Chapter 04 Revising Business Messages

1. The final phase of the 3-x-3 writing process is _______. PREWRITING -> WRITING -> REVISING
a. pre-writing
b. revising
c. drafting
d. editing

2. Which of the following describes the role of evaluating in the writing process?
a. Evaluating is not necessary for experienced business writers.
b. Evaluating is the process of analyzing whether your message achieves its purpose.
c. Evaluating is only necessary for informal documents such as internal memos or e-mail messages.
d. Evaluating usually happens during the writing stage as you select words and form sentences. REVISING
STAGE

3. Monica's supervisor has expressed concern about the readability of her messages, claiming that paragraphs are often
too long. What aspect of her writing should Monica focus on to address this issue?
a. Researching
b. Proofreading
c. Formatting
(REVISING)
d. Evaluating her purpose

4. Slashing wordy expressions, getting rid of long lead-ins, dropping fillers, and rejecting redundancies are all ways of
making your writing more _______.
a. informal
b. formal
c. persuasive
d. concise

5. Which of the following statements regarding concise writing is accurate?

a. Concise writing is only appropriate for short messages.
b. Concise writing is easier to read and comprehend.
c. Concise writing has the same impact as writing that is wordy, so long as the message is the
same.
d. Concise writing should be used only with logical messages, not emotional ones.

6. Slashing wordy expressions means _______.

a. making your writing style more direct
b. making your writing more persuasive
c. combining sentences so that you have fewer sentences overall
d. clarifying and shortening vague expressions

7. Due to the fact that is a wordy expression that could be shortened to the word(s) _______.
a. Because
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 b. Until
c. Despite
d. Although

8. Long sentence lead-ins _______.

a. are unnecessary introductory words
b. introduce the "meat" of the message
c. avoid reader confusion
d. demonstrate effective language usage

9. A long lead-in is a series of introductory words that _______.

a. are not necessary for the essential meaning of the message and should be removed
b. play an important role in making the message sound more professional
c. are essential for making the message more persuasive
d. can be retained or removed in the message because they do not change the meaning of the message

10. There is and It is are examples of _______.

a. long lead-ins.
b. unnecessary fillers.
c. redundancies.
d. grammatical errors.

11. Which of the following sentences contains a redundancy?

a. At this point in time your account is now up to date.
b. This is to inform you that your account is up to date.
c. Due to the fact that we have just received your check, your account is up to date.
d. Your account has been updated.

12. There is a new software company that will be hiring employees is an example of a sentence with _______.
a. concise wording
b. a wordy prepositional
phrase
c. a filler
d. faulty parallelism

13. Which of the following sentences contains unnecessary filler?

a. There is a need to discuss three important issues at today's
meeting.
b. Only one job opening is available.
c. Our office manager is the one who won the raffle.
d. Three candidates are running for the board.

14. Which sentence contains a redundant expression?

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 a. It is essential that our accounting records are accurate.
b. Let's not repeat our competitor's mistakes again.
c. Please refer to the June financial statements.
d. I want to thank each stockholder.

15. Microblogging _______.

a. is ineffective for communication with customers
b. involves adding website links to a blog to encourage feedback from others BLOGROLLING
c. consists of short messages exchanged on social media networks
d. is performed primarily by corporate officials who write comments about their companies

16. Which of the following are tips one should follow when microblogging?
a. Ignore spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors.
b. Include only the main ideas.
c. Depersonalize your message if possible.
d. Include long, vivid descriptions.

17. One way to improve the clarity of your writing is to apply the KISS formula. KISS stands for _______.
a. Key Ideas Succinctly and Swiftly
b. Keep It Short and Simple
c. Knowledge Is Supported and Summarized
d. Know Intentions, Strategies, and Solutions

18. Katelyn is writing a letter to thank a potential employer for her job interview. Which of these sentences contains
modern expressions Katelyn should use?
a. Thank you in advance for considering me for your available position.
b. You will note that my coursework has thoroughly prepared me for your medical technician
position.
c. Enclosed herein please find the salary history you requested during the interview.
d. Pursuant to your request, I will return for a second interview on May 28.

19. Think outside the box is an example of _______.

a. clear, precise language
b. a buried verb
c. a cliché
d. outdated language

20. Expressions that are intended to impress rather than express are known as _______.
a. clichés
b. buzzwords
c. trite phrases
d. overly exuberant

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21. Which of the following sentences contains a cliché?
a. We can prove the wicked good benefits of exercise for stress reduction.
b. Employees who engage in a regular fitness program are likely to pass the physical exam with flying
colors.
c. If you join this health club, you won’t blow your budget.
d. ICYMI, you, to, should join the fitness program so you can take advantage of the company discount.

22. Snarky is an example of a(n) ____________ expression.

a. slang
b. clichéd
c. active
d. passive

23. Using slang in business writing will have the effect of _______.
a. clarifying meaning
b. sounding professional
c. using words that quickly go out of fashion.
d. creating an impression of being hip and up to date

24. What does the social media slang expression br mean?

a. be real
b. best
regards
c. be ready
d. best results

25. Converting verbs into noun expressions _______.

a. decreases sentence length
b. reduces verb strength
c. increases the reader's ability to process the
information
d. does all of these choices

26. Which of the following sentences contains an example of a buried verb?

a. Your supervisor will give consideration to all capital budget requests. BURIED VERB
b. The committee worked on establishing a fund for scholarships. UNBURIED VERB
c. The benefits committee will be approving the plan. UNBURIED VERB
d. The scholarship committee discussed several promising applications. UNBURIED
VERB

27. Words such as definitely, quite, actually, extremely, and totally are _______.
a. adjectives that add a welcome degree of emotion to your writing
b. adjectives that may be omitted because they are imprecise

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 c. adverbs that should be used only sparingly in business writing
d. adverbs that should be used as often as possible in business writing to show excitement and
enthusiasm

28. Jordan is a marketing manager for a vacation resort. In writing a description of his resort, which of these descriptions
illustrates clear writing that creates meaningful images and uses vivid adjectives?
a. The resort offers luxurious suites with Jacuzzi tubs and heated outdoor saunas.
b. The all-inclusive, top-notch resort offers totally marvelous suites with incredible
extras.
c. The resort has nice rooms.
d. The resort offers all-inclusive amenities.

29. Which of the following sentences uses precise language?

a. The board approved a substantial budget increase.
b. The board approved a 34 percent budget
increase.
c. The board approved a large budget increase.
d. The board approved a sizeable budget increase.

30. 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.

31. Document design techniques to improve readability include _______.

a. use of white space
b. typefaces and fonts
c. headings for visual
impact
d. all of these choices

32. White space refers to _______.

a. unclear content
b. margins only
c. the time a reader takes to process
information
d. empty space on the page

33. To improve readability and comprehension, _______.

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
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 paragraphs

34. Dylan is designing a document. Which of the following suggestions will help Dylan enhance readability and
comprehension in his document?
a. Justify the left and right margins so they are both even.
b. Create white space by using headings, bulleted or numbered lists, short paragraphs, and effective
margins.
c. Use multiple typefaces within the document.
d. Use ALL CAPS anywhere in a document to emphasize key points.

35. Which statement about margins and text alignment is true?

a. Margins define the reading area and provide important visual relief.
b. Nearly all text in Western cultures is aligned at the right.
c. Business letters and memos usually have side margins of 2 inches.
d. Ragged right margins decrease white space and readability.

36. What is the most common serif typeface?

a. Arial
b. Times New Roman
c. Univers
d. Calibri

37. How many typefaces should you use in a business document?

a. No more than two
b. At least three
c. Up to five
d. At least ten

38. Which font size are readers generally most comfortable with for body text?
a. 8- to 9-point
b. 10- to 12-point
c. 14-point
d. more than 14-point

39. Which of the following statements describes the benefit of using bulleted or numbered lists?
a. Lists decrease a reader's comprehension of the main ideas.
b. Lists allow readers to review main ideas quickly.
c. Lists confuse readers because they are visually
distracting.
d. Lists decrease the readability level of a document.

