Business Communication Exam

QUESTION 1

1. Briefly explain the relevance of feelings in business communication.

5 points   

QUESTION 2

1. In which of the following situations is it ethically correct to deemphasize negative information?

		When the reader must correct a dangerous or harmful practice
		When communicating an increase in price to the customers
		When the reader requires the information to make decisions
		When the information is trivial or inconsequential
		None of the above

5 points   

QUESTION 3

1. In which of the following situations is it not acceptable to omit negative information?

		When the reader has already been given the information
		When the reader needs the information to make a decision
		When the information is not likely to affect the reader’s decision
		When the reader has access to the previous communication and is aware of the negative information
		Both A and D

5 points   

QUESTION 4

1. Peter Hopkins, the marketing manager at Orion Inc., is delivering a presentation to a prospective client this Monday. His presentation contains numerous slides with tables and charts based on data collected from extensive consumer research. Because Peter does not intend to overwhelm the client with extensive data, he is planning to put some details in an appendix for the client to read at a later time. This strategy is most likely to:

		signal weak work ethic.
		build goodwill.
		signal a lack of you-attitude.
		Only A and C are correct.
		None of the above.

5 points   

QUESTION 5

1. Generally, requests sound friendliest when they use conversational language.

True

False

5 points   

QUESTION 6

1. To create goodwill with content, one must:

		provide complete information.
		anticipate and answer questions the reader is likely to have.
		show why information included in a message is important despite the reader not asking for it.
		show readers how the subject of a message affects them.
		All of the above are ways to create goodwill with content.

5 points   

Business Communication Exam- QUESTION 7

1. The word “we” works well:

		when the writer chooses to be presumptuous about the reader’s emotions or feelings.
		when it includes the reader.
		when the writer is keen on expressing his/her personal feelings in business letters.
		when the reader has to be notified about the denial of a nominal but expected benefit.
		None of the above.

5 points   

QUESTION 8

1. If you have bad news for the reader, it is best to put it before your explanation.

True

False

5 points   

QUESTION 9

1. No explicit apology is necessary when:

		the error is small.
		you are correcting the mistake.
		you are not at fault.
		the problem is due to circumstances beyond your control.
		All of the above.

5 points   

QUESTION 10

1. Resolving conflicts does not require empathy.

True

False

5 points   

QUESTION 11

1. Creating goodwill with content involves anticipating and answering questions that a reader is likely to have.

True

False

5 points   

Business Communication Exam-QUESTION 12

1. All messages should use you-attitude, but the words to achieve it will change depending on the situation.

True

False

5 points   

QUESTION 13

1. A popular American radio station announced a contest in which one lucky winner would win an all-expenses-paid trip to Paris. To participate, listeners must tune in from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. every day and complete a quiz on the radio station’s Web site within 1 p.m. on the same day. The person who answered most of the questions correctly at the end of a month was to be declared the winner. However, a month later, the winner of the contest found out that the trip is to Paris, Texas, and not to Paris, France. Which of the following is the most fitting evaluation of this situation?

		This is an example of using positive emphasis ethically since the winner was promised a trip to Paris which is a substantial benefit.
		This is an example of using positive emphasis ethically since the radio station fairly evaluated all the listeners who participated in the contest and declared a winner as promised.
		This is an example of using positive emphasis unethically because the winner might not have participated if she had known the true nature of the contest and the prize.
		This an example of using positive emphasis unethically because the radio station had failed to provide full disclosure of all the details pertaining to the contest and the prize.
		Both C and D are correct.

5 points   

QUESTION 14

1. It isn’t ethical to omit information that people need to make decisions.

True

False

5 points   

QUESTION 15

1. _____ refers to putting yourself “in the other person’s shoes.”

		Sympathizing
		Empathizing
		Creativity
		Accountability
		Observing

5 points   

QUESTION 16

1. In a job application letter, you-attitude can be created by showing how you can help meet the reader’s needs.

True

False

5 points   

QUESTION 17

1. Brad, a sales manager at Cray Inc., notices that one of his subordinates, Sara, has forgotten to sign her vacation request. He sends out an e-mail informing all employees of the appropriate procedure, pointing out Sara’s mistake as an example. This strategy reflects:

		appropriate you-attitude because Brad openly reprimands his subordinate for her mistake.
		appropriate you-attitude since it allows others to learn from a co-worker’s mistakes.
		poor you-attitude because e-mail is considered to be an inappropriate channel for communicating organizational policies.
		poor you-attitude because Brad’s message does not protect the reader’s ego.
		None of the above.

5 points   

QUESTION 18

1. The best way to organize information in business messages is to arrange information according to your needs, not your reader’s.

True

False

5 points   

Business Communication Exam-QUESTION 19

1. When a letter or memo runs several pages, the bottom of the first page is considered to be a position of emphasis.

True

False

5 points   

QUESTION 20

1. In a business message, phrases such as, “I hope” and “I trust that” most likely suggest that:

		the writer is not sure.
		the writer is confident.
		the information provided by the writer is credible.
		the writer lacks empathy.
		None of the above.

 

QUESTION 1

1. In order to inform and entice students to visit your restaurant after college hours, which of the following benefits should you ideally highlight in the reader benefit?

		The availability of corporate meeting space
		The availability of quick lunch
		The availability of child-size portions
		The availability of affordable and economical food
		None of the above

5 points   

QUESTION 2

1. The first step in identifying reader benefits through brainstorming is:

		to list the intrinsic benefits of your products.
		to think of feelings, fears, and needs that may motivate a reader and then identify features of your product or policy that meet those needs.
		to identify the features of a product or policy and then think how these features could benefit the audience.
		to think how features of a product or policy could modify the audience’s behavior.
		to design different features for different subgroups in the audience.

5 points   

QUESTION 3

1. If a clothing manufacturer wants to persuade dealers to carry its products, which of the following features must it typically highlight in the reader benefit?

		Availability of a broad range of product variants
		Stylish colors and sleek lines
		A high percent turnover for the product
		A national advertising campaign to build customer awareness
		Both C and D

5 points   

QUESTION 4

1. Reader benefits that are phrased in you-attitude:

		are ineffective as they sound selfish.
		are effective in getting responses.
		are best avoided in persuasive messages.
		are commonly found in negative messages.
		Both A and C.

5 points   

Business Communication Exam-QUESTION 5

1. Reader benefits are benefits or advantages that a reader gets by:

		using the services of a business.
		buying the products of a business.
		following the policies of an organization.
		adopting the ideas of an organization.
		all of the above.

5 points   

QUESTION 6

1. A product or idea can often meet needs on several levels.

True

False

5 points   

QUESTION 7

1. Negative messages do not use reader benefits.

True

False

5 points   

QUESTION 8

1. Having a good corporate reputation and gaining authority are organizational motivations for safety needs.

True

False

5 points   

QUESTION 9

1. Getting praise and a good performance appraisal are examples of intrinsic rewards.

True

False

5 points   

QUESTION 10

1. Good reader benefits are primarily based on extrinsic advantages.

True

False

5 points   

QUESTION 11

1. In which of the following situations are reader benefits most likely to need more detail and evidence?

		When the reader may not have thought of the benefit before
		When the benefit depends on the difference between the long run and the short run
		When the reader is hard to persuade
		When the benefit is more indirect
		All of the above

5 points   

QUESTION 12

1. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, a person is most likely to be motivated to use his/her talents and abilities to the fullest and be the best he/she can be when he/she wants to fulfill _____ needs.

		safety and security
		love and belonging
		physical
		self-actualization
		None of the above

5 points   

QUESTION 13

1. Extrinsic rewards or benefits are better than intrinsic benefits.

True

False

5 points   

QUESTION 14

1. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, all of us go back and forth between higher and lower-level needs.

True

False

5 points   

QUESTION 15

1. A person communicating with different audiences often needs to emphasize multiple benefits.

True

False

5 points   

QUESTION 16

1. Which of the following is most likely to be an intrinsic reward for a salesperson?

		Getting a high commission
		Getting the basic salary
		Being praised by a superior
		Getting a good performance appraisal
		Deriving satisfaction from independent decision making

5 points   

QUESTION 17

1. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, _____ needs are the most basic.

		physical
		esteem
		safety and security
		sense of belonging
		self-fulfillment

5 points   

QUESTION 18

1. Which of the following features should a restaurant’s reader benefit ideally highlight in order to persuade people working outside the home?

		Variety both in food and in decor
		Availability of low-sodium and low-calorie dishes
		Availability of child-size portions
		Availability of gourmet food
		Availability of quick lunch

5 points   

QUESTION 19

1. Which of the following is most likely to be considered as an intrinsic reward to a manager?

		Providing challenging work
		Empowering employees
		Paying a higher salary than competitors
		Giving monetary rewards to employees
		Both A and B

5 points   

QUESTION 20

1. All of the following statements about psychological description are true, except:

		it can be used to develop vivid, specific reader benefits.
		it helps describe the problem a product will solve.
		it works best early in the message to catch readers’ attention.
		it avoids the use of subjunctive verbs.
		it puts the reader in a picture by creating a scenario rich with sense impressions.

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