Chapter 5 Writing Business Messages 1) Which of the following statements that would appear in a business message best reflects the "you" attitude? A) You failed to enclose a check for $25. B) We need a check from you for $25 so that we can send the merchandise by May 15. C) We will send you the merchandise as soon as we receive your check for $25. D) You will have your merchandise by July 15 if you send us your check for $25 today. Answer: D Explanation: D) Focusing on the merchandise, what the customer is looking for, rather than the $25 the company is looking for qualifies this statement clearly as a "you" statement. 2) The best way to convey the "you" attitude is to express your message in terms of A) the needs and interests of your organization. B) your own personal needs and interests. C) a universal set of needs and interests. D) the needs and interests of your audience. Answer: D Explanation: D) The "you" attitude is best implemented by expressing your message in terms of the audience's interests and needs. 3) Use ________ to avoid categorizing or stigmatizing people based on their gender, race, ethnicity, age, level of ability, or other personal characteristics. A) abstract language B) descriptive language C) bias-free language D) denotative language Answer: C Explanation: C) Bias-free language avoids words and phrases that unfairly and even unethically categorize or stigmatize people in ways related to gender, race, ethnicity, age, disability, or other personal characteristics. 4) Select the sentence with the best "you" attitude: A) Because your report was poorly written, we cannot accept it. B) Your report failed to meet company requirements. C) When we receive a report that is professional, we can act on your recommendations. D) Once your application is complete, you should receive a response within two weeks. Answer: D Explanation: D) A "you" statement should focus on what the reader is looking for, not what the writer is looking for. Informing the reader of how he or she can make a complete application puts the focus on "you," the reader—as opposed to pointing out what was wrong with the submitted application. 5) It is best to limit your use of the word "you" in business messages if A) you know your audience well. B) your organization prefers an informal, personal style. C) you are filling your audience's informational needs. D) it will make your message sound overly authoritative or accusing. Answer: D Explanation: D) While focusing on "you" is advised for business correspondence, overuse of the actual word "you" can result in a message that sounds bossy and dictatorial. 6) In part because of limited opportunities for feedback, written and most forms of electronic communication require ________ than oral communication. A) less care B) fewer nouns C) more tact D) more informality Answer: C Explanation: C) Lacking all forms of nonverbal communication, written formats can be fraught with misunderstanding, especially when emotional issues are expressed. For that reason it is best to exercise extra effort in being tactful when using written forms of communication. 7) Select the sentence with the most positive emphasis: A) We failed to complete the process audit on time. B) We hope to complete the process audit by Friday. C) We haven't completed the process audit. D) Because of Joan's inaccurate figures on the Haymen project, we are not finished with the process audit. Answer: B Explanation: B) Emphasizing the positive is something that should be exercised in all business communications. Knowing how to deliver unpleasant news in the most positive possible way can make the difference between failure and success in business. 8) When you are criticizing or correcting, it is best to A) focus on what the audience members can do to improve. B) emphasize the audience's mistakes so that they will not make the same ones again. C) be honest and call attention to the audience's failures or shortcomings. D) single out the guilty audience members as an example for everyone else to learn from. Answer: A Explanation: A) Dwelling on a person's failures does little but make the person feel bad. Since your goal is productivity, the best way to criticize is to focus on how to improve things in the future, not what went wrong in the past. Past errors should receive a lot of focus only if they offer keys in how to improve in the future. 9) A euphemism is a word or phrase that is A) possibly offensive. B) general or abstract in meaning. C) highly technical. D) a milder term for one with negative connotations. Answer: D Explanation: D) An example of a euphemism is to call an overweight person "full figured." The phrase communicates the idea that the person is overweight without using the label of "fat" or "overweight." 10) The preferred title for women in business is ________, unless the individual says otherwise. A) Mrs. B) Miss C) Ms. D) Madam Answer: C Explanation: C) Though many women do not use the term, in business the default title for women is Ms., mostly because it allows the woman to keep her marital status private. 11) Using the term crippled in business communication is an example of A) the "you" attitude. B) emphasizing the positive. C) disability bias. D) none of the above. Answer: C Explanation: C) The term crippled has connotations that imply that the entire person has been damaged by a disability, not just, for example, the person's ability to walk. People with handicaps want to be considered as people who happen to have handicaps, not people who are defined by their handicaps. Therefore, the word crippled should be avoided in all instances. 