Deck 6: Listening Effectively

Question 1

Most people spend more time _____________ than they do speaking, writing, or engaging in other communicative behaviors.

A) hearing
B) thinking
C) interpreting
D) listening

Answer 1

listening

Question 2

Lilah and her friend Janet attend the same history class. One day after class, Lilah wants to talk with Janet about a particular point in the lecture, but Janet has no idea what Lilah is asking her about. Even though they are in the same class, it is clear that Janet is only ___________ the message while Lilah is attending to the message.

A) interpreting
B) listening
C) hearing
D) selecting

Answer 2

hearing

Question 3

If you are paying attention well enough to understand what a person is trying to communicate, you are ______________ the message.

A) attending to
B) hearing
C) selecting
D) interpreting

Answer 3

attending to

Question 4

Mika's supervisor is running a meeting at work. The supervisor starts the Powerpoint but does not begin speaking right away, as he is busy flipping through his notes. Though Mika is picking up a lot of information from both the Powerpoint and his supervisor's nonverbal behaviors, the act of ____________ cannot begin for Mika until someone actually speaks.

A) hearing
B) attending
C) interpreting
D) listening

Question 5

________________ listening requires the conscious and explicit goal of understanding what the speaker intends to communicate.

A) Effective
B) Everyday
C) College-level
D) Normal

Question 6

Which of the following is NOT a reason it is important to listen effectively?

A) Good listening skills are essential in the workplace.
B) College students spend less than half their time listening.
C) Good listening skills top the list of most important communication skills in personal relationships.
D) Being a good listener is vital to almost every social bond we have.

Question 7

______________ is merely the perception of sound.

A) Listening
B) Selecting
C) Hearing
D) Interpreting

Question 8

If you play music in the background as you study, chances are you are only _________ the music.

A) hearing
B) listening to
C) selecting
D) interpreting

Question 9

Pilar's best friend calls her about an issue she is having at work, and they speak for about twenty minutes. The next day, Pilar's friend asks her a specific question, but Pilar has no idea what she is talking about. Though Pilar swears to her angry friend that she heard her, Pilar has discovered what myth about listening?

A) Listening is effortless.
B) Hearing is the same as listening.
C) Listening takes effort.
D) Selecting is necessary for listening.

Question 10

Individuals who are willing to be trained in effective listening understand what myth about listening?

A) Hearing is the same as listening.
B) Listening is natural and effortless.
C) People vary in their listening abilities.
D) Good listeners are common.

Question 11

Patrick, who grew up in the New York City, is troubled by his relationship with Pahana, who has grown up in a Native American family. He is becoming frustrated because he thinks Pahana does not listen to him. Whenever he speaks, she looks down or away from him instead of making eye contact. It seems Patrick does not realize that culture affects

A) understanding of language.
B) listeners' expectations for directness.
C) nonverbal listening responses.
D) all forms of verbal communication.

Question 12

If someone from Boston uses the term "wicked good" in a conversation with someone whose first language is not English, there might be a misunderstanding because culture affects

A) understanding of language.
B) all forms of nonverbal communication.
C) nonverbal listening responses.
D) listeners' expectations for directness.

Question 13

Which statement is true about the HURIER model of listening?

A) There are five stages to effective listening.
B) Sometimes listening effectively requires us to go back and forth among the stages.
C) The stages of listening must always follow the same order.
D) Replying is one of the stages of effective listening.

Question 14

__________ without listening is common when we're tired or uninterested in what the person is saying or when there are multiple voices speaking at once.

A) Understanding
B) Interpreting
C) Responding
D) Hearing

Question 15

Cal is listening to speeches on famous playwrights in his English composition class. During one speech, a student uses terms that Cal is unfamiliar with, such as "iambic pentameter"and "rhyme royal". Cal has trouble following this speech because he is not able to complete what stage of the HURIER method?

A) Interpreting
B) Responding
C) Understanding
D) Hearing

Question 16

You are asked on a test to name the colors of the rainbow and you are able to remember them by using the ____________ of ROY G.BIV as an acronym for red, orange, yellow, green, glue, indigo, and violet.

A) memory
B) mnemonic
C) trick
D) skill

Question 17

Which of the following is NOT a means of interpretation?

A) Withholding your interpretation until the speaker is done speaking
B) Signaling your interpretation of the message to the speaker
C) Paying attention to all the speaker's verbal behaviors
D) Paying attention to all the speaker's nonverbal behaviors

Question 18

During which stage of listening do you judge whether the speaker's statements are accurate, separate fact from opinion, and try to determine the reason for the speaker's particular message?

A) Interpretation
B) Responding
C) Evaluation
D) Hearing

Question 19

What is the last stage of listening, according to the HURIER model?

A) Interpretation
B) Evaluation
C) Remembering
D) Responding

Question 20

Which of the following is NOT a form of feedback while listening?

A) Supporting
B) Advising
C) Backchanneling
D) Summarizing

Question 21

Which of the following is the most active listening response?

A) Advising
B) Backchanneling
C) Paraphrasing
D) Supporting

Question 22

When you restate something into your own words, you are doing what?

A) Responding
B) Advising
C) Paraphrasing
D) Analyzing

Question 23

Beth is listening to her friend Melissa talk about a recent break-up. Beth wants to give an appropriate listening response, to convey to Melissa that she supports her friend and shares her point of view. Beth's best listening response would be which of the following?

A) Analyzing
B) Supporting
C) Advising
D) Paraphrasing

Question 24

Which of the following is NOT a type of listening?

A) Informational
B) Critical
C) Empathic
D) Persuasive

Question 25

Much of the listening you do in class is ________________ listening.

A) critical
B) empathic
C) informational
D) educational

Question 26

Which of the following is the most passive form of listening?

A) Hearing
B) Critical
C) Educational
D) Informational

Question 27

When our goal is to evaluate or analyze what we're hearing, we are engaged in ____________ listening.

A) critical
B) informational
C) empathic
D) effective

Question 28

When you are asked to write a review of another student's speech, what type of listening should you use during the student's presentation?

A) Informational
B) Empathic
C) Critical
D) Persuasive

Question 29

What is considered the most challenging form of listening?

A) Critical
B) Supporting
C) Informational
D) Empathic

Question 30

What term would you use to describe the ability to understand a situation from another's point of view?

A) Empathic concern
B) Perspective-taking
C) Empathy
D) Sympathy

Question 31

Joe's girlfriend Mariah's dog has just died. That evening, while Joe listens to her talk about the dog, he remembers when he lost his own cat three years prior, and he becomes sad as well. He conveys to Mariah that he truly understands her grief. Joe is employing what type of listening?

A) Sympathetic
B) Relational
C) Empathic
D) Inspirational

Question 32

Listening to a minister deliver a sermon to his congregation would be considered ________________ listening.

A) empathic
B) appreciative
C) informational
D) inspirational

Question 33

When you listen to a funny story or a favorite song, you are engaged in ____________ listening.

A) appreciative
B) inspirational
C) empathic
D) critical

Question 34

In speech class, Faraj finds he enjoys the persuasive speeches best. His favorite speeches involve controversial topics, such as abortion and same-sex marriage. He finds that by listening to these types of speeches, he then can analyze his own social and political views. What style of listening best applies to Faraj?

A) People-oriented
B) Time-oriented
C) Content-oriented
D) Action-oriented

Question 35

Someone who likes neat, error-free presentations most likely has which type of listening style?

A) People-oriented
B) Time-oriented
C) Content-oriented
D) Action-oriented

Question 36

If you are hungry or tired, or if you are in an especially hot or cold environment, you might find it difficult to listen because of what is generally termed

A) distractions.
B) noise.
C) tiredness.
D) annoyance.

Question 37

Nadine's boyfriend Rory is telling her about his day while the television is on in the background. Halfway through his story, Nadine's phone beeps to signal she has just received a text message. Nadine also notices how hot the house is, and is wondering whether the air conditioning has been turned on yet. Nadine, who understands how distracting __________ can be, asks Rory to wait while she turns her television and phone off, and turns the air conditioner on. Once it has all been taken care of, Nadine knows she will listen much more effectively.

A) distractions
B) problems
C) technology
D) noise

Question 38

When you are _________________, you use feedback behaviors that make it seem as though you are paying attention, even though your mind is elsewhere.

