Test Bank

Chapter 14
Listening and Nonverbal Messages

TRUE/FALSE

1. The success of the listening process is jeopardized if one of the elements is omitted.

ANS: FALSE

2. Nonverbal cues provide information that can either add to or detract from a message.

ANS: FALSE

3. Good listening skills can improve productivity.

ANS: TRUE

4. Listening should occur more often than speaking.

ANS: FALSE

5. During remembering, a message receiver assigns meaning to stimuli.

ANS: TRUE

6. A person can speak at twice the rate that he or she can hear.

ANS: TRUE

7. Interpreting involves assigning meaning to both verbal and nonverbal cues.

ANS: FALSE

8. Hearing and listening are different terms for the same physical process.

ANS: FALSE

9. To avoid interrupting a speaker, a listener should distinguish between a mid-thought pause and the
end of a comment.

ANS: FALSE

10. First impressions may result in frozen evaluations.

ANS: TRUE

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11. A speaker cannot communicate an oral message without using nonverbal cues.

ANS: TRUE

12. Emphasis words are those words to which a receiver has a strong emotional reaction.

ANS: FALSE

13. Listeners use cautious listening when they want to concentrate on specific details rather than general
concepts.

ANS: TRUE

14. A speaker should not display facial expressions because they may change the meaning of an oral
message.

ANS: FALSE

15. Both verbal and nonverbal responses are used in the fifth element of the listening process,
remembering.

ANS: FALSE

16. Our minds filter the contents of a message based on our experiences, age, knowledge, and emotions.

ANS: TRUE

17. A weak handshake communicates a negative message.

ANS: FALSE

18. Stimuli may be external or internal.

ANS: FALSE

19. An individual may be unaware that he or she is transmitting a nonverbal message.

ANS: FALSE

20. Content of the message, not physical appearance, gives credibility to the speaker.

ANS: TRUE

21. Small-group or one-to-one presentations lend themselves best to nonverbal feedback.

ANS: FALSE

22. Taking careful, detailed notes is important to helping remember what has been said.

ANS: FALSE

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23. During filtering, a listener tries to eliminate unwanted verbal and nonverbal stimuli.

ANS: TRUE

24. A nonverbal message may be interpreted differently by individuals from different cultures.

ANS: TRUE

25. A listener engaged in skimming wants to remember concepts and details.

ANS: FALSE

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. Paraphrasing a speaker
a. Creates negative feedback.
b. Delays the conversation process.
c. Interrupts the speaker.
d. Makes him or her feel not only heard but also understood.
ANS: c. interrupts the speaker.

2. Which of the following is NOT a mode commonly used to listen to messages?

a. Careful listening
b. Cautious listening
c. Scanning
d. Skimming
ANS: a. Careful listening

3. One shortcoming of the scanning mode of listening is

a. It requires much energy.
b. There is no time to evaluate nonverbal cues.
c. There is no time to give feedback.
d. Your mind may wander.
ANS: d. your mind may wander.

4. The type of note taking that most enhances your listening effectiveness is
a. Abbreviation.
b. Keyword.
c. Replication.
d. Verbatim.
ANS: b. keyword.

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5. Which of the following is NOT correct about nonverbal communication?
a. All managers view punctuality as being important.
b. Distance between communicators may vary with individuals from different cultures.
c. The importance of an employee may be communicated by his or her proximity to the
manager.
d. The size of an office communicates a nonverbal message.
ANS: a. All managers view punctuality as being important.

6. Carl and Gayle have a weekly meeting to discuss staffing in the four restaurants they own. Bob
always starts the meeting by telling Gayle a joke. Today, though, there was no joke--just a negative
comment about the weather. Gayle’s awareness of the change in Carl’s behavior is called
a. Benchmarking.
b. Empathizing.
c. Mirroring.
d. Recalling.
ANS: a. benchmarking.

7. Cues to meaning come from all BUT one of the following.

a. Arrangement of the room in which the message is delivered
b. Body language
c. Gestures
d. Tone of voice
ANS: d. Tone of voice

8. Which of the following nonverbal behaviors is considered positive?

a. Leaning toward the person with whom you are conversing
b. Looking at your watch
c. Raising your eyebrows
d. Yawning
ANS: a. leaning toward the person with whom you are conversing

9. Which of the following is the best example of a mental distraction?

a. Hearing the children on the school playground through an open window
b. Listening to the two people next to you talking
c. Taking extensive notes
d. Thinking of a meeting at which you will be speaking in an hour
ANS: d. thinking of a meeting at which you will be speaking in an hour

TB-114 Test Bank for Business Communication, 7e

10. Which of the following is NOT a result of effective listening?
a. Conflict resolution
b. Fewer errors and less wasted time
c. Frozen evaluations
d. Understanding

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ANS: d. Understanding

ESSAY
1. Identify and describe the five elements of listening.

ANS:
· HEARING
The first element in the listening process, hearing, is a physiological process. When
We hear, our auditory nerves are stimulated by sound waves. Everyone hears sounds
Unless he or she has a hearing impairment. Hearing is a passive activity requiring no
Conscious effort; it is, however, a prerequisite for listening.

· FILTERING
The second element in the listening process, filtering, is the elimination of unwanted
Stimuli. The stimuli may be external, such as events occurring around you, spoken
words, or physical experiences that affect your senses; these are things over which
You have no control. The stimuli may also be internal, such as deadlines you must
meet by the end of the workday, information you need in order to make a decision
Or work on a project, or a headache you have developed because you missed lunch.

· INTERPRETING
The third element of the listening process is interpreting. When interpreting, the listener’s
mind assigns meaning to the stimuli. Listeners tend to consider nonverbal
Cues as well as verbal cues when interpreting oral messages.

· RESPONDING
The fourth element in the listening process is responding, a form of feedback that lets the
sender know the message was received and understood. There are several
Types of responses that may be used in the listening process.

· REMEMBERING
The fifth element, remembering, involves recalling at a later time the information
That was interpreted and responded to earlier. The success of this element depends
Heavily on the association (relationship) placed on the stimuli during the interpretation
phase. The normal, untrained listener retains only about half of what he or she
hears in a casual conversation or formal oral communication within hours of the
Event and only about one fourth of it two days later.

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2. Why is it important for a good listener to know the purpose of a message?

ANS: Oral messages have purposes, as do written messages. As a listener, you need to
Determine the purpose of the oral message so that you can decide on the mode that
You will use when listening.

3. Name and explain the three modes of listening.

ANS:
Cautious Listening
This mode, cautious listening, is used when you need to understand and remember both the general
concept and all the details of the message.
This mode requires more mental energy than the others because of the amount or
Complexity of material on which you must concentrate. When listening in this mode,
Your mind has no time to relax.

Skimming
Skimming is used when you need to understand only the general concept of the message. When
using this mode for listening, your mind has time to relax because you do not need to remember
all the details being presented. Listen for main ideas, which are the most important points the
speaker wants to make. They may be mentioned at the start or end of the talk; they may also be
repeated several times.

Scanning
When scanning, you concentrate on details of specific interest to you instead of on the general
concept. No energy is wasted trying to retain information that is not of specific value. One
shortcoming of this mode is that your mind may wander; you may miss material that is
important.

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4. What should an effective listener do to improve his or her concentration?

ANS: People normally speak at 150 to 200 words a minute and listen at 400 to 500 words
A minute. This gap between speaking and listening speeds requires the listener to
Make a conscious effort to focus and concentrate on the message to avoid “mind
Drift.” Focusing your concentration and mental energies on the message is the foundation of effective
listening. Mentally summarizing the message is a concentration technique that is effective
When the communication is not well organized or when the speaker has a heavy
Accent. Concentrate on the main points the speaker is trying to convey. Look for
Hidden messages. Determine whether the speaker is using facts, opinions, or inferences. Do not allow the
speaker’s physical appearance or vocal qualities to affect
Your concentration.

5. Describe three barriers to effective listening.

ANS: PHYSICAL DISTRACTIONS

The individual responsible for setting up the meeting place in which the listening
Will occur should minimize physical distractions. Physical distractions may include
Sensory stimuli such as temperature, smell, and noise. You can limit this barrier by
Sitting at the front of the room, not sitting near a corridor or an open window, not
Sitting next to an individual who will talk or whisper during the presentation, and
Turning off your cell phone.

HEALTH CONCERNS
Good health and well-being play a specific role in effective listening. A hungry, nauseous, or
tired listener will find it difficult to focus on the message and listen actively. When these
conditions exist, the speaker may wish to repeat the original message later.

NONVERBAL DISTRACTIONS

A listener may give a speaker negative nonverbal feedback. Facial expressions and gestures—
frowning, yawning, raising an eyebrow, closing the eyes, or crossing the arms—can convey a
message of disinterest or disapproval. Glancing at a watch or a clock may tell the speaker that
you are ready for the presentation to end. Avoiding these nonverbal distractions will keep the
lines of communication open.

