Deck 19: Extension Course Pretest

Question 1

Which of the following is true about instant messaging (IM)in official corporate communication?

A)More than three-fourths of U.S.companies use IM for official communication.
B)IM has limited application and cannot substitute for an email or voice mail.
C)Some corporate leaders are concerned that the use of IM jeopardizes productivity and security.
D)While U.S.companies have accepted IM as an appropriate method of communicating policies and procedures, other countries have not yet seen the value of the technology.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Which of the following is NOT part of the three-step process to preparing a spoken or written business message?

A)Identify the central idea of the message.
B)Determine the likely receiver reaction to the message.
C)Choose an inductive approach for a spoken message and a deductive approach for a written message.
D)All of the above are part of the process.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Which of the following is typically NOT true of work teams?

A)While the concept of work teams has been widely used in the U.S.for some time, it has also gained significant support in other countries.
B)Work teams can help firms to become globally competitive.
C)Employees in a self-directed work team handle a wide array of functions and work with a minimum of direct supervision.
D)Work team members typically set their own goals without management input and plan how to work to achieve those goals.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

The grapevine in an organization

A)is less accurate than other channels.
B)serves a necessary purpose; thus, managers should work to understand its functioning.
C)passes a message in single file from person to person until it finally reaches the end of the line.
D)has a single, consistent source.

Question 5

The perception of reality of both the sender and the receiver of a message

A)is unimportant when communication is effective.
B)will be identical if the message is transmitted well.
C)is affected by the experiences and cultural attitudes of both people.
D)all of the above.

Question 6

Which of the following is a technique for achieving coherence?

A)Repeat your main idea in each paragraph.
B)Use more adjectives than adverbs.
C)Use connecting words.
D)Use passive voice.

Question 7

Which of the following facts is NOT a reason that listening can be challenging?

A)The human ear is unable to keep up with the speech rate of most speakers.
B)Our minds process much faster than a speaker can talk.
C)The listener often thinks ahead to anticipate future points and evaluate the ideas heard.
D)Listeners often make written notes as they listen.

Question 8

Which of the following is NOT true of nonverbal communication?

A)Nonverbal messages may be intentional or unintentional.
B)While verbal messages have different meanings for different people, nonverbal messages have consistent meanings for different people.
C)Nonverbal messages can contradict the accompanying verbal message.
D)A nonverbal message can be more powerful than the accompanying verbal message.

Question 9

When using face-to-face meetings instead of electronic meetings,

A)consensus is harder to reach.
B)sensitive issues are more easily handled.
C)group rapport is typically harder to establish.
D)participants are on a more even playing field.

Question 10

In an inductive outline,the most important information should be

A)placed at the beginning of the message.
B)placed anywhere in the message that seems most appropriate.
C)placed after giving adequate information to the receiver to mentally prepare for the main news.
D)introduced after a brief pleasantry.

Question 11

Studies show that managers spend up to 80 percent of their work time

A)making critical decisions.
B)communicating.
C)hiring, firing, and assessing employee performance.
D)planning, goal setting, and assessing organizational performance.

Question 12

Mentally organizing a message before writing it does NOT

A)shorten the time spent composing the message.
B)help ensure that ideas are presented clearly and logically.
C)enable the writer to decide whether an inductive outline or a deductive outline is best.
D)accomplish all any of the above.

Question 13

Which of the following stages is LEAST likely to occur in team development?

A)storming
B)performing
C)norming
D)forming

Question 14

The United States is comprised largely of immigrants who have worked intently at retaining their traditional customs and language while still sharing in the common culture.Which of the following terms LEAST fits the above description?

A)Melting pot
B)Internationalization
C)Mosaic
D)Globalization

Question 15

A supervisor notices that an employee has been late to work for three days this week.What action would be LEAST recommended for fostering open communication?

A)Call the employee to ask him about the lateness.
B)Write the employee a disciplinary memorandum about the lateness.
C)Meet with the employee face-to-face to discuss the lateness.
D)Send the employee an email message about his or her lateness.

