Deck 1: Becoming a Successful Business Communicator

Question 1

Research confirms that communication can help your career and your employer in all of the following ways EXCEPT which of the following?

A)Communication skills will help you find a job.
B)Communication skills will make employers overlook that you don't have the necessary qualifications for a job.
C)Communication skills will make you a more valuable employee.
D)Communication skills can improve your salary.
E)Communication skills can have a positive impact on your life outside of work.

Answer 1

B
Explanation: B) Because communication is a valued commodity in the workplace, it can enhance your professional and personal success. Research confirms that it will help your career and your employer in all of the ways described in the other choices.

Question 2

Which of the following is NOT a form of social media?

A)Facebook
B)company newsletter
C)Twitter
D)MySpace
E)blog

Answer 2

B
Explanation: B) Social media are web-based applications designed to promote social interaction. All of the other choices are examples of social media.

Question 3

The communication skills you already possess ________ in the workplace.

A)will likely hamper your attempts to communicate
B)are inapplicable to communication
C)are most likely sufficient to meet the challenges of communication
D)will be valuable to you for communicating
E)must all be unlearned if you want to successfully communicate

Answer 3

D
Explanation: D) The communication skills you have already developed will be valuable to you in the workplace, where communication is considered to be the most important of all abilities you can possess. However, your current skills may not be sufficient to meet many challenges of communicating in the workplace.

Question 4

Which of the following statements best expresses the goal of communication?

A)The goal of communication is for a receiver to decode a message.
B)The goal of communication is for a sender to transmit a message.
C)The goal of communication is to develop shared meaning by communicating in a dynamic loop.
D)The goal of communication is to select the appropriate channel for sending an encoded message.
E)The goal of communication is to maximize the potential for feedback.

Question 5

Deciding that an email is the best way to request information from a colleague for the proposal you are writing is an example of which step of the communication process?

A)sender encodes a message
B)sender selects a medium
C)receiver decodes the message
D)receiver encodes feedback
E)sender and receiver close the communication loop

Question 6

Which of the following is NOT an example of communication?

A)texting a colleague that you will be a few minutes late for your meeting
B)tweeting that you are headed to a concert in the park
C)updating your page on a social networking site
D)listening to classic tunes on an MP3 player
E)whispering to a friend that her comments may be perceived as rude

Question 7

Which of the following workplace activities is NOT one in which your communication skills will be utilized?

A)calculating whether sales are up this quarter using the latest figures
B)explaining why sales were down last quarter
C)persuading your colleagues that your idea will likely lead to increased sales
D)ensuring that your department understands that increasing sales is the top priority
E)discussing your employee's poor sales figures without making her feel defensive

Question 8

In a survey of over 900 employers by the Canadian Association of Career Educators and Employers, which skills were ranked the top two out of 20 skill sets?

A)leadership skills and communication skills
B)flexibility and entrepreneurial skills
C)communication skills and teamwork skills
D)teamwork skills and strategic planning skills
E)strong work ethic and initiative

Question 9

How might companies view Kaylin's experience with social media?

A)While Facebook is a good way to keep in touch with family and friends, it does not have significance in the workplace.
B)Effective use of social media like Twitter can build a company's brand and extend its marketing reach.
C)Communication through social media is an inappropriate way for companies to try to market themselves.
D)Effective communication through a blog may build a company's brand at the expense of its employees' satisfaction.
E)Such use of social media is very difficult to duplicate and would not be likely to benefit the company that Kaylin works for.

Question 10

As he begins his job search, Ryan can expect that ________.

A)his effectiveness as a communicator will give him a competitive advantage
B)he will not stand out from the pack, as most post-secondary graduates possess similar communication skills
C)employers will not be unduly impressed by these skills, as most people in the workplace have mastered them
D)this ability might hinder his chances as a job candidate
E)his speaking skills will be a plus for him, but writing skills are taken for granted in the workplace

Question 11

When you ________ your message to the receiver, you also need to ________.

A)encode; decode
B)encode; choose your medium
C)decode; choose your medium
D)decode; prepare feedback
E)encode; close the dynamic loop

Question 12

Which of the following is an example of unsuccessful communication?

A)ordering an item online and deciding after it arrives that you don't like it
B)asking a friend for advice and then trying to apply it to your problem
C)getting instructions on how to put something together and then assembling the item
D)making an urgent request on a colleague's voice mail and getting no reply for a week
E)writing a letter to a manufacturer complaining about a recent purchase and receiving a discount on a future purchase

Question 13

Why is it that many students do NOT acquire sufficient communication skills as they pass through school?

A)Business communication is complex, even for dedicated students.
B)Most schools don't offer any business communication courses.
C)Business communication is an innate skill that cannot be taught.
D)You're either a good communicator or you're not.
E)Since many students perceive it to be such a difficult course, they are discouraged from taking it.

Question 14

Which of the following is an example of encoding a message?

A)deciding how to phrase a request to your boss for clarification on your new assignment
B)deciding that text messaging is an inappropriate medium for communicating with your professor
C)deciding to purchase a new smartphone so that you can check and send email while you are on the go
D)deciding to toss out an advertisement that was mailed to you
E)deciding to read an email sent by a friend

Question 15

Prospective employers are likely to ________.

A)admire Kaylin's initiative but see little application to a "real job"
B)think Kaylin should have focused on her studies while at school instead of on a side venture
C)expect that Kaylin, as a successful entrepreneur, will have experience with many types of business communication
D)place little value on a hobby that did not lead to many valuable skills
E)impress upon Kaylin that real business communication will be very different from what she engaged in as an entrepreneur

Question 16

Good business communication skills ________.

A)can have a positive impact on your life outside of work
B)will help advance your career but will hinder your personal relationships
C)are inapplicable to your personal life
D)will improve personal relationships, although they offer no financial benefits in your life outside of work
E)are not worth the investment of time and energy necessary to acquire them

Question 17

In a survey report for the Canadian Council of Chief Executives (CCCE), what skills were given the highest priority for needs?

A)technological literacy
B)creative thinking
C)people skills/relationship building
D)communication skills
E)industry-specific knowledge

Question 18

All of the following are examples of communicating EXCEPT ________.

A)posting updates on Facebook to keep in touch with geographically distant friends and family
B)emailing your employer to confirm scheduling issues
C)speaking to your mother on the phone
D)gesturing across the table to a friend to get him to stop telling the story he has begun
E)reciting a list of dates to memorize them for an upcoming exam

Question 19

In terms of his career, Ryan's communication skills ________.

A)won't help him find a job but will help him keep it
B)will give him prestige in his job but won't make any difference in his salary potential
C)will be perceived as valuable by his employers but cannot translate into monetary savings for his company
D)may give him an opportunity to produce documents that save money or generate income for his firm
E)may have a positive impact on his professional life but a negative impact on his personal life

Question 20

Good business communication skills can have a positive impact on your life outside of work through all of the following applications EXCEPT ________.

A)negotiating a better deal on a car
B)convincing your landlord to refund your security deposit
C)persuading a merchant to give you a refund
D)calculating your monthly expenses
E)writing an effective application essay for graduate school

Question 21

Communication typically occurs ________.

A)in a vacuum
B)between two people
C)between people with identical concerns
D)among multiple people with different contexts
E)among multiple people who encode and decode messages in exactly the same way

Question 22

Effective communication is also challenging because it takes place in a specific context, which is defined as ________.

A)a set of circumstances that influences the purpose of communication, the best medium to use, and how receivers interpret messages
B)a set of principles that guide decision-making and lead someone to do the right thing
C)a medium used to transmit a message
D)the process of working together to achieve a common goal
E)the act of influencing or convincing your audience to accept your position

Question 23

A(n)________ is any obstacle that gets in the way of effective communication.

A)encoding
B)decoder
C)context
D)barrier
E)channel

Question 24

________ influences the purpose of communication, the best medium to use to communicate the message, and how receivers interpret the message.

A)Collaboration
B)Context
C)Conciseness
D)Clarity
E)Channel

Question 25

This miscommunication might have been avoided if ________.

A)you had been more specific about the type of help you wanted from your classmate
B)your classmate had angrily deleted your email instead of replying to you
C)you had used the same wording but sent your request as a letter instead of an email
D)you had been more vague in your message about what you wanted
E)your classmate went directly to your professor with his suspicions

Question 26

Padma is asked if she knows how to make a red wine reduction. Padma looks down at her feet, quietly mumbles "sure," and starting wringing her hands. Padma is confused when the job of making the red wine reduction is assigned to someone else, as she answered affirmatively that she knew how to do it. Which of the following is the best explanation of what happened here?

A)A psychological barrier has obstructed communication; by answering quietly, Padma is signalled that she was offended by the request.
B)A semantic barrier has occurred; since Padma answered "sure" instead of "yes," her answer was confusing.
C)A language barrier has obstructed communication; Padma should have said "yes" in several different languages to ensure that she was understood.
D)A physiological barrier has obstructed communication; by wringing her hands, Padma gave the impression that they hurt and that she could not perform the task.
E)A mixed message has obstructed communication; Padma's verbal and nonverbal responses communicated different things.

Question 27

The receiver decodes a message by ________.

A)putting it into words, images, or actions
B)selecting a channel through which to transmit it
C)interpreting its words or actions and attaching meaning to them
D)deciding which form of verbal or nonverbal response should be sent
E)closing the dynamic loop

Question 28

Padma is assisting with with the prep work for that evening's dinner service. The chef asks her if the mise en place for the meat station is ready. Padma answers no; she was asked to assemble and prepare ingredients, not to do mise en place. The chef storms off, angrily shouting for someone else to get it done. Padma mentions this to a coworker, who informs her that the French term "mise en place" translates to "set in place," and signifies the set-up of ingredients needed for a particular dish or area of the kitchen. Now Padma has to tell the angry chef that the job he just started someone else on is duplicating the prep work she has already done. This is an example of a ________.

A)psychological barrier
B)semantic barrier
C)language barrier
D)physiological barrier
E)mixed message

Question 29

On Padma's first night she is asked to help plate the appetizers for the 4-top that just arrived. Padma freezes. She doesn't understand that she is being asked to arrange the appetizers on the proper serving dishes, along with the necessary garnishes and condiments, for the table of four diners that just arrived at the restaurant. This is an example of a ________.

A)psychological barrier
B)semantic barrier
C)language barrier
D)physiological barrier
E)mixed message

Question 30

Your classmate ________.

A)doesn't understand how to use email appropriately
B)may have had a bad experience in the past that caused him to misinterpret your request
C)should have used another communication medium to signal a negative response
D)is correct that a request for help must imply cheating
E)should have ignored your email request

Question 31

You joined a team just as it was finishing up a big and much anticipated project at your company. You feel a little insecure as the team's newest member and the one who contributed the least to this project. At the next staff meeting your boss thanks you for all your hard work in making the project a success. Instead of this making you feel good, you feel uncomfortable, interpreting the comment as a sarcastic remark about how little you actually participated in this project. This is an example of a ________.

A)psychological barrier
B)semantic barrier
C)language barrier
D)physiological barrier
E)mixed message

Question 32

Shaking your head in disapproval after your coworker makes a discriminatory statement is an example of ________.

A)feedback
B)decoding a message
C)context
D)a channel
E)a barrier

Question 33

Hearing loss is an example of which type of barrier?

A)psychologic barrier
B)semantic barrier
C)language barrier
D)physiological barrier
E)mixed messages

Question 34

Which of the following is NOT an example of feedback?

A)nodding your head in agreement as a colleague describes a possible solution to a problem
B)giving the thumbs down gesture to a friend who asks your opinion of his new tie
C)sending a text message to your friend accepting the invitation to lunch that she just texted you
D)forwarding a funny email that you just received to a group of friends
E)calling a client to discuss with them why the schedule they just faxed you will need some adjustments

Question 35

The medium you choose to transmit your message ________.

A)makes no difference in how your message will be received
B)will always be determined by your company's policy
C)depends solely upon which method you are most comfortable with
D)should take into account how the receiver will best process the information
E)should be selected after the receiver decodes your message

Question 36

________ arise from language that is ambiguous or difficult to understand.

A)Psychological barriers
B)Semantic barriers
C)Language barriers
D)Physiological barriers
E)Mixed messages

Question 37

Feedback ________.

A)must be verbal
B)can't include gestures
C)may request clarification
D)must be transmitted in the same medium as the original message
E)hinders the communication process

Question 38

If a new employee doesn't know what is expected of her when she is asked to review the P&L, a ________ is interfering with effective communication.

A)psychological barrier
B)semantic barrier
C)language barrier
D)physiological barrier
E)mixed message

Question 39

The process of ________ a message involves interpreting its words and actions and attaching meaning to them.

A)encoding
B)decoding
C)encrypting
D)channeling
E)blocking

Question 40

When a message is decoded, the meaning that is attached to it is filtered by which of the following?

A)the transmittal medium
B)the sender's experience
C)the receiver's knowledge
D)the feedback response
E)the dynamic loop

Question 41

When sending your message as an email, the subject line ________.

A)is unnecessary
B)should be omitted unless your email is a response to an earlier message
C)is best stated generally
D)should be specific
E)has no ability to capture the reader's attention

Question 42

Caroline knows that while her oral presentation skills are stellar, her writing style could use a bit of work. Which of the following would be the best medium for Caroline to communicate effectively?

A)a podcast
B)a wiki
C)a blog
D)a text chat
E)an email

Question 43

Questions such as, "What is your goal?" and "How can you organize your message to state and support your main point?" are related to which characteristic of effective business communicators?

A)strategic
B)professional
C)ethical
D)adaptable
E)collaborative

Question 44

Melinda is talking to her supervisor, suggesting they implement a new process for their department. While Melinda is speaking, her boss is fidgeting in his seat and glances at his watch several times. When Melinda asks what he thinks he stands up and walks out the door saying, "Sure, sure. It sounds fine. Let's talk later." As an active listener Melinda ________.

A)will interpret this as an unequivocal acceptance of her suggestion
B)knows that they will have to work out the details but her suggestion is definitely approved
C)will perceive that her boss was in a hurry and that they will likely need to revisit this discussion
D)knows that he was anxious to leave the room because he disliked her idea so much
E)understands by his nonverbal cues that he has rejected her idea, though in a way that spares her feelings

Question 45

Which of the following behaviours best expresses professionalism?

A)slouching in your chair during an interview
B)wearing frayed pants to a company luncheon
C)texting a thank-you message to an interviewer using acronyms and emoticons
D)typing up an email to your boss on the fly, paying no attention to tone or grammar
E)leaving early enough for a meeting so that, despite a traffic jam, you arrive a few minutes early

Question 46

Just as you're about to shut down your computer for the day, you remember that you need to send an update to your boss. You dash off a quick email and press send without spell checking or proofing it. Doing so ________.

A)is fine since this is not a formal report
B)is the right approach, since email does not require proofreading
C)is a poor idea, since you need to proofread and use correct grammar in all of your messages
D)is unprofessional, since doing so means failing to counter unstated objections
E)is unethical and may get you fired

Question 47

According to the text, considering whether your message is appropriate to the situation is related to which characteristic of effective business communicators?

A)strategic
B)professional
C)technological
D)adaptive
E)collaborative

Question 48

Good business communicators understand that ________.

A)their message must influence anyone who might come across it
B)their message must be able to reach their targeted audience
C)reaching an audience requires only that you be a good writer
D)being a good listener is not necessary to understand audience concerns
E)being a good reader is vital, as it is the only way to gain insight into audience concerns

Question 49

One of your first tasks is to attract sponsors who will provide funding for the event in exchange for promotional considerations. When you draft the letter trying to secure this funding, your audience will be ________.

A)students
B)students' parents
C)school administrators
D)coaches
E)local businesses

Question 50

When communicating, being specific about your intended outcome is ________.

A)not recommended, as it is unprofessional
B)risky, as it may offend some people
C)a good idea, as it will make it harder for your audience to say no
D)strategic, as it makes it easier for your audience to understand what you want them to do
E)appropriate only when you know that your audience is likely to decline your request

Question 51

________ is the process of influencing your audience to agree with your point of view, recommendation, or request.

A)Coercion
B)Persuasion
C)Active listening
D)Encoding
E)Channeling

Question 52

Which of the following statements about professionalism is NOT true?

A)Professionalism refers to the qualities that make you appear businesslike in the workplace.
B)Professionalism is limited to projecting a professional image.
C)Professionalism involves living up to the standards of your profession.
D)Professionalism is expressed by your actions and attire.
E)Professionalism is expressed by your attention to correct grammar and proofreading in all of your messages.

Question 53

You are drafting a letter to high school tennis coaches looking for potential players for the tournament. In this letter, citing which benefit would likely have the LEAST impact on convincing the coaches to help you recruit players?

A)This event will generate great publicity and goodwill for sponsors.
B)The tournament will put a spotlight on your high school's tennis players.
C)The event will generate interest in tennis and attract young players to the game.
D)The event could attract more funding for high school tennis programs.
E)The event will raise a lot of money to renovate the community tennis courts.

Question 54

Oral communication methods are required for all of the following EXCEPT ________.

A)one-on-one meetings
B)podcasts
C)teleconferences
D)wikis
E)webcasts

Question 55

According to the text, which question is relevant to the strategic aspect of being an effective business communicator?

A)Is my message ethical?
B)What medium should I use for my message?
C)Am I communicating in a way that is appropriate to the situation?
D)Is my communication medium current with technology?
E)How can I make my message work with many cultures?

Question 56

An active listener does all of the following EXCEPT ________.

A)work to interpret meaning to understand what a person is saying
B)work to interpret meaning to understand why a person is saying what he or she says
C)filter out emotional cues
D)perceive body language
E)think about what is not being said

Question 57

Active listening ________.

A)is the same as hearing
B)is an innate skill that involves "reading between the lines"
C)is a learned skill that requires focusing on the speaker
D)never involves feedback on the information
E)decreases the chances of correctly understanding the information

Question 58

You're drafting a letter to send to the parents of interested high school tennis players to obtain permission for their children to participate in the tournament. In the context of this letter, which of the following statements would be an example of the persuasive technique of responding to an anticipated objection?

A)This tournament will be a great opportunity for your child to meet students from neighbouring schools.
B)Your child will know the satisfaction of having made a difference in our community.
C)When renovated, the community tennis courts will provide a wonderful resource for families in the area.
D)The tournament will be scheduled in conjunction with all the participating high schools so that it will not interfere with classes or school events.
E)Local businesses will put together gift bags for the students in appreciation of their participation.

Question 59

Which of the following behaviours most likely indicates that the listener disagrees with the idea she is hearing?

A)twirling her hair around her finger
B)staring off into space
C)jotting down notes on a pad
D)rolling her eyes
E)drumming her fingers on the table

Question 60

According to the text, which consideration is relevant to the adaptable characteristic of effective business communicators?

A)What do I want to accomplish with my message?
B)With whom should I communicate to accomplish my goal?
C)Is my message able to work with other cultures?
D)Is my message clear and concise?
E)Is my message ethical?

Question 61

Cultural sensitivity ________.

A)refers only to international communication
B)deals exclusively with people who are non-native English speakers
C)does not refer to cultural differences among people of different ages
D)may include cultural differences between people of different genders
E)is impossible given the diversity in the world today

Question 62

One of the goals of communication is to avoid participating in a dynamic loop.

Question 63

Miles is writing an email to the project team working on a big presentation. Knowing that some of his audience are not native English speakers, which of the following would be the best way for him to complete the statement below?
So let's do our best to ________ for the presentation.

A)have all our ducks in a row
B)dot our i's and cross our t's
C)be well-organized and prepared
D)make sure we're on the same page
E)be on the ball

Question 64

In the workplace, communication is considered to be among the most important abilities you can possess.

Question 65

Gesturing to some friends across the room to wait for you is not an example of communication, since no written or spoken language is involved.

Question 66

________ refers to the learned and shared patterns in a society.

A)Context
B)Ethics
C)Collaboration
D)Professionalism
E)Culture

Question 67

________ refers to the principles you use to guide decision making, leading you to do the right thing.

A)Adaptability
B)Ethics
C)Feedback
D)Context
E)Social media

Question 68

Deciding that you should have a face-to-face conversation with your boss to receive clarification on an assignment is an example of the sender selecting a communication medium.

Question 69

A good communicator ________.

A)must know all technologies
B)knows that all technology choices can be used interchangeably
C)understands that social media are inappropriate for business communication
D)thinks about the implications of technology options and uses technology wisely
E)avoids trendy new technology choices in favour of tried-and-true methods like phone calls, memos, and face-to-face meetings

Question 70

Your audience will understand ________ language faster than ________ language.

A)clear; concise
B)complicated; wordy
C)clear and concise; wordy and complicated
D)wordy and complicated; clear and concise
E)complicated and concise; wordy and clear

Question 71

Even basic communication is complex.

Question 72

You are collaborating on a report with a coworker and want to share the latest version of your document. Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A)Emailing the document will make sure that your coworker receives it.
B)Uploading the document to the company intranet will deliver it to your coworker's mailbox.
C)A wiki does not allow users to track the history of changes.
D)Using a team wiki will allow both of you to constantly update the document to a shared space.
E)The most efficient method would be to call your coworker on the phone and describe the changes you have made.

Question 73

________ is defined as the process of working together to achieve a common goal.

A)Professionalism
B)Collaboration
C)Persuasion
D)Active listening
E)Communication

Question 74

Which of the following statements about technology is NOT true?

A)Technology reduces the distance between communicators.
B)Technology allows an immediate exchange of information across distance and time zones.
C)Technology changes very rapidly.
D)Technology is not prey to pitfalls so it eliminates the risk of failed communication.
E)Technology allows people to share documents instantaneously.

Question 75

Most students acquire sufficient communication skills as they go through school.

Question 76

Since communication skills like speaking and writing are so important, most people in the workplace have mastered them.

Question 77

Although communication skills are valued by employers, they are rarely mentioned explicitly in job postings.

Question 78

In the context of doing business with people of other cultures, effective communicators ________.

A)memorize a list of cultural difference between countries
B)are ready to adapt to different cultural needs
C)ignore cultural differences and treat everyone equally
D)treat others as they would like to be treated
E)follow exclusively the communication conventions of their own culture

Question 79

The Conference Board of Canada notes a high level of concern amongst employers about finding employees with adequate communication skills.

Question 80

Research has shown companies that communicate effectively financially outperform companies that communicate less effectively.