BUSN 7th Edition by Marcella Kelly - Test Bank

BUSN 7th Edition by Marcella Kelly – Test Bank

Instant Download – Complete Test Bank With Answers

Sample Questions Are Posted Below

1. Communication must be dynamic and two-way. In order to keep the audience awake, most experts agree that the
key is to keep the presentation room quite cold. This ensures the audience stays awake.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Excellent Communication Skills: Your Invisible Advantage
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
2. In business communications, noise can come from cultural factors, such as how you greet colleagues, as well as
physical factors, such as someone in the audience talking loudly during a presentation.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Excellent Communication Skills: Your Invisible Advantage
B-Head: Communication Barriers: “That’s Not What I Meant!”
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Knowledge
3. Great business communication equates to a knack for speaking or a flair for writing.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Excellent Communication Skills: Your Invisible Advantage
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: KnowledgePowered by Cognero Page 1Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
4. Effective communication is transmitting relevant information to an audience.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Excellent Communication Skills: Your Invisible Advantage
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
5. Effective communication is more about style (how the message is delivered) than it is about substance (the
relevance of the message).
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Excellent Communication Skills: Your Invisible Advantage
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
6. Successful business communication requires only two skills: the ability to write convincingly and to speak clearly.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Excellent Communication Skills: Your Invisible Advantage
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
7. Effective communication within an organization is one of the most challenging tasks for managers.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Excellent Communication Skills: Your Invisible Advantage
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: ComprehensionPowered by Cognero Page 2Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
8. Managers use business communication to disseminate information to their employees, stakeholders, and
competitors.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Excellent Communication Skills: Your Invisible Advantage
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Knowledge
9. Robin attended a business conference where the keynote speaker provided a very entertaining presentation. She
found several of the speaker’s jokes funny and some of the points he made interesting, but felt unsure of the
speaker’s main point and how it related to her. As far as Robin was concerned, the speaker was not an effective
communicator.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Excellent Communication Skills: Your Invisible Advantage
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Application
10. Anne McNair is planning to take a course in business communications. Her studies are likely to involve two-way
exercises that encompass the ability to be a good listener as well as a good speaker and writer.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Excellent Communication Skills: Your Invisible Advantage
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: ApplicationPowered by Cognero Page 3Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
11. When American businesses expand internationally, cultural barriers pose challenges in new markets.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Excellent Communication Skills: Your Invisible Advantage
B-Head: Communication Barriers: “That’s Not What I Meant!”
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Knowledge
12. Barriers to communication can’t be eliminated, so the best approach is to ignore them and repeat your message
several times in order to “break through” these barriers.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Excellent Communication Skills: Your Invisible Advantage
B-Head: Communication Barriers: “That’s Not What I Meant!”
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
13. Noise is any interference that causes the message you send to be different from the message your audience
understands.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Excellent Communication Skills: Your Invisible Advantage
B-Head: Communication Barriers: “That’s Not What I Meant!”
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: KnowledgePowered by Cognero Page 4Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
14. Reflecting a long-standing tradition, top managers at Tallyson Corporation prefer to communicate by sending
memos and email messages instead of meeting directly. This practice is likely to create an organizational
communication barrier within the company.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Excellent Communication Skills: Your Invisible Advantage
B-Head: Communication Barriers: “That’s Not What I Meant!”
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
15. Globalization of markets will make intercultural communication more important to long-term business.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Excellent Communication Skills: Your Invisible Advantage
B-Head: Communication Barriers: “That’s Not What I Meant!”
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
16. In today’s increasingly complex world technical knowledge is more important than communication skills.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Excellent Communication Skills: Your Invisible Advantage
B-Head: Communication Barriers: “That’s Not What I Meant!”
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: ComprehensionPowered by Cognero Page 5Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
17. In global communication, the successful communicator assesses the audience’s comfort level with the English
language.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Excellent Communication Skills: Your Invisible Advantage
B-Head: Communication Barriers: “That’s Not What I Meant!”
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Knowledge
18. A manager is an effective speaker when he or she can articulate a message using dialect and jargon, because these
nuances usually enrich the message.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Excellent Communication Skills: Your Invisible Advantage
B-Head: Communication Barriers: “That’s Not What I Meant!”
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Knowledge
19. The goal of nonverbal communication should be to reinforce the meaning of your message.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Nonverbal Communication: Beyond the Words
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: KnowledgePowered by Cognero Page 6Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
20. A study cited in The Wall Street Journal has suggested that while nonverbal communication is important, it is
verbal communication that conveys the most meaning to the listener.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Nonverbal Communication: Beyond the Words
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
21. In face-to-face conversations, the verbal content of a message conveys much more meaning to the listener than
tone of voice and facial expression.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Nonverbal Communication: Beyond the Words
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
22. Body language and tone of voice have little impact on the audience’s understanding of the information being
communicated.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Nonverbal Communication: Beyond the Words
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: ComprehensionPowered by Cognero Page 7Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
23. Keiko is from Japan and has traveled to the United States for a business meeting. The one way for Keiko to
convey trust and respectful attention to her business colleagues would be to sustain eye contact.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Nonverbal Communication: Beyond the Words
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Application
24. Shannon is delivering a presentation in front of the senior management tomorrow. He decides to practice in front of
a mirror prior to the meeting. This should be an effective strategy for strengthening his communication skills.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Moderate
REFERENCES: Page 70
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Nonverbal Communication: Beyond the Words
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Application
25. Danica is the creative director for a children’s television program. Although she works in media communications,
she is not comfortable with her own presentation skills. One way Danica could improve her skills would be to
videotape her presentations and have a friend go through the videos with her.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Nonverbal Communication: Beyond the Words
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: ApplicationPowered by Cognero Page 8Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
26. Jackie is a high-end fashion designer and often speaks to up-and-coming fashion designers from the local art
school. She smiles a lot, nods her head, and frequently uses hand gestures. These are examples of nonverbal
communication.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Nonverbal Communication: Beyond the Words
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Application
27. Active listening is not an important skill needed by salespeople since their job is to convince others to buy, not to
listen, to their problems.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Nonverbal Communication: Beyond the Words
B-Head: Active Listening: The Great Divider
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
28. Otto Pierson, the vice president of finance for Palisades Produce Company, is likely to spend much more of his
time listening than his company’s hourly employees routinely do.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Nonverbal Communication: Beyond the Words
B-Head: Active Listening: The Great Divider
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: ApplicationPowered by Cognero Page 9Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
29. The higher you go in an organization, the more important listening becomes.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Nonverbal Communication: Beyond the Words
B-Head: Active Listening: The Great Divider
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
30. According to the International Listening Association, 85 percent of what people learn is derived from listening.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Nonverbal Communication: Beyond the Words
B-Head: Active Listening: The Great Divider
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Knowledge
31. Effective listening is the passive part of the communication process.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Nonverbal Communication: Beyond the Words
B-Head: Active Listening: The Great Divider
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: KnowledgePowered by Cognero Page 10Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
32. Checking emails and text messages during a presentation does not distract a person from the topic being discussed.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Nonverbal Communication: Beyond the Words
B-Head: Active Listening: The Great Divider
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Knowledge
33. Speaking immediately after someone stops talking demonstrates questionable listening skills.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Nonverbal Communication: Beyond the Words
B-Head: Active Listening: The Great Divider
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
34. When delivering a message it is important to match the message to the communication channel.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Choose the Right Channel: A Rich Array of Options
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: ComprehensionPowered by Cognero Page 11Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
35. Voice mail has a high level of channel richness since the listener has the ability to hear your voice but not see your
body language.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Choose the Right Channel: A Rich Array of Options
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Knowledge
36. One drawback of voice mail is that it doesn’t provide the sender with a permanent record of the message.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Choose the Right Channel: A Rich Array of Options
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Knowledge
37. Texting is a good way to get a quick response on a simple issue.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Choose the Right Channel: A Rich Array of Options
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Knowledge
38. Instant messaging provides a richer communication channel than telephone conversations.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Choose the Right Channel: A Rich Array of Options
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: ComprehensionPowered by Cognero Page 12Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
39. Videoconferencing is a good channel for communicating complex information to many people in geographically
distant locations.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Choose the Right Channel: A Rich Array of Options
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
40. Memos are a good communication channel when the intent is to convey an uncontroversial but detailed message to
a large number of people.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Choose the Right Channel: A Rich Array of Options
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
41. Texting is the best way to communicate with everyone because it is quick, easy, and uses few words.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Choose the Right Channel: A Rich Array of Options
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: ComprehensionPowered by Cognero Page 13Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
42. Larry Brighton needs to quickly hear from his colleague Ralph concerning the prospect of changing vendors on the
Harris project. He leaves Ralph a lengthy voice mail on the subject even if Ralph picks up voice mail messages only
once each day. If Larry is asked by his boss today about the vendor problem, he is covered because he sent Ralph
a message about it.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Choose the Right Channel: A Rich Array of Options
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Application
43. Megabux Inc. has worked out an agreement to merge with Lottadoe Enterprises. Amie Johnston, the CEO of
Megabux Inc., knows that the merger will require a reorganization and that employees will worry about their job
security when the deal is announced. She wants to assure the employees of her personal commitment to minimize
layoffs. One of the best ways for Amie to communicate information about the merger would be to issue a memo to
all employees.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Choose the Right Channel: A Rich Array of Options
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Application
44. Ashley Mears must inform employees in her department about the new absenteeism policy. Given the controversial
nature of the message, she should inform them of the policy change via email.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Choose the Right Channel: A Rich Array of Options
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: ApplicationPowered by Cognero Page 14Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
45. Due to declining sales, Amanda Wallace will be forced to lay off three salespeople. The most effective method for
delivering the bad news to the three salespeople is via voice mail.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Choose the Right Channel: A Rich Array of Options
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Application
46. The key to finding the best communication channel is to evaluate the needs and expectations of your audience.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Choose the Right Channel: A Rich Array of Options
B-Head: Consider the Audience: It’s Not about You!
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
47. You should always select a communication channel that you are comfortable using. If it works for you, it’s good for
the audience.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Choose the Right Channel: A Rich Array of Options
B-Head: Consider the Audience: It’s Not about You!
