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Q:
Compared to word processing software, desktop publishing applications
A) are less advanced and useful only for the simplest documents.
B) tend to be used only by amateurs.
C) are far less expensive.
D) are produced only by small, largely unrecognized companies.
E) offer more advanced and precise layout capabilities.
Q:
One challenge of creating multimedia documents is
A) exorbitant costs.
B) the need for professional designers, even when the requirements are simple.
C) the difficulty of distribution.
D) the freedom readers have to take multiple, individualized paths through your material.
E) the lack of user-friendly web editors.
Q:
When using graphics, photos, video clips and other online content in multimedia documents,A) it is vital to make sure you can legally use them.B) copyright is not a concern as long as the items were obtained from the Internet.C) citation is unnecessary unless your audience asks where you found something.D) you do not need permission unless you want to use a celebrity photo.
Q:
Multimedia documents
A) are generally too expensive to produce to be useful in business.
B) require highly technical training in order to create.
C) convey information more slowly than traditional documents.
D) can allow recipients to personalize the communication process to their own needs.
E) are fine for use in technical fields, but not otherwise.
Q:
Using a variety of type styles in a document
A) helps readers stay interested in what you have to say.
B) generally slows your audience's progress through the message.
C) makes your document look especially professional.
D) is a helpful way to emphasize key information.
E) makes it more legible.
Q:
Boldface, italic, underlining, and color are all examples of
A) typefaces.
B) fonts.
C) justification.
D) type styles.
E) none of the above
Q:
When selecting typefaces for most business documents, you should
A) generally avoid using more than two typefaces on a page.
B) make generous use of such styles as all caps, underlines, and boldface.
C) choose a popular sans serif face for your main body text.
D) use a large type size (at least 14 points) for your basic text if you need to fill up space.
E) use those that best reflect your individual personality.
Q:
Serif typefaces are generally preferable to sans serif fonts for
A) display treatments.
B) all business documents.
C) headings and captions.
D) regular paragraph text.
E) none of the above.
Q:
Typeface refers to
A) a set of characters in a specific style.
B) the lettering commonly used on the title-pages and covers of business documents.
C) the part of a laser printer that imprints letters on the page.
D) the physical design of letters, numbers, and other text characters.
E) the margin settings of a document.
Q:
Centered type in business documents is
A) never appropriate.
B) rarely used for text but commonly used for headings.
C) acceptable for long sections of text but not for headings.
D) always preferred for exceptionally long paragraphs.
E) best for the text of highly technical reports.
Q:
Justified margins
A) make the document easier to read.
B) create a cleaner look because of increased white space along the right margin.
C) make messages look more formal.
D) help get audience members' attention, even before they start to read.
E) are impossible to create without specialized publishing software.
Q:
Justified type is type that is
A) set flush on the left and flush on the right.
B) centered.
C) set flush left and ragged on the right.
D) set flush right and ragged on the left.
E) none of the above
Q:
The default margin setting for most word processing software is ________, with the left margin aligned vertically and a ________ margin on the right.
A) ragged-left, flush
B) justified, ragged
C) ragged-right, flush
D) flush-right, justified
E) flush-left, ragged
Q:
Using white space in a document
A) is considered "cheating."
B) is only an option when you can't use color.
C) makes your document look unappealing.
D) provides visual contrast and important resting points for your readers.
E) is helpful only when you lack adequate information.
Q:
For effective document design, you should
A) fit as much material as possible on each page.
B) use a mix of several typefaces and type sizes and include a variety of decorative touches to make the pages look more interesting.
C) balance the space devoted to text, artwork, and white space.
D) use bright background colors to make your messages stand out.
E) do all of the above.
Q:
A) Balance
B) Restraint
C) Detail
D) Variety
E) Consistency
Answer: D
Q:
In revising an important report, you want to make sure all numbers are written with numerals rather than being spelled out. Which of the following tools can help with this task?
A) Spell checker
B) Style checker
C) Thesaurus
D) Link checker
E) Commenting
Q:
When using a computer thesaurus, you
A) can assume that any alternatives it proposes are correct and appropriate.
B) should always select the most impressive-sounding words it suggests.
C) should be careful to use only those words that convey your intended meaning.
D) can count on it to list the best alternative first, followed by less desirable substitutes.
E) should combine it with the "replace all" function.
Q:
A computer thesaurus
A) catches punctuation as well as grammar errors.
B) highlights phrases in passive voice.
C) suggests correct spelling.
D) can help you find just the right word for a given situation.
E) is not included with common word processing software
Q:
A spell checker
A) cannot automatically correct misspelled words as you type.
B) highlights words it doesn't recognize.
C) suggests synonyms.
D) has eliminated the need for proofreading.
E) is always more effective than a human editor.
Q:
The "replace all" feature in word-processing programs
A) tracks down words or phrases and automatically changes them all.
B) can save you time when revising messages.
C) must be used with care, since it can make undesirable changes.
D) can create words that are not really words, such as strengthful.
E) is characterized by all of the above.
Q:
Starting a sentence with "It is" or "There are" is
A) usually a sign that the sentence could be shorter and more active.
B) perfectly acceptable, and you need not try to rewrite the sentence.
C) a sign that you are using active voice.
D) a sign that you are using passive voice.
E) a good way to emphasize your point.
Q:
"Visible to the eye" is an example of
A) a clich.
B) redundancy.
C) the passive voice.
D) obsolete language.
E) hedging.
Q:
Which of the following sentences is the most concisely worded?
A) The project manager is in charge of furnishing specifications until such time as the project gets underway.
B) All specifications should be provided by the project manager prior to the start of a project.
C) Project managers have the capability of changing specifications before the official start date.
D) Before the project begins, the engineers need the revised specifications from the project manager.
E) When it comes to specifications, the project manager must certainly be the only one to change them.
Q:
Editing for conciseness is
A) less important than editing for clarity.
B) simply a matter of cutting all paragraphs to no more than three sentences each.
C) not necessary for business messages.
D) easy, and should be done as you write.
E) helpful to readers, and can make them more likely to read your documents.
Q:
"The above-mentioned book" is potentially an example of
A) a redundancy.
B) a strung-out sentence.
C) an indefinite pronoun starter.
D) an awkward reference.
E) a camouflaged verb.
Q:
Which of the following sentences contains a camouflaged verb?
A) Some do; others don't.
B) She is a marketing manager but also serves as ad manager.
C) The recommendation of the committee is to proceed as planned.
D) He slowly, deliberately added the numbers.
E) We tried, and then tried again.
Q:
"Environmental impact consultant study results" is an example of
A) redundancy.
B) a dangling modifier.
C) a dependent clause.
D) a long noun sequence.
E) hedging.
Q:
What is wrong with the following sentence? "Having sat on them for two days, the figures Marcy provided were already too late to help."
A) It lacks parallelism.
B) It contains a dangling modifier.
C) It contains an awkward pointer.
D) It contains hedging.
E) Nothingit is grammatically correct as written.
Q:
What is wrong with the following sentence? "To waste time and missing deadlines are bad habits."
A) Similar ideas are not parallel.
B) It contains a dangling modifier.
C) It contains a split infinitive.
D) It contains a camouflaged verb.
E) Nothingit is grammatically correct as written.
Q:
Which of the following is an example of a hedging sentence?
A) The employee's performance appears to be less than satisfactory.
B) The deadline is next Tuesday.
C) The financial statement needs to have two sections.
D) We must act on these recommendations.
E) None of the above are hedging.
Q:
"If the figures are in by the end of the month we will hopefully be able to begin planning for the upcoming year's budget, but if they are not then the planning process will most definitely have to wait until later" is an example of
A) a comma splice.
B) an overly long sentence.
C) an indefinite pronoun starter.
D) an awkward pointer.
E) parallelism.
Q:
Which of the following is an informative heading?
A) Cost Considerations
B) Production Costs
C) Costs and Other Items
D) Redesigning Material Flow to Cut Production Costs
E) Costs
Q:
Informative headings and subheadings
A) simply identify topics covered in the document.
B) guide readers to think a certain way about the topics covered.
C) are easier to write than descriptive headings.
D) are less helpful to readers than descriptive headings.
E) are unnecessary in business documents; descriptive headings are sufficient.
Q:
When creating a list for a business document
A) always use bullets, rather than numbers or letters.
B) keep in mind that the items need not be parallel.
C) be sure to introduce it clearly.
D) any text in the list should be typed in all caps.
E) it should always contain at least 7 items.
Q:
When it comes to paragraph length, you should
A) use long paragraphs with detailed information for direct-mail letters.
B) use long paragraphs if you want your document to look more inviting.
C) keep all paragraphs to fewer than 60 words.
D) use one-sentence paragraphs only occasionally, for emphasis.
E) limit all paragraphs to three sentences.
Q:
In business messages, varying the length of your sentences
A) confuses readers and makes documents less interesting.
B) helps you control the emphasis given to major and minor points.
C) makes you look like an amateur.
D) makes the revision process much more difficult.
E) is a waste of time unless your document is highly technical.