A) selectively listening
B) distracted
C) pseudolistening
D) hearing

Question 39

________________ means listening only to what you want to hear and ignoring the rest.

A) Selective attention
B) Information overload
C) Rebuttal tendency
D) Noise

Question 40

Ava is not confident about giving speeches. Though she works hard on her speech, by the time she sits down she knows she did not give the speech she had planned. When she meets with her professor to listen to feedback, Ava focuses on the critical comments, such as that she used too many vocal fillers and she forgot to state her thesis. However, Ava does not pay much attention to her professor's positive comments on her research and closure. Because of her preconceived notions about her speech, Ava is engaging in what poor listening habit?

A) Pseudolistening
B) Rebuttal tendency
C) Selective attention
D) Information overload

Question 41

Derrick thinks his grandfather is boring when he tells stories about being in the Vietnam War. Derrick doesn't want to be rude, so he nods his head and says "uh huh" and "wow"a lot. His grandfather is hurt by Derrick's ______________, as he can tell Derrick is not truly listening.

A) pseudolistening
B) selective attention
C) interpretation
D) rebuttal tendency

Question 42

Because we talk to people, watch television, listen to the radio, surf the Internet, and read textbooks, among other things, it is easy to suffer from

A) selective attention.
B) glazing over.
C) information overload.
D) pseudolistening.

Question 43

Because of an impaired ability to focus and a tendency to become easily distracted, individuals with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder may have an especially difficult time dealing with what barrier to effective listening?

A) Pseudolistening
B) Information overload
C) Selective attention
D) Rebuttal tendency

Question 44

While working at a busy law firm, Bruce is using Skype to meet with a client in another state. Although Bruce is trying to concentrate, he is also replying to an important text on his phone and is handed an incoming fax by his assistant. Bruce takes notes on the meeting, but he notices later that there are several important details missing. Bruce probably missed those details as a result of __________________ during his client meeting.

A) selective attention
B) glazing over
C) pseudolistening
D) information overload

Question 45

Silencing your cell phone during meetings, setting filters on your e-mail system to reduce spam, and using your digital video recorder to record and watch your television shows later without commercials are all examples of avoiding which of the following?

A) Information overload
B) Technology
C) Advertisers' influences using media
D) Glazing over while listening

Question 46

Most of us are capable of understanding up to 600 words per minute, but the average person speaks fewer than 150 words per minute. That gap leaves a lot of spare time for mind to wander or daydream, also called

A) pseudolistening.
B) glazing over.
C) selective listening.
D) close mindedness.

Question 47

Mateo enjoys his philosophy class, and he likes listening to his professor lecture. However, because all of the tests follow the same format, Mateo tends to glaze over, allowing his mind to drift while listening to the test directions from his professor. As a result, Mateo completes the test incorrectly, but is surprised to receive a low grade. What of the following best describes the problem caused by his glazing over?

A) Mateo listened less critically than he normally would.
B) Mateo gave the professor the impression that he wasn't listening.
C) Mateo missed important details in what he was hearing.
D) Mateo was an ineffective listener.

Question 48

_________________ is the propensity to debate a speaker's point and formulate a reply while that person is still speaking.

A) Responding
B) Selective listening
C) Rebuttal tendency
D) Pseudolistening

Question 49

Because Jerry is an attorney, he is used to formulating replies to a speaker's comments before they are done, and he is always ready to debate a speaker's point. This _________________ frustrates Jerry's wife, who feels he doesn't pay attention to her as she speaks because he is too busy thinking of his response and anticipating her comments.

A) rebuttal tendency
B) pseudolistening
C) closed-mindedness
D) competitive interrupting

Question 50

The tendency not to listen to anything with which one disagrees is known as

A) selective listening.
B) rebuttal tendency.
C) glazing over.
D) closed-mindedness.

Question 51

People who refuse to consider the merits of a speaker's point if it conflicts with their own, and who tend to overreact to certain forms of language, such as profanity, usually have what barrier to effective listening?

A) Rebuttal tendency
B) Closed-mindedness
C) Selective listening
D) Glazing over

Question 52

When Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote "It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it", he was arguing against

A) glazing over.
B) selective listening.
C) closed-mindedness.
D) rebuttal tendency.

Question 53

Which of the following is NOT a common reason people interrupt others?

A) To stop the speaker and ask for clarification
B) To stop the speaker because they don't want to listen
C) To express support or enthusiasm for what the speaker is saying
D) To warn the speaker of impending danger

Question 54

Five students are placed in a group to complete a project in anatomy class. Because Freddy's father is a doctor, he feels he has a stronger grasp on the content and should therefore guide the project. When other group members speak, Freddy frequently interrupts them, making sure his perspective takes priority. Freddy's group members probably find his ________________ to be distracting and frustrating, as they can tell Freddy thinks he knows more than they do.

A) competitive interrupting
B) rebuttal tendency
C) closed-mindedness
D) pseudolistening

Question 55

_________________ interrupting describes the practice of using interruptions to take control of the conversation.

A) Frequent
B) Constant
C) Competitive
D) Critical

Question 56

Research suggests that women tend to focus more on listening to make connections with others, making them ___________-oriented listeners

A) Content
B) Relationship
C) Empathy
D) People

Question 57

Elena has an argument with her boyfriend. When discussing the conflict with her girlfriends, she focuses on how she feels and her emotions. However, when she discusses the situation with her brothers to get the male perspective, she knows they won't want to hear about her emotions. Because men tend to be more ____________-oriented listeners, Elena highlights the issues that came up in the conflict and what each person's position on the problem was.

A) content
B) people
C) time
D) action

Question 58

What is one way to become a better informational listener?

A) Understand probability
B) Listen for substance more than style
C) Be a skeptic
D) Acknowledge feelings

Question 59

Crystal's best friend Kerry complains about her boyfriend all the time: how he was late for their date and how he never brings her flowers. Because Kerry feels she can vent to Crystal, she uses their time together to work out her frustration with her boyfriend. Consequently, when Crystal meets Kerry's boyfriend for the first time, she focuses on what she doesn't like about him rather than listening to him discuss the trip he is planning to take Kerry on or how crazy he is about her. To become a better listener, Crystal needs to

A) avoid the confirmation bias.
B) separate what is and isn't said.
C) listen for substance more than style.
D) be a skeptic.

Question 60

Which term describes the tendency of dramatic, shocking events to distort our perceptions of reality?

A) Halo effect
B) Backchanneling effect
C) Vividness effect
D) Shock value

Question 61

Isa's parents went through a rather traumatic divorce. Isa witnessed a lot of brutal arguments and name-calling and was at the center of a years-long custody battle. Because of the _______________ effect, Isa believes that most marriages are destined to end in divorce and that finding love that can last is difficult, if not impossible.

A) lasting
B) vividness
C) traumatic
D) halo

Question 62

________________ isn't about being cynical or finding fault; it's about evaluating the evidence for a claim.

A) Skepticism
B) Sarcasm
C) Criticism
D) Evaluation

Question 63

Which of the following is NOT a tip for becoming a better critical listener?

A) Be a skeptic.
B) Evaluate a speaker's credibility.
C) Understand probability.
D) Listen nonjudgmentally.

Question 64

If you were listening to a speech on breast cancer survival rates, which speaker would have the most credibility?

A) Susan, a breast cancer survivor
B) Dr. Lee, a psychologist who works with cancer survivors
C) Tyson, a lab technician who has done research on the topic
D) Dr. Compson, a leading oncologist in the field

Question 65

During his speech, Vince says, "I will get married one day". What type of claim is this?

A) Certain
B) True
C) Probable
D) Possible

Question 66

Barb is angry that her daughter, Kelly, has received an "F" in a class. Barb is sure that Kelly has slacked off, so she brushes off Kelly's claim that the teacher made an error, which she thinks is just an excuse. Kelly wants to discuss how upset she is over the mistake, but Barb is making what error in her empathic listening?

A) Barb is not acknowledging Kelly's feelings.
B) Barb is not considering Kelly's credibility.
C) Barb is passing judgment rather than listening.
D) Barb is not separating what is and isn't being said.

Question 67

An important strategy for good empathic listening is to acknowledge a speaker's feelings and allow him or her to continue to express them. We can do this by using what kinds of statements?

A) Continuer
B) Terminator
C) Positive
D) Empathic

Question 68

Amanda is telling her father about a recent conflict with her boyfriend. She is afraid they are nearing the end of their relationship, and she is very upset about it. She has a lot to say and really needs someone to listen, but her father keeps making __________________ statements such as "It's okay, there are other fish in the sea" and "Don't worry, you'll find someone better". Amanda becomes frustrated and ends the conversation because she feels her father doesn't think her emotions are important.

A) continuer
B) cliché
C) negative
D) terminator