Deck 5: Writing Business Messages

Question 1

When it comes to using the "you" attitude,

A) cultural differences are not a concern, since it is universally acceptable.
B) it is important to recognize and accommodate cultural differences.
C) you should assume that members of high-context cultures will find it offensive.
D) you should avoid it completely in intercultural communication.
E) it is really no more complicated than using the word "you" as much as possible.

Answer 1

B
Explanation: B)As you practice using the "you" attitude,be sure to consider the attitudes of other cultures and the policies of your organization.In some cultures,it is improper to single out one person's achievements because the whole team is responsible for the outcome; in that case,using the pronoun "we" or "our" would be more appropriate.Also,some companies have a tradition of avoiding references to "you" and "I" in most messages and reports.This is not a matter of high- or low-context cultures.Some cultures accept and prefer it,and others do not.

Question 2

Using endorsements to gain credibility with your audience

A) rarely works, since most see it as a blatant sales pitch.
B) can be an effective strategy, as long as your audience views the person making the endorsement as an expert.
C) is fine for commercials and advertisements, but not otherwise.
D) makes you seem desperate and untrustworthy.
E) is effective only when your audience is hostile.

Answer 2

B
Explanation: B)An endorsement is a statement on your behalf by someone who is accepted by your audience as an expert.If the audience considers that person an expert,then the audience is more likely to increase your credibility.An endorsement is one of seven ways to increase your credibility.Endorsements are fine for many situations,not just commercials and advertisements,do not make you seem untrustworthy,and are an effective tool.

Question 3

To help establish credibility with your audience,you should

A) impress them with a long list of your accomplishments.
B) be modest and deferential.
C) show that you are confident and that you believe in yourself and in your message.
D) use hedge words ("maybe," "perhaps") to demonstrate your knowledge that no issue is fully cut and dried.
E) simply state up front that you know more about your topic than they do.

Answer 3

C
Explanation: C)Audience responses to your messages depend heavily on your credibility - a measure of your believability,based on how reliable you are and how much trust you evoke in others.To build,maintain,or repair your credibility,emphasize your honesty,objectivity,awareness of audience needs,credentials,knowledge,and expertise,endorsements,performance,and sincerity.Plus,audiences need to know that you believe in yourself and your message.

Question 4

The preferred title for women in business is ________,unless the individual requests otherwise.

A) Mrs.
B) Miss
C) Ms.
D) Madam
E) Mme.

Question 5

Using the term crippled in business communication is an example of

A) the "you" attitude.
B) emphasizing the positive.
C) disability bias.
D) bias-free language.
E) none of the above.

Question 6

Select the sentence with the most positive emphasis:

A) We failed to complete the process audit on time.
B) We will complete the process audit by Friday.
C) We haven't completed the process audit.
D) Because of Joan's inaccurate figures on the Haymen project, we are not finished with the process audit.
E) We wish we could finish this interminable audit.

Question 7

In business messages,using phrases such as,"We trust that this will resolve the issue"

A) requires care, since it can take away from the writer's credibility.
B) is a good way to show your modesty.
C) displays common courtesy.
D) is acceptable for very formal contexts.
E) is generally ineffective unless a potential sale is involved.

Question 8

When you are criticizing or correcting,it is best to

A) focus on what the audience members can do to improve.
B) emphasize the audience's mistakes so that they will not make the same ones again.
C) be honest and call attention to the audience's failures or shortcomings.
D) single out the guilty audience members as an example for everyone else to learn from.
E) enlist a partner to echo and affirm your negative comments.

Question 9

Select the sentence with the best "you" attitude:

A) Because your application was poorly written, we cannot accept it.
B) Your application failed to meet our requirements.
C) When we receive an application that is professional, we can act on your request.
D) Once your application is complete, you should receive a response within two weeks.
E) How can you expect us to understand this sloppy application?

Question 10

A euphemism is a word or phrase that is

A) possibly offensive.
B) general or abstract in meaning.
C) highly technical.
D) a milder term for one with negative connotations.
E) difficult to understand.

Question 11

Which of the following is a euphemism?

A) old
B) used
C) pre-owned
D) cheap
E) worn out

Question 12

In business communication,good etiquette

A) is not a major concern, as long as you get your point across.
B) is important, but only in formal written messages.
C) indicates respect for the audience and minimizes negative emotional reaction.
D) now means nothing more than responding promptly when others contact you.
E) is important only when communicating with older individuals.

Question 13

In part because of limited opportunities for feedback,written communication and most forms of electronic communication require ________ than oral communication.

A) less care
B) fewer nouns
C) more tact
D) shorter sentences
E) less formality

Question 14

It is best to limit your use of the word "you" in business messages if

A) you know your audience well.
B) your organization prefers an informal, personal style.
C) you are filling your audience's informational needs.
D) using it will make your message sound overly authoritative or accusing.
E) you are trying to make a sale.

Question 15

If you must refer to someone's disability,the best wording would be

A) an employee with physical handicaps.
B) a handicapped employee.
C) a crippled employee.
D) any of the above-all are equally effective.
E) none of the above-all are equally offensive.

Question 16

When delivering negative news,

A) it is important to look for positive points that will foster a good relationship with your audience.
B) don't waste time trying to emphasize the positive-your audience will see right through it.
C) you should always be positive and upbeat, even if what you say or write sounds insincere at first.
D) being blunt is always best.
E) there is no way around being negative in your wording and tone.

Question 17

Using hyperbole when offering praise to fellow employees

A) is a great way to show them how much you appreciate their work.
B) bolsters your credibility by showing that you are results-oriented.
C) is less effective than pointing out specific qualities that warrant praise.
D) is effective as long as you know the employee(s) well.
E) shows that you truly mean what you say.

Question 18

The title chairman

A) is now obsolete, and should always be replaced with chairperson.
B) is sometimes used to refer to a woman who heads a board of directors.
C) should be used only when referring to a man, and chairwoman when referring to a woman.
D) is acceptable when referring to men, but chairlady is preferable for women.
E) is best when referring to a man or to a married woman, but chairwoman is best for single women.

Question 19

Which of the following statements best reflects the "you" attitude?

A) You failed to enclose a check for $25.
B) We need a check from you for $25 so that we can send the merchandise by May 15.
C) We will send you the merchandise as soon as we receive your check for $25.
D) You will have your merchandise by July 15 if you send us your check for $25 today.
E) If you want your order, you have to pay us first.

Question 20

Your communication ________ involves the choices you make to express yourself-the words you select,the manner in which you use those words in sentences,and the way you build paragraphs from individual sentences.

A) tone
B) climate
C) style
D) dialect
E) medium

Question 21

Using humor in business messages is

A) an effective way to build strong relationships with international clients.
B) usually not effective for formal and intercultural messages.
C) appropriate for external messages, but never for internal.
D) expected in virtually every profession.
E) none of the above.

Question 22

"It's not all fun and games" is one example of

A) jargon.
B) buzzwords.
C) a cliché.
D) passive voice.
E) a complex sentence.

Question 23

Identify the voice in the following sentence: "Based on negative client feedback,the marketing department abandoned the campaign."

A) Active
B) Passive
C) Vocative
D) State of being
E) Dative

Question 24

Which of the following is a compound sentence?

A) Interest rates are low, and now is an excellent time to buy a home.
B) Because interest rates are low, now is an excellent time to buy a home.
C) Low interest rates make this an excellent time to buy a home.
D) With interest rates low, now is an excellent time to buy a home.
E) Interest rates are low.

Question 25

You can emphasize key points by

A) using extra words to describe them.
B) adding a second, short sentence to highlight your point.
C) making important ideas the subject of the sentence.
D) placing them at the beginning or end of a sentence.
E) doing all of the above.

Question 26

Software,database,and website are ________ words.

A) abstract
B) concrete
C) active
D) passive
E) none of the above

Question 27

Which of the following is not an example of pompous language?

A) We are in receipt of
B) Please be advised that
C) Please let us know
D) We wish to inform you
E) Henceforth, we fully expect

Question 28

Using the passive voice makes sense when you

A) want to be diplomatic in pointing out a problem or error.
B) want your sentence to be easier to understand.
C) need to make your sentences shorter.
D) want to emphasize the subject.
E) are unsure what action the subject of the sentence will take.

Question 29

Which of the following words are the most abstract?

A) two, contract, performance
B) software, code, signal
C) kick, move, walk
D) productivity, quality, motivation
E) building, machine, template

Question 30

The connotative meaning of a word is

A) its dictionary meaning.
B) its literal meaning.
C) all the associations and feelings the word evokes.
D) its objective meaning.
E) the same as its denotative meaning.

Question 31

"Although our servers are stable,the telephone system is a serious concern" is a

A) simple sentence.
B) compound sentence.
C) complex sentence.
D) compound-complex sentence.
E) simple-compound sentence.

Question 32

Which of the following sentences contains the strongest and most effective wording?

A) Given the parameters of the situation, the most propitious choice would be to make adjustments in certain budget areas.
B) We need to cut the operating budget by 12 percent or profits will plummet.
C) Someone's going to need to do some budget cutting around here or heads will roll.
D) Perusal of budgetary figures reveals that a 12 percent reduction in operations is called for if we are to stave off a negative impact on profits.
E) Having dissected the latest budget figures, it is clear to me that we have a real need to re-examine our priorities and revamp the budget along the lines I have suggested herein.

Question 33

"Insurance premiums have increased,and cost-of-living raises have not kept up" is a ________ sentence.

A) simple
B) compound
C) complex
D) compound-complex
E) simple-compound

Question 34

Using the active voice is helpful when you

A) want to be diplomatic in pointing out a problem or error.
B) want to point out what's being done without taking or attributing either the credit or the blame.
C) want to make your writing more direct, livelier, and easier to read.
D) need to avoid personal pronouns in order to create an objective tone.
E) are unsure what action the subject of your sentence will take.

Question 35

The casual,acronym-laden language used in text messaging and IM is

A) generally considered inappropriate and unprofessional in business.
B) accepted and even appreciated among today's busy professionals.
C) a good way to display your technical savvy to coworkers and managers.
D) the new standard for business writing.
E) none of the above.

Question 36

The best tone for most business messages is

A) informal.
B) very formal.
C) conversational.
D) passive.
E) happy-go-lucky.

Question 37

________ refers to the overall impression of your messages.

A) Tone
B) Climate
C) Style
D) Dialect
E) Medium

Question 38

In business messages,errors in grammar and usage

A) can be annoying, but are only a concern for external audience members.
B) are expected since everyone is busy.
C) cause you to lose credibility with your audience.
D) are no longer an issue thanks to the spelling and grammar checking features of word processing software.
E) none of the above.

Question 39

Plain language is a style of writing

A) used only for casual correspondence.
B) designed to make information more understandable to the audience.
C) aimed primarily at readers for whom English is a second language.
D) inappropriate for business communication.
E) used in industry to describe products and technical issues, but never in professional settings.

Question 40

A complex sentence consists of

A) two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction.
B) a single subject and a single predicate plus any modifying phrases.
C) two or more independent clauses along with all modifying phrases.
D) one main thought and one or more subordinate thoughts.
E) words that are hard to understand.

Question 41

To downplay a dependent clause in a complex sentence,you should

A) place it at the beginning of the sentence.
B) place it at the end of the sentence.
C) place it in the middle of the sentence.
D) set it off with a semicolon.
E) use plenty of slang in your wording.

Question 42

Good business letters use language that is as formal as possible and use proven terminology such as "please be advised that" and "attached please find."

Question 43

Enlivening business messages with humor will always please your readers,especially if they don't know you very well.

Question 44

"The evaluator noted several shortcomings" is written in the active voice.

Question 45

Unlike style sheets and templates,________ address(es)the overall look and feel of a page or screen,including color palettes and background images.

A) boilerplate
B) themes
C) file merge
D) style sets
E) autocorrect

Question 46

You can never be too modest in the messages you send.

