SOURCE FINAL SSC102

1. Unsolicited telephone calls to a person a no-call list are unethical but nol illegal.
A. True
B. False

2. Passive voice is preferred in business messages because they avoid use of first-person
pronouns.
A. True
B. False

3. The complimentary close Respectfully is too formal to use with the salutation Dear Rob.
A. True
B. False

4. When the format for an RFP (Request for Proposal), to which you are responding, doesn’t
mention an important information, you should
A. attach an explanatory letter.
B. omit the information.
C. place the information in an appendix.
D. integrate the information into sections that fit the format.

5. Blogs are more conversational in tone than a business letter.

A. True
B. False

6. If used as part of the direct plan, a sales appeal may be presented as a separate paragraph
or combined with the friendly close.
A. True
B. False

7. Making the receiver feel guilty will increase the likelihood that a claim will be approved.
A. True
B. False

8. Which of the following report types is also known as a status report?

A. Technical
B. Unsolicited
C. Progress
D. Periodic
9. The primary goal in presenting negative information is to be sure that the receiver clearly
understands this part of your message.
A. True
B. False

10. Organizations select 20-pound bond for letterhead stationery not only because it looks good
but also because it is durable.
A. True
B. False

11. The constructive follow-up provides other solutions or gives additional reasoning that will
justify the unfavorable information.
A. True
B. False

12. The revising process includes all EXCEPT 

A. Thinking about the visual image the message creates
B. Determining whether the message is mechanically correct
C. Verifying the content for accuracy and completeness
D. Checking to see that business communication principles have been applied

13. Creating and holding a mental image of the person with whom you are conversing by
telephone will
A. make your voice sound professional.
B. minimize the potential for in-person interruptions.
C. help you keep the conversation focused on the other person.
D. give the impression the other person is important.

14. A bona fide occupational qualification means

A. an essential function of the job
B. a, b, and c
C. disability accommodations are not
D. a method of evaluating employees

15. The two main types of communication are written and verbal. 
A. True
B. False

16. Using a greeting before and a signature after the text of an e-mail message is a function of
style, not a format requirement.
A. True
B. False

17. A goodwill message is sent to communicate your interest and concern.

 A. True
B. False

18. Which of the following is NOT part of the planning process?

A. Outline the message content.
B. Select the organizational plan.
C. Establish purposes.
D. Serve the leader's benefit

19. Which of the following is NOT a secondary data source?

A. Sales daily records
B. Almanac
C. Yearbook
D. Dictionary

20. Guidelines for successful business communication in a multinational and global society
include reviewing communication principles, analyzing the messege receiver, being open to
and accepting of other cultures, learning about other cultures and applying what you learn,
and considering language needs.
A. True
B. False

21. The inverted pyramid format is used with

A. policy statements.
B. performance appraisals.
C. executive summaries.
D. news releases.

22. Which of the following is NOT a requirement of a valid contract ?

A. offer and acceptance
B. competency of parties
C. legal subject matter
D. written on a contract form

23. When using sentence structure to give ideas emphasis, place the most important ideas in
the dependent clauses.
A. True
B. False

24. Paraphrasing a speaker _______________

A. creates negative feedback.
B. interrupts the speaker.
C. delays the conversation process.
D. makes him or her feel not only heard but also understood.
25. Which of the following is NOT correct about nonverbal communication?
A. The importance of an employee may be communicated by his or her proximity to the
manager.
B. The size of an office communicates a nonverbal message.
C. All managers view punctuality as being important.
D. Distance between communicators may vary with individuals from different cultures.

26. Storytelling is used to inform, to stimulate imagination, and to build community.

A. True
B. False

27. When designing a questionnaire, we should _______

A. use primarily open-ended questions.
B. allow respondents the freedom to interpret questions to fit their situation.
C. gather as much demographic information as possible.
D. work from the factors being studied.

28. Advances in technology allow individuals to self-select what, when and where electronic
messages are sent and received.
A. True
B. False

29. Trying to maintain neutrality in the opening of a negative message is unethical.

A. True
B. False

30. Which of the following titles is best for an unsolicited proposal to an agency that funds
community-based projects?
A. Rock and Roll Meets Rap
B. The Green Thumb Project: Teaching Inner-City Youth about Gardening
C. A skill training course for golfers
D. A Proposal Requesting Funding for CEO Club in South Dakota.

31. If a formal report contains a comprehensive letter of transmittal, the report will not contain
a/an
A. conclusion
B. executive summary
C. Title page
D. introduction.