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: ComprehensionPowered by Cognero Page 15Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
48. Business communication differs from other types of formal communication, such as a wedding invitation for
example, because the use of slang and jargon is widely accepted in business communication.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Pick the Right Words: Is That Car Pre-Loved or Just Plain Used?!
B-Head: Analyze Your Audience
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
49. The first step in choosing the correct wording for a message is to consider the expectations of the audience to
whom the message will be directed.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Pick the Right Words: Is That Car Pre-Loved or Just Plain Used?!
B-Head: Analyze Your Audience
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
50. In order to make sure the audience is receiving your message, it is critical that you understand expectations, level of
education, and profession of the audience members.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Pick the Right Words: Is That Car Pre-Loved or Just Plain Used?!
B-Head: Analyze Your Audience
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: ComprehensionPowered by Cognero Page 16Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
51. Al Ownsby, project manager at the Innovative Technologies Defense Company, is a man of few words. His idea of
communication is to “give the recipients the basic idea, but spare them the details.” Ownsby’s approach is sound
because a basic rule of business communication is that being concise is better than being complete.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Pick the Right Words: Is That Car Pre-Loved or Just Plain Used?!
B-Head: Be Concise
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Application
52. Professor Harold Reeder was very busy when he received an email from a student who wanted to know when an
assignment was due. His short response said, “On Friday.” The professor’s response followed a good
communication rule: messages should always be short and concise.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Pick the Right Words: Is That Car Pre-Loved or Just Plain Used?!
B-Head: Be Concise
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Application
53. One of the most effective ways to improve business communication is to make extensive use of slang to enliven
and enrich the message.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Pick the Right Words: Is That Car Pre-Loved or Just Plain Used?!
B-Head: Avoid Slang
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: ComprehensionPowered by Cognero Page 17Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
54. Addressing the recipient of a message as “Dear Sir” is a common and perfectly acceptable practice, even if you do
not know the gender of the recipient.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Pick the Right Words: Is That Car Pre-Loved or Just Plain Used?!
B-Head: Avoid Bias
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
55. The common types of bias in business communications include gender bias, age bias, and bias related to race,
ethnicity, and nationality.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Pick the Right Words: Is That Car Pre-Loved or Just Plain Used?!
B-Head: Avoid Bias
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
56. Bias is a preconception about members of a particular group.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Pick the Right Words: Is That Car Pre-Loved or Just Plain Used?!
B-Head: Avoid Bias
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: KnowledgePowered by Cognero Page 18Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
57. In American culture, older people are more likely to experience age bias than younger people.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Pick the Right Words: Is That Car Pre-Loved or Just Plain Used?!
B-Head: Avoid Bias
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
58. Jim has posted an employment ad for a greeter at his store. The ad reads “only elderly individuals need apply.”
Jim has not exhibited any type of a bias, because there are not enough positions for the elderly in the job market.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Pick the Right Words: Is That Car Pre-Loved or Just Plain Used?!
B-Head: Avoid Bias
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Application
59. Words or statements suggesting negative attitudes toward an ethnic group are acceptable if no members of that
ethnic group are likely to receive the message.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Pick the Right Words: Is That Car Pre-Loved or Just Plain Used?!
B-Head: Avoid Bias
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: ComprehensionPowered by Cognero Page 19Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
60. You can make your presentation or speech more concise and powerful by using active voice.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Pick the Right Words: Is That Car Pre-Loved or Just Plain Used?!
B-Head: Use Active Voice Whenever Possible
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Knowledge
61. Active voice refers to a sentence structure in which the subject performs the action expressed by the verb.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Pick the Right Words: Is That Car Pre-Loved or Just Plain Used?!
B-Head: Use Active Voice Whenever Possible
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Knowledge
62. An enthusiastic CEO announced to his audience at the stockholders’ meeting, “Fifty million dollars worth of
services were sold last year!” He could have increased the impact of this statement by using the active voice.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Pick the Right Words: Is That Car Pre-Loved or Just Plain Used?!
B-Head: Use Active Voice Whenever Possible
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: ComprehensionPowered by Cognero Page 20Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
63. Passive voice tends to be more effective in business communications than active voice because it is more rational
and has less emotional impact.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Pick the Right Words: Is That Car Pre-Loved or Just Plain Used?!
B-Head: Use Active Voice Whenever Possible
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
64. Juanita is planning to speak to some new employees in her department. She wants to convey a sense of
accountability and establish a tone of trust. Given these goals, Juanita should make extensive use of the active voice
in her speech.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Pick the Right Words: Is That Car Pre-Loved or Just Plain Used?!
B-Head: Use Active Voice Whenever Possible
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Application
65. Businesspeople have a tendency to simply delete emails that don’t seem important without even reading them
because they receive a large amount of emails on any given day.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-05
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Write High-Impact Messages: Breaking through the Clutter
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: ComprehensionPowered by Cognero Page 21Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
66. Business writers should consider how the audience will respond to their message—think about how they will feel
about the information and how it will be applied.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-05
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Write High-Impact Messages: Breaking through the Clutter
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
67. If the audience is likely to respond negatively to a written message, a good strategy is to begin the message with a
brief discussion of the rationale for the message before presenting the bottom line.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-05
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Write High-Impact Messages: Breaking through the Clutter
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
68. Wayne expects resistance from some members of the sales team when the latest commission incentive plan is
announced. He plans to begin the discussion by reviewing the company’s mission and strategic goals. This is an
example of an effective opening to his presentation.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-05
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Write High-Impact Messages: Breaking through the Clutter
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: ApplicationPowered by Cognero Page 22Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
69. Greg Watson, a manager, believes he needs to reorganize the product development teams to prevent stagnation of
ideas. He wrote a memo to explain this to the teams. However, Greg is concerned that several developers who like
their current assignments will resent his plan. He should describe his proposed changes very early in the message in
order to quickly deal with the issues that may cause concern.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-05
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Write High-Impact Messages: Breaking through the Clutter
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Application
70. The best way to determine the appropriate conversational style is to imagine yourself speaking to the recipient of
your message.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-05
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Write High-Impact Messages: Breaking through the Clutter
B-Head: Strike the Right Tone
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Knowledge
71. Proper business communication should always follow well-known grammatical rules, such as never starting a
sentence with the words and or but and never ending a sentence with a preposition.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-05
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Write High-Impact Messages: Breaking through the Clutter
B-Head: Don’t Make Grammar Goofs
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: ComprehensionPowered by Cognero Page 23Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
72. In business communication, it is acceptable to use split infinitives in sentences such as “Try to effectively film the
next scene.”
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-05
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Write High-Impact Messages: Breaking through the Clutter
BHead: Don’t Make Grammar Goofs
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s Knowledge
73. The first sentence of a block paragraph is indented, and the lines within each paragraph are doubled spaced.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-05
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Write High-Impact Messages: Breaking through the Clutter
B-Head: Use Block Paragraphs
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s Comprehension
74. Effective presentations require verbal communication, nonverbal communication, and consideration of how the
audience will interpret the message.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In!
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: ComprehensionPowered by Cognero Page 24Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
75. LaMar Holten plans to start his presentation for a nonprofit charity program with a startling statistic. This is usually
a poor approach, as it may distract the audience.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In!
B-Head: Opening
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Application
76. Lindsey suspected that her sales team might be suspicious of some proposed new expense account rules, so she
started her weekly meeting by describing a situation in which an employee was unable to claim a legitimate
reimbursement because of the current policies. She used this story to explain why management believed it was time
to try something different. This opening was an effective way to introduce her message.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In!
B-Head: Opening
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Application
77. Specific examples and vivid comparisons make it difficult to illustrate the main points of a subject in a verbal
presentation.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In!
B-Head: Body
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: ComprehensionPowered by Cognero Page 25Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
78. The ideal way to close a presentation is to summarize the key points of the topic discussed.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In!
B-Head: Close
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
79. At the beginning of his talk on global warming, Don Olson suggested that the audience ask questions during the
presentation. Experts suggest that it is appropriate protocol to inform the audience of your preference for taking
questions during or after the presentation.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In!
B-Head: Questions
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Application
80. In order to improve audience retention, an effective oral presentation will combine visual and oral elements into one
compelling presentation.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In!
B-Head: Visual Aids
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: ComprehensionPowered by Cognero Page 26Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
81. Justin McCall is the keynote speaker at his company’s annual sales conference. One part of his speech will include
10 keys to success. Since all of these points deal with the same topic, Justin should present them on the same
PowerPoint slide.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In!
B-Head: Visual Aids
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Application
82. When developing a PowerPoint presentation, the presenter should make extensive use of animation and sound
effects.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In!
B-Head: Visual Aids
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
83. Studies suggest that after three days, individuals retain approximately 65 percent of the information received from a
combined visual and oral presentation.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In!
B-Head: Visual Aids
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: ComprehensionPowered by Cognero Page 27Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
84. Terra Freeman likes to use slides when delivering a presentation as she is able to read directly from the slides. This
is an effective approach, since she is able to deliver all of the information on the slides directly to her audience.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In!
B-Head: Visual Aids
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Application
85. In business communication, it is improper to use graphs and charts on PowerPoint presentations.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In!
B-Head: Visual Aids
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
86. Google Presentations software is the best method of developing and storing your PowerPoint presentations, since it
is always available via the Internet.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In!
B-Head: Google Presentations
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: ComprehensionPowered by Cognero Page 28Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
87. Google Presentations’ use of “the cloud” is a good example of a company minimizing waste.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In
B-Head: Google Presentations
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
88. A little nervousness right before giving a speech can actually help you perform better.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In
B-Head: Handling Nerves
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Knowledge
89. When giving a presentation, it’s not a good idea to take sips of water because you might choke.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In
B-Head: Handling Nerves
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: ComprehensionPowered by Cognero Page 29Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
90. Gary is next in line to give his presentation and begins to feel nervous. Taking slow, deep breaths would be helpful
in easing his anxiety.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In
B-Head: Handling Nerves
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Application
91. If you encounter a hostile questioner during a presentation, you should just ignore the person.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In
B-Head: Handling Hostility
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
92. Matthew is in the middle of his presentation when a person in the back of the room begins to question him in a
hostile manner. Matthew should stay calm and take a moment to gather his thoughts before responding.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: True
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In
B-Head: Handling Hostility
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: ApplicationPowered by Cognero Page 30Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
93. Megan became nervous as soon as she started with her presentation. The best thing for Megan to do is look at a
spot on the back wall while she speaks until her nervousness subsides.
a. True
b. False
ANSWER: False
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In
B-Head: A Spot on the Back Wall?
