Chap 2

1. One of the best ways to improve the tone of a message is through the use of positive language.
2. During the prewriting phase of the writing process, the writer analyzes the audience and the purpose
for writing.
3. Adaptationis the process of creating a message that suits your audience.
4. Profiling an audience can help a writer determine appropriate language use and tone, along with the
need for background information.
5. Marketing Director Schultz must inform the board of directors that customers are not
responding positively to the company's new advertising campaign. Which of the following sentences
would be the most appropriate wording for the marketing director to use in her message to the
board of directors?
A.Our customers are ripping on our new ads, even though we know these ads rock!
B.Our customers are badmouthing this awesome new marketing campaign; they are obviously just out of
it.
C.We have received reports from customers about our new ads.
D.It has come to my attention that our customers have denigrated the strategic implementation of our new
ad campaign.
3. Travis must determine the appropriate channel for an important business message. In this
context channel refers to the
A. individuals who will receive the message.
B. degree of formality required.
C. medium through which the message is sent.
D. tone and approach needed to accomplish his purpose.
4. Following a systematic plan when preparing any document or presentation will make your job
easier. T
5. The sentence, Our company experienced an increase in profits during the last fiscal year uses
precise, vigorous wording. F
6. Jargon should never be used in business writing. F
7. Business messages are most effective if they convey an informal, conversational tone. T
Many of your business messages will be sent digitally. T
8. Words have universal meaning among all cultures. F
9. Never specify the age of a person in business messages. F
10. The following sentence represents an audience focus: Our product guarantee becomes effective
after we receive full payment. F
11. The communication process begins when the receiver provides feedback to the sender. F
12. Monica is writing her first safety-inspection report. To sound businesslike and professional,
Monica should include expressions such as the affected party, the undersigned, and the writer. F
13. To emphasize the "you" view in e-mail messages, you must avoid any phrases that include the
"I/we" view such as I'm happy or We're delighted. F
14. Paraphrasing a sender's message is an effective tool to promote understanding. True
15. In order to be an effective writer, you must follow the three phases of the writing process in
sequence, moving from Phase 1 to Phase 2 to Phase 3 in order. False
16. One of the most important questions you can ask yourself as you begin to compose a message is
What do I hope to achieve? True
17. The sentence You must submit your application by Friday is a more effective business message
than Please submit your application by Friday. False
18. Senders should avoid asking their receivers questions such as, "Am I making myself clear?" or
"Is there anything you don't understand?" False
19. The ability to prepare concise, audience-centered, persuasive, and purposeful messages comes
naturally. False
20. Empathic writers
A. use more first-person pronouns than second-person pronouns in their messages.
B. try to give something to the receiver.
C. think about their needs before the receiver's needs.
D. All answer choices reflect techniques used by empathic writers.
21. Which of the following is not an element of the communication process?
A. Forming an idea
B. Selecting a communication channel
C. Displaying empathy
D. Providing feedback
22. According to writing experts, approximately what percentage of time should you spend on the
prewriting phase of a business message?
A. 90 percent
B. 50 percent
C. 25 percent
D. 5 percent
23. Human Resources Manager Claire Siu must inform Anthony that company job changes will
require him to seek retraining or lose his position. The best channel for Ms. Siu to deliver this
