When composing collaborative messages, the best strategy is to
A) avoid composing as a group.
B) begin by letting all members “do their own thing” and then seeing what they all
produce.
C) let all members use their own preferred software.
D) make the team as large as possible in order to cover every possible area of expertise.
E) insist that no one is leaving the room until the task is complete.
Answer:
The best way to convey the “you” attitude is to express your message in terms of
A) the needs and interests of your organization.
B) your own personal needs and interests.
C) a universal set of needs and interests.
D) the needs and interests of your audience.
E) none of the above.
Answer:
The four tasks involved in completing business reports and proposals include all of the
following except
A) distributing.
B) revising.
C) producing.
D) illustrating.
E) proofreading.
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 abovethere are no significant differences.
Answer:
Negative messages about business transactions should
A) ignore the customer’s expectations.
B) explain how you plan to resolve the situation.
C) show the audience that whatever has happened, your company is not at fault.
D) let the audience know which of your employees caused the problem.
E) shield your company from liability, even if you must blame another organization
unfairly.
Answer:
The termcorporate culture refers to
A) the number of organizational levels within a corporation.
B) the extent to which corporations dominate a particular culture.
C) the mixture of values, traditions, and habits that give a company its atmosphere and
personality.
D) a company’s sponsorship of events such as concerts and plays.
E) the heavy influence business has had on our society.
Answer:
You can use a five-phase process to help you find reliable information to support your
workplace messages. All of the following except ________ will help you apply your
research findings.
A) developing a statement of purpose
B) developing recommendations
C) drawing conclusions based on what you’ve learned
D) summarizing information for someone else’s benefit
E) none of the above
Answer:
Consider the following statements. Which one of them is phrased in a negative way?
A) Your payment is late.
B) We’ll ship your smartphone within three business days.
C) Your lawn tractor will be repaired next week.
D) Please verify the enclosed statement and provide a correct copy.
E) Thank you for sharing your concerns about your shopping experience.
Answer:
Speeches and oral presentations are much like any other messages in that
A) they all require similar planning.
B) they are delivered to groups that are similar in size.
C) the interaction between the audience and speaker is similar.
D) they deal with emotional or personal issues to a similar extent.
E) they require little planning.
Answer:
Which one of the following type-size ranges does your textbook recommend for printed
business messages?
A) 10-12 points for regular text and 12-18 points for headings and subheadings
B) 8-10 points for regular text and 10-12 points for headings and subheadings
C) 12-14 points for regular text and 12-14 points for headings and subheadings
D) 14-16 points for regular text and 24-36 points for headings and subheadings
E) 10-12 points for regular text and 10-12 points for headings and subheadings
Answer:
For years, email has been the primary communication medium at your company.
However, many of your employees now use IM daily for personal messages, and
they’ve come to you asking your approval to begin using it to communicate with clients
and vendors. Your greatest concern is likely to be
A) incompatibility between your company’s IM system and systems your vendors and
clients use.
B) the need for users to learn complicated software.
C) the ability to use it only on expensive, highly specialized devices.
D) the high cost.
E) that employees will begin to write messages that are too long.
Answer:
An example of a specific purpose for a business message would be
A) to impart information to the audience.
B) to inform employees about the new vacation policy.
C) to persuade readers to take an action.
D) to obtain audience participation and collaboration.
E) to make a point.
Answer:
In ________ paragraph, a writer analyzes the reasons for and the consequences of an
action, an event, or a decision.
A) an illustration
B) a comparison and contrast
C) a cause and effect
D) a problem and solution
E) an augmentation
Answer:
An audience-centered approach to communication involves
A) saying whatever it takes to win over the members of your audience.
B) embedding a layer of technology between you and the members of your audience.
C) respecting, understanding and meeting the needs of your audience.
D) focusing on how the members of your audience can help you obtain your goals.
E) doing all of the above.
Answer:
When preparing an outline for your speech, keep in mind that
A) it can include delivery cues, such as where you plan to pause for emphasis or use
visuals.
B) you should keep each item to two- to three-word descriptions of what you will say.
C) you can leave out all transitions.
D) this is not the place to include ‘stage directions.”
E) the best presentations are almost entirely spontaneous.
Answer:
The CEO of a pharmaceutical company asks you to assess the company’s adherence to
laws governing television ads for prescription drugs. The CEO has requested a
A) personal activity report.
B) work plan.
C) compliance report.
D) policy report.
E) business plan.
Answer:
Briefly explain the concept of using compositional modes for electronic media.
Answer:
Addressing alternative positions in a persuasive message
A) enhances your credibility and can strengthen your argument.
B) weakens your argument, unless you use an aggressive tone.
