Deck 17: Using International Logistics for Strategic Advantage

Question 1

International English was designed to reduce communication errors between native speakers of English and people who speak English as a second language.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

The Voice of America broadcasts can be heard in the United States on AM and FM stations.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

When interacting with a foreign business person,it is generally best to adopt a formal form of address first,then to relax that position when it becomes clear that the foreigner is more comfortable with a less formal approach.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

In a communication between a British company and a Thai customer,the British manager used the term "juxtaposition" in referring to a diagram of a quality control process.This very difficult word is likely to be misunderstood by the Thai customer.

Question 5

"Open-account" is the term of sale that is most likely to be acceptable to an importer.

Question 6

Special English is used for written communications,just as International English is.

Question 7

Arabic is among the easiest languages to learn,because it has a relatively simple grammar.

Question 8

A writer intent on following the rules of International English should always assume that the reader will use a cheap dictionary that only has a limited number of words,one in which only the most common use of a word is likely to be listed.

Question 9

One of the reasons English is "everybody's second language" is that it is the easiest language to learn.

Question 10

For an American exporter,converting to the metric system only involves multiplying the English units it is using in the domestic market by the appropriate conversion coefficient.

Question 11

It is generally possible for an exporter accustomed to selling on a CIF basis to sell on an EXW basis,if that is what the importer requests.

Question 12

Writing in International English is simply to follow that every writer knows: use short words that even children know how to spell; for example,"The Cat in the Hat" can be considered to have been written in International English.

Question 13

Among the criteria that the United States Department of State uses to determine whether a language is relatively easy or relatively difficult to learn is the complexity of the alphabet that language uses.

Question 14

When a foreigner does not understand something that a native English speaker is saying,it is best for the native speaker to repeat the sentence again,and add an explanation (or to rephrase the sentence after it is repeated).

Question 15

In most countries,private and business lives are intermingled,with no clear boundaries between the two settings.

Question 16

It is sometimes difficult to convert from one measure to another in the metric system,just as it is difficult to convert from cubic inches to gallons in the English system.

Question 17

The metric system is the preferred system of measurement in the entire world,with the exception of the United States and two other small countries.

Question 18

The sentence "We were all fired up about you're proposal" is written in such a simple way that it is clearly understandable to someone who only has a limited understanding of English as a second language.

Question 19

Most languages are difficult to learn,but some are easier than others.

Question 20

In a transaction conducted in the exporter's currency,it is the importer that carries the currency exchange rate risk.

Question 21

When meeting a person of foreign culture for the first time,it is often preferable to approach that person with much

A) caution.
B) formality.
C) casualness.
D) anticipation.
E) None of the above

Question 22

The main reason(s)for an exporter to consistently offer quotes in the importer's currency is that it makes it easier for the importer

A) to determine what its actual costs will be.
B) to avoid currency fluctuation risks.
C) to be able to use its own bank.
D) All of the above
E) None of the above

Question 23

Among the following languages,which is considered by the United States Department of State as the easiest one to learn?

A) French
B) Japanese
C) Finnish
D) Greek
E) None of the above

Question 24

The most unfavorable terms of payment from the perspective of an importer is

A) open-account
B) documentary collection
C) letter of credit
D) cash in advance
E) None of the above

Question 25

One of the better sources for finding specific information about the cultural characteristics of a country is

A) Cultural Vignettes published by the British Broadcasting Corp.
B) Culturegrams published by Brigham Young University.
C) Cultural Background Notes published by the U.S. Department of State.
D) Environmental Summaries published by the Central Intelligence Agency.
E) None of the above

Question 26

Generally speaking,a writer would use International English to ensure that communication is

A) clear.
B) unambiguous.
C) devoid of cultural references.
D) All of the above
E) None of the above

Question 27

For an exporter,a reputation to be careful and thorough in the preparation of paperwork can constitute a strategic advantage.

Question 28

International English was designed

A) so that non-native speakers of English can communicate with native speakers of English.
B) so that non-native speakers of English can communicate with each other.
C) so that native speakers of English can communicate with non-native speakers of English.
D) so that native speakers of English can communicate with other native speakers of English, but from a different country (eg. United States and New Zealand).
E) None of the above

Question 29

Which of the following Incoterms is the least customer-friendly?

A) Free On Board
B) Free Alongside Ship
C) Free Domicile
D) Cost, Insurance and Freight
E) None of the above

Question 30

A person intent on using International English would favor which of the following sentences in a memo from a marketing department to a distributor located in a foreign country?

A) "We advocate a team approach to ..."
B) "We prefer that we work together to ..."
C) "We should work together to ..."
D) "You and us should work together to ..."
E) None of the above

Question 31

"Special English" is a simplified version of spoken English that was developed by

A) the British Broadcasting Corporation.
B) the Voice of America.
C) the Central Intelligence Agency.
D) the United States Department of State.
E) None of the above

Question 32

The U.S.system of measurements,also called the English measurement system,has five different types of ounces.Which is NOT one of them?

A) avoirdupois ounces
B) paper ounces
C) imperial fluid ounces
D) apothecary ounces
E) None of the above

Question 33

The metric system has pre-set prefixes for multiples of a unit.Which of the following prefixes corresponds to fractions of a unit?

A) milli, centi and deci
B) deka, hecto and kilo
C) quartile, quintile, and decile
D) giga, mega, and kilo
E) None of the above

Question 34

The adage "When in Rome,do as the Romans do" refers to

A) an international trader in a foreign situation should seek to behave as the Romans did.
B) an international trader in a foreign situation should seek to model his behavior on that of his hosts.
C) an international trader in a foreign situation will always "stick out" and cannot blend in.
D) an international trader in a foreign situation should seek to behave, as much as possible, as if he were home.
E) None of the above

Question 35

Which is the preferred currency of payment for an importer who expects that the value of his currency will appreciate relative to the value of the currency of the exporter's country?

A) exporter's country currency
B) importer's country currency
C) a third country's currency, such as the euro
D) an artificial currency, such as the SDR
E) None of the above

Question 36

The exporter is responsible for providing good,clear documents in the correct number of originals and copies

A) in all cases.
B) only if the exporter is the exporter of record for Customs purposes.
C) only if the export is conducted in the exporter's currency.
D) only if the importer has requested a shipment under a C-type Incoterm (CIF, CIP, CFR, or CPT).
E) None of the above

Question 37

When selling to developing countries,an exporter should consider the possibility that the packaging used in a shipment will be recycled for other purposes,such as housing.

Question 38

One of the reasons it is preferable to use the metric system is international transactions is that

A) it is the only system of measurement in most countries of the world.
B) it is the preferred system of measurement in most countries of the world.
C) it is one of the most commonly used system of measurements in the world.
D) of all of the systems of measurement in the world, it is the simplest one to use.
E) None of the above

Question 39

Which is the correct way of writing May 7,2006 in International English?

A) 05/07/06
B) 06/05/07
C) 07/05/06
D) 07 May 2006
E) None of the above

Question 40

In international trade,improper packaging

A) can allow an insurance company to deny a claim.
B) can cause ill-will on the part of the importer.
C) can have disastrous consequences on the goods being shipped.
D) All of the above
E) None of the above

Question 41

When providing a quote to a potential customer abroad,it is best to provide the importer with ____________________ Incoterm alternatives.

Question 42

The technique developed by the British Broadcasting Corporation to communicate clearly and accurately with non-native English speakers is called ____________________.

Question 43

When unsure about the proper way to address a new acquaintance abroad,it is best to err on the side of ____________________ rather than casual communication.

Question 44

The technique developed by Edmond Weiss to communicate clearly and accurately with non-native English speakers is called ____________________.

Question 45

A native speaker of English can use computer-translation software to determine whether his English will be understood by a foreign correspondent,by translating into a foreign language and then ____________________ into English.

Question 46

In many countries,work and ____________________ rarely intersect.In other countries,they are closely tied to one another.

Question 47

An advantage of the metric system is that all of its units (meters,liters,grams)have fractions and multiples that are based on a ____________________ system.

Question 48

The language which is generally considered to be the easiest to learn is ____________________.
1.

Question 49

The system of measurement used by just about every country in the world,and which is formally known as the International System of Units is commonly known as the ____________________ system.

Question 50

In considering the speed at which an e-mail from a foreign interlocutor should be answered,the best strategy is to ____________________ what has been observed from other contacts in that country.