COM/285 Business Communication Final Exam

|1) Which of the following is NOT a gatekeeper? |
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|A. An account executive who approves a marketing plan before it is submitted to the client. |
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|B. A program director at the National Science Foundation who screens all grant applications to ensure conformity to the application criteria|
|before forwarding them to the review board. |
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|C. A receptionist for a small business who opens the mail and then date-time stamps each piece before passing it on to its owner. |
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|D. The HR director of a large university who screens all internal applicants for eligibility before sending applications to the interviewers|
|for a specific position. |
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|2) Tara Houser e-mails a colleague Dan Brothers to suggest that he be the lead writer in preparing a comprehensive business plan for the |
|company. The task will be rather time-consuming. Tara tells Dan that “the president will certainly be impressed with whoever heads up this |
|project”, which is persuasive because |
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|A. the president will be able to use the document to communicate expansion plans to stockholders. |
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|B. Dan will gain key leadership experience that will work in his favor when he applies for his promotion. |
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|C. the company will be able to secure additional financing once it has a business plan. |
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|D. Dan can help out his colleague so she does not have to take on this additional responsibility herself. |
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|3) Susan Rojas is applying for a position in the marketing department of a local corporation. Although Greg Ellis is the director of this |
|department, she has been instructed to send her resume and other documents to Jeff Cohen, manager of the human resources department. Jeff |
|screens all applications before sending those of qualified candidates on to appropriate department heads. Jeff is: |
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|A. the primary audience |
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|B. a gatekeeper |
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|C. an auxiliary audience |
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|D. a watchdog |
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|4) A written message is preferable to an oral one for all of the following EXCEPT |
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|A. presenting extensive or complex financial data. |
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|B. discussing many specific details of a law, policy, or procedure. |
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|C. getting an immediate response. |
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|D. minimizing undesirable emotions. |
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|5) You are a technical writer in a large company who is working on a training manual to help new users learn the company's computer system. |
|Employees will use your manual in training seminars taught by your company's trainers. The manual will also serve as an on-the-job reference|
|later. Both of the system analysts who designed the computer system and the trainers will comment on your draft. The trainers would be |
|classified as what kind of audience for your manual? |
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|A. Watchdog |
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|B. Gatekeeper |
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|C. Secondary |
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|D. Primary |
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|6) If a document will be a detailed guide or if it contains instructions, you must do all of the following EXCEPT |
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|A. check to be sure that all steps are in chronological order. |
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|B. number steps or provide check-off boxes so that readers can easily see which steps they have completed. |
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|C. present all the details in lengthy paragraphs so that the readers get all the information they need. |
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|D. group steps into five to seven sub-processes if there are many individual steps. |
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|7) Good writing costs companies money, and those costs increase significantly if the communication is ineffective. Which of the following |
|pairs would NOT be two additional costs to the company if written communication is poor? |
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|A. Paper and wasted time |
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|B. Postage and legal problems |
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|C. Lost goodwill and document cycling |
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|D. Computers and software |
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|8) Which of the following is NOT a communication strategy that should be used to improve customer satisfaction? |
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|A. Listening closely to customer feedback, both verbal and nonverbal |
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|B. Group problem solving to take advantage of various perspectives |
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|C. Brainstorming more efficient and effective ways to do things |
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|D. Withholding good ideas from others in the company to avoid security leaks |
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|9) For which of the following business messages would it be appropriate to approach the subject indirectly by leading up to the main point |
|rather than presenting it first? |
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|A. You are e-mailing a copy of a sales report to a colleague who had asked for it. |
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|B. You are letting your staff know that there will be significant downsizing in your department in the upcoming year. |
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|C. You are complying with an information request sent to you by the county business license department. |
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|D. You are asking a subordinate to complete an entry that he had overlooked on his expense report. |
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|10) Which one of the following is NOT an internal audience of an organization? |
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|A. Subordinates |
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|B. Stockholders |
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|C. Peers |
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|D. Superiors |
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|11) Which of the following groups would be considered an internal audience for a company? |
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|A. Managers in the company’s Human Resources Department |
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|B. Three large customers that represent 85% of the company’s annual sales |
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|C. State and local agencies that conduct annual health and safety inspections at the company |
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|D. Stockholders who have invested in the company |
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|12) Which of the following is NOT an appropriate practice when analyzing the audience prior to delivering a message? |
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|A. Focus on all of the characteristics of the audience, whether or not they pertain to the message. |
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|B. Learn about the cultural and demographic backgrounds of the audience members. |
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|C. Consider whether there are subgroups in the audience. |
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|D. Determine how much the audience already knows about the topic. |
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|13) Your roommate is always complaining about how much work she has to do and how far behind she is. This is really starting to bother you. |
|You secretly think that things would be a lot better for her if she spent more time studying and less time complaining. Which of the |
|following would be the BEST response when she next tells you how much work she has to do? |
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|A. "You think that's bad; you should see all that I have to do." |
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|B. "I'm really tired of hearing you complain all the time." |
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|C. "You feel overwhelmed right now, don't you?" |
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|D. "It sounds like you have trouble managing your time." |
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|14) Which of the following statements does NOT show evidence of active listening in response to a co-worker who says “Dave has to be kidding|
|if he thinks we can finish this project by Friday.”? |
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|A. “Our next project is going to involve working collaboratively with the marketing department.” |
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|B. “It seems that you need a bit more time to really do a good job on this project.” |
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|C. “Is there anything I could do to help?” |
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|D. “It sounds like your department has been overwhelmed with all you have been asked to do.” |
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|15) Your subordinates tell you that a project will not be completed on time because they are behind schedule. Which of the following is the |
|best response? |
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|A. "You should have told me sooner." |
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|B. "If it isn't on my desk by Friday, I'll fire every one of you." |
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|C. "Could you finish it if you had some more help?" |
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|D. "What's wrong with you people? Don't you know what a deadline is?" |
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|16) It can be helpful for managers working overseas to have a basic understanding of the religion observed by workers in that company |
|because: |
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|A. then the manager knows when to buy gifts for his or her employees. |
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|B. an ordinary business day in the United States may be a holiday in another country. |
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|C. most international companies insist that managers adopt all the customs of the host country. |
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|D. a superior should always seem knowledgeable to his or her employees. |
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|17) Successful intercultural communicators are all of the following EXCEPT |
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|A. sensitive to nonverbal behavior that communicates at least as much as words say. |
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|B. flexible and open to change. |
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|C. aware of the values, beliefs, and practices in other cultures. |
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|D. confident that their ways are right and willing to help change the behaviors of others. |
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|18) Business communication practices in the United States place importance on the written word, and this indicates that our culture: |
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|A. has low-context preferences. |
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|B. has high-context preferences. |
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|C. is monochronic. |
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|D. is polychronic. |
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|19) The informational dimension of group interaction looks at: |
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|A. who will do what. |
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|B. the problem, data, and possible solutions. |
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|C. establishing group loyalty. |
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|D. promoting friendliness. |
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|20) Positive roles and actions of individuals that help the group build loyalty, resolve conflicts,and function smoothly include: |
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|A. demonstrating openness and acceptance. |
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|B. taking every opportunity to be the first to speak and insisting on personally responding to everyone else’s comments. |
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|C. comparing group processes and products to standards and goals. |
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|D. asking questions and identifying gaps in the group’s knowledge. |
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|21) The success of which phase determines how well the group’s decision will be implemented? |
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|A. Aggregation |
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|B. Formalization |
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|C. Coordination |
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|D. Formation |
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|22) Which of the following sentences that begin a letter is appropriate for contemporary business communication? |
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|A. “Enclosed please find the application forms you requested.” |
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|B. “Pursuant to you request, we are forwarding you the application forms you requested.” |
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|C. “Your application forms have been enclosed herewith.” |
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|D. “Here are the application forms you requested.” |
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|23) When would using technical jargon related to the computer industry NOT be appropriate? |
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|A. In a basic word processing training class |
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|B. When brainstorming ideas with colleagues who understand the terminology |
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|C. At a departmental meeting of software programmers |
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|D. In a job application letter to a computer manufacturing company |
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|24) Which of the following will help make your business writing easy to read? |
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|A. business jargon |
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|B. consistent sentence length for all sentences |
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|C. parallel structure |
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|D. wordiness |
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|25) Which of the following would be considered a planning activity when writing a report? |
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|A. Checking for typographical errors |
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|B. Evaluating your work |
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|C. Getting feedback from someone else who has read the report |
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|D. Making an outline |
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|26) Lauren has confirmed flight information, printed directions from the Internet, and spoken with the Human Resources Department to clarify|
|specific details. She will include this information in a letter to a job candidate she is inviting for an interview. What part of the |
|writing process does this activity represent? |
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|A. Writing |
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|B. Editing |
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|C. Gathering |
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|D. Revising |
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|27) Which of the following would be an example of editing a written document? |
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|A. Substituting more current information for facts that are somewhat dated |
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|B. Reversing the order of two of the sections so that the document flows better |
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|C. Deleting an entire section that seems redundant |
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|D. Correcting grammar and spelling errors |
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|28) Which is a sound recommendation for creating a professional business document? |
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|A. Use color to highlight small points that would otherwise go unnoticed. |
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|B. Analyze your audience before making color choices since connotations of colors can vary. |
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|C. Use as many highlighting and decorative devises as possible to make the document look busy. |
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|D. Avoid using any highlighting, decorative devices, or color in business documents since they make documents hard to read. |
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|29) Which sentence is written in a style that would make it difficult to read? |
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|A. EMPLOYEES MAY NOT PARK IN THE SOUTH STREET LOT. |
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|B. The South Street parking lot is closed due to construction. |
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|C. You may park in the South Street lot AFTER 5:00 p.m. |
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|D. NO parking in the South Street lot until construction is complete. |
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|30) Which of the following would NOT be considered a violation of a convention? |
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|A. A business letter is hand written. |
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|B. Clipart is included throughout a loan contract. |
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|C. A resume is presented in an electronic format. |
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|D. An attorney’s business card is printed in red font on a yellow background. |
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|31) Is the following sentence an appropriate ending for a credit rejection? "If we can assist you in the future, please contact us." |
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|A. Yes, because it ends on a positive note |
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|B. No, because it is too wordy |
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|C. Yes, because it offers an alternative |
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|D. No, because offering to help a reader whom you have just rejected is clearly insincere |
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|32) Is "I am sure that you will agree with our decision" appropriate in a letter to a client in which you refuse a request? |
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|A. No, because you should not assume that you know how the reader feels |
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|B. Yes, as long as you had no choice about the decision you made |
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|C. Yes, because it will prevent psychological reactance |
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|D. No, because the client will then feel silly for having made the request |
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|33) Which of the following would be the BEST way to refuse a customer's request? |
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|A. "You claim that your washing machine is under warranty, but our records show that it expired last month." |
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|B. "Though your warranty expired in June, as a Dave's Club Card customer you are eligible for a 10% discount on all repairs." |
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|C. "If it were up to me I'd repair your washing machine free since your warranty expired just last month, but my boss won't allow it." |
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|D. "Please understand that it is impossible for us to do free repairs for all customers." |
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|34) In a bad-news memo to subordinates, you should open with: |
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|A. an alternative. |
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|B. a buffer. |
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|C. a clear statement of the problem. |
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|D. a request that the employees form teams to find a solution. |
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|35) Which of the followings sentences would NOT be considered a buffer at the beginning of a bad-news letter to a new customer who will |
|ultimately be denied a line of credit? |
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|A. “Congratulations on opening your new business!” |
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|B. “Thank you for your order. We are glad to have you as a customer.” |
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|C. “Until your credit application has been approved, you will need to prepay for your orders before they ship.” |
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|D. “We understand how important it is for a new business like yours to acquire all the supplies and inventory it takes to get up and |
|running.” |
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|36) Which of the following is a negative subject line? |
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|A. “Results of Customer Service Survey” |
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|B. “Improving On-Time Performance” |
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|C. “Reduction of Travel Benefits” |
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|D. “Change in Personal Leave Policy” |
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|37) Which of the following should NOT be included in a bad-news memo to your superior? |
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|A. A request for approval for the solution you want to implement |
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|B. A buffer in the opening paragraph |
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|C. The underlying factors that led to this specific problem |
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|D. The advantages and disadvantages of all the options if one is not clearly the best |
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|38) Which is an appropriate way for a subordinate to begin a message to her supervisor letting him know that the company has been fined due |
|to safety violations in their department? |
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|A. “I think we ought to start taking measures to make our department safer.” |
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|B. “Our department has come so far this past year and there are only a few things left that we need to work on.” |
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|C. “Something horrible has happened!” |
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|D. “We received notice today that we are being fined $1,500 for being out of compliance with safety standards.” |
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|39) Which of the following is NOT a purpose in a negative message? |
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|A. To make the reader accept personal responsibility for his or her faults |
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|B. To reduce or eliminate future correspondence on the same subject |
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|C. To build a good image of the writer |
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|D. To build a good image of the writer's organization |
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|40) A presentation designed to entertain and validate the audience is a(n): |
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|A. goodwill presentation |
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|B. informative presentation |
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|C. oral presentation |
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|D. persuasive presentation |
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|41) Which of the following purposes of an oral presentation is specific in its purpose? |
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|A. “This presentation will explain the budgeting process since it is so important to the success of the company.” |
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|B. “This presentation will show that some departments are not managing their budgets properly.” |
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|C. “This presentation will explain how to forecast materials needs, estimate costs, and prepare a comprehensive cost budget.” |
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|D. “This presentation will cover budget issues.” |
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|42) An oral message is preferable to a written one when one of the goals is to: |
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|A. report many specific details of a law, policy, or procedure. |
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|B. present extensive or complex financial data. |
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|C. get immediate action or response. |
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|D. minimize undesirable emotions. |
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|43) You are writing a report that explains the current duties of each person in your department. The most appropriate organizational pattern|
|would be: |
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|A. chronological. |
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|B. functional. |
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|C. geographic or spatial. |
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|D. pro and con. |
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|44) If after completing your research you cannot prove the claim you originally hoped to make, which of the following is NOT an acceptable |
|way to deal with the results? |
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|A. Don't mention the negative data in the report. |
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|B. In the final report identify changes that might yield a different result. |
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|C. Remember that negative results are not always disappointing to the reader. |
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|D. Summarize your negative findings in progress reports to let readers down gradually. |
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|45) In a comparison-contrast report, it is best to: |
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|A. focus on criteria when the reader will intuitively grasp the alternative as a whole rather than the sum of its parts. |
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|B. focus on alternatives when the superiority of one alternative over another depends largely upon which criteria are most important to the |
|reader. |
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|C. focus on alternatives when the criteria are easy to separate. |
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|D. focus on alternatives when one alternative is clearly much better than the others. |
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