True/False Questions
1. Communication skills are a plus, but you can succeed as well with or without them as long as you are expert in your chosen business area. True False
2. The higher you go in an organization, the less important communication skills become. True False
3. A good rule is to write so that a person just like you can understand the message. True False
4. Adapting your writing means writing in the simplest language possible. True False
5. In adapting sentences to your readers, you should aim a little above their level of comprehension. True False
6. You should put one and only one piece of information in a sentence. True False
7. Building goodwill through messages is gratifying to business people personally, but it is difficult to justify as a profitable business practice. True False
8. The words you use in writing messages should come primarily from your speaking vocabulary. True False
9. There is one recommended writing process that all business writers should use. True False
10. Writers should always move from planning to drafting to revising, with no backtracking. True False
11. Message situations that are clearly good news appropriately are written in the indirect order. True False
12. The direct order is best for most messages concerning routine exchanges of information. True False
13. Negative news is usually received more positively when preceded by a convincing explanation. True False
14. It is logical to write bad news messages directly when the message will be received routinely. True False
15. The best organizational pattern for a persuasive message is to say what you want your readers to do right away and then use the rest of the message to support your point.
True False
16. Knowledge of your intended readers is especially important when you are trying to persuade. True False
17. Because internships may delay graduation, they should be avoided unless one has time to participate. True False
18. When hiring, companies do not necessarily look more favorably on applicants who have internship experience. True False
19. As defined in the text, a report is any casual, routine exchange of information in business. True False
20. According to the textbook definition, business reports are restricted to the formally prepared written papers used in the conduct of business. True False
21. Writers should select from one of a few well-defined standardized types when determining the physical makeup of a report. True False
22. The inclusion of prefatory parts in a report should be determined primarily by the formality of the situation and the length of the problem. True False
23. A report covering four major areas of information should have four graphics. True False
24. Any form of graphic is acceptable if it helps communicate the true story of the report.
True False
25. Because people do so much talking, they often overlook the need to improve their skills.
True False
26. Word choice is more important in writing than in speaking. True False
27. Formality in oral reports can range from routine and informal to highly formal. True False
28. Routine and informal oral presentations of factual information and its interpretation in business are forms of oral reports. True False
29. The bigger the company, the more important it is to understand cross cultural communication. True False
30. Because of globalization, communication with those from other cultures is a burden that one must make the best of. True False
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of the following is not a major trend in business in the 21st century? A. Increasingly hierarchical company structures B. Growing diversity of employees in the workplace C. Increased focus on corporate social responsibility
D. Need to stay abreast of changing information technologies E. Increasing globalization
2. In adapting writing to a group ranging from college graduates to those with a grade-school level of education, one should write for the : A. lowest level in the group. B. middle one-third. C. upper two-thirds.
D. upper one-third.
E. highest member of the group.
3. Your reader will comprehend sentences most easily that are written at a level that is
A. challenging to the reader. B. impressive to the reader.
C. appropriate to the technical expertise of the writer. D. above the reader.
E. a little below his or her reading level.
4. The best wording of five closing statements from a business message is: A. Hoping to hear from you, I remain . . . . B. Thanking you in advance . . . . C. I would appreciate your assistance. D. Appreciating your cooperation in this matter . . . . E. Appreciate your cooperation in this matter. . . .
5. It is usually more difficult to communicate successfully in writing than orally because
A. you do not have to plan oral messages. B. writing is a \C. it is harder to be indirect than direct.
D. writing requires a more difficult vocabulary.
E. written documents cannot be supplemented with visuals.
6. Why do most business messages use a direct organizational pattern? A. This pattern lends itself well to breaking bad news.
B. The direct pattern enables writers to locate the main point (objective) anywhere in the message and therefore offers more flexibility than an indirect plan. C. The direct plan lets readers see the main point immediately and presents information as quickly and efficiently as possible. D. The direct plan allows the writer to create general messages and not adapt them to any specific audience. E. all of the above
7. Select the best of these sentences in the negative news part of a message refusing to accept the return of a product.
A. State law prohibits us from returning any product with a broken seal back into our stock. B. Since you have broken the seal, state law prohibits us from returning the product to stock.
C. You made the mistake of breaking the product's seal, which prohibits us from returning the product to stock.
D. If you had not broken the seal, we could have returned the product to stock.
E. We can understand why you broke the seal, but now we can't return the product to stock.
8. \
A. helps readers consider the pros and cons of a product or idea. B. helps readers see how they'll benefit from a product or idea. C. describes all the technical features of a product. D. should only be used for external messages.
E. should be used only by advertising professionals.
9. Which of the following is not suggested as a source for developing a network of contacts for use in the search for a job? A. Student organizations B. Trade directories C. Business executives D. Internships E. Professors
10. Mark the problem statement that is not worded in one of the three basic forms discussed.
A. To determine why productivity is declining in Department X. B. Why is productivity declining in Department X? C. The decline of productivity in Department X. D. To determine the causes of the decline of productivity in Department X.
E. Productivity is declining in Department X and management wants to know why.
11. Select the answer that indicates the factors that most determine the makeup of a report (that is, whether it will be long or short, have a letter of transmittal, etc.). A. Formality and cost B. Writing style and topic C. Formality and length D. Length and style
E. Number of readers and formality
12. So far in your business report you have used two line charts, one pie chart, and one map. For your next illustration, you should include A. another map. B. another pie chart.
C. a component bar chart. D. a table.
E. whatever best presents the data, regardless of what other graphics have been used.
13. If one of the following is not an element of good talking, mark it. If all are elements, select E. A. Adaptation B. Voice quality C. Talking style
D. Word choice/vocabulary
E. All are elements of good talking.
14. Which of the following situations would be least appropriate for an oral report? A. Corporate offices wish to explain a controversial issue to stockholders.
B. Corporate officers wish to explain the details of a complex issue to stockholders. C. Company encourages a less formal style of communication. D. The sales staff wishes to demonstrate a new sales campaign.
E. The company wishes to give an overview of company operations to invited guests from the community.