Writing practice

Redundancies
Your Task. Revise the following to avoid redundancies.
1. Because her smartphone was bright red in color, she could always find it in the clutter of her home office.
2. The basic fundamentals of computer safety are to avoid using the names of pets, one’s birth date, the number
sequence 1234567, and the word password to log into accounts
3. The IT manager repeated again and again that we must use strong passwords and change them frequently
4. Although the two reports look exactly identical, we need to proofread each and every page.
Parallelism
1. Critics complain that young people today are obsessed with playing video games, taking selfies, and they are
constantly checking their social media pages
2. To be hired, an applicant must be reliable, creative, and show enthusiasm
3. Job seekers use the Internet to find job opportunities, market themselves to companies, showcase their skills,
and they hope to be able to land that dream job
4. Recent graduates are seeking jobs that are stimulating and a challenge
5. LinkedIn can help college graduates by sending job alerts, by leveraging their networks, they can research a
company, and LinkedIn can take the awkwardness out of asking for recommendations
6. A company’s website might contain valuable information such as you might find current job openings, the
company’s mission statement might be there, and the names of key hiring managers could be available.
7. When you want to complain about something, sending an e-mail or a letter is better than to make a telephone
call
8. The NSF application for a grant requires this information: proposed funds required for staff salaries, how much
we expect to spend on equipment, and what is the length of the project
Bias-Free Language
1. The conference in Honolulu offers special side trips for the wives of executives
2. Sports Research International hired Demarcus Jones, an African American, for the position of social media
coordinator
3. In the past a skilled assistant would proofread her boss’s documents and correct any errors he made
4. Douglas Luna is crippled with arthritis, but his crippling rarely interferes with his work.
5. Recently elected to the city council are a lady lawyer, an Indian CPA, and two businessmen
“You” view
1. Because we have automated our mobile worker trip forms, we need all employees to use the SmartTrip travel
reimbursement mobile app. This is the fastest way to be reimbursed

2. We are issuing all our customers new chip-enabled credit cards to replace expired or lost cards and prevent
increasingly costly payouts we have suffered from cyber fraud

3. Our strict safety policy does not allow us to rent power equipment to anyone who cannot demonstrate sufficient
skill in its use

4. We’re asking that all employees fill out the online survey by April 1 so that we may develop a master schedule for
summer vacations more efficiently

5. Our app developers are excited to announce a new free app called FanMile that we believe will entice fans to
share, like, and subscribe to your content.

Structure
- Sentence fragment: a sentence that is missing either its subject or its main verb: Although we have seen a gradual
loosening of the rules surrounding how we dress for work.
- Comma splice: comma mistake that happens when you use a comma to join two independent clauses: Koala bears are
not actually bears, they are marsupials.
- Frontloaded: the details, explanations, and background follow the direct opening.
- Poor organization is the greatest failing of business writers
- A dangling modifier is a word or phrase that modifies a word not clearly stated in the sentence: Having finished the
assignment, the TV was turned on.
- Compound sentence: joins two or more sentences that have related ideas of equal importance: Isaac's presentation was
outstanding; it was obvious he was prepared.
- Emphasis in writing can be achieved primarily in two ways: mechanically and stylistically.
- Formal research method: Accessing data electronically
- In passive-voice sentences, the doer of the action may be revealed or may be left unknown.
- Buried verb, smothered verb or nominalization, results when a verb is hidden within a noun phrase. “She made an
agreement” instead of “She agreed”
- Clear writing is sparked by specific verbs, concrete nouns, and vivid adjectives
- A direct claim letter should begin with a/an clear statement of the problem or with the action you want the receiver to
take.
- A sales message may use a dual appeal, which means that you include both emotional and rational reasoning.
- Proposals are written for both internal and external audiences
- The length of the executive summary, if possible, should be no more than one tenth of the full document
- While developing a market plan, businesspeople adopt the 4-Ps strategy; namely, price, product, place, and promotion

- In a push strategy, businesspeople engage directly with potential customers whereas in a pull strategy, businesspeople
engage with potential end users and others to create a demand for the product or service.
In which of the following situations would you prepare an RFP? → To solicit competitive bids for a new mobile app that
your company wants to develop
One of the critical parts of a financial plan is the sales projection that forecasts your business revenue and return of
investment (ROI)
Unless readers are familiar with the topic of the report, they may find the direct pattern confusing. They may prefer the
indirect strategy because it seems logical and mirrors the way we solve problems.
When you use the indirect organizational pattern for a justification/recommendation report, you should present the
most promising alternative last.
Functional headings show the outline of a report; talking headings describe the content.
Formal reports typically can be divided into three sections: prefatory parts, body, and supplementary parts.
executive summary is formal and impersonal
If you anticipate your audience to be hostile to your presentation, your delivery style should be calm and controlled
Effective speakers build audience rapport, which means that they build a bond with the audience by entertaining as well
as informing.
You can improve your presentation delivery by maintaining eye contact, controlling your voice and vocabulary, slowing
down and listening to what you are saying, and beginning with a pause to establish control.
An advantage of e-portfolios is they show off your talents and qualifications more thoroughly than a print résumé does.

because résumés are increasingly becoming part of searchable databases, you may need three versions: a print based
résumé, a scannable résumé, and a plain-text résumé
You need not list references on your résumé because references are not usually instrumental in securing an interview.
Kohlberg's six-stage framework comprises three levels
At the conventional level, people choose to act ethically in order to be accepted by others, or so as not to violate the law.
Utilitarians do not have fixed or rigid positions on the proposed alternatives, they are open and receptive to exploring
different viewpoints in the communication process.
Precise
Dear Mr Jarry
We are a chain of retail stores and are looking for an efficient security system. You were recommended to us by our
associates, DMS (Wholesalers) Ltd, for whom you recently installed the Secure 18 alarm system
We need a system which would give us comprehensive protection against robbery and shoplifting throughout all
departments, and the Secure 15 featured in your current catalog would appear to suit us. However, it would be helpful if
one of your representatives could visit us so that we can discuss details of the available systems.
Initially we would test the system we select in our main branch, and, if it proves satisfactory, install it throughout our
other branches. Our choice would, of course, be influenced by a competitive quotation and full guarantees for
maintenance and service.
Please reply as soon as possible as we would like to make a decision within the next few months.
Yours sincerely

Dear Mr. Jarry,

We represent (we are) a chain of retail stores currently seeking (are looking for) an effective security system. Your
services were highly recommended (you were recommended) to us by our business associates at DMS (Wholesalers) Ltd,
with whom you have recently installed the Secure 18 alarm system.
We require (need) a security system that offers (give) comprehensive protection against both robbery and shoplifting
across all our departments. The Secure 15 system, as featured in your current catalog, seems to be a potential fit (suit us)
for our needs. However, it would be greatly appreciated (it would be helpful) if one of your representatives could arrange
a visit (could visit) to our premises for a detailed discussion regarding the available security systems.
Initially, we intend to conduct a trial (test) of the selected system at our main branch. If it proves satisfactory, our plan is
to subsequently implement (install) it across all our other branches. Our decision will be influenced by a competitive
quotation and the assurance of comprehensive maintenance and service guarantees.
We kindly request your prompt response (please reply as soon as possible), as we aim to reach a decision within the next
few months.
Yours sincerely,
Format Of Informal Report
Title: Start the report with a clear and concise title that reflects the content and purpose of the report.
Date: Include the date on which the report is prepared.
To: Specify the recipient or audience of the report. This can be an individual, a team, or a department.
From: Identify the author or authors of the report, along with their positions or roles.
Subject/Topic: Provide a brief overview of the subject or topic the report covers. This should be a sentence or two that
introduces the main focus of the report.
Introduction: Begin the report with an introductory section that sets the context and provides background information.
Explain why the report is being written and what it aims to accomplish. You can also outline the scope and objectives of
the report in this section.
Body: This is the main section of the report where you present the information, findings, or details related to the subject.
The body of the report can be divided into several subsections or paragraphs, each covering a specific aspect of the topic.
Use headings or bullet points to make the content more organized and easy to read.
Discussion/Analysis: Depending on the nature of the report, you may include a section for discussion or analysis. Here,
you can provide your insights, interpretations, or evaluations of the information presented in the body of the report.
Discuss any implications, trends, or key points.
Recommendations (if applicable): If the report's purpose is to make recommendations or suggestions, include a section
for this. Clearly outline your recommendations, and provide reasons or justifications for them.
Conclusion: Summarize the main points and findings of the report in a brief conclusion. Restate the key takeaways and
any actions that need to be taken.
Attachments/Appendices (if applicable): If there are any supplementary materials, such as charts, graphs, data tables, or
additional documents, include them in the form of attachments or appendices. Reference these materials in the body of
the report where relevant.
Signature (if necessary): If the report requires authorization or approval, include a signature line for the author or other
relevant parties to sign.
Distribution List: Optionally, you can include a list of individuals or departments who will receive copies of the report.
References: If you have used any external sources or references in the report, cite them in a reference section.
Acknowledgments: If you want to acknowledge contributions from others or express gratitude, you can include an
acknowledgments section at the end of the report.
Contact Information: Provide contact information in case the recipients have questions or need further clarification
regarding the report.

Tone conversational yet professional

- BTW, Madison blew a gasket when the manager accused the whole department of ripping off pricey office supplies.
→ Incidentally, Madison had a strong reaction when the manager accused the entire department of misappropriating
expensive office supplies
- As per your recent request, the undersigned is happy to inform you that we are sending you forthwith the procedure
manuals you requested.
→ As you requested, we will send you the procedure manuals as soon as possible.
- Kindly be informed that it is necessary for you to designate the model number of the laser cutting machine before we
can ship your order
→ Please designate the model number of the laser cutting machine so that we can deliver your order
- Pursuant to your e-mail of the 4th, please be advised that your shipment was sent on March 6.
→ In response to your email dated the 4th, we inform you that your shipment was delivered on March 6th.
- R head honcho wz like totally raggety kuz I wz sick n stuff n mist the team meet. Geez
→ Our senior executive was quite concerned because I was unwell and missed the team meeting. Thank you for your
understanding.
- The undersigned respectfully reminds affected individuals that employees desirous of changing their health plans must
do so before December 31
→ Please notify the undersigned (người ký tên) before December 31st if you want to change your health plans.

More positive and courteous.

- We are sorry to let you know that we can offer the 30 percent rebate only to the first 25 buyers, so hurry up!
→ The first 25 customers will be offered a 30 percent rebate.
- Construction on your building is at a standstill because the contractor is unable to pour footings until the soil is no
longer soggy
→ Construction on your building will be continued as soon as the soil is firm enough to pour footings.
- A travel visa cannot be issued until an application is completed and a recent photo is included.
→ An application and a recent photo will be needed in order to issue a travel visa.
- Your message of June 1 claims that the blade in your food processor malfunctioned. Although you apparently failed to
read the operator’s manual, we are sending you a replacement blade PLUS another manual. Next time read page 18
carefully so that you will know how to attach this blade.
→ We’ve received your message on June 1st about the blade in your food processor malfunctioned and we are so sorry
about that. We are sending you a replacement blade with an additional manual. Please read the instructions on page 18
carefully to attach the blade. In case you have any questions please message us
- Customers are ineligible for the 25 percent discount if they fail to provide the discount code at the time of purchase
→ Customers qualify for the 25 percent discount when they provide the discount code during your purchase.
- As team leader, you apparently failed to remember that you have already assigned me two gigantic and complex
research tasks, and now you have dumped another big job on me – one that I can’t possibly begin until after I finish the
other two jobs.
→ As soon as I finish the two large research tasks already assigned, I will begin work on the new task you mentioned.

Plain language and familiar words

- Civil Service exams were once required for federal government jobs, but they were phased out subsequent to the
passage of antidiscrimination laws.
→ Federal government jobs used to require Civil Service exams, but they were discontinued after antidiscrimination laws
were passed.
- To expedite ratification of the agreement, we beseech you to vote in the affirmative.
→ To speed up the approval of the agreement, we ask you to vote "yes."

Precise, vigorous words

- If you receive two job offers at once, you can probably (get, land, negotiate) a better deal
- Dakota’s outstanding report contains (a lot of, loads of, reams of) helpful data.
- The CEO said that we must (review, change, reduce) overtime hours to (fix, balance, rework) the budget.
- Our operations manager demanded a (substantial, 20 percent, big) reduction in staff travel expenditures.
- In the courtroom the attorney (said, alleged, thought) that the car was stolen.
- As you suggested, we will (question, interrogate, probe) our accountant.
Incident report
You were on duty at a retail store when a customer slipped and fell on a wet spot on the floor, injuring themselves. As the
store staff, you are required to file an incident report detailing the circumstances of the event. write an incident report
describing what happened, including any witnesses to the incident and steps taken to assist the injured party
Introduction:
I, [Your Name], employed as a staff member at [Store Name], hereby submit this incident report regarding an unfortunate
incident that occurred during my duty hours.
Description:
Date and Time of Incident: [Date] at approximately [Time]
Location of Incident: [Specify the exact location within the store, e.g., Aisle 3 near the cleaning products section]
Injured Party: [Full Name of Injured Customer]
Injury Description: [Describe the nature and extent of the injuries sustained]
Incident Description: [Provide a detailed description of what happened leading up to and during the incident]
Root Cause:
The primary cause of the incident was the presence of a wet spot on the floor, which created a hazardous condition in the
store. The wet spot likely resulted from [specify the source, e.g., a spilled beverage or a leaking ceiling]. The exact cause
of the wet spot will be further investigated to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Conclusions or Recommendations:
Immediate Response: Upon discovering the incident, I promptly rushed to the scene and provided assistance to the
injured customer. I called 911 for medical assistance and followed our store's safety protocols by securing the area.
Witnesses: Three witnesses, [Witness 1, Witness 2, and Witness 3], confirmed that the customer slipped on the wet spot,
validating the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Documentation: I took photographs of the scene, including the wet spot, and ensured that the store's security cameras
were reviewed to capture footage of the incident for further investigation.
Preventive Measures: To prevent future incidents of this nature, it is recommended that the store:
Conduct regular and thorough safety inspections to identify potential hazards promptly.
Enhance employee training on spill cleanup procedures.
Improve signage and warning systems to alert customers to potential dangers.
Sign Off:
I hope for a swift recovery for the injured customer, [Injured Party's Name], and assure that we will fully cooperate with
any investigation related to this incident. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require any further information or
assistance regarding this matter.
Sincerely,
[Your Signature]
[Your Printed Name]
[Your Employee ID, if applicable]
Unit test 1
True / False
1. Highly developed technical or "hard" skills are the most sought-after employment skills demanded by employers.
a. True
b. False
2. Most people are good listeners.
a. True
b. False
3. Nonverbal communication includes only those behaviors that are intended.
a. True
b. False
4. Communicators in high-context cultures (such as those in China, Japan, and Arab countries) tend to be intuitive,
contemplative, and group oriented.
a. True
b. False
5. Ethnocentrism is inherent in all cultures.
a. True
b. False
6. The central objective of communication is the transmission of meaning.
a. True
b. False
7. Skilled business writers spend most of their time on the revising phase of the 3-x-3 writing process.
a. True
b. False
8. The richest communication channel is e-mail.
a. True
b. False
9. To optimize the connection with your audience, you should use first-person pronouns such as I, we, and our liberally in
written messages.
a. True
b. False
10. Every mechanic must submit his timesheet by Friday is grammatically correct and bias free.
a. True
b. False
11. Many routine tasks, such as drafting emails, memos, letters, informational reports, and oral presentations, require the
writer to collect formal research.
a. True
b. False
12. Use the indirect strategy when your audience may be uninterested, unwilling, hostile, or displeased.
a. True
b. False
13. Although writing a résumé is part of the job-search process, you should begin the process by analyzing your interests
and goals and evaluating your qualifications is an example of a compound sentence.
a. True
b. False
14. Active-voice verbs are preferred in business writing.
a. True
b. False
15. You should strive to write paragraphs with eight or fewer printed lines.
a. True
b. False
16. I am sending this message to let you know that Tuesday's meeting has been cancelled is ineffective because it contains
a long lead-in.
a. True
b. False
17. Please give consideration to our latest offer contains a buried verb.
a. True
b. False
18. Well-designed documents increase readability and audience comprehension.
a. True
b. False
19. To save time, you should thoroughly proofread a document as you draft it.
a. True
 b. False
20. The best way to judge the success of your communication is through feedback.
a. True
b. False
21. Which of the following statements about writing skills in today's business world is correct?
a. Because of today's emphasis on technology, the need for good writing skills is not important.
b. Employees today can expect to write fewer messages than in previous years.
c. Today's employees must use a variety of media to communicate with others.
d. Only employees in fields such as communications and public relations must be able to write effective
business messages.
22. Which of the following is a psychological barrier to effective listening?
a. Focusing on a speaker's unusual voice
b. Concentrating on a speaker's unfamiliar words
c. Having noisy surroundings
d. Tuning out speakers whose ideas do not match our own
23. To improve your nonverbal communication, you should establish and maintain eye contact with others, minimize any
distracting or competing background sounds, and _______.
a. avoid direct eye contact because it may be perceived as being too aggressive
b. enliven the atmosphere by playing soft music in the background
c. associate with people from diverse cultures.
d. tilt your head to the side when listening
24. The most important dimension of culture is _______.
a. time orientation
b. context
c. individualism
d. power distance
25. When you have a conversation with someone from another culture, you can reduce misunderstandings if you
_______.
a. speak in short sentences
b. accept a yes or a nod to affirm comprehension
c. wait until you finish a long explanation to request feedback
d. use lots of slang to demonstrate your knowledge of your culture's language
26. The first step of communication occurs when _______.
a. an idea is put into words or conveyed through gestures
b. an idea is sent through a communication channel
c. the sender has an idea
d. the receiver decodes the message
27. Business messages should be _______.
a. writer oriented
b. purposeful
c. complex
d. lengthy
28. Before you write a message, your first step should be to _______.
a. conduct research
b. prepare an outline of your ideas
c. analyze the audience and anticipate its reaction to the message
d. select an appropriate organizational pattern
29. Shipping Clerk Christina included this sentence in her message to a customer: Pertaining to your returns, we must
verify the shipping numbers and lot codes of all outstanding merchandise prior to issuance of a refund. This sentence is
an example of _______.
a. an unprofessional tone
b. overly formal language
c. a conversational style
d. plain English
ANSWER: b
30. Which of the following sentences uses positive language?
a. Your order cannot be shipped before June 1.
b. Your August 15 letter claims that your new computer is malfunctioning.
c. We can't provide a free printer with your purchase of a computer.
d. We look forward to completing your order when we receive your credit card information.
31. Which of the following is a formal research method?
a. Talking with the boss
b. Consulting the company blog
 c. Conducting an interview
d. Circulating a questionnaire asking for employee reactions
32. Advantages of the direct strategy are saving the reader’s time, setting a proper frame of mind, and _______.
a. establishing goodwill at the start of the message
b. providing a buffer to bad news
c. building rapport with the reader
d. reducing frustration
33. Ethan wrote the proposal for MPEX Associates and submitted it on May 1 is an example of a _______.
a. simple sentence
b. compound sentence
c. complex sentence
d. compound-complex sentence
34. Melissa completed her undergraduate studies in May, she is now pursuing a master's degree in business
administration is an example of a _______.
a. complete sentence
b. fused or run-on sentence
c. fragment
d. comma splice
35. Which of the following sentences demonstrates parallel structure?
a. Marian will interview all candidates, Dale will train new employees, and annual reviews will be conducted
by Paul.
b. The proposal affected all students, educators, and administrators.
c. The committee plans to review all proposals, interview contractors, and then it must select a certified
vendor.
d. Successful job candidates must demonstrate leadership, teamwork, and they must possess strong
communication skills.
36. What kind of sentence reveals the main idea of a paragraph?
a. Pivoting
b. Supporting
c. Topic
d. Transitional
37. Which of the following statements demonstrates techniques for achieving concise writing?
a. There are several things that every employee must know about workplace hazards.
b. The directors believe that HAZMAT training is absolutely essential.
c. Although this training is a company requirement, it must be completed at the employee's expense.
d. This is to inform you that HAZMAT training will be scheduled in the near future.
38. Which of the following sentences avoids clichés, trite phrases, and buzzwords?
a. Enclosed please find my résumé.
b. Our committee will analyze the proposals on Monday.
c. Finding an acceptable solution will be easier said than done.
d. This new paradigm shift will impact all employees.
39. Which statement regarding headings is most accurate?
a. Headings provide visual distraction for readers; thus they should be avoided.
b. Headings appear most often in business letters.
c. Headings highlight information and improve readability.
d. Headings should be written in complete sentences.
40. Which of the following is the correct advice for proofreading long, complex documents?
a. Proofread complex documents immediately after writing while your thoughts are still fresh.
b. Thoroughly proofread your document only once.
c. Expect to find mistakes.
d. Rely completely on a spell-checking program to find any errors.
41. Two techniques mentioned in Chapter 1 that could help you become an active and effective listener are to provide
feedback and _______.
a. listen for main points
b. listen for details so you will remember them
c. interject to let the speaker know you are listening
d. judge the speaker’s credibility by their appearance not their ideas
42. To improve your chance of being understood when writing to someone from a different culture, you should cite
numbers carefully and _______.
a. use short sentences and short paragraphs
b. use long sentences and long paragraphs so you can provide more explanation
c. apply only styles and conventions that are standard in your own culture
d. use ambiguous wording to avoid offending them
43. Which of the following sentences expresses the idea using the "you" view?
a. All applicants must complete the attached form by December 1.
b. Because your information is important for the application process, complete your form by December 1.
c. The attached form must be completed by December 1.
d. Forms completed after December 1 will not be accepted.
44. Which of the following sentences uses positive language for the entire sentence?
a. Because you neglected to include a copy of your cash register receipt, we can’t process your rebate.
b. We look forward to processing your rebate as soon as we receive a copy of your cash register receipt.
c. We cannot process your rebate until we receive a copy of your cash register receipt.
d. When a copy of the receipt failed to be provided, the decision was made not process the rebate.
45. Which of the following sentences uses bias-free language?
a. Every manager must review his employees annually.
b. Every manager must review her employees annually.
c. Every manager must review his or her employees annually.
d. Managers must review their employees annually.
46. Which of the following sentences corrects the misplaced modifiers in this sentence: Waiting for the interview, sweat
formed on Rich.
a. Waiting for the interview, Rich began to sweat.
b. Sweat waiting for the interview formed on Rich.
c. Waiting for Rich, sweat formed on the interview.
d. Waiting for the Rich, sweat began the interview.
47. Which of the following sentences demonstrates direct, concise language?
a. This is to inform you that due to the fact that health care costs are rising, there is a new employee
wellness program that will be offered starting on May 1.
b. Health care costs are rising and there is a new employee wellness program that will be offered starting on
May 1.
c. Because health care costs are rising, a new employee wellness program will be offered May 1
d. Due to the fact that health care costs are rising, a new employee wellness program will be offered starting
on May 1.
48. Which of the following sentences demonstrates an effective business tone and style that avoids using trite business
phrases?
a. Pursuant to your request, enclosed please find a copy of our current catalog.
b. Enclosed is a copy of our current catalog.
c. Per your request, you will find our current catalog.
d. Please find enclosed a copy of our current catalog.

