Which statement about today’s organizations and their employees is most accurate?
a. Organizations are establishing more levels of management to conduct operations and
to oversee employees.
b. Executives today rely on persuasion to achieve buy-in from subordinates.
c. There have been few changes in today’s organizations for employees.
d. Today’s information-age workers rely on managers to be their information providers.
Answer:
Proofreading is the last step in Phase 3 of the 3-x-3 writing process.
a. True
b. False
Answer:
Which of the following uses only active voice in a complete sentence?
a. The company’s rigid return policy was criticized by a few unhappy customers.
b. Because a few unhappy customers criticized the company’s rigid return policy.
c. Managers were told about the unhappy customers who criticized the company’s rigid
return policy.
d. A few unhappy customers criticized the company’s rigid return policy.
Answer:
Business writers often use electronic resources such as government sites, news media,
periodicals, nonprofit organizations, social networking sites, and blogs to conduct
research for business reports.
a. True
b. False
Answer:
The direct organizational strategy presents the purpose for writing near the beginning of
a report.
a. True
b. False
Answer:
Which of the following business messages would not use the direct strategy?
a. An e-mail message to a staff introducing a new employee
b. An oral presentation detailing the specifics of a new company wellness initiative
c. A letter to a coworker congratulating him or her on a recent promotion
d. A letter to a customer denying his or her request for credit
Answer:
One of the most important questions you can ask yourself as you begin to compose a
message is What do I hope to achieve?
a. True
b. False
Answer:
Report graphics should include a caption or title.
a. True
b. False
Answer:
The minutes of a meeting should identify the names of individuals present and absent.
a. True
b. False
Answer:
Which of the following is the best advice to follow for a cover message accompanying
a résumé sent by e-mail or fax?
a. Take the time to prepare a customized cover message to accompany your résumé sent
electronically.
b. Send your cover message separately from a faxed or e-mailed résumé.
c. Shorten your e-mail or fax cover message to a brief statement such as Please consider
the attached résumé for your opening.
d. Skip the cover message entirely because the fax or e-mail includes your name.
Answer:
You are just graduating from college and have little employment experience, yet you
want to put together a persuasive résumé. What would be the best résumé style to use?
a. Chronological résumé
b. Video résumé
c. Functional résumé
d. Infographic résumé
Answer:
Which of the following sentences avoids noun conversion?
a. Your supervisor will give consideration to all capital budget requests.
b. The committee worked on the establishment of a fund for scholarships.
c. The benefits committee will be responsible for the acquisition of an endowment.
d. The scholarship committee approved the plan.
Answer:
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
Answer:
All of the following messages to subordinates would use the indirect strategy except
a. instructions to operate the new phone system installed in all offices.
b. suggestions to begin an exercise program in conjunction with the new health
insurance plan.
c. requests to contribute to the organization’s United Way campaign goal.
d. discussion of their opportunities to participate in a company-sponsored charity event.
Answer:
Which of the following statements about reports in today’s business environment is
most accurate?
a. Business writers now deliver reports orally, electronically, or digitally.
b. Efficient reporting plays an important role in helping organizations sift through data
and make decisions.
c. Business reports range widely in length, purpose, and delivery mode.
d. All answer choices reflect accurate statements about reports in today’s business
environment.
Answer:
The biggest mistake job seekers make when writing cover messages is making them
sound too generic.
a. True
b. False
Answer:
Which of the following is the best tip for creating a successful cover message?
a. Use different paper colors and paper types for your résumé and cover message to
create a strong visual impact.
b. Make activities and outcomes, not yourself, the subject of sentences to reduce
overuse of “I.”
c. Use a creative letter style to surprise the reader and make a big impact.
d. Keep the focus on your skills and traits through frequent use of “I” statements.
Answer:
Which of the following sentences presents the reason for denying a customer’s request
for credit most effectively?
a. Your request for credit has been denied.
b. Because you have not been employed for the past 15 months and have credit debts of
over $4,000, we will not be able to grant you credit at this time.
c. Although your credit rating does not meet our minimum standards, we would be
happy to reconsider your application if you add a cosigner.
d. Your failure to meet our standards will not allow us to issue you a credit account.
Answer:
Effective speakers must be aware of their nonverbal messages. Nonverbal means
a. content delivered by visual aids.
b. information included on the outline, but not in the speech.
c. appearance, movements, and vocal qualities.
d. body language only.
Answer:
Business messages should be
a. writer oriented.
b. purposeful.
c. complex.
d. lengthy.
Answer:
A video résumé allows candidates to demonstrate their public speaking, interpersonal,
and technical skills more impressively than they can in a traditional print résumé.
a. True
b. False
Answer:
All of the following are reasons businesses use wikis except
a. to improve the brand image of a company.
b. to generate feedback from employees before and after meetings.
c. to collect and share information to large audiences creating a database for important
company information.
d. to facilitate project management.
Answer:
Podcasts and wikis are part of the new user-centered virtual environment called
a. the Total Network.
b. Web 2.0.
c. cloud computing.
d. VPN.
Answer:
Although messages may have a primary and a secondary audience, the writer needs to
profile only the primary audience to determine the best presentation of the message.
a. True
b. False
Answer:
Conducting scientific experiments is a method to gather formal research.
a. True
b. False
Answer:
Conciseness is critical when microblogging.
a. True
b. False
Answer:
Most jobs today are found through
a. referrals and person-to-person contacts.
b. newspaper advertisements.
c. college career fairs.
d. employment agencies.
Answer:
Which of these messages most effectively conveys empathy in a bad-news message?
a. You have every right to be disappointed. I am truly sorry that our product failed to
perform as expected.
b. I am deeply saddened that your service failure disrupted our sale, and we will do
everything in our power to improve our future performance.
c. We did not intentionally delay the shipment, and we will not accept the
disappointment and frustration you have expressed.
d. It is with great regret that we must take this step, but you have left us no choice.
Answer:
Which statement about pie charts is most accurate?
a. Pie charts are most useful for technical audiences.
b. Pie charts are most appropriate for showing percentages.
c. Pie charts are more flexible than bar or line charts.
d. Pie charts can be confusing to readers because of the use of multiple colors.
Answer:
You must be wary of the many risks in the cyber world, which include not only
appearing in inappropriate photographs but also making “friends” online.
a. True
b. False
Answer:
Writers should avoid constructing a work plan for a business report because it may
become too restrictive to them and to their audience.
a. True
b. False
Answer:
Many communication experts regard poor organization as the greatest failing of
business writers.
a. True
b. False
Answer:
Which of the following is an example of a behavioral interview question?
a. Who in your life has most inspired you and why?
b. An irate customer is demanding her money back. How would you handle the
situation?
c. Tell me about a time when you solved a difficult problem.
d. What is your greatest strength?
Answer:
A cover message should always be limited to one page.
a. True
b. False
Answer:
Surveys, which are used to collect firsthand data, have many advantages. One
advantage is that
a. those who respond to mailed or online surveys exactly represent the overall
population.
b. respondents can be relied on to respond openly and truthfully to anonymous surveys.
c. data can be gathered economically and efficiently.
d. return rates for online and mailed surveys are typically over 90 percent.
Answer:
Revise the following sentence to use bias-free language:
Every manager must review his employees annually.
Answer:
A(n) ____________________ is a Web-based presentation, lecture, workshop, or
seminar that is transmitted digitally with or without video to train employees, interact
with customers, and promote products.
Answer:
The term ____________________ means that websites and Web applications have
moved from “read only” to “read-write,” thus enabling users to participate, collaborate,
and network in unprecedented ways. It is one of many new communication
technologies that is reshaping the world of work.
Answer:
There are three building sites we are considering. This use of There are is an example of
a(n) ____________________.
Answer:
A(n) ________________ appeal focuses on status, ego, and sensual feelings.
Answer:
List and describe two techniques to improve your chance of being understood when
writing to someone from a different culture.
Answer:
When a message is written to identify or to correct a wrong, the message is called a(n)
____________________.
Answer:
The ____________________ job market consists of jobs that are not announced or
advertised.
Answer:
Revise the following poorly written opening of a claim letter requesting an exchange of
a smartphone still under warranty. Write the opening sentence only.
My TravelerXtra smartphone was purchased from your online store on September 15,
2014, for your attractive price of $228.88 plus $24.48 shipping and handling with no
service contract required. I have used my TravelerXtra for business texting, e-mailing,
and phoning ever since, which was exactly what I needed it to do. Yesterday my
TravelerXtra shut itself down out of the blue, and I can’t use it for anything. Now I’m
without a business tool and over $250, which makes me feel ripped off because I
received only one month of service from this phone. When I tried to exchange it at one
of your land-based stores, the clerk told me, “No way, dude. You buy online, you fly
online.” Now what?
Answer:
Most workplace communications will involve routine messages that are positive or
neutral. Therefore, they should be organized using the ____________________
strategy.
Answer:
A(n) ____________________ résumé is used for e-mailing or pasting into online
résumé submission forms.
Answer:
A ____________________ sentence contains two independent clauses and one
dependent clause.
Answer:
A(n) ____________________ is a written offer to solve problems, provide services, or
sell products.
Answer:
List and briefly describe two advantages of teams.
Answer:
____________________ may be defined as “the complex system of values, traits,
morals, and customs shared by a society, region, or country.”
Answer:
Some job candidates who are declining a job offer choose to write a(n)
____________________ message to thank the employer for the job offer and to
formally refuse the position.
Answer: