Deck 3: Intercultural Communication

Question 1

Persons from many cultures are moving to countries promising to fulfill their dreams.For generations the two most popular destinations have been

A) the United States and Japan.
B) the United States and Canada.
C) France and Great Britain.
D) Italy and France.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Today's North American population can be best described as

A) part of a melting pot where people from different ethnic groups blend together.
B) a tossed salad or spicy stew where people from different ethnic groups each contribute their own unique flavor.
C) a river of cultures contributing to an ocean of turbulence.
D) a homogeneous wasteland where everyone looks and acts the same.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which of the following trade agreements created the largest and richest free-trade region on earth?

A) General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)
B) World Trade Organization (WTO)
C) European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
D) North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

Answer 3

D

Question 4

By tradition, North American businesspeople typically place a high value on

A) group membership.
B) clearly articulated business messages.
C) being able to avoid saying "no."
D) relying on context and feelings when making decisions.

Question 5

An example of a country with a high-context culture is

A) Germany.
B) China.
C) Scandinavia.
D) All of these choices

Question 6

Kenichi was born in Japan and works for a large corporation there.Which of the following is most likely?

A) Kenichi doesn't pay a lot of attention to tradition, ceremony, and social rules.
B) Kenichi's office is located two floors above his boss's office.
C) Kenichi has no problem speaking up and telling his boss when he disagrees.
D) Kenichi shows great deference to his boss because of his boss's position, seniority, and age.

Question 7

How are new communication technologies used to promote globalization?

A) Advancements in communications have made markets and jobs more accessible.
B) High-speed, high-capacity, and relatively low-cost communications have made geographical location virtually irrelevant for many activities and services.
C) The Web permits instantaneous oral and written communication across time zones and continents.
D) All of these choices

Question 8

Jing-Ying places great value on the posture, voice inflection, gestures, and facial expressions of employees within the workplace.She is most likely part of a(n)____ culture.

A) low-context
B) linear logic
C) high-context
D) analytical

Question 9

Communicators in high-context cultures

A) are more likely to be intuitive and contemplative.
B) assume that listeners know very little and must be told practically everything.
C) tend to be logical, analytical, and action oriented.
D) are likely to take words literally.

Question 10

A businessperson from the United States was introduced to an executive from another country, and the businessperson immediately began calling him by his first name without being invited to do so.The executive might be particularly offended if he is from which country?

A) France
B) United States
C) Canada
D) All of these choices

Question 11

Which of the following is an invisible sign of culture?

A) Law firm employees dress casually on Fridays.
B) Marcus believes that adults need to be responsible for their actions.
C) On their anniversary Aaron takes his wife to dinner.
D) At every department meeting, the manager sits at the head of the conference table.

Question 12

David is an analytical, action-oriented person and places great value on business messages that are objective, professional, and efficient.He is most likely part of a(n)____ culture.

A) low-context
B) spiral logic
C) high-context
D) intuitive

Question 13

Select the most accurate statement about culture.

A) Culture is a subject that is usually taught in elementary school.
B) Cultural attitudes are not learned until adulthood.
C) We can expect to deal well with those from another culture without having to adopt new attitudes.
D) Culture is shaped by attitudes learned in childhood and later internalized in adulthood.

Question 14

Which of the following statements about context is least accurate?

A) Context is probably the most important cultural dimension and also the most difficult to define.
B) Context refers to the stimuli, environment, or ambience surrounding an event.
C) The cultural anthropologist Edward T. Hall developed the concept of context.
D) No one has attempted to classify countries according to context.

Question 15

Which of the following is the most accurate statement about the globalization of markets?

A) Although market borders are blurring, it is still easy to determine the nationality of companies.
B) China and India have become less fearful about foreign investment and free trade, creating huge markets with which to conduct business.
C) Doing business beyond borders is still extremely rare.
D) Because the United States dominates the world economy, American companies have no need to adapt to other cultures.

Question 16

Select the least accurate statement about culture.

A) Culture is not something we're born with; it's something we're taught.
B) Culture can be both visible and invisible.
C) The rules in any culture are inherently logical.
D) Because cultural norms are so deep-seated, they almost never change.

Question 17

Communicators in low-context cultures

A) often imply conclusions rather than directly stating them.
B) tend to be logical, analytical, and action oriented.
C) tend to be intuitive and contemplative.
D) emphasize interpersonal relationships, nonverbal expression, physical setting, and social setting.

Question 18

U.S.businesses and those of other countries are seeking to expand around the world for many reasons.Which of the following is not one of those reasons?

A) Passage of favorable trade agreements
B) Development of new transportation and information technology
C) An increase in underdeveloped countries
D) Maturing domestic markets

Question 19

By tradition, Asian and Arab businesspeople typically place a high value on

A) group decision making.
B) individual achievements.
C) direct verbal interaction.
D) relying on logic when making decisions.

Question 20

An example of a country that has a low-context culture is

A) United States.
B) Saudi Arabia.
C) Japan.
D) All of these choices

Question 21

Nicholas works with employees from a variety of cultural backgrounds and wants to be tolerant of their beliefs.Nicholas should practice

A) prototyping.
B) sympathy.
C) empathy.
D) ethnocentrism.

Question 22

Gerry will be attending a professional conference in Taiwan.What should he do to try to enhance oral communication with his colleagues?

A) Assume that his colleagues will speak English well because it is so widely used around the world.
B) Learn how to speak Taiwanese fluently.
C) Use slang and jargon to appear more approachable.
D) Listen without interrupting.

Question 23

Which of the following is the best advice for writing letters to intercultural audiences?

A) Always use a direct approach to make your letters as clear as possible.
B) Use your own format and style so that all your letters are consistent.
C) Send letters to lower-ranking employees to avoid offending higher-ranking employees.
D) Replace two-word verbs such as put off with clear single words such as delay.

Question 24

Monica will be traveling to Chile on business and wants to achieve intercultural competence while there.What is the best advice you can give her?

A) Judgmental feedback is appreciated more than descriptive feedback in most cultures.
B) When interacting with businesspeople from other cultures, it's best to take the lead.
C) Show supportiveness with head nods, eye contact, facial expressions, and physical proximity.
D) Use gestures often and freely to attempt to communicate nonverbally.

Question 25

The belief that one's own race is superior is known as

A) prototyping.
B) stereotyping.
C) ethnocentrism.
D) prejudice.

Question 26

What is the best advice for citing numbers when writing letters to businesspeople in other cultures?

A) Write all numbers in word form.
B) Use figures to express the month of the year.
C) Always convert dollar figures into local currency.
D) Do all of these choices.

Question 27

Sophia is writing a business letter to a French client.What should she do as she prepares the letter?

A) Use the same writing style and tone typically used in her organization.
B) Use longer sentences and paragraphs to make her letter look more formal.
C) Add humor to her letter to make her client feel comfortable.
D) Use correct grammar and conventional punctuation.

Question 28

Richard recently completed diversity training.Which of the following was he most likely taught during the training?

A) If you work hard enough at it, you can talk about cultures without using mental categories, representations, and generalizations to describe groups.
B) Unfounded generalizations about people and cultures can lead to bias and prejudice.
C) Today the word stereotype has a positive meaning.
D) Because they are fixed and rigid, stereotypes are always entirely false.

Question 29

According to some intercultural experts, the most important attitude in achieving intercultural competence is

A) descriptiveness.
B) supportiveness.
C) nonjudgmentalism.
D) ethnocentrism.

Question 30

In conversation with a Korean businessperson who speaks English fairly well, Meaghan discovers that much of what she has just said was not understood by the Korean.In continuing the conversation, Meaghan should

A) speak more slowly and loudly.
B) discontinue the conversation until an interpreter can be found.
C) keep a stern, unsmiling face to show she's serious about the conversation.
D) accept blame for the misunderstanding and use simpler language.

Question 31

Which of the following statements about nonverbal communication in intercultural environments is least accurate?

A) Nonverbal skills are as easy to master as verbal skills if one studies hard enough.
B) In Western cultures people perceive silence as a negative trait because it suggests rejection, unhappiness, depression, regret, embarrassment, or ignorance.
C) Gestures can have very different meanings in different cultures.
D) Although nonverbal communication within and between cultures is ambiguous, it nevertheless conveys meaning.

Question 32

Which of the following are most likely to be uncomfortable with silence and impatient with delays?

A) Mexicans
B) Americans
C) Arabs
D) Japanese

Question 33

Which of the following statements is inaccurate?

A) North Americans generally correlate time with productivity, efficiency, and money.
B) Hispanics generally see time as an unlimited and never-ending resource to be enjoyed.
C) Asians generally are punctual but often take a long time to reach decisions.
D) Most cultures generally view time as a precious commodity that should be preserved.

Question 34

Suzanne was born and raised in the United States.Because she has been taught that it is best to be direct when speaking in the workplace, Suzanne expects her Vietnamese coworkers to share her belief.Suzanne's misconception is the result of

A) tolerance.
B) stereotyping.
C) ethnocentrism.
D) prototyping.

Question 35

During business negotiations, which of the following are most likely to place more emphasis on the surrounding context than on the actual words?

A) Germans
B) Americans
C) Canadians
D) Japanese

Question 36

You are writing a letter to a potential customer in Greece.Which of the following should you include in your letter?

A) Clichés such as the buck stops here because the Greek appreciate American sayings
B) Abbreviations such as DBA to make your letter as concise as possible
C) Weights and measures written it the metric system
D) Slang such as This is a really hot idea to sound more approachable

Question 37

A generalization that is not fixed and rigid when it is used to describe cultures is called a

A) stereotype.
B) prejudice.
C) prototype.
D) None of these choices

Question 38

Which of the following would be the best sentence to include in an e-mail message going to someone from another culture?

A) We'd like to know whether you're available to meet next month.
B) Please get back to me ASAP to set up our meeting.
C) This agreement between our two companies should be a slam dunk.
D) We look forward to meeting with you next month.

Question 39

What is the best advice for an American businessperson who is traveling to Hungary on business?

A) Wait until you finish a complete explanation, no matter how long it is, before requesting feedback.
B) Be wary of smiling because it can be misinterpreted in some cultures.
C) Follow up oral negotiations and agreements in writing.
D) If your Hungarian colleague is having trouble finishing a sentence, show consideration by finishing it for him or her.

Question 40

Which of the following statements is least accurate?

A) To improve tolerance, one must practice empathy.
B) Economic factors are the primary motivators for businesspeople worldwide.
C) People in high-context cultures are more concerned with "saving face."
D) Being patient can be a way of exhibiting tolerance.

Question 41

Only developed countries have a unique culture and shared background.

Question 42

Clay was just hired by a company with an extremely diverse workforce.He wants to fit in immediately.What should he do?

A) Rely on stereotypes to learn about individuals from different cultures.
B) Concentrate on shared experiences, mutual goals, and similar values.
C) Try to conform immediately because everyone else has probably conformed already.
D) Assume that all individuals share the same holidays and lifestyles.

Question 43

Which of the following statements about diversity in the workplace is most accurate?

A) Diversity in the workplace is measured solely by the race and gender of employees.
B) The domestic workforce in North America is become less diverse.
C) Advances in technology are allowing more physically challenged people to join the workforce.
D) The number of older workers is expected to decrease dramatically as more employees are choosing to retire early.

Question 44

To succeed in a global market, business communicators need to become more aware of their own culture and how it differs from others.

Question 45

Because it is based on strong tradition and deep-seated beliefs, a country's culture rarely changes.

Question 46

New transportation and information technologies are important factors in the increase in globalization.

Question 47

Many of the world's industrialized countries have formally agreed to a new global treaty that bans the practice of bribery of foreign government officials.What organization promoted this treaty?

A) Central Intelligence Agency
B) World Trade Organization
C) Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
D) Ministry of Industry and Trade

Question 48

The rules, values, and attitudes of culture are inherent; that is, we are born with them.

Question 49

According to Transparency International, what is the most corrupt country in the world?

A) United States
B) Iraq
C) Mexico
D) China

Question 50

Tamika's family always celebrates Thanksgiving Day with a meal centered on turkey and dressing.These menu items are visible symbols of Tamika's cultural background.

Question 51

The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)promotes open trade globally.

Question 52

Culture teaches people how to behave.

Question 53

Emma runs a small business and wants to improve communication among her increasingly diverse staff.Which of the following should she do?

A) Consider having employees take part in diversity awareness training.
B) Start learning more about her own culture.
C) Encourage differences because sameness can foster groupthink.
D) All of these choices

Question 54

Leonard will be traveling on business to a country where he knows bribes are a normal part of business.Which of the following is the best advice for Leonard?

A) Because the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 applies only to U.S. companies, Leonard can legally pay bribes to international companies to obtain business.
B) Leonard should offer nonmonetary benefits, such as additional customer service, in lieu of paying bribes.
C) Paying bribes is just a normal cost of doing business, and Leonard will be able to include the bribes he pays on his expense report.
D) So that Leonard's company can remain competitive globally, Leonard should pay any bribe requested.

Question 55

The number of foreign-born persons in the United States is decreasing.

Question 56

Which of the following statements about gender differences in communication is least accurate?

A) Women tend to have more attentive eye contact than men.
B) Men tend to make more expansive gestures than women.
C) Women tend to talk about more personal issues when engaging in small talk.
D) Women tend to make more "I" statements; whereas, men make more "we" statements.

Question 57

Which of the following statements about intercultural ethics is most accurate?

A) Very few companies that are active in global markets have codes of ethics.
B) The United States is the least corruptible country worldwide.
C) Many companies require their employees to take ethics training programs.
D) Because we now live in a global economy, ethics is not an issue when doing business globally.

Question 58

The decrease of the middle class around the world has helped to increase globalization.

Question 59

Which of the following statements most accurately describes diversity in the workplace?

A) A diverse staff tends to have difficulties reading trends and responding to customers in local and world markets.
B) Teams made up of diverse members are better equipped than homogeneous teams to create products that diverse consumers want.
C) Diversity in the workplace often leads to lower productivity and worse employee morale.
D) Teams with diverse members often find it more difficult than homogeneous teams to solve problems.

Question 60

Which of the following U.S.laws prohibits payments to foreign officials for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business?

A) Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
B) Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977
C) The USA Patriot Act of 2001
D) Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996

Question 61

When communicating with someone from another culture, learning the words for please, yes, and thank you in that person's language is better than relying on gestures.

Question 62

Verbal skills in another culture are more difficult to master than nonverbal skills.

Question 63

Misunderstandings occur when we expect people from different cultures to react to situations as we would.

Question 64

One of your colleagues admires silence and considers it a key to success.Your colleague is most likely American.

Question 65

When discussing cultures, we should avoid making any generalizations.

Question 66

Business communicators in high-context cultures, such as Japan and China, stress clearly articulated messages that they consider to be objective, professional, and efficient.

Question 67

Although nonverbal behavior is ambiguous within and between cultures, it still conveys meaning.

Question 68

Yung is a high-context communicator.He is likely to use spiral logic when thinking and making decisions.

Question 69

Improving one's tolerance of other cultures means being empathetic, nonjudgmental, and willing to seek common ground.

Question 70

Because it is flexible and open to new definitions, a stereotype is the preferred term to describe the general characteristics of a group.

Question 71

Nonverbal behavior, such as using the "thumbs up" hand gesture, conveys the same meaning in all cultures.

Question 72

Ildiko is a low-context communicator.She is likely to value group membership.

Question 73

Three processes or attitudes effective in achieving intercultural competence are descriptiveness, nonjudgmentalism, and supportiveness.

Question 74

Allison, who works for a U.S.company, has just been assigned to manage the company's division in Japan.She should emphasize team-based projects and group decision making with her new employees.

Question 75

Ethnocentrism, which involves the belief that one's own race is superior to others, is a natural attitude inherent in all cultures.

Question 76

Brianna is having a conversation with a client from Poland and notices that her client is struggling to express an idea in English.She should help the client by finishing the sentence for him.

Question 77

Karla will be traveling to Africa on business.She should avoid smiling when interacting with her colleagues there because it might be misinterpreted.

Question 78

Saving face is the primary motivational factor in low-context cultures.

Question 79

Members of low-context cultures are more likely to be logical, analytical, and action oriented.

Question 80

Americans value straightforwardness, are suspicious of evasiveness, and tend to be uncomfortable with silence and impatient with delays.