message is
A. an e-mail message.
B. a face-to-face conversation.
C. a voice mail message.
D. an instant message.
24. Which of the following represents the best business writing?
A. We regret that we are unable to accept you as a credit customer at this time.
B. You will never be sorry that you opened a checking account with our bank.
C. We cannot accept the returned merchandise because it is not resalable.
D. You can return all resalable merchandise for a store credit.
25. Adapting your message to the audience involves
A. thinking of the right words and tone to use in your message.
B. rewriting your message several times to ensure it is clear.
C. selecting the best research to incorporate within the message.
D. conducting a thorough audience analysis.
26. Feedback
A. includes only those verbal responses from the receiver.
B. is not an important part of the communication process.
C. is the process of converting an idea that will convey meaning.
D. includes both the verbal and nonverbal responses from the receiver
27. Which of the following demonstrates effective business writing?
A. An Asian CEO was the keynote speaker.
B. An African-American man was the next customer.
C. A record number of Japanese investors are purchasing real estate in the United States.
D. Mr. Hernandez, a Mexican, is my boss.
28. Which of the following demonstrates effective business writing?
A. All executives and their wives will attend the Reno conference.
B. A salesman must meet monthly sales quotas.
C. The female attorney graduated from Yale.
D. The office personnel will assist you with your forms.
29. Which of the following sentences demonstrates conversational business writing?
A. Your return policy really ticks me off.
B. I am upset about your return policy.
C. Your return policy has provoked me to write this letter.
D. All answer choices reflect conversational business writing
30. 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.
31. Business writing should be purposeful. In this context purposeful can best be defined as
A. presenting ideas clearly and concisely.
B. concentrating on the receiver's perspective instead of your own.
C. solving problems and conveying information.
D. getting your audience to believe and accept your message.
31. Before Melissa organizes and composes her message, she should ask two questions: (1) Why am
I sending this message? and (2)
A. Why did my boss give this task to me?
B. What do I hope to achieve with this message?
C. How can I get this message written as quickly as possible?
D. Do I have enough time and financial resources to complete the work?
32. Which statement about the communication process is most accurate?
A. The use of digital networks as a means to transmit messages is declining in today's workplace.
B. Because the meanings of words are the same among people, participants in the communication process
need not worry about their word selection or usage.
C. Only senders are affected by their mood, frame of reference, background, or culture.
D. Feedback helps the sender know that the message was received and understood.
33. Lindsay is writing a property description for a new real estate brochure. To make her brochure
more effective, Lindsay should anticipate her audience. This means she
A. identifies the property's outstanding traits and describes them clearly.
B. concentrates on the price and value of the property.
C. writes using familiar words and a friendly, informal tone.
D. considers what the readers are like and how they will react to the message.
34. Which of the following is most acceptable for business writing?
A. Please think about the new insurance option.
B. Caltrek experienced a change in profits during the last fiscal year.
C. Retailers can expect to pay higher amounts for their goods and services.
D. Sheila will examine the job proposal carefully.
35. A communication channel
A. is anything that interrupts the transmission of a message.
B. should be selected before idea formation.
C. includes only digital means for transmitting messages.
D. is the medium over which the message travels.
35. Experts say that writers should spend the most time in the ____ stage of the writing process.
A. prewriting
B. drafting
C. revising
D. Thinking
36. Converting ideas into words or gestures to convey meaning is called
A. feedback.
B. decoding.
C. encoding.
D. nonverbal communication
37. Which of the following sentences about jargon is most accurate?
A. Jargon should never be used in business writing.
B. Jargon is generally understood by both insiders and outsiders within a field.
C. Effective business communicators know to include some jargon within any message to demonstrate
their intelligence and command of the English language.
D. Jargon should be used only when the audience will understand it
38. Which of the following sentences demonstrates effective business writing?
A. As per your request, enclosed is our latest catalog.
B. Enclosed is our latest catalog.
C. The latest catalog is contained under separate cover.
D. Pertaining to your request, our latest catalog is enclosed.
39. What is the ideal number of participants for most groups?
A. Two
B. Four to five
C. Ten
D. There is no "ideal" number; more is always better.
40. In what phase of team development do teams select members, become acquainted, build trust,
and form a collaborative culture?
A. Storming
B. Forming
C. Norming
D. Performing
Chap 11
1. E-mail has made telephone use obsolete in the corporate world. F
2. Decisions made by teams promote greater "buy-in" from group members. T
3. Many businesses have established protocol procedures or policies to enforce civility. T
4. Because today's technologies provide many alternate communication channels, face-to-face
communication is no longer important in business and professional transactions. F
5. Hard skills refer to a whole cluster of personal qualities, habits, attitudes, communication skills,
and social graces. F
6. Virtual meetings save travel costs and reduce employee fatigue. T
7. Hard skills refer to a whole cluster of personal qualities, habits, attitudes, communication skills,
and social graces. F
8. When speaking on a cell phone, speak more loudly so that the receiver can hear you and your
ideas. F
9. When conversing with others, always address them by their first names. F
10. You must demonstrate professionalism only in face-to-face interactions.F
11. When answering a phone call for a coworker, be honest and tell the receiver the exact
whereabouts of your coworker. F
12. The benefits of voice mail include eliminating unnecessary chit chat, telephone tag, inaccurate
messages, and
A. time zone barriers.
B. the need for written messages.
C. the necessity of a cordial, friendly greeting.
D. prompt responses.
13. How should a group leader keep a meeting progressing effectively?
A. Engage in most of the talking to ensure that the meeting ends on time.
B. Allow group members to digress on a topic because other topics may be beneficial to explore.
C. Discourage members who monopolize the discussion.
D. Summarize only at the end of the meeting.
14. Which of the following statements about phones and phone usage in today's businesses is most
accurate?
A. Phones are not an important communication tool in today's business offices.
B. The telephone has been replaced by e-mail as the No. 1 communication channel.
C. Effective business communicators know how to use phones productively, efficiently, and
professionally.
D. Today's offices do not come equipped with phones
15. Which of the following statements about the power of the human voice is most accurate?
A. The voice sends only verbal messages to receivers.
B. Individuals can learn to change their voice to make it more effective and powerful.
C. No correlation exists between the voice and perceived authority and trust.
D. All answer choices are accurate statements about the human voice.
17. Richard wants to prove that he is diligent and reliable. What is the best advice you can give
him?
A. Put all focus on his job and avoid volunteering his services to a worthy community or charity group.
B. Avoid apologizing for any errors.
C. Honor his commitments and keep promises.
D. Avoid any interaction with coworkers so that he stays focused on his job.
18. A meeting agenda should include the date and place of the meeting, start and end times, a brief
description of each topic with its time allotment, and
A. a refreshment list.
B. an explanation of the leader's position on each of the agenda topics.
C. any premeeting preparation expected of participants.
D. All answer choices should be included on a meeting agenda.
19. Which of the following would have a negative impact on a group?
A. Encouraging members to partcipate
B. Setting rules and abiding by them
C. Analyzing tasks and defining problems
D. Failing to stay on task
20. Which of the following is the best example of a response when answering calls for others?
A. Annette is currently participating in an important budget meeting with our board of directors.
B. We're not really sure where Annette is right now, but she'll return your call immediately whenever she
gets back.
C. Annette has run down to the ladies' room for a few minutes, but she should be back soon.
D. Annette is away from her desk, but I will give her your message when she returns.
21. What term describes groups of people who collaborate with one another to accomplish a shared
task across space, time, and organizational boundaries using technology?
A. Blogs
B. Virtual teams
C. Team players
D. Social networking
22. Richard wants to prove that he is diligent and reliable. What is the best advice you can give
him?
A. Put all focus on his job and avoid volunteering his services to a worthy community or charity group.
B. Avoid apologizing for any errors.
C. Honor his commitments and keep promises.
D. Avoid any interaction with coworkers so that he stays focused on his job
23. Which of the following statements about the power of the human voice is most accurate?
A. The voice sends only verbal messages to receivers.
B. Individuals can learn to change their voice to make it more effective and powerful.
C. No correlation exists between the voice and perceived authority and trust.
D. All answer choices are accurate statements about the human voice.
24. Which statement about professionalism is most accurate?
A. Professionalism refers to those behaviors exhibited only to customers.
B. Professionalism describes desirable workplace behavior.
C. Professionalism emphasizes hard skills or technical knowledge desired by employers.
D. Professionalism is important only in large companies.
25. Uptalk is the habit of using a rising inflection at the end of a sentence resulting in a singsong pattern
that makes statements sound like questions.
26. Pronunciation involves saying words correctly and clearly using accepted sounds and accented
syllables