question

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.

answer

D) You will have your merchandise by July 15 if you send us your check for $25 today.

question

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?

answer

D) Once your application is complete, you should receive a response within two weeks.

question

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.

answer

D) using it will make your message sound overly authoritative or accusing.

question

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

B) it is important to recognize and accommodate cultural differences.

question

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.

answer

C) indicates respect for the audience and minimizes negative emotional reaction.

question

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

answer

C) more tact

question

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.

answer

A) it is important to look for positive points that will foster a good relationship with your audience.

question

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.

answer

B) We will complete the process audit by Friday.

question

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.

answer

A) focus on what the audience members can do to improve.

question

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.

answer

D) a milder term for one with negative connotations.

question

Which of the following is a euphemism? A) old B) used C) pre-owned D) cheap E) worn out

answer

C) pre-owned

question

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.

answer

B) is sometimes used to refer to a woman who heads a board of directors.

question

The preferred title for women in business is ________, unless the individual requests otherwise. A) Mrs. B) Miss C) Ms. D) Madam E) Mme.

answer

C) Ms.

question

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.

answer

A) an employee with physical handicaps.

question

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.

answer

C) disability bias.

question

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

C) show that you are confident and that you believe in yourself and in your message.

question

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

B) can be an effective strategy, as long as your audience views the person making the endorsement as an expert.

question

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.

answer

C) is less effective than pointing out specific qualities that warrant praise.

question

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.

answer

A) requires care, since it can take away from the writer's credibility.

question

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

answer

C) style

question

________ refers to the overall impression of your messages. A) Tone B) Climate C) Style D) Dialect E) Medium

answer

A) Tone

question

The best tone for most business messages is A) informal. B) very formal. C) conversational. D) passive. E) happy-go-lucky.

answer

C) conversational.

question

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.

answer

A) generally considered inappropriate and unprofessional in business.

question

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

answer

C) Please let us know

question

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.

answer

B) usually not effective for formal and intercultural messages.

question

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.

answer

B) designed to make information more understandable to the audience.

question

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.

answer

B) We need to cut the operating budget by 12 percent or profits will plummet.

question

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

answer

A) Active

question

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.

answer

C) want to make your writing more direct, livelier, and easier to read.

question

Using the passive voice is helpful 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.

answer

A) want to be diplomatic in pointing out a problem or error.

question

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.

answer

C) cause you to lose credibility with your audience.

question

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.

answer

C) all the associations and feelings the word evokes.

question

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

answer

D) productivity, quality, motivation

question

Software, database, and website are ________ words. A) abstract B) concrete C) active D) passive E) none of the above

answer

B) concrete

question

"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.

answer

C) a cliché.

question

"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

answer

C) complex sentence.

question

"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

answer

B) compound

question

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.

answer

A) Interest rates are low, and now is an excellent time to buy a home.

question

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.

answer

D) one main thought and one or more subordinate thoughts.

question

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.

answer

E) doing all of the above.

question

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.

answer

C) place it in the middle of the sentence

question

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.

answer

A) a topic sentence, support sentences, and transitional words and phrases.

question

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.

answer

E) is generally explicit (rather than implied) and is often the first sentence in the paragraph.

question

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.

answer

D) are useful for making transitions.

question

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

answer

C) Cause and effect

question

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

answer

D) Classification

question

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.

answer

D) style sheets.

question

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.

answer

B) a standard block of text used in multiple documents to ensure consistency and improve efficiency.

question

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

answer

B) themes

question

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

answer

C) Autocompletion

BCOM t2 ch. 5 – Flashcards

Unlock all answers in this set

Haven't found what you were looking for?

Search for samples, answers to your questions and flashcards