CHAPTER 1

10. 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.
11. Translating the message from its symbol form into meaning involves
A feedback.
B decoding.
C encoding.
D nonverbal communication.
12. Which of the following statements about feedback is most accurate?
A Feedback is the verbal response from the receiver.
B Senders should provide as much information as they can to their receivers to
show their intellectual capabilities.
C Paraphrasing a speaker's message is a waste of time.
DFeedback can include both nonverbal and verbal responses.
13. The medium over which the message is transmitted is the
A context of the message.
B encoding process.
C communication channel.
D decoding process.
14. Communication noise
A includes anything that disrupts the transmission of a message.
B is also called feedback.
C describes only externally produced sounds.
D occurs only during the encoding process.
15. Many of us are poor listeners because
A the brain can process information at least three times as fast as people talk.
B we tend to "tune out" (ignore) speakers whose ideas run counter to our own.
C we would rather talk than listen.
D All answer choices are correct.
16. Some researchers suggest that we listen at what percentage of efficiency?
A50 to 60 percent
B 90 percent
C 10 percent
D 25 to 50 percent
17. Which of the following statements is most accurate?
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.
D Most people are not very good listeners
18. Approximately how many words per minute do most North Americans speak?
A 375
B 500
C 250
D 125
19. Peter must inform his employees that his company will need to let go of employees. Which word
would be best for Peter to use when conveying this idea to his employees?
A Layoff ( sa thải)
B Streamlining (sx, tổ chức hợp lí)
C Downsizing (giảm cơ cấu tổ chức, for long term, permanently)
D Rightsizing
20. You can improve your listening skills if you follow tips for active listening, including
A keeping an open mind, establishing a receptive mind-set, and listening
between the lines.
B establishing a receptive mind-set, concentrating on appearance and delivery, and
sifting information through biases.
C capitalizing on lag time, concentrating on your next comment, and taking as
many notes as possible.
D asking questions immediately, focusing on the speaker's face, and concentrating
on the details presented in the message.
21. 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
22. A listener who nods her head and maintains eye contact with a speaker is probably
Alistening actively to what the speaker is saying.
B not understanding what the speaker is saying.
C faking attention while she listens to music on her MP3 player.
D formulating her response to a point with which she disagrees.
23. Arun is attending a seminar on workplace efficiency and must make a presentation on this topic
when he returns to work. Arun can increase his comprehension by keeping an open mind, listening
for main points, taking selective notes, and
A closing his eyes.
B speaking up immediately when he has a question or does not agree with the
speaker.
C filling in the lag time by mentally reviewing other tasks he must do that day.
D judging ideas, not appearances.
24. Doris 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 mind-set
C Capitalizing on lag time
D Controlling her surroundings
33. The manager noticed that Stephen slammed his desk drawer right after he said that he was
happy to work
late. 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. politely seek additional information by saying, I'm not sure that you really
want to stay late. Do you have somewhere you need to be?
d. fire Stephen for insubordination.
34. 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.
35. Communicators in ____ cultures (such as those in North America, Scandinavia, and Germany)
depend little on the context of a situation to convey their meaning. They tend to be logical,
analytical, and action oriented.
a. high-context
b. civilized
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. Which of the following is a common trait of a business communicator from a low-context
culture?
a. Valuing relationships, harmony, status, and saving face
b. Relying on relationships and group decisions
c. Keeping business and social relationships separate
d. Assuming listeners require little background information
38. North Americans value straightforwardness and are suspicious of evasiveness. These traits
identify the cultural dimension of
a. individualism.
b. formality.
c. communication style.
d. time orientation.
39. Which of the following countries would likely view a business contract as a binding (khó phá vỡ)
document?
a. Mexico
b. Greece
c. Japan
d. Germany
40. Learning about beliefs and practices different from our own and appreciating them means
displaying
a. tolerance
b. individualism.
c. stereotyping.
d. gender norms
47. John 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. Which of the following is a benefit of a diverse work environment?
a. Better ability to create the products desired by consumers
b. Fewer discrimination lawsuits, fewer union clashes, and less government
regulatory action
c. Improvement of employee relationships and increased productivity
d. All are benefits of a diverse work environment.