Q:
Skilled business writers
A) use long sentences to emphasize important information.
B) keep their sentences to an average length of 40 words or fewer.
C) vary the length of their sentences to maintain reader interest and convey information effectively.
D) never use sentences that contain fewer than 10 words.
E) do all of the above.
Q:
Which of the following is not a technique for helping readers who skim your document?
A) Using lists and bullets instead of narrative
B) Keeping all sentences the same length
C) Including headings and subheadings
D) Using shorter paragraphs
E) All of the above are helpful techniques.
Q:
As a general rule, if a document you have written scores well on a readability index,
A) it is probably too simple for business communication.
B) you should assume that it is well-written.
C) you should not assume that it is well-written.
D) you should increase the length of your sentences, but not your paragraphs.
E) none of the above
Q:
If a message draft scores well on a readability index, you should
A) send it right awayit does not need to be revised.
B) rewrite it to make it sound more complex and professional.
C) still revise it since there may be other factors you need to address.
D) add a comment to that effect at the beginning of your text.
E) ignore any suggestions you receive for improvement.
Q:
When evaluating the work of others, you should
A) make sure you understand the writer's intent before you begin suggesting or making changes.
B) talk with the writer about his or her intent only after you suggest changes, since this is a good way to test the effectiveness of the document.
C) avoid talking with the writer about the document, since other readers may not have that opportunity.
D) compare the other person's writing style with your own, and if yours is better, rewrite the document in your own style.
E) always point out problems and make suggestions for improvement, even when you do not believe they are truly needed.
Q:
Briefly describe at least four software capabilities that can help business writers shape their writing.
Q:
What are the five most common techniques for developing paragraphs?
Q:
Explain what it means to choose "words that communicate well," then list four techniques for selecting the best words when writing business messages.
Q:
List three situations in which the passive voice can help you demonstrate the "you" attitude.
Q:
Explain what it means to "emphasize the positive" in business messages, and describe at least three techniques for doing so.
Q:
Briefly explain the difference between file merge and mail merge.
Q:
Briefly explain the difference between concrete words and abstract words.
Q:
Give the definition of a complex sentence, then provide an example of one.
Q:
How is the denotative meaning of a word different from its connotative meaning?
Q:
Briefly explain the difference between the active voice and the passive voice. Include an example of each one.
Q:
Define euphemisms, provide at least one example, and explain how they can be helpful in writing effective business messages.
Q:
List at least three guidelines to follow if you want to achieve a conversational tone in business messages.
Q:
Briefly explain the difference between tone and style in business writing.
Q:
List at least three personal characteristics that can help establish credibility with your audience.
Q:
List at least two types of biased language and explain how to avoid each type.
Q:
Define bias-free language.
Q:
What is credibility, and when is it especially important to establish?
Q:
You are scheduled to discuss a negative performance evaluation with one of the employees you supervise. How can you emphasize the positive during your conversation?
Q:
Why do written communication and most forms of electronic media generally require more tact than oral communication?
Q:
List three strategies to become more sensitive to your audience's needs.
Q:
Templates and style sheets can both help to ensure a consistent look for all company documents.
Q:
In word-processing software, the autocompletion feature is essentially the same thing as the autocorrection feature.
Q:
If you are preparing form letters, mail merge enables you to personalize each letter by automatically inserting names and addresses from the database.
Q:
An effective paragraph deals with more than the main topic and shows that the writer intends to be as efficient as possible.
Q:
When developing paragraphs, you should use only one method within each paragraph and throughout a document.
Q:
To emphasize a dependent clause, it is better to place it at the end of a sentence rather than in the middle.
Q:
"If we can't meet the deadline, our losses will be significant" is a compound sentence.
Q:
"The startup costs on this project are out of control" is a simple sentence.
Q:
"Our clients have become more knowledgeable, and we need to accommodate them" is a complex sentence.
Q:
A compound sentence is one that contains one main thought (independent clause) and one or more subordinate thoughts (dependent clauses).
Q:
Professionals should avoid simple sentences altogether, since using them makes your writing seem unsophisticated.
Q:
The amount of jargon you use in a message should reflect your audience's level of familiarity with your topic.
Q:
Clichs are a valuable tool in business writing, as readers find such words and phrases to be comfortable and familiar.
Q:
Abstract words should be completely avoided in business writing.
Q:
Honor and progress are concrete words.
Q:
Connotative meanings are the literal or dictionary meanings of words.
Q:
The denotative meaning of a word is its dictionary definition.
Q:
Although input from colleagues can be helpful, many effective writers find it helpful never to show the first draft of a document to anyone.