40. Listed items should reflect parallel structure, which means that _______.
a. they should be next to each other rather than vertical
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 b. each should be followed by a comma
c. they should all use the same graphic font
d. they should be expressed using the same grammatical
structure

41. The term parallelism means _______.

a. making sure that the same number of words is used in each of the items in a bulleted or numbered
list
b. using the same grammatical structure for items in a bulleted or numbered list
c. ensuring that you have a minimum of three items in your bulleted or numbered list
d. making sure that your bulleted or numbered lists start with a verb

42. Which statement regarding headings is correct?

a. Headings provide visual distraction for readers; thus, they should be avoided.
b. Headings appear most often in business letters.
c. Headings highlight information and improve readability.
d. Headings should be avoided in all business documents.

43. Which statement about proofreading is correct?

a. Good business writers wait at least 24 hours or longer to proofread a document.
b. Only important messages or documents need to be proofread.
c. Documents with errors do not affect a person's credibility because readers understand that everyone makes
mistakes.
d. Proofreading should occur while the document is being written.

44. Proofreading includes which of the following tasks?

a. Improving content and tone
b. Fine-tuning sentence and paragraph structure
c. Correcting spelling, grammar, punctuation, names and numbers, and format
d. Determining whether the message should be written using the direct or indirect organizational
pattern

45. Branch managers of First Federated Savings and Loan received this e-mail message: Please inform all personal that
management retains the right to check personal belongings of employees before employees leave the bank. What error did
the writer make?
a. A grammatical mistake
b. A proofreading error
c. A failure to use spell check
d. No error was made. The sentence is correct as written.

46. Which of the following recommendations should you follow when you proofread a routine document?
a. If proofreading on screen, display the entire document at once.
b. Proofread the document using a printed copy.
c. Proofread your document as you compose your ideas.
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 d. Rely solely on a spell-checker to catch any errors.

47. Which of the following suggestions should you follow for proofreading a complex document?
a. Be prepared to find errors.
b. Increase your reading speed.
c. Read the message only once.
d. Proofread the message immediately after it has been fully
written.

48. A good standard to apply to your writing is to remember that it _______.

a. is not as important as it seems
b. takes the place of a personal appearance
c. is not read closely by many audiences
d. should primarily be used for formal
messages

49. What is the best way to judge the success of your writing?
a. Receiving a raise or promotion
b. Using a spell-checker
c. Receiving feedback from your receiver
d. Organizing your message using the direct organizational strategy

50. Taylor is enrolled in a business communications course at her local community college. She just received a paper back
from her professor who noted that Taylor should review the principles for comma usage. How should Taylor handle this
criticism?
a. Report her teacher to the president of the college for abuse.
b. Argue with her teacher about comma rules.
c. Withdraw from the class.
d. Accept the feedback and use it constructively to improve her future writing
assignments.

51. The terms editing, proofreading, and evaluating are synonymous.

a. True
b. False

52. Professional writers develop a system of writing and revising that works for them; they may revise at any point in the
process.
a. True
b. False

53. Concise messages are easier to read and comprehend.

a. True
b. False

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54. You can often reduce wordy expressions to single words.
a. True
b. False

55. In the near future is a more effective expression in business writing than soon.
a. True
b. False

56. You will be interested to learn that is an effective way to begin a business message because it fosters goodwill.
a. True
b. False

57. There are many account representatives who can help you with your order is an example of a cliché.
a. True
b. False

58. Redundant words or phrases convey a meaning more than once.

a. True
b. False

59. Each and every student will be required to participate in one group writing project contains a redundant expression.
a. True
b. False

60. Microblogging consists of short messages exchanged on social media sites.

a. True
b. False

61. Conciseness is critical when microblogging.

a. True
b. False

62. Only main ideas should be included in a microblog.

a. True
b. False

63. Your goal as a business writer is to impress your reader.

a. True
b. False

64. Expressions such as pursuant to your request and thank you in advance increases the professionalism of business
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messages.
a. True
b. False

65. The following sentence demonstrates effective writing: Please do not hesitate to call me if you have any questions.
a. True
b. False

66. Clichés such as think outside the box are effective to use with multicultural audiences because they have flexible
meanings.
a. True
b. False

67. To sound current, fresh, and trendy, effective business communicators make ample use of slang when writing and
speaking.
a. True
b. False

68. In describing sexual harassment in the workplace, Julia explains that Supervisors are getting burned in harassment
lawsuits. Julia is using slang in this statement.
a. True
b. False

69. Converting a verb into a noun creates stronger, more professional business writing (e.g., made a decision instead of
decided).
a. True
b. False

70. The following sentence contains a zombie noun: Our purchasing department will give consideration to the RFP
submitted by Powertex.
a. True
b. False

71. You can streamline your writing and make it more emphatic by using vivid adverbs such as very, extremely, and
actually as often as possible.
a. True
b. False

72. As you revise, make your writing clear by using specific verbs, concrete nouns, and vivid adjectives.
a. True
b. False

73. The following sentence contains clear and precise wording: In some businesses they won't let you accumulate sick
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leave.
a. True
b. False

74. Well-designed documents give the impression that the writer is intelligent.
a. True
b. False

75. When designing documents, you should place as much text as possible on a page to keep the reader engaged.
a. True
b. False

76. Nearly all text in Western cultures is aligned at the left and reads from left to right.
a. True
b. False

77. When right margins are not aligned or justified, they provide more white space and improve readability.
a. True
b. False

78. Business messages should contain at least three typefaces to add emphasis and contrast.
a. True
b. False

79. Typing a sentence in all capital letters is an effective way to create emphasis.
a. True
b. False

80. Use bulleted lists to represent a sequence of ideas or a numbered order.

a. True
b. False

81. When using either a bulleted or numbered list, you should always follow each idea with end punctuation.
a. True
b. False

82. Headings are an effective tool for highlighting information.

a. True
b. False

83. Headings should be used only in formal messages.

a. True
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 b. False

84. Editing and proofreading are interchangeable terms.

a. True
b. False

85. An electronic grammar- or spell-checker provides sufficient proofreading for business messages.
a. True
b. False

86. You are more likely to find errors when proofreading on a computer screen than on a printed copy.
a. True
b. False

87. Proofreading should take place only after the content of a message is in its final form.
a. True
b. False

88. You should follow the same proofreading process for a routine document and a complex document.
a. True
b. False

89. Proofreading is the last step in Phase 3 of the 3-x-3 writing process.
a. True
b. False

90. The best way to judge the success of your communication is through feedback.
a. True
b. False

91. The final phase of the 3-x-3 writing process focuses on _______.
a. drafting and writing
b. editing, proofreading, and evaluating
REVISING
c. brainstorming and researching
d. revising the flow of ideas

92. There are three building sites we are considering. The phrase There are is an example of a(n) _______.
a. long lead-in
b. wordy expression
c. buried verb
d. unnecessary
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 filler

93. Each and every is an example of a(n) _______.

a. trite expression
b. unnecessary filler
c. cliché
d. redundant expression

94. Short messages exchanged on social media networks such as Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr are called _______.
a. e-mails
b. blogs
c. microblogs
d. weblogs

95. Words that have become fashionable and often are meant to impress rather than express––such as optimize,
incentivize, and impactful––are called _______.
a. buzzwords
b. slang
c. clichés
d. trite expressions

96. The expression shoot from the hip is an expression that has been exhausted by overuse and is an example of _______.
a. a cliché
b. slang
c. a trite expression
d. excessive exuberance

97. Empty space on a page is called _______.

a. white space
b. margins
c. justified
d. headings

98. What is an effective tool for highlighting information and improving readability by encouraging the writer to group
similar material together and help readers separate major ideas from details?
a. Margins
b. White space
c. Headings
d. Justified

99. The process of checking for problems with spelling, grammar, punctuation, names and numbers, and format is called
_______.
a. proofreading
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 b. editing
c. evaluating
d. drafting

100. The process known as curbing exuberance involves _______.

a. slashing wordy expressions
b. guarding against excessive use of intensifiers such as very, definitely, and really
c. shunning slang and buzzwords
d. eliminating zombie nouns

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