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Application
94. Which of the following does two-way communication represent?
a. Using both an active and passive voice
b. Speaking and listening
c. Verbal and nonverbal communication
d. Selective hearing and listening
ANSWER: b
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Excellent Communication Skills: Your Invisible Advantage
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
95. _______ is the transfer of relevant meaning from the sender to the receiver.
a. Communication
b. Passive voice
c. Dynamic delivery
d. Active voice
ANSWER: a
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Excellent Communication Skills: Your Invisible Advantage
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: ComprehensionPowered by Cognero Page 31Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
96. Excellent communications skills:
a. are less important to most managers than well-developed technical skills.
b. involve the ability to speak clearly and to write well.
c. come naturally to most people.
d. can dramatically improve your chances for business success.
ANSWER: d
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Excellent Communication Skills: Your Invisible Advantage
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
97. In communication, the term _____ refers to any interference that causes the message received by the audience to
be different from the sender’s intended message.
a. jitter
b. clutter
c. verbal distortion
d. noise
ANSWER: d
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Excellent Communication Skills: Your Invisible Advantage
B-Head: Communication Barriers: “That’s Not What I Meant!”
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Knowledge
98. Jason was having more trouble than usual concentrating on his economics professor’s lecture because the
classroom was too hot and the chair was uncomfortable. The heat and uncomfortable chair are both _____
barriers to communication.
a. perceptual
b. physical
c. passive
d. secondary
ANSWER: b
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Excellent Communication Skills: Your Invisible Advantage
B-Head: Communication Barriers: “That’s Not What I Meant!”
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: KnowledgePowered by Cognero Page 32Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
99. Cosmos Corp. prefers its employees to speak English while on the job. However, with the increasing diversity
found in today’s workforce, the company is challenged by:
a. physical barriers.
b. organizational barriers.
c. body language barriers.
d. language barriers.
ANSWER: d
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Excellent Communication Skills: Your Invisible Advantage
B-Head: Communication Barriers: “That’s Not What I Meant!”
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
100. All of the following are basic categories of communication barriers EXCEPT:
a. perceptual barriers.
b. holistic barriers.
c. language barriers.
d. cultural barriers.
ANSWER: b
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Excellent Communication Skills: Your Invisible Advantage
B-Head: Communication Barriers: “That’s Not What I Meant!”
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
101. Language barriers to communication:
a. are only a serious problem for spoken communication, but not for written communication.
b. are only likely to be a problem when people speak different native languages.
c. also include wrong body language that can alienate or distract the audience.
d. can arise due to excessive use of jargon and slang.
ANSWER: d
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Excellent Communication Skills: Your Invisible Advantage
B-Head: Communication Barriers: “That’s Not What I Meant!”
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: ComprehensionPowered by Cognero Page 33Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
102. Finding ways to improve _____ is likely to be a major challenge for global firms that have employees, customers,
and other stakeholders from different countries.
a. nonverbal communication
b. intercultural communication
c. protectionist communication
d. strategic communication
ANSWER: b
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Excellent Communication Skills: Your Invisible Advantage
B-Head: Communication Barriers: “That’s Not What I Meant!”
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
103. Vice President Harry Farrell is one of the few top managers in his company. Having a strong engineering
background, Harry loves to sprinkle technical jargon and slang into his speeches, even when he makes
presentations to less technically-inclined colleagues. This communication style is:
a. most likely to create a language barrier that undermines the effectiveness of his message.
b. most likely to be effective, since it allows Harry to emphasize his unique qualifications.
c. is most likely to create perceptual barriers to good communication.
d. is most likely to contribute to cultural barriers that reduce the effectiveness of his message.
ANSWER: a
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Excellent Communication Skills: Your Invisible Advantage
B-Head: Communication Barriers: “That’s Not What I Meant!”
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Synthesis
104. Almost everyone has experienced a conversation where someone has pleaded, “That’s not what I meant!” This
experience is:
a. the result of good communication between parties.
b. an indication of the comfort level between the messenger and the recipient.
c. an indication of a communication barrier between the messenger and the recipient.
d. the result of a recipient trying to cause trouble for the messenger.
ANSWER: c
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Excellent Communication Skills: Your Invisible Advantage
B-Head: Communication Barriers: “That’s Not What I Meant!”
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: EvaluationPowered by Cognero Page 34Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
105. Cheryl is presenting the new payroll system to the managers of her company. She was unable to reserve the large
conference room, so she scheduled the presentation in the cafeteria, which is not designed for giving presentations
and has poor acoustics. Which of the following is a challenge she is most likely to face?
a. Intercultural communication
b. Nonverbal communication
c. The inability to use active voice
d. Physical barriers that are likely to create noise
ANSWER: d
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Excellent Communication Skills: Your Invisible Advantage
B-Head: Communication Barriers: “That’s Not What I Meant!”
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Evaluation
106. Marguerite had been asked by her manager to write a summary of a seminar she had attended. Marguerite’s
summary explained that the speaker’s thick accent and excessive use of jargon made it hard for her to follow his
presentation. It’s clear that Marguerite experienced _____ barriers during the seminar.
a. perceptual
b. cultural
c. language
d. technical
ANSWER: c
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Excellent Communication Skills: Your Invisible Advantage
B-Head: Communication Barriers: “That’s Not What I Meant!”
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: EvaluationPowered by Cognero Page 35Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
107. Dave Malloy is a marketing director for the Redding Company. His recent trip to a developing Asian country got
off to an awkward start when his attempt to greet his host with a hearty handshake was not wellreceived. Dave’s
experience is an example of a _____ barrier that can undermine effective communication.
a. language
b. physical
c. cultural
d. perceptual
ANSWER: c
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Excellent Communication Skills: Your Invisible Advantage
B-Head: Communication Barriers: “That’s Not What I Meant!”
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Evaluation
108. Ginny is almost 30 years old, but she doesn’t look her age. In discussions, business people tend to not pay attention
to Ginny because they assume she is immature and inexperienced. This suggests that Ginny faces a(n) _____
barrier that undermines her message when she speaks.
a. language
b. organizational
c. perceptual
d. physical
ANSWER: c
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Excellent Communication Skills: Your Invisible Advantage
B-Head: Communication Barriers: “That’s Not What I Meant!”
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: EvaluationPowered by Cognero Page 36Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
109. The workers at the Axme Corporation have divided into several cliques. Employees in each clique tend to stick
together, sharing lunch and coffee breaks. The employees in one clique very seldom interact with workers in
another clique. This type of situation may well create _____ barriers that prevent effective communication.
a. organizational
b. physical
c. body language
d. perceptual
ANSWER: a
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Excellent Communication Skills: Your Invisible Advantage
B-Head: Communication Barriers: “That’s Not What I Meant!”
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Evaluation
110. Key executive board members attend annual meetings at the World Bank. Most of the members travel from their
respective countries and come prepared to discuss local business needs. The interactions in the meeting are an
example of:
a. physical barriers.
b. communication barriers.
c. communication channels.
d. intercultural communication.
ANSWER: d
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Excellent Communication Skills: Your Invisible Advantage
B-Head: Communication Barriers: “That’s Not What I Meant!”
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: SynthesisPowered by Cognero Page 37Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
111. As John stood up to make his presentation on the company’s new flagship golf cart, he did not realize that he was
going to be presenting to a focus group of people who do not enjoy golf in the first place. Given the importance of
business communication, what barriers might he face?
a. Technical jargon and insider vocabulary are irrelevant to individuals who are ignorant of them. He should
have practiced his presentation using a more educational approach.
b. People who don’t like golf are smarter than those who like it; therefore, John can be confident that his
audience will figure it out. What John faces here is a perception problem.
c. John should remember to use copious hand motions as he speaks, so that his point will come across loud and
clear. This will cut through any body language barriers that may be present.
d. John could try to instill in his audience a passion for golf similar to his own by demonstrating his exceptional
swing. He used to be a dynamite salesman, and he can sell golf carts to non-golfers any day.
ANSWER: a
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Excellent Communication Skills: Your Invisible Advantage
B-Head: Communication Barriers: “That’s Not What I Meant!”
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Synthesis
112. According to studies reported in The Wall Street Journal’s Career Journal, during face-to-face communication,
the majority of meaning comes from:
a. the verbal content of the message.
b. tone of voice.
c. body language, including facial expressions and posture.
d. a combination of the words spoken and the tone in which they are spoken, with the spoken words being
slightly more important than the tone of voice.
ANSWER: c
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Nonverbal Communication: Beyond the Words
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: ComprehensionPowered by Cognero Page 38Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
113. Ivy’s manager asked her to train the new employees on the company’s software program. Although Ivy agreed,
her tone of voice was not warm and welcoming. In this scenario, Ivy disregarded:
a. nonverbal communication.
b. open communication.
c. disconnect communication.
d. two-way communication.
ANSWER: a
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Nonverbal Communication: Beyond the Words
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
114. Which of the following scenarios illustrates the full use of active listening nonverbal communication?
a. Li is highly educated and very smart; therefore, when he speaks, he expects everyone to listen.
b. When Susan gives presentations, she speaks clearly, observes her audience for signs of understanding, and
encourages feedback and listens to it.
c. Teresa finds that her figure tends to be distracting in her industry (heavy equipment sales), so she wears
loose unrevealing clothing at work.
d. When Rob gives presentations, he uses lots of hand motions and gestures.
ANSWER: b
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Nonverbal Communication: Beyond the Words
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Synthesis
115. Which of the following scenarios illustrates nonverbal forms of communication?
a. Bob, who did not know much Mandarin, attempted to say “hello,” but accidentally offended the company’s
best client by swearing at him in Cantonese.
b. Cindy enjoys a fine cigar over extended lunch breaks. This makes her appear to be a slacker to her
coworkers.
c. Tom had called his subordinate to provide instructions. However, the noise on the floor prevented the
subordinate from understanding the instructions.
d. Amy is a wonderful orator, but she tends to look angry when she’s passionate about something.