32. A negative message required by the receiver is considered an unsolicited negative

message.
A. True
 B. False

33. Which of the following graphs does not begin with zero at the bottom, extreme left?
A. Positive-negative bar graph
B. Multiple-line graph
C. Pictograph
D. Stacked-bar graph

34. Achieving the fourth business communication goal--organizational goodwill--is a corporate,

not an individual, responsibility. 
A. True
B. False

35. Cues to meaning of nonverbal message come from all BUT one of the following.
A. Body language
B. Gestures
C. Tone of voice
D. Arrangement of the building in which the message is delivered

36. The trend in business writing is to place the receiver's name in an attention line rather than
keying it as the first line of the inside address.
A. True
B. False

37. The first step in developing a business message is to draft the message.
A. True
B. False

38. The tone with which a message is spoken can affect the way a receiver interprets that
message.
A. True
B. False

39. The primary criterion for an understandable word choice for a message is to choose a word
that the sender understands. 
A. True
B. False

40. Which of the following is NOT a reason for mispronouncing a word?

A. The speaker talks too fast
B. The words are unfamiliar.
C. The dictionary was not consulted for the correct pronunciation of unfamiliar words.
D. the speaker pronounces the word incorrectly.
41. Selecting one or two gestures and using them throughout a presentation can help a speaker
overcome nervousness.
A. True
B. False

42. It is possible to indicate comparisons and contrasts with voice pitch.

A. True
B. False

43. Letter is the best and only way to convey negative information of high importance.
A. True
B. False

44. Five generally recognized core cultural dimensions are

A. ethnicity, race, gender, age, and physical disability.
B. corporation, relaxation, language, ideas, and globalization.
C. friends, colleagues, employers, employees, and family.
D. English, German, Scandinavian, French, and Japanese.

45. An understanding of cultures helps you to respond to people as individuals, while

recognizing that cultural backgrouds
A. True
B. False

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

A. Taking extensive notes
B. Listening to the two people next to you talking
C. Thinking of a year-end meeting which will decide if you deserve a large promotion or not
D. Hearing the children on the school playground through an open window

47. Office politics may be positive or negative. 

A. True
B. False

48. On her way to an important Friday morning meeting, Shannon Gaydos observes one of the
staffs she supervises speaking harshly to a customer. Shannon knows she must offer
constructive feedback to the employee, so she decides to _________________
A. punish that staff
B. cut monthly bonus of that staff
C. criticize that staff in front of the customer
D. stress the benefits that employee will gain by offering good behavior/service to
customers.
49. Monitoring of e-mail by private employers is not allowed because e-mail is private and such
monitoring is an invasion of privacy.
A. True
B. False

50. Revising and editing are different names for the same process.
A. True
B. False

51. The purpose of a message must be decided before the direct plan can be implemented.

A. True
B. False

52. The four areas in which you analyze the receiver of a message are
A. politics, income, time, and feelings.
B. hidden agenda, advertising, emotion, and age.
C. property, interests, feelings, and time
D. knowledge, interests, attitudes, and emotional reaction.

53. An advantage of an oral message is that it

A. accommodates lengthy and complex content.
B. can have legal value.
C. provides a permanent record.
D. allows for immediate feedback.

54. Slides or transparencies work well with groups of different sizes. Which one of the following
statements is NOT true about their use for presentations.
A. As a general rule, keywords rather than complete sentences should be used on slides or
transparencies.
B. Type should be in uppercase letters to be easily read.
C. The beginning, the ending, and the most important points of the presentation should be
used as content for presentation slides or transparencies.
D. Font sizes should be 36 point for titles and 24 point for bulleted text.

55. To gain a goodwill of the receiver, a claim adjustment should end with an apology.
A. True
B. False

56. When speakers use connotative words, they risk having the receiver infer a meaning
different from what was intended. 
A. True
B. False
57. Which of the following is NOT a persuasive message?
A. Employment
B. Invitation
C. Recommendation
D. Collection

58. Business letters have notations; envelopes do not.

A. True
B. False

59. English is the primary language used in conducting multinational business; therefor, current
global marketing  strategies shape their products and their Websites to appeal only to the 
countries where English is the native language.
A. True
B. False

60. Copyright is a legal protection for the author or owner of written work, art, music,
photographs, multimedia, and computer solfware that controls reproduction, distribution, and
sale of copyrighted work.
A. True
B. False

61. Claim adjustments and request approvals help organizations generate goodwill.
A. True
B. False

62. The revising process includes all EXCEPT 

A. Checking to see that business communication principles have been applied
B. Determining whether the message is mechanically correct
C. Thinking about the visual image the message creates
D. Verifying the content for accuracy and completeness

63. Which of the following statements about letterhead stationery is incorrect?

A. Only contact information in the letterhead.

B. Slogan may be included in the letterhead
C. email address may be included in a letterhead
D. Logo may be included in the letterhead.

64. The best way to convey friendliness is to

A. smile
B. use a tone of importance.
 C. tell a joke.
D. speak slowly

65. Analyzing a receiver’s knowledge will assist a writer in deciding whether to use the direct or
indirect plan when organizing a message. 
A. True
B. False

66. Which graph is best in demonstrating differences in values within variables by dividing each
bar into its parts?
A. Multiple-bar graph
B. Positive-negative bar graph
C. Broken-bar graph
D. Stacked-bar graph

67. A claim is a request for action written by someone who believes he or she has been
wronged.
A. True
B. False

68. The correct order of the three stages of collection messages is

A. reminder, warning, appeal.
B. warning, reminder, appeal.
C. appeal, warning, reminder.
D. reminder, appeal, warning.

69. A writer may use street abbreviations (e.g.,St. for Street) within an inside address
A. whenever the writer likes
B. when the writer is in a hurry.
C. when abbreviating the word will create a balanced display.
D. none of the others

70. Errors do not detract from the clarity of the message since the reader just needs the main
idea.
A. True
B. False

71. One shortcoming of the scanning mode of listening is

A. your mind may wander.
B. there is no time to give feedback.
C. it requires much energy and lots of time.
D. there is no time to evaluate nonverbal cues.
72. One way to de-emphasize the negative information is to place it in a dependent clause.
A. True
B. False

73. Pitch refers to the ____________

A. strength of your voice.
B. highness or lowness of your voice.
C. timbre of your voice.
D. volume of your voice.

74. Which condition can NOT use to prove fraud?

A. concealment of a material fact
B. spoken words
C. deceit that causes monetary damage.
D. accidental misrepresentation

75. The quality of thinking that emerges from small-group meetings ____________
A. has no relationship to what one person can achieve alone.
B. is usually higher than one person can achieve alone.
C. is usually the same as one person can achieve alone.
D. is usually lower than one person can achieve alone.

76. The legal structure of a business should be described in which section of a business plan?
A. Ownership/management/staffing
B. Appendix
C. Financial information
D. Administration/production factors

77. A negative message is any message that is unpleasant, disappointing, or unfavorable in the
mind of the receiver.
A. True
B. False

78. What is a Gantt chart?

A. A budget spreadsheet
B. A cluster diagram
C. A statistical analysis tool
D. A time schedule
79. The traditional outline method works well when generating ideas and determining how they
relate to one another.
A. True
B. False

80. You can exhibit friendliness by showing a genuine interest in the feedback your audience
provides.
A. True
B. False

81. When a message extends to two or more pages, we should ________________

A. begin the text on line 7.
B. not key the page numbers.
C. key the page numbers.
D. none of the others
E. place the heading items 10 inches from the top of the sheet.

82. Which of the following message should NOT be written using the direct plan?
A. A very good & happy news
B. A new product launching
C. A promotion
D. A memo announcing some bad and unexpected news

83. Cultural barriers that may prohibit effective multicultural communication include
A. Discrimination and harrassment, language, cultural relativism, and ethnocentrism.
B. stereotypes, hostile environment, and a common business language.
C. quid pro quo, high-context culture, and the acceptance of the needs of others.
D. cultural relativism, ethnocentrism, and a knowledge of your own culture.

84. A long sentence in a businness letter is 30 words or longer.

A. True
B. False

85. Citing receiver benefits in a message not only fosters a favorable relationship between the
sender and the receiver but also demonstrates use of the you-viewpoint. 
A. True
B. False

86. In oral communication, what you say is more important than how you say it.
A. True
B. False
87. The key elements in a social business message are:
A. none of  the others
B. sincerity and timeliness.
C. politic and following the leader's will.
D. long and blurred.

88. Bolsa Industries is implementing a new insurance program, and Thuy Nguyen has been
assigned the task of explaining the plan to employees. During the question-and-answer
session, one of the attendees incorporates a negative remark about the plan into his
question. In responding, Thuy should
A. ignore negative questions
B. rephrase the question then answer it.
C. implicate that only positive questions are welcomed
D. go directly to the next question without responding to the negative individual.

