) humor.
Answer:
Only one sales representative can go to the conference in Hawaii, but both Susan and
Sean want to go. After much discussion and arguing, they draw straws and Susan gets
the trip. This is an example of
A) a win-lose situation.
B) the five-step decision-making process.
C) the best way to deal with a conflict.
D) a lose-lose situation.
E) all of the above.
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:
One important goal of a buffer is to
A) delay stating the bad news.
B) establish common ground with your reader.
C) make your reader wonder what the message is about.
D) divert the reader’s attention to a more pleasant subject.
E) make it clear that you are not at fault.
Answer:
You create a survey and administer it five times under identical conditions. Because it
yielded completely different results each time, you should conclude that this survey is
A) not valid.
B) not reliable.
C) open-ended.
D) leading.
E) closed-ended.
Answer:
Which of the following is not a technique for helping readers who skim your
document?
A) Using lists and bullets instead of narrative
B) Keeping all sentences the same length
C) Including headings and subheadings
D) Using shorter paragraphs
E) All of the above are helpful techniques.
Answer:
Which of the following techniques can help you proofread more effectively?
A) Read each page backward, from the bottom to the top.
B) Proofread the document as soon as you complete the draft.
C) To ensure consistency, proofread long documents from beginning to end without
stopping.
D) Always proofread using your monitor (rather than printing out a hard copy of the
document).
E) Don’t get bogged down: just make a casual scan up and down the page (or screen),
correct any obvious problems, and move on.
Answer:
When checking the location of your presentation in advance, you should
A) not worry about seating arrangements—they have no effect on how you deliver your
remarks.
B) always request a whiteboard, even if you aren’t sure you will need it.
C) think carefully about the seating of the audience.
D) do none of the above, since it is a waste of time.
E) do all of the above.
Answer:
When emailing your résumé to a prospective employer, you should
A) always send it as a Microsoft Word attachment.
B) make it less formal than you would for other formats.
C) include in the subject line the reference number or job ad number.
D) use lots of colors to make your résumé stand out.
E) use a subject line that will grab attention, such as “This is the one.”
Answer:
Which of the following words is misspelled?
A) Exaggerate
B) Occurrence
C) Receive
D) Accommodate
E) Disbersment
Answer:
“If the figures are in by the end of the month we will hopefully be able to begin
planning for the upcoming year’s budget, but if they are not then the planning process
will most definitely have to wait until later” is an example of
A) a comma splice.
B) an overly long sentence.
C) an indefinite pronoun starter.
D) an awkward pointer.
E) parallelism.
Answer:
Requesting references before extending credit
A) was once common, but not anymore.
B) happens only when the applicant has a very poor credit rating.
C) is illegal in the U.S.
D) is just a diplomatic way of denying applications.
E) is a common practice.
Answer:
Formal presentations differ from informal ones in that
A) formal presentations always include obscure, unfamiliar vocabulary.
B) formal presentations are always much longer.
C) formal presentations are often delivered from a stage or platform.
D) when delivering a formal presentation, you should speak more rapidly.
E) formal presentations are much easier to prepare and deliver.
Answer:
Provide at least one example of an idiomatic phrase that would be best to avoid in
writing to an audience whose first language is not English.
Answer:
What are three potential disadvantages of working in teams?
Answer:
You’ve been asked to prepare a report on whether or not your company should consider
other health insurance providers. List four informal techniques for gathering
information to include in your report.
Answer:
What are the four tasks involved in planning business messages?
Answer:
What does it mean to impose parallelism on your writing, and what are the results of
doing so?
Answer:
________ information includes age, gender, occupation, income, and education.
Answer:
What is the scope of a business message?
Answer:
What is a multimedia document, and what advantage does this medium offer?
Answer:
Briefly explain the difference between a synopsis and an executive summary.
Answer:
________ are the accepted principles of conduct that govern behavior within a society.
Answer:
The body of a positive message is a good place to use ________, assuring the customer
of the wisdom of his or her purchase selection.
Answer:
What is selective perception?
Answer:
Briefly describe the elements of a negative message that uses the direct approach.
Answer:
Briefly explain the difference between a structured interview and an open-ended
interview.
Answer:
List two goals to achieve in the body of a business presentation.
Answer:
List at least three guidelines to follow if you want to achieve a conversational tone in
business messages.
Answer: