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WorksheetsChapter 1-4 _Communication Skills Quiz
Total questions: 151
Worksheet time: 1hrs 16mins
Communication barriers and ______ may cause the communication process to break down.
decoding
feedback
noise
channel direction
The process of communication includes all but which of the following:
coding.
transmitting.
decoding.
feedback.
To better compete and to reduce expenses, businesses have been flattening management hierarchies. This means that frontline employees will be
making decisions and communicating more than ever before.
promoted very quickly and will be giving orders.
working with increased budgets but reduced staffs.
All of these choices are correct.
Every country has a unique culture, common heritage, joint experience, and shared learning that
comes from an orderly system of government and laws.
shapes behavior and conditions reactions.
is regulated by a structured educational system.
results from Western values being spread throughout the world.
Despite attempts by employers to foster diversity, harmony and acceptance do not follow automatically when people who are dissimilar work together.
True
False
In the communication process, feedback helps the receiver understand a message encoded by the sender.
True
False
Most of us possess good listening skills since we listen at 25 percent efficiency.
True
False
Rachel is listening to an outsider who has been brought in to teach sales reps how to improve their sales techniques. She can improve her comprehension by establishing an open mind-set, listening for main points, taking selective notes, and
providing immediate feedback if she disagrees with the speaker or has an important point to add.
judging ideas, not appearances.
filling in lag time by organizing in her mind the other tasks she must perform that day.
asking probing questions when as she hears something she doesn't understand.
Today's workers communicate less than ever before because information technology and the Internet have greatly reduced the need for communication skills.
True
False
To minimize oral miscommunication among cross-cultural audiences, businesspeople should use simple English, check frequently for comprehension, and
speak louder if the listener does not seem to understand.
accept blame for any misunderstandings.
help a speaker finish sentences and fill out ideas if that person is searching for the best words.
avoid smiling too much because this signals understanding and agreement.
As a new employee, you are listening to the manager explain a new procedure for handling customer orders. You find it difficult to focus because you disagree totally with the new plan. What type of barrier to effective listening are you experiencing?
Psychological barrier
Physical barrier
Language barrier
Cognitive barrier
When verbal and nonverbal messages conflict, receivers tend to put more faith in verbal cues.
True
False
One cause of poor listening is that listeners can process thoughts more than three times faster than speakers can say them.
True
False
Members of low-context cultures generally value independence and self-assertion whereas members of high-context cultures may resist independence because it fosters competition and confrontation instead of consensus.
True
False
Communication is defined as the transmission of information and meaning from one individual or group to another.
True
False
Mr. Lee, who owns a mid-sized company, can capitalize on workforce diversity by understanding the value of differences, not expecting conformity, creating zero tolerance for bias, and
discouraging employee feedback, which can lead to disagreements and confrontations.
seeking common ground in shared experiences and mutual goals.
hiring people who are similar to himself.
establishing a standard company culture that everyone follows.
A survey conducted by the Malaysian government in 2005 revealed that ____________ were the main reasons for unemployment in Malaysia.
poor command of the English language and inadequate communication skills
poor command of the English language and poor dressing sense
lack of suitable infrastructure and poor general knowledge
Because people can transmit messages more rapidly, more often, and to greater numbers of people than ever before, ______ skills are particularly important in today's workplace.
technology
management
writing
cell phone
When you realize that a person's nonverbal cues contradict what the person is saying, you should
rely on the spoken words, which will be more nearly accurate.
politely seek additional information.
avoid probing more deeply because doing so may cause awkwardness or embarrassment.
tell the speaker frankly that she or he is sending you mixed signals.
Believing in the superiority of one's own culture is known as stereotyping.
True
False
A huge number of ________ overwhelmed their two Web sites.
inquiries
inquirys
Banks are installing multilingual ATMs to serve ________.
customers'
customers
Some ________ are giving up land lines for cell phones.
companys
companies
Business is better on ________ than on ________.
Saturdays, Sundays
Saturday's, Sunday's
Frozen ________ fill the grocery's lockers at Thanksgiving.
turkies
turkeys
Only the ________ and the Sanchezes brought their entire families.
Bush's
Bushes
Both ________ instituted strict proofreading policies.
editors in chief
editor in chiefs
Luxury residential ________ are part of the architect's plan.
complexs
complexes
Voters in three ________ are likely to approve new gas taxes.
countys
counties
The instructor was surprised to find two ________ in one class.
Cassidy's
Cass
Voters in three ________ are likely to approve new gas taxes.
countys
counties
The instructor was surprised to find two ________ in one class.
Cassidy's
Cassidys
André sent digital photos of two ________ in France before we planned our trip.
valleys
vallies
Most companies have copies of statements showing their assets and ________.
liabilitys
liabilities
My flat-screen monitor makes it difficult to distinguish between ________.
o's and a's
os and as
Both of her sisters-in-law were ________ with high principles.
woman
women
Your clothing, grooming, and posture send an instant ______ message about you.
comprehensive
nonverbal
contextual
fashion
An active listener capitalizes on 'lag' time. One way to do this is to
focus on what the speaker is wearing and whether the attire is appropriate.
interrupt the speaker with questions whenever you don't understand a point.
mentally arrange your 'to do' list so that you can use your time efficiently.
review the speaker's points and anticipate what's coming next.
The communication process is more effective when senders discourage feedback, which may consist of verbal and nonverbal responses from the receiver.
False
True
As a listener, you should NOT take notes because the note taking process interferes with your focus on the speaker's total message.
True
False
Flattened management hierarchies, increased emphasis on teams, heightened global competition, and innovative communication technologies are trends that result in less and less need for workers to develop communication skills.
False
True
Clay is discussing a business deal with an Asian person. Although Clay uses simple words and enunciates clearly, his Asian listener misunderstands what he is saying. Clay should
nod graciously and ask his listener to repeat as much of the conversation as possible so that Clay can help with pronunciations and meanings.
accept blame for not making himself clear.
stop talking and engage a translator.
start again, speaking more slowly and loudly for better comprehension.
Translating a message from its symbol form into meaning involves
networking.
decoding.
encoding.
interpreting.
A major problem in communicating any message verbally is that words have different meanings for different people.
True
False
In the changing world of work, you will find increased emphasis on work teams. This means that you will be
working only face-to-face with team members.
acting as your own boss, resulting in individual decision making with less need for communication skills.
gathering information, finding and sharing solutions, implementing decisions, and managing conflict.
working inside cubicles with new rules of office etiquette and expectations for civility.
An American businessperson who says that all Asians are good at math and computing is illustrating an example of
ethnocentrism.
stereotyping.
a cultural norm.
tolerance.
It is natural for people to believe in the superiority of their own culture. This belief is called ethnocentrism.
True
False
To become an effective, active listener, you should
stop talking.
establish a receptive mind-set.
listen for main points.
All of these choices are correct.
Organizations that encourage diverse workforces experience more discrimination lawsuits, more union clashes, and more government regulatory action.
True
False
Neil's company prides itself on building successful international partnerships and clients. As president, Neil encourages an attitude of tolerance, which means
he encourages his employees to learn about the beliefs and practices that are different from theirs.
he encourages his employees to practice empathy.
he encourages his employees to be nonjudgmental.
All of these choices are correct.
North Americans consider time a precious commodity to be conserved. This is an important part of the cultural dimension of individualism.
False
True
"Soft skills" include the ability to communicate, work well with others, solve problems, make ethical decisions, and appreciate diversity.
False
True
North Americans speak at about 125 words per minute, but the human brain can process information at least three times that fast, thus allowing listeners to become bored.
True
False
In the communication process, the medium over which a message is transmitted is called the
channel.
station.
network.
source.
A poll of recruiters indicated that the skills most often sought in today's workplace are
technology skills.
organizational skills.
oral and written communication skills.
leadership skills.
Successful communicators recognize the power of nonverbal messages.
True
False
The writing process has three parts:
planning, composing, and revising.
designing, formatting, and proofreading.
planning, formatting, and typesetting.
Which of the following represents inclusive and correct language?
Each homeowner must provide his own insurance.
Several firemen fought the blaze and received commendations.
