Many companies are now using ________ to replace or supplement some conference
calls, training courses, and other communication activities.
A) blogs
B) instant messaging
C) email
D) text messaging
E) podcasts
Answer:
The term type style refers to
A) the space around text and between text columns.
B) any modification that lends contrast or emphasis to type.
C) the physical design of letters, numbers, and other text characters.
D) the choice between including static images or videos in a business message.
E) a combination of text, graphics, photographs, audio, video, and interactivity.
Answer:
Which of the following is a closed-ended question?
A) Do you think the proposed expansion plan is feasible?
B) What do you see as the primary benefit of the proposal?
C) What corporate goals does the expansion help achieve?
D) How will the expansion affect day-to-day operations?
E) What advantages do you see in this course of action?
Answer:
If you must give an employee a negative performance review,
A) hold the review by email or fax.
B) support your assessment with careful documentation.
C) focus the conversation on the employee’s flaws.
D) minimize anything positive that the employee has done.
E) assume that you’ll be firing the employee before too long.
Answer:
When you prepare a speech or presentation, your first step involves
A) analyzing the situation.
B) choosing the right words.
C) planning the content, length, and style of your speech or presentation.
D) deciding on the right mix of visuals and text for your slides.
E) doing all of the above.
Answer:
Which of the following would be the most effective review in a formal report?
A) As this section has shown, our current marketing strategy is highly effective.
B) The next segment illustrates potential challenges.
C) Having outlined the details, I will now offer a few other points.
D) Now that the boring stuff is out of the way, let’s push on.
E) All of the above are effective.
Answer:
You can use a ________ to recap your career, with a focus on your increasing levels of
responsibility and performance.
A) career objective
B) qualifications summary
C) trend analysis
D) career summary
E) keyword schedule
Answer:
When you’re outlining your report, using ________ requires you to think through the
content, whereas using ________ simply requires you to identify topic areas.
A) informative headings, descriptive headings
B) prescriptive headings, parallel headings
C) specific headings, nonspecific headings
D) multilateral headings, unilateral headings
E) subject headings, transitional headings
Answer:
Ronnie has just started an internship with Finedum & Sellum, Inc., a provider of online
surveys for retailers. One of Ronnie’s first tasks involved drafting an online
questionnaire for a local apparel store. After reviewing the questions she had written,
her manager told her to revise a question that read, “Do you prefer that we extend our
evening hours for customer convenience?” Why did Ronnie’s manager want her to
revise that question?
A) It is a leading question.
B) It is an open-ended question.
C) It is an ambiguous question.
D) It is a close-loop question.
E) It is a rhetorical question.
Answer:
The close of a report should
A) emphasize the main points of the message.
B) summarize reader benefits if the document suggests a change.
C) bring all action items together and give details about who should do what, when,
where, and how.
D) achieve all of the above.
E) do none of the above.
Answer:
When closing a direct request, you should
A) thank the reader in advance for helping you.
B) mention your own qualifications or status.
C) request a specific response and mention the time limits.
D) indicate the consequences of a failure to reply.
E) downplay the significance of what you are asking.
Answer:
During conversations with non-native English speakers, you should
A) immediately rephrase statements they don’t seem to understand.
B) avoid paying too much attention to nonverbal feedback.
C) avoid including any words or phrases from their native language.
D) write everything down before you say it, and show it to the other person as you
speak.
E) do none of the above.
Answer:
Every organization has ________, which encompasses all communication that occurs
outside the lines of command in the company’s organizational structure.
A) an online social networking presence
B) an extraneous communication network
C) an informal communication network
D) an internal communication network
E) a transitional communication system
Answer:
The most effective and easiest mode of delivering presentations in nearly all situations
is
A) memorization.
B) reading from a prepared script.
C) speaking from an outline or notes.
D) impromptu speaking.
E) from a seated position.
Answer:
Most employers interview an applicant ________ before deciding to make a job offer.
A) once
B) multiple times
C) via email
D) anonymously
E) None of the abovemost companies have dispensed with the interview process
entirely.
Answer:
Most people belong to
A) only one culture.
B) only one culture at a time, but it can change over their lifetime.
C) several different cultures.
D) all culturesalthough most do not realize it.
E) no culture at all, due to increased globalization.
Answer:
All of the following except ________ are elements of the group development process.
A) anticipation
B) emergence
C) brainstorming
D) reinforcement
E) conflict
Answer:
When organizing a speech or presentation, your first step is to
A) develop an outline.
B) define the main idea.
C) write the introduction.
D) decide on the delivery style.
E) complete all of your visuals.
Answer:
Rehearsing your presentation will
A) help you check your voice, timing, phrasing, and equipment.
B) increase your nervousness.
C) most likely ruin your ability to make an effective presentation.
D) rob you of the confidence you need.
E) waste valuable time, since most presentations are delivered in person.
Answer:
Which of the following sentences contains an idiomatic expression?
A) Our monthly sales quota is unrealistic.
B) We don’t expect to meet our monthly sales quota.
C) Making our monthly sales quota will be a piece of cake.
D) The sales quota is very reasonable.
E) These products are all quite popular.
Answer:
According to your textbook, the least desirable way to include keywords in a résumé is
in
A) an introductory statement.
B) a standalone keyword summary.
C) the work history section.
D) the education section.
E) none of the above.
Answer:
Choosing the right medium for your message
A) is not important as long as the content of your message is accurate.
B) is important only when communicating with managers and supervisors.
C) is vital for external communication, but not important for internal communication.
D) is an important communication skill.
E) is easy these days, since electronic media are always the best option.
Answer:
The term viral marketing refers to
A) products marketed through computer viruses.
B) products and services related to the health-care industry.
C) voluntary word-of-mouth messages from people who like your company or
products.
D) hostile language used to ‘shame” consumers into purchasing goods and/or services.
E) none of the above.
Answer:
The “replace all” feature in word-processing programs
A) tracks down words or phrases and automatically changes them all.
B) can save you time when revising messages.
C) must be used with care, since it can make undesirable changes.
D) can create words that are not really words, such as strengthful.
E) all of the above.
Answer:
When you’re writing content for social media,
A) write in a corporate voice.
B) write informally, but not carelessly.
C) write from an objective, third-person point of view.
D) treat every message as a sales pitch.
E) don’t worry about proofreading what you’ve written.
Answer:
Intercultural communication is the process of sending and receiving messages between
people whose cultural backgrounds
A) don’t include verbal and nonverbal signs.
B) keep them from understanding each other at all.
C) could lead them to interpret verbal and nonverbal signs differently.
D) enable them to interpret verbal and nonverbal signs in identical ways.
E) tie them to a particular ethnic group in their local community.
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:
When selecting typefaces for most business documents, you should
A) generally avoid using more than two typefaces on a page.
B) make generous use of such styles as all caps, underlines, and boldface.
C) choose a popular sans serif face for your main body text.
D) use a large type size (at least 14 points) for your basic text if you need to fill up
space.
E) use those that best reflect your individual personality.
Answer:
“Latest Investment Performance” is an example of a message topic, whereas “Poor
Investment Performance Continues” is an example of a main idea.
Answer:
A web directory differs from a search engine in that
A) it doesn’t allow keyword searches.
B) it can’t equal the precision of a general search engine.
C) it relies on human editors to evaluate and select content.
D) it usually locates more sites than a search engine.
E) none of the above.
Answer:
Which one of the following is an element of the completing phase of the three-step
writing process?
A) Organizing the information
B) Interpreting the research
C) Proofreading the message
D) Selecting the right medium
E) Determining the needs of your audience
Answer:
At the last staff meeting, someone suggested that using parliamentary procedure would
help make the meetings more efficient. To learn more about parliamentary procedure,
which of the following should you consult?
A) SEC Standards of Ethics
B) Robert’s Rules of Order
C) Generally Accepted Accounting Principles
D) Fundamental Meeting Management
E) Congressional Meeting Policies and Procedures
Answer:
The employer should not ask you questions about
A) your marital status.
B) your ethnicity.
C) your religion.
D) the composition of your family.
E) any of the above.
Answer:
What is the difference between a user-generated content site and a community Q&A
site?
Answer:
What advice should you offer to someone who’s planning to use microblogging for
business communication?
Answer:
Explain how to apply the three-step writing process to instant messages.
Answer:
You’ve been asked to prepare a report on whether your company should consider other
health insurance providers. List four informal techniques for gathering information to
include in your report.
Answer:
Explain at least three of the steps involved in editing documents for clarity.
Answer:
Briefly explain the difference between the active voice and the passive voice. Include
an example of each one.
Answer:
Describe at least three common employment messages that follow an interview.
Answer:
Briefly describe the elements of a negative message that uses the indirect approach.
Answer:
List at least three general categories of nonverbal communication.
Answer:
While having lunch with a client, what should you do with the business papers you
brought to discuss? Why?
Answer:
Briefly explain the difference between file merge and mail merge.
Answer:
While working in a country with a high-context culture, you schedule a meeting with a
vendor who lives there. When he shows up 20 minutes after the meeting was supposed
to begin, should you take it as a sign of incompetence or disrespect? Explain.
Answer:
How does proofreading reports and proposals differ from proofreading other business
messages?
Answer:
Why is it advantageous for candidates to stay in contact with prospective employers
after an interview? Provide at least three reasons.
Answer:
In designing visuals for business reports, what tasks are best suited for bar charts? List
at least two.
Answer:
List at least seven of the nine most common problems with résumés.
Answer:
You’re tired of wasting hours making design changes to one slide at a time in your
electronic presentations. What software feature (common in presentation software such
as PowerPoint) would be helpful in this situation, and what is its function?
Answer:
What is the scope of a business message?
Answer: