It’s best to back up all claims and requests for adjustments with invoices, sales receipts,
and so on and to send copies to the company and keep the originals.
Answer:
Using a spell checker guarantees that your documents will be free of spelling errors.
Answer:
There are no important differences between instant messaging and text messaging.
Answer:
Good business letters use language that is as formal as possible and use proven
terminology such as “please be advised that” and “attached please find.”
Answer:
For reports organized in the indirect approach, you should use an informative synopsis
instead of a descriptive one.
Answer:
Professionals should avoid simple sentences altogether, since using them makes your
writing seem unsophisticated.
Answer:
The table of contents should always include all levels of headings for the report.
Answer:
Statements beginning I must refuse and We cannot allow help audiences accept the bad
news you are delivering.
Answer:
When writing a condolence message about a loss, you should always use comforting
poetic expressions such as “life is for the living.”
Answer:
The denotative meaning of a word is its dictionary definition.
Answer:
Although virtual meetings have become popular, evidence suggests that companies do
not save much money by utilizing them.
Answer:
When it comes to personal appearance in the workplace, it’s best to match your style to
the expectations of your organization.
Answer:
When conducting business with others who speak a language other than English, it is
best to avoid trying to speak any words or phrases in their language.
Answer:
In a negative message, you should never give the reader any indication that he or she
could have received or might someday receive a favorable answer.
Answer:
“Future plans” is an example of a redundancy.
Answer:
In developing persuasive messages, you should avoid the use of metaphors, as they will
only confuse the reader.
Answer:
Machine translation software is generally far more effective than human translators.
Answer:
You can use moving blueprint slides at several points in your presentation, but not at the
end.
Answer:
If you expect a hostile audience, you should be careful to present all sides of an issue
before making the case for your own argument.
Answer:
One way to avoid being accused of defamation is to stick to the facts when
communicating with customers.
Answer:
In business-related email messages, it is a good idea to make frequent use of
background colors and colored type to add visual appeal to the text.
Answer:
Ellipsis points consist of four to five evenly spaced periods.
Answer:
A synopsis of a 15-page report should usually be at least two pages long.
Answer:
The interest section of a persuasive letter provides details on how the message is
relevant to the audience.
Answer:
A combination résumé combines descriptions of your education and employment
background under a single heading.
Answer:
The close of a formal proposal emphasizes the benefits that readers will realize from
your solution.
Answer:
Even if nothing will change as a result of your message, you should send it if you
believe it is important.
Answer:
An unsolicited job application letter should begin with a statement designed to get the
reader’s attention.
Answer:
Evidence suggests that whatever the culture, men and women tend to have slightly
different communication styles.
Answer:
Cultural context refers to the pattern of physical cues, environmental stimuli, and
implicit understanding that conveys meaning between members of the same culture.
Answer:
One of the best ways to gain credibility for your message is to support it with objective
evidence.
Answer:
Honor and progress are concrete words.
Answer:
If you will create a PDF file of a business report for electronic distribution, each entry
in the table of contents should be
A) italicized.
B) in boldface type.
C) in all caps.
D) a clickable link that takes readers to the appropriate place in the report.
E) underlined.
Answer:
An example of horizontal communication is
A) a junior staff person giving information to a staff supervisor.
B) a company briefing held on the organization’s ground floor.
C) an email message about sick leave sent from one department secretary to a secretary
in a different department.
D) an email message that sparks a chain of multiple replies.
E) all of the above.
Answer:
If you have serious concerns about the qualifications of a job candidate who has asked
you for a recommendation, it is best to
A) keep them to yourself.
B) include others’ criticisms to support your statements.
C) refuse to write the recommendation.
D) state your opinion strongly, since it is protected by the First Amendment.
E) write the letter, but give specific examples to back up your negative comments.
Answer:
A reliable employee you supervise has come to speak with you about a leave of absence
related to personal issues. To understand her feelings and needs, you should engage in
________ listening.
A) content
B) empathic
C) critical
D) sustained
E) defensive
Answer:
In business communication, good etiquette
A) is not a major concern, as long as you get your point across.
B) is important, but only in formal written messages.
C) indicates respect for the audience and minimizes negative emotional reaction.
D) now means nothing more than responding promptly when others contact you.
E) is important only when communicating with older individuals.
Answer:
“We have credited your account in the amount of $14.95 to cover the cost of return
shipping” is an example of which type of buffer?
A) good news
B) cooperation
C) understanding
D) fairness
E) appreciation
Answer:
Which of the following is a euphemism?
A) old
B) used
C) pre-owned
D) cheap
E) worn out
Answer:
One of your sales representatives has begun using social networks to aggressively
promote a new product line. The best response would likely be to
A) encourage him to continue.
B) discourage him from using blatant ‘salespeak” since it is likely to alienate the
audience.
C) enact a policy forbidding employees from using social networks on company time.
D) do nothing.
E) fire him immediately.
Answer:
Whether or not you should apologize when delivering bad news about transactions
depends mainly on
A) how much the customer has purchased from your company in the past.
B) the medium you are using for the message.
C) how long it has been since the problem occurred.
D) whether or not your company has a legal department.
E) none of the above.
Answer:
Turning your mobile phone off before meetings is
A) frowned upon, since it causes you to disconnect from colleagues and clients.
B) an effective way to help minimize barriers and distractions.
C) helpful only if you are not in a managerial position.
D) often grounds for dismissal in today’s high-tech environment.
E) costly and inappropriate, since you might miss an important message from a
potential client.
F) necessary only if your device does not have a silent mode.
Answer:
In recommendation letters, comparing the candidate’s potential to that of his or her
peers
A) should be avoided, since it opens the door to legal action.
B) is unprofessional because it distracts attention from the candidate you are
recommending.
C) helps the recipient evaluate the candidate more effectively.
D) is a good idea, even if you have only a “gut feeling” about how the candidate stacks
up.
E) almost always reduces the candidate’s chances of landing the job.
Answer:
You can emphasize key points by
A) using extra words to describe them.
B) adding a second, short sentence to highlight your point.
C) making important ideas the subject of the sentence.
D) placing them at the beginning or end of a sentence.
E) doing all of the above.
Answer:
When it comes to decision-making customs, North American executives
A) tend to focus on the results of the decisions they face.
B) prefer to make their deals slowly, after much discussion.
C) spend a lot of time on each little point to display their good faith.
D) arrive at decisions through consensus, after an elaborate and time-consuming
process.
E) will almost always give in if it allows them to avoid offending the other party.
Answer:
Online interviews
A) never involve anything more than a simple set of structured questions.
B) are utilized only in highly technical fields.
C) involve only sophisticated job simulations.
D) severely limit what interviewers can learn about the candidates they interview.
E) are not very useful, since they never allow for nonverbal communication.
Answer:
Compared to blogs, podcasts are
A) much easier to edit.
B) more difficult to edit.
C) equally challenging when it comes to editing.
D) used only by high-tech companies.
E) far less effective for conveying emotion and tone.
Answer:
Active listening involves
A) thinking of what you will say next while others are speaking.
B) playing “devil’s advocate” and thinking of ways to disagree, even before the other
person has finished speaking.
C) making a conscious effort to truly hear and understand what the other party is
saying.
D) allowing your mind to multitask while others are speaking.
E) working to overhear coworkers’ conversations, even if they are unaware that you are
listening.
Answer:
Suggesting that readers have made poor choices in the past
A) is helpful in sales messages, but not other persuasive messages.
B) is effective in persuasive messages, as long as you are subtle.
C) works well if you are trying to convince someone to make a large purchase.
D) can inadvertently insult your audience, reducing the effectiveness of your persuasive
message.
E) makes them more likely to accept your argument, as long as you are blunt and
forceful.
Answer:
Which of the following words are the most abstract?
A) two, contract, performance
B) software, code, signal
C) kick, move, walk
D) productivity, quality, motivation
E) building, machine, template
Answer:
Podcasts are
A) great for entertainment, but not useful in business.
B) helpful for training in business, but not much else.
C) too technical to be practical for business use.
D) no longer viable as a medium for business communication.
E) none of the above.
Answer:
The opening of a request for a recommendation should include
A) a buffer.
B) a statement implying that you’re applying for a position.
C) a statement of why the recommendation is needed.
D) an apology for bothering the reader.