12) To establish credibility with your audience, you should A) impress them with a long list of your accomplishments. B) be modest and deferential. C) show that you are confident and that you believe in yourself and in your message. D) use hedge words ("maybe," "perhaps") to demonstrate your knowledge that no issue is fully cut and dried. Answer: C Explanation: C) People respond well to confidence. If you show that you believe in yourself and your product, people usually find you credible. On the other hand, if you show a lack of confidence in either yourself or your product, your audience typically views you in a very negative light. 13) In business messages, using terms such as "if," "hope," and "trust" is A) usually a bad idea since it takes away from the writer's credibility. B) a good way to show your modesty. C) common courtesy. D) acceptable for very formal contexts. Answer: A Explanation: A) On their own, the words "if," "hope," and "trust" are acceptable. However, when used too frequently they tend to give a message a highly "conditional" tone, suggesting that you are "hoping" that events will turn out well rather than being confident that things will turn out well. 14) The acronyms and shortcuts used in texting and IM are A) incompatible with professional business writing. B) your ticket to the inside track in today's multinational corporations. C) a great way to show coworkers and managers that you're tech-savvy. D) commonly used to communicate with top management. Answer: A Explanation: A) Shortcuts used in IM and texting are okay for casual messages. However, such shortcuts are inappropriate for professional business writing. 15) What's the problem with phrases such as "attached please find" and "we are in receipt of"? A) They are rude. B) They are too intimate. C) They are stale and pompous. D) They involve preaching and bragging. Answer: C Explanation: C) Effective business writers avoid stale or pompous language. Instead, they use plain language to write business messages in a conversational tone. 16) Most business communication should aim for a ________ tone. A) formal B) colloquial C) conversational D) confrontational Answer: C Explanation: C) Most business communication uses a conversational tone: plain language that sounds businesslike without being stuffy at one extreme or too informal at the other extreme. 17) Using humor in business messages is A) an effective way to build strong relationships with international clients you are not familiar with. B) usually not effective, and is always inappropriate for formal and intercultural messages. C) appropriate for external messages, but never for internal. D) none of the above. Answer: B Explanation: B) Humor can be effective, but it can also backfire and cause problems and misunderstanding. In a face-to-face meeting you might use humor to charm a client. But in a business message humor is almost never worth the risk. 18) Plain language is a style of writing A) used only for casual correspondence. B) designed to make complex materials more understandable to the audience. C) aimed primarily at readers for whom English is a second language. D) inappropriate for business communication. Answer: B Explanation: B) The goal of your message should always be to get your point across. Unnecessary complexity never helps you communicate your message so it should be avoided and replaced by the simplicity of plain language. The only goal of plain language is to be understood. 19) Which of the following sentences contains the strongest and most effective wording? A) Given the parameters of the situation, the most propitious choice would be to make adjustments in certain budget areas. B) We need to cut the operating budget by 12 percent or profits will decrease. C) Someone's going to need to do some budget cutting around here or heads will roll. D) Perusal of budgetary figures reveals that a 12 percent reduction in operations is called for if we are to stave off a negative impact on profits. Answer: B Explanation: B) This choice uses plain language. It gets the message across without any unnecessary terms or complexity. 20) Identify the voice in the following sentence: "Based on negative client feedback, the marketing department abandoned the campaign." A) Active B) Passive C) Vocative D) State of being Answer: A Explanation: A) In the active voice the subject performs the action and the object receives the action. Here, the subject, the marketing department, performs the action, abandonment, of the object, the campaign. 21) Using the passive voice makes sense when A) you want to be diplomatic in pointing out a problem or error. B) you want your sentence to be easier to understand. C) you need to make your sentences shorter. D) you want to emphasize the subject. Answer: A Explanation: A) With the passive voice, the subject is often left unnamed. This can be useful when you want to avoid placing blame on someone. Using "Mistakes were made," a passive voice sentence, avoids placing blame like this active voice sentence: "You made mistakes." 