Deck 4: Writing Business Messages

Question 1

In general,written communication ________.

A)cannot use the "you" attitude
B)allows the writer to adjust the message according to the audience's reaction
C)requires more tact than oral communication
D)offers immediate feedback for a message
E)is only used when an informal approach is required

Answer 1

C
Explanation: C)Written communication and most forms of electronic media cannot be softened by the tone of the speaker's voice and facial expression. Therefore, they need more tact than oral communication.

Question 2

Which of the following statements about the "you" attitude in business communication is true?

A)It emphasizes a speaker-centered approach.
B)It focuses on the audience's wishes, interests, and preferences.
C)It replaces terms that refer to the audience with terms that refer to the speaker's company.
D)It always uses the active voice, with "you" as the subject.
E)It considers the point of view of the speaker.

Answer 2

B
Explanation: B)Adopting the "you" attitude means speaking and writing in terms of the audience's wishes, interests, hopes, and preferences.

Question 3

Which of the following negative effects results from the use of euphemisms?

A)Euphemisms often convey disrespect or rudeness.
B)Negative news is conveyed in a negative way.
C)There is a risk that the truth might be obscured.
D)Euphemisms can trigger negative connotations.
E)Euphemisms usually offend the listener.

Answer 3

C
Explanation: C)It's easy to push euphemisms too far and wind up sounding ridiculous-or worse yet, obscuring the truth. Even if it is unpleasant, people respond better to an honest message delivered with integrity than they do to a sugar-coated message that obscures the truth.

Question 4

Select the sentence with the best 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 have not finished the process audit.
E)The process audit was delayed due to operational reasons.

Question 5

Daniel is a lawyer who has shifted to a new town.He needs to build his credibility with the residents of the town in order to establish a client base.Which of the following methods is most likely to help Daniel build his credibility?

A)familiarizing himself with the town's history
B)establishing his qualifications and expertise
C)honing his communication skills
D)bragging about his previous record and successes
E)using hyperbole when discussing his achievements

Question 6

Which of the following sentences uses bias-free language?

A)Despite Ms. Curtis's disability, she does a good job.
B)Ms. Curtis's disability does not prevent her from doing a good job.
C)For a disabled person, Ms. Curtis does a good job.
D)Ms. Curtis's employee evaluations rank among the top five in the company.
E)Ms. Curtis is disabled, but she does a good job nonetheless.

Question 7

Matthew heads the HR team at his workplace.Two team members,Alex and Brianna,are involved in a conflict regarding work.Matthew supports Alex,because he and Alex often go bowling together.Hence,Matthew fails to establish credibility.In which of the following characteristics is Matthew lacking?

A)endorsement
B)honesty
C)objectivity
D)sincerity
E)competence

Question 8

Select the sentence with the best "you" attitude.

A)G&B's savings scheme is the best of its kind in the country.
B)The new savings scheme from G&B can help customers save money.
C)G&B has offerings tailored to every need.
D)Learn how to save your money with G&B's new savings scheme.
E)Helping customers save money is our aim at G&B.

Question 9

"For an older person,he knows a lot about computers." This statement is an example of ________ bias.

A)gender
B)disability
C)age
D)racial
E)ethnic

Question 10

Bias-free language ________.

A)is often unethical and can obscure the truth
B)often makes the speaker or writer sound dictatorial
C)avoids words and phrases that unfairly or unethically stigmatize people
D)perpetuates the underlying stereotypes and prejudices that it reflects
E)communicates in terms of the point of view of the audience, using the audience's interests and preferences

Question 11

Using the term chairperson for women and chairman for men is an example of ________.

A)racial bias
B)ethnic bias
C)sexual bias
D)gender bias
E)euphemism

Question 12

Which of the following sentences is the best illustration of the "you" attitude?

A)Because your report was poorly written, we cannot accept it.
B)Your report failed to meet company requirements.
C)When we receive a report that is professional, we can act on your recommendations.
D)Once the report includes the necessary estimates, the project can proceed.
E)You missed out on a number of important points in the report.

Question 13

Which of the following is NOT a way to avoid bias in communications?

A)rewording sentences to use "they" or to use no pronoun at all
B)putting the disability first and the person second
C)avoiding sexist language
D)mentioning the age of a person only when it is relevant
E)avoiding identification on the basis of race or ethnic origin

Question 14

Elena is the director of a retirement home.She is writing a material that will be included in the brochure promoting the home.When referring to the residents of the home,she is careful to use "senior citizens" instead of "old people," to avoid the unpleasant connotations of the word.This is an example of the use of ________.

A)comparison
B)metaphors
C)transitions
D)euphemisms
E)similes

Question 15

________ are milder synonyms that are sometimes used in place of strong words to convey meaning without carrying negative connotations.

A)Hyperboles
B)Metaphors
C)Transitions
D)Rhetorics
E)Euphemisms

Question 16

Which of the following is a euphemistic way of saying that someone is stubborn?

A)Marina is very tenacious.
B)Alice is often pigheaded.
C)Jules is a very unyielding person.
D)Joshua has an inflexible way of working.
E)Sylvia is obstinate about certain matters.

Question 17

Select the sentence that is bias-free.

A)All salesmen and their wives are invited to the reception.
B)All sales representatives and their wives are invited to the reception.
C)All salesmen and their spouses are invited to the reception.
D)All sales representatives and their guests are invited to the reception.
E)All salesmen and their guests are invited to the reception.

Question 18

Identify the type of bias in the sentence: "James Levine is the ex-chairman of Ursula Breweries,for which Audra Bennington is the present chairperson."

A)ethnic bias
B)gender bias
C)racial bias
D)age bias
E)disability bias

Question 19

Biased language ________.

A)often leads listeners to disbelieve unfair stereotypes
B)conveys meaning without carrying negative connotations
C)avoids words and phrases that unfairly categorize or stigmatize people
D)is an effective way of communicating negative news
E)perpetuates the underlying stereotypes and prejudices that it represents

Question 20

Stephen,an economics professor,is invited by a university to speak on the recession affecting the Spanish economy.Which of the following represents the most ineffective way in which he could fail to establish credibility with the audience?

A)emphasizing his knowledge and expertise
B)using hyperbole to discuss his achievements
C)showing that he can distance himself from emotional situations
D)demonstrating confidence in his skills
E)using an endorsement

Question 21

Which of the following statements is true of active voice?

A)It leaves the performer of the action completely out of the sentence.
B)It can be used to create an impersonal tone.
C)In the active voice, the subject receives the action.
D)It can be used to avoid sounding accusatory.
E)It can make writing more direct and easier to read.

Question 22

Which of the following sentences uses abstract words?

A)The company database has personal information about all employees.
B)The new software has helped employees save time.
C)The organization values honesty and integrity.
D)The employees have requested a new coffee machine.
E)The organization acquired three other companies in April.

Question 23

A sentence that has only a single subject and a single predicate is called a ________ sentence.

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

Question 24

Which of the following is an example of concrete words?

A)practicality and convenience
B)truth and beauty
C)database and software
D)honesty and integrity
E)profits and motivation

Question 25

Ben needs to send an email to his superior describing the progress of a project.Which of the following styles should Ben use to communicate in a businesslike tone?

A)use a laid-back, informal tone to reflect friendliness
B)share personal details to create rapport
C)use acronyms to communicate quickly and efficiently
D)use humor to create a receptive state of mind
E)use plain language to make messages simpler

Question 26

Which of the following is true for simple sentences?

A)A simple sentence may be expanded by modifying phrases.
B)A simple sentence has two independent clauses.
C)Using predominantly simple sentences makes it easier to express relationships among ideas.
D)If you want to downplay an idea in a simple sentence, position the dependent clause within the sentence.
E)A simple sentence sometimes has a subordinate clause.

Question 27

Newly coined terms often associated with technology,business,or cultural changes are known as ________.

