One drawback of using the yardstick approach to structure business reports is that
A) you must discuss all the alternatives, even if many of them turn out to be irrelevant
and/or unproductive.
B) this approach is generally considered old-fashioned.
C) it forces you to ignore the fact that the problem may have multiple causes.
D) it is impractical in most business settings.
E) it often oversimplifies the topic.
Answer:
As a new supervisor, you need to introduce yourself to your team of ten employees. The
best medium for this type of nonroutine message would be
A) a face-to-face meeting.
B) an email.
C) a conference call.
D) a tweet.
E) none of the above.
Answer:
You’ll impress prospective employers with your application letter if you
A) use a gimmicky layout.
B) show that you know something about the company and its marketplace.
C) use a personal, “chummy” tone.
D) state up front that no other applicants could possibly compare to you.
E) do all of the above.
Answer:
The ideal balance between the visual and the verbal should depend on
A) the needs of your audience.
B) the length of the report/presentation.
C) the amount of money available for underwriting the costs of graphics.
D) internal company guidelines.
E) your own personal preferences.
Answer:
When it comes to monitoring incoming and outgoing email,
A) most companies do not make the effort.
B) only about 10 percent of U.S. employers do it.
C) most employers view it as an invasion of employee privacy.
D) many employers do so, either with software, security staff, or both.
E) federal law strictly prohibits companies from doing it.
Answer:
An employee who writes a report on her experiences during last week’s sales calls is
preparing a(n)
A) analytical report.
B) informational report.
C) proposal.
D) work plan.
E) business plan.
Answer:
In the body of a routine request, you should
A) beg the reader to grant your request.
B) explain and justify your request.
C) give your sales pitch.
D) explain what will happen if the audience does not do what you are asking.
E) state your main idea.
Answer:
When it comes to persuasive messages, the direct approach
A) is rarely used.
B) is often preferable when you know your audience is likely to agree with you.
C) is used only by top management.
D) does not require inclusion of justifications or explanations.
E) is a sign that the writer lacks confidence.
Answer:
Using mnemonics (such as acronyms or rhymes) to help remember important
information shared during a meeting
A) is a waste of time.
B) works only if you have special training.
C) requires that you stop everyone from speaking so you can repeat what you hope to
remember.
D) can be a useful strategy.
E) is far more effective than writing the information down.
Answer:
A scannable résumé differs from the traditional format in that
A) its formatting is more complex.
B) it is printed in all caps.
C) it is printed in boldface type.
D) it always includes a keyword summary.
E) it is printed in an extra-large font.
Answer:
Including a deadline in the close of a request
A) is rude and unprofessional.
B) is acceptable for internal audiences, but never external.
C) will offend your audience, unless they are your subordinates.
D) is effective only when you explain the consequences of failing to meet it.
E) helps the audience understand exactly what you want.
Answer:
Cultural differences appear in a number of important areas, including
A) nonverbal signals.
B) gender.
C) religion.
D) attitudes toward work and success.
E) all of the above.
Answer:
To identify the best keywords to include on your résumé,
A) simply make a list of all the adjectives that describe your unique personality and
abilities.
B) study relevant job descriptions and seek to understand your target audience’s needs.
C) use a thesaurus to list as many impressive words as possible.
D) stick with time-tested phrases such as problem solver and proven track record.
E) do none of the above.
Answer:
Which of the following is not true of instant messaging?
A) It allows a rapid response to urgent messages.
B) It is less susceptible to security and privacy problems.
C) It costs more than phone calls or email.
D) It is widely utilized in business.
E) It is more susceptible than email to problems with unwanted messages.
Answer:
“Dream teams” composed of multiple superstars
A) always perform better than other teams.
B) often yield disappointing results because members struggle to put team needs above
their own.
C) are much easier to lead.
D) are usually so successful that it hurts morale among the organization’s other teams.
E) are easier to assemble than other teams.
Answer:
When a job interviewer indicates the interview is coming to a close, you should
A) try to prolong the interview, since the more the interviewer interacts with you, the
better impression you’ll make.