ANSWER: d
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Nonverbal Communication: Beyond the Words
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: SynthesisPowered by Cognero Page 39Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
116. Ted jokes with his employees at the end of every weekly staff meeting. He notices that Jeanne appears sullen and
uninterested in his jokes and wonders if something he said offended her. This is an example of:
a. Ted trying to discern the body language of the employee. There may or may not be a message here. Perhaps
Jeanne is simply tired.
b. why managers should only communicate business needs with employees, omitting casual, more informal
conversation.
c. Jeanne’s exercising her active listening skills. Ted has probably misinterpreted her concentration for
disinterest.
d. a situation in which verbal communication is more meaningful than nonverbal communication.
ANSWER: a
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Nonverbal Communication: Beyond the Words
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Evaluation
117. Tanya’s arms are crossed as she listens to the manager’s presentation. When the manager ends the presentation,
she joins the audience in a standing ovation but does not clap her hands with her colleagues. Her _____ illustrates
her disinterest.
a. tone of voice
b. facial expression
c. gesture and posture
d. eye contact
ANSWER: c
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Nonverbal Communication: Beyond the Words
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: EvaluationPowered by Cognero Page 40Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
118. Barney Hendricks, who interviewed web developers for his company, told his colleagues over lunch that his top
candidate showed lots of enthusiasm when he first entered the office. “His tone and attitude really showed an
interest in the job,” Barney said. “And he just looked confident and composed. Unlike some other candidates, he
looked me right in the eye when he answered some tough questions.” Barney was impressed by this candidate’s:
a. transparency.
b. speaking ability.
c. enthusiasm and proactivity.
d. nonverbal communication skills.
ANSWER: d
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Nonverbal Communication: Beyond the Words
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Evaluation
119. Daniel wants to improve his nonverbal communication skills. One relatively easy and effective way to do so is to:
a. practice speaking at home in front of the mirror.
b. take a language immersion course to quickly learn a new language.
c. write his speech on note card and then memorize the main points.
d. use PowerPoint slides that include a lot of sound effects and animations.
ANSWER: a
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Nonverbal Communication: Beyond the Words
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
120. Active listening means the listener:
a. frequently interrupts the speaker with questions and comments.
b. completely focuses on the speaker during the delivery of the message.
c. only demonstrates good eye contact.
d. empathizes with the speaker.
ANSWER: b
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Nonverbal Communication: Beyond the Words
B-Head: Active Listening: The Great Divider
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: ComprehensionPowered by Cognero Page 41Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
121. Listening is a critical factor in communication, but many have a hard time completely engaging in active listening.
The primary reason for this lack of engagement stems from the fact that:
a. regional dialects make it difficult for people to understand what is being said, causing them to start
daydreaming.
b. work schedules create an environment in which people simply do not have the time to listen to others.
c. text messaging has become more common than speaking on the telephone making it the most important tool
for communicating.
d. people listen at a rate of 125 to 250 words per minute, but think at about 1,000 to 3,000 words per minute.
ANSWER: d
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Nonverbal Communication: Beyond the Words
B-Head: Active Listening: The Great Divider
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Knowledge
122. People tend to _____ people who have good listening skills.
a. be resentful of
b. pay closer attention to
c. speak more with
d. make unrealistic demands on
ANSWER: c
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Nonverbal Communication: Beyond the Words
B-Head: Active Listening: The Great Divider
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Synthesis
123. One of the reasons people tend to have a hard time listening effectively is that they:
a. realize that listening just isn’t an effective way to obtain information.
b. can think at a much faster rate than they can listen.
c. are unable to process the information as fast as they receive it.
d. aren’t willing to pay attention to the body language of the speaker.
ANSWER: b
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Nonverbal Communication: Beyond the Words
B-Head: Active Listening: The Great Divider
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: AnalysisPowered by Cognero Page 42Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
124. An instructor tested her students’ _____ skills by telling one student a story about the Ford Motor Company and
asking him to repeat the story quietly to the second student, so others could not hear. The second student then
repeated it to a third student, and on and on. The last student repeated it in front of the entire class.
a. active voice
b. active listening
c. passive listening
d. passive voiceANSWER: b
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Nonverbal Communication: Beyond the Words
B-Head: Active Listening: The Great Divider
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Evaluation
125. An instructor watched the reactions of various students while she lectured on a topic. One student was doodling,
another was text messaging on his cell phone, and another was writing her grocery list. Although frustrated by her
observations, the instructor realized that these students have a hard time paying attention because:
a. today’s students actually multitask in a way that makes listening less important.
b. there is a significant gap between the rate at which people listen and the rate at which they think.
c. today’s student communicates digitally rather than verbally.
d. students do not have to achieve active listening skills in order to take down notes during a lecture.
ANSWER: b
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Nonverbal Communication: Beyond the Words
B-Head: Active Listening: The Great Divider
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: SynthesisPowered by Cognero Page 43Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
126. All of the following are strategies to improve your listening skills EXCEPT:
a. taking a few notes to aid in concentration and to communicate your interest to the speaker.
b. making sure that you are as comfortable as possible before you begin listening.
c. asking questions and providing verbal feedback to clarify points and create empathy.
d. using your eyes as well as your ears and taking note of any discrepancy between the verbal message and
nonverbal cues.
ANSWER: b
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Nonverbal Communication: Beyond the Words
B-Head: Active Listening: The Great Divider
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
127. In order to improve her listening skills at work, Victoria should:
a. begin speaking the moment the person stops.
b. take a few notes to help her concentrate.
c. check emails to make sure she is not falling behind.
d. interrupt the speaker to show that she is paying attention.
ANSWER: b
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Nonverbal Communication: Beyond the Words
B-Head: Active Listening: The Great Divider
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
128. The richness of a communication channel refers to:
a. the amount of information it can convey to recipients.
b. the number of people it can reach at one time.
c. how much it costs to provide the channel.
d. how much the sender relies on that specific channel.
ANSWER: a
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Choose the Right Channel: A Rich Array of Options
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: ComprehensionPowered by Cognero Page 44Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
129. A communication channel that allows recipients to receive not only the words in the message but also to hear the
tone of voice and see the body language of the sender is said to be a(n):
a. rich channel.
b. complex channel.
c. dual medium channel.
d. advanced channel.
ANSWER: a
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Choose the Right Channel: A Rich Array of Options
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Knowledge
130. Samantha hadn’t seen her business colleague in a few days and wanted to see if she was available for lunch today.
What communication channel would require limited words and provide her with a relatively quick response?
a. voice mail
b. videoconferencing
c. texting
d. telephone conversation
ANSWER: c
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Moderate
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Choose the Right Channel: A Rich Array of Options
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Application
131. The proper choice of a communication channel depends mainly on:
a. preferences of the sender.
b. preferences of the audience.
c. the time of day when the message will be delivered.
d. random factors that can’t be determined by the sender.
ANSWER: b
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Choose the Right Channel: A Rich Array of Options
B-Head: Consider the Audience: It’s Not about You!
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: ComprehensionPowered by Cognero Page 45Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
132. A manager should use a(n) _______ communication channel to deliver an important message to many people at
the same time and experience the immediate response of the receivers of the message.
a. voice mail
b. memo
c. in-person presentation
d. instant message
ANSWER: c
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Choose the Right Channel: A Rich Array of Options
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
133. A(n) _____ is the communication channel with the highest level of channel richness and is used to deliver complex
and individualized messages.
a. voice mail
b. face-to-face meeting
c. instant message
d. memo
ANSWER: b
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Choose the Right Channel: A Rich Array of Options
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
134. Which of the following communication channels has the lowest degree of channel richness?
a. An email
b. An in-person presentation
c. A face-to-face meeting
d. A videoconference
ANSWER: a
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Choose the Right Channel: A Rich Array of Options
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: ComprehensionPowered by Cognero Page 46Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
135. Jackson needs to communicate a detailed but uncontroversial message to a large number of employees. The best
channel for this type of message is:
a. a telephone.
b. a memo.
c. an instant message.
d. a face-to-face meeting.
ANSWER: b
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Choose the Right Channel: A Rich Array of Options
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Evaluation
136. Due to an economic slowdown, Jamara Mythers, the CEO of Library Limited is forced to make staff cuts. In order
to deliver this information to the entire organization, which of the following communication channels should Jamara
use?
a. Instant message
b. Voice mail
c. In-person presentation
d. Telephone conversation
ANSWER: c
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Choose the Right Channel: A Rich Array of Options
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Evaluation
137. Today, Sol needs to tell Vinny something critical about their jewelry business that could mean the difference
between being in business or going out of business. Which channel of communication would be best?
a. Sol should send Vinny an email detailing the topic.
b. Sol should leave Vinny a voice mail that explains everything.
c. Sol should meet Vinny and speak with him face-to-face.
d. Sol should send their mutual friend, Tyrone, to tell Vinny the situation.
ANSWER: c
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Choose the Right Channel: A Rich Array of Options
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: EvaluationPowered by Cognero Page 47Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
138. As President of Tiger Air Cargo, Inc., Mack Denaro needs to communicate complex messages to a variety of
people located in multiple offices around the country on a regular basis. The most effective communication channel
is:
a. instant messaging.
b. voice mail.
c. in-person presentation.
d. videoconferencing.
ANSWER: d
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Choose the Right Channel: A Rich Array of Options
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Evaluation
139. Due to declining sales, Linda Highwater will be forced to lay off three people working in the warehouse. She has
asked for advice on how to go about delivering this difficult message to the three impacted employees. You suggest
she use a(n) _____ since this method has a high level of channel richness.
a. instant message
b. voice mail
c. face-to-face meeting
d. telephone conversation
ANSWER: c
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Choose the Right Channel: A Rich Array of Options
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Evaluation
140. _____ uses state-of-the-art equipment to provide people in a variety of locations the opportunity to participate
interactively in a presentation, while providing a high degree of channel richness.
a. Emailing
b. Videoconferencing
c. Blogging
d. Instant messaging
ANSWER: b
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Choose the Right Channel: A Rich Array of Options
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: KnowledgePowered by Cognero Page 48Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
141. All of the following suggestions will normally improve the effectiveness of your communications EXCEPT:
a. using the passive voice extensively.
b. being concise but not at the expense of completeness.
c. avoiding bias.
d. avoiding slang.
ANSWER: a
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Pick the Right Words: Is That Car Pre-Loved or Just Plain Used?!
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Analysis
142. Which of the following statements should one consider when writing a business message?
a. The level of education and profession of the receivers is irrelevant when writing a message.
b. A message is enriched by the use of jargon, slang, and abbreviations.
c. The use of active voice in a message creates deeper trust between the sender and the receiver.
d. A message needs to be long and detailed so the receiver may understand it.
ANSWER: c
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Pick the Right Words: Is That Car Pre-Loved or Just Plain Used?!
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Evaluation
143. In order to analyze the audience, the speaker would consider the:
a. expectations and availability of information.
b. expectations, level of education, and professions of the audience members.
c. location, date, and time of the meeting.
d. physical environment, such as room size, seating arrangements, and temperature.
ANSWER: b
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Pick the Right Words: Is That Car Pre-Loved or Just Plain Used?!
B-Head: Analyze Your Audience
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: ComprehensionPowered by Cognero Page 49Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
144. Julie has spent the last few minutes rewriting a memo that she intends to send to all of the employees in her
department. She wants to clarify the message by making it short and to the point. Julie’s goal is to:
a. avoid bias.
b. enrich the communication channel by making each word count.
c. make the message more passive in tone.
d. be concise.
ANSWER: d
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Pick the Right Words: Is That Car Pre-Loved or Just Plain Used?!
B-Head: Be Concise
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Evaluation
145. In business communications, conciseness:
a. should be avoided at all costs.
b. is desirable, as long as it isn’t at the expense of completeness.
c. has little to do with the effectiveness of the message.
d. tends to be ineffective when the message is intended for friends and coworkers.
ANSWER: b
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Pick the Right Words: Is That Car Pre-Loved or Just Plain Used?!
B-Head: Be Concise
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Knowledge
146. You do not know the name or the gender of the vice president of human relations in the company you are applying
to for a job. Which of the following is the best way to begin the letter for application?
a. “Dear Sir/Madam.”
b. “To Whom It May Concern.”
c. “Dear Vice President of Human Relations.”
d. “Hi!”
ANSWER: c
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Pick the Right Words: Is That Car Pre-Loved or Just Plain Used?!
B-Head: Avoid Bias
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: EvaluationPowered by Cognero Page 50Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
147. _____ refers to a negative preconception or prejudice directed toward a specific group.
a. Bias
b. Passive resistance
c. Intercultural elitism
d. Culturally-embedded perception
ANSWER: a
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Pick the Right Words: Is That Car Pre-Loved or Just Plain Used?!
B-Head: Avoid Bias
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Knowledge
148. In American culture, older people tend to experience _____ much more often than younger people, despite specific
federal legislation outlawing this type of behavior.
a. gender bias
b. employment bias
c. culture bias
d. age bias
ANSWER: d
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Pick the Right Words: Is That Car Pre-Loved or Just Plain Used?!
B-Head: Avoid Bias
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Knowledge
149. The best way to make your presentation or speech more concise and powerful is by using:
a. a lot of jokes and anecdotes.
b. active voice.
c. passive voice.
d. several first person examples.
ANSWER: b
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Pick the Right Words: Is That Car Pre-Loved or Just Plain Used?!
B-Head: Use Active Voice Whenever Possible
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: ComprehensionPowered by Cognero Page 51Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
150. When active voice is used in a sentence, the:
a. reader (or listener) is required to perform some specific task.
b. speaker (or writer) is the subject of the sentence.
c. subject of the sentence performs the action described by the verb.
d. message diminishes the trust between the speaker and the audience.
ANSWER: c
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Pick the Right Words: Is That Car Pre-Loved or Just Plain Used?!
B-Head: Use Active Voice Whenever Possible
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Knowledge
151. Consider the following sentences:
1. The baseball player caught the ball in midair.
2. The ball was caught in midair.
Which of the following is true of the examples?
a. Both sentences use the active voice.
b. The first sentence is in the passive voice; the second sentence is in the active voice.
c. Both sentences use the passive voice.
d. The first sentence is in the active voice; the second sentence is in the passive voice.
ANSWER: d
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Pick the Right Words: Is That Car Pre-Loved or Just Plain Used?!
B-Head: Use Active Voice Whenever Possible
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: EvaluationPowered by Cognero Page 52Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
152. Which of the following best illustrates how to communicate information about a possible sale?
a. Jerry gave a five-minute monologue about the benefits of 64-bit operating systems to an elderly lady who had
come into the store looking for a way to print her digital pictures.
b. Jim explains to his customers all the features a car has including “a 4 channel ABS, VSC, HID headlights,
and almost 400 ponies under the bonnet.”
c. “This is one of the best printers out there; it’s a simple fact,” states Alex to a customer.
d. Sam tells his customers, “These printers have been recommended by independent studies for their reliability.”
ANSWER: d
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Pick the Right Words: Is That Car Pre-Loved or Just Plain Used?!
B-Head: Use Active Voice Whenever Possible
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Synthesis
153. The training was completed just in time for the new software application. This statement is an example of:
a. noise.
b. passive voice.
c. dynamic delivery.
d. subjunctive phrasing.
ANSWER: b
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Pick the Right Words: Is That Car Pre-Loved or Just Plain Used?!
B-Head: Use Active Voice Whenever Possible
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
154. Contemporary firms encourage employees to use emails to communicate with fellow employees, suppliers, and
customers. A key to delivering effective email messages is to:
a. make certain that the message always has a positive tone.
b. always put the most unpleasant or controversial part of the message near the beginning.
c. structure the message to take into account how the audience is likely to respond to the message.
d. include more than five words in the subject line to explain the purpose of the email.
ANSWER: c
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-05
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Write High-Impact Messages: Breaking through the Clutter
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: AnalysisPowered by Cognero Page 53Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
155. Which of the following tips should be followed in business writing?
a. Use the passive voice when writing your message.
b. End sentences with prepositions when doing so sounds natural.
c. Indent the first sentences of all paragraphs.
d. Do not use bulleted lists as they may distract the reader.
ANSWER: b
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-05
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Write High-Impact Messages: Breaking through the Clutter
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
156. Which of the following statements should be considered when writing a business message?
a. Use of smiley faces, abbreviations, and more than one exclamation points enriches the message.
b. Attachments of relevant documents should always be used to provide details to the receiver.
c. Communicating negative or critical messages through emails is acceptable.
d. Response to emails should be as prompt as possible to avoid miscommunication.
ANSWER: d
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-05
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Write High-Impact Messages: Breaking through the Clutter
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Evaluation
157. When deciding how to structure must-read messages, effective writers consider _____ first.
a. a good way to inject humor into the subject
b. the needs of the audience
c. specific examples that can illustrate the main point
d. the basic rules of grammar
ANSWER: b
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-05
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Write High-Impact Messages: Breaking through the Clutter
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: ComprehensionPowered by Cognero Page 54Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
158. A department head plans to send a memo to the employees in her department outlining some changes in the
company’s personnel policies. She believes that most employees will view the changes in a very favorable light.
Given this perception, she should:
a. describe the policy changes at the beginning of the memo.
b. devote the first few paragraphs to a detailed discussion of the rationale for the new policies before actually
describing them.
c. include additional controversial topics in the same memo as the good news about personnel policies will put
the employees in a better mood to deal with such issues.
d. take full credit for the changes, even though they were actually developed by human resource managers.
ANSWER: a
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-05
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Write High-Impact Messages: Breaking through the Clutter
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Evaluation
159. Duc needs to send an email to his supervisor entailing all the ways he has implemented the new corporate strategy
with his team. Which would you advise him to use?
a. Dear Kenny:
We had a good rollout of strategy here last week; including cust serv and listening skills. The only one who
needs work is Amanda, boy is she got problems with people!
b. Kenneth:
A new corporate strategy, including customer service initiatives, has been successfully rolled out. I have
some observations and suggestions:
1. It was difficult for our agents to learn the material as presented. Maybe we could modify the classes for a
more hands-on approach.
2. Interpersonal communications skills need to be taught in a refresher course. Our losses could be mitigated
in this way.
I look forward to hearing your input, and look forward to working with you as we move forward together.
Sincerely,
Duc
c. Kenneth:
New corporate strategy, including customer service initiatives, has been successfully rolled out. I have some
strong ideas and severe suggestions:
1. It was difficult for our agents to learn the material as presented. Maybe we could modify the classes for a
more hands-on approach.
2. Interpersonal communication skills need to be taught in a refresher course. Losses could be mitigated in
this way.Powered by Cognero Page 55Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
Duc
d. Kenneth:
New corporate strategy including customer service initiatives has been successfully rolled out; I have some
observations and suggestions:
1. It was difficult for our agents to learn the material as presented, maybe we could modify the classes for a
more hands-on approach.
2. Interpersonal communications skills need to be taught in a refresher course, our losses could be mitigated
in this way.
I look forward to hearing your input, and look forward to working with you as we move forward together.
Sincerely,
Duc
ANSWER: b
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-05
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Write High-Impact Messages: Breaking through the Clutter
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Synthesis
160. Which of the following is the best choice for Jen as she posts a Facebook status on her small business page?
a. They’re selling great now!
b. The new bumper sticker rollout is a success:
1) Sales are above projections.
2) Customer response indicates a new demographic has been pierced.
3) Revenues will be reinvested.
Many thanks to our team of supporters!
c. The new bumper sticker rollout is a success because sales are above projections, customer response
indicates a new demographic has been pierced, and revenues will be reinvested, so many thanks to our team
of supporters!
d. We are rocking their faces off and making their ears bleed with good sales! Yay!
ANSWER: b
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-05
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Write High-Impact Messages: Breaking through the Clutter
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: EvaluationPowered by Cognero Page 56Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
161. One characteristic of good business writing is that it:
a. uses the active voice.
b. avoids contractions whenever possible.
c. never uses personal pronouns.
d. never ends a sentence with a preposition.
ANSWER: a
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-05
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Write High-Impact Messages: Breaking through the Clutter
B-Head: Strike the Right Tone
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
162. Good business writing flows naturally like spoken language. To strike the right tone for any message it is important
that you:
a. avoid contractions such as “I’ll” or “don’t” as they are informal.
b. use an active voice to facilitate concise communication.
c. avoid using common words to explain a situation.
d. use technical jargon to convey superior knowledge.
ANSWER: b
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-05
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Write High-Impact Messages: Breaking through the Clutter
B-Head: Strike the Right Tone
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: AnalysisPowered by Cognero Page 57Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
163. Katy wants to improve her business writing skills and is looking for a way to determine the appropriate tone for her
messages. Which of the following suggestions represents the best advice?
a. Keep the tone highly formal and structured to convey that the message is important. After all, business
issues must be taken seriously.
b. Incorporate a lot of slang and colorful language into your message. This enlivens and enriches the message
and makes it stand out from more stilted writing styles.
c. Imagine you are speaking to the recipient of the message, and let your writing style flow like a natural
conversation.
d. Keep your tone neutral, and use the passive voice. This keeps the message from offending or antagonizing
the recipient, thus ensuring it will receive serious consideration.
ANSWER: c
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-05
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Write High-Impact Messages: Breaking through the Clutter
B-Head: Strike the Right Tone
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Analysis
164. _____ in a business message often undermines the author’s credibility and distracts the reader from the intended
written message.
a. Contractions
b. Grammatical errors
c. Personal pronouns
d. Simple, everyday language
ANSWER: b
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-05
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Write High-Impact Messages: Breaking through the Clutter
B-Head: Don’t Make Grammar Goofs
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: KnowledgePowered by Cognero Page 58Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
165. In business communications, ending sentences with prepositions is:
a. still considered an error by most writing experts and should be avoided, except when the message is
considered to be very informal.
b. no longer considered a true grammatical error but should be avoided because it makes writing seem
awkward and stilted.
c. now considered acceptable if doing so sounds natural and doesn’t involve excess words.
d. one of the most serious grammatical errors you can make and can be very distracting to the reader.
ANSWER: c
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-05
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Write High-Impact Messages: Breaking through the Clutter
B-Head: Don’t Make Grammar Goofs
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
166. Boeing announced that its new airline body would be delayed due to problems at various critical points in the
project. The project director wants to distribute a detailed memo to all members of the project team outlining how to
correct each of these problems. One way the director could convey the memo’s key points more effectively would
be to:
a. use the passive voice.
b. keep the memo concise; the ideal length should be no more than one page.
c. avoid the use of bulleted lists.
d. include headings to identify each major section of the memo.
ANSWER: d
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-05
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Don’t Make Grammar GoofsWrite High-Impact Messages: Breaking
through the Clutter
B-Head: Using Headings and Bulleted Lists Wherever Appropriate
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: SynthesisPowered by Cognero Page 59Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
167. According to the Book of Lists, public speaking ranks _____ on the list of things people fear the most.
a. first
b. second
c. fifth
d. tenth
ANSWER: a
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In!
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Knowledge
168. When delivering a presentation, it is critical to grab the attention of the audience in the beginning with a hook.
Which of the following is NOT an effective hook?
a. Telling a compelling story
b. Using an inappropriate joke to startle the audience
c. Engaging the audience with a question
d. Starting the presentation with an interesting statistics
ANSWER: b
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In!
B-Head: Opening
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
169. The number of key ideas covered in a presentation should be:
a. based on the material.
b. at least five, but no more than eight.
c. as many as the speaker can cover (without rushing) in the time provided.
d. two to four, where three ideas would be ideal.
ANSWER: d
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In!
B-Head: Body
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: ComprehensionPowered by Cognero Page 60Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
170. One of the most common mistakes made when delivering a presentation is:
a. including too many key ideas in the body of the presentation.
b. using a combination of visual and oral presentation techniques.
c. picking a friendly face or two in the audience, and imagining yourself speaking only to those people.
d. going too easy on the special effects.
ANSWER: a
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In!
B-Head: Body
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Knowledge
171. One way to make PowerPoint presentations more effective is to:
a. use pictures and graphics to emphasize key points.
b. use a lot of animation and sound effects as they break up the monotony of the presentation.
c. stick to the material included on each slide as providing additional examples or more detailed explanations is
likely to distract or confuse the audience.
d. keep the number of slides to a minimum by combining 8-10 related points on each slide when possible.
ANSWER: a
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In!
B-Head: Visual Aids
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
172. When making a PowerPoint presentation, “less is more” is good advice when it comes to:
a. keeping the number of pictures and graphics to a minimum.
b. avoiding the temptation to give examples beyond those provided on the slides.
c. keeping the size of the audience relatively small.
d. limiting the amount of material you include on each slide.
ANSWER: d
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In!
B-Head: Visual Aids
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: ComprehensionPowered by Cognero Page 61Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
173. Google Presentations software is an alternative application for storing information. One of the key benefits of
Google Presentations is:
a. the ability to keep the information safe from hackers.
b. the PowerPoint feature that allows you to make charts.
c. that nothing it can interfere with your ability to access the saved information.
d. that it can be accessed directly through an account without a separate application.
ANSWER: d
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In!
B-Head: Google Presentations
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Analysis
174. All of the following are ways to mitigate speech anxiety EXCEPT:
a. taking a sip of water.
b. taking slow, deep breaths.
c. picking a spot on the wall to focus on.
d. picking a friendly face in the audience to speak to.
ANSWER: c
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In!
B-Head: Handling Nerves
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: KnowledgePowered by Cognero Page 62Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
175. _____ mean(s) presenting a message in a vibrant way that is compelling to the audience.
a. Communication channels
b. Noise
c. Dynamic delivery
d. Passive voice
ANSWER: c
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In!
B-Head: Delivery
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
176. A key to dynamic delivery is to:
a. memorize the material and then deliver it.
b. choose a topic you’re familiar with, then relax and just wing it.
c. vary your voice, expressions, and body language.
d. speak formally and be serious in the presentation.
ANSWER: c
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In!
B-Head: Delivery
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Comprehension
177. If you encounter a hostile questioner while giving a presentation, you should avoid:
a. reestablishing eye contact once you answered the question.
b. pausing before answering.
c. using body language that implies you are done interacting with the questioner.
d. saying, “we agree to disagree.”
ANSWER: a
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In!
B-Head: Handling Hostility
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: ComprehensionPowered by Cognero Page 63Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
178. Millie Martin is giving a presentation at a customer service seminar and wants to grab her audience’s attention.
One effective way for her to open the presentation is to:
a. make a joke about someone in the audience.
b. walk out wearing a funny outfit.
c. ask a relevant question such as, “How many of you have spent far too long waiting in line to return a
defective product?”
d. maintain continuous eye contact with members of the audience during the first five minutes of her talk.
ANSWER: c
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In!
B-Head: Opening
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Evaluation
179. John is planning a presentation and has decided to organize it around six key ideas. This approach:
a. is likely to work very well since dividing the main presentation into several distinct key ideas helps maintain
the audience’s interest.
b. is a good approach, but he should try to come up with more than six ideas.
c. includes too many ideas, since most people can’t absorb more than two to four main points in a single
presentation.
d. is likely to be very effective as long as he includes at least four slides for each key idea.
ANSWER: c
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In!
B-Head: Body
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: EvaluationPowered by Cognero Page 64Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
180. Swim Club advocate Laticia Featherly has been asked to testify at the local school board meeting next week in
support of continuing her club’s partnership with the district to provide extracurricular recreational activities for
students. The board has indicated that she can have up to 10 minutes to make her case. In preparing her speech,
she should remember that it is a good idea to:
a. provide as many key points as possible in 10 minutes, because one of those points may resonate with one or
more board members.
b. maintain steady eye contact with the chairperson of the school board.
c. plan for her presentation to last about 15 minutes, because it is better to have too much material than to have
too little.
d. limit her presentation to three or four key points, so they will be memorable to the listeners.
ANSWER: d
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In!
B-Head: Body
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Synthesis
181. During a presentation, it is usually a good idea to summarize the key points:
a. just before launching into the body of the presentation and then once again during the closing segment of the
presentation.
b. only at the opening of the presentation.
c. at least three times during the body of the presentation in order to make sure the audience stays focused on
the key ideas.
d. only at the close of the presentation.
ANSWER: a
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In!
B-Head: Body
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: EvaluationPowered by Cognero Page 65Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
182. Which presentation is the most advisable?
a. Allan gave a brilliant speech on tractor parts to a technically savvy audience. He used a multimedia slide
show and his presentation had fifteen main points.
b. Allan let his audience decide whether or not questions would be asked during his presentation as a matter of
deference to them.
c. Allan’s presentation had an opening and an end that referred to the topics discussed in the body and acted as
bookends to the body.
d. Allan’s presentation was progressive; the open posed a question that produced further questions at the close
for critical thinking. He told the audience to take copious notes.
ANSWER: c
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In!
B-Head: Close
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Evaluation
183. At the beginning of her presentation, Delaney told the audience she would answer questions at the end of her
presentation. Jim arrived late and began asking questions during Delaney’s presentation. What should Delaney do?
a. Answer his questions immediately in order to minimize the distraction.
b. Ignore Jim and refuse to acknowledge his questions.
c. Announce to the audience that she has changed her mind and will now deal with questions during the
presentation.
d. Advise Jim and remind the audience that all questions will be addressed at the end.
ANSWER: d
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel ‘
B-Head: Questions
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: SynthesisPowered by Cognero Page 66Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
184. Andrew Beck has a great idea for a new accounting software that will enhance efficiency in his company’s
operation. His manager has asked him to present his ideas to the entire department. Andrew is excited about the
opportunity, but also a little nervous because he has never given a presentation. Which of the following comments
would help Andrew the most?
a. Relax and just wing it. The worst mistake you can make is to practice too much.
b. A little nervousness before a presentation can actually be a good thing because the adrenaline it generates
can help you think faster and focus more completely.
c. Avoid making eye contact with individuals in the audience during the presentation, since that can make you
more self-conscious. Instead, focus on an inanimate object near the rear of the audience.
d. Make sure you have memorized your speech and stick to it. If you are thoroughly prepared, you can easily
overcome your nerves.
ANSWER: b
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In!
B-Head: Handling Nerves
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Synthesis
185. Larry has been tasked with presenting a small demonstration on the company’s blender to a diverse focus group
and tallying the results of their feedback in a questionnaire. He wants to interject a bit of levity into the presentation
to give it a little spark. What should he do?
a. Talk to his old uncle Harold about some jokes he and his buddies would share down at the local bar.
b. He should think of a funny situation that happened to him personally at work, and share it in a way that feels
natural but not self-deprecating.
c. Fire off the middle digit salute to everyone as a joke when he first enters the room.
d. He should point out that Japanese workers are smarter than European workers, by and large, and then laugh
loudly to signal nonverbally that it is okay for everyone to laugh.
ANSWER: b
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In!
B-Head: Incorporating Humor
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: SynthesisPowered by Cognero Page 67Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
186. Which of the following tips for dynamic delivery was so important that it was listed twice?
a. Practice your presentation before delivering it.
b. Talk quickly to keep the audience’s attention.
c. Vary your voice, facial expressions, and body language.
d. Keep eye contact with the audience at least 90 percent of the time.
ANSWER: a
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel ‘
B-Head: Delivery
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Evaluation
187. Define and explain effective communication. Why is it important in the business environment?
ANSWER:
While communication is the transmission of information between a sender and a
receiver, effective communication only happens when you transmit meaning
—relevant meaning—to your audience. Communication must be dynamic, fluid, and
two-way, which includes listening. Seeking and understanding feedback from your
audience—and responding appropriately—forms the core of successful business
communication.
An example of effective communication’s importance to a business is how skillful
communicators develop deeper, more trusting relationships with their colleagues.
Those relationships in turn allow them to have greater influence on the people around
them. Good communicators identify and surmount communication barriers that stand
between them and their audience. The result: greater long-term success in every
aspect of business.
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Excellent Communication Skills: Your Invisible Advantage
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: SynthesisPowered by Cognero Page 68Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
188. Define noise, and describe how it impacts business communications.
ANSWER:
Noise is any interference that causes the message you send to be different from the
message your audience understands. Some experts define noise in terms of
communication barriers, which arise in a number of different forms.
Physical barriers: These can range from a document that looks like a wall-of-type,
to a room that’s freezing cold, to chairs in your office that force your visitors to sit at
a lower level than you.
Language barriers: Clearly, if you don’t speak the language, you’ll have trouble
communicating. But even among people who do share the same language, slang,
jargon, and regional accents can interfere with meaning.
Body language barriers: Even if your words are inviting, the wrong body language
can alienate and distract your audience so completely that they simply won’t absorb
the content of your message.
Perceptual barriers: How your audience perceives you and your agenda can create
a significant obstacle to effective communication. If possible, explore their perceptions
—both positive and negative—in advance!
Organizational barriers: Some companies have built-in barriers to effective
communication, such as an unspoken rule that the big guys don’t talk to the little guys.
These barriers are important to understand, but hard to change.
Cultural barriers: These can include how you greet colleagues, establish eye
contact, handle disagreement, eat business meals, and make small talk at meetings.
As globalization gains speed, intercultural communication will become increasingly
pivotal to long-term business success.
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-01
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Excellent Communication Skills: Your Invisible Advantage
B-Head: Communication Barriers: “That’s Not What I Meant!”
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: SynthesisPowered by Cognero Page 69Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
189. What is nonverbal communication? List and define the four types of nonverbal communication.
ANSWER: The goal of nonverbal communication should be to reinforce the meaning of your
message. Random facial expressions and disconnected body language—arbitrary arm
thrusts, for example—are at best distracting, and at worst clownish. But strong,
deliberate nonverbal communication can dramatically magnify the impact of your
messages. Here are a few observations (but keep in mind that these do not
necessarily translate from culture to culture):
Eye Contact: Within American culture, sustained eye contact (different from a
constant cold stare) indicates integrity, trust, and respectful attention, whether you’re
communicating with a subordinate, a superior, or a peer.
Tone of Voice: Variation is the key to effectiveness, since paying attention to a
monotone takes more concentration than most people are willing to muster. Also,
even when you’re angry or frustrated, try to keep your voice in a lower pitch to
encourage listeners to stay with your message.
Facial Expressions: People vary widely in terms of how much emotion they show on
their faces, but virtually everyone communicates, whether or not they know it, through
a wide range of expressions that include shy smiles, focused frowns, clenched jaws,
squinted eyes, and furrowed brows.
Gestures and Posture: Leaning forward can indicate interest, shrugging can suggest
a lack of authority, and fidgeting can imply either impatience or nervousness. To
increase the power of your message, both your gestures and your posture should be
confident, open, and coherent.
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Nonverbal Communication: Beyond the Words
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: SynthesisPowered by Cognero Page 70Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
190. Define active listening. What role does active listening play in an organization?
ANSWER: Active listening is the attentive listening that occurs when the listener focuses his or
her complete attention on the speaker.
Active listening plays an obvious role in business success. Statistics collected on
active listeners correlate the level of one’s rank in the chain of command of an
organization and the amount of active listening that occurs. Hourly employees may
spend 30 percent of their time listening, while managers often spend 60 percent, and
executives might spend 75 percent or more. Interestingly, top salespeople also tend to
spend about 75 percent of their communication time listening.
When you listen, try to make yourself pay closer attention to the speaker. You’ll find
that people tend to tell more to those who listen better, so if you polish your listening
skills, you’re also likely to buff up the quality of what you know and when you know
it.
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Nonverbal Communication: Beyond the Words
B-Head: Active Listening: The Great Divider
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Knowledge
191. Describe and list three DO’s and DON’Ts of listening. Explain the impact of listening on effective business
communications.
ANSWER:
Listening DO’s Listening DON’Ts
Use your extra mental capacity to
summarize (to yourself!) what the speaker
is saying. Ask yourself: Why does this
matter? What’s the key point?
Don’t even glance at your emails or text
messages. You won’t fool anyone with
those surreptitious peeks.
Take a few notes. It will not only help you
concentrate but also communicate to the
speaker that his or her thoughts really
matter.
Don’t begin speaking the moment the
person stops talking. Take a brief pause to
indicate that you’re absorbing the
message.
Listen with both your ears and your eyes.
Notice any inconsistency between the
speaker’s words and body language.
Don’t get overly comfortable. If your body
is too relaxed, your mind may wander
more easily.
Don’t pick up your phone—or even look atPowered by Cognero Page 71Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
Use nonverbal communication—nods,
smiles, leaning forward—to indicate
interest in the speaker.
your phone—when you’re listening. And
whenever it’s practical, set your cell phone
to vibrate when others are speaking.
Use verbal feedback and questions to
indicate understanding and empathy: “So
you’re saying that…”, or “Why do you
think that?”
Don’t interrupt or finish other people’s
sentences. There are few better ways to
cut off future communication.
Strong listening skills—active listening—play an obvious role in business success.
The higher you go in an organization, the more you find that people are listening.
Hourly employees may spend 30 percent of their time listening, while managers often
spend 60 percent, and executives might spend 75 percent or more. Interestingly, top
salespeople also tend to spend about 75 percent of their communication time listening.
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-02
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Nonverbal Communication: Beyond the Words
B-Head: Active Listening: The Great Divider
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Evaluation
192. What are communication channels, and what determines which one you select to carry your message?
ANSWER:
Communication channels refer to all the different ways that you can send a message.
These include letter writing, emails, text messaging, voice mail, telephone
conversations, videoconferencing, in-person presentations, face-to-face meetings, and
any other way information is shared. Figuring out the right way to send a message
can be a daunting challenge, especially in light of the growing number of choices.
Understanding the impact of each channel will help you make the best decision
regarding which one to use.
Communication channels differ significantly in terms of richness, which is the amount
of information they offer the audience. The spectrum ranges from written
communication at the low end to face-to-face meetings at the high end. The best
choice depends on your objective, your message, and your audience.
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Choose the Right Channel: A Rich Array of Options
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: SynthesisPowered by Cognero Page 72Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
193. Define the term audience, and explain why it is important to business communicators.
ANSWER: Audience is the receiver of a message transmitted from the sender. If business
communicators have not managed to transmit relevant meaning to their audience, then
their attempts to communicate have failed. The communicators most likely to succeed
in this endeavor must have a clear picture and understanding of their audience as they
choose a communication channel and compose their message.
Clearly, the needs and expectations of your audience play a crucial role in your choice
of communication channel. Even if the recipient’s preferences seem absurd,
remember that your first priority is to communicate your message. If you send it
through a channel that the audience doesn’t expect or understand or like, you’ve
crippled your chance for successful communication.
Analysis and consideration of your audience should also be a top priority after you
choose your channel. Meeting the needs of your audience will give you a crucial edge
in developing a message that works.
To find the right words as you compose a message, begin by analyzing your audience
in order to understand its needs. Consider:
Expectations. What kind language do most people use in the organization? Is it
formal or informal? Direct or roundabout? Should you differ from the norm? Why or
why not?
Education: The education level of the audience should drive the level of vocabulary
and the complexity of the message.
Profession: Some professions (e.g., Web site development) are rife with jargon and
acronyms. How should this impact your message?
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Choose the Right Channel: A Rich Array of Options
B-Head: Consider the Audience: It’s Not about You!
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Synthesis
194. List three communication channels, the level of richness for each, and explain when it is appropriate to use each
one.
ANSWER:
Communication
Channel Channel Richness When should you use this channel?
Memos/Reports
Very low: Your audience
won’t gain any
information from your
tone or your body
language.
·When your content is uncontroversial.
·When you must reach a number of people
with the same message.
·When you must communicate lengthy or
detailed information.
Email
Very low: Here, too, your
audience learns nothing
beyond your words
themselves.
·When your content is uncontroversial.
·When you must reach a number of people
with the same message.Powered by Cognero Page 73Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
Instant
Message/Texting
Very low: This is due to
the fact that so many of
us IM or text with as few
words as possible, your
audience will pick up
only the basics.
·When your content is uncontroversial.
·When you want a quick response
regarding relatively simple issues.
·When you know that your audience won’t
be annoyed by it.
Voice Mail
Low: Your audience has
the benefit of hearing
your tone but not seeing
your body language.
·When your content is uncontroversial.
·When you don’t need a record of your
message (but don’t forget that the recipient
can easily save or forward your voice mail).
Telephone
Conversation
Moderate: Your audience
benefits from hearing
your tone and how it
changes through the
call.
·When you have time urgency in terms of
either delivering your message or getting a
response.
·When your content is more personal or
controversial.
·When you need or want a spontaneous,
dynamic dialogue with the recipient.
Videoconferencing
High: Especially with
state-of-the-art
equipment, the channel
conveys much of the
richness of actually
being there.
·When you need to reach multiple people
with complex or high-priority content.
·When you need or want a spontaneous,
dynamic dialogue with an audience that
you cannot reach in person.
In-Person Presentation
High: Your audience
directly experiences
every element of your
communication: from
verbal content, to tone, to
body language.
·When you need to reach a large audience
with an important message.
·When you need or want to experience the
immediate response of your audience.
Face-to-Face Meeting
Very high: Your audience
experiences your full
message even more
directly.
·When your message is personal,
emotional, complex, or high-priority (but if
the recipient might be volatile, you should
consider using a less-immediate
channel).
·When you need or want instant feedback
from your audience.
Students can choose any three from the communication channels listed above.
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-03
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Choose the Right Channel: A Rich Array of Options
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: SynthesisPowered by Cognero Page 74Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
195. How do you pick the words that will encourage your audience to pay attention long enough to absorb your intended
message?
ANSWER: Analyze Your Audience: First of all, begin with the needs of your audience.
Determine their expectations, their educational level, and their profession.
Be Concise: Avoid excessive wordiness. Stay focused and to the point. But don’t be
so concise that you leave out important information.
Avoid Slang: Unless you’re absolutely certain that your audience will understand and
appreciate it, do not use slang in either written or verbal communication. The risk of
unintentionally alienating yourself from your audience is simply too high.
Avoid Bias: Intentionally or unintentionally, words can communicate biases that can
interfere with your message, alienate your audience, and call your own character into
question. As a result, you will be less effective in achieving the immediate goals of
your communication (and possibly any future communication as well).
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-04
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Pick the Right Words: Is That Car Pre-Loved or Just Plain Used?!
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: Synthesis
196. What are the elements of a successful oral presentation? Define and describe each element in relation to how the
speaker engages his or her audience.
ANSWER: Students answer will vary but should include the basic elements of opening, body,
closing, and a forum for questions:
Opening: The opening of your presentation gives you a chance to grab the attention
of the audience. If your opening hooks them, you’ve boosted the likelihood that you
will hold their attention throughout the presentation. But developing that hook can be a
challenge. Some suggestions:
An Interesting or Startling Statistic: In a presentation regarding a risk management
program, you could open by sharing that “your odds of being killed in a plane crash
are about 1 in 25 million, while your odds of being killed falling out of bed are about 1
in 2 million. What does this mean for us?”
Audience Involvement: Pulling the audience into your opening can be very effective.
For instance, in a presentation for a clothing company: “Imagine yourself with me at
11 p.m. on a Friday night, standing in line for admission to the hottest club in New
York. As we inch forward, we suddenly realize that every other woman in line is
wearing…”
A Compelling Story or Anecdote: This approach works best when it’s completely
genuine, using specific details that are directly relevant to the audience. For instance,
in a presentation about employee benefits, you might want to share the story of a
colleague who beat cancer by using the company’s innovative health care program.
A Relevant Simile or Metaphor: Patricia Fripp, an award-winning keynote speaker,
shares a simile that worked well to open a presentation for a colleague: “Being a
scientist is like doing a jigsaw puzzle in a snowstorm at night…you don’t have all the
pieces…and you don’t have the picture to work from.”Powered by Cognero Page 75Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
Engaging Questions: In a presentation about customer service, you could open by
asking: “How many of you have spent far too long waiting on hold for customer
service that was finally delivered by a surly agent who clearly knew nothing about your
question?”
Body: The most common presentation mistake is to include too many key ideas in the
body of your presentation. Audiences simply cannot absorb more than two to four
main points, and three are ideal. Specific examples and vivid comparisons will
illustrate your points and bring them to life, while trusted sources, specific data, and
expert quotations will increase your credibility and persuasiveness. Regardless of the
length of your presentation, be sure to use clear transitions as you move from point to
point.
Just before launching into the body of your presentation, you should tell the audience
your key points, ideally with visual reinforcement. Then as you move to each new
point, you can refer to the blueprint that you established up front. A clear, explicit
structure will help the audience track with you as you move through your material.
Close: Ideally, the close of your presentation will summarize your key points. Then
circle back to your introduction, so that the beginning and the end serve as
“bookends” for the body of your presentation. For instance, if you began by asking
questions, end by answering them. If you began with an anecdote, end by referring to
the same story. As an alternative (or maybe an addition), consider sharing a quotation
or a bit of humor relevant to your content.
Also, keep in mind that you should verbally signal to your audience that you are about
to conclude. Once you do so—by saying “in summary,” for instance—be sure that
you actually do conclude. Nothing alienates an audience more quickly than launching
into another point after you’ve told them you’re finished! Your body language will
support your conclusion if you turn off your projector and move toward the audience
to answer questions. And even if you aren’t so eager to field questions, try to paste a
receptive look on your face—it’ll increase your credibility and set a positive tone for
the Q&A session:
Questions: At the start of your presentation, decide whether you want to handle
questions throughout your talk or save them for the end. Tell your audience your
preference up front; most of the time, they will respect it. But if you do receive
unwanted questions in the middle of your presentation, don’t ignore them. Simply
remind the questioner that you’ll leave plenty of time for Q&A at the end.
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In!
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: SynthesisPowered by Cognero Page 76Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
197. You have been asked to speak to your high school’s senior class about how and why you chose your college or
university. What are the basic elements of a successful oral presentation to this group? Define and describe each
element you will use, including your preparation, use of visual aids, and any methods employed to generate audience
participation.
ANSWER: Students answers will vary but should include: the steps they used to analyze the
audience and to structure the presentation (opening, body, closing, question and
answer forum) as well as how they could use visual aids to enhance audience
participation and engagement.
Students should also talk specifically about the decision-making process that resulted
in the choice of their college/university. They should detail the benefits of attending
their particular institution.
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In!
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: SynthesisPowered by Cognero Page 77Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
198. Select a topic that you would like to give a presentation on, such as a subject you learned about at school, a musical
genre, a sport that you like, or a profession you are considering. Explain what you would include in the opening,
body, and close of your presentation and the strategies you would use to make each of these parts successful.
Provide examples.
ANSWER: Listed below are the three sections of a verbal presentation, followed by successful
strategies for each section. Student examples will vary.
Opening – The opening is the “hook.” Gaining the audience’s attention during the
opening will increase your chances of holding their attention throughout the
presentation. Suggested openers are:
Interesting or startling statistics about your subject. Example: “Did you know that it
takes four times the dollars to attract a new customer than it does to retain an old
customer?”
Audience involvement by pulling the audience into the presentation. Example:
“Imagine that the fire alarm just sounded, and we are all racing to the entrance of the
auditorium….”
Start with a compelling story or anecdote. Example: “As I walked through
Bloomingdale’s the other day on my way to the shirt department, I noticed a sales
associate clenching his chest. My immediate response was to….”
Begin with a relevant simile or metaphor. Example: “Viewing Rosie, the greyhound,
race across the pasture is like watching the smooth and synchronized pattern of a
welloiled machine.”
Open with an engaging question. Example: “How many of you have wished that you
had an extra three hours in your day?”
Body – The body of your presentation contains the details. Ideally, it is important to
limit the details in this section to three key points. At the beginning of the body, it is
appropriate to summarize the key points that you will discuss. Take time to transition
smoothly between these points.
Close – The closing should begin with a verbal signal that you are ending the
presentation. An example would be: “in summary” or “in closing.” Summarize your
key points. Refer back to the opening, and connect it to the closing. You may enhance
the closing by sharing yet another quotation or anecdote.
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In!
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: SynthesisPowered by Cognero Page 78Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
199. What are some ways you could handle a hostile questioner?
ANSWER: There are several ways to handle a hostile questioner.
Stay calm and professional. Right or wrong, the hostile questioner has won if you get
defensive or nervous.
Don’t be afraid to pause before your answer to gather your thoughts and allow the
hostility to diffuse.
Once you’ve answered the question, don’t reestablish eye contact with the
questioner. Doing so would suggest that you are seeking approval for your response,
which only invites further hostile follow-up.
Agree to disagree if the questioner insists on followingup. Example: “Sounds like we
have two different points of view on this complex issue.”
Use body language to reinforce that you are done interacting with the questioner.
Take a couple of steps away, and ask another part of the group if they have any
questions.
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In!
B-Head: Handling Hostility
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: EvaluationPowered by Cognero Page 79Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
200. You have been assigned to give an oral presentation for your business class. This is the first time you have ever
spoken before a group and you are extremely nervous. What are some ways you could mitigate your speak
anxiety?
ANSWER: Send yourself positive messages; visualize success.
Take ten slow, deep breaths using the yoga approach of breathing in through your
nose and out through your mouth.
Take a sip of water. It will loosen the throat muscle to keep your voice from shaking
and give you a chance to pause.
Pick a friendly face or two in the audience and imagine yourself only speaking to
them.
Remind yourself that the audience wants you to succeed. Focus on their needs rather
than your nerves.
If possible, have a handful of one-on-one conversations with the audience members
before your presentation.
DIFFICULTY: Difficulty: Challenging
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BUSN.KELL.15.05-06
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG: Analytic
TOPICS: A-Head: Create and Deliver Successful Verbal Presentations: Hook ‘Em and Reel
‘Em In!
B-Head: Handling Nerves
KEYWORDS: Bloom’s: EvaluationPowered by Cognero Page 80Ch. 05 Business Communication: Creating & Delivering Messages That Matter© 2015 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.