Unit test 2
1. How are memos and e-mail messages usually organized?
a. Directly
b. Indirectly
c. Chronologically
d. Thematically
2. Most business messages today are sent by _______.
a. e-mail
b. text
c. chat
d. telephone
3. Which of the following communication channels would help a company provide training effectively and less
expensively?
a. Blogging
b. Podcasting
c. Texting
d. E-mailing
4. For a company wanting to communicate their latest accomplishments with internal and external audiences, which
communication channel would help them achieve this aim?
a. A company blog
b. An official memo
c. A podcast
d. An e-mail
5. Businesses now use social media sites to recruit employees.
a. True
b. False
6. Business letters are the preferred channel of communication for delivering messages outside of an organization.
 a. True
b. False
7. You will sound professional and courteous if you routinely include a sentence such as Thank you for your cooperation
in the closing paragraph of a request messages.
a. True
b. False
8. If you expect your reader to readily agree with your straightforward claim, use the direct organizational strategy.
a. True
b. False

9. Which of the following requests would likely result in a prompt adjustment?

a. Request to replace damaged merchandise.
b. Request for a full refund due to dissatisfaction with a product.
c. Request for merchant to sell product for the same price as a less expensive model.
d. Request to extend the period when a discount was offered.
10. When expressing thanks or offering congratulations, a purchased card is more impressive than a handwritten note.
a. True
b. False
11. The bad feelings associated with disappointing news can generally be reduced if the receiver knows the reasons for the
rejection, feels that the news was revealed sensitively, and believes that the matter was treated seriously and fairly.
a. True
b. False
12. When delivering bad news, you should always use the indirect strategy to soften the impact.
a. True
b. False
13. A negative-news message that is organized indirectly should begin with a buffer.
a. True
14. As a Customer Relations Specialist, Kendra must deny a customer's request for a cash refund. In her message to the
customer, Kendra should include a statement such as If you had read the return policy printed on your receipt, you
should know that cash refunds will not be granted.
a. True
b. False
15. When a company is dealing with an internal crisis, the correct way for the company to handle this crisis is to avoid a
negative impact on employee morale is to _______.
a. let employees and stakeholders find out about the problem through the office grapevine
b. communicate the news, honestly, openly, and immediately
c. wait until the crisis has passed and then send an e-mail to all employees
d. avoid drawing attention to the crisis by not providing any response
16. Technology has diminished the need for persuasive skills in today's corporate world.
a. True
b. False
17. Use the body of a persuasive request to gain your reader's attention and interest.
a. True
b. False
18. When you write a claim or complaint letter, an effective persuasive technique is using words and phrases that clearly
display how angry you are about the situation.
a. True
b. False
19. Jenna is trying to convince her boss that an on-site employee exercise room would benefit the company and
employees. When presenting her persuasive message, Jenna should provide monetary evidence proving that an on-site
employee exercise room would improve employee absenteeism, reduce employer-paid insurance premiums, and increase
employee health.
a. True
20. Rational appeals are associated with reason and intellect, while emotional appeals relate to status, ego, and sensual
feelings.

a. True
b. False
21. Which of the following subject lines for a business-related e-mail or memo would be correct?
a. Important
b. Task force meeting
c. Task Force Meeting March 18
d. Please attend
22. What is the correct advice to follow when using texting or instant messaging (IM) in the workplace?
 a. Keep a single contact list of personal and professional contacts for efficiency.
b. Even if you are completing a project or trying to meet a deadline, answer all texts or instant messages
immediately.
c. Feel free to send sensitive or confidential messages to people you know.
d. Check with your supervisor to learn about your organization's messaging policies.
23. Many companies are eager to produce podcasts. The two main advantages for companies using podcasts are
_______.
a. dependence on social media algorithms and greater privacy
b. the ability to consolidate their media channels and reach more customers
c. the ability to provide more entertaining content and focus only on targeted audiences
d. the ability to diversify their media channels and independence from social media algorithms
24. Ellen wants to create a blog for her business. What is the correct advice for her to follow?
a. Craft a catchy but concise title such as Five Ways to Ace an Interview.
b. Provide details in the opening where they will not be missed by her readers.
c. Avoid including visuals because they will distract her reader.
d. Don't worry about her wording, especially her grammar, punctuation, and mechanics.
25. Which of the following statements about social networking in the workplace is correct?
a. Businesses use social networking sites only to connect with customers.
b. Social networking presents no risks for businesses.
c. Business professionals should always think twice before posting anything on social networking sites.
d. Businesses use social networking sites only to connect with employees.
26. A business letter is _______.
a. the best communication channel when sending urgent messages
b. an outdated form of communication in the business world
c. necessary when the situation is formal and sensitive
d. less confidential than other forms of communication
27. Thomas has five questions to ask his reader in a routine information-request message. What is the correct way to
present these questions?
a. As a separate enclosure
b. In a bulleted or numbered list in the body of his message
c. In paragraph form in the body of his message
d. In a follow-up e-mail
28. Which of the following openings is the correct way to begin a straightforward claim letter?
a. You have sold me jewelry for three years, and you have never failed to deliver nice merchandise in the
past.
b. On April 2 I opened your delivery containing the chain (Item No. 544558-15454) I ordered on March 1.
c. Please replace this damaged 18-inch sterling silver herringbone chain received as part of Order No. 248-21.
d. I am very upset with the broken 18-inch sterling silver herringbone chain in your recent shipment because
I had no necklace to wear to my son's wedding!

29. The main goals of an adjustment message are to rectify the wrong if one exists, regain the confidence of the
customer, and _______.
a. prove that the claim is unreasonable
b. lower the customer’s expectations
c. demonstrate why your company is superior
d. promote future business
30. Goodwill messages should be selfless, specific, sincere, spontaneous, and _______.
a. long
b. sophisticated
c. showy
d. short
31. Goals for communicating negative news effectively include projecting a professional image, conveying empathy and
sensitivity, and _______.
a. demonstrating your superiority
b. deflecting blame
c. being fair
d. proving that the customer is wrong

32. When you use the indirect strategy to deliver bad news, the recommended order of ideas is _______.
a. buffer, reasons, bad news, and closing
b. buffer, bad news, reasons, and closing
c. reasons, buffer, bad news, and closing
d. bad news, reasons, buffer, and closing
33. Which part of a bad-news message is reduces feelings of ill will and improves the chances that readers will accept the
bad news?
a. A positive, forward-looking closing
b. A neutral buffer
c. An explanation of the reasons for the bad news
d. The bad news itself
34. Although many companies try to deal with disappointed customers by calling them immediately, written messages are
also used _______.
a. when there isn’t the opportunity to follow up immediately
b. when the issue is sensitive and needs to be handled diplomatically
c. when a record of the incident needs to be established
d. when the issue doesn’t have enough importance to justify an immediate response
35. As a manager, Kelly must communicate to her employees some bad news that will likely upset them. What is the
correct advice for her to follow when communicating this bad news?
a. Let her employees learn of the bad news through the media.
b. Ask her employees their feelings about the bad news immediately after she has presented it.
c. Practice what she is going to say.
d. Wait to deliver the bad news until a Friday afternoon so that employees have an opportunity to process the
bad news.
36. Which of the following situations would require persuasion within an organization?
a. Asking employees to attend training sessions on a new software for entering timesheets
b. Telling employees about the new health insurance prescription drug compensation plan
c. Asking employees to participate in an exercise program to improve wellness and to reduce health
insurance costs
d. Informing employees about a change in shuttle services
37. Persuasive requests should be organized _______.
a. quickly
b. indirectly
c. directly
d. chronologically
38. What is the correct advice to follow when writing a persuasive claim message?
a. Suggest that you have been intentionally deceived by the company.
b. Provide a comprehensive chronology of all details of the claim.
c. Close the message with a clear statement of what you want done.
d. Include original documentation of invoices, shipping orders, warranties, or payments.
39. Which of the following statements about persuasive messages within an organization is correct?
a. It is acceptable for managers to be dishonest when trying to persuade others because of their
authoritative position in the company.
b. Persuasive messages flowing both downward and upward require attention to tone.
c. When employees send persuasive messages to their managers, they should include words such as you
must or we should to make their messages sound more convincing.
d. Instructions or directives from managers to employees should be organized indirectly.
40. What are the four parts of the AIDA strategy for writing sales messages?
a. Audience, investigate, develop, analysis
b. Aggressive, indirect, direct, assertive
c. Analyze, interpret, define, adapt
d. Attention, interest, desire, action
41. Which of the following identifies a similarity between e-mails and memos?
a. Both are usually organized using the direct strategy.
b. Both are usually organized using the indirect strategy.
c. Both are appropriate for communicating with internal and external audiences.
d. Both are appropriate for communicating longer, more formal messages.
42. Which of the following statements provides correct advice about using social media professionally in the workplace?
a. Learn your company’s rules for using social media.
b. Update your social media accounts with information about your position and your company.
c. Share cartoons and video clips to improve morale among your colleagues.
d. Download free software and utilities to make your work more efficient.
43. Which of the following is an appropriate opening sentence for a claim requesting an exchange of a smartphone still
under warranty?
a. My TravelerXtra smartphone was purchased from your online store on September 15, for your attractive
price of $228.88 plus $24.48 shipping and handling with no service contract required.
b. Yesterday my TravelerXtra shut itself down out of the blue, and I can't use it for anything.
c. Please authorize the exchange of my defective TravelerXtra smartphone, purchased from your online store
on September 15.
 d. I feel ripped off because I received only one month of service from my TravelerXtra smartphone.
44. Which of the following is an appropriate opening sentence for an adjustment letter responding to a claim?
a. We are extremely saddened to learn of the unfortunate failure of your TravelerXtra smartphone.
b. Enclosed is a voucher to purchase a replacement for your TravelerXtra smartphone.
c. Company policy typically prevents us from offering a total replacement at no cost to you for defective
products, but we'll make an exception in your case.
45. Bad-news messages can be organized using the direct or indirect strategy. Which of the following situations would be
correct for organizing the message using an indirect strategy?
a. The customer is already extremely upset about the poor service they received and is likely to be more
upset when they receive the bad news.
b. The customer may overlook the bad news.
c. The customer is a long-term customer, familiar with your products, and generally prefers to receive
information up front.
d. Even though the customer was already informed that a refund could not be granted, they have submitted
another request for a refund.

Unit test 3
1. Business reports vary in length, purpose, and delivery format.
a. True
b. False
2. The first step in preparing a report is locating information to support your ideas.
a. True
b. False
3. Analytical reports present data without analysis or recommendations.
a. True
b. False
4. Formal proposals are written for only external audiences.
a. True
b. False
5. Information considered common knowledge does not require documentation in a business report.
a. True
b. False
6. Tables are the most frequently used type of graphic in business reports.
a. True
b. False
7. Hiring managers and recruiters view technical skills as more important than the soft skills of professionalism,
etiquette, and communication.
a. True
b. False
8. The richest communication channel is e-mail.
a. True
b. False
9. Individuals rather than teams generally produce quicker, more accurate decisions.
a. True
b. False
10. Sharing information with others is an effective reason to schedule a meeting.
a. True
b. False
11. The most important part of preparing for a business presentation is determining what graphics you will use.
a. True
b. False
12. Effective presentations should contain deliberate repetition of ideas.
a. True
b. False
13. Rather than memorizing or reading a presentation, you should deliver it extemporaneously.
a. True
b. False
14. The first step in finding a job is writing a well-organized résumé.
a. True
b. False
15. One of the best online sources for jobs is a company's own website.
a. True
b. False
16. Most jobs today are found through referrals and person-to-person contacts.
a. True
b. False
17. To save yourself time and ensure consistency of your "professional brand," you should prepare a generic résumé to
send for every position that interests you.
a. True
b. False
18. The most common type of hiring or placement interview is the panel interview.
a. True
b. False
19. When answering interview questions, you should plan to openly admit some weaknesses to show that you are human.
a. True
b. False
20. After a job interview, you should always send a thank-you note, e-mail, or letter.
a. True
b. False
21. Which of the following represents an informal writing style?
a. James, Deloitte, and Wilts, Inc., after extensive review of references and credentials of contractors, has
elected to contract with Peck Builders for the new office complex.
b. We selected Peck Builders as general contractor for our new office complex.

c. After conducting an exhaustive search of building design elements and cost-efficiency data, the company
has verified the qualifications of Peck Builders.
d. The findings validate the imperative of selecting a fully qualified and bonded contractor for the new
building venture of James, Deloitte, and Wilts, Inc.; that contractor is Peck Builders.
22. 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 present the data in a consistent and useful format?
a. Letter format
b. Memo or e-mail format
c. Manuscript format
d. Preprinted form or template
23. Which of the following illustrates correct phrasing of a purpose statement for an informal report?
a. Employees and companies benefit from online training opportunities.
b. Benefits of online training programs.
c. Online training has proven to be an effective tool for employees and companies.
d. To evaluate the effectiveness of an employee online training program.
24. Which of the following situations might require a feasibility report?
a. Relaying the status of a large construction project
b. The reporting of monthly sales figures for all divisions
c. The investigation results of implementing an on-site employee exercise facility
d. A one-page summary of a long article in The New York Times
25. A timetable for project completion is included in which section of an informal report?
a. Staffing
b. Authorization Request
c. Budget
d. Proposal
26. Bethany must write a formal business report and reveal the results of a year-long study on employee wellness at each
of her company's five locations. What type of organizational pattern should she use?
a. Chronological
b. Topic/Function
c. Geographical
d. Simple/Complex
27. When paraphrasing researched information, you should _______.
a. use the same grammatical structure of the original information so that you do not change the meaning of
the ideas
b. replace just a few original words with synonyms to avoid charges of plagiarism
c. restate the researched information in your own words and in your own style
d. place double quotation marks before and after the paraphrased information
28. Which of the following suggestions for incorporating graphics into the body of a report is correct?
a. Always place graphics in the appendix of a report.
b. Mention the graphic in the text of the report.
c. Create graphics in only black and white so that the graphics do not distract the reader.
d. Do not include a title above any graphic because the graphic should be self-explanatory.
29. What is the correct advice to follow when participating in workplace conversations?
a. Act professionally in all social situations.
b. Address all supervisors and customers by their first name.
c. Avoid praising others so that you do not come across as a "brown noser."
d. Feel free to openly discuss your workplace frustrations with all colleagues.
30. Which of the following statements about work teams is correct?
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.
31. Which of the following is the correct advice for leading or participating in a business meeting?
a. Leave your cell phone on to demonstrate to others your dedication to customers and fellow colleagues.
b. Let the leader do most of the talking.
c. Don't start the meeting until all attendees arrive.
d. Let members who disagree with one another make a complete case for their position while group
members give their full attention.
32. With what type of audience should speakers use a dynamic, entertaining delivery style by incorporating large gestures
and movement?
a. Hostile
b. Friendly
c. Neutral
d. Uninterested
33. The introduction of a presentation should include an attention-getting device that gets the audience involved, a
personal credibility statement, and _______.
a. a prediction
b. a preview of the main points to be discussed in the body of the speech.
c. explanations and details of each of the main points.
d. a joke not related to the presentation, to get the audience warmed up
34. What is the correct advice to follow when creating a multimedia presentation?
a. Use the same color for all audiences and occasions.
b. Avoid using any images or graphics on your multimedia slides so that your audience focuses on your
words.
c. Limit the number of bullet points to six per slide.
d. Use as many animation and sound effects as possible to keep your audience's attention.
35. What résumé style would be suitable for a candidate who has significant experience related to the target position?
a. Chronological
b. Functional
c. Video
d. Infographic
36. What statement about an e-portfolio is correct?
a. An e-portfolio is a collection of digital files that can be navigated with the help of menus and hyperlinks.
b. E-portfolios can be accessed only at websites.
c. A print résumé is more effective than an e-portfolio at showing off an applicant's talents and
qualifications.
37. Which of these statements illustrates correctly how to explain your qualifications in the body of a cover message?
a. I am a qualified and fully certified criminologist.
b. Training in crisis prevention and emergency response has prepared me to serve and protect your
community at the River Valley Campus.
c. You need a licensed criminologist, and I meet those qualifications.
d. With my bachelor's degree from Luther College, I am well-prepared and eager to apply my knowledge in
criminology
38. Kevin is being interviewed by a group of people who will be his supervisors and colleagues if he is hired, and they are
taking turns asking him questions. What type of interview is this?
a. Group
b. Hiring/Placement Interview
c. Panel
d. Sequential
39. Mai wants to project positive nonverbal behaviors during her upcoming panel interview. What is the correct advice
for her to follow?
a. Sit erect, leaning forward slightly to show interest and confidence.
b. Avoid a direct gaze with her interviewers and look at only the person who asked the question.
c. Keep her hands in her pockets so that her interviewers will not notice her shaky hands.
d. Use words such as like or basically to fill any dead air.
40. Which of the following is an effective way to respond when an interviewer asks, Why do you want to work for us?
a. Briefly summarize current employment problems requiring you to change employers.
b. Show what you know about the interviewer’s company and demonstrate how your goals match its point of
view.
c. Explain that as a recent graduate you want to work for any company needing an employee with your skills
and background.
d. Simply tell the truth about your reasons for seeking this job––for example, you are unemployed, you need
more pay or better benefits, or you just graduated.
41. Examples of sources for secondary data include books, periodicals, and _______.
a. electronic resources
b. surveys
c. interviews
d. observations
42. Two advantages of properly documenting research data include protecting yourself against charges of plagiarism and
_______.
a. making your report longer
b. strengthening your argument and adding credibility
c. making your report more challenging to read and thus more impressive
d. being able to finish writing the report more quickly
43. The advantages of teams include making better decisions, being more productive, and _______.
a. coming up with faster responses
b. greater creativity
c. elimination of conflict
d. better writing skills
44. Which of the following is an effective technique to gain audience rapport in a presentation?
a. Stand behind a podium to assert your authority and expertise.
b. Speak in a low monotone voice so that you come across as logical and authoritative.
c. Memorize your presentation so that your delivery is perfect.
d. Use effective imagery, including analogies, metaphors, similes, personal anecdotes, personalized statistics,
and best- and worst-case scenarios.
45. A functional résumé is suitable for candidates who _______.
a. have limited work experience
b. have extensive work experience
c. want to emphasize their work history
d. are continuing in the same line of work and want to emphasize their experience in this field
46. The purpose of using success stories during an interview is to _______.
a. engage the interviewer emotionally with an interesting personal story
b. make yourself more likeable to the interviewer by sharing a story that is relatable and engaging
c. demonstrate that you have the minimum qualifications for the position
d. provide an example of an educational or work-related experience which demonstrates a skill, an
accomplishment or achievement