E) a comment that you don’t mind if the writer overstates your qualifications.
Answer:
A new co-worker from Russia asks you about North American greeting customs. You
should explain that in most business contexts,
A) women are expected to shake hands differently than men.
B) it is not necessary to stand up before shaking hands if you are already seated.
C) shaking hands is now widely regarded as an outdated custom.
D) a firm handshake is expected when two people meet.
E) it is acceptable to shake hands using either the left or right hand.
Answer:
In part because of limited opportunities for feedback, written communication and most
forms of electronic communication require ________ than oral communication.
A) less care
B) fewer nouns
C) more tact
D) shorter sentences
E) less formality
Answer:
If a message draft scores well on a readability index, you should
A) send it right away—it does not need to be revised.
B) rewrite it to make it sound more complex and professional.
C) still revise it since there may be other factors you need to address.
D) add a comment to that effect at the beginning of your text.
E) ignore any suggestions you receive for improvement.
Answer:
The best approach for an application letter depends on
A) how badly you want the job.
B) whether or not your résumé is up to date.
C) how long you have been on the job market.
D) whether you are sending a solicited letter or an unsolicited letter.
E) your personal preferences.
Answer:
Compared to younger employees, older workers
A) are less respected in all cultures.
B) are more respected in all cultures.
C) can offer broader experience and high degrees of “practical intelligence.”
D) are generally not highly respected in Asian societies.
E) almost never find themselves in generational conflict with coworkers.
Answer:
The close of a routine reply or positive message should
A) clearly state who will do what next.
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:
Business communication is often more demanding than social communication because
communication on the job is affected by the
A) pervasiveness of technology.
B) growing reliance on teamwork in business.
C) globalization of business.
D) increasing value of business information.
E) all of the above.
Answer:
The best time for college students to begin developing a job-search strategy is
A) about six months prior to graduation.
B) now—even if they are a year or more away from graduation.
C) no earlier than the second semester of their junior year.
D) immediately after graduation.
E) when they locate a promising job ad.
Answer:
Using the term crippled in business communication is an example of
A) the “you” attitude.
B) emphasizing the positive.
C) disability bias.
D) bias-free language.
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:
On your second or third visit to an organization, if you haven’t been told by the end of
an interview whether you got the job, you should
A) not bring up the topic.
B) say that you have another job offer (even if you really don’t) and need to give the
other company an answer by a specific date.
C) ask tactfully when you can expect to learn of the decision.
D) ask whether you did anything wrong during the interview.
E) politely explain that you need to know right away whether or not they plan to hire
you.
Answer:
You’re preparing an internal blog posting providing information on this year’s annual
company picnic. The message is generally positive, but you need to say that—unlike
past picnics—the event will not be catered. What approach is best for conveying
negative information such as this in the context of a positive message?
Answer:
________ is the practice of assigning a wide range of generalized attributes to an
individual on the basis of membership in a particular culture or social group.
Answer:
Offer some practical suggestions for overcoming anxiety related to public speaking.
Answer:
Define the “journalistic approach” and explain how it can help you craft a more
effective message.
Answer:
Explain what you should strive to achieve during a selection interview.
Answer:
What is the primary purpose of a performance review?
Answer:
What are the three categories of report components?
Answer:
Describe four important issues to consider when distributing business messages.
Answer:
Give the definition of a complex sentence, then provide an example of one.
Answer:
Explain the difference between a title fly and a title page.
Answer:
List at least two types of biased language and explain how to avoid each type.
Answer:
List the three major disadvantages of Internet search engines, then briefly describe other
electronic research tools that overcome those shortcomings.
Answer:
In a line chart, what do the vertical and horizontal axes normally illustrate?
Answer:
Explain what it means to choose “words that communicate well,” then list four
techniques for selecting the best words when writing business messages.
Answer:
Briefly describe at least three advantages of using lists in business documents.
Answer:
Briefly describe two strategies for clarifying sentence structure.
Answer:
List at least three personal characteristics that can help establish credibility with your
audience.
Answer:
List three strategies to become more sensitive to your audience’s needs.
Answer:
What is cultural competency?
Answer:
A negative message organized using the ________ approach starts with a clear
statement of the bad news.
Answer: