16. Which of these is an example of being multilingual?
a. Nadia, who is Spanish, speaks French, Spanish, and English.
b. Carlos, who is gay, understands the slang of gay communities and straight communities.
c. Eloise, a Canadian woman living in Japan, understands the verbal and nonverbal customs
of her own culture as well as those that are unique to Japan.
d. Rachael has learned both feminine and masculine styles of communication.
e. All of these choices are examples of being multilingual.
17. Recognizing that a Japanese person doesn’t hold eye contact is an example of which response
to diversity?
a. tolerance
b. respect
c. ethnocentrism
d. understanding
e. acceptance
True-False Items
18. Cultures are systems and thus aspects of a culture are interrelated and work together to create
a whole.
a. True
b. False
19. Assimilation happens when people abandon their own cultural norms and practices in order
to adopt those of another culture.
a. True
b. False
20. Tolerance is a response in which we accept and approve differences between us and other
social groups.
a. True
b. False
21. Participation is a response to social diversity that involves incorporating practices of other
social groups into our own communication repertoires.
a. True
b. False
22. In masculine social communities, talking about a relationship is useful only if there is some
problem to be resolved.
a. True
b. False
23. Mainstream ideology is evident in nonverbal communication.
a. True
b. False
24. By adopting the perspective of cultural relativism, we reduce our tendencies to be
ethnocentric.
a. True
b. False
25. In cultures where power distance is small, people tend to assume that those in power do not
deserve it.
a. True
b. False
26. Having a long-term orientation is about respect for one’s ancestors and plans and hopes for
those who follow.
a. True
b. False
27. Diffusion involves borrowing from other cultures.
a. True
b. False
28. Because cultures are holistic systems, no change is ever isolated from the overall system.
a. True
b. False
29. In highly masculine cultures, women cannot be competitive and assertive.
a. True
b. False
30. September 11th can be considered a cultural calamity for the United States.
a. True
b. False
31. Cultures are usually stable, with very little change over time.
a. True
b. False
32. To be multilingual, you must learn a secondary formal language.
a. True
b. False
33. The HIV/AIDS crisis is an example of a cultural calamity.
a. True
b. False
34. Patterns of communication reflect cultural values and perspectives.
a. True
b. False
Fill-in-the-Blank Items
35. ____________________ is the assumption that our culture is right and its norms are the only
right ones.
36. ____________________ involves borrowing from another culture.
37. The creation of tools, ideas, and practices is called ____________________.
38. ____________________ is the idea that cultures vary in how they think, act, and behave as
well as in what they believe and value.
39. Attacking the practices of other cultures or proclaiming the superiority of our own cultural
traditions is a response to social diversity that is called ____________________.
40. ____________________ refers to the extent to which people try to avoid ambiguity and
vagueness.
41. ____________________ refers to the size of the gap between people with high and low
power and the extent to which that gap is regarded as normal.
42. ____________________ is a dimension in which cultures vary that refers to the extent to
which members of a culture understand themselves as part of and connected to their families,
groups and cultures.
43. Living for the moment, not saving for a rainy day, and not having as much respect for elders
and ancestors are more likely to be found in cultures with a(n) ____________________
orientation.
44. ____________________ are groups of people who live within a dominant culture, yet also
are members of another group that is not dominant in that culture.
Essay Items
45. Name and describe three of the five dimensions for how cultures vary.
46. Describe and discuss the four sources of cultural change.
47. Identify and describe the five distinct responses to diversity.
TEST ITEMS ANSWER KEY
Multiple Choice Items
1. Which dimension of cultural variation refers to the extent to which a culture values
aggressiveness, competitiveness, looking out for yourself, and dominating others and nature?
2. Thrift, industriousness, and respect for elders/ancestors are valued in cultures with
3. Jacob tries to avoid ambiguity and vagueness. What would Jacob’s behavior be an example
of?
4. Dejon is very connected to his family and values harmony and group interdependence.
Dejon comes from a culture that would be considered?