Chapter 1
1. Which statement regarding communication skills in the workplace is correct?
a. The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the relative unimportance of good communication skills in the
workplace.
b. Communication skills often rank at the bottom of recruiters’ wish lists.
c. Superior communication skills will make you marketable in the workplace of the future regardless of
economic climate.
d. Today's workers communicate less, not more, since information technology and social media have swept
the workplace.
2. Communication skills _______.
a. are not as important as technical skills for career success
b. are not necessary in today's competitive job market
c. are ranked by recruiters at the top of qualities they most desire in job seekers
d. cannot be learned; they are innate
3. Which of the following statements is an accurate description of communication in the workplace today?
a. Workers today communicate less than in previous years.
b. Technology has not affected how and why we communicate.
c. Businesses today generate a wide range of messages using a variety of media.
d. Writing is a skill set used only by managers and corporate executives.
ANSWER: c
4. The combination of communication, logical reasoning, critical-thinking, teamwork, and management skills used to be
referred to as soft skills, but now are being referred to instead as interpersonal skills or _______.
a. statistical skills
b. professional skills
c. emotional skills
d. executive skills
5. Strategic use of e-mail, internet, voice mail, and texting are important in developing your _______.
a. on-the-job accuracy
b. relationships with your co-workers
c. professional image
d. productivity goals
6. Major trends in today's dynamic world of work include increased emphasis on self-directed work groups and virtual
teams, heightened global competition, innovative communication technologies, new work environments, and focus on
_______.
a. creating an entirely online presence
b. promoting from within
c. increasing levels of management
d. business ethics
7. Which one of the following statements about today's business environments is correct?
a. The number of telecommuting employees is expected to decline in the future.
b. All companies assign offices for employees.
c. Many employees today no longer need an office; they can work anytime and anywhere.
d. Workers today spend more time in offices than workers in the past.
8. Which statement below is an accurate description of today’s workplace?
a. Employees can expect to have more managers.
b. Very few businesses involve employees in decision making.
c. Today's employees can expect to interact with people from many cultures.
d. Businesses use social media only to interact with customers.
9. The term flattened management hierarchies refers to _______.
a. renewed emphasis on ethics
b. fewer levels of management
c. more levels of management
d. less individual decision making and communication
10. The ability to access data on remote servers with a computer or mobile device is called _______.
a. presence technology
b. cloud computing
c. videoconferencing
d. podcasting
11. According to researchers, most people listen at what level of proficiency?
a. 100 percent
b. 5 percent
c. 25-50 percent
d. 75 percent
12. Which of the following statements is an accurate statement about listening?
a. Very few management problems are related to listening.
b. The average person remembers nearly three quarters of what he or she hears following a 10-minute
presentation.
c. We misinterpret, misunderstand, or change very little of what we hear.
13. Many of us are poor listeners because _______.
a. the brain can process information at least three times as fast as people talk
b. we have become a distractible society
c. we rely more on visual cues
d. we rely more on non-verbal cues
14. The lag time between the speed with which listeners process words per minute (450) and the speed at which speakers
talk (about 125 to 175 words per minute) is called the _______.
a. speech-thought differential
b. mind gap
c. listening gap
d. speaking distinction
15. Which of the following is a psychological barrier for listening?
a. Hearing disabilities
b. Poor acoustics
c. Noisy surroundings
 d. Personal values
16. Your boss is giving instructions for a new method of keeping expense accounts. However, you find it difficult to
concentrate because you think the change is unnecessary. What type of barrier to effective listening are you
experiencing?
a. Language problem barrier
b. Psychological barrier
c. Physical barrier
d. Nonverbal distraction barrier
17. Breanna must inform her workforce that the company will need to let go of a certain number of employees. Which
word would be best for Breanna to use when delivering this news to the employees?
a. Layoff
b. Streamlining
c. Paradigm shift
d. Rightsizing
18. Which of the following is associated with active listening?
a. Establishing a receptive mindset
b. Focusing on appearance and delivery
c. Concentrating on your next comment
d. Taking as many notes as possible
19. To show that you are actively listening during a job interview, you should _______.
a. nod strategically and maintain eye contact
b. reply quickly to minimize lag time
c. use ambient noises to create a relaxed environment
d. adopt a sympathetic attitude
20. Amelia has made a conscious effort to become an active listener. Therefore, she shuts down her computer, turns off
her cell phone, and asks her assistant to hold all incoming calls when she conducts interviews. What technique is she
using to improve listening?
a. Keeping an open mind
b. Establishing a receptive mindset
c. Capitalizing on lag time
d. Controlling her surroundings
21. Nonverbal communication includes _______.
a. all unwritten and unspoken messages
b. only body language and gestures that accompany a spoken message
c. only eye contact and facial expressions that support the meaning of the words
d. only cues that reveal agreement with or contradiction of the verbal message
22. Examples of nonverbal communication include facial expressions, eye contact, and _______.
a. taking notes
b. speaking in a loud voice
c. posture
d. appropriate dress
23. Which of the following statements is an accurate description of nonverbal communication?
a. Nonverbal communication comprises very little of a message that is sent or received.
b. When verbal and nonverbal messages contradict, receivers believe that the verbal message is more
accurate.
c. Meanings of nonverbal behaviors are often influenced by the communication context and by one's culture.
d. Nonverbal communication applies to only intended messages.
24. Most people think that the best predictor of a speaker's true feelings is their _______.
a. facial expressions
b. posture
c. gestures
d. eyes
25. Which of the following statements about posture and gestures is accurate?
a. The meaning of some gestures can vary among cultures.
b. Gestures are only movements without meaning attached to them.
c. Leaning towards a speaker suggests boredom and disinterest.
d. Erect posture tends to convey rigidity and stubbornness.
26. According to Edward T. Hall, in which spatial zone do most people converse with friends and family members?
a. Intimate
b. Personal
c. Social
d. Public
27. According to Edward T. Hall, which spatial zone is the largest?
 a. Intimate
b. Personal
c. Social
d. Public
28. Which of the following tips should you follow to improve your nonverbal communication skills?
a. Focus only on the speaker’s words when you are engaged in conversation.
b. Observe yourself on video.
c. Avoid individuals from other cultures so that you don't start using inappropriate nonverbal behaviors
displayed in other cultures.
d. Avoid asking the speaker questions when their nonverbal and verbal messages contradict.
29. In addition to her attire and physical engagement during an interview, what other element of Laylah’s candidacy for
the position embodies nonverbal communication?
a. How well she shows that she has researched the company in her responses to questions
b. The visual appeal of the resume and cover letter she has submitted
c. The content of the questions she asks at the end of the interview
d. All of these
30. Stephen's manager notices that he slammed his desk drawer right after he said that he was happy to work late. To
optimize communication, the manager should _______.
a. tell Stephen that he should behave more professionally
b. respond to the verbal message only and thank him for working late
c. seek additional information by saying, I'm not sure that you're okay with staying late. Do you have
somewhere you need to be?
d. avoid asking Stephen to stay late in the future
31. 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
32. The five dimensions of culture are: power distance, individualism, context, time orientation, and _______.
a. tolerance
b. collectivism
c. communication style
d. space orientation
33. The most important cultural dimension is _______.
a. power distance
b. communication style
c. time orientation
d. context
34. Which of the following is a common trait of a business communicator from a low-context culture?
a. Valuing group membership
b. Preferring indirect verbal interaction
c. Placing emphasis on written information
d. Relying on context and feeling
35. Communicators from North America, Scandinavia, and Germany tend to be logical, analytical, and action oriented.
They also depend little on the context of a situation to convey their meaning. These communicators represent what kind
of culture?
a. High-context
b. Primitive
c. Ancient
d. Low-context
36. Which of the following countries represents a high-context culture?
a. United States
b. Germany
c. Norway
d. Japan
37. North Americans value straightforwardness and are suspicious of evasiveness. These traits identify the cultural
dimension of _______.
a. individualism
b. power distance
c. communication style
d. time orientation
38. Which of the following countries would likely view a business contract as a binding document?
a. Mexico
 b. Greece
c. Japan
d. Germany
39. Which one of the following statements accurately describes the effect of social media and communication technology
on culture?
a. Because of social media, communicators can now reach out to larger and more varied audiences than in
the past.
b. Social media always makes individuals of various cultures feel connected.
c. Social media offers very little potential for intercultural engagement.
d. Developers of social media should use the same design principles for all audiences.
40. Which one of the following is an accurate statement about ethnocentrism?
a. Ethnocentrism occurs in only Western cultures.
b. Ethnocentrism does not exist in today's culturally diverse workplace.
c. Ethnocentrism causes us to judge others by our own values.
d. Ethnocentrism is the oversimplified perception of a behavioral pattern or characteristic applied to all
groups.
ANSWER: c
41. An American businessperson who thinks that all Swiss are hardworking, efficient, and neat is demonstrating an
example of _______.
a. ethnocentrism
b. tolerance
c. stereotyping
d. a cultural norm
42. Learning about beliefs and practices different from our own and appreciating them means displaying _______.
a. tolerance
b. individualism
c. stereotyping
d. gender norming
43. One of the best ways to increase tolerance when communicating with those from other cultures is to practice
empathy, which refers to _______.
a. speaking louder and listening more actively
b. sharing your preferred communication style with others
c. trying to see the world through others' eyes
d. thinking more individualistically
44. While conducting business with a customer from Italy, Zoe was careful to speak slowly and clearly, using short
sentences and familiar words. However, she noticed that the customer had a glazed expression and did not understand
her. Zoe should _______.
a. repeat what she has said in a louder voice
b. graciously accept the blame for not making her meaning clear
c. end the conversation until an interpreter can be found
d. require the Italian businessperson to restate the message in simple words
45. When speaking with someone for whom English is a second language, you should talk slowly, enunciate clearly, check
frequently for comprehension, observe eye messages, listen without interrupting, and _______.
a. follow up important messages in writing
b. avoid smiling, which might make you appear to lack seriousness
c. use words that will impress the listener
d. assume that the listener understands if he or she nods and smiles in agreement
46. Which of the following is an example of an idiom, which can cause confusion for multicultural audiences?
a. This product really rocks!
b. Our products can improve your bottom line.
c. Please submit your report ASAP.
d. Call me if you have any questions.
47. Max is preparing a contract between his company and one in Mexico. What should he do when citing numbers in the
contract?
a. Use the metric system.
b. Use American currency figures.
c. Write all months as figures rather than as words.
d. Avoid using any figures in the contract.
48. The benefits of a diverse work environment include improved ability to respond to a diverse customer base, better
decision making and problem solving, and _______.
a. being able to charge more money for products and services
b. having lower payroll expenses
c. improve employee relationships
d. increased automation of lower skill jobs
49. Which of the following is key to improving workforce diversity?
a. Hiring a more homogenous work group
b. Making fewer assumptions
c. Ignoring differences
d. Requiring employees to conform to a standard company culture
50. Workers who communicate successfully with diverse audiences must make few assumptions, learn about their own
and other cultures, and _______.
a. seek common ground
b. help others conform
c. avoid noticing differences
d. encourage group thinking
51. Because of today's communication technology, employees in today's workforce can expect to write fewer messages.
a. True
b. False
52. Recruiters often rank communication skills as the highest skill set sought by employers.
a. True
b. False
53. Only managers and business executives need strong communication skills.
a. True
b. False
54. Employees in today's workforce must be prepared to write using a variety of media.
a. True
b. False
55. Appreciating diversity is an example of a "soft" skill.
a. True
b. False

56. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift to _______.

a. remote-based work
b. smaller offices
c. larger breakout areas for impromptu meetings
d. digital databases
57. As a frontline employee, you can expect to have more managers in the workforce.
a. True
b. False
58. As an employee in today's digital workplace, you can expect to work more independently rather than collaboratively in
groups.
a. True
b. False
59. Faking attention while others are speaking often increases listening skills.
a. True
b. False
60. Psychological barriers to listening include hearing disabilities, poor acoustics, and noisy surroundings.
a. True
b. False
61. Physical barriers to listening include only environmentally produced noises.
a. True
b. False
62. Trying to write down the majority of what a speaker is saying can improve your listening skills.
a. True
b. False
63. If you want to become a better listener, your first step is to stop talking.
a. True
b. False
64. To improve your listening ability, focus both on what is spoken and what is unspoken.
a. True
b. False
65. Brooke is listening to a difficult presentation on nanotechnology development. As a good listener, she should ask as
many questions as possible during the presentation.
a. True
b. False
66. Establishing a receptive mindset refers to the listener's openness to learn something new.
a. True
 b. False
67. When verbal and nonverbal messages conflict, listeners tend to believe the verbal message.
a. True
b. False
68. Most communication is nonverbal.
a. True
b. False
69. Understanding a message involves listening to only the spoken words.
a. True
b. False
70. Most Americans communicate with business associates at approximately 1½ feet.
a. True
b. False
71. The physical appearance of your business documents (such as resume and cover letter) transmit important nonverbal
messages.
a. True
b. False
72. Zach's company does business globally. By associating with people from diverse cultures, Zach can widen his
knowledge of intercultural messages and can increase his tolerance of differences.
a. True
b. False
73. Guilherme wants to make sure that his posture during his upcoming job interview affirms his interest in the position.
To accomplish this, he should lean slightly forward, sit erectly, and maintain eye contact.
a. True
b. False
74. Our culture molds the way we think, behave, and communicate.
a. True
b. False
75. Communication style is the most important dimension of culture.
a. True
b. False
76. Individuals in high-context cultures prefer direct verbal interaction, value individualism, rely on logic, say "No"
directly, and give authority to written information.
a. True
b. False
77. The United States is an example of a low-context culture.
a. True
b. False

78. Laura values individualism and personal responsibility in herself and coworkers. These values are typical of North
American culture.
a. True
b. False
79. North Americans consider time a precious commodity and correlate it with productivity, efficiency, and money.
a. True
b. False
80. Individuals in Western cultures are more relaxed about social status and the appearance of power.
a. True
b. False
81. Emphasis on the importance of individual words, especially in contracts and negotiations, is a trait of lower-context
cultures such as that of the United States.
a. True
b. False
82. The first step in learning intercultural skills is being aware of your own culture and how it contrasts with others.
a. True
b. False
83. Ethnocentrism can be found in all cultures.
a. True
b. False
84. Cross-cultural communication can be improved by practicing tolerance and ethnocentrism.
a. True
b. False
85. When communicating face-to-face with a person from another culture, you can always assume that the other person
is understanding your ideas if he or she smiles.
a. True
b. False
86. For international trade it is a good idea to learn and use the metric system.
a. True
b. False
87. The U.S. workplace is expected to remain dominated by males and be Anglo-oriented.
a. True
88. Diversity has become a critical bottom-line business strategy in today's global economy.
a. True
b. False
89. Businesses that want to capitalize on cultural diversity need to train workers to think and act alike to reduce conflicts.
a. True
b. False
90. Lori will be traveling to Germany for a business meeting. Because she and her German counterparts work for the
same company, she can rightfully assume that they are like-minded and have similar ideas about how to accomplish goals.
a. True
b. False
91. Juan Jose’s supervisor has noticed that Juan Jose works effectively in teams, has excellent presentation skills, and has
strong initiative at resolving problems when they arise. These qualities that Juan Jose’s supervisor appreciates in Juan
Jose as an employee are his _______.
a. professional skills
b. technical skills
c. communication skills
d. emotional skills
92. The ability to store and manage applications and data in remote locations is known as _______.
a. cloud computing
b. information sharing
c. the Internet of things
d. artificial intelligence
93. Among the five most desirable attributes in job seekers––management, leadership, problem-solving skills, written and
oral communication, and teamwork––which one ranked first?
a. Leadership
b. Management
c. Written and oral communication
d. Teamwork skills
94. During Maram’s interview, the interviewer was interested in learning more about Maram’s background and extended
the interview an extra 15 minutes. This is an example of what type of non-verbal communication?
a. Space
b. Territory
c. Time
d. Appearance
95. What are the key components of what constitutes culture, as shared by a society, region, or country?
a. A complex system of values, traits, morals, and customs
b. A complex system of beliefs and attitudes
c. A complex system of language, religion, and social structure
d. A complex system of social hierarchy and power
96. According to a model developed by cultural anthropologist Edward T. Hall, context refers to the stimuli, environment,
or ambience surrounding an event. When cultures are placed on a continuum from low to high in relation to context, the
model becomes especially useful for helping to understand differences in _______.
a. personalities
b. attitudes
c. preferences
d. communication styles
97. The belief in the superiority of one's own culture, an attitude found naturally in all cultures, is known as _______.
a. stereotyping
b. ethnocentrism
c. intolerance
d. closed-mindedness
98. What term describes the oversimplified perception of a behavior pattern or characteristic applied uncritically to
entire groups?
a. Stereotyping
b. Ethnocentrism
 c. Empathy
d. Intolerance
99. Power distance refers to how people in different societies see and address differences in _______.
a. equality
b. diversity
c. communication style
d. individualism
100. Tolerance means learning about those who are not like us and being receptive to new experiences. One of the best
ways to develop this trait is to practice _______.
a. open-mindedness
b. patience
c. empathy
d. Ethnocentrism

Chapter 2: Planning business messages

1. Communication is defined as "the transmission of information and meaning from a sender to a receiver." The crucial
element of this definition is _______.
a. transmission
b. information
c. meaning
d. individual
2. The communication process begins when the sender _______.
a. determines the appropriate communication channel
b. has an idea
c. encodes an idea into a message
d. plans for feedback
3. Converting ideas into words or gestures to convey meaning is called _______.
a. feedback
b. decoding
c. encoding
4. 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
5. Which of the following helps improve the communication process?
a. The sender selecting the best communication channel
b. The receiver decoding the message
c. The receiver providing clear and complete feedback
d. The sender encoding the message
6. The process of translating a message from its symbol form into meaning is called _______.
a. feedback
b. decoding
c. encoding
d. noise
7. Communication noise _______.
a. occurs only with the sender in the communication process
b. includes only environmentally produced sounds that prevent the message from being transmitted
c. is anything that interrupts the transmission of a message
d. describes the medium over which the message travels
8. Feedback can be improved by _______.
a. showing greater empathy
b. speaking more loudly
c. delivering the message in person
d. timing the delivery appropriately
9. Communication is successful only when _______.
a. verbal feedback has been sent to the receiver
b. the sender encodes the idea and transmits the message
c. verbal and nonverbal feedback have been sent to the receiver
d. the receiver understands an idea as the sender intended it
10. Which one of the following statements about the communication process is correct?
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.
11. The primary purpose for sending business messages is typically to inform or persuade. A secondary purpose should be
to _______.
a. earn a promotion
b. create documentation for legal purposes
c. sell a product
d. promote goodwill
12. When preparing a business message, you should make your writing audience oriented. Audience oriented means
_______.
a. writing to solve a problem or convey information
b. attempting to get your audience to believe and accept your message
c. presenting ideas clearly but concisely
d. concentrating on looking at the message from the receiver's perspective
13. 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
14. Business writing should be economical. In this context economical 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
15. The first phase of the writing process involves analyzing the audience and your purpose for writing, anticipating your
audience's reaction to your message, and _______.
a. investigating background information
b. composing your message
c. adapting your message to the audience
d. looking for previous company documents on the topic
16. 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
17. During the second phase of the writing process, you conduct research, _______.
a. clarify the audience demographics, and edit word choices
b. anticipate audience reaction, and adapt the message
c. organize ideas, and compose the message
d. evaluate message effectiveness, and revise as needed
18. In the final phase of the writing process, check the message for clarity and readability, proofread for errors, and
_______.
a. evaluate for effectiveness
b. assess the cost of the selected delivery channel
c. solve the problem
d. forward the document to the publishing department
19. 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
20. Experts say that writers should spend the most time in the ____ stage of the writing process.
a. prewriting
b. drafting
c. revising
21. 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?
22. One technique that improves business writing is the use of empathy, which allows you to adapt the message to the
readers' needs. An abbreviation that you should keep in mind to help you do this is _______.
a. FIFO
b. ROI
c. WIIFM
d. FYI
23. 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
24. Profiling the audience for a business message helps the writer _______.
a. identify the appropriate tone, language, and channel
b. guarantee that the audience will respond positively to the message
c. select slang the audience will recognize and appreciate
d. create a perfect first draft
25. 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
26. Media richness refers to _______.
a. a message's impact on the company's bottom line
b. how much a communication channel costs the company to use
c. the extent to which a channel represents all of the information available
d. the receiver's actions upon receiving the message
27. As Human Resources Manager, Claire must inform Anthony that company job changes will require him to seek
retraining or lose his position. The best channel for Claire 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
28. Michael usually holds team meetings on Tuesday mornings, but he needs to reschedule next week's meeting to
Wednesday morning. To tell team members of the date change for the next meeting, Michael should _______.
a. send an e-mail
b. meet in person with each team member
c. call a team meeting
d. write a short team report
29. When selecting a communication channel, you should follow two tips: use richer media for persuasive or personal
messages and _______.
a. use the richest media available
b. select the cheapest channel to reduce costs
c. never use digital media such as instant or text messaging on the job
d. consider what media is the easiest for you to use
30. The primary benefit of choosing a richer medium is that _______.
a. the message can be delivered more quickly
b. messages delivered with a richer medium require less preparation
c. the richer medium allows the sender to be more concise
d. the richer medium allows for greater interactivity and feedback
31. Adaptation is the process of _______.
a. creating a message that suits the audience
b. impressing your audience with high-level diction and long sentences
c. sending feedback to the sender of a message
d. proofreading and editing a written message
32. One technique that improves business writing is the use of empathy. Empathy refers to _______.
a. using inclusive language to eliminate bias
b. putting yourself in the receiver's shoes to adapt the message to the receiver's needs
c. appealing to the audience by using a sender focus
d. formatting documents to meet business standards
33. Which of the following sentences focuses on audience benefits?
 a. We are very pleased to have you as our newest customer.
b. You can help us by sending us your payment immediately.
c. Register now to lock in your preferred travel dates.
d. Act quickly to help us meet our year-end goals.
34. One of the best ways to develop audience benefits is to use the "you" view, which _______.
a. means that all messages are written in the active voice
b. dictates that all sentences be written as commands
c. emphasizes second-person pronouns instead of first-person pronouns
d. uses slang and abbreviations to personalize the message
35. 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.
36. Business messages are most effective when they convey which type of tone?
a. Authoritative
b. Conversational
c. Inquisitive
d. Formal
37. Which of the following sentences demonstrates conversational business writing?
a. Your return policy is the worst.
b. I am upset about your return policy.
c. Your return policy has provoked me to write this letter.
38. Which of the following sentences is written in active voice?
a. You will be given your password upon completing the form.
b. We will provide your password after you have completed the form.
c. Your password will be given to you after you complete the form.
d. Errors were made in the report.
39. Which of the following is the best example of bias-free language?
a. Two firemen will collect the toy donations.
b. Every flight attendant must submit her security clearance card before boarding.
c. All managers and their wives are invited to Friday's cocktail party.
d. The servers at Cafe Divine are always professional.
40. Positive language in business messages _______.
a. is an attempt to mislead readers
b. conveys less information than negative language
c. grants the reader all requests or demands
d. tells what is and what can be done
41. 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.
42. Which of the following represents a courteous approach to writing business messages?
a. Use words that sound demanding or authoritative.
b. Turn demands into rhetorical questions.
c. Express legitimate emotions of anger and frustration.
d. Emphasize writer benefits.
43. Which of the following would help to create a conversational but professional tone in a business message?
a. Headings for skim value
b. Technical terms to establish the writer's industry knowledge
c. Familiar words and personal pronouns
d. Frequent abbreviations such as IMHO and BTW
44. Which of the following demonstrates non-gender-biased business writing?
a. The company’s executives and their wives will attend the Reno conference.
b. All salesmen must meet monthly sales quotas.
c. The female attorney graduated from Yale.
d. The office personnel will assist you with your forms.
45. Which of the following sentences demonstrates recommended use of pronouns in business writing?
a. Every physician must carry his own malpractice insurance.
b. Every physician must carry their own malpractice insurance.
 c. All physicians must carry their own malpractice insurance.
d. Every physician must carry his or her own malpractice insurance.
46. 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.
47. Business writers who use words such as interrogate, remuneration, and terminate are using language many readers
would consider _______.
a. slang
b. conversational
c. jargon
d. unfamiliar
48. Which one of the following suggestions about using jargon in a business writing should you follow?
a. Jargon should never be used in business writing.
b. Jargon can always be used in a business writing because it 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.
49. 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.
50. The communication process begins when the receiver provides feedback to the sender.
a. True
b. False
51. Words have universal meaning among all cultures.
a. True
b. False
52. The medium over which the message travels is called the channel.
a. True
b. False
53. A weak Internet signal is an example of channel noise.
a. True
b. False
54. Translating a message from its symbol form into meaning involves encoding.
a. True
b. False
55. Effective communicators encourage feedback to help them know that their messages have been understood.
a. True
56. Paraphrasing a sender's message is an effective tool to promote understanding.
a. True
b. False
57. Digital communication (such as e-mail or social media) has much opportunity for distraction and breakdown.
a. True
b. False
58. A business message should be long because quantity enhances quality.
a. True
b. False
59. When writing a business message, you should always write it from your perspective.
a. True
b. False
60. The ability to prepare concise, audience-centered, persuasive, and purposeful messages comes naturally.
a. True
b. False
61. Business writing is very similar to academic writing, in that you should focus on discussing your feelings and
displaying your knowledge.
a. True
b. False
62. An important aspect of the first phase of writing a business message is anticipating the audience's reaction to the
message.
 a. True
b. False
63. Shannon is writing a proposal to the board of directors to upgrade the company's computer equipment. After
completing the prewriting phase, Shannon should immediately start composing the proposal.
a. True
b. False
64. The final task in the third phase of the writing process is evaluating your message to decide whether it accomplishes
your goal.
a. True
b. False
65. 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.
a. True
b. False
66. You should plan to spend equal amounts of time on each phase of the writing process.
a. True
b. False
67. 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
68. The primary purposes of most business documents are to inform and to persuade. A common secondary purpose is
sales growth.
a. True
b. False
69. You are more likely to achieve your communication goals if you profile your audience and shape the message to that
profile.
a. True
b. False
70. You should always approach the writing of a business message with the thought, What's in it for me?, which
encourages you to focus on how you will benefit by sending the message.
a. True
b. False
71. 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
72. A written report is a richer communication medium than a face-to-face conversation because a report can be
revisited and revised if necessary.
a. True
b. False
73. An important factor affecting channel choice is the importance of the message.
a. True
b. False
74. Using the "you" view is an effective way for writers to avoid taking on blame in business messages.
a. True
b. False
75. Empathy, which increases the likelihood of a successful message, occurs when writers put themselves in the
audience's shoes when creating the message.
a. True
b. False
76. The following sentence represents an audience focus: Our product guarantee becomes effective after we receive full
payment.
a. True
b. False
77. Most business messages replace conversation, so they are more effective when they convey an informal tone.
a. True
b. False
78. 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.
a. True
b. False
79. The active voice is generally preferred in business writing.
a. True
 b. False
80. 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.
a. True
b. False
81. Please enjoy your food or drinks before entering our store is an example of a positive message.
a. True
b. False
82. Positive language generally conveys more information than negative language does.
a. True
b. False
83. The sentence You must submit your application by Friday is a more effective business message than Please submit
your application by Friday.
a. True
b. False
84. Every mechanic has ten minutes for his morning break is an effectively written sentence.
a. True
b. False
85. In adapting your message to its audience, be sure your language is sensitive and bias free. Be cautious about
expressions that might be biased in terms of gender, race, ethnicity, age, and_______.
a. religion
b. accented speech
c. disability
d. nationality
86. Whenever possible in business writing, substitute longer, less familiar words for shorter, simpler words.
a. True
b. False
87. Jargon should never be used in business writing.
a. True
b. False
88. As a business communicator, you should use strong verbs and concrete nouns in your writing.
a. True
b. False
89. The sentence Our company experienced an increase in profits during the last fiscal year uses precise, vigorous
wording.
a. True
b. False
90. What is the transmission of information and meaning from a sender to a receiver?
a. Communication
b. Transmission
c. Encoding
d. Decoding
91. The verbal and nonverbal responses from a receiver are called _______.
a. encoding
b. feedback
c. transmission
d. decoding
92. During which phase of the writing process does the writer analyze the audience and the purpose for writing?
a. Prewriting
b. Drafting
c. Revising
d. Editing
93. Sam is collecting and organizing information for a marketing report he is writing. Which phase of the writing process
is Sam currently involved in?
a. Prewriting
b. Drafting
c. Revising
d. Editing
94. When describing richness of communication, the term richness refers to which aspect of the communication
process?
a. The sender encoding the idea
b. The sender decoding the idea
c. The sender selecting the channel to transmit the message
 d. The receiver decoding the message
95. The richest mode of communication among the following would be ______.
a. an e-mail, because the message can be retrieved and added to quickly if necessary
b. a wiki, because readers can make their own changes to a group document
c. a letter, because it provides more formality and a printed record
d. a face-to-face interaction, because it provides both verbal and nonverbal messages
96. The style of writing that identifies who is doing the acting is called _______.
a. active voice
b. passive voice
c. business writing
d. you-viewpoint
97. What is the benefit of remembering and applying the acronym WIIFM?
a. WIIFM is a reminder to consider the benefits to yourself.
b. WIIFM is a reminder to consider the benefits to the audience that you are writing to.
c. WIIFM is a reminder to adjust your radio channel.
d. WIIFM is used by business consumers to prioritize their interests.
98. Putting yourself in the receiver's shoes to better adapt your message to that person's needs is called _______.
a. a benefit
b. a feature
c. empathy
d. richness
99. Which of the following is an example of effectively using positive language?
a. As soon as your new credit line is approved, we will issue you a credit card.
b. Your credit score is insufficient for offering you a credit card.
c. We would like very much to extend to you a line of credit but regret that we are unable to.
d. Please understand how sorry we are that we cannot comply with your request at this time.
100. What is the primary purpose of using jargon?
a. Jargon is used to make sure that only insiders understand your message.
b. Jargon can be used to let readers know that you are an expert in your field.
c. Jargon is used to communicate complex ideas quickly.
d. Jargon is used to purposefully confuse and obfuscate your message.
Chapter 3: Organizing and drafting business messages
1. The second phase of the 3-x-3 writing process begins with _______.
a. analyzing the audience
b. composing the message
c. researching the topic
d. organizing the message
2. Before composing a business document, you should gather information that will answer which of these questions?
a. Will I have enough time to complete thorough research?
b. What is the receiver to do?
c. What information will be the easiest to locate?
d. How will I use this information?
3. Which of the following would require a formal research method?
a. Routine e-mail messages
b. Business letters
c. Long reports and proposals
d. Oral presentations
4. All of the following are informal research methods except _______.
a. interviewing the target audience
b. conducting a scientific experiment
c. looking in company files
d. brainstorming for ideas
5. When brainstorming to generate ideas, you should _______.
a. critique each idea as it is suggested
b. record ideas without judging them
c. always work alone for greater efficiency
d. allow no more than five ideas to be discussed
6. Which of the following is a formal research method?
a. Talking with your boss
b. Investigating primary sources
c. Brainstorming
d. Looking in company files
7. Which of the following research sources will provide you with firsthand information?
a. Internet websites and articles
b. Reference books
c. Electronic databases
d. Interviews
8. As interns in human resource management, Brad and his team are administering a professionally developed employee
questionnaire to collect information on workplace violence. This type of research produces data that is considered
_______.
a. firsthand information
b. informal documentation
c. supplementary, secondary information
d. scientific experimentation
9. Quality Building Materials Inc. has developed a new whole-house weather blanket and needs to determine the price
point at which builders would switch to this new product. The best research method for this is a(n) _______.
a. manual search of other companies' price lists
b. interview with a local builder
c. Internet search of insulation values for weather blankets
d. scientific experiment that presents price choices with controlled variables
10. Ahna is sending a persuasive memo to her staff asking them to participate in the new wellness program. Which of the
following sources of information would be most appropriate to help Ahna shape an effective persuasive message for her
staff?
a. Tightly controlled scientific experimentation
b. Library research
c. Questionnaires and surveys of employees
d. Research in company files
11. According to communication experts, what is the greatest failing of business writers?
a. Poor spelling
b. Unclear sentence structure
c. Ambiguous wording
d. Poor organization
12. The direct strategy would be most appropriate when _______.
a. delivering bad news
b. presenting ideas requiring persuasion
c. expecting the audience to be pleased, mildly interested, or neutral
d. revealing sensitive news
13. A scratch list for a message is _______.
a. a list of topics that should not be covered
b. a complex, hierarchical arrangement of your ideas
c. a list of the general topics you wish to include
d. an inventory of illustrations or visuals you plan to include
14. Which of the following is an advantage of the direct strategy?
a. Minimizes a negative reaction
b. Respects the feelings of the reader
c. Saves the reader's time
d. Encourages a fair hearing
15. Which of the following business messages would use the indirect strategy?
a. An e-mail message to 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 them on a recent promotion
d. A letter to a customer denying their request for credit
16. Which of the following message openings is the most direct opening for an e-mail message announcing a new
telecommuting plan?
a. A number of employees have asked about telecommuting options.
b. Many businesses have been implementing telecommuting programs, and we have studied their programs
extensively.
c. Rising gas prices have led many companies to allow telecommuting, and we think this might be a good idea
for our company.
d. Our new telecommuting program will begin on August 1.
17. Which of the following is an advantage of the indirect strategy?
a. Saves the reader's time
b. Respects the feelings of the audience
c. Reduces frustration
d. Sets a proper frame of mind
18. When you expect a reader of your message to be uninterested, unwilling, displeased, or hostile, you should
_______.
a. put the bad news first
b. begin with the main idea
c. explain all background information first
d. send the message via e-mail, text message, or IM
19. The indirect strategy is most appropriate for what kind of messages?
a. Bad-news messages
b. Sensitive messages
c. Persuasive messages
d. The indirect strategy is appropriate for all the answer choices.
20. Which of the following kinds of business messages typically use the indirect strategy?
a. Nonsensitive memos
b. Routine requests
c. Informational reports
d. Sensitive messages
21. What kind of sentence contains only one independent clause?
a. Simple sentence
b. Compound sentence
c. Complex sentence
d. Compound-complex sentence
22. What kind of sentence contains two independent clauses?
a. Simple sentence
b. Compound sentence
c. Complex sentence
d. Compound-complex sentence
23. What kind of sentence contains an independent clause and a dependent clause?
a. Simple sentence
b. Compound sentence
c. Complex sentence
d. Compound-complex sentence
24. Which of the following is a complex sentence?
a. Visit our website to learn more about our newest product line.
b. The conference will be held on Monday, but few managers will be able to attend.
c. Employers are now using social media sites to screen applicants; therefore, job seekers are advised to
clean up their digital presence.
d. Because of rising insurance premiums, many companies are offering employee-wellness incentives.
25. Which of the following is a simple sentence?
a. If health insurance costs continue to rise, employee copays may increase.
b. Having healthy employees decreases the cost of monthly premiums; therefore, we will be implementing a
wellness program.
c. HMO and PPO insurance plans offer additional cost savings.
d. Because we will be reducing employee health insurance benefits, some employees may be unhappy;
however, we must make sure that they understand the reason for the change.
26. What is a sentence fragment?
a. Two independent clauses connected without punctuation or a conjunction
b. Two independent clauses connected by a comma without a conjunction
c. A broken-off part of a sentence
d. The part of a sentence containing the verb
27. What is a comma splice?
a. Two independent clauses run together without punctuation or a conjunction
b. Two independent clauses joined by a comma without a conjunction
c. A broken-off part of a sentence
d. Two dependent clauses
28. What is a run-on sentence?
a. Two independent clauses run together without punctuation or a conjunction
b. Two independent clauses joined by a comma without a conjunction
c. A broken-off part of a sentence
d. An independent clause containing two dependent clauses
29. Technology has changed the working environments of employees, that is why employees are telecommuting more
than ever is an example of a _______.
a. complete sentence
b. fragment
 c. fused or run-on sentence
d. comma splice
30. What is the recommended maximum number of words for a sentence?
a. 10
b. 20
c. 25
d. 30
31. Placing an idea in italic or bold font is an example of achieving emphasis through _______.
a. style
b. structure
c. mechanics
d. syntax
32. Which of the following sentences emphasizes an idea through style?
a. Consider adding a statement of qualifications section on your résumé; but, most important, include
specific and relevant previous employment information.
b. Add a statement of qualifications section on your résumé, but also include specific and relevant previous
employment information.
c. A résumé should include a statement of qualifications section and specific and relevant previous
employment information.
d. You should include a statement of qualifications section and specific and relevant previous employment
information on your résumé.
33. Which of the following sentences is most effective in de-emphasizing the bad news?
a. Although cash refunds are not offered, you can exchange resalable merchandise.
b. Although you can exchange returned merchandise, cash refunds are not available.
c. Because we only exchange merchandise, it is impossible for you to receive a cash refund.
d. Because of our exchange policy, you may not receive a cash refund.
34. Although most business writing should be in the active voice, passive voice is useful to _______.
a. stress the performer of the action
b. be more concise
c. make the message more direct
d. de-emphasize negative news
35. 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.
36. When should passive voice be used in business writing?
a. When you want to de-emphasize the action or the recipient of the action
b. When you want to emphasize the bad news
c. When you want to conceal the doer of the action
d. Never
37. The use of similar structures to express similar ideas is known as ________ construction.
a. parallel
b. grammatical
c. mechanical
d. dependent
38. Which of the following uses parallel structure?
a. Our new paralegal must be smart, efficient, and have flexibility.
b. The accident shattered her pelvis, dislocated her foot, and her spinal column was broken in three places.
c. Big business demands superior forecasting, reporting, and analyzing.
d. A good financial planner must be certified, competent, and must possess ethical standards.
39. A(n) ________ modifier occurs when the word or phrase it describes is not close in the sentence enough to be
clear.
a. parallel
b. misplaced
c. distant
d. run-on
40. To avoid dangling modifiers, you can ask which of the following questions after writing an introductory phrase?
a. Why?
b. Who or What?
c. When?
d. How many?
41. The sentence that expresses a paragraph's main idea is called the _______.
 a. blueprint
b. preview
c. supporting content
d. topic sentence
42. How many main ideas should be developed in a paragraph?
a. Two
b. Three to five
c. One
43. In effective business writing, where in a paragraph does a topic sentence usually appear?
a. At the beginning, to let readers know what to expect
b. Midway through, to keep readers focused
c. At the end, to summarize what has been discussed
d. Topic sentences are unnecessary in business writing.
44. A topic sentence _______.
a. provides specific details, explanations, and evidence that support the main idea of a paragraph
b. links sentences within a paragraph
c. is unnecessary in a paragraph
d. states the main idea of the paragraph
45. The primary purpose of a paragraph’s supporting sentences is to _______.
a. state the main idea of the paragraph
b. repeat the topic sentence
c. introduce the main idea of the previous paragraph
d. illustrate and strengthen the topic sentence by providing specific details, explanations, and evidence
46. Paragraphs lack coherence when _______.
a. all sentences are written in the active voice
b. each sentence includes dependent and independent clauses
c. ideas are organized randomly and illogically
d. all sentences are compound sentences
47. To build paragraph coherence, a writer should _______.
a. sustain a key idea by repeating the same expression or a similar one
b. avoid using transitional expressions
c. use nouns instead of pronouns
d. exclusively use active voice
48. Which of the following transitions would help to clarify an idea?
a. Next
b. As a result
c. For example
d. Instead
49. Transitional expressions such as next, first, and finally are useful to show _______.
a. cause and effect
b. illustration
c. comparison and contrast
d. time association
50. Which of the following is true about paragraph length?
a. Shorter paragraphs are generally considered more readable.
b. Longer paragraphs make the writer appear more knowledgeable.
c. Paragraph breaks should be avoided because they may cause the reader to lose interest.
d. Paragraphs should contain multiple main ideas to save space.
51. The prevalence of digital communication has de-emphasized writing skills in the workplace.
a. True
b. False
52. Research is key to helping a writer shape a business message.
a. True
b. False
53. One question writers should attempt to answer before drafting a message is What will happen if the receiver doesn't
complete the requested action?
a. True
b. False
54. Amrit is researching the financial impact of a job-sharing benefit for employees. Talking with his boss about the
possible effects of offering this benefit to employees is an effective method of formal research.
a. True
b. False
55. Conducting scientific experiments is a method to gather formal research.
 a. True
b. False
56. Most routine business messages require formal research.
a. True
b. False
58. Brainstorming is an ineffective research technique.
a. True
b. False
59. Many communication experts regard poor organization as the greatest failing of business writers.
a. True
b. False
60. A scratch list is a detailed, hierarchical plan for organizing ideas and information.
a. True
b. False
61. When you expect the reader to be pleased, mildly interested, or neutral, use the indirect pattern of organization.
a. True
b. False
62. When you develop a major component on an outline into subpoints, you must have at least two subpoints.
a. True
b. False
63. Another name for the direct strategy is frontloading.
a. True
b. False
64. One advantage of the direct strategy is that it saves the reader time.
a. True
b. False
65. The indirect strategy works well with three kinds of messages: (a) bad news, (b) ideas that require persuasion, and (c)
sensitive news.
a. True
b. False
66. One advantage of the indirect strategy is that it respects the feelings of the audience.
a. True
b. False
67. The most compelling and effective messages contain one repeated sentence pattern rather than a variety of
sentences.
a. True
b. False
68. The new software system will be installed on Monday; therefore, our intranet will be unavailable to employees is an
example of a complex sentence.
a. True
b. False
69. Words such as although, if, because, and since often introduce dependent clauses.
a. True
b. False
70. When introductory dependent clauses precede independent clauses, they are always followed by a comma.
a. True
b. False
71. A compound-complex sentence contains two complete but related thoughts.
a. True
b. False
72. Employers want employees who can write messages appropriately they also want employees who can speak effectively
with others is an example of a well-written sentence.
a. True
b. False
73. A run-on sentence results when a writer joins two independent clauses with a comma.
a. True
b. False
74. Business writers should strive for a balance of shorter and longer sentences within paragraphs to avoid monotony.
a. True
b. False
75. Although mechanical means are occasionally appropriate to create emphasis, more often a writer achieves emphasis
stylistically.
a. True
 b. False
76. Careful writers avoid labeling main ideas because they know that readers prefer to identify main ideas for themselves.
a. True
b. False
77. The following sentence effectively uses a stylistic device to de-emphasize the bad news: Although we don't have any
available positions at this time, we were pleased to receive your application and will keep it on file for six months.
a. True
b. False
78. In the active voice, the subject is acted upon. In the passive voice, the subject is the doer of the action.
a. True
b. False
79. Passive voice should never be used in business writing.
a. True
b. False
80. The following sentence demonstrates parallel structure: Maggie was organized, punctual, and she was always positive.
a. True
b. False
81. Modifiers must be close to the words they describe or limit.
a. True
b. False
82. The following sentence contains a dangling or misplaced modifier: Working all night, the brief was filed with the court
on time.
a. True
b. False
83. A paragraph is unified when it develops at least three ideas.
a. True
b. False
84. The topic sentence should relate the main idea of a paragraph.
a. True
b. False
85. Business writers generally place the topic sentence near the end of a paragraph to serve as a summary.
a. True
b. False
86. All support sentences in a paragraph must relate to the topic sentence.
a. True
b. False
87. Instead would be an effective transition to show contradiction.
a. True
b. False
88. Good writers should avoid repetition of words or key ideas because it shows lack of creativity.
a. True
b. False
89. Writers can use words and phrases such as on the other hand, as opposed to, and conversely to show contrast in
business messages.
a. True
b. False
90. Business writers should strive for paragraphs with eight or fewer printed lines.
a. True
b. False
91. Interviewing the target audience is what type of research method?
a. Formal
b. Informal
c. Ad hoc
d. Secondary
92. What type of research is generally recommended for long reports and proposals?
a. Formal
b. Informal
c. Primary
d. Observational
93. The organizational writing technique that involves placing the main idea first and following it with details, an
explanation, or evidence is called _______.
a. indirect strategy
b. outlining
 c. drafting
d. frontloading
94. Which strategy should be used for messages that contain bad news or ideas that require persuasion?
a. Direct
b. Indirect
c. Frontloading
d. Outlining
95. What type of sentence contains two independent clauses and one dependent clause?
a. Compound
b. Complex
c. Compound-Complex
d. Simple
96. Joining two independent clauses with a comma results in a _______.
a. run-on sentence
b. comma splice
c. fragment
d. dangling modifier
97. Which of the following is an example of the passive voice?
a. The new organizational chart was presented by our recently hired CEO.
b. Camdyn wrote the annual report.
c. The committee interviewed three candidates.
d. Management encouraged the employees to work from home.
98. What type of error results when the word or phrase a modifier describes is missing from its sentence?
a. Dangling modifier
b. Run-on sentence
c. Comma splice
d. Misplaced modifier
99. What is the effect when a paragraph employs techniques such as strategic repetition and transitional expressions?
a. Strong coherence
b. Frontloading
c. Direct strategy
d. Indirect strategy
100. Which of the following are examples of transitional expressions that show time association?
a. “As a result” and “therefore”
b. “But” and “however”
c. “Before” and “meanwhile”
d. “As opposed to” and “on the other hand”