B) leave as quickly as possible.
C) prepare to leave but (if possible) try to pin down what will happen next.
D) ask how you did.
E) explain that you really need a job offer before you depart.
Answer:
In evaluating material you have gathered for a report, you should
A) assume that any information taken from a webpage will be credible and reliable.
B) throw out any information whose source is an organization that might be biased.
C) check the material for currency.
D) ignore government documents.
E) do none of the above.
Answer:
Most companies that embrace Business Communication 2.0
A) completely abandon the traditional approach to communication.
B) will eventually return to a 1.0 approach, since the technology turns out to be too
complicated for most employees.
C) adopt a hybrid approach to communication, in which some messages follow the
traditional model and others follow the 2.0 approach.
D) are European.
E) do none of the above.
Answer:
An RFP usually includes
A) detailed instructions on referring to the RFP itself in your proposal.
B) a list of companies that have submitted failed proposals in the past.
C) any negative information about the company that might affect the project.
D) a standard disclaimer that any costs mentioned in the report may increase after the
proposal is accepted.
E) all of the above.
Answer:
If you have strongly negative information to deliver as part of a positive message, you
should
A) open with the negative information.
B) use the indirect approach.
C) put the negative information in a separate message.
D) apologize for having to spoil the moment.
E) put it at the beginning of your message.
Answer:
When creating a list for a business document
A) always use bullets, rather than numbers or letters.
B) keep in mind that the items need not be parallel.
C) be sure to introduce it clearly.
D) any text in the list should be typed in all caps.
E) it should always contain at least 7 items.
Answer:
You would not need to cite a source if you
A) used a direct quotation of under 250 words from a book titled Modern Economics.
B) used a table from the 1985 Farmer’s Almanac.
C) described, in your own words, a plan for organizing production lines, which
appeared in a professional journal.
D) provided general knowledge about your topic.
E) found it on Google, Yahoo, or Bing.
Answer:
A surface chart is
A) a type of three-dimensional pie chart.
B) a form of line chart in which all the lines add up to the top line.
C) a type of map showing various terrains.
D) used to show interrelationships within an organization.
E) the same thing as a pie chart.
Answer:
In the close of a report intended to prompt sales personnel to meet specific goals, you
should
A) provide hints on what the audience should do so you don’t sound like you’re giving
orders.
B) instruct your audience to contact you about what they should do next.
C) make sure your readers understand exactly what’s expected of them and when it’s
expected.
D) imply that they will be fired if the goals are not achieved.
E) state clearly that failing to meet the goals will result in dismissal without pay.
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:
A public corporation filing a quarterly tax report would be providing
A) a progress report.
B) a compliance report.
C) a justification report.
D) a periodic operating report.
E) unnecessary information.
Answer:
“Business Communication 2.0” refers to
A) high-level correspondence as opposed to routine documents.
B) a new approach to business communication, emphasizing interaction and
conversation rather than one-way publication.
C) specialized software that enables professionals to create impressive documents
easily and efficiently.
D) the informal, abbreviation-laden writing style of today’s younger generation.
E) none of the above.
Answer:
SMS stands for
A) standard mobile subscription.
B) substitute messaging server.
C) short messaging service.
D) standalone mail system.
E) secure monitoring service.
Answer:
Leaner media are best used for messages that
A) are routine.
B) are highly emotional.
C) are nonroutine.
D) require feedback.
E) will likely cause controversy.
Answer:
The best time to choose between the direct and indirect approach for organizing
messages is before you’ve decided on the main idea.
Answer:
Which of the following media would be best to make a formal introduction to a
potential client?
A) Email
B) Letter
C) Blog
D) IM
E) All are equal in formality
Answer:
Including an application letter with your résumé is
A) always a good idea.
B) no longer necessary since most employers are too busy to read them.
C) necessary only if you submit the résumé by mail.
D) statistically proven to reduce your chances of getting the job.
E) unnecessary if you write a personal note at the top of the first page.
Answer: