Chapter 1
Peter must inform his employees that his company will need to let go of employees. Which word would be best for Peter to use when conveying this idea to his employees?
Select one:
a.
Streamlining
b.
Layoff
c.
Rightsizing
d.
Paradigm shift
b. Layoff
A communication channel
Select one:
a.
is anything that interrupts the transmission of a message.
b.
should be selected before idea formation.
c.
includes only digital means for transmitting messages.
d.
is the medium over which the message travels.
d. is the medium over which the message travels
A supporting sentence
Select one:
a.
is usually the first sentence of a paragraph.
b.
must relate to the topic sentence.
c.
reveals the main idea of a paragraph.
d.
is usually the last sentence of a paragraph.
b. must relate to the topic sentence.
Concise writing
Select one:
a.
is easier to read and comprehend.
b.
should be used only in informal business documents such as e-mail messages.
c.
is necessary for only formal business documents such as a proposal to a customer.
d.
should be avoided because it can come across as being abrupt and rude.
a.
is easier to read and comprehend.
Experts say that writers should spend the most time in the ____ stage of the writing process.
Select one:
a.
drafting
b.
thinking
c.
prewriting
d.
revising
d. revising
Every country has a unique culture or common heritage that
Select one:
a.
is created by a structured educational system.
b.
teaches its members how to behave and conditions their reactions.
c.
comes from an orderly system of government and laws.
d.
results from a common gene pool.
b.
teaches its members how to behave and conditions their reactions.
Business writing should be purposeful. In this context purposeful can best be defined as
Select one:
a.
solving problems and conveying information.
b.
presenting ideas clearly and concisely.
c.
concentrating on the receiver's perspective instead of your own.
d.
getting your audience to believe and accept your message.
a. solving problems and conveying information.
Quality Building Materials Inc. has developed a new whole-house weather blanket and needs to determine the price point at which builders would switch to this new product. The best research method for this is a(n)
Select one:
a.
scientific experiment that presents price choices with controlled variables.
b.
interview with a local builder.
c.
Internet search of insulation values for weather blankets.
d.
manual search of other companies' price lists.
a.
scientific experiment that presents price choices with controlled variables.
Dylan is designing his document to enhance readability and comprehension. What is the bestadvice you can give Dylan?
Select one:
a.
Use multiple typefaces within the document.
b.
Use ALL CAPS anywhere in a document to emphasize key points.
c.
Create white space by using headings, bulleted or numbered lists, short paragraphs, and effective margins.
d.
Justify the left and right margins so they are both even.
c.
Create white space by using headings, bulleted or numbered lists, short paragraphs, and effective margins.
How many ideas should be developed in a paragraph?
Select one:
a.
One
b.
Three to five
c.
As many as needed to convey effective meaning
d.
Two
a. One
Many of us are poor listeners because
Select one:
a.
the brain can process information at least three times as fast as people talk.
b.
we tend to "tune out" speakers whose ideas run counter to our own.
c.
we would rather talk than listen.
d.
All answer choices are correct.
d. All answer choices are correct.
During the second phase of the writing process, you conduct research,
Select one:
a.
anticipate audience reaction, and adapt the message.
b.
clarify the audience demographics, and edit word choices.
c.
organize ideas, and compose the message.
d.
evaluate message effectiveness, and revise as needed.
c.
organize ideas, and compose the message.
The direct strategy would be most appropriate when
Select one:
a.
expecting the audience to be pleased, mildly interested, or neutral.
b.
presenting ideas requiring persuasion.
c.
revealing sensitive news.
d.
delivering bad news.
a.
expecting the audience to be pleased, mildly interested, or neutral.
Monica lost a promotion due to poor writing skills. Which phase of the writing process should she most focus on to demonstrate better writing skills?
Select one:
a.
Improving content and research
b.
Revising and proofreading
c.
Formatting and documenting
d.
Identifying her purpose and her audience
b.
Revising and proofreading
____________________, which occurs during the third phase of the writing process, means improving the content and sentence structure of your message. It may include adding, cutting, recasting, reformatting, and redesigning what you have written.
Editing
Major trends in today's dynamic world of work include increased emphasis on self-directed work groups and virtual teams, heightened global competition, innovative communication technologies, new work environments, and focus on
Select one:
a.
creating an entirely online presence.
b.
promoting from within.
c.
increasing levels of management.
d.
business ethics.
d. Business Ethics
Human Resources Manager Claire Siu must inform Anthony that company job changes will require him to seek retraining or lose his position. The best channel for Ms. Siu to deliver this message is
Select one:
a.
a voice mail message.
b.
an instant message.
c.
an e-mail message.
d.
a face-to-face conversation.
d. face-to-face conversation
Which of the following is a formal research method?
Select one:
a.
Looking in company files
b.
Talking with your boss
c.
Investigating primary sources
d.
Brainstorming
c.
Investigating primary sources
Which of the following about writing and revising business documents is most accurate?
Select one:
a.
The real work of revision should happen in the writing stage as you select words and form sentences.
b.
Revision is not necessary for informal documents such as internal memos or e-mail messages.
c.
Experts say only amateurs expect writing perfection on the first try.
d.
Rarely is the first version satisfactory, but usually the second version is excellent.
c.
Experts say only amateurs expect writing perfection on the first try.
_________________, which appear most often in reports, are an effective tool for highlighting information and improving readability because they encourage the writer to group similar material together and help readers separate major ideas from details.
Headings
According to research, what percentage of our work time is spent listening?
Select one:
a.
90 percent
b.
10 percent
c.
50 percent
d.
25 percent
c.
50 percent
The first phase of the writing process involves analyzing the audience and your purpose for writing, anticipating your audience's reaction to your message, and
Select one:
a.
composing your message.
b.
investigating background information.
c.
adapting your message to the audience.
d.
looking for previous company documents on the topic.
c.
adapting your message to the audience.
When you expect a reader of your message to be uninterested, unwilling, displeased, or hostile, you should
Select one:
a.
send the message via e-mail, text message, or IM.
b.
begin with the main idea.
c.
put the bad news first.
d.
explain all background information first.
d. explain all background information first.
Which sentence avoids redundant expressions?
Select one:
a.
Let's not repeat our competitor's mistakes.
b.
Please refer back to the June financial statements.
c.
I want to thank each and every stockholder.
d.
It is absolutely essential that our accounting records are accurate.
a.
Let's not repeat our competitor's mistakes.
There are three building sites we are considering. This use of There are is an example of a(n)____________
filler