Question 16

The LEAST effective means for delivering an unpleasant or highly emotional message to a single employee is to

A)meet with the employee face to face.
B)leave the message on the employee's voice mail.
C)send a memo addressed to the specific employee.
D)place a message on the company's web page.

Question 17

Which of the following sentences best expresses the receiver's point of view?

A)I want to register my satisfaction, along with that of others, with the new employee training program.
B)A new training program can be a tremendous boost to employee enthusiasm.
C)Congratulations on your launch of the new employee training program.
D)I hear that you are the one to thank for the new employee training program.

Question 18

Which of the following are barriers to intercultural communication?

A)Ethnocentrism, stereotypes, and upward communication
B)Chronemics, ethnocentrism, and body language
C)Proxemics, language, and task goals
D)Stereotypes, body language, and synergism

Question 19

A supervisor on the night shift at a manufacturing plant is told to dump chemicals used in the refining process rather than dispose of them properly according to safety regulations.The owner of the company insists that the chemicals are not harmful to the environment,but the supervisor knows that the dumping is illegal.The supervisor believes that he will lose his job if he reports the problem to authorities at the Environmental Protection Agency.This example is LEAST associated with which potential cause of unethical behavior?

A)obsession with personal achievement
B)disparity between personal and professional ethical system
C)uncertainty about whether an act is wrong
D)unwillingness to stand for what is right

Question 20

When a manager trusts her employees to work independently with little direct supervision,she is exhibiting the ____ management style.

A)Theory X
B)Theory Y
C)Situational leadership
D)Total Quality Management

Question 21

Which of the following is true of text chunking in business documents?

A)Enumerated lists increase visual attention given to paragraphs of material.
B)Numbered lists are generally preferred over bullet lists.
C)Chunking makes a page look less organized and decreases retention.
D)Placing a number, letter, or bullet before elements is a series reduces readers' attention to the material.

Question 22

A sincere apology message should be

A)written as a negative news message.
B)written as a routine news message.
C)written as a persuasive message.
D)unnecessary, since a verbal apology is more meaningful.

Question 23

Which of the following statements is true concerning sentence and paragraph length in business messages?

A)A sentence should not be shorter than 11 words or longer than 25 words.
B)While compound sentences should be used along with simple sentences, complex sentences should be avoided in business writing.
C)The first and last paragraphs are typically longer than other paragraphs in the message.
D)Paragraphs in business letters, memos, and email messages are typically shorter than paragraphs in business reports.

Question 24

Letters differ from email and memos in that they are

A)written to customers and others outside the company.
B)less formal in tone and formatting.
C)subject to less grammatical scrutiny.
D)shorter and more condensed.

Question 25

When leaving a voice mail message for a client concerning the scheduling of a meeting,you should NOT

A)discuss your schedule for the week, detailing the dates and times of each meeting you already have on your calendar.
B)give your name and company affiliation before starting to talk about the meeting.
C)leave your name, phone number, and two or three possible dates and times for the meeting.
D)repeat your name and give your phone number at the end of the message.

Question 26

Which of the following is good advice for writing a routine claim message?

A)Use a persuasive, forceful tone.
B)Use the indirect approach.
C)Assume the request will be granted.
D)Use an accusatory tone.

Question 27

An email message with the subject of "Planning Meeting for Glen Project" should have which of the following as its first sentence?

A)Please remember to attend our next meeting on Friday.
B)Attached are the notes from our Monday meeting discussing the launch of the Glen project on March 3.
C)Does anyone recall the name of the contractor we discussed at the meeting?
D)Thanks for your help on the committee.

Question 28

What proofreading procedure should Kyle use when proofreading an employee training manual?

A)Proofread only once, thoroughly checking for errors of various types.
B)Proofread twice, concentrating in the first pass on content errors and in the second pass on format errors.
C)Proofread three times, concentrating on content, organization, and style in the first pass; on mechanical errors in the second pass, and reading from right to left in the third pass.
D)Allow the computer to do the proofreading, as it is thorough and accurate.

Question 29

Effective strategies for structuring bad-news messages

A)follow the deductive sequence.
B)vary dramatically from one company to another.
C)can generally be applied to cultures around the world.
D)are generally consistent among North American audiences.

Question 30

What is the correct order for the inductive writing sequence?

A)Reasons, neutral idea, bad news, and desire to continue the relationship.
B)Buffer, reasons, bad news, counterproposal, and desire to continue the relationship.
C)Bad news, reasons, counterproposal, and desire to continue the relationship.
D)Buffer, bad news, reasons, counterproposal, an desire to continue the relationship.

Question 31

To protect computer systems from email viruses and hoaxes,you should NOT

A)install a virus scan program and set it to scan all incoming email.
B)forward questionable messages to the email administrator.
C)forward all warning about viruses to those in your address book just in case they are real.
D)open email attachments with an ".exe" extension.

Question 32

The Fair Information Practices (FIP)

A)protect the basic right to privacy of citizens in the U.S.
B)form the basis of 13 federal statues that endure the security and integrity of personal information collected by governmental and private agencies.
C)provide for equal treatment of job applicants, regardless of race, color, gender, religion, or national origin.
D)require that businesses fairly disclose their financial condition to the public.

Question 33

Which of the following guidelines for writing a message extending credit is correct?

A)The writer should include the credit terms in the message.
B)The writer should not include the payment date and penalty fee for late payment.
C)The writer should omit any mention of sales promotion or resale.
D)The writer should not state the basis for extending the credit.

Question 34

An inductive approach should be used in a bad news message EXCEPT when

A)the message addresses an important matter.
B)the message is contained in a memo sent to company personnel.
C)the sender and recipient have a close and longstanding relationship.
D)all of the above.

Question 35

Which of the following is FALSE true concerning readability level?

A)A readability level of 10 means that a person would need to be able to read at the 10-grade level to understand the material.
B)The two factors affecting the readability level are the number of difficult words in the passage and the average sentence length.
C)Many word processing software programs can calculate readability levels of documents.
D)The writer must know the education level of the audience to use the appropriate reading level.

Question 36

Shelby,a customer service representative,often delivers messages to clients in which she must convey negative news.Which of the following techniques could Shelby use to soften the impact of the bad news?

A)Active voice and abstract nouns as the subjects of sentences.
B)Passive voice and the placement of the negative message in a dependent clause.
C)Active voice and positive language.
D)Active voice and placement of the negative message in an independent clause.

Question 37

Which of the following is NOT a recommended format for writing a date in an international business document?

A)2/10/08
B)10.2.2008
C)10 February 2008
D)All are recommended formats.

Question 38

Which of the following is FALSE concerning writing analysis tools of word processing programs?

A)Sentence fragments, passive voice, jargon, and cliches are some types of errors than be detected.
B)After reviewing a document, the program can generate the total word count, average sentence length, and readability measures.
C)They are more beneficial to writers familiar with the principles of writing than to those who are not.
D)Use of the features eliminates the need for the reader to check a passage for grammatical correctness.

Question 39

Which of the following sentences reflects the use of active voice?

A)The Research and Development department developed a new product line.
B)The department secretary was promoted by the supervisor to an administrative assistant position.
C)The contract was signed by the land developer yesterday.
D)It was determined that sales have fallen significantly.

Question 40

An organization that wants to provide its employees with always-available information,company forms,and contact capability should use which of the following?

A)Intranet
B)Extranet
C)Voice mail
D)Email

Question 41

A persuasive email message to promote pop-up blocker software has as its central selling point the protection of children from pornography.The central selling point should

A)appear early in the message when the product is introduced.
B)appear at the end of the message to reinforce the requested action.
C)be reinforced as the benefits of the product are discussed.
D)be emphasized in each of the areas described above.

Question 42

Which of the following statements about sampling is NOT correct?

A)Sampling is based on the principle that a sufficiently large number of randomly drawn subjects from a population will be representative of the whole population.
B)The results of a sample will be always be somewhat biased and therefore not reliable for formal research.
C)Sampling is a survey technique that eliminates the need for questioning 100 percent of the population.
D)All of the above are correct.

Question 43

You must inform a job applicant that he was not selected for the position.Using a sentence such as "We will keep your application in our active file should another position become available for which you are qualified" illustrates a

A)counterproposal.
B)bait and switch technique.
C)confirmation of priorities.
D)consideration of eligibility.

Question 44

A market researcher who uses primary research may use which of the following methods?

A)Boolean logic, observational studies, the hidden Internet
B)Search engines, Internet searches, and library catalog holdings
C)Observational studies, experimental research, normative survey research
D)Stratified random sampling, website "hits," observational studies

Question 45

Which research method would be best to determine whether employees learn more effectively in a face-to-face training class or in a web-based training session?

A)Historical
B)Survey
C)Observational
D)Experimental

Question 46

The best definition for validity is

A)a measure of the degree to which data measures what you intend for it to measure.
B)a measure of the accuracy and repeatability of the data.
C)a measure of the relationship between two variables.
D)none of the above.

Question 47

Which of the following represents the correct sequence of steps in the problem-solving process?

A)Recognize and define the problem; select a method of solution; collect and organize the data; arrive at an answer
B)Select a method of solution; recognize and define the problem; collect and organize the data; arrive at an answer
C)Recognize and define the problem; collect and organize the data; select a method of solution; arrive at an answer
D)Select a method of solution; collect and organize the data; recognize and define the problem; arrive at an answer

Question 48

Matthew is a training and development manager who has been asked by the Rotary Club to speak at one of their meetings about trends in corporate training.However,since he is currently conducting an important staff development program,his schedule is very busy and he must refuse the invitation.What would be the best way to end his message declining the request?

A)Again, I am very flattered by your request.
B)I apologize that I am so busy right now, but perhaps early next year I can speak to your group.
C)I'll call you if I have a change in schedule that would accommodate your timeframe.
D)My associate, David Freel, has extensive experience and would enjoy speaking to your group.Please feel free to contact him at 469-8000.

Question 49

Melanie is writing a persuasive message asking his employees to complete an online company survey.Which of the following should he do when writing his message?

A)Use long, descriptive paragraphs.
B)Use abstract nouns and passive verbs.
C)Focus repeated attention on the benefits to the company.
D)Use a deductive outline.

Question 50

Which of the following is NOT an accurate statement concerning the use of primary and secondary research methods?

A)Secondary research helps to establish a starting point for primary research.
B)A researcher typically considers both secondary and primary research methods when deciding how to best obtain information to solve a particular problem.
C)Primary research refers to the predominant research method selected for a study, with secondary research available as an option, if needed.
D)Primary research includes observation, experimentation, and normative surveys.

Question 51

When writing a message offering constructive criticism to a business,the writer's intent should NOT be

A)to inform management about changes that need to be made.
B)to assure a better experience for future clients.
C)to get even when bad service has been rendered.
D)to include only specific facts that can be verified.

Question 52

Which of the following is an effective strategy for companies that want to provide strong internal communication?

A)Promote open exchange of honest, candid communication.
B)Choose one communication channel and use it consistently.
C)Carefully define the types of questions employees may ask management.
D)Keep employees informed of good news but avoid reporting the bad.

Question 53

As indicated by Maslow's need hierarchy,people may respond favorably to

A)persuasive appeals that focus on promises of best price and the need to find a bargain.
B)persuasive appeals that show the need of the seller.
C)persuasive appeals that fulfill social, ego, and self-actualization needs.
D)both b and c.

Question 54

Conducting pilot test of a survey instrument involving a small group of the population

A)is useful for using information from biased sources and correlating it to unbiased sources.
B)complicates the clarification of questions developed for a larger sample group.
C)can be a better alternative to the use of open-ended questions.
D)helps in correcting problems in clarity, ease of answering, and quality of answers.

Question 55

A technique for preparing an effective sales messages is

A)presenting all the supporting evidence that is available.
B)making the requested action clear and simple.
C)avoiding the use of money-back guarantees that suggest the product may not be satisfactory.
D)requiring immediate response from the receiver.

Question 56

Successful businesses have learned that ethical behavior

A)is sometimes not possible when persuading people in lower socioeconomic groups.
B)is sometimes not advantageous if the desired action cannot be achieved.
C)is never followed by negative legal consequences.
D)is good for business in the long run.

Question 57

To overcome receiver resistance to a persuasive appeal,the price typically should NOT be

A)mentioned early in the message.
B)delayed in the message until reader benefits have been established.
C)associated with benefit to the reader.
D)broken down into a small, insignificant amount such as price per day.

Question 58

Which of the following statements about Internet resources is NOT correct?

A)Resources on the Internet may not always be reliable and credible.
B)Internet resources may be used without concern for copyright, since materials must be cleared for posting before appearing on the Internet.
C)In addition to the vast material available on the Internet, libraries provide some additional resources that an effective business researcher will at times need to use.
D)Partial text from articles and documents are often available via the Internet, while full texts may only be available in published form.

Question 59

Documentation of the work of others in a report accomplishes which of the following?

A)It detracts from the original ideas presented by the writer.
B)It can give the impression that plagiarism has occurred.
C)It strengthens weak research methods.
D)It adds credibility to the writer's ideas and conclusions.

Question 60

Which of the following is the BEST call-to-action sentence for a persuasive memo to employees to participate in a company-sponsored fitness program?

A)I hope you will use fill out the attached health profile and bring it to your free fitness analysis.
B)Become healthier, more fit, and energized when you fill out the attached health profile and bring it your free fitness analysis this week.
C)If you feel you would benefit from the fitness program, please fill out the attached health profile and attend a fitness session soon.
D)Please consider joining the company-sponsored fitness program.

Question 61

Which of the following statements is NOT accurate in regard to presentation software for the design of graphics?

A)Effective users of current presentation software packages still need knowledge of graphic design.
B)The latest presentation software packages try to guide users away from the worst errors of taste and judgment.
C)Developers of presentation software continue to reflect limited awareness of the rules for graphic aid creation in their products' default settings.
D)An effective communicator can confidently rely on the default settings in presentation software to design visuals.

Question 62

Which of the following is a weakness in survey research?

A)Inferring that correlation of two items indicates causation
B)Administering the collection instrument to a small test sample before conducting the full survey
C)Surveying only a sample instead of the entire population
D)All of the above are weaknesses

Question 63

Which of the following guidelines correctly applies to a bar chart?

A)Bars are used to show parts of a whole.
B)The vertical axis can begin at any chosen value.
C)Increments on the quantitative axis should be equal.
D)Bar widths vary to show different quantities.

Question 64

Which of the following is an example of an effective talking title?

A)Consumer Spending in the U.S.
B)First Quarter U.S.Consumer Spending
C)News on Consumer Spending
D)U.S.Consumer Spending Declined in First Quarter

Question 65

Which of the following guidelines is NOT appropriate when preparing memo and letter reports?

A)Use personal writing style, including first- and second-person wording.
B)Use deductive approach, regardless of the message content.
C)Use headings, tables, and graphic elements as needed.
D)All of the above are appropriate.

Question 66

Knowing the audience for your business presentation does NOT include

A)personally introducing yourself to each member of the audience prior to your presentation.
B)attempting to mentally identify their ages, incomes, occupations, and gender.
C)selecting audience participants according to the their perspective on the topic you will present.
D)any of the above.

Question 67

Which of the following is NOT correct concerning the summary,conclusions,and recommendations of a formal report?

A)An informational report typically ends with a summary and has no conclusions or recommendations.
B)An analytical report typically has no summary but has conclusions and recommendations.
C)For short reports, the writer may place the summary, conclusions, and recommendations together in one section.
D)All of the above are correct.

Question 68

Which of the following statements is INCORRECT concerning the effective use of graphics?

A)Text and graphics work together in an effective document, as both are important to clear understanding.
B)Three or four pages of well-designed graphics can effectively convey several hundred pages of text.
C)Graphics can be used to convey both quantitative and qualitative information.
D)The term "graphics" in business reports refers exclusively to the use of bar charts, line charts, and pie charts.

Question 69

Jaswal is writing a report that contains a vertical column bar chart showing last year's employee participation in three continuing education courses: human relations skills,stress management,and advanced Excel.Which of the following statements BEST interprets and analyzes the graph?

A)Figure 1 shows enrollment for each of the continuing education programs we offered.
B)As Figure 1 indicates, the enrollment for advanced Excel was almost double that of stress management; and human relations skills was the highest of the three.
C)The enrollment for stress management was 42; for advanced Excel it was 81; and for human relations skills it was the highest at 127.
D)Figure 1 data indicate that continuing education training needs are shifting from training in stress management and advanced Excel toward human relations skills.

Question 70

Which of the following is FALSE concerning the executive summary (abstract)in the preliminary pages and the summary that appears as a final section of the report body?

A)While they have some similarity, the summary focuses only on the findings.
B)Both are illustrated in the APA style manual.
C)Both are necessary because they serve different purposes even though they have some content in common.
D)Neither is necessary in a well-written, concise report.

Question 71

Placing graphic aids in the appendix is

A)not recommended when the report is under 10 pages in length.
B)recommended the majority of the time to simplify text preparation.
C)recommended if the information is quantitative.
D)recommended if the content is not directly related to text discussion.

Question 72

Which of the following would be the least advisable technique to use when delivering a business presentation?

A)quotes from prominent people
B)jokes and humor
C)anecdotes
D)numerous exact numbers and statistics

Question 73

Which of the following statements is INCORRECT concerning the reporting of quantitative data?

A)People are usually more interested in proportions or ratios than in exact numbers.
B)When tabulating research results of opinions and preferences, reporting exact statistics to the most accurate decimal point is necessary to avoid distortion in interpretation.
C)Common language reduces difficult figures to the "common denominators" of language and ideas.
D)Due to changing buying power, dollars are not a good measure of comparison from one year to another.

Question 74

Which of the following headings is NOT parallel with the others?

A)Cost of living in the Midwest Soars
B)Cost of Living in the South is Level
C)Increasing Cost of Living in New England
D)All are parallel

Question 75

In formatting a report,you discover than an entire table will not fit on the bottom of a page; you should

A)introduce the table, continue the graphic interpretation to the bottom of the page, and begin the next page with the table.
B)begin the table, allow an adequate margin at the bottom of the page, and begin the next page with the continuation of the table.
C)place the table prior to the text reference to it if that placement will allow the entire table to appear on that page.
D)end the page with the introduction to the table, regardless of the space on the page.

Question 76

Which graphic aid would be best to show the annual sales performance of five McDonald's restaurants in Tyler,Texas?

A)line graph
B)bar chart
C)pie chart
D)Gantt chart

Question 77

Which of the following descriptions is LEAST recommended method for analyzing research data?

A)Judging data on the basis of personal consideration
B)Judging data on the basis of the evidence
C)Judging data on the soundness of the research techniques
D)Judging data on the basis of findings of similar studies

Question 78

Grant is writing a long,formal report for submission to the company's board of directors on the advisability of a merger.Which of the following is a recommended guideline for preparing the report?

A)Include emotional terms for emphasis.
B)Identify any assumptions made.
C)Eliminate personal opinions and those of others.
D)Avoid the use of quotes and paraphrases from other sources.

Question 79

Which of the following statements is correct concerning the delivery of a business presentation?

A)What you say at the beginning is not as important as the main points you make in the body of the presentation.
B)Attention-getting techniques may include a quotation by an expert, an appropriate joke, or a startling statistic.
C)You should use the inductive approach, because the deductive approach would remove the suspense factor for the audience.
D)A summary of the major points covered is optional if the material has been well presented.

Question 80

Which of the following is a sound recommendation for designing a research questionnaire?

A)Include all needed items, while keeping the questionnaire as short as possible.
B)Use a logical item sequence of difficult to easy.
C)Use more items that require essay-type answers and less short response questions.
D)All of the above are recommended for questionnaire design.