Multiple Choice
1. It is believed that only about __________ percent of communication between two people
in the same speech community is verbal.
a. 5
b. 10
c. 30
d. 50
Answer: c
2. Examples of nonverbal communication include posture, hand gestures, and __________.
a. song
b. inflection
c. pitch
d. gaze
Answer: d
3. What common message is communicated by raising the eyebrows in Borneo, thrusting the
head forward in Malaysia, and rocking the head from side to side in India?
a. agreement
b. disagreement
c. greeting
d. parting
Answer: a
4. Why must we be cautious of overgeneralization when studying nonverbal communication?
a. There is wide variation in nonverbal communication within each geographic region.
b. Men, women and children in all cultures have separate nonverbal communications.
c. Nonverbal communication is specific to the individual, and cannot be applied to a whole
culture.
d. Nonverbal communication changes faster than speech, and is therefore an unreliable mode
of communication.
Answer: a
5. In addition to avoiding overgeneralization, we must also avoid the assumption that
__________.
a. All people raised in that culture understand nonverbal cues .
b. Most nonverbal cues are intuitive.
c. All nonverbal cues are of equal importance.
d. All cultures have nonverbal communication.
Answer: c
6. An Indian colleague places her palms together at chest level, fingers pointed up, and says
“Namaste.” What is she communicating to you?
a. “thank you”
b. “good day”
c. “I’m sorry”
d. “excuse me”
Answer: b
7. Which of the following form of nonverbal communication is an example of an artifact?
a. bowing
b. business cards
c. proximity
d. social media
Answer: b
8. What determines the depth and duration of a bow in Japanese culture?
a. relative social status of the two individuals
b. genders of the two individuals
c. nationality of the person being greeted
d. age of the person performing the bow
Answer: a
9. Why is business gift giving not considered a “pure gift,” as defined by Malinowski?
a. The gifts are always reciprocated.
b. It is expected and, therefore, not a true gift.
c. There is a mutually agreed upon limit to the gift’s value.
d. It functions as a way to build or reinforce business relationships.
Answer: d
10. Effective signs of a person’s emotional state as well as his or her behavioral expectations
of others can be gleaned from __________.
a. clothing
b. hand gestures
c. postural cues
d. olfaction
Answer: c
11. How would your conversation with an Arab friend differ from a similar conversation with
an American friend?
a. You would interrupt each other more often.
b. There would be more direct eye contact.
c. There would be more full arm and hand gestures.
d. You would stand further apart.
Answer: b
12. Lowest levels of gaze during conversation have been found among __________.
a. Indians and northern Europeans
b. Asians and southern Europeans
c. Africans and people from Central America
d. Australians and people from South America
Answer: a
13. An American practice known as __________ involves giving people just enough eye
contact to acknowledge their presence, but immediately withdrawing that eye contact so the
person is not singled out.
a. civil distraction
b. civil inattention
c. social distraction
d. social inattention
Answer: b
14. Cultures that are more reserved in their use of gestures tend to view more exaggerated
gesturing as __________.
a. aggressive
b. emotional
c. rational
d. sincere
Answer: b
15. The gesture of hands clasped over the head used by Soviet Premier Khrushchev in the
1960s was intended to be __________, but was perceived as __________.
a. hostile; sociable
b. challenging; apologetic
c. welcoming; threatening
d. friendly; aggressive
Answer: d
16. What is the traditional function of hats as part of British women’s dress?
a. The style of hat represents the social status of the wearer.
b. British religion dictates that women much cover their head at formal events.
c. It distinguishes British from American couture.
d. Hats protect a woman’s hair from the damp British weather.
Answer: c
17. You are an American working in Saudi Arabia. In which of the following places would it
be most important or beneficial to wear the traditional abayah?
a. on the plane
b. at home
c. at a luncheon with female colleagues
d. in a mixed-sex business meeting
Answer: d
18. In the U.S., the transition from “business formal” to “business casual” dress coincided
with __________.
a. the widespread use of personal computers
b. an increase in indicators of executive status
c. the introduction of women to the workplace
d. the shift to telecommuting and flexible scheduling
Answer: a
19. Americans typically choose a distance of about __________ for normal conversations.
a. 6 inches
b. 1 foot
c. 20 inches
d. 3 feet
Answer: c
20. Which of the following individuals has a liminal role, linking together distinct and/or
disparate groups?
a. a parent teaching their child appropriate social behavior
b. a tour guide showing visitors around a new city
c. a female instructor teaching a mixed-sex class of students
d. a member of a selective all-male country club
Answer: c
21. While GM found resistance to cubicle office environments in both American and Indian
laboratories, the reasons for the discontent differed. Why?
a. The American employees were more concerned about privacy.
b. The American employees were more concerned about energy efficiency.
c. The Indian employees were more concerned about a quiet work environment.
d. The Indian employees were more concerned about status.
Answer: d
22. Why has video conferencing never taken off as a tool for telecommuting in the U.S. and
Europe?
a. It is prohibitively expensive.
b. People are concerned about privacy and etiquette.
c. Gestures and facial expressions do not significantly improve communication.
d. Seeing an employee’s home through the video is considered inappropriate.
Answer: b
23. What is the key shortcoming of drawings as a form of communication?
a. They are incomplete and may need further explanation.
b. Drawings are informal and therefore not appropriate for business situations.
c. They are of little help with working in multilingual groups.
d. Cultures are so variable that few drawings are mutually understandable.
Answer: a
24. Which of the following statements best represent the relationship between nonverbal
communication and language?
a. Language and nonverbal communication can only be learned simultaneously.
b. Language provides less precise information than nonverbal communication.
c. Nonverbal communication is unconscious to a greater degree than language.
d. Nonverbal communication has less subcultural variation than language.
Answer: c
25. Which of the following statements is true of nonverbal communication and social roles?
a. Children use more nonverbal communication than adults.
b. Women are able to read nonverbal cues better than men.
c. Workers use nonverbal communication primarily to display rank.
d. Nonverbal cues are specific to social status within most cultures.
Answer: b
Test Bank for Cultural Dimension of Global Business
Gary Ferraro, Elizabeth K. Briody
9780205900725