A)concrete words
B)buzzwords
C)abstractions
D)clichés
E)transitions

Question 28

Which of the following is true for abstract words?

A)They are often used to express qualities or philosophical concepts.
B)They are used to make a sentence more specific.
C)Their meaning is unambiguous; they cannot be misinterpreted.
D)They are used when giving detailed descriptions.
E)They refer to things that are tangible.

Question 29

In which of the following cases is the active voice preferred over the passive voice?

A)when you want to point out mistakes without attributing blame
B)when you want to make a subject livelier and more direct
C)when you want to point out what's being done without taking credit
D)when you want to avoid personal pronouns in order to create an objective tone
E)when you want to be diplomatic about pointing out a problem or an error

Question 30

David has to send out a press release about a new service his company is introducing.Which of the following must David avoid?

A)modifying his communication style to suit the company image
B)letting his personal views and communication style dominate a message
C)following the communication guidelines set by his company
D)building the company's image among stakeholders
E)putting his company's reputation before his personal style

Question 31

A(n)________ is a statement on your behalf by someone who is accepted by your audience as an expert.

A)qualification
B)buzzword
C)endorsement
D)credential
E)euphemism

Question 32

Which of the following statements about using the passive voice is true?

A)The passive voice is usually stronger than the active voice.
B)In a passive sentence, the subject performs the action.
C)The passive voice is grammatically incorrect.
D)The passive voice is used when the subject receives an action.
E)The passive voice can be used to personalize messages.

Question 33

Which of the following statements is true of a business message?

A)Clichés are often the quickest and best ways to communicate a simple message.
B)With the increasing informality in the business world, correct grammar has become unimportant.
C)Abstract terms are widely used in business writing as they are the most effective and correct choices for the subject.
D)Familiar, simple words do not set the right tone for business writing.
E)Jargon is an effective way of communicating with certain specialized groups.

Question 34

The passive voice can be effectively used to ________.

A)create an impersonal tone
B)take or attribute either credit or blame
C)write stronger sentences
D)make writing more direct and lively
E)make writing easier to read

Question 35

A sentence that has two main clauses,at least one of which contains a subordinate clause,is called a ________.

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

Question 36

Words such as liberty,love,motivation,or happiness are examples of ________.

A)transitions
B)clichés
C)buzzwords
D)abstractions
E)jargon

Question 37

Which of the following sentences is in the active voice?

A)An acknowledged success, the program to improve attendance was first implemented by the mayor.
B)The mayor, who is very popular in the area, has implemented a number of educational policies.
C)The program to make school lunches healthier was undertaken by the mayor.
D)Despite initial reluctance from schools, the school lunch program was undertaken by the mayor.
E)The school lunch program in the city was spearheaded by the mayor, who is very popular.

Question 38

Most business messages today aim for a(n)________ tone.

A)casual
B)conversational
C)abstract
D)formal
E)laid-back

Question 39

Which of the following methods will help ensure a conversational tone suitable for business messages?

A)adopting a casual, laid-back style
B)using plain language
C)adopting an intimate, personal tone
D)using humor to make a point
E)using formal words and complex sentences

Question 40

Sheila is the HR manager at a firm that sells home appliances.She has to send an email to her boss regarding the change in payscales of employees.Which of the following strategies should she avoid so that she can send out an effective business message?

A)avoiding obsolete language
B)using an elevated and formal tone
C)avoiding preaching
D)avoiding bragging
E)avoiding informal and laid-back language

Question 41

If you want to downplay an idea,you must ________.

A)make it the subject of the sentence
B)place it at the end of the sentence
C)add more detail to the idea
D)place it in the middle of the sentence
E)devote more words to it

Question 42

In a paragraph,the support sentences ________.

A)need not be connected to the topic sentence
B)are usually the first sentence of the paragraph
C)are less specific than the topic sentence
D)provide examples or evidence for the topic
E)introduce the topic to be covered

Question 43

Transitions connect ideas by ________.

A)showing how one thought is related to another
B)extending the sentence with a support sentence
C)using clichés to establish familiarity with the subject
D)avoiding usage of words that are frequently or commonly paired
E)avoiding usage of connecting words such as and, therefore, although, etc

Question 44

A sentence that expresses two or more independent but related thoughts of equal importance,usually joined by and,but,or or,is called a ________ sentence.

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

Question 45

"Though fully electric cars are gaining popularity,their practicality for long-distance travelers remains in some doubt." Which of the following is the best support sentence to follow this topic sentence?

A)Fully electric cars could be the next big development in automotive history.
B)Most large auto manufacturers are concentrating on the development of electric vehicles.
C)A hybrid vehicle combines an internal combustion engine with an electric propulsion system.
D)Solar cars are primarily demonstration vehicles, while hybrid cars are quite common.
E)Electric cars can travel only a limited distance on a single charge and charging stations are rare.

Question 46

Which of the following methods is used when you want to use similarities or differences to develop the main idea in a paragraph?

A)illustration
B)comparison or contrast
C)cause and effect
D)classification
E)repetition

Question 47

Which of the following sentences does NOT make use of transitional elements to show how one thought is related to another?

A)He was very tired that day, yet he volunteered to help out.
B)Although the Greens are the stronger team, the Blues have the home advantage.
C)Hannah and Chloe went shopping yesterday.
D)The house is dilapidated, hence no one will buy it.
E)If they move out immediately, they will have trouble finding a new place.

Question 48

Which of the following is the best example of a topic sentence for a paragraph on the disadvantages of urban living?

A)Though urbanization offers us several benefits, it comes with its own costs.
B)The number of cities in the developing world is increasing by the day.
C)A city is generally an urban settlement with a large population.
D)Increasing urbanization is a feature of our times.
E)Urbanization is the physical growth of urban areas as a result of global change.

Question 49

Which of the following is a simple sentence?

A)Although John taught James the piano, James is the better player.
B)James plays both the piano and the violin excellently.
C)James plays the piano well, but is not as skilled at the violin.
D)Though he studied the piano with a tutor, James learned the violin on his own.
E)James plays the piano well, but not as well as John.

Question 50

A sentence that has one independent and one dependent clause is known as a ________ sentence.

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

Question 51

Which of the following statements about the elements of a paragraph is true?

A)A topic sentence need not be related to the general idea of the paragraph.
B)Transitions tie together related points and ease the shift from one distinct thought to another.
C)The topic sentence provides examples, evidence, and clarification of the general idea.
D)A support sentence need not be related to the general idea of the paragraph, but must be more specific than the topic sentence.
E)A transition provides examples, evidence, and clarification of the general idea.

Question 52

Which of the following is true for a complex sentence?

A)A complex sentence may have more than one subordinate clause.
B)A complex sentence may have two or more independent clauses.
C)The subordinate clause in a complex sentence can stand alone.
D)A complex sentence has two or more main clauses, and at least one subordinate clause.
E)A complex sentence need not have a main clause.

Question 53

________ sentences,usually the first one in the paragraph,give readers a summary of the general idea that will be covered in the rest of the paragraph.

A)Cause-and-effect
B)Transition
C)Topic
D)Support
E)Summary

Question 54

Which of the following is NOT a way of emphasizing an idea?

A)putting the idea at the end of a sentence
B)devoting more words to the idea
C)putting the idea in the middle of a sentence
D)putting the idea at the beginning of a sentence
E)making the idea the subject of a sentence

Question 55

Kate has to write an article explaining why a particular candidate for president is,in her opinion,better than another.Which of the following transitional methods is the best option for her to structure the article?

A)additional detail
B)repetition
C)a cause-and-effect relationship
D)contrast
E)condition

Question 56

Which of the following is a complex sentence?

A)Madrid has many museums and art galleries.
B)The city is well known for its nightlife, and its cafes are popular with tourists and locals alike.
C)Though bullfighting is censured by some, its popularity in Madrid continues unabated.
D)Madrid is a historical and cultural center in Spain.
E)The nightlife of Madrid is deservedly famous, but classical music still finds firm followers.

Question 57

Words or phrases that connect ideas by showing how one thought is related to another are called ________.

A)clichés
B)jargon
C)transitions
D)buzzwords
E)slang

Question 58

"Jamie and Emma have been very busy recently,so we haven't met them for some time." The transitional element used in this sentence serves to ________.

A)intensify an idea or thought
B)contrast two thoughts
C)compare two ideas
D)provide additional detail
E)establish a cause-and-effect relationship

Question 59

"While you may disagree with Joan's recommendations,you must admit that her suggestions would save the company's money." This is an example of a ________.

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

Question 60

"There have been many storms this year,and the agricultural yield has been poor." Which type of sentence is this?

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

Question 61

Using the "you" attitude means putting the sender's priorities first.

Question 62

An abstract word stands for something you can touch,see,or visualize.

Question 63

When communicating across cultures,it is important to include humor in order to put your audience at ease.

Question 64

________ tend to address the overall look and feel of the page or screen,including color palettes and background images.

A)Illustrations
B)Style sheets
C)Boilerplates
D)Style sets
E)Themes

Question 65

A piece of text copied from the main body of the document and formatted as a large,eye-catching visual element is known as a ________.

A)theme
B)tagline
C)pull quote
D)boilerplate
E)template

Question 66

Elena's team members are working on five different parts of a report.Which of the following tools will help them put the five parts together once the report is complete?

A)templates
B)file merge
C)themes
D)style sheets
E)mail merge

Question 67

The five members of Elena's team are working on five different parts of a report.Elena needs to make sure that the formatting for paragraphs and certain words remain consistent throughout,so that when it's ready,all five parts of the report can be integrated seamlessly.Which of the following tools can Elena's team use to achieve this consistency?

A)typescripts
B)themes
C)style sheets
D)boilerplate
E)mail merge

Question 68

Which of the following statements about writing technology and tools is true?

A)Style sets address the overall look and feel of the page, including color palettes and background images.
B)Both autocompletion and autocorrection refer to the same function.
C)Standard blocks of text that are reused in multiple documents are known as style sheets.
D)Templates set overall document parameters such as page size and provide a set of styles to use.
E)The autocompletion tool makes it easy to combine several files.

Question 69

The passive voice creates more direct,shorter sentences and makes your writing easier to understand.

Question 70

Concrete words are far more specific than abstractions.

Question 71

All the employees of Magus Enterprises are required to have a block of text containing a few standard lines about the company at the bottom of all work emails.This is known as a ________.

A)template
B)boilerplate
C)theme
D)transcript
E)facsimile

Question 72

When a paragraph is to be developed,by providing examples of a general idea,which of the following methods should be used?

A)contrast
B)comparison
C)cause and effect
D)illustration
E)repetition

Question 73

________ are collections of formatting choices for words,paragraphs,and other elements.

A)Typecasts
B)Style sheets
C)Boilerplates
D)Themes
E)Typescripts

Question 74

In the active voice,the subject receives an action.

Question 75

Euphemisms are milder synonyms that can express an idea while triggering fewer negative connotations.

Question 76

The passive voice combines the helping verb "to be" with a form of the verb that is usually the past tense.

Question 77

Active sentences are usually stronger than passive ones.

Question 78

________ refers to a standard block of text that is reused in multiple documents.

A)Footnote
B)Theme
C)Style set
D)Boilerplate
E)Style sheet

Question 79

Using "senior citizens," rather than "old people" when referring to people beyond a certain age is an example of euphemism.

Question 80

Sarah needs to send out an email to all the clients of her firm.The content of the mail will remain the same; all that needs to be changed is the names and addresses of the recipients.Which of the following should Sarah use?

A)file merge
B)templates
C)style sheets
D)themes
E)mail merge