22) If your workplace writing contains grammar errors and word choice mistakes, your readers will A) suppose that you're uninformed. B) question your professionalism. C) think that you don't respect them. D) all of the above. Answer: D Explanation: D) If you make grammatical or usage errors, you'll lose credibility with your audience, even if your message is correct in other respects. 23) The connotative meaning of a word is A) its dictionary meaning. B) its literal meaning. C) all the associations and feelings the word evokes. D) its objective meaning. Answer: C Explanation: C) The connotations of a word include all of the "baggage" that goes with the word. For example, calling your boss a "rigid" thinker has connotations that are negative—that your boss is stubborn, inflexible, and closed-minded. When "rigid" is used to describe a top for a convertible sports car, it implies that the top is tough, strong, and durable. 24) When choosing words to convey a message, successful writers pay attention to A) convenience and mannerisms. B) correctness and effectiveness. C) metaphors and euphemisms. D) connotation and vocalization. Answer: B Explanation: B) Successful writers pay close attention to the correct usage of words. They also seek out the most effective words and phrases to convey their meaning. 25) The ________ of a word is its literal or dictionary meaning. A) figurative meaning B) denotative meaning C) connotative meaning D) contextual meaning Answer: B Explanation: B) The denotative meaning of a word is its literal or dictionary meaning. For example, a desk is "a piece of furniture with a flat work surface and various drawers for storage." 26) As you create and refine your messages, evaluate your writing at all of the following levels except A) strong words. B) effective sentences. C) coherent paragraphs. D) multimedia enhancements. Answer: D Explanation: D) Effective writers view their writing at three levels: strong words, effective sentences, and coherent paragraphs. 27) Some terms and phrases called ________ have become so common that they have lost some of their power to communicate, and ________ are newly coined terms often associated with technology, business, or cultural changes. A) euphemisms, idioms B) clichés, buzzwords C) colloquialisms, clichés D) pull quotes, derivations Answer: B Explanation: B) Clichés are so common that they have lost some of their power to communicate. Buzzwords are often associated with technology, business, or cultural changes. 28) Most ________ express a concept, quality, or characteristic. Most ________ represent something you can see, touch, or visualize. A) abstract words, concrete words B) interpretive words, explanatory words C) incisive words, generalized words D) selective words, common words Answer: A Explanation: A) An abstract word encompasses a category of ideas, often academic, intellectual, or philosophical. A concrete word is anchored in the tangible, material world. 29) Which of the following words are the most abstract? A) Two, contract, performance comm B) Software, code, signal C) Kick, move, walk D) Productivity, excellence, motivation Answer: D Explanation: D) Abstract words express a concept, quality, or characteristic. So excellence, for example, is abstract because it describes the quality of being superior, or better than other things. 30) "Although our servers are stable, the telephone system is a serious concern" is a A) simple sentence. B) compound sentence. C) complex sentence. D) compound-complex sentence. Answer: C Explanation: C) A complex sentence contains one main thought, "the telephone system is a serious concern," and one supporting thought, "Although our servers are stable." Note that the supporting thought is not independent—it makes no sense if it is left to stand alone without the main independent clause. 31) "Insurance premiums have increased, and cost-of-living raises have not kept up" is a A) simple sentence. B) compound sentence. C) complex sentence. D) compound-complex sentence. Answer: B Explanation: B) A compound sentence contains two completely independent clauses, both of which could stand as sentences on their own. The clause "Insurance premiums have increased," could stand as a sentence on its own. Similarly, "cost-of-living raises have not kept up" could also stand as a sentence on its own. 32) Which of the following is a compound sentence? A) Interest rates are low, and now is an excellent time to buy a home. B) Because interest rates are low, now is an excellent time to buy a home. C) Low interest rates make this an excellent time to buy a home. D) With interest rates low, now is an excellent time to buy a home. Answer: A Explanation: A) A compound sentence contains two completely independent clauses, both of which could stand as sentences on their own. The clause "Interest rates are low," could stand as a sentence on its own. Similarly, "now is an excellent time to buy a home" could also stand as a sentence on its own. 33) A complex sentence consists of A) two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction. B) a single subject and a single predicate plus any modifying phrases. C) two or more independent clauses along with all modifying phrases. D) one main thought and one or more subordinate thoughts. Answer: D Explanation: D) A complex sentence contains one main thought that could stand as an independent sentence on its own, and one subordinate thought that would not make sense if it were left to stand alone without the main independent clause. 