One of the best strategies to become a better listener is to question a speaker while he or
she is still talking to ensure your comprehension.
a. True
b. False
North Americans value straightforwardness and are suspicious of evasiveness. These
traits identify the cultural dimension of
a. individualism.
b. power distance.
c. communication style.
d. time orientation.
When writers must convey bad news, they must carefully consider all of the following
except the
a. purpose.
b. context.
c. audience.
d. total number of words they use.
Which of the following is a primary data source?
a. Periodicals
b. Electronic databases
c. Blogs
d. Experimentation
If asked for the position desired on a job application form, answer with Anything or
Open to increase your odds of securing a position.
a. True
b. False
To improve your nonverbal communication, which of the following tips should you
practice?
a. HTMLENTITY#8203HTMLENTITYEstablish and maintain eye contact with others.
b. HTMLENTITY#8203HTMLENTITYMinimize any distracting or competing
background sounds.
c. HTMLENTITY#8203HTMLENTITYAssociate with people from diverse cultures.
d. HTMLENTITY#8203HTMLENTITYAll answer choices are effective ways to
improve your nonverbal communication.
Every business person will need to write a negative business message that may
disappoint, irritate, or anger a receiver; these messages must be written
a. carefully.
b. by toplevel management only.
c. using only the direct organizational strategy.
d. deceitfully.
The front matter of a formal report refers to the preliminary sections before the body
section.
a. True
b. False
Directives moving downward from superiors to subordinates usually follow the indirect
strategy.
a. True
b. False
Which of the following demonstrates the best example when answering a telephone
call?
a. This is Beth. May I help you?
b. Precision Integrations. What’s on your mind?
c. Hello. What can I do for you?
d. Thanks for calling Precision Integrations. This is Beth Dittmer. How may I help you
today?
What information should be included in the introduction of a formal report?
a. Copies of surveys
b. A discussion of the report findings
c. Conclusions and recommendations
d. Explanation of the problem
HTMLENTITY#8203HTMLENTITYWhich of the following techniques is most
effective when an interviewer asks, Why do you want to work for us?
a. HTMLENTITY#8203HTMLENTITYBriefly summarize current employment
problems requiring you to change employers.
b. HTMLENTITY#8203HTMLENTITYShow what you know about the interviewer’s
company and demonstrate how your goals match its point of view.
c. HTMLENTITY#8203HTMLENTITYExplain that as a recent graduate you want to
work for any company needing an employee with your skills and background.
d. HTMLENTITY#8203HTMLENTITYSimply tell the truth about your reasons for
seeking this job; for example, you are unemployed, you need more pay or better
benefits, or you just graduated.
Positive language generally conveys more information than negative language does.
a. True
b. False
The buffer in a badnews message to employees should
a. explain the organization’s side of the story.
b. mention reader benefits related to the reasons for the denial.
c. provide information about an alternative if one exists.
d. be a neutral or positive statement that transitions to the reasons for the bad news.
When conversing with others, always address them by their first names.
a. True
b. False
The primary purpose of business writing is typically to inform or persuade; a common
secondary purpose is to
a. promote goodwill.
b. comply with governmental regulations.
c. create written documentation.
d. avoid lawsuits.
What is the recommended maximum number of words for a sentence?
a. 10
b. 20
c. 25
d. 30
Place any details explaining your request for information in the body of your request
message.
a. True
b. False
Only main ideas should be included in a microblog.
a. True
b. False
An informal writing style includes
a. contractions (for example, wouldn’t, don’t, they’re).
b. secondperson pronouns (for example, you and your).
c. mainly passivevoice verbs.
d. longer sentences.
Most informational reports have one thing in common: a neutral or receptive audience.
a. True
b. False
The indirect strategy works best when the bad news is personally upsetting, when the
news will prompt a hostile reaction, and when
a. the message arrives unexpectedly.
b. firmness is necessary.
c. the receiver may overlook the bad news.
d. the bad news is not damaging.
Millie needs to research customer reactions. She should consider a blog because blogs
can produce unbiased consumer feedback more quickly and cheaply than familiar
techniques like focus groups and surveys.
a. True
b. False
Businesses that have used wikis have found that work flow has diminished.
a. True
b. False
The best technique to establish your credibility in a business presentation is
a. describing your knowledge, position, or experience.
b. telling the audience your salary, age, and hometown.
c. revealing your ethnicity, cultural heritage, and religious background.
d. discussing your love for public speaking.
Which of the following sentences about jargon is most accurate?
a. Jargon should never be used in business writing.
b. Jargon is generally understood by both insiders and outsiders within a field.
c. Effective business communicators know to include some jargon within any message
to demonstrate their intelligence and command of the English language.
d. Jargon should be used only when the audience will understand it.
What kind of sentence contains two independent clauses?
a. Simple sentence
b. Compound sentence
c. Complex sentence
d. Compoundcomplex sentence
Which of the following is considered unethical on a rsum?
a. Misrepresenting a job title to make it sound more important
b. Extending employment dates to avoid showing periods of unemployment
c. Making your job duties sound more impressive and responsible than they really were
d. All answer choices are unethical.
Which of these patterns is typical for badnews messages presented in the indirect
strategy?
a. Buffer, reasons, bad news, and closing
b. Buffer, bad news, and closing
c. Explanation, bad news, buffer, and closing
d. Bad news, explanation, and closing
The closing of an adjustment message should
a. guarantee that the problem will not recur if the customer continues doing business
with you.
b. express confidence in future business relations.
c. assign blame to the responsible department and assure the reader that the department
has been improved.
d. remind readers of their responsibility in the product failure.
I am sending this message to let you know that Tuesday’s meeting has been cancelled is
a concise and direct message.
a. True
b. False