5. Invention, as one source of cultural change, is the creation of
6. Many Westerners have borrowed ingredients and styles of cooking from other cultures. This
kind of borrowing is known as
7. All of the following are sources of cultural change EXCEPT
8. Groups of people who live within a dominant culture, yet are members of another group or
groups that are not dominant in a particular society, are known as which of the following?
9. The recognition that differences are rooted in cultural teachings and that no customs,
traditions, or behaviors are intrinsically better than others reflects which response to
diversity?
10. When we begin to recognize the cultural basis for practices that diverge from our own, we
are reflecting which response to diversity?
11. Aaron is being introduced to his new workplace and coworkers. His boss tells him the names
of people and departments, but she says very little about each person’s rank or the
relationship between departments. She also does not speak much about the culture of the
workplace. However, at the end of the introduction she says, “Hopefully now you have a
better understanding of who we are, what we stand for, and how things work here.” Aaron’s
boss’s communication style seems to be best described as what?
12. All of the following are key premises about cultures EXCEPT
13. The terms “date rape” and “sexual harassment” are examples of
14. Which of the following is one of the guidelines for improving communication between
cultures and social communities?
15. The use of one’s own culture and its practices as the standard for interpreting the values,
beliefs, and norms of another culture is known as
16. Which of these is an example of being multilingual?
17. Recognizing that a Japanese person doesn’t hold eye contact is an example of which response
True-False Items
18. Cultures are systems and thus aspects of a culture are interrelated and work together to create
a whole.
19. Assimilation happens when people abandon their own cultural norms and practices in order
to adopt those of another culture.
20. Tolerance is a response in which we accept and approve differences between us and other
social groups.
21. Participation is a response to social diversity that involves incorporating practices of other
social groups into our own communication repertoires.
22. In masculine social communities, talking about a relationship is useful only if there is some
problem to be resolved.
23. Mainstream ideology is evident in nonverbal communication.
24. By adopting the perspective of cultural relativism, we reduce our tendencies to be
ethnocentric.
25. In cultures where power distance is small, people tend to assume that those in power do not
deserve it.
26. Having a long-term orientation is about respect for one’s ancestors and plans and hopes for
those who follow.
27. Diffusion involves borrowing from other cultures.
28. Because cultures are holistic systems, no change is ever isolated from the overall system.
29. In highly masculine cultures, women cannot be competitive and assertive.
30. September 11th can be considered a cultural calamity for the United States.
31. Cultures are usually stable, with very little change over time.
32. To be multilingual, you must learn a secondary formal language.
33. The HIV/AIDS crisis is an example of a cultural calamity.
34. Patterns of communication reflect cultural values and perspectives.
Fill-in-the-Blank Items
35. ____________________ is the assumption that our culture is right and its norms are the only
right ones.
36. ____________________ involves borrowing from another culture.
37. The creation of tools, ideas, and practices is called ____________________.
38. ____________________ is the idea that cultures vary in how they think, act, and behave as
well as in what they believe and value.
39. Attacking the practices of other cultures or proclaiming the superiority of our own cultural
traditions is a response to social diversity that is called ____________________.
40. ____________________ refers to the extent to which people try to avoid ambiguity and
vagueness.
41. ____________________ refers to the size of the gap between people with high and low
power and the extent to which that gap is regarded as normal.
42. ____________________ is a dimension in which cultures vary that refers to the extent to
which members of a culture understand themselves as part of and connected to their families,
groups and cultures.
43. Living for the moment, not saving for a rainy day, and not having as much respect for elders
and ancestors are more likely to be found in cultures with a(n) ____________________
orientation.
44. ____________________ are groups of people who live within a dominant culture, yet also
are members of another group that is not dominant in that culture.
Essay Items
45. Name and describe three of the five dimensions for how cultures vary.
46. Describe and discuss the four sources of cultural change.
47. Identify and describe the five distinct responses to diversity.