89. To be successful, an organization needs effective internal and external communication. 

A. True
B. False

90. What organizational plan would be best for an oral presentation in which a person is being
introduced to an audience?
A. Comparison
B. Cause & effect
C. Direct or indirect
D. Problem and solution

91. In general, Asian cultural background has favored an indirect style of communication.
A. True
B. False

92. New users of instant messaging quickly master the technology by using initialisms,
replacement letters in words, and symbol replacements for vowels in words.
A. True
B. False

93. Mixed punctuation means the salutation is followed by a colon, and the complimentary close
has no punctuation.
A. True
B. False

94. Employees should treat e-mail, voice-mail, and other eletronic messages that they send as if
they will be public knowledge.
A. True
 B. False

95. A GPS wireless unit gives detailed location directions for the user.
A. True
B. False

96. Sara Garrett is requesting information about Hugh Rolle, a candidate for a sales position at
Better Beverages. Sara will improve her chances of getting a thorough reply if she
A. asks relevant questions and assures the reader responses will be kept confidential.
B. asks questions with religious discrimination
C. asks questions with racial discrimination
D. asks questions which are not relevant to the job requirement

97. The essential elements in a solicited external proposal are:

A. contained in the response to a letter of inquiry.
B. specified in the RFP (Request for Proposal)
C. made without any RFP (Request for Proposal)
D. held confidential.

98. Outsourcing means to move part or all of the business operation outside the home country.
A. True
B. False

99. Composing negative messages without using a single negative word is possible and
desirable.
A. True
B. False

100. Current technology trends include portability via small, wireless computer devices for on-
the-go communication; audience selectivity of topic, media, time, and place for sending and
receving messages; and convergence of audio, video, text, photo, music, Internet, and
phone devices.
A. True
B. False

101. The best visual aid to illustrate step-by-step progression of a complex procedure is a
(an)
A. line graph.
B. stacked-bar graph.
C. flowchart.
D. organization chart.

102. Sentence unity comes from limiting content to one main idea.
 A. True 
B. False

103. Repeating the same idea in the opening and closing paragraphs of a direct plan
message is redundant.
A. True 
B. False

104. Andrea Swank is responding to a complaint from a customer who claimed he received
poor service at her store. Which of the following statements is the best?
A. Again, let me apologize for not giving you the high-quality service
B. We look forward to showing you that your experience was a unique incident.
C. Use the enclosed coupon on your next visit to Swanks, where customer satisfaction is
our goal.
D. We appreciate your business and hope you will visit us again soon.

105. Inappropriate use of e-mail or the Internet at work not only affects productivity but also
may create a legal issue or result in loss of the employee's job.
A. True
B. False 

106. Countries with a general preference for indirect communication are likely also to
A. value family and group authority.
B. favor structured messages with technical details.
C. place a higher value on words than shared background.
D. value individualism.

107. Proofreading is done before and after revising and editing.

A. True
B. False

108. Computer translation software can be used to translate languages; therefore, translators
are no longer required to communicate between two languages.
Select one:
A. True
B. False

109. The overall organizational framework for a presentation is (1) opening, (2) body, and (3)
closing.
A. True
B. False

110. May 3, 2009 and 3 May 2009 are acceptable formats for the date in a letter.
 A. True
B. False

111. A monotone voice is one that has no variation in pitch, volume, and speed.
A. True
B. False

112. Secondary purposes support the main idea in a written message.

A. True
B. False

113. Hoteling provides alternative office space for mobile workers and provides computer
connections and phone service.
A. True
B. False

114. Obsolete words sound formal and, therefore, are appropriate in formal business
communication.
A. True
B. False

115. Jackie Parcel works for Hamilton State Bank in Joplin, Missouri. When Jackie
communicates with Rick Spliker, a representative of the Federal Reserve Bank in St. Louis,
she is engaging in internal communication. 
A. True
B. False

116. Setting the date by which a receiver should respond to a request or claim is rude and
pushy.
A. True
B. False

117. Research represents the most common Internet application.

A. True
B. False

118. Margo Clark keyed a letter written by Bill Ramkin and signed by D'Wayne Bullock. Which
of the following sets of reference initials best represents this situation?
A. mc
B. DB/mc
C. DB/BR:mc
D. BR:mc
119. The return address in a personal business letter consists of a writer's name, the writer's
mailing address and the date.
A. True
B. False

120. The notation bcc stands for business courtesy copy.

A. True
B. False

121. Which of the following is NOT part of the planning process?

A. Outline the message content.
B. Select the organizational plan.
C. Serve the leader's benefit
D. Establish purposes.

122. The composer of a negative message should analyze the situation before implementing
the indirect plan.
A. True
B. False

123. Which of the following items is not considered to be a standard letter part?
A. Heading
B. Reference initials
C. groupthink
D. Complimentary close

124. George Karim's current department store credit card statement includes a charge for
merchandise he returned (i.e. did not buy), so he is writing to ask that charge to be
removed. To give his claim credibility, George should
A. ask for $25 for pain and suffering.
B. enclose a copy of the receipt he was given when he returned the merchandise.
C. say he will quit shopping at the store unless his account is corrected within two weeks.
D. explain that he is disappointed in the company.

125. Purpose statements should be phrased in terms of the desired result or outcome.
A. True
B. False

126. Which of the following web-assisted technologies allows you to store a presentation and
watch it at a later time?
A. Web caching
B. Web conferencing
C. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
 D. Webcasting

127. The belief that your own cultural traditions and values are correct and superior is
A. a stereotype.
B. cultural relativism.
C. ethnocentrism.
D. quid pro quo.

128. The primary business language  is

A. French
B. English
C. indirect
D. Spanish

129. The four areas in which you analyze the receiver of a message are
A. hidden agenda, advertising, emotion, and age.
B. property, interests, feelings, and time
C. knowledge, interests, attitudes, and emotional reaction.
D. politics, income, time, and feelings.

130. Which of the following is the proper sequence for a persuasive message using the
indirect plan?
A. Interest, Attention, Desire, Action (IADA)
B. Attention, Desire, Interest, Action (ADIA)
C. Action, Interest, Attention, Desire (AIAD)
D. Attention, Interest, Desire, Action (AIDA)

131. What law prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, gender, or national
origin when hiring, firing, compensating, or applying other employment conditions?
A. Federal Ethical Management Act
B. Privacy Act
C. Americans with Disablities Act
D. Civil Rights Act

132. The two most valuable resources for the business communicator are a dictionary and a
thesaurus.
A. True
B. False

133. Which of the following are means of acquainting employees with organizational policies
on the use of e-mail, Internet, and other company resources ?
A. statement of the policy signed by employees
 B. Organizational website
C. a, b, and c
D. employee handbook

134. Serial communication may follow a horizontal path as well as a vertical path. 
A. True
B. False

135. Some words and phrases are difficult to translate from one language to another.
A. True
B. False

136. Which of the following is NOT a step in the proofreading process?

A. Read the material to a colleague bottom to top.
B. Use your word processing software spell checker to check for spelling errors.
C. Pay special attention to names, numbers, and unusual words.
D. Read the material once for content, once for mechanics.

137. Which of the following comments best describes a collection message in the appeal
stage?
A. It uses the indirect persuasive outline.
B. It is not concerned with the writer’s point of view.
C. It is a first reminder for a customer who forgot to pay.
D. This is the last chance for payment

138. Which of the following is correct for the use of source notes for visual aids?
A. The source note goes below the illustration
B. The source note appears in the cover letter
C. The source note goes after the title page
D. The source note is menioned in the glossary

139. Unsolicited positive or neutral news messages occur only in internal communication.
A. True
B. False

140. Vague or abstract words have a specific meaning that is the same for each receiver of
message.
A. True
B. False

141. There is no place in business messages for weak words.

A. True
B. False
142. The greeting stage of a conversation ______
A. makes your position on the topic clear.
B. previews what will follow.
C. provides information about your relationship with the audience
D. may be either direct or indirect.

143. Diversity has become widely recognized in business; therefore, the use of unbiased
language is no longer an essential consideration in the composition of business messages.
A. True
B. False

144. An advantage of an oral message is that it

A. allows for immediate feedback.
B. accommodates lengthy and complex content.
C. provides a permanent record.
D. can have legal value.

145. An advantage of oral messages is that they can be transmitted quickly.

A. True
B. False

146. Both genders brings strength to the workplace; but, in general there is no difference in
the way men ang women communicate.
A. True
B. False

147. The impression a message makes is based solely on its content.

A. True
B. False

148. Which of the following is NOT a good opening for a persuasive request?
A. Are you interested in hiring competent, motivated individuals? (indirect)
B. state or require things directly at the beginning
C. Meeting you at the grand opening of the Ronald McDonald House last week was a
pleasure. (indirect)
D. Your work on the Thompson project was excellent. (indirect)

149. Use de-emphasis techniques when presenting the negative information.

A. True
B. False

150. With technology, collaborative writing may occur as an interactive or an independent act.
A. True
B. False