49. Megahertz Technology Solutions, Inc., recently suffered a discrimination lawsuit. Advice to
improve its workforce diversity is likely to include understanding the value of differences,
providing diversity training for employees, building on similarities, and
a. hiring a more homogenous work group.
b. making fewer assumptions.
c. requiring all employees to use jargon that conveys stereotypes.
d. making sure all employees 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. see professional advice.
11. Which is the most accurate statement about business report organizational patterns?
a. The primary difference between direct and indirect organizational patterns is the
location of the findings.
b. Many business executives place most importance on the analysis of the problem in
a report.
c. When using the indirect organizational pattern, place the conclusions and
recommendations at the beginning of the report.
d. The indirect pattern seems more logical to many readers because it mirrors the
way we solve problems.
24. A report that monitors the headway (progress) of a non-routine or unusual activity is called
a. the minutes of a meeting.
b. an information report.
c. a progress report.
d. A summary.
25. A report that attempts to solve problems by presenting data, drawing conclusions, and offering
solutions is called a(n)
a. justification/recommendation report.
b. information report.
c. progress report.
d. summary.
26. Reports that describe routine activities without analysis are called
a. justification/recommendation reports.
b. information reports.
c. progress reports.
d. summaries.
27. A record of the proceedings of a meeting is called
a. a progress report.
b. an information report.
c. a summary.
d. the minutes
d. Feasibility report
32. Your current assignment is to condense a 200-page government policy report on oil drilling in
Alaska into a
shorter report for Sierra Club members to read. What kind of report would you most likely write?
a. Information report
b. Summary report
c. Justification/recommendation report
d. Progress report
33. Your company currently processes its payroll internally but is considering the use of an
external accounting
firm. You are in charge of determining whether your company should proceed with this plan. What
kind of report
would you most likely write?
a. Feasibility report
b. Progress report
c. Information report
d. Summary report
34. Which of the following is most likely to be written as an informational report?
a. A report recommending the installation of retina scanner to improve security
b. A report telling management about the current status of a long-term project
c. A government regulatory report to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
d. A report comparing three locations and identifying the best for a new franchise outlet
35. You have organized the findings section of your information report by answering who, what,
when, where,
why, and how. This pattern is called
a. chronological.
b. journalism style.
c. geographical.
d. alphabetical
d. indirect.
21. 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. Prevents frustration
d. Sets a proper frame of mind
29. What is the recommended maximum number of words for a sentence?
a. 10
b. 20
c. 25
d. 30
30. 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 complex sentence
d. The part of a sentence containing the verb
31. 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 complex sentence
d. Two dependent clauses
32. 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 complex sentence
d. An independent clause containing two dependent clauses
98. The belief in the superiority of one's own culture is known as ethnocentrism. This natural
attitude is found in all cultures.
99. An oversimplified perception of a behavior pattern or characteristic applied to entire groups is a(n)
stereotype
100. Tolerance means learning about beliefs and practices different from our own and
appreciating them. One of the best ways to develop this trait is to practice empathy.
Tolerance
91. Nicola is collecting information for a business document she is writing. We call this collection
process research.
92. Long reports and complex business problems generally require some use of formal
research methods.
93. Looking in the files and talking with your boss are methods of informal research.
94. In the direct pattern of organization, the main idea comes first, followed by details, an explanation,
or evidence.
95. Persuasive and bad-news messages should usually use the indirect pattern.
96. A(n) complex sentence contains an independent clause (a complete thought) and a
dependent clause (a thought that cannot stand by itself).
97. The refund authorization was processed by our customer service representative is an example of a
sentence using the passive voice.
98. A dangling modifier results when the word or phrase the modifier describes is missing
from its sentence.
99. A(n) paragraph is a group of sentences about one idea.
100. Before and meanwhile are examples of transitional expressions that show time
association.
Technology has made writing less important in today's workplace.
b. False
As an employee in today's competitive workplace, you can expect to have more managers than in
the past.
b. False
Most people listen at 75 percent efficiency, which means they remember only 75 percent of what
they hear.
a. True

One of the best ways to become an active listener is to stop talking.

a. True

It is impossible to not communicate.

a. True

While your physical appearance delivers an important nonverbal message to others, the physical
appearance of your documents delivers an important nonverbal message as well.
a. True

The United States is an example of a low-context culture.

a. True

The perception of time and the way time is used are culturally learned.
a. True

The belief in the superiority of one's own culture is known as ethnocentrism .

b. False
The best way to manage a diverse workplace is to do everything possible to minimize or eliminate
differences.
b. False
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.
False
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.
False
Greg will be the student speaker for graduation. To ensure that his nonverbal cues support his
verbal message, he should ask friends and family to monitor his conscious and unconscious body
movements and gestures.
True
Most people are good listeners.
False
The primary purposes of most business documents are to inform and to persuade. A common
secondary purpose is sales growth.
False
Understanding a message involves listening to only the spoken words.
False
Whether your goal is to inform, persuade, or promote goodwill, the catchiest words you can use in
your business writing are "you" and "your."
True
Ben Franklin stated this opinion about business messages: To be good, it ought to have a tendency
to benefit the reader. His opinion reflects the importance of analyzing the purpose of the message.
False
Face-to-face conversation is a richer medium than a written report.
True
You are more likely to achieve your communication goals if you profile your audience and shape
the message to that profile.
True
Empathy, which increases the likelihood of a successful message, occurs when writers put
themselves in the audience's shoes when creating the message.
True
Ryan has an upcoming business meeting with a person from Germany. Because Ryan has never
met this person, he is worried about traveling there to do business for his company. Ryan could
reduce his worry by assuming that his German associate is similar to him.
False
When writing a business message, you should always write it from your perspective.
False
Paraphrasing a sender's message is an effective tool to promote understanding
True
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.
False
The communication process begins when the receiver provides feedback to the sender.
False
Cross-cultural communication can be improved by practicing tolerance and ethnocentrism.
False
For Americans words are very important, especially in contracts and negotiations.
True
Following a systematic plan when preparing any document or presentation will make your job
easier.
True
Our culture molds the way we think, behave, and communicate.
True
Despite their popularity among teens, social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are
rarely used in today's business world.
False
Brooke is listening to a difficult presentation on nanotechnology development. As a good listener,
she should take complete notes of everything said.
False
Positive language generally conveys more information than negative language does.
True
Many of your business messages will be sent digitally.
True
Recruiters often rank communication skills as the highest skill set sought by employers.
True
1. Most people listen at 75 percent efficiency, which means they remember only 75 percent of
what they hear.
False. 25 percent
2. Some key dimensions of culture include context, individualism, power distance,
communication style, and __________.
A. democracy
B. ethnocentrism
C. idealism
D. time orientation
 3. The United States is an example of a low-context culture.
True. Individualism and Freedom
4. One of the best ways to become an active listener is to stop talking.
True
5. It is impossible to not communicate.
True
6. According to anthropologist Edward T. Hall, which social interaction zone describes
communication usually occurring at approximately 4 to 12 feet?
A. Intimate zone
B. Social zone
C. Personal zone
D. Public Zone
7. __________ can be defined as "the complex system of values, traits, morals, and customs
shared by a society, region, or country."
A. Diversity
B. Ethnocentrism
C. Culture
D. Tolerance
8. While your physical appearance delivers an important nonverbal message to others, the
physical appearance of your documents delivers an important nonverbal message as well.
True
9. Trends in today's workplace include an emphasis on teamwork, an increase in
telecommuting, and __________.
A. a decreased emphasis on ethics
B. an increase in evolving communication technologies
C. an expansion of management
D. a reduction in global competition
10. You can improve your oral communication effectiveness with people who do not speak English
as their first language by __________.
A. avoiding smiling and eye contact because these behaviors may not be their cultural norms
B. incorporating jargon and regional dialects to encourage them to adopt American communication styles
C. speaking very slowly and loudly to improve their comprehension
D. using simple English
11. The best way to manage a diverse workplace is to do everything possible to minimize or
eliminate differences.
a. True
b. False
12. A culturally diverse workforce in which employees are tolerant of differences can benefit both
the organization and its employees. One way to improve tolerance is by __________.
A. encouraging ethnocentrism
B. increasing communication barriers in virtual work groups
C. emphasizing nonverbal differences
D. practicing empathy
13. Greg has been asked to lead his work group in a problem-solving discussion. Greg notices that
Lisa rolls her eyes every time he says something. Greg should __________.
A. politely seek additional information by saying, "I'm not sure that you really agree with my ideas. Do
you have a suggestion to improve them?"
B. sarcastically thank Lisa for her support
C. get up and leave
D. take Lisa aside and tell her to keep her negative behavior to herself
14. The belief in the superiority of one's own culture is known as ethnocentrism .
a. True
15. As an employee in today's competitive workplace, you can expect to have more managers than
in the past.
b. False
16. Which statement about writing in today's workplace is most acc17.urate?
A. Writing skills are important for only managers and top business executives.
B. Today's workers are expected to write a variety of messages using many electronic technologies.
C. Digital business messages such e-mails, tweets, and instant messages do not need to be as clear or
professional as business letters.
D. Messages written in today's workplace are intended for only internal audiences.
17. The perception of time and the way time is used are culturally learned.
a. True
18. Jon is attending a business seminar, but he is having difficulty hearing the main speaker
because people are talking in adjoining hallways. What type of barrier to effective listening is Jon
experiencing?
A. Grandstanding
B. Physical barrier
C. Nonverbal distraction
D. Psychological barrier
18. Brandon was overheard in the employee break room saying, "I'm glad we finally hired an Asian
guy. Asians are the only ones who really know anything about computers." Brandon's statement is
an example of _______________, which is not acceptable in a diverse work environment.
A. a cultural norm
B. ethnocentrism
C. tolerance
D. stereotyping
19. Chandra needs to participate in an important conference call and plans to use active listening
skills. She shuts down her computer, turns off her smartphone, and tells her assistant to hold all
incoming calls for the next hour. What technique is Chandra using to improve her listening?
A. Capitalizing on lag time
B. Keeping an open mind
C. Controlling her surroundings
D. Establishing a receptive mind-set
20. Which is the most accurate statement about nonverbal behavior?
A. Gestures have the same meanings in all cultures.
B. The eyes are often the best predictor of a speaker's true feelings.
C. Nonverbal communication includes only those behaviors individuals perform with their bodies.
D. When verbal and nonverbal messages conflict, receivers put more faith in verbal messages.
21. Which statement about communication skills in today's workplace is most accurate?
A. Oral and written communication skills are ranked as the top skill set sought by recruiters.
B. Because of technological advances, today's workers can expect to communicate with others less
frequently than in the past.
C. Today's reliance on digital communication requires less written communication.
D. Effective communication skills are not necessary in technical fields such as accounting and
information technology.
22. Which of the following statements is most accurate?
A. Most people are not very good listeners.
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.
D. Very few management problems are related to listening.
23. Technology has made writing less important in today's workplace.
b. False
24. Which of the following best describes low-context cultures?
A. Individuals in low-context cultures value group membership.
B. Communicators in low-context cultures prefer indirect verbal interaction.
C. Communicators in low-context cultures assume listeners do not need much background information.
D. Individuals in low-context cultures tend to be logical, analytical, and action oriented.
25. Communication is defined as "the transmission of information and meaning from one
individual or group to another." The most important element of this definition is __________.
A. information
B. meaning
C. individual
D. transmission
26. Lauren and Charlie are in the first phase of the writing process as they prepare a formal report
for a client. In this phase they should __________.
A. write their first draft
B. analyze the audience and determine the purpose of the message
C. conduct research to make sure the report is thorough and informative
D. select words that match the mission and vision statements of their client
27. Lindsay is creating a property description for a new real estate brochure. To make her
brochure effective, Lindsay should anticipate her audience by __________.
A. identifying the property's outstanding traits and describing them clearly
B. including only pictures of the property
C. considering what the readers are like and how they will react to the message
D. concentrating on the price and value of the property
28. Translating a message from its symbol form into meaning involves _________.
A. decoding
B. communication noise
C. feedback
D. encoding
29. Adaptation is the process of creating a message that suits the audience.
a. True
30. A digital message is any message that is generated, stored, processed, and transmitted
electronically by computers using strings of positive and nonpositive binary code.
a. True
31. The first step in composing a message is to identify its purpose.
a. True
32. The statement Every salesman who meets this year's quota will receive two additional vacation
days represents effective business writing.
b. False
33. Writers who put themselves in the receiver's shoes to focus a message on audience benefits are
using the skill of __________.
A. empathy
B. clarity
C. sender focus
D. coherence
34. Anything that interrupts the transmission of a message in the communication process is called
_________.
A. feedback
B. noise
C. a communication channel
D. Encoding
35. The process of converting an idea into words or gestures that will convey meaning is called
encoding.
a. True
36. Which of the following statements about jargon is most accurate?
A. Jargon should never be used in business writing.
B. Because the goal of business writing is to impress your reader, you should use specialized language
such as jargon frequently in all your business messages.
C. Jargon describes technical or specialized terms within a field.
D. All of the preceding statements about the use of jargon are accurate.
C. Jargon describes technical or specialized terms within a field.
37. The primary purposes of business writing are typically to inform and persuade; a common
secondary purpose is to __________.
A. comply with governmental regulations
B. avoid lawsuits
C. create written documentation
D. promote goodwill
38. Business messages are most effective when they convey an informal, conversational tone instead
of a formal, pretentious tone.
a. True
39. The communication process begins when the receiver provides nonverbal or verbal feedback to
the sender.
b. False
40. Business writing should be purposeful, economical, and __________.
A. formal
B. audience oriented
C. creative
D. lengthy
41. The three phases of the writing process must be followed in proper sequence to create successful
messages.
b. False