34) You can emphasize key points by A) using extra words to describe them. B) making important ideas the subject of the sentence. C) placing them at the beginning or end of a sentence. D) doing all of the above. Answer: D Explanation: D) In general, the way to emphasize a key thought in a text is to give it extra attention in some way. Adding an extra phrase, a qualifying sentence, or placing the idea in an important position will put extra emphasis on the item. 35) To downplay a dependent clause in a complex sentence, you should A) place it at the beginning of the sentence. B) place it at the end of the sentence. C) place it in the middle of the sentence. D) set it off with a semicolon. Answer: C Explanation: C) Placing the dependent clause at the end or the beginning of a sentence generally gives the clause the most emphasis. Placing the independent clause in the middle of the sentence between other clauses generally deemphasizes the importance of the clause. 36) A typical paragraph contains the three basic elements of A) a topic sentence, support sentences, and transitional words and phrases. B) simple, compound, and complex sentences followed by compound-complex sentences. C) the main idea, supporting ideas, and evidence. D) a problem, discussion, and a solution. Answer: A Explanation: A) The topic sentence introduces the subject or main idea of the paragraph. Support sentences enhance and justify the topic sentence by providing explanation, details, examples, reasoning, and other forms of evidence that make the topic sentence more meaningful, truthful, convincing, or believable. 37) Words such as "nevertheless," "however," "but," and "therefore" A) are called pointer words. B) introduce modifiers. C) occur only in complex sentences. D) are useful for making transitions. Answer: D Explanation: D) Conjunctions such as "nevertheless," "however," "but," and "therefore" are useful for connecting one paragraph, phrase, or sentence to another. 38) Skillful writers use transitional elements to A) automate text entry and correction. B) track footnotes and endnotes. C) ensure consistent formatting throughout a document. D) connect ideas and show the relationships between them. Answer: D Explanation: D) In addition to helping readers understand the connections you're trying to make, transitions give your writing a smooth, even flow. 39) In business writing, the topic sentence of a paragraph is A) usually implied and is rarely included in the paragraph. B) generally explicit and is often the first sentence in the paragraph. C) often vague and is usually placed in the middle of the paragraph. D) most often understated and normally is the last sentence in the paragraph. Answer: B Explanation: B) In business writing, the topic sentence is generally explicit and is often the first sentence in the paragraph. 40) In ________ paragraph, a writer analyzes the reasons for and/or the consequences of an action, an event, or a decision. A) an illustration B) a comparison and contrast C) a cause and effect D) a problem and solution Answer: C Explanation: C) A cause and effect paragraph focuses on two things: an event that took place and why that event took place. The event that took place is the effect. The reason for why the event took place is the cause. 41) When you want to develop a paragraph by showing how a general idea is broken into specific categories, which of these methods would you use? A) Illustration B) Comparison and contrast C) Cause and effect D) Classification Answer: D Explanation: D) A classification paragraph focuses on putting items in categories. For example, a paragraph that focuses on identifying movies as "hit," "blockbuster," "disappointment," or "bomb" would be a classification paragraph. 42) To ensure a consistent look for all company documents, many organizations provide employees with approved A) autocompletion software. B) spreadsheets. C) macros. D) style sheets. Answer: D Explanation: D) Style sheets function as templates to give all documents within a single organization a similar approach to formatting documents. 43) Two common examples of ________ are the mission statements of companies and the biographies of executives. A) key frames B) boilerplate text C) pulled quotations D) automatic writing Answer: B Explanation: B) The term boilerplate refers to a standard unit of writing that can be used, without change, in multiple documents. 44) A piece of text copied from the main body of the document and formatted as a large, eye-catching visual element is known as a A) boilerplate. B) pull quote. C) template. D) style sheet. Answer: B Explanation: B) The purpose of a pull quote is to attract the eye of the reader with an intriguing highlight from the text. Choose pull quotes carefully to have maximum impact on your audience. 45) Which type of software feature inserts a ready-made block of text when you type the first few characters? A) Machine translation B) Mail merge C) Autocompletion D) Autocorrection Answer: C Explanation: C) Autocompletion must be set up by the user. For example, if you want a word processing program to print out your email address, Facebook page, URL, and phone numbers each time you identify yourself, you must insert a command into the program to make this autocompletion. 46) Adopting a "you" attitude in business writing is simply a matter of using the pronoun "you" as much as possible. Answer: False Explanation: A "you" attitude means that the text is focusing on the audience rather than the writer. 