FIA 2091 Business Communication I Multiple Choice Questions Revision

On the job you are more likely to be taken seriously and promoted if you

a. look and sound professional.

b. frame your degree or certificate and hang it on your office or cubicle wall.
c. appear to be busy even when you're not really doing anything.
d. attend office parties.

Converting ideas into words or gestures to convey meaning is called

a. feedback.
b. decoding.
c. encoding.
d. nonverbal communication.

The medium over which the message is transmitted is the

a. context of the message.

b. encoding process.
c. communication channel.
d. decoding process.

Which of the following is a benefit of a diverse work environment?

a. Better ability to create the products desired by consumers

b. Fewer discrimination lawsuits, fewer union clashes, and less government regulatory action
c. Improvement of employee relationships and increased productivity
d. All are benefits of a diverse work environment.

Workers who communicate successfully with diverse audiences must make few assumptions, learn about their
own and other cultures, and

a. seek common ground.

b. help others conform.
c. avoid noticing differences.
d. see professional advice.

Business messages should be conversational, professional, positive, and

a. long.
b. courteous.
c. written from the sender's perspective.
d. filled with many common abbreviations.

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 FIA 2091 Business Communication I Multiple Choice Questions Revision

Which of the following sentences demonstrates effective business writing?

a. Hey, Bob. Ur proposal is rad!

b. Your proposal demonstrates how our call center can better meet the needs of our
customers.
c. FYI, i liked your proposal :).
d. Congrats on the proposal. You rock!

Which of the following represents the best business writing?

a. We regret that we are unable to accept you as a credit customer at this time.
b. You will never be sorry that you opened a checking account with our bank.
c. We cannot accept the returned merchandise because it is not resalable.
d. You can return all resalable merchandise for a store credit.

According to communication experts, what is the greatest failing of business writers?

a. Poor spelling
b. Unclear sentence structure
c. Ambiguous wording
d. Poor organization

When you expect a reader of your message to be uninterested, unwilling, displeased, or hostile, you should

a. put the bad news first.

b. begin with the main idea.
c. explain all background information first.
d. send the message via e-mail, text message, or IM.

What is a run-on sentence?

a. Two independent clauses run together without punctuation or a conjunction

b. Two independent clauses joined by a comma without a conjunction
c. A broken-off part of a complex sentence
d. An independent clause containing two dependent clauses

Which of the following sentences avoids clichs?

a. We can prove the benefits of exercise for stress reduction beyond a shadow of a doubt.
b. Employees who engage in a regular fitness program are likely to pass the physical exam
with flying colors.
c. Please encourage your department members to join the health club.
d. Last but not least, you, too, should join the fitness program.

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 FIA 2091 Business Communication I Multiple Choice Questions Revision

Which of the following sentences demonstrates clear writing?

a. A supervisor asked everyone to work an extra day.

b. A supervisor asked production employees to work an extra day.
c. A supervisor asked everyone to work on Saturday.
d. Lindsey Goulet asked production employees to work on Saturday.

To improve readability and comprehension through white space,

a. use approximately 20 or fewer words per sentence.

b. construct paragraphs consisting of 12-15 printed lines.
c. develop long paragraphs.
d. avoid the use of topic sentences on shorter paragraphs.

The biggest advantage of business blogs is that

a. they have the potential to reach a vast, far-flung audience.

b. they have become the primary method of business communication internally.
c. they provide anytime access to digital audio and video files containing corporate training,
marketing, and informational messages.
d. they provide digital security against hackers and rival companies.

Which of the following is the best tip for preparing a podcast?

a. Purchase a high-end digital recorder, memorize your message, and record your
presentation.
b. Speak clearly, deliver off the cuff, and maintain eye contact.
c. Know the subject, know your audience, and know your goal.
d. Select a digital recorder, organize your message, and rehearse your delivery.