Every student should receive their grades by January 1.
None of these choices are correct.
Many businesses today communicate with customers through live chat which means that communication skills are not very important.
True
False
Business writing is
essentially the same as academic writing (essays and term papers).
harder than academic writing because business writing must be creative.
audience oriented, purposeful, persuasive, and economical.
purposeful, economical, and writer oriented.
Within many organizations, e-mail messages have replaced hard-copy memos because e-mail is best for messages that require persuasion, permanence, or formality.
True
False
Which of the following statements employ precise and vigorous language?
Our team has experienced a change in profits.
The meeting will take place as soon as possible
Sales for January indicated a 10 percent plunge in profits.
The team manager has decided to think about the problems.
Adapting a message to reflect audience benefits means that you must try to show receivers how you're going to save them frustration or help them meet their goals.
True
False
In adapting your message to the audience, you should include words that are familiar and meaningful to receivers such as 'remuneration' and 'obfuscate.'
True
False
To sound conversational but professional, business writers should include
a formal and pretentious tone.
personalized expressions with IM abbreviations, sentence fragments, and slang.
a warm, conversational tone that avoids low-level diction.
legal terminology, long sentences, and third-person constructions.
Negative language sounds more forceful and conveys more information than positive language.
True
False
Whether your goal is to inform, persuade, or promote goodwill, the most powerful words you can use are 'I' and 'we.'
True
False
The job titles 'letter carrier,' 'police officer,' and 'worker' represent inclusive language because they include rather than exclude people.
True
False
The first phase of the writing process involves
asking the right questions to profile the writer.
shaping the message for the primary audience.
analyzing the audience to determine your purpose for writing.
analyzing the purpose, anticipating how the audience will react, and adapting the message to the audience.
Which of the following best illustrates the 'you' view recommended for business writers?
You may not return items without a cash register receipt.
We have selected you to join the management trainee class.
You have been selected to join the management trainee class.
We have shipped your order, and it will arrive within five days.
In business writing, length is more important than brevity. Longer messages are better received than shorter ones.
True
False
The writing process involves three phases
that are roughly equal in the time devoted to each.
with the most time being spent on the last phase.
with the most time being spent on the first phase.
with the most time being spent on the middle phase.
Although most instant messages, e-mail messages, business letters, memos, and reports replace conversation, they should not sound conversational. They should be formal and professional.
True
False
Weak verbs and abstract nouns give receivers more information and keep them interested.
True
False
Using plain English means that you should
shun pompous and pretentious language.
consistently use jargon to impress your readers.
use unfamiliar words.
never use big words.
Which of the following illustrates the most positive business writing?
Employees may not park in Lot A until construction is completed April 1.
Your order will be sent as soon as we receive your shoe size.
We are sorry that we must reject your application for credit at this time.
None of these choices represents good business writing.
I hoped Rhonda would call. Was it ________ who left the message?
she
her
Everyone on the men's soccer team must be fitted for ________ uniform.
his
their
Even instant messages sent between the manager and ________ will be revealed in the court case.
he
him
Does anyone in the office know for ________ these CDs were ordered?
who
whom
It looks as if ________ is the only report that cites electronic sources correctly.
her's
hers
Thomas asked Matt and ________ to help him complete his report.
I
me
myself
My friend and ________ were also asked to work on Saturdays.
I
me
myself
Both printers were sent for repairs, but ________ will be returned shortly.
yours
your's
Give the budget figures to ________ asked for them.
whoever
whomever
Everyone except the broker and ________ claimed a share of the commission.
I
me
myself
No one knows that problem better than ________.
he
him
himself
Investment brochures and information were sent to ________ shareholders.
we
us
If any one of the female tourists has lost ________ scarf, she should see the driver.
their
her
Neither the glamour nor the excitement of the position had lost ________ appeal.
its
it's
their
Any new subscriber may cancel ________ subscription within the first month.
their
his or her
The following statement is an example of disability bias: Our prospective client is confined to a wheelchair.
True
False
Writers should recognize the value of the 'you' view and insert this second person pronoun as much as possible into business messages so that the focus is totally on the reader.
