Deck 6: Completing Business Messages

Question 1

Which of the following is an example of a hedging sentence?

A)The employee's performance appears to be less than satisfactory.
B)The deadline is next Tuesday.
C)The financial statement needs to have two sections.
D)None of the above are hedging.

Answer 1

A
Explanation:A)A hedging sentence is an overly legalistic sentence style that seeks to qualify definitive conclusions by making them conditional or subject to circumstance. Hedging sentences convey uncertainty and a lack of confidence in the information you are presenting to your audience.

Question 2

Using short paragraphs will help you improve the readability of your business messages because

A)they will make your writing look inviting.
B)they can help you emphasize your ideas.
C)they are easier to read than long paragraphs.
D)all of the above.

Answer 2

D
Explanation:D)Short paragraphs are easier to read than long ones; they also make your writing look inviting and help you emphasize your ideas.

Question 3

Skilled business writers

A)use long sentences to emphasize important information.
B)keep their sentences to an average length of 40 words or fewer.
C)vary the length of their sentences.
D)do all of the above.

Answer 3

C
Explanation:C)Varying sentence length makes writing more lively and unpredictable, keeping readers interested and on their toes. That is why good writers mix in short, long, and medium-sized sentences.

Question 4

When you begin the ________, focus your attention on content, organization, style, and tone.

A)production process
B)editing process
C)revision process
D)research process

Question 5

When you're writing a business message, use headings and subheadings to

A)reveal how your document is organized.
B)capture the attention of your readers.
C)indicate shifts from one idea to the next.
D)all of the above.

Question 6

When you need to revise a long, complex document,

A)start the process as soon as you've finished your first draft.
B)start by focusing on misspelled words and grammar errors.
C)save time by multitasking while you're revising the document.
D)try to put your draft aside for a couple of days before you start.

Question 7

What is wrong with the following sentence? "To waste time and missing deadlines are bad habits."

A)Similar ideas are not parallel.
B)It contains a dangling modifier.
C)It contains a split infinitive.
D)Nothing-it is grammatically correct as written.

Question 8

Informative headings and subheadings

A)simply identify topics covered in the document.
B)guide readers to think a certain way about the topics covered.
C)are easier to write than descriptive headings.
D)are less helpful to readers than descriptive headings.

Question 9

In business communication, the ________ of a message usually have the greatest impact on the readers.

A)body paragraphs
B)bulleted and numbered lists
C)topics and subtopics
D)beginning and ending sections

Question 10

What is wrong with the following sentence? "Having stalled for two days, the assignment was now late."

A)It lacks parallelism.
B)It contains a dangling modifier.
C)It contains an awkward pointer.
D)Nothing-it is grammatically correct as written.

Question 11

For general business messages, gear your writing toward readers at the

A)first-grade to fourth-grade level.
B)fifth-grade to sixth-grade level.
C)eighth-grade to eleventh-grade level.
D)twelfth-grade to fourteenth-grade level.

Question 12

Do all of the following except ________ when you're editing a document for conciseness.

A)eliminate redundancies
B)shorten long words and phrases
C)delete unnecessary words and phrases
D)convert sentences to "it is" or "there are" structures

Question 13

Because readability indexes are able to measure ________, they offer a useful reference point for improving your writing.

A)document design
B)sentence length
C)tone of voice
D)proper word usage

Question 14

Business writers use bulleted and numbered lists to accomplish all of the following except

A)simplifying complex subjects.
B)helping readers locate key points.
C)enhancing the visual impact of their ideas.
D)adding decorative elements to their messages.

Question 15

When reviewing your document for content, you should be concerned with

A)grammar and usage.
B)punctuation and spelling.
C)the accuracy and relevance of the information.
D)style and tone.

Question 16

Regarding the three-step writing process, all of the following except ________ are important elements of the completing step.

A)proofreading the message
B)revising the message
C)forecasting the message
D)producing the message

Question 17

When creating a list for a business document,

A)always use bullets, rather than numbers or letters.
B)keep in mind that the items need not be parallel.
C)be sure to introduce it clearly.
D)any text in the list should be typed in all caps.

Question 18

Which of the following is not a technique for helping readers who skim your document?

A)Using lists and bullets instead of narrative
B)Keeping all sentences the same length
C)Including headings and subheadings
D)Using shorter paragraphs

Question 19

When it comes to paragraph length,

A)use long paragraphs with detailed information for direct-mail letters.
B)use long paragraphs if you want your document to look more inviting.
C)keep all paragraphs to fewer than 60 words.
D)use one-sentence paragraphs only occasionally, for emphasis.

Question 20

When evaluating the work of others, you should

A)make sure you understand the writer's intent before you begin suggesting or making changes.
B)talk with the writer about his or her intent only after you suggest changes, since this is a good way to test the effectiveness of the document.
C)avoid talking with the writer about the document, since other readers may not have that opportunity.
D)compare the other person's writing style with your own, and if yours is better, rewrite the document in your own style.

Question 21

Which of the following sentences is the most concisely worded?

A)The project manager is in charge of furnishing specifications until such time as the project gets underway.
B)All specifications should be provided by the project manager prior to the start of a project.
C)Project managers have the capability of changing specifications before the official start date.
D)The project manager must give the engineers the revised specifications before the project starts.

Question 22

For effective document design, you should

A)fit as much material as possible on each page.
B)use a mix of several typefaces and type sizes and include a variety of decorative touches to make the pages look more interesting.
C)balance the space devoted to text, artwork, and white space.
D)do all of the above.

Question 23

The ________ of a message involves the total effect of elements such as page or screen design, typography, and graphics.

A)resonance
B)semantic structure
C)production quality
D)information value

Question 24

Which of the following design elements would be the easiest to measure objectively?

A)Paying attention to the details of design
B)Balancing the various elements on a page
C)Exercising restraint when applying design elements
D)Using margins, typeface, type size, and spacing consistently

Question 25

"Visible to the eye" is an example of

A)a cliché.
B)redundancy.
C)the passive voice.
D)obsolete language.

Question 26

The term type style refers to

A)the space around text and between text columns.
B)any modification that lends contrast or emphasis to type.
C)a combination of text, graphics, photographs, audio, video, and interactivity.
D)the letters, numbers, and other text characters in a message.

Question 27

Centered margins

A)make the document easier to read.
B)create a cleaner look because of increased white space along the right margin.
C)are best for headings and tables.
D)help get audience members' attention, even before they start to read.

Question 28

"Environmental impact consultant study results" is an example of

A)redundancy.
B)a dangling modifier.
C)a dependent clause.
D)a long noun sequence.

Question 29

A spell checker

A)cannot automatically correct misspelled words as you type.
B)highlights words it doesn't recognize.
C)suggests synonyms.
D)has eliminated the need for proofreading.

Question 30

Justified type is type that is

A)set flush or "lined up" on the right and left.
B)centered.
C)set flush left and ragged on the right.
D)set flush right and ragged on the left.

Question 31

You can count on grammar checking software to ________ when you're using technology to revise a message you've written.

A)assess the readability of your message
B)show proposed changes and a history of revisions
C)determine whether you've stated your message clearly and completely
D)highlight potential concerns, such as long sentences and passive voice

Question 32

Which type sizes are best for a business document?

A)10 point text and 10 point headings
B)12 point text and 16 point headings
C)12 point text and 24 point headings
D)18 point text and 36 point headings

Question 33

Using white space in a document

A)is considered "cheating."
B)is only an option when you can't use color.
C)makes your document look unappealing.
D)provides contrast.

Question 34

"The above-mentioned book" is an example of

A)a redundancy.
B)a strung-out sentence.
C)an indefinite pronoun starter.
D)an awkward reference.

Question 35

Starting a sentence with "It is" or "There are" is

A)usually a sign that the sentence could be shorter and more active.
B)perfectly acceptable, and you need not try to rewrite the sentence.
C)a sign that you are using active voice.
D)a sign that you are using passive voice.

Question 36

The "replace all" feature in word-processing programs

A)tracks down words or phrases and automatically changes them all.
B)can save you time when revising messages.
C)must be used with care, since it can make undesirable changes.
D)is characterized by all of the above.

Question 37

Which of the following sentences contains a camouflaged verb?

A)Some do; others don't.
B)She is a marketing manager but also serves as ad manager.
C)The recommendation of the committee is to proceed as planned.
D)He slowly, deliberately added the numbers.

Question 38

A computer thesaurus

A)catches punctuation as well as grammar errors.
B)highlights phrases in passive voice.
C)suggests correct spelling.
D)can help you find just the right word for a given situation.

Question 39

When selecting typefaces for most business documents, you should

A)generally avoid using more than two typefaces on a page.
B)make generous use of such styles as all caps, underlines, and boldface.
C)choose a nice sans serif face for your main body text.
D)use a large type size (at least 14 points)for your basic text if you need to fill up space.

Question 40

Serif typefaces are generally preferable to sans serif fonts for

A)display treatments.
B)headings and captions.
C)regular paragraph text.
D)none of the above.

Question 41

If you're sending extremely large files, you should

A)use overnight delivery to send a hard copy rather than sending them electronically.
B)consider using a file compression utility, as long as your recipients have the ability to expand the file.
C)always send them as MS Word attachments.
D)send them through the mail to avoid excessive costs.

Question 42

The subject and predicate of a sentence should be kept as close together as possible.

Question 43

"The qualification of the runner in the race took one hour" is an example of a sentence with a camouflaged verb.

Question 44

The items in a bulleted or numbered list should be parallel; that is, they should all use the same grammatical pattern.

Question 45

Although readability formulas are easy to apply, they ignore some factors that contribute to reading ease.

Question 46

Although you should vary the length of paragraphs in your business messages, in general you should strive for short paragraphs.

Question 47

With practice, most writers can create first drafts that do not need to be revised.

Question 48

To increase the sophistication of your message, make liberal use of references such as "the latter," "the former," "the aforementioned," and "as mentioned above."

Question 49

At the beginning of the revision process, you should evaluate the content of your message, then review the effectiveness of its organization.

Question 50

One way to make your messages clearer is to break up overly long sentences into shorter sentences.

Question 51

Which of the following techniques can help you proofread more effectively?

A)Read each page backward, from the bottom to the top.
B)Proofread the document as soon as you complete the draft.
C)To ensure consistency, proofread long documents from beginning to end without stopping.
D)Always proofread using your monitor (rather than printing out a hard copy of the document).

Question 52

The best approach to completing your business message is to focus on the details first before addressing the document as a whole.

Question 53

Readers can get a more out of a document just by reading its descriptive headings than by reading its informative headings.

Question 54

When you're proofreading a workplace document, treat the process as a

A)survey of convenience, security, and privacy issues.
B)casual scan up and down the page or the screen.
C)methodical procedure in which you look for specific problems that may occur.
D)review of the content, organization, style, and tone of the document.

Question 55

With more complex messages, it is a good idea to set aside a first draft for a day or two before beginning the revision process.

Question 56

When you're determining the best way to distribute a business message, consider

A)cost of distributing the message.
B)convenience for you and your audience.
C)security and privacy concerns.
D)all of the above.

Question 57

Skilled business writers keep all their sentences as short as possible.

Question 58

An example of an informative heading would be "Redesigning to Cut Material Costs."

Question 59

Multimedia documents

A)are generally too expensive to produce to be useful in business.
B)require highly technical training in order to create.
C)convey information more slowly than traditional documents.
D)can allow recipients to personalize the communication process to their own needs.

Question 60

After you have completed the first draft of your business message, the next step is to make a final, quick pass through it to check for typos and spelling errors.

Question 61

Using a spell checker guarantees that your documents will be free of spelling errors.

Question 62

Short words are generally more vivid and easier to read than long words.

Question 63

If you find graphics, photos, videos, and other elements online, you can use them in your own documents without worrying about copyright violations.

Question 64

An electronic ________ gives you alternative words and helps you find synonyms.

Question 65

Words that do not affect the meaning of a sentence are usually unnecessary and contribute to sentence clutter.

Question 66

Today's powerful grammar checkers can easily determine whether your document states your message correctly and communicates it clearly.

Question 67

To make your message more interesting and accessible, you should use as many design elements and decorative touches as possible.

Question 68

An effective alternative to using conventional sentences is to set off important ideas in a(n)________, which is a series of words, names, or other items.

Question 69

________ headings identify a topic but do little more; ________ headings guide readers to think in certain ways about a topic.

Question 70

Using a ________ formula will give you a rough idea of how educated your audience must be to read and comprehend your message.

Question 71

With ________ construction, two or more similar ideas are expressed with the same grammatical pattern.

Question 72

A modifier is said to be ________ when it has no real connection to the subject of the sentence.

Question 73

To draw attention to important points or terms italic type is more effective than boldface.

Question 74

________ verbs are those that have been changed into nouns or adjectives.

Question 75

One advantage of justified type is that it makes a message look more personalized and less like a form letter.

Question 76

"Three AM in the morning" is an example of a redundancy.

Question 77

Word combinations that are needlessly repetitive are called ________.

Question 78

Because the first thing that readers will notice about your message is its appearance, you should pay special attention to design and page layout.

Question 79

A(n)________ sentence uses words such as may and seems to avoid stating a judgment or fact directly.

Question 80

A(n)________ ________ compares your document with an electronic dictionary, highlights unrecognized words, and suggests correct spelling.