Chapter 6: Positive and Neutral messages

1. Business letters are typically sent _______.
a. to relay bad news
b. within an organization
c. outside an organization
d. only by high-level executives
2. Most workplace messages should be organized _______.
a. indirectly
b. chronologically
c. directly
d. topically
3. Which of the following messages is a considered a routine business message?
a. An e-mail message to a coworker that confirms the time for an upcoming meeting
b. A letter to a customer denying a request for credit
c. A memo proposing the purchase of a new printer
4. A popular format of business letters, called _______ style, aligns all parts on the left of the page.
a. justified
b. formal
c. informal
d. block
5. Which of the following statements accurately describes the use of letters, e-mails, and memos in businesses today?
a. Businesses use memos to deliver positive messages internally and externally, but they use formal business
letters to deliver negative messages.
b. E-mail delivers most internal communication, hard-copy memos deliver most external communication,
and letters communicate only legal issues.
 c. Despite the popularity of e-mail, in certain situations letters remain the preferred channel of
communication for delivering messages outside an organization.
d. Businesses today use e-mail, memos, and letters interchangeably for all audiences, purposes, and
messages.
6. Although e-mail is successful for both internal and external communication, you should still use letters when
_______.
a. you need immediate feedback
b. the message must reach your reader very quickly
c. formality and sensitivity are essential
d. you have too little time to proofread
7. In which of the following situations should you send a letter instead of an e-mail message?
a. You are planning a sales team meeting.
b. You are asking leading members of the community to contribute to a fundraising event to improve local
parks.
c. You are inviting employees to the annual sales seminar.
d. You are reminding employees of Friday's divisional meetings.
8. Which statement about the format of a business letter is accurate?
a. Legal agreements are invalid if they do not demonstrate the correct letter format.
b. Business letters are required to use the block formatting style.
c. The appearance of a business letter can send nonverbal messages about a sender to a receiver.
9. In the popular block letter format, which of the following guidelines apply?
a. Use ragged, unjustified right margins.
b. Use fully justified margins on all sides and center the body of the letter on the page.
c. Start the sender's address, the dateline, and the complimentary close at the midpoint; align all other letter
parts at the left margin.
d. Double-space all content to improve readability.
10. Frontloading a message refers to _______.
a. including an attachment
b. proofreading only the beginning of a letter
c. including a salutation or greeting
d. placing the main idea of the message first
11. Which of the following is an effective opening for a routine request message?
a. Please answer the following questions about your Web services.
b. My name is Jill Aubrey, and I am the office manager for Cape Consulting Inc.
c. I recently read an article about your firm in the local newspaper.
d. Cape Consulting Inc. is the premier communication-consulting firm in the Cape and islands area.
12. Which part(s) of your messages are readers likely to find most interesting and read first?
a. Footnote
b. Opening and closing
c. Middle paragraphs of justification and explanation
d. Salutation
13. Courtney is getting married and is trying to gather information about the banquet facilities of a potential venue in Las
Vegas. She has lots of questions and decides to write a routine informational message. How should she present these
questions in her message?
a. As a separate enclosure
b. In a bulleted or numbered list in the body of her message
c. In paragraph form in the body of her message
d. In a follow-up e-mail
14. The body of a routine request message presents _______.
a. details explaining the request
b. action responses from the receiver
c. deadlines and approvals from governmental agencies
d. cost-to-benefit ratio analyses
15. End dates and specific actions in a routine request message should be placed in the _______.
a. introduction
b. body
c. closing
d. enclosure notation
16. Which of the following statements is an example of a closing statement for a routine action request message that
includes a clear request for action, a deadline, and applies a polite tone and style?
a. Please send a contract for heating and ventilation work by April 1 to allow installation to begin by April 15.
b. We hope you can get our work completed in a timely manner.
c. Thank you in advance for complying with our request by April 1.
 d. I would appreciate receiving a copy of the contract for your proposed installation at your earliest possible
convenience.
17. In responding positively to a claim, begin the message with _______.
a. information promoting other products
b. the good news that you are complying with the customer's request
c. an explanation of the reasons the request is granted
d. a reminder of the problem
18. The _______ of a direct reply letter generally refers in abbreviated form to previous correspondence and/or
summarizes an earlier message.
a. body
b. subject line
c. closing
d. attachment
19. Which of the following is the most effective opening sentence for a response message?
a. Your letter of June 23, in which you sought information about our corporate travel packages, has been
referred to me for reply.
b. This is to inform you that we received your letter of June 23 seeking information about our corporate
travel packages.
c. Yes, we can put together a corporate travel package that will meet your needs and fit your budget.
d. Thank you so much for your interest in our corporate travel packages.
20. The conclusion of a response message should _______.
a. avoid repeating the information provided or referring to its use
b. include familiar expressions such as "If I may be of further assistance, please don't hesitate to call me"
c. provide specifics if further action is required
d. omit the sender's name to avoid legal liability
21. Which of the following sentences promotes the organization and its products by emphasizing reader benefits in a
message responding to a customer inquiry?
a. We offer an outstanding variety of thank-you gifts for our most valuable customers.
b. You will find that our top-selling host gift baskets not only welcome your guests but also save you money
and time compared to individually purchasing and assembling your host baskets on site.
c. Can I interest you in anything else?
d. If I can be of further assistance with any of our other fine products, do not hesitate to contact me.
22. One important guideline when preparing instructions is to _______.
a. follow an indirect approach to soften the impact of the demand for compliance
b. begin with an admonition or warning of the punishment for failure to comply fully with directions as
written
c. put all steps of the instructions in one paragraph
d. divide the process into logical steps and present them in the correct order
23. Which of the following options would complete the sentence with correct parallelism: We are very concerned with the
quality of raw materials, their location, and _______.
a. how much it costs to transport them
b. what are the costs of transportation
c. the cost of transportation
d. what the costs of transportation are
24. In writing messages that deliver instructions, what advice should you follow?
a. Use an autocratic tone to establish the importance of the instructions.
b. Assume that employees want to contribute to the success of the organization.
c. Focus on the steps in the procedure and let the tone take care of itself.
d. Criticize the person(s) responsible for trouble with previous procedures and then praise the person(s)
responsible for the new procedure.
25. Which channel of communication for a complaint will more convincingly establish a record of what happened?
a. A telephone call
b. A letter
c. A post on social media
d. An email
26. Arika is following the three-part plan to write a claim message about a problem with her digital communication
service bundle. What should she put in her opening?
a. A clear description of the desired action
b. An explanation of the nature of her problem with the digital communication service bundle
c. A goodwill statement and end date
d. Her phone number
27. Which of the following openings is appropriate for a direct claim message?
a. For the past four years, we have held our annual banquet at your fine restaurant.
b. On January 31 a number of our employees attended a banquet at your restaurant.
 c. Please process a refund for $68 to reimburse us the amount we were overcharged for our banquet.
d. We were extremely upset to learn that we were charged too much for our banquet.
28. You can improve the effectiveness of a claim message by _______.
a. using a few threatening words to get your point across
b. providing a detailed timeline of what happened and the specific person who is to blame for the problem
c. explaining the problem with necessary details
d. including a subtle reference to your attorney or to the Better Business Bureau
29. Joaquin will use the three-step writing plan for his claim message. In the body of the message, Joaquin will
_______.
a. assume the company understands his request without explanation
b. use emotional language to show how upset he is about the situation
c. assume the company purposely tries to cheat its customers
d. identify enclosed copies of all pertinent documents
30. When service is involved in a claim, you should _______.
a. demand a full refund of the service fee and a repeat service call
b. avoid naming the service representatives involved or otherwise identifying responsible company
employees
c. cite names of individuals spoken to and dates of calls
d. enclose a photograph of yourself crying or suffering other severe emotional distress because of the poor
service
31. In the closing of a claim message, you should _______.
a. justify and explain your request
b. promote goodwill and summarize your request
c. reference all copies of pertinent documents enclosed
d. warn the company that failure to comply could cause legal action
32. Which of the following sentences represents an appropriate end date in a claim message?
a. Because we have enjoyed your prompt service in the past, we hope to receive the correct projectors by
January 12.
b. We wish to end our contract with your company if you cannot improve your service.
c. Service calls were made to our Washington Street office on May 20, May 22, and May 27 without resolving
the problem.
d. Please replace the five Panasonic projectors we received on December 22 because the model numbers do
not match the models ordered.
33. Which of the following tips would you give to someone who wants to post a complaint online?
a. Individuals should give companies an opportunity to resolve the issue before writing an online complaint.
b. Posting negative comments online poses no risk because businesses and professionals cannot sue
individuals for negative online comments.
c. A complaint that you post on social media can only be shared by you.
d. Post anonymously because anonymous complaints or reviews cannot be traced.
34. Most companies receiving a claim message tend to _______.
a. ignore the first phone call, e-mail, or letter
b. respond only to letters containing complaints that could result in lawsuits or financial harm
c. respond promptly because they want to maintain customer goodwill and loyalty
d. wait two to six weeks to establish a "cooling-off period" prior to responding
35. When granting a customer's claim, a business communicator should include an opening in an adjustment message
that _______.
a. summarizes the reader's claim and request
b. presents the good news immediately
c. explains and clarifies the company's position
d. builds goodwill
36. Adjustment messages should rectify a wrong if one exists, regain the confidence of the customer, and _______.
a. avoid humiliation by downplaying the mistake
b. verify the honesty of the customer's claim
c. warn the customer of possible legal action
d. promote future business and goodwill
37. Which of the following openings for an adjustment message granting a claim achieves the main objective of an
effective opening?
a. We are very sorry to hear that your meal with us did not meet your expectations.
b. Thank you for your letter of November 16 describing your bad dining experience with us last weekend.
c. Although we believe that the food we served last weekend was of the highest quality, we are willing to
refund the cost of your dinner this time only.
d. The enclosed check for $78, which covers the cost of your dinner, demonstrates our desire to satisfy our
customers and earn their confidence.
38. If you feel that an apology is appropriate, which of the following apologies sounds customized, sincere, and uses
positive language?
a. We understand your reliance on a high-performance router and apologize for the incomplete installation
of your DataServe router.
b. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused.
c. We regret the error that caused the system failure you claim on your DataServe router.
d. It is unfortunate that your DataServe router has failed, and we promise that this failure will never occur
again.
39. Dean has decided to include an apology as part of an adjustment message he is writing. Where in the message should
he include it?
a. The subject line
b. The opening
c. The closing
d. Multiple places throughout
40. Which of the following sentences is an example of sensitive language in an adjustment letter?
a. If you had followed the directions, you would have been able to use the product successfully.
b. We can guarantee that this mistake will not occur again.
c. Our goal is to earn your confidence with quality products and excellent service.
d. We regret the trouble you had because of our error.
41. Which of the following adjustment message closings successfully shows confidence?
a. We are happy that this problem is resolved because it wasn’t our fault.
b. We hope that you are satisfied because the resolution demanded an enormous amount of time and energy
on our part.
c. The cost of the resolution was more than the product itself, so we hope it meets your expectations.
d. Thanks for writing. Your satisfaction is important to us. Service to our customers is our top priority and
we look forward to continued business with you.
42. Why do writers often procrastinate writing goodwill messages?
a. They are lazy.
b. They overestimate how long the writing task will take.
c. They find the task of expressing thanks, recognition, and sympathy intimidating.
d. They think a commercially produced card would be more effective than something that they write
personally.
43. Goodwill messages should be short, selfless, specific, spontaneous, and _______.
a. sassy
b. sincere
c. spiritual
d. suave
44. In writing a thank-you message, how can a writer make a letter sound warm and conversational?
a. By using the receiver’s name along with contractions and positive words
b. By using abbreviations common in text messaging, such as U for you.
c. By using formal titles such as Dr. and Mr. and Mrs. and Ms. to show respect.
d. By starting the message inquiring about the recipient’s well being.
45. Which of the following openings for a note expressing thanks for a gift achieves the goal of customizing the message
and expressing sincerity?
a. Thank you, Elena, for the e-reader commemorating my twenty years with Brown Sales; it will make a
perfect travel companion.
b. Thanks for the gift!
c. I cannot believe I have been with the company for twenty years.
d. A lot has changed over the past twenty years.
46. Messages expressing thanks should _______.
a. open indirectly
b. contain fewer than five sentences
c. be specific, warm, and conversational
d. be written on letterhead to avoid appearing ostentatious
47. If you want to express sympathy immediately after learning of a death or an accident, you might precede a phone call
or a written condolence message by _______.
a. visiting the person’s home
b. sending flowers
c. delivering baked goods such as cookies or brownies
d. sending an e-mail
48. Which of the following sentences in a sympathy note seems formulaic and insincere?
a. We are deeply saddened, Corbin, to learn of the death of your wife.
b. Bethany's volunteer work in the job center endeared her to many.
c. If we may help you during this difficult time or lighten your load in any way, you need only call.
 d. I am sorry to hear your sad news; but if I may be of any help, please do not hesitate to contact me.
49. Sending a goodwill message via e-mail (vs. a handwritten note) is acceptable if you _______.
a. do not know the receiver well
b. frequently communicate with the receiver by e-mail
c. are expressing condolences instead of thanks
d. want to send an especially personal and lasting message
50. Minimizing I when praising others is a good way to ensure that your message is_______.
a. specific
b. selfless
c. spontaneous
d. sincere
51. Most of the workplace messages that you write will likely deal with routine matters that require straightforward
answers using the indirect method.
a. True
b. False
52. Letters are the preferred channel of communication for delivering messages inside an organization.
a. True
b. False
53. Direct-mail letters remain a powerful tool to promote services and products and, in turn, boost sales.
a. True
b. False
54. Business letters are more confidential than electronic media such as e-mail.
a. True
b. False
55. A well-crafted and professionally formatted business letter carries a powerful nonverbal message.
a. True
b. False
56. In block letter style, headings are flush left, but paragraphs and some other elements are indented.
a. True
b. False
57. When formatting business letters, you should use ragged-right margins.
a. True
b. False
58. Readers tend to look at the body of a message before the opening and closing.
a. True
b. False
59. Place any details explaining your request for information in the body of your request message.
a. True
b. False
60. Thank you for your cooperation is an effective sentence for the closing paragraph of an information-request message.
a. True
b. False
61. You can use our assessments to save time during the employee screening process is an example of presenting reader
benefits.
a. True
b. False
62. If you must provide large amounts of data or answer many questions in your response message, make your message
more readable with graphic devices such as lists, tables, headings, boldface, or italics.
a. True
b. False
63. Trina must respond to a customer inquiry. Her response should not only answer the customer's questions but also
promote her business and its products and services.
a. True
b. False
64. Do not hesitate to contact me is an effective example of closing pleasantly in a response message.
a. True
b. False
65. When you respond to customers online, you should do so in less than 24 hours.
a. True
b. False
66. Like requests and responses, instruction messages follow a straightforward, direct approach.
a. True
b. False
67. The imperative mood is language that_______.
a. requests an action
b. describes a statement
c. conveys an emotion
d. expresses an irrefutable fact
68. The first step involves installing the app is an example of the indicative mood.
a. True
b. False
69. When you expect the receiver of your claim message to agree with your claim, you should use the direct strategy.
a. True
b. False
70. Telephone claims are more effective than those made in writing because the caller can better express emotion.
a. True
b. False
71. When a customer has a legitimate claim or complaint, he or she can expect a positive response from a company.
a. True
b. False
72. When sending a claim letter by mail, include all original documents such as invoices, sales slips, catalog descriptions,
and repair records.
a. True
b. False
73. To get the best results, write your claim promptly because delaying a claim makes it seem less important.
a. True
b. False
74. Social media experts advise that consumers exhaust all other options for complaints with a company before venting
online.
a. True
b. False
75. Individuals can be sued for negative comments made online.
a. True
b. False
76. When a company receives a claim and decides to respond favorably, the response message is called an acceptance.
a. True
b. False
77. 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
78. Use a direct organizational pattern in an adjustment message granting a claim.
a. True
b. False
79. One goal of an adjustment message is to promote future business.
a. True
b. False
80. If you are responding favorably to your customer's claim, the best opening is an apology.
a. True
b. False
81. I'm sorry for any inconvenience we may have caused is an effective apology statement to include in an adjustment
message.
a. True
b. False
82. Avoid emphasizing negative words such as error, trouble, and inconvenience in the body of an adjustment message.
a. True
b. False
83. In the closing paragraph of an adjustment message, the writer should _______.
a. show confidence that the problem has been resolved
b. convince the customer that the problem was not the company’s fault
c. question the customer’s integrity
d. try to mitigate the damage of the customer’s complaint
84. Most people regard writing goodwill messages as easier than writing other types of business messages.
a. True
b. False
85. A personally written message will have more impact on your reader than a ready-made card.
 a. True
b. False
86. It is good business practice to write messages of thanks to customers who have complained.
a. True
b. False
87. When writing goodwill messages, you should always use the "you" perspective.
a. True
b. False
88. Goodwill messages should be personalized and include specific incidents or characteristics of the receiver.
a. True
b. False
89. When writing a message to send condolences, you should avoid referring to the deceased person specifically and
focus on the reader instead.
a. True
b. False
90. Business letters are necessary for situations requiring (a) a permanent record; (b) persuasive and well-considered
presentation; (c) formality and sensitivity; and (d) _______.
a. multiple recipients
b. use of letterhead
c. timely delivery
d. confidentiality
91. When writing messages that request information or action that you believe will be received positively, you should
frontload your message. Frontloading means _______.
a. making the first paragraph longer than the other paragraphs
b. starting your message with the main idea
c. starting your message with a greeting
d. putting the recipient’s name in the first sentence
92. The first sentence of a direct request is usually a question or a polite command. Which of the following is an example
of a polite command?
a. We appreciate your business.
b. Would you like to participate in a survey?
c. Please answer the following questions about your accommodations for a seminar.
d. Greetings from the marketing department.
93. Instructions should be written using command language, also known as the imperative mood. Which of the following
is an example of the imperative mood?
a. Sign the contract immediately.
b. The contract must be signed immediately.
c. The contract requires a signature.
d. A signature is required for the contract.
94. What type of message is used to identify or correct a wrong?
a. Routine
b. Adjustment
c. Goodwill
d. Claim
95. In which part of a claim message should you explain the problem and justify your request?
a. The opening
b. The body
c. The closing
d. The opening and the body
96. When a company receives a claim and decides to respond favorably, the message is called a(n) _______.
a. adjustment
b. goodwill message
c. claim letter
d. business letter
97. A common challenge writers face with adjustment letters is deciding whether or not to issue a(n) _______ as part
of the message.
a. refund
b. apology
c. credit
d. goodwill
98. Goodwill messages that follow the five Ss will be _______.
a. selfless, specific, sincere, spontaneous, and short
b. simple, sacred, smart, sophisticated, and speedy
 c. selfless, speedy, simple, sincere, and special
d. special, sweet, strong, short, and selfless
99. What type of messages offer thanks, recognition, or sympathy?
a. Goodwill messages
b. Claims
c. Adjustments
d. Business letters
100. In writing a sympathy note be sure to _______.
a. avoid mentioning the death or misfortune
b. hand deliver it to the person’s home
c. outline the specific ways you can offer assistance
d. end on a reassuring, forward-looking note
Chapter 7: Bad-news messages
1. As a Human Resources representative, Laura must inform Matt that his vacation request for August is not approved.
Which of the following should she do?
a. Plan the message strategically.
b. Ask the CEO to send the message.
c. Wait two weeks before sending the message.
d. Leave out an explanation about why she cannot approve requested dates.
2. The bad feelings associated with disappointing news can be reduced if the receiver feels that the news was revealed
sensitively, believes that the matter was treated seriously and fairly, and _______.
a. knows the reasons for the rejection clearly
b. learns of the bad news directly
c. understands the legal implications of the bad news
d. receives the bad news via certified mail
3. Business communicators have many goals in conveying negative news. These goals include explaining clearly and
completely, conveying empathy and sensitivity, and _______.
a. lightening the negative situation with humor
b. being vague in order to reduce liability
c. using technical vocabulary to establish yourself as the expert
d. projecting a professional image
4. To project a professional image when sending a negative message, you should _______.
a. respond briefly without providing details
b. readily accept all blame
c. use forceful language
d. control your emotions
5. Readers are more likely to accept negative news when _______.
a. the writer uses strong, forceful language
b. they feel that the decision was fair, impartial, and rational
c. the writer refers repeatedly to company policy
d. the message is delivered via phone rather than writing
6. Which of the following statements about writing to convey negative news is correct?
a. Negative messages should never accept blame.
b. Negative messages should aim to end the communication by having the final word.
c. Even experienced communicators are sometimes unsuccessful in meeting the goals related to negative
messages.
d. Negative messages should be written with an aggressive tone to show dominance in the situation.
7. When writers must convey bad news, they must carefully consider the purpose, context, and _______.
a. flexibility
b. communication channel
c. audience
d. total number of words they use
8. Taylor must send a bad-news message to a client and indicate to her that he will be unable to meet a delivery deadline.
What should Taylor do first?
a. Ask his supervisor to write and send the message since she has more authority.
b. Gather information about his reasons for not meeting the deadline.
c. Write the opening of his message.
d. Analyze the bad news to see how it will affect his reader.
9. You will use the direct strategy for your message when the bad news is not damaging, when the receiver might
overlook the bad news, when directness is preferred, and when _______.
a. the bad news threatens the customer relationship
b. the bad news is unexpected
c. firmness is necessary
 d. the bad news will provoke a hostile reaction
10. Which of the following bad-news messages should be organized using the direct strategy?
a. An announcement of changes in business services
b. A layoff notice for a long-time employee
c. A denial of benefits on an insurance claim to an angry customer
d. A notice of an unexpected plant closure to the city council and mayor
11. Using the indirect strategy to prepare the reader in a bad-news message _______.
a. shows insensitivity to your reader
b. allows you to confuse or distract the reader
c. helps you keep the reader's attention until you can explain the reasons for the bad news
d. demonstrates your ability to vary your strategies
12. The indirect strategy works best when the bad news is personally upsetting, when the news will prompt a hostile
reaction, and when _______.
a. the message arrives unexpectedly
b. firmness is necessary
c. the receiver may overlook the bad news
13. A device to reduce the shock or pain of bad news is called a(n) _______.
a. explanation
b. adjustment
c. buffer
d. deflector
14. Corbin must inform employees that overtime pay will be reduced from the current 2.0 factor to a 1.5 factor. Because he
anticipates a hostile reaction, which of the following sequences should Corbin use for the parts of his message?
a. Bad news, explanation, reasons, and closing
b. Bad news, reasons, buffer, and closing
c. Buffer, reasons, bad news, and closing
d. Buffer, explanation, reasons, and closing
15. The primary benefit of using the indirect strategy to communicate bad news is that it _______.
a. demonstrates your writing abilities
b. ensures that your reasoning will be read while the receiver is still receptive
c. disguises the bad news
d. places the bad news before the explanation
16. The primary difference between ethical and unethical communicators is that unethical communicators _______.
a. intend to deceive
b. don't analyze their purpose for a message
c. sign someone else's name to their messages
d. take a reader-center approach
17. Which of the following approaches to using the indirect strategy in delivering bad news is unethical?
a. Delaying the bad news to soften the blow
b. Communicating your reasoning while the reader is still receptive
c. Burying the bad news late in the message to misrepresent the truth
d. Prioritizing compassion as well as communication
18. The buffer in a bad-news message should _______.
a. hint that good news will follow
b. be completely unrelated to the bad news so that receivers will not know that bad news is coming
c. contain information that encourages the receiver to continue reading
d. deny the requested action
19. Which of the following would be an effective way to begin a bad-news message to a customer using the indirect
strategy?
a. Thanking the customer for their email
b. Hoping that the message finds the customer well
c. Revealing the best news
d. Revealing the bad news
20. Porter Grace, RN, is declining an invitation to speak about the health benefits of juice bars at the fall conference of the
Health and Fitness Trainers Association (HAFTA). Which of the following is an effective buffer?
a. I must decline HAFTA's invitation to speak at its fall conference.
b. HAFTA members must be looking forward to the annual fall conference in Phoenix this year.
c. Thank you for your email.
d. Due to unfortunate circumstances, the invitation must be declined.
21. Which of the following is an appropriate suggestion for apologizing in a negative-news message?
a. Be sincere and explain what you will do to prevent recurrence.
b. Apologizing should be avoided because it will negatively impact the company’s finances.
c. Focus on your regret.
 d. Blame external factors.
22. Maya has decided to apologize briefly in the buffer of her bad-news message to a client. Which of the following is an
effective example of integrating an apology into the buffer?
a. We know that you rely on your espresso machine to function properly.
b. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.
c. We sincerely apologize for the problems you experienced with your espresso machine. To prevent
recurrence of this problem, we will recalibrate the heating element at no charge to you.
d. It is unfortunate that you are unhappy with your espresso machine.
23. The ability to understand and enter into the feelings of another is called _______.
a. audience demographics
b. sympathy
c. empathy
d. buffering
24. Which of these messages 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.
25. Providing an explanation or reason for denying the request is important because doing so _______.
a. decreases the company’s risk of liability
b. manipulates the customer’s emotions
c. reduces feelings of ill will
d. will make the customer no longer desire the request
26. When presenting the reasons for bad news, you should _______.
a. use positive wording
b. use negative wording so that the bad news is clearer and avoids any ambiguity
c. include blanket company policy statements
d. deflect responsibility
27. You must decline an employee's request to telecommute three days per week. Which of the following statements
highlights the positive aspect of the rationale?
a. Our current company policy does not allow telecommuting.
b. Unfortunately, we regret that we are unable to afford the expenses associated with telecommuting.
c. I’m unable to grant your request to telecommute but am happy to reimburse you for mileage and
expenses.
d. Your work standards cannot be relied on unless we are able to observe you at your workstation.
28. Which statement demonstrates the use of positive wording?
a. Your request for an extended warranty has been rejected because we cannot find replacement parts for
your specific product.
b. Unfortunately, we are unable to extend the warranty.
c. Although your warranty will not be extended, we are happy to replace your item with a similar product at
no charge.
d. We regret to inform you that your request for an extended warranty has been denied.
29. Effective techniques for softening bad news include: suggesting a compromise or an alternative, placing the bad news
in a subordinate clause, and _______.
a. using active-voice verbs
b. positioning the bad news at the beginning or end of a paragraph
c. refusing explicitly to get it over with
d. using passive-voice verbs
30. Positive phrasing is important in bad-news messages because it _______.
a. keeps the reader in a receptive mood
b. describes what you can do instead of what you can't
c. often sounds more sincere
d. accomplishes all of these
31. Allison is declining a request for a monetary contribution from a charitable organization to which her employer, BMI
Industries, usually donates. Which of the following cushions the bad news by implying the refusal?
a. BMI Industries regrets that it cannot contribute this year, but the company hopes to be able to next year.
b. Although our profits are being reinvested in BMI Industries this year, we hope to be able to contribute
next year.
c. Although we cannot contribute this year, we may be able to next year.
d. Unfortunately, we are prevented from contributing this year, but we may be able to in the future.
32. The closing of a bad-news message should be personalized and may include a forward look, resale information, a sales
promotion, or _______.
 a. a neutral statement such as “thank you for your business”
b. freebies
c. a restatement of company policy
d. a summary of the bad news
33. Kiara must send a refusal letter to Ryan, who recently interviewed for a job. Which of the following closings is
recommended for a bad-news message?
a. If you have any questions, Ryan, please do not hesitate to call me.
b. If you had the required five years' experience in social work, we could have included you in the final slate
of candidates.
c. Again, Ryan, we truly regret being unable to offer you this position.
d. We wish you all the best in your job search.
34. When you must refuse typical requests, you should first think about how the receiver will react to your refusal and
decide _______.
a. whom or what to blame
b. where and how to apologize
c. how to invite further correspondence
d. whether to use the direct or the indirect strategy
35. Which of the following sentences presents the reason for denying a customer's request for credit in a way that
de-emphasizes the bad news?
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.
36. You can soften the blow of the bad news in refusing a typical request or claim by _______.
a. emphasizing the bad news
b. using the active voice
c. implying the refusal
d. accentuating the negative
37. Which of the following presents the bad news in a message refusing a customer's claim by de-emphasizing the bad
news?
a. We are sorry that we cannot give you a full refund for your DVD player.
b. Because you damaged the DVD player by trying to repair it yourself, we are unable to give you a full
refund.
c. The damage to your DVD player is not covered by the warranty, as explained in the enclosed copy of the
warranty that came with your DVD player.
d. Although a full refund cannot be issued, we would be happy to repair your DVD player for a nominal fee.
38. When calling a customer by phone to address a problem or disappointment, you should describe the problem and
apologize, offer an explanation and resolution, and _______.
a. follow up with a written message that documents the phone call and promotes goodwill
b. suggest a face-to-face meeting to resolve any remaining issues
c. come to an agreement on a refund or compensation
d. provide resale information or promote products and services
39. Personally delivering bad news is sometimes recommended, but written messages are important to establish a record
of the incident, to formally confirm follow-up procedures, and _______.
a. to promote good relations
b. to denote your leadership rank
c. to persuade the receiver to follow your recommendations
d. to allow you to identify your organization and position
40. Kenesha must respond to a negative comment written by a customer on Twitter. What advice should she follow?
a. Investigate the situation thoroughly before responding.
b. Admit that her company erred if the complaint is legitimate and try to remedy the problem.
c. Suggest a refund or a discount on future services.
d. Kenesha should follow all these tips.
41. Constructing messages saying no to emotionally involved receivers is a challenging communication task. Which of the
following pieces of advice for this task is accurate?
a. Use the refusal-before-reason 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.
42. A bad-news message, whether delivered in person or in writing, is usually better received when you _______.
a. give the reasons before the bad news
b. immediately share the bad news
 c. provide the reasons and explanations but conceal the bad news
d. combine the buffer and bad news
43. In deciding to share negative information about another employee to your supervisor, what question should you
consider first?
a. Will I profit personally (promotion, bonus pay, or honors)?
b. Was the act criminal or hostile behavior or just a one-time mistake?
c. How should I time the information delivery (before or after a meeting)?
d. How can I avoid being identified as the tattletale by other employees?
44. When you must deliver bad news to one person or a small group, you should usually _______.
a. send a formal letter
b. address the issue in a department meeting
c. deliver the message in person
d. wait at least one week so that you can formulate your thoughts
45. Delivering a bad-news message personally in the workplace can be done tactfully, professionally, and safely as long as
you gather all information, think about timing, prepare and rehearse, and_______.
a. consider taking a partner if you fear a "shoot the messenger" reaction
b. focus on the future and avoid discussing the past or the present
c. go alone to deliver the bad news so that the person doesn’t think you are ganging up on them
d. respond immediately
46. Human Resource Specialist Julie Woodard must inform employees of a major reduction in health care benefits. When
delivering this announcement, she should inform the employees promptly and _______.
a. let the employees find out through the office grapevine
b. deliver it on a Friday afternoon when people are more open to receiving bad news
c. deliver the news via email, if possible
d. be honest
47. In announcing negative news to employees, where should you place an alternative, when one exists?
a. The opening
b. The body
c. The closing
d. You should never provide an alternative in a bad-news message.
48. Which of the following sentences to employees explains the reasons for a reduction in a company workforce in a way
that displays empathy?
a. Although we would like to retain our current workforce, we have no choice but to reduce the number of
employees.
b. We did everything possible to prevent this from happening.
c. The decision cannot be changed.
d. Because of a decrease in sales, the number of employees will need to be reduced, which we know will be
difficult for all of you.

49. Which of the following pieces of advice is recommended for presenting the bad-news portion of your negative
message to employees?
a. Strive to sugarcoat the message to ease the employees' pain.
b. Place the bad news in the first sentence of a paragraph.
c. Position the bad news so that it does not stand out.
d. Use subjective language.
50. When bad news must be given to large groups of employees, which of the following digital media would be
appropriate for management to use?
a. E-mail
b. An intranet post
c. A webcast
d. All of these would be appropriate forms.
51. As an employee, you should avoid responding to customer complaints on Twitter, Facebook, or other forms of social
media because the audience is potentially too large.
a. True
b. False
52. One of the goals of delivering bad news is to regain the confidence of the receiver.
a. True
b. False
53. The bad feelings associated with disappointing news can generally be reduced if the receiver knows the reasons for
the rejection, feels that the news was revealed sensitively, and believes that the matter was treated seriously and fairly.
a. True
b. False
54. When delivering bad news, you should explain the bad news clearly to make your readers understand and, in the best
case, accept the bad news.
 a. True
b. False
55. When irate customers sound threatening and overstate their claims, you will have the most success in getting them to
accept your explanations if you make your tone match theirs.
a. True
b. False
56. In order to convey empathy and sensitivity for your receiver, you should always accept blame and apologize for the
bad news.
a. True
b. False
57. When you show that the decision for negative news was made fairly, impartially, and rationally, receivers are far more
likely to accept the negative news.
a. True
b. False
58. All bad-news messages should be presented using the indirect strategy.
a. True
b. False
59. The direct strategy saves time and is preferred by some who consider it to be more professional and even more
ethical than the indirect strategy.
a. True
b. False
60. If your receiver might overlook the bad news, it is appropriate to use the direct strategy.
a. True
b. False
61. If your message may create a hostile reaction, you should use the indirect strategy.
a. True
b. False
62. If you are worried that the indirect strategy seems manipulative, you should use the direct strategy to break the bad
news bluntly even though the direct strategy may cause hard feelings and pain.
a. True
b. False
63. The key to ethical communication lies in the motives of the sender.
a. True
b. False
64. The desire to avoid mentioning the negative news is an appropriate reason for using the indirect strategy.
a. True
b. False
65. Opening a bad-news message with Thank you for your message is considered an effective buffering strategy.
a. True
b. False
66. A buffer is a device to reduce shock or pain.
a. True
b. False
67. All buffers should begin by complimenting the receiver.
a. True
b. False
68. The most important part of a bad-news message is the section that explains why a negative decision is necessary.
a. True
b. False
69. Using the following statement in an explanation of the reasons for the bad news could help the receiver to accept the
message: Although we would like to consider installing the heating system you have offered, we are seeking a more
energy-efficient, environmentally friendly unit.
a. True
b. False
70. Company policy prevents us from exchanging your defective wireless router more than 30 days after you purchased it
is an example of an effective explanation.
a. True
b. False
71. To take the spotlight off the bad news, place it at the end of a paragraph.
a. True
b. False
72. When you must refuse a request, you may sometimes offer an alternative, substitute, or compromise.
a. True
 b. False
73. You should never include resale or sales promotion material in a negative-news message.
a. True
b. False
74. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to call me is a professional way to close a refusal message.
a. True
b. False
75. If you are uncertain how the receiver will respond, use the indirect strategy to refuse requests and claims.
a. True
b. False
76. Every business will have unhappy customers at some point. The employee's goal should always be to make the
customer happy, no matter what it takes.
a. True
b. False
77. Smart business representatives always avoid calling an unhappy customer to resolve problems.
a. True
b. False
78. Written messages to customers are important because such messages establish a record of the problem.
a. True
b. False
79. E-mail and social networks are appropriate channels for both delivering and responding to complaints.
a. True
b. False
80. The reasons-before-refusal plan works well when denying claims.
a. True
b. False
81. In denial messages you must establish the proper tone and use you statements such as You would have known that
cash refunds are not available if you had read the receipt.
a. True
b. False
82. It is acceptable to place blame on the customer in denying a claim to protect the company from liability.
a. True
b. False
83. Whether to use a direct or an indirect strategy in delivering bad news to employees depends primarily on the
anticipated reaction of the receiver.
a. True
b. False
84. Although a reasons-first approach and tactful tone preserve friendly relations with customers, these techniques are
not useful for bad-news messages inside an organization.
a. True
b. False
85. When delivering bad news, you should first determine if the negative information is newsworthy.
a. True
b. False
86. When workplace bad news involves one person or a small group nearby, you should generally deliver that news in
person.
a. True
b. False
87. If you are required to deliver bad news to your employees in person, the best technique is to gather your information
and deliver it off the cuff to appear sincere.
a. True
b. False
88. Smart managers deliver bad news to employees promptly and honestly because receiving bad news via the grapevine
can seriously damage workplace morale.
a. True
b. False
89. Your buffer in a bad-news message to employees could be a compliment, appreciation, or solid facts.
a. True
b. False

90. The closing in a bad-news communication to employees must never look forward or discuss what will happen next
because doing so can create a legal obligation.
a. True
 b. False
91. You should use the direct strategy to organize your negative news when the bad news is insignificant, does not
personally affect the receiver, or when the _______.
a. receiver may overlook the bad news
b. bad news is unexpected
c. receiver may be uninterested
d. receiver may be hostile
92. Which organizational strategy do many business writers choose in order to soften bad news?
a. Direct
b. Indirect
c. Ethical
d. Empathetic
93. What type of behavior is displayed when a communicator writes a bad-news message with the intent to deceive?
a. Competitive
b. Unethical
c. Ethical
d. Strategic
94. When a bad-news message uses the indirect strategy, it should begin with _______.
a. a buffer
b. the reasons
c. bad news
d. an apology
95. The sentence All of our discretionary funds are currently earmarked for next month's relocation, but we hope that we
will be able to support your worthwhile cause next year is an example of what type of refusal?
a. Direct
b. Indirect
c. Unethical
d. Implied
96. Understanding our emotional impact on others and making change as a result is _______.
a. integrity
b. honesty
c. empathy
d. fairness
97. No matter how cleverly it is organized or written, a bad-news message will fail without providing _______.
a. a buffer
b. sound reasons
c. empathy
d. an effective closing
98. Which writing technique for cushioning bad news enables you to effectively depersonalize an action?
a. Using the passive voice
b. Highlighting the positive
c. Showing fairness
d. Implying the refusal
99. Employee morale can be supported when communicating to employees about major events that affect them and their
jobs by delivering the news _______.
a. through the grapevine
b. through news accounts
c. from management personally
d. from co-workers
100. In which part of a bad-news message should business communicators include a forward look, good wishes, a mention
of freebies, or references to resale information or promotion?
a. Buffer
b. Reasons
c. Bad news
d. Closing
101. Smart organizations facing a crisis deal with it by_______.
a. communicating the news honestly and openly
b. waiting for the ideal moment for the communication
c. choosing not to communicate about the crisis because doing so would exacerbate the problem
d. revealing information only to employees and not other stakeholders

Chapter 8: Persuasive messages

1. Persuasion in today's businesses focuses on _______.
 a. manipulating the facts to bolster sales
b. generating and sending messages using only electronic media
c. influencing others
d. writing direct messages
2. Persuasion is necessary when _______.
a. you anticipate that your audience will agree with your position
b. your audience may have resistance about your idea
c. audience attitudes match the objectives of your plan
d. your message is especially attractive to the audience
3. Which statement reflects how businesspeople today are using persuasion?
a. Because the number of persuasive messages Americans receive per day has declined, businesspeople do
not need to use persuasive skills as much as they did in the past.
b. Businesspeople are using persuasion as a means to manipulate others.
c. Because the number of persuasive messages that Americans receive per day has increased, business
people need to use pushy hard sell techniques to persuade effectively.
d. Businesspeople are using persuasive tactics that are more impersonal today than they were many years
ago
4. Effective persuasion has the aim of _______ others.
a. manipulating
b. confusing
c. influencing
d. motivating
5. As a persuasive writer, which of the following should you practice?
a. Showing that you are truthful, experienced, and knowledgeable
b. Offering a bribe or kickback to ensure that you win over your audience
c. Emphasizing only the emotional aspect of your message, since emotions are always more powerful in
persuasion than logic
d. Emphasizing only the logical aspect of your message, since logic is always more powerful as a persuasive
tool than emotions
6. Most persuasive requests should be organized _______.
a. directly
b. chronologically
c. quickly
d. indirectly
7. Which one of the following messages requires the indirect strategy to persuade an audience?
a. Informing employees of an upcoming routine all-staff meeting
b. Announcing the hiring of a new sales director
c. Asking an employer for clarification about agreed-upon benefits such as vacation time
d. Requesting favors and action from coworkers
8. When using the indirect strategy in a persuasive message, you should place the reasons and explanations _______.
a. in the closing of the message
b. after the main idea
c. before the main idea
d. in an attachment to the message
9. Sammie is planning a persuasive request. What advice should she follow for the opening of her request?
a. Provide her telephone number.
b. Capture the reader's attention and interest.
c. Cite facts, statistics, expert opinions, examples, and specific details to support her request.
d. Identify herself and her company.
ANSWER: b
10. In which part of a persuasive request message should you motivate action?
a. The subject line
b. The opening
c. The body
d. The closing
11. In the body of a persuasive request, you can reduce resistance by _______.
a. focusing exclusively on benefits to the writer of the request
b. shifting reader attention through praise and compliments
c. avoiding any potential reasons for resistance
d. anticipating objections and offering counterarguments
12. On behalf of your civic organization, you are inviting a motivational speaker to your semiannual meeting. In your
request you guarantee the speaker an enthusiastic audience and a positive impact on the community, both of which
emphasize _______.
 a. praise for the reader
b. indirect benefits to the reader
c. the indirect strategy
d. the direct strategy
13. The closing of a persuasive request should _______.
a. establish your credibility and demonstrate your competence
b. meet governmental regulations
c. describe the problem
d. motivate action
14. In which part of the writing plan for persuasive requests should you focus on capturing the reader’s attention and
interest?
a. The opening
b. The body
c. The closing
d. The subject line
15. Persuasive claim messages are also called _______.
a. inquiries
b. adjustment messages
c. sales messages
d. complaint messages
16. Persuasive claims are often written when _______.
a. products are damaged, wrong shipments are delivered, or mistakes in billing occur
b. problems are encountered with poor customer service
c. sending an adjustment request alerting the business of a billing error on a routine charge
d. a customer is dissatisfied with the quality of products offered
17. Effective persuasive claim messages _______.
a. vent the writer's anger and frustration
b. present a logical case with clear facts
c. help the reader by showing who is to blame for the problem
d. display strong emotion
18. When developing a claim message, you should_______.
a. close the message by clearly specifying what you want done.
b. describe blow-by-blow the full chronology of the details
c. clearly express how upset you are about the issue
d. describe in detail what you will do if the reader does not comply with your request
19. When writing persuasive claim or complaint messages, you should _______.
a. suggest that the receiver intentionally deceived you or intentionally created the problem
b. use a moderate tone
c. inform the reader that you will contact the Better Business Bureau if your claim is not granted
d. use a strong tone with accusatory language to demonstrate your dissatisfaction
20. Mikhail's claim has been denied once. Now, he is writing a second persuasive claim message to his digital media
services company asking for a promised rebate package. Because he expects resistance, what should he do?
a. Appeal to the receiver's sense of responsibility and pride in the company's good name.
b. Begin by presenting his resolution to the problem.
c. Address the message to a department or "To Whom It May Concern."
d. Show specifically how the receiver or the receiver's company caused the problem.
21. Graciella is making a persuasive complaint at work. Which of these examples illustrate how to convey a complaint
logically, clearly, and unemotionally?
a. If you can't be bothered with maintaining our equipment in good working order, how can I be confident
that you care about your employees? I can't be bothered filing repeated repair requests either.
b. I have put up with a broken fax in Workroom 223 for three weeks, and I am just fed up with this waste of
my time. Repair the fax or else!
c. Did you realize that Bill has still not fixed the fax in Workroom 223 despite the work request I completed
two weeks ago? Make Bill fix it!!
d. For the past two weeks, fax machine No. 223- 51 has been unavailable to complete essential business for 25
of our employees due to incomplete service. Please ensure our equipment is repaired by Friday.
22. Messages flowing downward refers to messages that are written_______.
a. from subordinates to supervisors
b. from supervisors to subordinates
c. from coworkers to fellow coworkers
d. from managers to customers
23. Which of the following situations would require a persuasive message travelling upward?
a. The HR department outlining company policy on personal use of e-mail.
 b. An employee asking their supervisor to approve a pay increase.
c. Senior management asking employees to accept a pay cut to avoid layoffs or plant closings.
d. A supervisor informing employees about the new process for reporting overtime hours.
24. Which of the following messages to subordinates would require use of the indirect strategy?
a. Instructions for operating a new phone system recently installed in all offices.
b. Announcement of an all-employee meeting.
c. Requests to contribute to the organization's United Way campaign goal.
d. Discussion of new carpooling opportunities.
25. Which of the following provides an ethical description of the use of persuasion in business?
a. Honesty is the best policy.
b. The goal is to manipulate employees into accepting a message.
c. Some puffery and skillful misrepresentation make persuasive messages more effective.
d. The key to persuasion is proving the weakness of the receiver's position.
26. As a manager, Corbin must inform his staff that all employees must now contribute more to their health insurance
premiums. What advice should Corbin follow when delivering his message?
a. Avoid telling the employees the reason for the decision.
b. Use a threatening tone so that employees know that this is a serious matter.
c. Be honest and provide the important reasons for the increase in individual contributions.
d. Tell the employees to "Suck it up" and deal with the increased individual costs.
27. You want to propose a workplace change to your employer. Which of these approaches uses facts, figures, and
evidence for presenting the proposal?
a. Provide anecdotes from several coworkers attesting that the proposed change will increase their
productivity.
b. Stress your own needs and how you will benefit from the change because this is your proposal.
c. Avoid words like suggest and recommend because these words make you look weak.
d. Focus on how much money the proposed change will save the company.
28. Which statement about direct-mail messages describes how companies are currently using direct mail?
a. Direct mail is an effective channel for personalized, tangible, three-dimensional messages that are less
invasive than telephone solicitations.
b. Today’s companies no longer send direct-mail messages to market their products or services; they rely
exclusively on electronic media instead.
c. Today’s companies prefer online marketing over direct mail.
d. The only companies that use direct mail are companies that have only a physical and not an online
presence.
29. An effective direct-mail sales letter _______.
a. uses only rational appeals
b. uses only emotional appeals
c. presents information completely, using a personalized tone
d. is designed for a general audience
30. Which of the following is true of sales messages sent through direct mail?
a. They are considered less invasive by most consumers than telephone calls or unsolicited e-mail messages.
b. Sales messages sent through e-mail are more effective than those sent through direct mail.
c. Companies should focus on using sales messages sent through direct mail as their sole marketing strategy.
d. Direct mail is considered just as invasive as spam.
31. Your primary goal in writing a sales or marketing message is to _______.
a. demonstrate creativity and marketing skills
b. create a strong personal and professional image for yourself
c. get your audience to devote a few moments of attention to your message
d. become a perceptive consumer of ideas, products, and services
32. AIDA, the indirect strategy for persuasive messages, seeks to gain the attention, interest, ________, and action of
the audience.
a. direction
b. desire
c. devotion
d. discernment
33. When you use the AIDA persuasive approach, your first task is to gain the reader's attention (A). Which of the
following represents your second step, or "I" tasks, of AIDA?
a. Describe the benefits a product or service offers and make rational or emotional appeals.
b. Include details of your company's reliability and reputation.
c. Grow more excited about your product and yourself as a salesperson.
d. Identify a proverb or famous quotation.
34. Learning the techniques of sales writing _______.
a. is only relevant for those who specialize in this type of writing
 b. can help you recognize sales strategies directed at you
c. is a waste of time because you will probably never have to write a sales message
d. involves learning techniques that are too difficult for the average person to apply
35. You must write a sales message to prospective customers. What should you do in the opening of your sales message?
a. Offer something valuable, promise a benefit to the reader, or use some other technique to gain your
reader's attention.
b. Convince your reader of the superiority of the product or service being sold.
c. Motivate your reader to take action.
d. Promise an incentive for responding by a specific date.
36. You can effectively build interest in a sales message by _______.
a. including your credentials
b. motivating action in the closing
c. emphasizing central selling points identified in the prewriting analysis
d. suggesting the reader lacks good judgment if he or she doesn't buy today
37. Rational appeals focus on making or saving money, increasing efficiency, and _______.
a. soothing the egos of managers
b. making good use of resources
c. identifying status in the workplace or community
d. enjoying sensory input
38. Emotional appeals _______.
a. focus on making or saving money
b. explain how to increase efficiency or protect resources
c. solve workplace problems
d. focus on status, ego, and sensual feelings
39. Use an emotional appeal when the _______.
a. product is expensive; long-lasting; or important to health, security, and financial success
b. product is inexpensive, short-lived, or nonessential
c. reader is comparing similar products from other companies
d. reader has a college education
40. Which of the following is an emotional appeal?
a. For a limited time you will receive our employee discount on any new General Motors vehicle.
b. Surround yourself in the uncompromising safety and luxury of a Lincoln because you've earned it.
c. Purchase a Jeep today, and you will receive a $1,500 college savings bond for tomorrow.
d. Save now and save later. With its low sticker price and great gas mileage, this Focus hybrid is a best buy.
41. Marketing messages use testimonials, money-back guarantees, and free samples or trials as techniques to elicit
audience desire and_______.
a. guarantee customer loyalty
b. earn more money
c. overcome resistance
42. Which of the following illustrates a testimonial?
a. After completing your training, I received job offers from three employers in one week!
b. We are confident that your skills in applying for jobs and interviewing with employers will improve with
this training.
c. Scientifically proven self-actualization techniques will increase your self-confidence and boost your
interviewing skills.
d. Employers respond positively to well-written application letters and résumés, and they offer jobs to
candidates who are confident and well prepared.
43. Which of the following most effectively reduces resistance and builds desire?
a. If you are worried about booking a tour with us, please know that our European walking tours were rated
the safest and best planned in the industry.
b. Join one of our European walking tours this summer for an unbelievable cultural experience.
c. Going on a walking tour of Europe is fun.
d. Our travel company knows Europe and is eager to show it to you.
44. Byron has ended a sales message with the sentence Book your vacation by May 15 to receive our reduced rate. What
technique is he using to motivate action?
a. Offering a gift
b. Limiting the offer
c. Setting a deadline
d. Guaranteeing satisfaction
45. Effective closings for sales messages should take a multi-faceted approach to motivating action: offer a gift, provide
an incentive, set a deadline, and guarantee satisfaction. Which of the following statements illustrate this multi-faceted
approach to motivating action?
a. Making this training choice for your employees today may be the smartest business decision you'll ever
make. Consider the benefits and I am sure that you will agree.
 b. Because we are confident that you will choose us for your training needs, we will visit you on Friday to
finalize your contract.
c. Complete the enclosed interest card and mail it to us at your earliest convenience.
d. If your sales don't increase at least 10 percent after your salespeople complete our "Closing the Deal"
training, you get a full refund. Use our toll-free number to call me by August 1 and begin training on September 1.
46. The primary channel that consumers use to interact with brands today is _______.
a. e-mail
b. focus groups
c. mall and shopping center surveys and sample booths
d. direct mail
47. Purposes of e-mail marketing include attracting new customers, keeping existing customers, encouraging future
sales, cross-selling, and _______.
a. seeking new employees
b. lobbying local legislators
c. cutting costs
d. importing products from international businesses
48. In crafting e-mail sales messages, the term above the fold refers to_______.
a. all main points following standard business etiquette and online netiquette.
b. adhering to legal standards.
c. your primary points appearing early in the message.
d. placing the main information of your message within the first screen
49. Which of the following will increase the effectiveness of an online sales message?
a. Sending it only to receivers who have given you permission to send them e-mail marketing messages.
b. Eliminating a subject line to mask the purpose of the message.
c. Avoiding the use of testimonials.
d. Making the message formal and extensive in length.
50. Which of the following is true about short persuasive messages submitted online?
a. All four parts of the AIDA strategy must be incorporated.
b. Social media are primarily suited for overt selling.
c. Twitter should be avoided because the 140-character limit prevents messages from being effective.
d. Tweets and other online posts can be used to project a professional, positive image.
51. Persuasion used in today's business environment focuses on manipulating others.
a. True
b. False
52. You will need to use persuasion if you anticipate resistance.
a. True
b. False
53. In helping us understand how persuasion works, Perloff emphasizes that persuasion is most successful when people
are_______.
a. forced to comply
b. given free choice in how to respond
c. strongly pressured using emotional appeals
d. strongly pressured using logical appeals
54. Robert Cialdini’s model illustrating persuasion describes six psychological triggers: reciprocation, commitment, social
proof, liking, authority, and _______.
a. scarcity
b. abundance
c. domination
d. antipathy
55. The process of influencing others is usually a(n) _______ process.
a. almost impossible
b. gradual and slow
c. intermittent
d. easy
56. Pushy hard-sell persuasive techniques are waning because today’s consumers are _______.
a. well-informed, have many choices, and can be fickle
b. more influenced by social media and other communication channels
c. tired of being bombarded by persuasive messages and have learned to ignore them
d. easily manipulated by other types of persuasive techniques
57. Citing others' expert opinions and research to support your position is an effective way to establish your credibility
for a persuasive message.
a. True
b. False
58. When creating a persuasive message, you should expect and overcome resistance.
a. True
b. False
59. Both direct claim messages and persuasive requests should begin with the main idea.
a. True
b. False
60. Persuasive requests are generally more effective when they are organized directly.
a. True
b. False
61. The opening of a persuasive request should gain your reader's attention and interest.
a. True
b. False
62. 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
63. The body of a persuasive request should motivate action.
a. True
b. False
64. To reduce resistance in a persuasive request, you should offer_______.
a. bribes
b. threats
c. flattery and compliments
d. counter arguments
65. When requesting a favor or action, you should discuss only the direct benefits to the reader because indirect benefits
are not persuasive.
a. True
b. False
66. In the closing of a persuasive request, your goal is to prove the merit of your request.
a. True
b. False
67. Another name for a complaint message is a claim message.
a. True
b. False
68. Persuasive claim or complaint messages may involve damaged products, mistaken billing, inaccurate shipments,
warranty problems, limited return policies, insurance snafus, or faulty merchandise.
a. True
b. False
69. Your claim message will be most effective if you make a reasonable and valid request, present a logical case with clear
facts, and display some anger and emotion.
a. True
b. False
70. Claim messages should include a blow-by-blow chronology of the details of the problem to adequately inform the
reader of the problem.
a. True
b. False
71. Lynette received unsatisfactory service at a recent business dinner. In her persuasive claim message to the restaurant
manager, she should enclose a copy of her restaurant receipt.
a. True
b. False
72. In developing a claim message, you should leave the adjustment (or solution) up to the receiver so that you do not
sound too demanding.
a. True
b. False
73. Claim messages should appeal to the receiver's sense of responsibility and pride in the company's good name.
a. True
b. False
74. Directives moving downward from superiors to subordinates usually follow the indirect strategy.
a. True
b. False
75. A manager's goals in writing a persuasive memo to employees using the indirect strategy are to present a strong but
honest argument and to avoid manipulation or trickery.
a. True
 b. False
76. As a manager, Mary must inform her production employees that they will need to work extra hours to meet a
customer's order. Mary's message will be most effective if she uses warm words and a conversational tone.
a. True
b. False
77. Michelle needs to sell her idea to remodel their business waiting room to her boss. Michelle is more likely to succeed if
she can base her argument on saving or earning money.
a. True
b. False
78. Messages to management are more persuasive when they include words such as "you must" or "we should."
a. True
b. False
79. A successful persuasive message is typically longer than a direct message.
a. True
b. False
80. Traditional direct-mail marketing is more effective than online marketing.
a. True
b. False
81. Your primary goal in writing a sales message is to get someone to devote a few moments of attention to it.
a. True
b. False
82. The most effective sales messages follow the AIDA strategy, which seeks to elicit desire in the closing.
a. True
b. False