True
False
Which of the following best demonstrates the 'you' view?
You can still apply to have your tuition completely reimbursed so that you can continue your learning and expand your job skills.
You did not apply in time, but we are still accepting applications for the tuition reimbursement plan.
We need all applications immediately if employees wish to apply for tuition reimbursement.
The deadline for applying for
Which of the following statements employ precise and vigorous language?
The board president plans to give his views on the project.
The research team will meet very soon.
The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, January 3, at 3:00 p.m.
Revenues for this quarter indicated a huge change in profits.
Adapting a message to the receiver's needs means putting yourself in that person's shoes. This skill is called "ethnocentrism."
False
True
Your goal as a business writer is to create messages with a warm, friendly tone that still sounds professional.
False
True
To fully implement the "you" view, writers should
delete phrases such as I'm happy or We're delighted.
emphasize second-person pronouns without overusing or misusing them.
sterilize their writing and avoid any first-person pronouns.
focus on the reader and use "you" in most sentences.
The third phase of the writing process involves revising, proofreading, and evaluating your message.
False
True
Generally, you can avoid gender-biased language by leaving out the words man and woman, by using plural nouns and pronouns, or by changing to a gender-free word.
False
True
In profiling the audience, writers are trying to determine how to tailor a message to a particular reader because when most readers receive a message, they are thinking, "What's in this for me?"
True
False
Which of the following represents the best business writing?
Employees may use the Market Street entrance once again beginning June 1.
Employees may not sign up for vacations until a schedule is posted April 15.
We regret that employees may not use the Market Street entrance during May.
The computer training session cannot begin until after the winter holidays.
The words commensurate, materialize, and interrogate are familiar words that would be appropriate in most business messages.
True
False
The second phase of the writing process involves
organizing and composing the message.
organizing information, adapting it to the audience, and proofreading.
analyzing the purpose of the message and deciding what is to be accomplished.
profiling the audience to be able to create receiver benefits.
Business writers are encouraged to use plain English, which means
using only short words.
using high-sounding language and legalese.
using plain language and familiar words.
using only jargon.
Mei Yit must send a message to fellow employees. In choosing a communication channel, she should consider the importance of the message, need for a permanent record, cost of the channel, degree of formality desired, and the
time she should spend on all three phases of the writing process.
research and organization of primary and secondary data.
five stages of the communication process.
amount and speed of feedback and interactivity required.
Because business writing is different from academic writing, business communicators can expect to spend more time ensuring proper length and developing creative ideas that will impress readers.
True
False
Business writers should strive for a conversational and _______ tone.
personal
professional
informal
formal
Which of the following demonstrates inclusive language?
Each homeowner must engage his own insurance carrier.
Every mailman must park his truck legally when delivering mail.
All letter carriers must park their trucks legally when delivering mail.
All executives and their wives may attend the conference banquet.
Business communicators strive to produce messages that are audience oriented, purposeful, persuasive, and
economical.
company oriented.
impressive.
creative.
Positive wording in a business message tells what is and what can be done rather than what isn't and what can't be done.
True
False
Which of the following represents a sentence fragment?
Career advisors suggest that you dress for the job you want, not the one you have.
When you have a job interview, what does your appearance say about you?
Although we have seen a gradual loosening of the rules surrounding how we dress for work.
Business casual attire may sabotage your professional image.
The indirect strategy of message development works best when you
have a lot of information to deliver quickly.
are sending a short e-mail to a coworker.
are delivering good news that will be eagerly received.
must deliver bad news.
No smart businessperson would begin writing a message before
conducting an Internet search.
deciding how to format the message.
researching to collect needed information.
checking with the receiver to ensure that the message will be well-received.
Which of the following sentences illustrates passive voice?
The hiring manager gave each candidate a writing test.
Employers are usually looking for candidates with good communication skills.
A communication skills test was given to every applicant for the job opening.
College graduates with excellent writing skills earn more than three times those with the worst writing skills.
Which of the following illustrates a comma splice?
Some employers offer full benefit packages, others do not.
Some employers offer full benefit packages; others do not.
Some employers offer full benefit packages, but others do not.
Some employers offer full benefit packages; however, others do not.
An example of a compound-complex sentence is Starbucks utilizes social media to enhance sales.
True
False
A message is said to be frontloaded when the details, explanations, and background precede the opening.
True
False
You can emphasize ideas stylistically by using
underlining.
tabulation.
vivid words.
italics.
When you expect the receiver of your message to be pleased, mildly interested, or neutral, you should place the main idea
at the beginning of the message.
in the body where it can be supported with explanations and background.
in the closing where you can build up to it with sufficient explanation.
anywhere it seems to fit into your writing most logically and gracefully.
Many communication experts regard poor organization as the greatest failing of business writers.
True
False
The following sentence illustrates a dangling modifier: To be sure to get a ticket, send your check immediately.
True
False
Which of the following represents a compound sentence type?
Good writing skills are essential in today's business world.
Although the meeting began later than expected, it was productive.
Isaac's presentation was outstanding; it was obvious he was prepared.
Since the manager reviewed the report, we revised our initial plan, and we made many improvements to it.
Emphasis in writing can be achieved primarily in two ways: mechanically and directly.
True
False
Which of the following is considered a formal research method?
Looking in the files
Talking to your boss
Brainstorming
Accessing data electronically
Business, technical, and professional people are exchanging fewer messages than ever before.
True
False
The following sentence illustrates parallelism: My boss is quick-witted, well-organized, and she is intelligent.
True
False
In passive-voice sentences, the doer of the action may be revealed or may be left unknown.
True
False
Typical business messages that could be developed indirectly include messages that refuse requests, reject claims, and deny credit.
True
False
Before starting a message, business writers should organize their ideas using a
system of internal patterning.
scratch list or an outline.
comprehensive matrix.
table of contents or an index.
Fragments often begin with words such as although, if, and which.
True
False
A large group of our e-mail messages ________ recently blocked by spam filters.
was
were
Although Mark acts as if he ________ the manager, he doesn't know what to do about the e-mail disruption dilemma.
was
were
If even one of my e-mail messages ________ blocked by spam controls, I am unhappy.
is
are
Verizon, together with many other large ISPs, ________ singled out for using overzealous spam blockers.
was
were
Neither the sender nor the receiver of blocked messages ________ what has happened.
know
knows
A typical e-mail user has ________ several messages that were never delivered.
wrote
written
Time and energy ________ are required to follow up on e-mail messages.
is
are
Either the message or its attachment ________ triggered the spam-blocking software.
has
have
After many of its customers had ________ to complain about lost messages, one company sued.
began
begun
If you could have ________ the number of nondelivery error messages, you would have been upset also.
saw
seen
Ramon discovered that a lot of his legitimate e-mail had ________ to junk folders that he never checked.
went
gone
Which of the following sentences illustrates consistency in subject, voice, and verb form?
When Mason sent an e-mail message, its delivery was expected.
When Mason sent an e-mail message, he expected it to be delivered.
Which of the following sentences illustrates consistency in subject, voice, and verb form?
First, check all computers for viruses; then, install a firewall.
First, check all computers for viruses; then, a firewall must be installed.
Which of the following sentences illustrates consistency in subject, voice, and verb form?
When Tina examined the computers, the spyware was discovered.
When Tina examined the computers, she discovered the spyware.
To avoid frustration and inaccurate messages, business writers should begin by asking themselves questions such as What does the receiver need to know and What is the receiver to do?
False
True
A message that is frontloaded saves the reader's time, sets a proper frame of mind, and prevents frustration.
False
True
Which of the following represents a sentence fragment?
Although it is a complex process with the goal of making a target group think that a product is the best of its kind and the one the group should choose.
People relate to others who are like them, and your appearance is an important first step.
To be successful, you need to present yourself as a professional.
In the field of marketing, a crucial activity is 'positioning.'
Most business writing should be in the active voice, as illustrated here: The check was sent yesterday.
False
True
The following sentence illustrates a comma splice: Greg works the night shift, Gina works the day shift.
False
True
In making an outline, define the main topic in the title and divide the topic into _____ main points.
two to four
three to five
five to eight
four to six