Question 47

Which type of software feature inserts a ready-made block of text when you type the first few characters?

A) Machine translation
B) Mail merge
C) Autocompletion
D) Autocorrection
E) Autoerase

Question 48

When delivering negative news,it is misleading to emphasize any positive aspects of the situation.

Question 49

In business writing,the topic sentence of a paragraph

A) is of minimal importance.
B) may be implied rather than stated.
C) should be very general, and not specifically related to the paragraph's actual content.
D) should always be written in the passive voice.
E) is generally explicit (rather than implied) and is often the first sentence in the paragraph.

Question 50

You should never use euphemisms,because they are inherently dishonest.

Question 51

Boilerplate is

A) a piece of computer hardware used to increase modem speed.
B) a standard block of text used in multiple documents to ensure consistency and improve efficiency.
C) a list of most-used email addresses.
D) a machine used in professional printing.
E) a euphemism for fake silver.

Question 52

Words such as "nevertheless," "however," "but," and "therefore"

A) are called pointer words.
B) introduce modifiers.
C) occur only in complex sentences.
D) are useful for making transitions.
E) are examples of pompous, stale language.

Question 53

Adopting a "you" attitude in business writing is simply a matter of using the pronoun "you" as much as possible.

Question 54

Bragging about your company's accomplishments can be offensive to readers.

Question 55

A conversational tone is not appropriate for most business messages.

Question 56

When you want to develop a paragraph by showing how a general idea is broken into specific categories,which of these methods would you use?

A) Illustration
B) Comparison and contrast
C) Cause and effect
D) Classification
E) Generalization

Question 57

A paragraph that focuses on the reasons why some event has occurred is developed according to which method?

A) Illustration
B) Comparison and contrast
C) Cause and effect
D) Problem and solution
E) Augmentation

Question 58

To ensure a consistent look for all company documents,many organizations provide employees with approved

A) autocompletion software.
B) spreadsheets.
C) macros.
D) style sheets.
E) mail merge software.

Question 59

Senior citizen is a euphemism that provides a more respectful alternative to old person.

Question 60

A typical paragraph contains the three basic elements of

A) a topic sentence, support sentences, and transitional words and phrases.
B) simple, compound, and complex sentences.
C) the main idea, supporting ideas, and evidence.
D) a problem, discussion, and a solution.
E) strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities.

Question 61

When composing a draft you should strive to write and edit at the same time.This will speed up the writing process.

Question 62

If you are preparing form letters,mail merge enables you to personalize each letter by automatically inserting names and addresses from the database.

Question 63

You should strive to use the passive voice as much as possible in business writing.

Question 64

"If we can't meet the deadline,our losses will be significant" is a compound sentence.

Question 65

When developing paragraphs,you should use only one method within each paragraph and throughout a document.

Question 66

Templates and style sheets can both help to ensure a consistent look for all company documents.

Question 67

An effective paragraph deals with more than the main topic and shows that the writer intends to be as efficient as possible.

Question 68

A compound sentence is one that contains one main thought (independent clause)and one or more subordinate thoughts (dependent clauses).

Question 69

To emphasize a dependent clause,it is better to place it at the end of a sentence rather than in the middle.

Question 70

"The startup costs on this project are out of control" is a simple sentence.

Question 71

The amount of jargon you use in a message should reflect your audience's level of familiarity with your topic.

Question 72

Honor and progress are concrete words.

Question 73

Professionals should avoid simple sentences altogether,since using them makes your writing seem unsophisticated.

Question 74

In word-processing software,the autocompletion feature is essentially the same thing as the autocorrection feature.

Question 75

Clichés are a valuable tool in business writing,as readers find such words and phrases to be comfortable and familiar.

Question 76

Although input from colleagues can be helpful,many effective writers find it helpful never to show the first draft of a document to anyone.

Question 77

"Our clients have become more knowledgeable,and we need to accommodate them" is a complex sentence.

Question 78

The denotative meaning of a word is its dictionary definition.

Question 79

Abstract words should be completely avoided in business writing.

Question 80

Connotative meanings are the literal or dictionary meanings of words.