83. The opening of a sales message is less important than the body.
a. True
b. False
84. You will receive a free one-year subscription to Netflix when you purchase any Sony flat-panel television is an
example of a rational appeal.
a. True
b. False
85. Learning how to write sales messages can help you as both a professional communicator and a consumer.
a. True
b. False
86. Effective sales messages focus on three to five selling points to keep the reader interested.
a. True
b. False
87. One effective strategy for crafting online sales messages is letting receivers know how they may opt out of receiving
future messages.
a. True
b. False
88. Online sales messages are generally shorter than direct-mail messages.
a. True
b. False
89. The most important points in an e-mail sales message should be placed at the end of the message where they will be
remembered the most.
a. True
b. False
90. Tweets are effective in persuading others only if they include all four parts of the AIDA strategy.
a. True
b. False
91. You will save 10 percent off and free shipment on purchases greater than $50 is an example of a(n)_______.
a. emotional appeal
b. rational appeal
c. dual appeal
d. ethical appeal
92. According to Richard Perloff, reactance is_______.
a. a defensive strategy of resistance that people experience when they feel pressured to act in a certain way
b. a normal reaction to any type of persuasive request
c. a plan that you make in developing your persuasive strategy
d. the result of implementing a successful persuasive strategy
93. In which part of a persuasive request should you build interest, explain the purpose of the request logically and
concisely, prove its merit, and reduce resistance?
a. The opening
b. The body
c. The closing
d. Between the body and the closing
94. In which part of a persuasive request should you motivate action?
a. The opening
b. The body
c. The closing
d. In all three parts of the message
95. What type of persuasive messages are used to complain about damaged products, mistaken billing, inaccurate
shipments, warranty problems, limited return policies, insurance snafus, faulty merchandise, and other problems?
a. Sales letters
b. Direct mail messages
c. Persuasive claim messages
d. E-mail sales messages
96. Retargeting is a practice whereby marketers_______.
a. identify consumers who have visited their website and follow up by sending them e-mails advertising their
products
b. identify consumers who have visited their stores and follow up by sending them e-mails advertising their
products
c. identify consumers who have e-mailed them and follow up with direct mailpieces
d. identify consumers who have visited their website, match their name to a postal address, and follow up
with a direct mailpiece
97. The following techniques––delay mentioning the price until after you have created a desire for the product, show the
price in small units, demonstrate how the reader saves money, and compare the prices with those of a competitor––are
all examples of_______.
a. reducing resistance and building desire
b. motivating action
c. anticipating objections
d. capturing attention
98. Tweets and online posts can be used to influence others and project a professional, positive online presence. In
persuasive tweets and posts, writers generally try to_______.
a. pitch offers or draw attention to interesting events, sales, and media links
b. repeat the same information that is on the website so that the message is driven home to the audience
c. repeat the same information that is in e-mail sales messages in case customers don’t check their e-mails
d. offer personal information about employees in order to create a personal connection with the company
99. A rational appeal focuses on_______.
a. making or saving money, increasing efficiency, or making good use of resources
b. status, ego, and sensual feelings
c. values, morals, and ethics
d. logic and facts
100. What is a dual appeal?
a. An emotional and ethical appeal
b. A rational and ethical appeal
c. A rational and an emotional appeal
d. A feature and a benefit

Chapter 9: Informal reports

1. Reports in today’s business environment range widely in length and purpose, help organizations sift through data and
make decisions, and _______.
a. can be delivered orally or digitally
b. should never be stored on cloud servers off-site for security purposes
c. are nevertheless becoming obsolete
d. are used strictly for providing information
2. Reports that present data without analysis or recommendations are _______.
a. informational reports
b. analytical reports
c. cost-benefit analysis reports
d. justification reports
3. Which of the following should 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
4. Reports that provide data or findings with analyses and conclusions are _______.
a. informational reports
b. analytical reports
c. summaries
d. progress reports
5. Which of the following reports is an example of an analytical report?
a. A report summarizing the details of a recent seminar you attended
b. A report recommending an antiterrorism security system for mass transit
c. A report outlining the new company procedure for reporting workplace injuries
d. A report showing state budget allocations for education
6. The direct strategy of organization is appropriate for a business report when readers _______.
a. need to be educated
b. must be persuaded
c. are informed
d. may be disappointed or hostile
7. When you organize an informational report directly, in what order should the ideas be presented?
a. Introduction/background, facts/findings, and summary
b. Introduction/background, summary, and facts/findings
c. Summary, introduction/background, and facts/findings
d. The direct strategy presents ideas in any order for maximum effectiveness and flexibility.
8. The indirect strategy of organization is appropriate for a business report when readers _______.
a. are supportive of the topic
b. must be persuaded
c. are familiar with the topic
d. want to know the results immediately
9. When you organize an analytical report indirectly, in what order should the ideas be presented?
a. Introduction/problem, conclusions/recommendations, facts/findings, and discussion/analysis
b. Introduction/background, facts/findings, and summary
c. Introduction/problem, facts/findings, discussion/analysis, and conclusions/recommendations
d. The indirect strategy does not follow a set order of ideas
10. An informal writing style includes _______.
a. contractions (for example, wouldn't, don't, they're)
b. second-person pronouns (for example, you and your)
c. mainly passive-voice verbs
d. longer sentences
11. Which of the following sentences uses an informal writing style for an informal report?
a. James, Deloitte, and Wilts, Inc., after extensive review of references and credentials of contractors, has
elected to contract with Peck Builders for the new office complex.
b. We're pleased to announce the selection of Peck Builders as general contractor for our new office
complex.
c. After conducting an exhaustive search of building design elements and cost-efficiency data, the company
has verified the qualifications of Peck Builders.
d. The findings demonstrate the imperative of selecting a fully qualified and bonded contractor for the new
building project of James, Deloitte, and Wilts, Inc.; that contractor is Peck Builders.
12. Which of the following sentences demonstrates active-voice verbs?
a. Superior writing skills are required by many employers.
b. Employee use of e-mail was monitored by management.
c. Research indicates a correlation between strong writing skills and promotions.
d. The proposals were carefully reviewed by the screening committee.
13. The format of a report depends primarily on its length, topic, audience and _______.
a. delivery mode
b. purpose
c. formality level
d. writing style
14. In which format should a short informal report to a customer be written?
a. Letter format
b. Memo or e-mail format
c. Manuscript format
 d. Preprinted form
15. In which format should a short informal report that will stay inside your organization be written?
a. Letter format
b. Memo or e-mail format
c. Manuscript format
d. Preprinted form
16. Sondra works for a development firm and must explain to a customer the results of a year-long study of potential sites
for new stores. In what format should she develop this report?
a. Memo or e-mail format
b. Preprinted form
c. Letter format
d. Manuscript format
17. You are an inventory specialist for a retail store. Your boss has asked you to compile a year-end report listing the
merchandise sold each month through the company's website. In what format should you present this data?
a. Memo or e-mail format
b. Preprinted form
c. Letter format
d. Manuscript format
18. Visual representations of data or information that can easily be embedded into blogs and posts on social media are
referred to as _______.
a. PDF files
b. digital slide decks
c. infographics
d. report templates
19. Headings that show the sections of a report are called _______.
a. talking headings
b. signposts
c. functional headings
d. cross-sectional divisions
20. Headings that provide specific information about the content of a report section are called _______.
a. talking headings
b. signposts
c. functional headings
d. cross-sectional divisions
21. Which of the following is a talking heading?
a. IT Outsourcing
b. Savings
c. Cost Savings
d. Projected Cost Savings for IT Outsourcing
22. Katherine must use headings in a report. What should she do to make sure that her headings are effective?
a. Place first- and second-level headings in all capital letters.
b. Use a period after each stand-alone bolded heading.
c. End a page with a heading to entice her audience to read the report further.
d. Include at least one heading per report page.
23. Your first step to writing an effective business report is _______.
a. collecting data
b. understanding the problem
c. selecting its format
d. creating headings
24. Appropriate sources of information for an informal report include company records, observation, and _______.
a. blogs
b. personal experience
c. survey results
d. television shows
25. To help you clarify your reason for writing a report, you should write a _______.
a. thesis statement
b. transitional sentence
c. problem statement
d. topic sentence
26. Which of the following is an example of a statement of purpose for a report?
a. A wellness program will improve the health of all employees.
b. Most companies offer voluntary wellness programs.
c. Wellness programs have proven to be effective in improving the health of individuals.
 d. Establish a wellness incentive program for all employees.
27. Factual information for reports falls into which two broad categories?
a. Primary and secondary
b. Direct and indirect
c. Informational and analytical
d. Literal and figurative
28. Primary data _______.
a. result from reading what others have experienced or observed and recorded
b. come from firsthand experience and observation
c. are the only type of factual information that should be included in informal reports
d. include printed materials found in libraries or through electronic resources
29. The most efficient means of investigating past performance and methods used to solve previous problems in your
workplace is to _______.
a. conduct interviews
b. observe others
c. construct questionnaires and inventories
d. visit company records and files
30. What type of research source produces excellent firsthand information?
a. Web pages or articles
b. Interviews
c. Company records
d. Databases
31. Reports that describe periodic, recurring activities or situational, nonrecurring events are _______.
a. justification/recommendation reports
b. informational reports
c. analytical reports
d. yardstick reports
32. Most informational reports are written _______.
a. using the indirect organizational strategy
b. by only top business executives
c. using a formal writing style
d. for a neutral or receptive audience
33. Kendra just attended a sales conference in Baltimore. She must now write a report summarizing her conference.
What advice should she follow?
a. Mention every topic that was discussed at the conference.
b. Begin her report by identifying the event.
c. Use a chronological organizational pattern.
d. Avoid the use of headings or bullets so that the reader does not become distracted.
34. A report that gives status updates on a current project is called _______.
a. the minutes of a meeting
b. an analytical report
c. a progress report
d. a summary
35. Which of the following situations might require a progress report?
a. The work of a committee preparing for an open house when a new wing of a hospital is completed
b. The reporting of monthly sales figures for all divisions
c. A study of whether a company should provide on-site childcare
d. A one-page summary of a long article in The Wall Street Journal
36. Which of the following sequences of sections is recommended for progress reports?
a. background; purpose; work completed so far; work in progress; current and potential problems and
remedies; future activities and expected completion date
b. purpose; background; work completed so far; work in progress; current and potential problems and
remedies; future activities and expected completion date
c. current and potential problems and remedies; purpose; background; work completed so far; work in
progress; future activities and expected completion date
d. purpose; background; work completed so far; work in progress; current and potential problems and
remedies; future activities and expected completion date
37. As chairperson of a customer service task force, you must update management on your team's progress. What kind of
report will you write?
a. Justification/recommendation report
b. Trip report
c. Progress report
d. Feasibility report
38. When writing up meeting minutes, how should one begin?
a. State whether the previous minutes were approved or revised.
b. Record briefly the discussions of old business.
c. Identify the person recording the meeting.
d. Record the name of the group, date, time, and place of meeting.
39. Mathias is in charge of taking formal minutes during an Institute of Internal Auditors chapter meeting. Which of the
following suggestions will help Mathias record accurate and complete meeting minutes?
a. Record only new business because old business will appear in previous minutes.
b. Avoid using the exact wording of motions because that would be too time consuming.
c. Record voting results and actions taken.
d. Omit his name and signature as the person recording the minutes because he is acting on behalf of the
organization.
40. What type of summary provides the key points of a long report, proposal, or business plan?
a. Top-line summary
b. Technical summary
c. Executive summary
d. Analytical summary
41. A summary should condense a report or article by what percentage?
a. 5 percent
b. 25 percent
c. 85 to 90 percent
d. 50 percent
42. Which of the following guidelines should be followed when preparing a summary report?
a. Include specific examples from the report, article, or book you are summarizing.
b. Copy passages word for word to ensure that you cover the main ideas.
c. Avoid headings or lists to prevent reader distraction.
d. State the main idea or purpose as well as the source of the document being summarized.
43. A report that condenses a 200-page government policy report on oil drilling in Alaska into a shorter report for Sierra
Club members to read is a _______.
a. trip report
b. summary
c. meeting minutes report
d. progress report
44. How do informational reports and analytical reports differ?
a. Informational reports emphasize facts; analytical reports emphasize reasoning and conclusions.
b. Informational reports are intended for internal audiences; analytical reports are intended for external
audiences.
c. Informational reports are written using a formal writing style; analytical reports are written using an
informal writing style.
d. Informational reports emphasize reasoning and conclusions; analytical reports emphasize facts.
45. Justification/recommendation reports are sometimes called _______.
a. internal proposals
b. executive summaries
c. feasibility reports
d. yardstick reports
46. In what order should you organize your ideas when you believe your audience will be agreeable to the suggestions in
your justification/recommendation report?
a. Announce the recommendation, explain the recommendation, identify the problem or need, and provide
necessary action.
b. Provide necessary action, identify the problem or need, announce the recommendation, and explain the
recommendation.
c. Identify the problem or need, announce the recommendation, explain the recommendation, and provide
necessary action.
d. Identify the problem or need, provide necessary action, announce the recommendation, and explain the
recommendation.
47. Your department needs a new copier, and your job is to research the options. Based on your research, you have
selected an all-in-one machine that you believe will be cost effective and will perform well. What kind of report would
you write to present your findings?
a. Feasibility report
b. Justification/recommendation report
c. Yardstick report
d. Progress report
48. A report that determines whether your company should proceed with a plan for using an external accounting firm is
a(n) _______.
 a. feasibility report
b. progress report
c. informational report
d. summary
49. In which of the following types of reports should you announce your decision immediately in the opening?
a. Summary
b. Justification
c. Yardstick
d. Feasibility
50. Yardstick reports _______.
a. are long formal reports used only in the manufacturing industry
b. do not include researched data
c. are rarely written or used in businesses today
d. examine problems with two or more solutions against set criteria
51. E-mail, PDF files, and PowerPoint sides are all examples of digital means of submitting reports.
a. True
b. False
52. Based on their function, business reports typically fall into one of two categories: instructional or persuasive.
a. True
b. False
53. An informational report presents data without analysis and recommendations.
a. True
b. False
54. The direct organizational strategy presents the purpose for writing near the beginning of a report.
a. True
b. False
55. Reports should be organized using the direct strategy when the readers are informed or supportive of the topic.
a. True
b. False
56. Analytical reports should always follow the indirect organizational strategy.
a. True
b. False
57. To show your respect for the reader, reports should always be written using a formal style.
a. True
b. False
58. First-person pronouns and contractions are acceptable in business reports.
a. True
b. False
59. The format for a report relies solely on the intended audience.
a. True
b. False
60. The memo or e-mail format is appropriate for short informal reports that stay within organizations.
a. True
b. False
61. The manuscript format is appropriate for longer, more formal reports.
a. True
b. False
62. Because they are primarily visual, infographics are not considered an effective report format type.
a. True
b. False
63. When creating talking headings, it is best to write a few paragraphs first and then determine the heading.
a. True
b. False
64. Discussion of Findings is an example of a functional heading.
a. True
b. False
65. The first letter of each word in a heading should always be capitalized.
a. True
b. False
66. You should include at least one heading per report page.
a. True
b. False
67. The first step in preparing a report is to sit down and begin writing immediately; this technique allows you to capture
your best ideas quickly.
a. True
b. False
68. When you write a purpose statement for a report, you should use action verbs.
a. True
b. False
69. One of the most important steps in the writing of a report is researching the report topic.
a. True
b. False
70. Primary data result from reading what others have experienced or observed and recorded.
a. True
b. False
71. Observation can be considered a valuable form of data collection for a business report.
a. True
b. False
72. Surveys are considered a source of secondary data.
a. True
b. False
73. 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
74. Surveys provide the richest, most accurate firsthand information.
a. True
b. False
75. Informational reports often describe periodic, recurring activities as well as situational, nonrecurring events.
a. True
b. False
76. Most informational reports have one thing in common: a neutral or receptive audience.
a. True
b. False
77. Informational reports should be written using the direct organizational strategy.
a. True
b. False
78. Progress reports are written for only internal readers.
a. True
b. False
79. Meeting minutes should include the precise wording of motions, including a count of votes and actions taken.
a. True
b. False
80. The minutes of a meeting should identify the names of individuals present and absent.
a. True
b. False
K81. Summary reports are typical in academic settings but rarely used in business settings.
a. True
b. False
82. A summary should be as long as necessary to ensure that all illustrations, examples, and references used in the report
or document are included within the summary.
a. True
b. False
83. Informational reports emphasize reasoning and conclusions; analytical reports emphasize facts.
a. True
b. False

84. When discussing alternative solutions in a recommendation report, you should begin with the alternative most likely
to succeed.
a. True
b. False
85. Most analytical reports answer questions about specific problems and aid in decision making.
a. True
b. False
86. Feasibility reports analyze a problem, discuss options, and present a recommendation, solution, or action to be taken.
 a. True
b. False
87. When your reader may oppose your recommendation, you should begin the report by announcing the
recommendation directly.
a. True
b. False
88. Feasibility reports answer such questions as Will this plan or proposal work?
a. True
b. False
89. Feasibility reports are typically written for internal audiences.
a. True
b. False
90. Yardstick reports examine problems using differing sets of criteria.
a. True
b. False
91. What type of report presents data without analysis or recommendations?
a. Informational report
b. Analytical report
c. Justification report
d. Proposal
92. What kind of report provides data or findings, analyses and conclusions, and may also provide recommendations if
requested?
a. Informational report
b. Analytical report
c. Progress report
d. Sales report
93. Which report format is used for short (usually eight or fewer pages) informal reports addressed outside an
organization?
a. Letter
b. Email or memo
c. Infographic
d. Digital slide decks
94. What type of report format appears as a visual representation of data or information and can tell compelling stories
that help businesses attract and inform consumers?
a. Infographic
b. Slide deck
c. Email or memo
d. Letter
95. Use Empowered Team Decision-Making Without Losing Control is an example of a _______ heading.
a. functional
b. logical
c. bulleted
96. Data that is the result of firsthand experience and observation is considered _______.
a. primary data
b. secondary data
c. illegitimate data
d. first-person data
97. Data that comes from reading what others have experienced or observed and recorded is called _______ data.
a. primary
b. secondary
c. printed
d. electronic
98. What type of report provides a status update on a project?
a. Progress report
b. Summary report
c. Meeting minutes
d. Executive summary
99. What type of report covers only what management needs to know about a longer report, proposal, or business plan?
a. A regular summary
b. An executive summary
c. An analytical report
d. A progress report
100. What type of report attempts to solve problems by evaluating options and offering recommendations?
a. A justification report
b. A feasibility report
c. A yardstick report
d. A proposal