Communication Studies

2019 MCQ Practice

Module 1

Read the following and answer the questions that follow.

Ms. Tricia Davis the sixth form coordinator at Milton High has noticed that over the past five
years less students are choosing Pure Mathematic as an option. She would like to research the
reason for this and put a programme in place to reverse this situation.

1. Which one of the following outcomes would NOT be achieved if Ms. Davis uses the school
records for the past ten years as a data source?

a. validity b. accuracy c. credibility d. subjectivity

2. Which one of the following factors can invalidate the generalization the researcher makes
from the findings?

a. The sample size is too large

b. The sample is not representative of the population
c. The research is carried out only in Ms. Davis’ school
d. The research is carried out during end of year examinations.

3. Which one of the following MUST the researcher consider when selecting the sample?

I. Composition of the schools’ population

II. Size of the school population

III. Accuracy of the school’s data

a. I and II only b. I and III only c. II and III only d. I , II and III.

4. The mode of writing Ms. Davis should employ in her report is

a. Narration b. exposition c. argument d. description

Read the following scenario and answer the questions that follow

A news report indicates that citizens have been buying foreign used cars rather than new ones.
Your sixth form class has decided to carry out research to see which cars people prefer.

5. Which one of the following is the MOST appropriate methods of data collection for this
research?

a. Inquiry b. Checklist c. Observation d. Questionnaire

6. Which one the following DOES NOT reflect how an interview might be administered for this
research?

a. Sending an email to the manager c. Talking with a contact over the phone
b. Taking note of certified vehicles d. Discussing preferences with consumers.

7. Which of the following is a reliable secondary source of information for the research?

a. Licensing officers c. Consumers buying cars

b. Newspaper articles d. Managers of car sales companies

8. Government records of motor vehicle ownership can save the researcher time and effort as
they

a. can be located on line c. have been signed by licensing officers

b. can be copied and studied later d. give precise data on the matter
Read the following scenario and answer the questions that follow

Roy a fifty year old man witnessed an accident and gave this report to the police: I was on my
way to church with my wife and kids when I saw the car speeding at about 80 miles per hour.
The driver lost control and slammed into the Honda driving in the opposite direction. Myself and
two other passers -by assisted the driver and his wife and two children from the car. We rushed
them to the hospital

9. Which of the following could NOT be a source of data about the accident?

a. Roy’s wife c. The police officer

b. The driver of the Honda d. The passerby

10. Roy is a good source of information about the accident because

a. He is an eyewitness c. He rushed the driver to the hospital

b. He is a Christian d. He knew how fast the driver was
driving

11. The police are making a data base on road accidents. Which of the following from the above
report would they NOT include in the data-base?

a. The make/model of the car c. Number of persons injured

b. Roy’s age d. Time of accident

12. The police statistician is doing a report on road accidents in that country. Why can she NOT
use data from the accident make a generalization about road accidents?

I. The sample size was too small as it was only one accident

II. The people who witnessed it are unreliable, so their word cannot be trusted

III. The persons who were in the hospital would not be able to speak

IV. The cause of the accident is not the same as all other accidents that occurred.

a. I and II only c. I and IV only

b. I, II, and III only d. I, II, III and IV

Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.

People often think all planets are alike, but there are actually three types of planets in the solar
system. The terrestrial planets are made of rock and metal and are closest to the sun. These
include the midsize planets Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. They rotate slowly and do not
have many moons. Farther from the sun are the planets called gas giants, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus,
and Neptune. They are called gas giants because they are formed from gases such as hydrogen
and helium. Gas giants rotate fast and have many moons. Finally, planetoids are objects made up
of rock and ice and are too small to be true “planets.” Planetoids sometimes even get pulled into
a planet’s gravitational field and become moons themselves. Whether they are terrestrials, gas
giants, or planetoids, the planets in the solar system are fascinating

13. The TWO rhetorical modes of discourse dominant in this extract are:

a. Argument and exposition c. Description and narration

b. Exposition and description d. Narration and exposition

14. Which of the following organizational strategy is dominant in the piece?

a. Analogy c. Descriptive sequencing

b. Classification d. Chronological sequencing

15. The main idea of this extract may best be summarized as

a. The solar system is a very fascinating thing to study

b. There are several different planets in the solar system

c. Planets in the solar system are categorized according to their size

d. The solar system is made up of planets composed of different materials.

Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow

School uniforms are good for the development of children. First of all, everyone is dressed
unified. So no one has "better" clothes than others and no one can threaten others only because of
their clothes. In many schools ganging up on others because of what they are wearing is already
normal and uniforms are a way to protect the children from such acts. School uniforms also keep
everyone from having to buy expensive brands of clothes to be part of the society, which relieves
especially the parents and takes the pressure of being "cool" away from the children. School
uniforms also helps to put off children being overly concerned about keeping up with the latest
fashions. This gives young children more time to concentrate on more important developmental
things. Of course, there are also critics, who say that school uniforms make the children lose
their own individuality". My fifth-grade daughter used to like school," added Connie Terry, "but
last year, her school switched to uniforms. Now when I ask her how school is going, the first
thing out of her mouth is she hates uniforms. However, in general it is possible to say, that
school uniforms have a good influence on most children.

16. The MAIN organizational strategy used in the extract is

a. Contrast c. Illustration

b. Classification d. Historical data

17. The extract may best be identified as which rhetorical modes of discourse?

a. Narration and description c. Description and argument

b. Argument and exposition d. Exposition and narration

18. Which of the following are used as a language technique in the extract?

a. Anecdote and the use of punctuation

b. Complex phrasing and literary devices

c. Use of complex sentences and punctuation

d. The use of punctuation and literary devices

19. The best word to describe the tone of this piece is

a. Neutral c. Sarcastic

b. Frantic d. Convincing
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow

The lady at the next table to the slob could take it no longer. Secretly I hoped she would do
something to stop the obscene slurping coming from his fat lips. I watched her rise majestically
from her seat; serious intent, like a soldier on a mission, furrowed her white brow. "Sir", she
enunciated clearly to the huge slurping hulk. There was a grunt in return from the grazer, but she
had his attention. "Sir, you are inhaling your soup in such a manner as to distract your fellow
diners." All activity stopped in the restaurant as we waited for his reply. Astonishment puckered
his dimpled jowls to be replaced by a red infusion, which spread from the greyish collar of his
neck, slowly gliding to the stark blinking eyes. "Listen, lady," the voice was thick, guttural,
"Who do you think you are, the Queen of bloody Sheba?"

20. The dominant rhetorical modes in this piece are

a. Description and persuasion c. Narration and description

b. Persuasion and narration d. Description and exposition

21. The third sentence of this paragraph contains examples of

a. Metaphor and simile c. litotes and metaphor

b. Simile and alliteration d. onomatopoeia and pun

22. Which word in the sentence 7 is nearest in meaning to the “hollow”

a.Infusion c. Dimpled

b. Stark d. Puckered

Read the following and answer the questions that follow

The Economics course at Bethel College requires that students carry out a research study as part
of their final assignment. A small group consisting of Carla, Raheem and Sunita have decided to
focus on shopping trends in their community. They want to know what types of shops or stores
are preferred by consumers. Raheem has proposed the use of questionnaires to collect the data

23. Which one of the following is NOT a disadvantage of the instrument proposed by Raheem?

a. It may be difficult to tell if the respondent is being truthful

b. There is scope for misunderstanding of the questions asked

c. All questions may not be answered

d. It may be time consuming

24. Which of the following will be the MOST likely source of information in this research?

a. Shopkeepers c. Children
d. Food distributor d. Housewives

25. Why would observation NOT be a reliable tool of data collection for this research?

a. People might change their behaviour if they are being observed.

b. From observation the researchers cannot determine where shoppers live.

c. Observation is time consuming and they have other assignments to do.

d. One cannot observe a phenomenon such as shopping trends.

 Module 2

Read the following scenario and answer the questions that follow
Toni: Dat girl Zara dat just come to de college real standoffish. She She playin she aint know
how to speak wi language. She not even say howdy to nobody. Always talking like BBC
news broadcaster or something.
Cari: You just jealous dat you aint know to talk so sweet. Dat is why de teacher like to call on
she to speak. Dey want we to follow she example.
Toni: Not me! I aint changing me language to suit nobody.
26. State the two differing attitudes to Zara’s language revealed in the dialogue
a. Scorn and admiration c. Formality and informality
b. Seriousness and levity d. Jealousy and zealousness
27. Which one of the following might NOT be a reason the teacher has for wanting them to
speak like Zara?
a. It is the language associated with education
b. The teacher likes how Zara sounds when she is speaking
c. The teacher understands there is a relationship between code and context
d. They are comfortable speaking the non-standard variety and needs practice in the standard
.
28. Which of the following creole features is absent from the dialogue?
a. Reduction of consonant blends c. Double negative
b. Zero copula construction d. Reduplication

29. Zara only speaks Standard English. By the evidence given in the passage which of the
following might NOT be a reason for her doing so?
a. It is the only language that Zara knows
b. She feels it is the correct register for school
c. She uses it because it makes her feel superior to the other students
d. She might be practicing this language to improve her speech and writing skills

30. Which function of language is NOT indicated by the dialogue?

a. Ritual c. Phatic
b. Expressive d. Expressive

Study the following chart and answer the questions that follow

Group Countries Official Language Mass Vernacular

A Aruba and Bonaire Dutch Papiamentu
B Jamaica and Trinidad English English Creole
C Martinique and Haiti French French creole
D Cuba and Puerto Rico Spanish --