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6. Discuss how body language communicates nonverbal messages.

ANS: An advantage of using body language to respond to a message is that it conveys

Instant feedback to the sender. A smile is interpreted almost universally as an expression of friendliness
and approval. A smile indicates satisfaction, but a frown shows
Disagreement. The eyes are also a powerful indicator. Failure to look a person in the
Eye when speaking may indicate shyness, dishonesty, or embarrassment. Eye contact
Can convey positive emotions such as confidence, agreement, or interest in the subject
Of a conversation; negative emotions like fear or hatred; or a signal to the sender about
When to talk or finish.

The way a person sits or stands communicates a nonverbal message. An individual standing or sitting
erectly conveys confidence and pride; a person slumping
Over may be perceived as being tired or depressed. If an individual leans toward
Another person during a conversation, body language indicates that the person likes
Or is interested in the other communicator. If the person leans away from the other
Person, the posture suggests a dislike of or disinterest in the other individual. A parallel or face-to-face
orientation indicates that the interest is focused on the other person. Body language, whether intentional
or unintentional, can change the meaning of
A verbal message. Unfortunately, many people are unaware of the messages they
Send through body language.

7. Why is it important to analyze a speaker’s total message?

ANS: Listen “between the lines” to understand the full message. Many cues to meaning
Come from the speaker’s tone of voice, facial expressions, and gestures. People don’t
Always say what they mean, but body language and tone of voice are usually accurate indicators of the
intent of the message. Your vocal and visual observations will
Help you determine the speaker’s emotional state and intent, as well as the message
Content.

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8. Discuss how nonverbal communication may be more important than verbal communication.

ANS: A nonverbal message is one that communicates without words. Nonverbal messages
Are an important part of the communication process because they provide added
Information the receiver can use in interpreting what is said. However, the extra
Information can add to or detract from the meaning of a message. Although listeners may strongly believe
what is said, nonverbal behavior may constitute two thirds
Or more of total communication. People may choose not to speak; however, they can
Never be uncommunicative nonverbally. Nonverbal signs are a rich source of information. There are
many useful business applications for nonverbal communication.
It can be used to make stronger connections with clients and colleagues, to determine interest in a product
or service, or to convey a certain impression about yourself and your organization.

•The nonverbal communication can be unintentional. The sender may be unaware

That he or she is sending a nonverbal message and, consequently, may not be
Aware of the impact that message may have.
• A nonverbal communication may be more honest than a verbal one. In a person to-person
communication, the message is sent on two levels—verbal and nonverbal. Nonverbal cues may be
transmitted unconsciously and without having
Been planned. So if the nonverbal cues and the spoken message are not compatible, the receiver of the
message tends to base the interpretation and the intent
Of the message on the nonverbal cues.
• Nonverbal communication makes, or helps to make, a first impression. First
Impressions are powerful. They often result in frozen evaluations, images that
Can be very difficult to alter.
• Nonverbal communication is always present. Neither oral nor written communication exists without
nonverbal communication. Examples of nonverbal messages being sent even when the communication
may not be face-to-face include
Tapping the phone receiver, loudly rearranging papers, or silence.

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9. Why is it important for a listener to keep an open mind?

ANS: Because a listener can listen at a faster rate than most speakers speak, there is a
Tendency to evaluate too quickly. Delay evaluating a message until you have heard
The entire message. When a listener begins to disagree with a speaker’s message, he
Or she tends to misinterpret the remaining information or distort its intended meaning so that it is
consistent with his or her beliefs. Premature evaluations or judgments of a speaker’s message benefit no
one.

10. Discuss the difference between hearing and listening.

ANS: Hearing is a physiological process; listening is a mental one. For example, you may
Have attended a class session during which the instructor gave directions for assignments and projects to
be included in your portfolio for the class. Later, as you began preparing the portfolio, you realized that
you could not recall all the items that were to be included. You heard the instructions but did not listen to
them. Listening Involves understanding and retaining what is heard. Ineffective listening occurs in the
workplace as well as in the classroom. Consider the situation in which Sophie, a new sales representative,
had a meeting with Alan, her sales manager, at which time she was given directions on the procedure for
submitting travel forms for reimbursement of expenses incurred while on Company business. She
submitted her first travel form a week later. Much to her surprise, Sophie found she was not reimbursed
for all the expenses she submitted. She had not listened carefully, and she had not attached the required
receipts. Sophie needs to learn the importance of using the entire listening process.

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