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Business Communication
Q:
Which of the following is most likely a reason for the decline in the use of phone calls?
A. Unplanned phone calls interrupt a busy worker.
B. The tone of the message is not clear in phone calls.
C. Phone calls do not provide an immediate response.
D. Phone calls do not provide a clear communication channel.
E. Phone calls provide less contextual cues compared to text messages.
Q:
Selena needs to schedule a meeting for her manager, Lee, with an important business client. She receives an e-mail in the morning from the client's assistant. The e-mail states that 11 a.m. on Tuesday suits them well and requests that Selena confirm the time as soon as possible. Selena needs to confirm the meeting by first checking if the time works well for Lee. Which of the following would be the best mode of communication for Selena?
A. E-mail
B. Blog
C. Wiki
D. Telepresence
E. Phone
Q:
The excessive use of positive emphasis can be unethical because it _____.
A. focuses on the self-centered view of the reader
B. focuses on the self-centered view of the writer
C. can cause the reader to overlook an important negative message
D. de-emphasizes the writer's importance
E. leads to different interpretations
Q:
In which of the following situations should phone calls be used as a mode of communication?
A. When you intend to leave a paper trail.
B. When the tone of voice is important.
C. When you do not need an immediate response.
D. When you want to establish a work relationship.
E. When you want visual and aural cues.
Q:
John is given the task of writing a review for a product and is required to include the positive and negative features of the product. In order to emphasize the pros and de-emphasize the cons of the product, he should _____.
A. include positive points at the beginning and middle and include negative points at the ending
B. start off with neutral statements and end with negative points
C. start and end paragraphs with positive points and place the negative points in the middle
D. start with the negative points and end with the positive points
E. dedicate separate paragraphs to the positive points and the negative points
Q:
Enya is a climate change campaigner and is working on a global warming campaign. She is currently working on the second stage of a project in which she needs to discuss marketing strategies with Carrie, the communications manager. She understands that her interaction with Carrie will involve long discussions on the pros and cons of different strategies. She is also aware that the process is complicated, and she needs to efficiently understand Carrie's views on implementing different modes of communication. According to the scenario, which of the following is most likely to be the ideal mode of communication for Enya?
A. Phone
B. Text message
C. Instant message
D. E-mail
E. Face-to-face visit
Q:
Less important information can best be de-emphasized in a business message by including it _____.
A. in a short sentence
B. as a modifying phrase
C. in a simple sentence
D. as a main clause
E. at the start of an opening statement
Q:
Face-to-face visits are a good choice of communication when:
A. you want to leave a paper trail.
B. you need something urgently.
C. your purpose is not to build a work relationship.
D. you want interaction to be the least intrusive.
E. communication is short and noncritical.
Q:
Which of the following is the most useful way of emphasizing the positive and de-emphasizing the negative in your message?
A. Putting more positive points in the beginning
B. Putting more positive points in the middle
C. Putting more negative points in the beginning
D. Putting more negative points in the ending
E. Randomly distributing positive and negative points
Q:
You can help give your documents a courteous effect by _____.
A. refraining from using conversational language
B. using the we-viewpoint instead of the you-viewpoint
C. refraining from blaming the reader
D. preaching to the reader
E. refraining from personalizing the message for the reader
Q:
Which of the following is true about information overload?
A. It is a secondary purpose of informative and positive messages.
B. It is made up of crucial data such as annual reports which tend to be lengthy.
C. It makes people become selective about the messages they open and read.
D. It is desirable, because it keeps people informed about vital happenings.
E. It is a strategy to make employees in a company more efficient and productive.
Q:
Martina, an employee at a hotel, receives an email from a potential customer who wants to book one of the hotel's premiere suites for a weekend. Since all the suites have been booked for the date specified by the customer, Martina needs to turn down the customer's request. Which of the following delivers this message in the most positive manner?
A. This is in reply to your request for one of our premiere suites. I regret to inform you that all our premiere suites are booked for your specified dates. Would you like to be notified when the suites are available?
B. I have received your request for one of our premiere suites. As this is the peak season, we cannot comply with the request as all our premiere suites are booked for the date specified. We sincerely hope to be contacted at a later time.
C. I am sorry to inform you that the premiere suites you requested for are all booked. I have instead sent you a list of the other suites available and will additionally notify you when a premiere suite is available.
D. Thank you for choosing us. I'm sorry to inform you that the premiere suites are unavailable for the dates that you have mentioned. You can still choose from the various other suites that we have to offer.
E. Although all our premiere suites are booked for the specified date, some classic suites are still available. I have attached a document with the specifications and price listing for those suites.
Q:
Which of the following is a function of telepresence?
A. It creates virtual meetings that are almost lifelike.
B. It allows users to conduct word processing.
C. It facilitates sending and receiving of e-mails.
D. It helps users make telephone calls.
E. It facilitates access to a range of websites.
Q:
Monica is an executive assistant at a campaigning organization and needs to organize an important project meeting in the upcoming week. Although she has made all arrangements well ahead of time, the project manager needs to travel out of town on the day of the scheduled meeting. She needs to find a way to still organize the meeting with the active participation of all members including the project manager. Which of the following would help Monica arrange this meeting?
A. Smartphone
B. MP3 player
C. Videoconference
D. Portable media player
E. iPod
Q:
Which of the following sentences handles its subject most positively?
A. We regret to inform you that we cannot hire you at this time.
B. Although we cannot hire you now, we will let you know if there are vacancies in future.
C. Regretfully, we must turn down your request for employment.
D. Unfortunately, we have no job vacancy at this time.
E. Although all of our positions are filled, we will hold your application for a possible future opening.
Q:
Which of the following statements best illustrates the you-viewpoint?
A. I see that your credit is weak, so we can sell to you on a cash-only basis.
B. We are delighted to announce our company's financial gain for the last fiscal year.
C. Your refund has been approved, and your account will be credited with the amount.
D. I am happy to report that your proposal was accepted.
E. We are writing to request your assistance.
Q:
Which of the following tasks can be undertaken by a portable media player?
A. Broadcasting streaming video
B. Accessing blogs and websites
C. Video conferencing
D. Completing a time sheet
E. Making telephone calls
Q:
The you-viewpoint is also called the _____.
A. you-arrogance
B. you-attitude
C. you-experience
D. you-stamp
E. you-practice
Q:
Estefani works as a communication executive at a fashion publication in Paris. She has been asked by her editor to prepare a draft on prospective topics for their upcoming winter edition. Estefani wants to search for ideas from fashion websites and e-mail her network of designers to know the current trends for the winter season. Which of the following communication hardware will satisfy all of Estefani's needs?
A. iPod
B. Portable Media Player
C. Videoconference
D. Smartphone
E. Telepresence
Q:
Which of the following statements best illustrates the conversational style?
A. With respect to your query dated 13th November, please find the required details listed below.
B. Enclosed please find the product details about which you inquired.
C. This is in reply to your letter of December 8, requesting a replacement of our product.
D. This is to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 7th July.
E. We received your package on Tuesday.
Q:
Rhonda is a relationship manager at Orbit Bank in California. She needs to write to a customer to let him know that his application for an increase in credit limit has been approved. In her message, she includes information about the company's history and testimonials from other valued customers. What is the secondary purpose of including this additional information?
A. Building a good image of her organization
B. Cementing a good relationship with her manager
C. Making the customer view the information positively
D. Providing good news to the customer
E. Having the customer view the information neutrally
Q:
Which of the following statements has the least level of formality when compared to the other statements?
A. We have prepared a detailed analysis for the board.
B. Please confirm your attendance by replying to this message.
C. I'll double-check with Susan on the matter and keep you posted.
D. Please ensure that your payment reaches out office by 8 p.m. today.
E. Thank you; we will get back to you within three working days.
Q:
Which of the following is a primary purpose of an informative message?
A. To build a good image of the sender's organization
B. To de-emphasize any negative information
C. To eliminate future messages on the same subject
D. To build a good image of the sender
E. To have the receiver view the information positively
Q:
In which of the following cases will a less formal style of communication be most appropriate?
A. When communicating with someone at a higher level than you
B. When communicating with someone whom you know
C. When writing a ceremonial message, such as a commendation or inspirational announcement
D. When writing an official reprimand
E. When writing letters, long reports, or external proposals
Q:
Which of the following would be classified as an informative message?
A. Denying an increase in credit limit by a bank to a customer
B. Informing a student that an application to the college has been rejected
C. Distributing the minutes of a meeting to all members of the meeting
D. Informing an employer of one's resignation from a job
E. Announcing to a customer that the payment date for a policy has lapsed
Q:
Choose the transitional word that best fits the following sentence.
The people at the reunion had not seen each other for ten years. _____, they did not recognize each other immediately.
A. Otherwise
B. However
C. Moreover
D. Therefore
E. Likewise
Q:
Which of the following is true of informative messages?
A. They are always lengthy and descriptive in nature.
B. They elicit a neutral reaction from the receiver.
C. They immediately ask a receiver to undertake action.
D. They are void of any persuasive elements in them.
E. They have a primary purpose to build a good image of the sender.
Q:
Choose the transitional word that best fits the following sentence.
Alice's grades have to be high; _____ she will not get the scholarship.
A. otherwise
B. however
C. moreover
D. therefore
E. likewise
Q:
Which of the following is an example of a positive message?
A. Offering details to employees about the insurance benefits that a company offers
B. Informing employees of upcoming cutbacks on costs, due to a financial crisis
C. Requesting monthly progress reports from the members of a sales department
D. Offering criticism and pointing out loopholes in a subordinate's presentation
E. Providing employees with sales target figures to be achieved for the upcoming quarter
Q:
In order to summarize a document, you should start with some supporting evidence or the details of a message.
Q:
The various techniques that are needed to tie the information together in a paragraph are known as _____ devices.
A. roundabout
B. transitional
C. stringy
D. see-saw
E. surplus
Q:
In a summary of a conversation for internal use, you should identify the people who were present, the topic of discussion, the decisions made, and who does what next.
Q:
Which of the following is true about topic sentences?
A. The most common paragraph arrangement is to begin with the topic sentence.
B. The most common paragraph arrangement is to end with the topic sentence.
C. The most common paragraph arrangement has the topic sentence in the middle of the paragraph.
D. The use of topic sentence is a must in every paragraph.
E. The topic sentence builds around and supports the main sentence.
Q:
A good way to organize a memo or letter of transmittal is to start by saying what you are sending.
Q:
Which of the following advices will help you use paragraphing to your best advantage?
A. Ensure the different bits of information are related to each other in terms of logic.
B. Keep paragraphs longto make them appear sophisticated and business-like.
C. Avoid using topic sentences.
D. Include even the tiniest detail; even if it's unnecessary.
E. Ensure every paragraph introduces one new topic or idea.
Q:
When using humor in a message, you should opt for political or religious humor, because it always helps to lighten the audience's mood.
Q:
Which of the following is true about paragraph design?
A. Paragraphs should usually be longer than ten sentences.
B. The topic sentence expresses the main idea of a paragraph.
C. One-line paragraphs fail to emphasize major points in business messages.
D. The most common paragraph arrangement begins with the supporting material followed by the topic sentence.
E. The opening and closing paragraphs each need at least three sentences.
Q:
Complimenting a reader for a job well done is an example of a goodwill ending.
Q:
Given below is a list of rules to be followed while designing a logo. Which of the following items is NOT parallel with the other items?
A. Create a balanced design
B. Avoid commonly used fonts
C. Take risks
D. Keeping it simple
E. Spend time on preliminary work
Q:
Which of the following sentences has a dangling/misplaced modifier?
A. I was asked to report to work just after two weeks of returning home from the hospital.
B. Noticing Mark was on leave, Cody was asked not to assign the new task to him.
C. I was intimated about the unavailability of the auditorium a little too late.
D. He has the reputation of being a master of multitasking.
E. He has little patience for people who in his opinion are "slowpokes."
Q:
Goodwill endings should focus on the reader's hobbies, family, or personal life.
Q:
Which of the following sentences is an example of an incomplete construction?
A. As far as time management, he is a master of multitasking.
B. The majority of the jury voted against the defendant.
C. A number of students were absent for the test.
D. The committee is meeting today to decide on a salary increase for the employees.
E. Neither of them likes to cook.
Q:
A message requires benefits when presenting only factual information.
Q:
When you send out regularly scheduled messages on the same topic, it is important to put new material at the top or use color for new or changed entries.
Q:
Which of the following sentences is an example of a mixed construction?
A. Gary and Joan were both asked to attend "sensitivity" training.
B. Alex was down with fever, so he asked his manager if he could be excused from work.
C. Laura is busy preparing for tomorrow's big presentation.
D. The manager graded the employment test, and the candidates were given the test scores.
E. She was asked to reduce the planned operating expenses in order for her budget to be approved.
Q:
A way to ensure that an e-mail gets read is to use important information in the subject line.
Q:
Lack of unity in sentences is usually caused by _____.
A. unrelated ideas
B. the use of active verbs
C. the use of active voice
D. the elimination of two-word verbs
E. the elimination of cluttering phrases
Q:
It is important to highlight information in a subject line if the information is neutral or negative.
Q:
Which of the following is an example of a sentence in which one idea is subordinated to the other?
A. The company saw a huge increase in quarterly profits, and it invested large amounts of money in research and development.
B. The company saw a huge increase in quarterly profits, yet it did not invest in research and development.
C. The company did not invest in research and development.
D. The company, which saw a huge increase in quarterly profits, invested large amounts of money in research and development.
E. The company is yet to generate sufficient profits to invest in research and development.
Q:
A subject line helps in retrieving a message and tells readers why they need to read the message.
Q:
In which of the following examples illustrates coordination of ideas?
A. Mark, who is a morning person, always comes to office at 7 a.m. sharp.
B. Mark, who always comes to office at 7 a.m. sharp, is a morning person.
C. Mark is a morning person, and he always comes to work at 7 a.m. sharp.
D. Mark, who does not prefer working late, always comes to work at 7 a.m. sharp.
E. Marl, who prefers getting back home early, always comes to work at 7 a.m. sharp.
Q:
While using a pattern of organizing messages, you should realize that every message that uses the basic pattern will have every element of that pattern.
Q:
Which of the following is true about managing emphasis in a sentence?
A. Short sentences carry lesser emphasis than long, involved ones.
B. Beginnings and endings of business messages are particularly good places for using long sentences to emphasize your content.
C. A long closing should be used in business messages to ensure that the reader is left with an important final thought.
D. If a sentence contains two ideas that are equally important, the ideas should be joined with "and" to give them equal emphasis.
E. If a sentence contains two ideas that are equally important, one idea should be subordinated to the other.
Q:
Wikis are an online form of content knowledge management used by companies to advertise products for consumers.
Q:
Which of the following sentences avoids the use of excess words?
A. The customer returned the phone back to the seller.
B. We should plan in advance for the future.
C. At the present time, we are conducting two surveys.
D. I am interested in learning more about this procedure.
Q:
Instant messages should be used specifically for long messages on critical issues such as getting feedback on a report or negotiating a price.
Q:
Which of the following sentences uses a redundant word?
A. It is a true fact that the company is running a loss.
B. We can finish the report now.
C. Please sign this check.
D. We'll meet again tomorrow at noon.
E. This report is longer than the previous one.
Q:
Face-to-face visits are a good choice when discretion is vital and you do not want to leave a paper trail.
Q:
Which of the following sentences avoids the use of cluttering phrases?
A. This account was created for the purpose of contacting the client.
B. We are talking about something in the neighborhood of $40 million for donations.
C. With reference to the article written yesterday, there was a huge outcry demanding its retraction.
D. They agreed to abide by the rules in accordance with the treaty.
E. Please fill out the forms and provide all relevant documents to speed up the application process.
Q:
Phone calls are a better choice than face-to-face visits when a business requires negotiation or a dialogue.
Q:
Which of the following sentences uses a cluttering phrase?
A. Can you arrange these boxes in the loft?
B. The reason Victor skipped the meeting was because he had to go to the bank.
C. I will reschedule the meeting to an earlier date.
D. Could you call a computer technician to fix this machine?
E. Thank you for approving my leave request.
Q:
Telepresence is a low-cost alternative to video conferencing and allows employees to connect and collaborate remotely with web cameras that are standard on many newer laptops or tablets.
Q:
Which of the following will most likely enhance the readability of your message?
A. Using complex sentence structures
B. Using see-saw sentences
C. Using cluttering phrases
D. Using mixed constructions
E. Using short sentences
Q:
Smartphones allow users to conduct word processing, learn their next tasks, and update a job's status.
Q:
Which of the following sentences is gender-neutral?
A. A teacher is responsible for his students' behavior in class.
B. He was elected as the chairman of the committee.
C. All the freshmen assembled outside the dean's office.
D. You can call a policeman when in need.
E. Please ask the coordinator for directions.
Q:
An informative message has the secondary purpose of reducing or eliminating future messages on the same subject.
Q:
Which of the following is an example of a nondiscriminatory sentence?
A. For an American, Mike is pretty good at delivering presentations.
B. An employee must place the needs of his customers before his own.
C. Though Earl is confined to a wheelchair, he works efficiently.
D. Natalie belongs to the Millennial Generation, so it's only natural that she spends most of her time online.
E. Jeremy is developmentally disabled and is allowed to work from home.
Q:
Which of the following sentences is an example of a discriminatory sentence?
A. Firefighters were immediately called after noticing a fire in the office lobby.
B. A repair technician was called to fix a broken machine.
C. The lawyers asked their clients to accept the deal.
D. The Hispanic manager at Arcadia Stores is always neatly dressed.
E. The secretary stops people from barging into the chairperson's chamber.
Q:
An informative message has the primary purpose of de-emphasizing any negative elements.
Q:
What are some key factors that help a team leader manage her writing team more efficiently?
Q:
Which of the following sentences does NOT have a camouflaged verb?
A. The broker was forced to make an appearance at the court.
B. The chairperson postponed the dinner until next week.
C. Dale gave her assistance to Dave during the procedure.
D. The committee decided to have a discussion regarding pay rise for the employees.
E. She was asked to make a commitment on behalf of the company.
Q:
Which of the following sentences uses a camouflaged verb?
A. Katie updated the company website.
B. She was assisted by Karen during the presentation.
C. The attorney recorded the conversations with his client.
D. The bank was forced to make an acquisition.
E. The company was forced to liquidate its assets.
Q:
Benito, a team leader, needs to ensure that the collaborative document he and his team created is revised. While revising, he notices that the document is written well, but does not meet the conventions of business writing. What steps should Benito take to ensure that he revises the document well?
Q:
Which of the following sentences is in active voice?
A. These cars are manufactured in Japan.
B. The houses have been built.
C. She is reading the memorandum now.
D. A lot of property was destroyed by the earthquake.
E. German is spoken in Austria.
Q:
Ariel, the leader of her team, is given an assignment that is to be worked on by all team members, who are currently spread across four different time zones. Suggest ways in which Ariel can coordinate the work with her team using technology.
Q:
List the key elements for a good team meeting agenda.
Q:
Which of the following sentences uses a correct idiom?
A. He was reprimanded for speaking out of turn.
B. Many employees did not turn out for the corporate outing.
C. He was asked to comply to the office norms.
D. He was careful with his reputation as a dependable employee.
E. He finally made of as a web developer.
Q:
What is the purpose of checking for inferences when handling criticisms?
Q:
Which of the following sentences uses an incorrect idiom?
A. He knew the names of all his employees from heart.
B. It's hard to believe that we lost our jobs.
C. She built this company from scratch.
D. The salesperson made the deal more enticing by offering a huge discount.
E. When I bought my car, the dealer offered free auto maintenance for a year.
Q:
List and explain the key steps in conflict resolution.