You must prepare your monthly business report for company stockholders and present
your department’s expected sales for the next three months. Which report format would
be most appropriate?
a. Letter format
b. Memo or email format
c. Manuscript format
d. Preprinted form
HTMLENTITY#8203HTMLENTITYThe first thing you should do after an interview is
to contact your references.
a. True
b. False
ANS: False
RATIONALE: HTMLENTITY#8203HTMLENTITYAlthough you will eventually
contact your references, the first thing you should do after leaving an interview is to
make notes of what was said in case you are called back for a second interview. Write
down key points that were discussed, the names of people with whom you spoke, and
other details of the interview while the information is still fresh in your memory.
Every country has a unique culture or common heritage that
a. teaches its members how to behave and conditions their reactions.
b. results from a common gene pool.
c. is created by a structured educational system.
d. comes from an orderly system of government and laws.
To sound current, fresh, and trendy, effective business communicators make ample use
of slang when writing and speaking.
a. True
b. False
Information that is common knowledge does not need to be documented in a business
report.
a. True
b. False
You should follow the same proofreading process for a routine document and a complex
document.
a. True
b. False
The major advantage of line charts is that they show changes over time, thus indicating
trends.
a. True
b. False
The purpose of most business reports is to
a. present data.
b. answer questions.
c. solve problems.
d. All answer choices provide purposes for business reports.
Constructing messages saying no to emotionally involved receivers is a challenging
communication task. Which of the following is the best advice for this task?
a. Use the refusalbeforereason pattern to present the information artfully.
b. Place blame where blame is due, including on the customer if he or she is
responsible.
c. Avoid offering resale information because it may weaken customer confidence.
d. Use neutral, objective language to explain the reason the claim is refused.
Today’s workers attend more meetings than ever.
a. True
b. False
Which of the following is most likely to be written as an informational report?
a. A recommendation from the Information Technology Department that your company
install a wireless network
b. A feasibility study addressing possible tuition reimbursement for employees
c. A comparison of five handheld communication devices that your company might
purchase
d. A summary of information presented at a recent conference for technical writers
Words have universal meaning among all cultures.
a. True
b. False
Which of the following statements about work teams is most accurate?
a. Teams should avoid conflict to prevent tension among group members.
b. To be most effective, teams should be comprised of individuals with similar
backgrounds, ethnicity, age, skills, and experience.
c. Teams produce better decisions when they agree on their purpose and develop
procedures to guide them.
d. Team members should focus on their individual needs and goals.
Jorge must inform Samantha that she is not eligible to have an August vacation for
which she recently applied. Which of the following sentences best demonstrates the
“you” view Jorge should use in denying Samantha’s application?
a. I have not approved your August vacation because you applied too late.
b. We didn’t receive your application early enough for the August vacation schedule.
c. Although the August vacation schedule is full, you may qualify for a vacation in
September if you apply now.
d. The August vacation schedule was posted in May. You should have consulted it
earlier.
If you’ve been interviewed by more than one person, send one thankyou note to the
person who appeared to be in charge.
a. True
b. False
You recently chaired a team implementing new federal confidentiality requirements.
After implementation, you must evaluate each team member’s performance. Which of
the following suggestions about giving constructive criticism is not accurate?
a. Use language that focuses on improvement instead of problems.
b. To show more compassion, be as vague as possible.
c. Ask the team members for feedback.
d. Discuss the behavior, not the person.
Although many companies try to deal with disappointed customers by calling them
immediately, written messages are also used to
a. HTMLENTITY#8203HTMLENTITYpromote good relations.
b. HTMLENTITY#8203HTMLENTITYformally confirm followup procedures.
c. HTMLENTITY#8203HTMLENTITYestablish a record of the incident.
d. HTMLENTITY#8203HTMLENTITYAll answer choices are reasons for written
messages.
Paragraphs are coherent when
a. all sentences are written in the active voice.
b. each sentence includes dependent and independent clauses.
c. ideas are linked; that is, one idea leads logically to the next.
d. All answer choices are correct.
One way to improve the clarity of your writing is to apply the KISS formula. KISS
stands for
a. Key Ideas Succinctly and Swiftly.
b. Keep It Short and Simple.
c. Knowledge Is Supported and Summarized.
d. Know Intentions, Strategies, and Solutions.
In writing goodwill messages, you need not worry about promptness as you do in
writing claims and other business messages.
a. True
b. False
Good writers spend most of their time on the revising phase of the 3×3 writing process.
a. True
b. False
The first step in preparing a report is locating information to support your ideas.
a. True
b. False
Whenever possible in business writing, substitute longer, less familiar words for shorter,
simpler words.
a. True
b. False
The first step in learning intercultural skills is being aware of your own culture and how
it contrasts with others.
a. True
b. False
You can make the introduction of a proposal more persuasive if you
a. explain in great detail how much better you are than your competitors.
b. hint at the problem you will solve but avoid explaining the reasons for the proposal.
c. remain as vague as possible to keep the reader intrigued.
d. provide a “hook” such as mentioning a remarkable resource available exclusively to
the writer.
Pronouns should be avoided in business writing.
a. True
b. False
The final element of an email message should be
a. your name and full contact information.
b. a witty phrase and your name.
c. the name of the business or organization only.
d. an attachment.
A subject line in a direct reply letter
a. is mandatory.
b. generally refers in abbreviated form to previous correspondence and/or summarizes a
message.
c. must be written as a complete sentence.
d. identifies the sender and his or her company.
To capture the reader’s attention and interest in a persuasive request, you can make an
unexpected statement, suggest reader benefits, offer praise or compliments, or ask a
stimulating question.
a. True
b. False
Businesses grant legitimate adjustments for two reasons: to protect themselves against
future damages and to satisfy their customers and retain their business.
a. True
b. False