31. Kreyol is the proper name for a mass vernacular in which of the following group?
a. A c. C
b. B d. D

32. A bilingual native of Belize would have the LEAST difficulty understanding persons from
a. A and D c. C and D
b. B and C d. B and D
33. Which group of the following countries could BEST replace Jamaica in Group B?
a. Monserrat, Antigua and Dominica c. Barbados, St. Kitts and Antigua
b. Surinam, Guyana and Barbados d. Curacao, St. Vincent and Grenada

Read the following poem adapted from Louise Bennett’s “Yuh Nephew Sue “and answer
the questions that follow.
Aunt Tama dear, me sad fe hear, how storm wreck Jack Ass Town 1
But wus of all, yuh one deggeh Coconut tree tumble down.
Last week dem had a meeting fe all de coconut growers wat
Lose coconut tree inna de storm, so me was inna dat.
5
Bans a big-shot, money- man was dere, some a dem a get out cross
And start fe talk bout how much ‘undred thousand tree dem lost.
Me did mek up me mind Aunt Tama, fe get up and talk free,
Fe touch dem pan dem conscience mek dem give yuh back yuh tree.
But wen me hear de man dem mout’ a gwaan like district bell
10
Me hang me head, fold up me wing and draw inna me shell.
The Chairman point pon me and say “How much you lose Miss Sue?”
Me did shame fe say one, so me softly whisper two.
Him frowns and say ‘Two hundred or two thousand tree Miss Sue?”
Hear me “Percent is hundred, but per tree is so-so two.”

34. The dialectal variations apparent in the poem apart from English Creole are
a. Colloquial English and Creole English
b. Standard English and Creole English
c. Creole English and Rasta English
d. Foreign English and Creole English
35. The registers of the poem may best be described as
a. Frozen and casual c. Casual and consultative
b. Formal and intimate d. Consultative and formal
36. Which of the following is NOT an instance of the grammar of Caribbean Creole English?
a. “ talk free” (line 7) c. “ him frowns” (line 13)
b. “The chairman point” (line 11) d. “ Aunt Tama dear (line 1)
37. Which aspect of the writer’s speech is seen in the word “undred” (line 6)
a. Semantics c. Grammar
b. Phonology d. Lexicon
38. Which Creole features is seen in the phrase “me did mek up me mine (line 7?
a. Reduplication c. The use of a Pre-verbal marker
b. Palatalization d. Unmarked tense
 Read the following and answer the questions that follow
“Eh-eh! Don’t shout at me,” was all he got for his pains. “Don’t you deafen me.
What’s that the young varmint says, Maud?”
“Three pence, Maudie,” he cackled. “Three pence! Did yo hear thet , Maud? Did yo’ ever hear
the likes? I’ll bet you ain’t never did. Three pence! The lad’ll have money what I’s got to sweat
blood for , just to gi they Megahey what’s got his bread so well-buttered off’ pon both sides, not
to mention the middle. Three pence! Ha ha ! … ioh Maudie ….” And he broke down once in
helpless laughter. Clement went out and sat under the breadfruit tree that grew before the door,
resting his back against the trunk.
Uriel Narinesingh
Voyage – An Anthology of Short Stories and Poems, 2006.
39. Which of the following types of registers is used in the dialogue?

a. Frozen b. Formal c. Intimate d. Consultative

40. How might the following expression be BEST classified?

I. ‘ he cackled ‘
II. ‘He broke down once in helpless laughter’
III. ‘Clement went out and sat under the breadfruit tree’
a. Proxemics c. Verbal communication
b. Paralanguage d. Non- verbal communication

41. Which of the following are non-standard English Text?

I. ‘what I’s got to sweat blood for ‘

II. ‘Three pence”
III. Did yo’ hear thet, Maud?
a. I and II only b. I and III only c. II and III only d. I, II and III

Read the following excerpt and then answer the questions that follow

“Gem,” she called . “Gem?” The second bellow was met with a timid reply.

“Yes, Ma’am,” the obviously frightened housekeeper responded.

“I am tired of telling you that you ought to make your presence known when I am around.”

“But me neva know dat yu is ere Ma,am.”

5 “Gem , don’t tell me that the electronic car porch shutter makes far too much noise for you to
know that I am home…”

“M did not ear yu, Ma’am,” Gem retorted tersely as she descended the stairs .

“Yu see de print letter, Ma’am?”

“Hear”, Gem . Say “hear”. There is an “h” on that word.”

10 “Yes Ma’am” , but me know yu undastan me.”

Adapter from ,D.A Harris , ‘Bougainvillea’

42. Based on how Gem and Ma’am use language which one describes the nature of the
relationship between them?

a. Casual b. Formal c. Intimate d. Consultative

43. What is Ma’am‘s attitude towards Creole?

a. Pride b. Shame c. Adoration d. Disapproval

44. In the utterance “Yes Ma’am , but mi know yuh undastan mi” (line 10) which area of language
is Gem focused on ?

I. Pronunciation
II. Meaning
III. Grammar
a. I only b. II only c. I and II only d. I , II and III

45. Which of the following best describes ‘yuh is ‘ere’ (line 4) ?

a. Bad language
b. A case of subject –verb disagreement
c. A good attempt at producing English Creole
d. A failed attempt at creating Standard Caribbean English

46. Which aspect of Gem’s speech is “Ma’am correcting when she says “‘Hear’ Gem. Say
‘hear’”

a. Social b. Semantic c. Phonological d. Grammatical

Read the following and answer the questions that follow

47. What purpose is language serving when it is used to judge one’s level of education as in the
case of Rufus?

a. Social b. Ethical c. Psychological d. Political

48. Which one of the following BEST shows why the narrator relates the stories about Rufus?

a. To produce comic effect

b. To show that Rufus is uneducated
c. To show some of the mistakes that Rufus makes
d. To validate the view that Rufus is competent.

49. Which one of the following sets of Communicative Behaviours is likely to be displayed by
persons as they listen to Rufus?

a. Lack of eye contact, loud cheers.

b. Loud cheers, thunderous applause
c. Shaking heads, lack of eye contact
d. Thunderous applause, shaking heads
50. Which of the following attitudes may be inferred about the narrator based on his account of
Rufus’ behaviour?

a. He values education.
b. He likes the British people.
c. He does not like persons with passion.
d. He was unsympathetic towards Rufus.

51. In which of the following expressions is the process of reduplication evident?

a. Eye-water b. Step-sister c. A waa gwaan d. chaka-chaka house

Module 3

Read the following scenario carefully and answer the questions that follow.

52. Gina’s use of “burning” in the comic is an example of

a. slang b. jargon c. dialect d. profanity

53. The two contrasting attitudes to Madonna exemplified in the comic are

a. admiration and aversion c. reverence and veneration

b. disparagement and scorn d. dislike and deprecation

54. The coffee cup and burning bucket in the comic are examples of

a. channel b. artefacts c. tools d. personal effects

Read the following scenario and answer the questions that follow

John is listening attentively to a guest lecture on short story writing .Shortly after the
presentation starts, his teacher asks him to give the vote of thanks. John makes careful notes
which he uses as cues during his vote of thanks.

55. What method of presentation does John use in his presentation?

a. Prepared speech c. Memorized speech

b. Extempore speech d. Power Point presentation

56. Which of the following communicative behaviours could John use to make his presentation
effective?

a. Standing erect of the spot c. Using a high-pitched voice

b. Using different gestures d. Reading verbatim from his notes

57. Before John begins to speak, his classmates begin to speak. He asks for silence, while
holding his hand out palm facing the room. What function of non-verbal communication is John
performing with his hand?

a. Substituting c. Regulating

b. Reinforcing d. Contradicting

58. Jomo writes a memo to his employees. Putting his thoughts onto paper is an example of

a. decoding b.encoding c. channeling d. feedback

Read the following and answer the questions that follow

A Wedding. The guests are seated and the formal toasts are over. The bride, radiant in her
beautiful white gown, is sitting beside the groom. Suddenly, Mike, an usher, turns to Peter the
best man and the groom’s brother.

Mike: Speech, Speech!! (Knocking on the table.)

Peter: Aahm…I would like to congratulate my brother John and his beautiful wife….

59 The method of speech delivery employed by Peter is

a. Impromptu b. Extemporaneous c. Memorized d. Manuscript
60. Peter clearing his throat (aahm) is an example of what type of non-verbal behaviour?
a. Kinesics b. Proxemics c. Chronemics d. Vocalics
61. The use of the non-verbal behaviour mentioned in question 23 may suggest that Peter is
a. nervous b. happy c. tired d. sad
62. The bride's gown is an example of
a.artifact b. model c.visual communication d. paralanguage
63. The extract is an example of a/an _________ context.
a.Informal b. formal c. Intimate d. consultative

Read the following and answer the questions that follow

64. At what stage of the communication process does Sally generate ideas for her speech?
a. Decoding b. Interpreting c. Giving feedback d. Conceptualization
65. Which one of the following messages is being sent by Sally’s lack of eye contact?
a. She is nervous
b. She is well-prepared
c. She articulates enough
d. She did enough research
66. Which of the following explains why some students were covering their mouths and snickering?
a. They identified with Sally
b. The presentation was too boring
c. They were amused by Sally’s choice of words
d. They were angry at Sally’s choice of words.