Which of the following statements best describes use of social networks by businesses today?

a. All companies are comfortable with using social networking for brainstorming and
teamwork.
b. Companies struggle with finding the right balance between permitting access to the Web
and protecting security as well as ensuring productivity.
c. Companies must run their own social networks to capitalize effectively on the benefits this
medium offers.
d. Large companies (like McDonalds and British Telecom) create buzz and promote their
brands via social networking, but social networking offers no benefit to small businesses.

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 FIA 2091 Business Communication I Multiple Choice Questions Revision

Which parts of your letters are readers likely to find most interesting and read first?

a. Address
b. Opening and closing
c. Middle paragraphs of justification and explanation
d. Salutation

End dates and specific actions in a routine request letter should be placed in the

a. introduction.
b. body.
c. closing.
d. enclosure notation.

A subject line in a direct reply letter

a. is mandatory.
b. generally refers in abbreviated form to previous correspondence and/or summarizes a
message.
c. must be written as a complete sentence.
d. identifies the sender and his or her company.

Every business person will need to write a negative business message that may disappoint, irritate, or anger the
receiver; these messages must be written

a. thoughtfully.
b. by top-level management only.
c. by any department with legal department final approval.
d. deceitfully.

Which of the following bad-news letters is best suited to a direct strategy?

a. An announcement of changes in business services

b. A layoff notice for a long-time employee
c. A denial of benefits on an insurance claim to an angry customer
d. A notice of an unexpected plant closure to the city council and mayor

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 FIA 2091 Business Communication I Multiple Choice Questions Revision

The buffer in a bad-news message is a

a. hint that good news will follow to prompt the receiver to read further.
b. statement completely unrelated to the bad news so that receivers will not know that bad
news is coming.
c. statement that reduces shock or pain and encourages the receiver to continue reading.
d. denial of the requested action.

Which of the following is the best advice to follow when explaining the reasons for bad news?

a. Because it is important for the reader to understand the reasons for the bad news, you
should cite confidential reasons.
b. Include a general statement saying that the bad news results from company policy. Most
readers will understand this explanation.
c. Do everything you can to look like the "good guy," even if it means making unrealistic
statements.
d. Explain the causes before disclosing bad news.

The best way to begin a persuasive request is to

a. use a neutral but unrelated buffer that leads into the request.
b. immediately prove the merit of your request.
c. capture the reader's attention and interest.
d. explain your request logically and concisely.

Professional marketers and salespeople follow the AIDA strategy in their sales letters because it is effective.
What does AIDA represent?

a. Attention, interest, desire, and action

b. Attraction, innovation, determination, and activity
c. Appeal, input, develop, and attune
d. Access, incite, determine, and activate

Select the most effective opening for a persuasive letter that invites a state representative to speak at your
organization's Flag Day celebration.

a. If you have June 14 open, would you be interested in speaking at our Flag Day ceremony?
b. Please consider this letter an invitation to address our organization on June 14.
c. Your patriotism and leadership in the House of Representatives have improved the quality
of life across our state.
d. The Patriotic Council promotes respect for the flag and our country, just as you do, which
is why we are asking you to be our guest speaker for our Flag Day ceremony on June 14.

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 FIA 2091 Business Communication I Multiple Choice Questions Revision

When you use the AIDA persuasive approach, your first task is to gain the reader's attention (A). Which of the
following represents your second step, or "I" tasks, of AIDA?

a. Describe the benefits a product or service offers and make rational or emotional appeals.
b. Include details of your company's reliability and reputation.
c. Grow more excited about your product and yourself as a salesperson.
d. Identify a proverb or famous quotation.

Which of the following statements about businesses' use of Facebook and other social networking sites is most
accurate?

a. Social networking sites provide more obtrusive, less-tailored advertisements than

traditional marketing campaigns.
b. Media-savvy businesses can positively affect their customers' beliefs and counter negative
perceptions on these sites.
c. Business use of Facebook and similar sites has now grown to nearly 40 percent of global
companies.
d. Facebook and other sites offer plenty of social opportunities, but companies have been
unable to identify practical business applications.