C) shows that you lack confidence in your opinions.
D) is effective only with controversial subjects.
E) requires that you use the direct approach.
Answer:
All of the following are compelling advantages of email in the workplace except
A) email is universal.
B) email closely resembles one-on-one conversations.
C) email is an effective medium for private, short-to-medium length messages.
D) email allows senders to write messages and recipients to read them, according to
their schedules.
E) none of the above.
Answer:
Which of the following statements that could appear in a business message best reflects
the “you” attitude?
A) You failed to enclose a check for $25.
B) We need a check from you for $25 so that we can send the merchandise by May 15.
C) We will send you the merchandise as soon as we receive your check for $25.
D) You will have your merchandise by July 15 if you send us your check for $25 today.
E) If you want your order, you have to pay us first.
Answer:
All of the following except ________ can facilitate the business communication process
through the effective use of communication technology.
A) using technological tools productively
B) staying connected around the clock
C) guarding against information overload
D) keeping technology in perspective
E) reconnecting with people
Answer:
When responding to a customer’s complaint about one of your company’s services, you
should
A) soften the situation with excuses such as “Nobody’s perfect” or “Mistakes will
happen.”
B) use a generous, grudging tone.
C) use a standard form letter, with blanks left for filling in unique information in neat
handwriting.
D) avoid blaming anyone in your organization by name.
E) always find a way to blame the customer for the problem.
Answer:
The revision process for formal reports and proposals includes all of the following
except
A) profiling the audience.
B) evaluating overall organization.
C) adding headings and subheadings.
D) making sure the content responds to audience needs.
E) striving for writing that is clear, concise, and compelling.
Answer:
In the second stage of interviews, your best approach is to
A) stick to brief yes and no answers to the interview questions.
B) relate your training and experience to the organization’s needs.
C) inquire about salary and benefits.
D) press for an immediate decision on whether or not to hire you.
E) do all the above.
Answer:
The best approach to preparing a résumé is to
A) spend a lot of time creating it, and then send the same version to all prospective
employers.
B) learn as much as you can about who may be reading it, and be sure to meet their
needs.
C) keep it general, brief, and nonspecific.
D) use a hard-sell approach.
E) none of the above
Answer:
The transference of data from a recipient’s sensory memory to his or her short-term
memory depends primarily on
A) whether or not the recipient pays attention to the data.
B) the recipient’s I.Q.
C) the time of day.
D) how many times it’s repeated.
E) the medium used to communicate the data.
Answer:
Placing detailed supporting materials online instead of in a traditional appendix
A) can make it much more convenient for readers to access.
B) suggests that you don’t know how to incorporate them into the report.
C) is not acceptable unless your report is highly technical.
D) is a great inconvenience for your audience.
E) often leads to legal problems.
Answer:
When going to a job interview
A) take along samples of your work; recruiters are impressed by tangible evidence of
job-related accomplishments.
B) there is no need for you to bring copies of your résumé; you can assume the
interviewer already has one.
C) try not to be more than five or ten minutes late.
D) it is important to say nothing to the receptionist until after the interview is complete.
E) do all of the above.
Answer:
When responding to questions during a job interview, you should
A) stick to neutral topics such as the weather.
B) look for opportunities to frame your answers as brief stories rather than simple
declarative answers.
C) limit yourself to yes or no answers only.
D) not be afraid to ask, “Could we move on?” if the employer asks a question you don’t
like.
E) do none of the above.
Answer:
Using FedEx or UPS to deliver a formal report or proposal
A) is a waste of moneyfirst-class mail is almost always preferable.
B) is necessary only when sending the document overseas.
C) will, in most cases, make you appear desperate.
D) will not allow you to confirm whether the report has been delivered.
E) allows you to track the report and ensure that it is delivered on time.
Answer:
In the following sentence, which word should not be capitalized? “After talking with
President Hilda Bruckner, he decided that the Insurance industry would provide a
suitable career for someone who was a graduate of the Department of Business at Gable
University.”
A) Department
B) President
C) Gable
D) Insurance
E) All of the words should be capitalized.
Answer:
List at least three strategies to help ensure the accuracy of information you include in
business messages.
Answer:
What is content curation? What is its potential effect on business communication?
Answer:
List the three major categories of common routine requests.
Answer:
List at least three types of materials commonly included in appendixes.
Answer:
What is normally included in the body of a business report?
Answer:
Identify and discuss some of the ways businesses are using Twitter.
Answer:
If you are new to a company, what is the best way to decide what type of dress is
appropriate in that organization?
Answer:
Briefly define multimedia.
Answer:
Briefly define Business Communication 2.0, and explain how it differs from a more
traditional approach to business communication.
Answer: