Deck 3: Who Am I Understanding Interpersonal Communication Styles

Question 1

Which of the following is an appropriate approach for a passive communicator to increase his or her assertiveness?

A)Take the Myers-Briggs Personality Inventory.
B)Write down your thoughts as they occur to you during a conversation.
C)Learn one or two key phrases that will help you to express your ideas.
D)Use expressive hand gestures when you speak.
E)Use extremely direct phrases like "you must" and "you should have" in your conversation.

Answer 1

C
Explanation: C) Learning a few key phrases will help you to enter or begin conversations in which you can assert yourself.

Question 2

The active listening skills used when you listen to the spoken word are ________ when you "listen" to what people say in their writing.

A)inapplicable
B)equally useful
C)much more powerful
D)far less effective
E)rarely used

Answer 2

B
Explanation: B) Understanding the meaning of an email message can be as difficult as understanding the meaning of a conversation.

Question 3

Which of the following is the least important reason to learn to adapt your communication style to your workplace?

A)Becoming comfortable with a variety of communication styles will allow you to work with a broader range of colleagues.
B)You will be more employable and you will find that you can work for a broader range of employers if you can adapt your communication style.
C)It is important to fit in.
D)Adaptability is in itself an important skill to practice in the work environment.
E)Knowing how to adapt your communication style will allow you to communicate more efficiently with fewer misunderstandings

Answer 3

C
Explanation: C) You are more valuable to an employer or a team if you retain your own unique personality and communication style while still exercising a level of professionalism in a variety of settings.

Question 4

Which of the following characterizes an assertive rather than passive communicator?

A)a tendency to use phrases like "don't you think?" or "isn't it?"
B)a likelihood of being considered an agreeable person
C)a tendency to be interrupted when speaking
D)a tendency to agree or remain neutral
E)a reluctance to apologize

Question 5

Which of the following best exemplifies a costly mistake that can be attributed to passive listening?

A)forgetting to reorder supplies and having work come to a standstill while you send an employee out to restock
B)taking an order so large that your factory has to run costly overtime shifts to meet the production deadline
C)failing to proof your report before making copies of it and having to reprint it after you realize this and correct the typos
D)scheduling two appointments for the same time and having to cancel on one of your clients at the last minute
E)mailing out a coupon giving customers 50% off their orders because you misheard when your boss asked you to create a coupon for 15% off

Question 6

Which of the following is a "soft" skill?

A)the ability to drive
B)the ability to write computer programs
C)the ability to apply rules of etiquette
D)the ability to use accounting software
E)the ability to read and understand technical manuals

Question 7

Which of the following is "synchronous" communication?

A)a posting to a blog
B)an online meeting via Skype
C)a YouTube instructional video
D)any form of paper-based communication
E)a Facebook posting

Question 8

The key to hearing accurately is focus. Which of the following recommendations will NOT help you focus
Better?

A)looking at the speaker
B)multitasking while listening to what is being said
C)concentrating on what the speaker is saying
D)making a comment about what is being said
E)asking a question about what is being said

Question 9

Which of the following is an environmental hearing distraction?

A)a car alarm being set off
B)a ringing sound in one's ears after attending a loud concert
C)blocked ears due to a head cold
D)inability to focus due to a migraine
E)tinnitus after hearing an explosion

Question 10

Which of the following is an example of a difficulty in listening comprehension?

A)not hearing what the ER doctor says because an ambulance outside is blaring its siren
B)not understanding what the ER doctor means when he says you are suffering from hypertension
C)not hearing what the ER doctor says over the conversation and cries of pain in the waiting area
D)not listening to what the ER doctor says because you're distracted by the new patient who's just been wheeled into the room
E)not understanding what the ER doctor says because you have a head cold and your ears are clogged

Question 11

Which of the following is least likely to contribute to your communication style?

A)family dynamics
B)cultural expectations
C)innate personality preferences
D)training
E)personal choice

Question 12

Passive listening means ________.

A)the process of focusing attentively on what a speaker says
B)hearing information without actively paying attention to ensure understanding
C)actively working to understand the information a speaker is providing
D)trying to interpret the information presented by a speaker
E)responding to a speaker to acknowledge understanding

Question 13

According to Dr. Pamela Cooper, why is active listening so difficult?

A)Because there are too many distractions in the workplace.
B)Because we are capable of holding only two things in our minds at one time.
C)Because we can process words at 400 words per minute, but we only speak at 125 words per minute, meaning that our brains can be easily distracted during the lag time.
D)Because our brains are designed for visual stimuli rather than auditory, meaning that our auditory centres fatigue easily.
E)Because our culture values talking more than listening, so we tend not to listen effectively.

Question 14

________ communication is characterized by the possibility of instantaneous feedback to messages.

A)Syncopated
B)Synchronized
C)Digital
D)Asynchronous
E)Synchronous

Question 15

Which of the following is one way to improve your listening skills?

A)Make a comment or ask a question to keep yourself engaged.
B)Encourage the speaker to speak louder by increasing your own volume.
C)Focus on the speaker's lips to engage the visual part of you brain.
D)Record whatever is being said on your portable device.

Question 16

An overassertive communicator is also considered a(n)________ communicator.

A)efficient
B)non-assertive
C)aggressive
D)passive
E)indirect

Question 17

Which of the following is NOT a barrier to listening comprehension?

A)language differences
B)speaking accents
C)unfamiliar vocabulary
D)ringing telephones
E)jargon

Question 18

Which of the following is a physiological barrier to hearing?

A)car horns and idling engines at an intersection
B)conversation in a crowded restaurant
C)loud music at an outdoor street fair
D)clogged ears after going swimming
E)jackhammering on pavement

Question 19

Which of the following is NOT a category of active listening skills?

A)nodding and agreeing or otherwise indicating that you're paying attention
B)comprehending the message that you hear
C)evaluating the message that you hear
D)interpreting the message that you hear
E)responding to the message that you hear

Question 20

Which of the following is "asynchronous" communication?

A)a phone conversation
B)a meeting
C)any electronic form of communication
D)an instant messaging exchange
E)a Facebook posting

Question 21

Body language, posture, and gestures ________.

A)reveal little about the attitude of the speaker
B)can help you interpret attitude without listening to any words
C)only express attitudes of shame or uncertainty
D)should be interpreted without regard to facial expressions
E)must be interpreted independent of cultural context

Question 22

Which of the following is least necessary to help you to increase audience engagement?

A)Share the conversation.
B)Be credible and knowledgeable.
C)Have excellent presentation visuals.
D)Avoid language that triggers a negative response.
E)Be an active listener.

Question 23

Which of the following paraphrases for literal content?

A)Are you concerned that people are turning in their reports late?
B)You sound frustrated that people seem to be waiting until the last minute to submit their status reports.
C)You are saying that you'd like us to have our status reports in a couple of days before the date of the monthly meeting.
D)So you don't want us to hand in our reports earlier than that?
E)Are you concerned that there won't be time for the supervisor to review the reports before the meeting?

Question 24

Which of the following is most likely to be the result of a comprehension error?

A)Shelly tells Zarah that "Mark is having a drink with Thomas to celebrate the fact this his daughter just got married." Zarah is unsure whose daughter got married, Mark's or Thomas'.
B)Cara is travelling in Turkey and asks a police officer for directions. He simply raises his eyebrows at her, which in Turkey means "I don't know." She thinks it a look of surprise, and wonders what she did to elicit this response.
C)Sandra texted her son a question to which he responded "idk." Sandra is irritated because she doesn't know what he means by this answer.
D)Luna has asked her friend Mario to come over "after to work," thinking she'd see him at 5:00 p.m. When Mario eventually shows up at 7:00 p.m., he explains that he thought she meant "any time after work."
E)Manmeet has arranged a video conference between her Calgary office and a client in Toronto for 8:30 a.m. Her client calls at 10:30 a.m., having misunderstood which time zone Manmeet was using to arrange the time.

Question 25

After Monica shares an idea at a meeting, Rachel immediately responds "That would never work!" This response stops Monica's participation in the rest of the discussion. Which of the following statements would best have kept the discussion moving forward?

A)I think that's a terrible idea, but that's just my opinion.
B)That's a different way to look at it-how would it work?
C)I know you wouldn't have come up with such an outlandish idea if you knew all the facts.
D)Why do you think that could ever work?
E)That's not how I would do it, but I guess it's not completely ridiculous.

Question 26

Ella receives an email from her coworker Maduca in Japan. Maduca tells Ella that she will not be able to visit her at the U.S. office as she had hoped to, and includes an emoticon to express her sadness. Which of the following emoticons did Maduca most likely use in her email?

A)(;_;)
B):-(
C)o)o
D):-0
E)*o*

Question 27

It is most likely that Kaleb's changing opinions are being affected by ________.

A)fear that he will offend Min Jung
B)the halo effect
C)sexism
D)jealousy
E)time to reflect on the evidence presented

Question 28

Which of the following nonverbal signals would most likely undermine your affirmative verbal response and give the impression that you would prefer NOT to help her?

A)making eye contact
B)sighing
C)smiling
D)pulling out a chair for her
E)gesturing for her to take a seat

Question 29

Which of the following nonverbal signals would most likely indicate your happy willingness to assist her?

A)sighing
B)tensing up your body
C)muttering under your breath
D)pulling out a chair for her
E)rolling your eyes

Question 30

Your colleague has just said to you, "can you double-check these numbers before I send them upstairs?" If you were to paraphrase what you just heard by saying, "you sound worried that the budget numbers don't seem correct," you might be trying to determine the ________.

A)possibility that the request could be offensive
B)hidden meaning of the message
C)ultimate intention of the message
D)emotional content of the message
E)literal content of the message

Question 31

As you're packing up to leave the office on a Friday afternoon, your boss tells you that she'd like a status report from you as soon as possible. You head out for the weekend and complete the status report first thing Monday morning. When your boss receives it, she complains that she needed it sooner. What is the most likely cause of this breakdown in communication?

A)passive listening
B)failure to listen actively
C)barriers to listening comprehension
D)difference of interpretation
E)physiological barrier to hearing

Question 32

Paraphrasing to ensure understanding ________.

A)is too difficult to attempt
B)means asking straightforward questions about what was said
C)involves repeating exactly what you heard to make sure you didn't mishear any of the words
D)is less complicated than asking questions
E)can help you understand the emotional content behind a statement

Question 33

To evaluate Matthew's recommendations more accurately, Kaleb could ________.

A)note his own emotional response to Matthew and practice active listening
B)pay close attention to Matthew's nonverbal messages
C)discuss Matthew's credibility with Min Jung after the meeting
D)avoid meeting Matthew in the future
E)paraphrase Matthew's arguments in order to determine their emotional content

Question 34

Carol approaches a coworker, shaking her head as she does so. With a frown on her face, she angrily asks, "Did you finish the report yet?" All of the following are forms of nonverbal communication EXCEPT ________.

A)shaking her head
B)frowning
C)using those specific words
D)using an angry tone of voice
E)emphasizing the word "yet"

Question 35

On your first day at a new job you receive an email asking you to submit your SBDs by Friday so they can be vetted for inclusion in the new module. You need to ask for clarification as you don't know what is being asked of you. This is most likely due to barriers to ________.

A)passive listening
B)active listening
C)listening comprehension
D)interpretation
E)nonverbal communication

Question 36

At a staff meeting, Agnes is presenting an idea to her colleagues about how to attract better applicants. Within a couple of minutes, Kelly, who has been with the company for many years, rolls back her chair, sighs, and whispers to the person next to her that "we tried this back in the 90s. It didn't work back then either." Kelly is ________.

A)prejudging Agnes
B)prejudging Agnes' idea
C)jumping to conclusions
D)viewing Agnes through a halo effect
E)hostile towards Agnes

Question 37

Research suggests that focusing on the entire face, including both eyes and the mouth, when reading facial expressions is done by people from ________.

A)China
B)Japan
C)Korea
D)Germany
E)all over the world, regardless of culture or geography

Question 38

________ involves analyzing the meaning of what you hear, read, or see to determine its intention.

A)Passive listening
B)Active listening
C)Listening comprehension
D)Interpretation
E)Nonverbal communication

Question 39

Darius' colleague, Raff, asks him, "Would you mind looking over this memo before I send it out to the department?" Darius responds by saying, "Sure, you'd like me to read the memo so that it's free of spelling errors before you send it out?" Darius is ________.

A)restating or paraphrasing the content of the message to ensure that he understands it
B)restating or paraphrasing the content of Raff's message because Raff's message is not clear
C)restating or paraphrasing the message so that he can understand its intent
D)restating or paraphrasing the message to show Raff that he understands Raff's fear of embarrassing himself with a potentially incorrect memo
E)restating or paraphrasing Raff because imitating or mirroring him will make Raff feel more comfortable with Darius

Question 40

Which of the following paraphrases for emotional content?

A)Are you concerned that people are turning in their reports late?
B)You sound frustrated that people seem to be waiting until the last minute to submit their status reports.
C)You are saying that you'd like us to have our status reports in a couple of days before the date of the monthly meeting.
D)So you don't want us to hand in our reports earlier than that?
E)Are you concerned that there won't be time for the supervisor to review the reports before the meeting?

Question 41

Using a strong and positive tone of voice ________.

A)will undermine your persuasiveness
B)will come across as arrogant and is not recommended
C)will make your audience receptive to your ideas
D)will make you sound hesitant
E)will lead the audience to believe that you doubt what you are saying

Question 42

You need help on a project so you approach a colleague who is busily doing his own work. When you approach this audience, ________.

A)begin by describing your project in great detail so your coworker will know exactly what he is getting into
B)you should expect that he is already prepared to listen
C)briefly describe what you want so he will know why you are communicating
D)do not address any possible objections that might make your coworker say no to your request
E)you should preface your remarks by saying, "You probably don't want to help me but I'll ask anyway"

Question 43

Miranda is speaking to a group about their company's new green initiative designed to increase environmental responsibility and reduce waste. After she finishes her remarks, which of the following would be the best choice to keep the conversation moving forward?

A)So that's all I have to say about the new initiative.
B)See, I told you this wouldn't take much time!
C)Does anyone have any questions about how this program will work?
D)Why don't we break for a while and consider all that has been said?
E)I'm sure you'll all agree that this is a great program!

Question 44

Unambiguous language ________.

A)has only one meaning
B)means different things to different people
C)is likely to lead to errors
D)can confuse the listener
E)should be avoided for the sake of clarity

Question 45

Which is the best way to achieve "gravitas" in your speaking?

A)Speak only about significant topics.
B)End your sentences with an upward inflection.
C)Use emphatic hand gestures.
D)Raise your voice.
E)End your sentences with a downward inflection.

Question 46

"We need to wait for Kelly to meet with Amanda in accounting. Once she gives us the answer, we will get the report out within four hours."
Which of the following would do the most to clarify the meaning of the statements above?

A)the speaker substituting "her" for "she"
B)the listener asking, "Who is Kelly's supervisor?"
C)the speaker substituting "one of the accountants" for "Amanda"
D)the listener asking, "Will Kelly or Amanda be providing us with the answer?"
E)the speaker substituting "ASAP" for "within four hours"

Question 47

Which of the following sentences is NOT ambiguous?

A)The Watsons are meeting with the Reddys to discuss their business.
B)A friend of Sona's gave her father a car for his birthday.
C)Samantha gave a ride to her friend wearing her wedding dress.
D)I can't recommend this applicant too highly.
E)Rana gave Samantha a ride to the pub.

Question 48

At a job interview, Dara speaks confidently and enthusiastically about her prior experience. With a smile on her face, she leans forward in her chair while speaking, as does her interviewer. Dara's nonverbal communication ________.

A)conflicts with her message
B)will make her audience perceive her as arrogant and aggressive
C)increases her chances of getting a positive response
D)undermines her persuasiveness
E)will make it more likely that her audience will forget what she said

Question 49

Kevin asks Clive the following question: "I know you're the 'newbie' in the department, but why did it take you so long to gather those numbers I asked for?" Kevin is demonstrating ________.

A)biased language and a provocative question only
B)biased language, a provocative question, and accusatory language
C)a provocative question only
D)biased language only
E)a provocative question and accusatory language only

Question 50

Which of the following is NOT a question that is recommended to ask when analyzing your audience?

A)Why will they be interested in what you are saying?
B)What barriers will prevent them from listening carefully?
C)What questions or objections might they have?
D)How do you feel most comfortable communicating?
E)What is the best way to connect with them?

Question 51

Your audience will be more likely to remember what you say in which of the following situations?

A)smiling as you reveal the declining sales figures
B)frowning while you explain that this is a serious matter
C)pacing as you assure your audience that there is no cause for alarm
D)sounding hesitant as you describe the reorganization plan
E)continuing to stare at your computer while you agree to help a coworker

Question 52

In the sentence, "the neighbours are arguing with the condo board because they seem unconcerned about the visitor parking rules," the pronoun "they" is ________.

A)unambiguous
B)ambiguous
C)ambivalent
D)grammatically incorrect
E)amorphous

Question 53

Which of the following is an authentic question?

A)Why didn't you call me as soon as you found this out?
B)As a girl, what do you think about the proposal to invest in green energy funds?
C)How did you make this mistake?
D)What led you to realize there was a mistake in these numbers?
E)How do you think this is going to look to the investors?

Question 54

When you talk and you fail to invite or engage with any response from your audience, you are delivering ________.

A)a decalogue
B)a dialogue
C)a monologue
D)a monoglot
E)a diatribe

Question 55

Biased language, provocative questions, and accusatory language ________.

A)contain trigger words that can trigger negative emotional responses
B)all contain "absolutes," which include words such as "never" and "always"
C)contain obvious trigger words that can always be anticipated and avoided by the speaker
D)are indicators of an assertive communication style
E)demonstrate authority

Question 56

A good interpersonal communicator ________.

A)resists attempts of other people to share the conversation
B)engages in lengthy monologues
C)fights off interruptions from the audience to hold onto "the floor"
D)invites the audience to respond after concisely making his or her point
E)avoids asking questions that are designed to move the conversation along

Question 57

"I" language is characterized by which of the following?

A)the objective voice
B)a focus on your own perceptions even when they are of another person's behaviour
C)a focus on your personal needs and experience
D)a tendency to blame anyone but yourself
E)a focus on your own ego

Question 58

When nonverbal signals reinforce your words ________.

A)listeners remember what you say better
B)your audience will not have confidence in your words
C)your nonverbal communication carries less weight than your words
D)you undermine your persuasiveness
E)your cues conflict with your message

Question 59

Which of the following is the best definition for "ambiguous"?

A)to have dexterity in both hands
B)to have no defined shape
C)to mean precisely one thing
D)to have many possible interpretations
E)to have conflicting feelings or beliefs about something

Question 60

Which of the following best describes "upward inflection"?

A)It is rarely used in formal speech.
B)It gives your verbal messages greater gravitas.
C)It is used to convey declarative messages.
D)It is normally used to indicate a question.
E)It is very uncommon in North American culture.

Question 61

A lack of eye contact probably indicates that the speaker is untrustworthy.

Question 62

"Miranda, you spend so much time cleaning up the messes that your department makes, maybe you can help us figure out how to fix our problem."
Which of the following best revises the statement above in unbiased language?

A)Miranda, please tell us what you'd do if your department was responsible for this mess.
B)Miranda has the most experience with these issues, since her department makes the most mistakes. Miranda, how would you handle this?
C)Miranda, you're an old hand at cleaning up other people's messes, so maybe you'll share the wisdom of your experience with us.
D)Miranda, you have a lot of experience with damage control, so maybe you can tell us how you'd handle our situation.
E)Miranda, can you give us a crash course in how to fix this disaster?

Question 63

Which of the following is LEAST likely to trigger an emotional response?

A)No one around here ever listens to me.
B)I never feel that you hear what I am saying.
C)You always have to get the last word in.
D)I don't feel as though my concerns are being heard.
E)Why don't you ever let me speak?

Question 64

Which of the following statements regarding "I" language is TRUE?

A)"I" language focuses on how you respond to or feel about the other person's behaviour.
B)"I" language is accusatory and assigns blame.
C)"I" language is egotistical and discourages dialogue with the other person.
D)You shouldn't start a sentence with "I," as this will make your audience think that you are egotistical.
E)A sentence that starts with "you" cannot be complimentary.

Question 65

Your communication style is a product of the messages that you send both intentionally and unintentionally.

Question 66

If Melanie doesn't listen closely to her supervisor's instructions and ends up sending a shipment to the wrong address, this costly mistake can be attributed to passive listening.

Question 67

Gender specific communication styles ________.

A)may lead listeners to draw incorrect judgments about a speaker based on his or her style
B)use different labels for each gender, i.e., calling a woman a "chairperson" and a man a "chairman"
C)involve the use of sexist language like "manpower," "businessman," and "salesman"
D)cause problems in business communication that are unforeseeable and therefore unavoidable
E)include male speakers' frequent use of hedges, hesitations, and tag questions

Question 68

When a speaker expresses sarcasm by placing emphasis on a particular syllable, this is verbal rather than nonverbal communication.

Question 69

Responding to a message is not as important a component of active listening as hearing, comprehending, interpreting, and evaluating.

Question 70

"Your assessment of this data is just plain wrong."
Which of the following best rephrases the statement above, avoiding langauge that will trigger a negative response?

A)You didn't do such a good job analyzing this data.
B)I interpreted this data differently.
C)I think you are way off base here.
D)I'm afraid that your assessment of this data leaves much to be desired.
E)I respectfully state that you missed the point.

Question 71

The better you are at listening to other people, the more likely it is that people will listen carefully to what you have to say.

Question 72

Understanding the meaning of an email message uses totally different skills than understanding the meaning of a conversation.

Question 73

Use of which of the following specific types of language is recommended as a strategy for productive communication?

A)unambiguous language
B)biased language
C)accusatory language
D)trigger words
E)provocative questions

Question 74

According to the advice of the Chairman, CEO, and president of Yum Brands, which of the following does the best job of phrasing a negative comment positively?

A)You don't have an eye for detail, but you really do have a great sense of the big picture.
B)You do a good job at visualizing the big picture, and you'd be even more effective if you improved your attention to detail.
C)I don't know anyone better than you at seeing the big picture, but you could really stand to improve your attention to detail.
D)You need to improve your attention to detail, but you're already wonderful at seeing the big picture.
E)Please don't take this the wrong way, but you'd be more effective if you paid more attention to detail.

Question 75

Passive listening happens when you listen but you suppress your thoughts and feelings about what you are hearing in order to avoid conflict.

Question 76

Listening can occupy typically 45% of your time at work

Question 77

Kaleb works for a financial management company that is shifting its focus towards managing clients whose portfolios are valued at over a million dollars. Many clients will be encouraged to seek management from firms that are more focused on smaller portfolios. However, a certain number of clients will be asked to remain with the company despite having investments worth less than a million dollars. Kaleb is on a team to determine which clients would be most beneficial to carry forward and the team has been discussing various clients. Matthew is a junior member of the firm and he is advocating for a selection of clients on the list. Kaleb finds himself distracted, irritated, and dismissive of Matthew's recommendations. But when Min Jung, a senior member of the firm and an associate who enjoys considerable respect in the firm, concurs with Matthew's recommendations, Kaleb finds himself in full agreement with her. In the scenario described above, Kaleb has jumped to conclusions.

Question 78

Which of the following statements includes a hedge?

A)Um, well, we could, ah, merge the departments.
B)I may be wrong, but I think that merging the departments might be a good idea.
C)Merging the departments is definitely the way to go.
D)Pardon me for interrupting, but we should merge the departments.
E)We can merge the departments, can't we?

Question 79

Sociolinguists have observed that in spoken conversations ________.

A)men tend to interrupt more than women
B)men tend to use hedges more than women
C)women tend to interrupt more than men
D)women tend to assert independence more than men
E)men are less assertive

Question 80

Given the time it takes to properly evaluate information, particularly in terms of its credibility, it can be more costly to do so than it is worth.