47) In general, the word "you" should be avoided when you are assigning responsibility for a mistake or problem. Answer: True Explanation: To avoid seeming like you are placing direct blame, avoid the word "you." Include the word "you" only if you want to place direct blame. 48) You should always avoid using euphemisms, because they are inherently dishonest. Answer: False Explanation: Euphemisms can be useful in avoiding hurt feelings. However, euphemisms can seem like an evasion of the truth if they are used without discretion, and overuse of euphemisms can cause a writer to lose credibility. 49) Using the word "young" to describe an employee can have negative implications. Answer: True Explanation: The negative connotations of "young" could include "inexperienced," "naive," and "immature." 50) Being too modest can reduce your credibility with your audience. Answer: True Explanation: Modesty can be an admirable trait, but in business confidence is the key. Modesty is preferred over false confidence, but ideally you should strive for projecting a sense of confidence that is based on hard work, conscientiousness, and preparation. 51) Bragging about your company's accomplishments can be offensive to readers. Answer: True Explanation: Make sure that you mention major accomplishments of your company, but avoid a boastful or bragging tone by letting the accomplishments speak for themselves. Writing "Opponents quake in fear when they realize that they need to face our litigation service," sounds like an empty boast that can't be proven. Instead, write, "Our litigation service has been top rated by rating services for eight years running" to allow readers to draw their own conclusions. 52) A conversational tone is not appropriate for most business messages. Answer: False Explanation: A conversational tone is now the preferred tone for most business correspondence. Just be sure that "conversational" doesn't slip into being overly informal or folksy. 53) Plain language is a style of writing used primarily for communicating to those who do not have a college degree. Answer: False Explanation: Plain English works best in any kind of business communication. The simpler and more easily comprehensible the language, the more likely that the message will be understood and acted on. 54) "The evaluator noted several shortcomings" is written in the active voice. Answer: True Explanation: In the active voice, the subject performs the action and the object receives the action. In this case, the evaluator is the subject who is performing the action, noting, on the object, shortcomings. 55) Most companies expect you to use texting acronyms in professional business writing. Answer: False Explanation: Texting is great for casual communication. However, if you want to be taken seriously on the job, don't include texting acronyms and jargon in business writing. 56) When composing a draft, you should never skip to another section of the document until you've finished the current one. Answer: False Explanation: The idea behind drafting is to get your thoughts into writing. If one part of the text doesn't come easily, move on to another part. The act of finishing later parts of the text may show the way toward the earlier parts that you skipped over. 57) Grammarians and professional editors agree on the rules of grammar. Answer: False Explanation: The rules of grammar and usage are complex, and some rules evolve. Even editors and grammarians can disagree about correct usage. 58) In business communication, it is best to use words that are low in connotative meaning. Answer: True Explanation: To avoid misunderstanding and ambiguity, try to avoid words that are loaded with connotative meaning. For example, keep in mind that a word like "creative" can have two different sets of connotations. In the positive sense "creative" means someone who solves problems in unique and efficient ways. In the negative sense, "creative" can mean someone who is shady or less than honest when it comes to dealing with money. 59) Honor and progress are concrete words. Answer: False Explanation: Honor and progress are abstract words because they refer to concepts rather than something that can be touched or visualized. 60) Abstract words should be completely avoided in business writing. Answer: False Explanation: It is impossible to avoid abstract words, but writers should be careful when using them. For example, saying that "we are making great progress in the construction of our new stadium" is too abstract and gives little meaning to the reader. A much better way to express the idea is to provide concrete details: "Progress in the construction of our new stadium has led to a completion date of April 30." 61) Clichés are a valuable tool in business writing, as readers find such words and phrases to be comfortable and familiar. Answer: False Explanation: Overuse of clichés makes writing sound stale and gives the reader the impression that you lack judgment, creativity, and are out of touch with the culture. Try to eliminate overused clichés such as "We pride ourselves for thinking outside the box" that make you sound unimaginative and lazy because you resort to tired, overworked phrases that long ago stopped having impact on readers. 62) The amount of jargon you use in a message should reflect your audience's level of familiarity with your topic. Answer: True Explanation: Jargon can be acceptable when you are communicating with someone who shares your particular dialect of jargon. In that case, jargon can be a useful shorthand for communicating complex ideas quickly. In all other contexts, jargon constitutes a barrier to effective communication. 63) A compound sentence contains one main thought (independent clause) and one or more subordinate thoughts (dependent clauses). Answer: False Explanation: A compound sentence has two complete thoughts as clauses, each of which could stand as an independent sentence. 64) "Our clients have become more knowledgeable, and we need to accommodate them" is a complex sentence. Answer: False Explanation: This is a compound sentence because it has two complete clauses, each of which could stand as an independent sentence. "Our clients have become more knowledgeable" could stand as an independent sentence and "we need to accommodate them" could also stand as an independent sentence. 65) "The startup costs on this project increased considerably" is a simple sentence. Answer: True Explanation: The sentence is a simple sentence because it has only one main clause that is modified by a prepositional phrase, "on this project." 66) "If we can't meet the deadline, our losses will be significant" is a compound sentence. Answer: False Explanation: This is a complex sentence because it contains one main independent clause, "our losses will be significant," preceded by a dependent supporting clause, "If we can't meet the deadline." Note that the supporting clause, "If we can't meet the deadline" cannot stand as an independent sentence on its own. 67) To emphasize a dependent clause, it is better to place it at the end of a sentence rather than in the middle. Answer: True Explanation: Placing a dependent clause at the beginning or end of a sentence provides it with more emphasis in most cases. 68) Coherence between thoughts is achieved through the use of transitional words and phrases. Answer: True Explanation: Transitional words and phrases function as links between different thoughts and ideas. For example, after a sentence that explains one idea Similarly is used as a transitional word to compare the first idea to the second: "Costs have been falling in the public sector for years. Similarly, private sector costs have also been dropping." 69) When developing paragraphs, you should use only one method within each paragraph and throughout a document. Answer: False Explanation: A well written document uses a number of different writing methods, sentence styles, and organizational techniques. One of the hallmarks of good writing is that it provides meaning by approaching ideas from a variety of different angles. 70) Templates and style sheets can both help to ensure a consistent look for all company documents. Answer: True Explanation: Smart companies provide templates and style sheets to give a uniform look and tone to its correspondence. Templates and style sheets help improve the brand of the company by giving it a recognizable format, tone, and look. 71) Using the ________ attitude allows you to establish empathy with your audience. Answer: "you" Explanation: The "you" attitude instills the idea in the writer to give priority to the needs of the audience first in all cases. 72) In messages that need to deal with difficult negative situations, it is best to emphasize the ________ aspects of your topic. Answer: positive Explanation: With difficult, negative issues the positive should be emphasized as much as possible. However, be sure that the full extent of the negative news is expressed, and that nothing misleading has been communicated to the audience. 73) Replacing harsh, unpleasant terms with milder words, or ________, can avoid negative connotations for your audience. Answer: euphemisms Explanation: If used judiciously, euphemisms can be helpful. For example, in a controversial and highly contested sexual harassment case, referring to what happened using a neutral term such as "the incident" rather than a more loaded term such as "the abuse" can avoid having people seeing the need to re-argue the case every time the term is brought up. 74) To avoid embarrassing blunders in language related to gender, race, ethnicity, age, or disability, use ________ language. Answer: bias-free Explanation: Being aware of biases, whether positive or negative, can avoid problems. For example, referring to a person as "the black lawyer" unnecessarily calls attention to the person's race. A way to avoid bias would be to identify the lawyer simply by name. 75) Terms such as "handicapped employees" are examples of ________ bias. Answer: disability Explanation: A much better way of referring to these people would be to identify them as people first and the disability second as: "employees with physical handicaps." 76) If your audience is unfamiliar with you, you need to devote the initial part of your message to establishing ________: a measure of your believability based on how reliable you are and how much trust you evoke in others. Answer: credibility Explanation: Credibility is a quality that involves a variety of attributes that include honesty, fairness, consistency, credentials, loyalty, performance, genuineness, and objectivity. No single personal quality or incident can establish credibility, but rather it is something that is earned over time. 77) Style is the way you use words to achieve a certain ________, or overall impression. Answer: tone Explanation: The language style choices you make establish your tone, the impression you make on your audience. Tones can range from highly formal and official to folksy and friendly, and everything in between. The tone your writing adopts should help express the message you want to send. 78) ________ is a way of presenting information in a simple, unadorned style so that your audience can easily grasp your meaning. Answer: Plain language Explanation: Plain language is recommended for business communication because it is the simplest way to communicate and has the fewest number of communication barriers. 79) A sentence is in the ________ voice when the subject performs the action and the object receives the action. Answer: active Explanation: In the active voice sentence, "Bob ate the sandwich," Bob is the subject who is performing the action, eating, on the sandwich, the object. 80) The ________ meaning of a word is its literal, dictionary meaning, whereas the ________ meaning includes all the associations and feelings it evokes. Answer: denotative, connotative Explanation: The denotative meaning of the word "abrupt" is "sudden, unexpected, or brief." The connotative meaning of "abrupt" when describing a restaurant waiter implies that the waiter is impatient, cold, and lacks sympathy for his customers. 81) ________ words express a concept or quality, not a tangible object. Answer: Abstract Explanation: Examples of abstract words include loyalty, devotion, and efficiency. None of these words can be visualized. 82) ________ sentences express two or more independent but related thoughts of equal importance. Answer: Compound Explanation: The two clauses in a compound sentence must be able to stand as independent sentences. Thus, "Marge washed the dishes and Bill dried them" is a compound sentence because "Marge washed the dishes" can stand as an independent sentence and "Bill dried them" can also stand as an independent sentence. 83) ________ sentences express one main thought and one or more subordinate thoughts related to it. Answer: Complex Explanation: A complex sentence contains one main thought that could stand as an independent sentence on its own, and one subordinate thought that would not make sense if it were left to stand alone without the main independent clause. In the sentence "When I get home, I'll walk the dog" the clause "When I get home" is the main independent clause and "I'll walk the dog" is the subordinate, dependent clause. 84) A(n) ________ is a cluster of sentences related to the same general topic. Answer: paragraph Explanation: A paragraph consists of a topic sentence, supporting sentences, and transitional words and phrases. 85) A standard block of text used in various documents without being changed is called ________. Answer: boilerplate Explanation: Boilerplate is used when a document requires the exact wording of an official point of view or policy so there is no ambiguity or room for misinterpretation. 86) List three strategies to become more sensitive to your audience's needs. Answer: You should adopt the "you" attitude, maintain good standards of etiquette, emphasize the positive, and use bias-free language. 87) You are scheduled to discuss a negative performance evaluation with one of the employees you supervise. How can you emphasize the positive during your conversation? Answer: In cases like this, it is best to emphasize what the person can do to improve, rather than dwelling on his or her mistakes and shortcomings. Emphasizing the positive is more likely to yield the results you want. 88) Define bias-free language. Answer: Bias-free language avoids words and phrases that unfairly and even unethically categorize or stigmatize people in ways related to gender, race, ethnicity, age, or disability. 89) List at least two types of biased language and explain how to avoid each type. Answer: (1) Gender bias: Avoid sexist language by using the same label for everyone—police officer instead of policeman. (2) Racial and ethnic bias: Avoid language that suggests that members of a racial or ethnic group have stereotypical characteristics. (3) Age bias: Mention the age of a person only when it is relevant. (4) Disability bias: Avoid mentioning a disability unless it is pertinent. Put the person first. 90) List at least three personal characteristics that can help establish credibility with your audience. Answer: Audiences assign credibility to individuals who display (1) honesty, (2) objectivity, (3) awareness of audience needs, (4) credentials, knowledge, and expertise, (5) endorsements, (6) performance, and (7) sincerity. 91) What is the difference between tone and style in business writing? Answer: Your communication style involves the choices you make to express yourself: the words you select, the manner in which you use those words in sentences, and the way you use individual sentences to build paragraphs. Your style creates a certain tone, or overall impression, when you write. The right tone depends on the nature of your message and your relationship with the reader. 92) List at least three guidelines to follow if you want to achieve a conversational tone in business messages. Answer: (1) Understand the difference between texting and writing; (2) Avoid obsolete and pompous language such as "in due course" or "we are in receipt of"; (3) avoid preaching and bragging; (4) be careful with intimacy—don't be overly friendly or chatty; and (5) be careful with humor. 93) Briefly explain the difference between the active voice and the passive voice. Include an example of each one. Answer: You are using the active voice when the subject performs the action, and the object receives the action: "John rented the office." You are using the passive voice when the subject receives the action: "The office was rented by John." 94) How is the denotative meaning of a word different from its connotative meaning? Answer: The denotative meaning is the literal, or dictionary, meaning of a word. The connotative meaning includes all the associations and feelings evoked by the word. 95) Give the definition of a complex sentence, then provide an example of one. Answer: A complex sentence expresses one main thought (the independent clause) and one or more subordinate thoughts (dependent clauses). An example is, "Our company's financials are impressive, despite current challenges in the economy." (Answers will vary.) A complex sentence is a sentence that contains one independent clause and at least one dependent (or subordinate) clause. The independent clause expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence, while the dependent clause provides additional information and cannot stand alone. Definition: Complex Sentence: A sentence that has one main clause and one or more subordinate clauses, connected by subordinating conjunctions like "because," "although," "since," "if," etc. Example: • Sentence: "Although it was raining, we decided to go for a walk because we needed to get some fresh air." In this example: • Independent Clause: "We decided to go for a walk." • Dependent Clauses: "Although it was raining" and "because we needed to get some fresh air." 96) What is the difference between delivering negative news and being negative? Answer: Sensitive communicators understand the difference between delivering negative news and being negative. Without hiding the negative news, they look for ways to emphasize positive aspects. When offering criticism or advice, for example, they don't focus on a person's shortcomings; instead, they focus on what he or she can do to improve. In persuasive situations, they help audiences see the benefits of taking specific actions. Finally, they use euphemisms carefully and ethically to soften the impact of negative news and avoid words that carry negative or unpleasant connotations. 97) List three situations in which the passive voice can help you demonstrate the "you" attitude. Answer: The passive voice can be helpful when you need to shift emphasis away from the person who is the subject of your message. These situations include (1) when you need to be diplomatic in pointing out a problem or error, (2) when you want to point out what's being done without taking or attributing either the credit or the blame, and (3) when you want to avoid personal pronouns in order to create an objective tone. 98) Explain what it means to choose "words that communicate well," then list four techniques for selecting the best words when writing business messages. Answer: Choosing words that communicate means finding the most powerful words for each situation. Selecting the best words in business messages involves (1) choosing powerful words—verbs and nouns are better than adjectives and adverbs; (2) choosing familiar words—terms that are familiar to both you and your readers; (3) avoiding clichés and buzzwords; and (4) using jargon carefully. 99) What are the five most common techniques for developing paragraphs? Answer: There are several common techniques for developing paragraphs. Illustration involves giving examples to demonstrate the general idea. Comparison and contrast both involve using similarities or differences to develop the topic. Cause and effect requires focusing on the reasons for something. Classification involves showing how a general idea is broken into specific categories. Finally, problem and solution requires presenting a problem and then discussing the solution. 100) Briefly describe at least four software capabilities that can help business writers shape their writing. Answer: Although the names and details vary from system to system, most word processing programs contain features that can help you write more efficiently and effectively. These include (1) style sheets—collections of formatting choices for words, paragraphs, and other elements; (2) templates, which usually set overall document parameters such as page size and provide a specific set of styles to use; (3) boilerplate, which refers to a standard block of text that is reused in multiple documents; (4) autocompletion, which inserts a ready-made block of text when you type the first few characters; (5) autocorrection, which instantly corrects spelling and typing errors and converts texts to symbols; (6) file merge, which makes it easy to combine files; (7) mail merge—a feature that makes it easy to personalize form letters by inserting names and addresses from a database; and (8) endnotes, footnotes, indexes, and tables of contents—all of which are easy to produce with the help of word processing software. Test Bank for Business Communication Today Courtland L. Bovee, John V. Thill 9780132971294, 9780134562186, 9780135900239, 9780132539555
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