COM 315 - Exam 1

If you are giving a presentation, which of the following would be an effective response to a premature question? A) "That's not an appropriate question at this time." B) "That's a good question; I'll get to that in a moment." C) "If I have time, I'll get to that question." D) "If you'll just wait a few seconds, I'll answer your question."

B) "That's a good question; I'll get to that in a moment."

Coercive power is a function of A) a person's job title B) the consequences a person can impose C) a person's intelligence D) the degree to which a person is respected

B) the consequences a person can impose

If your purpose in the introduction is to surprise the audience in order to get their attention, which of the following types of opening statements would you most likely use? A) asking a question B) presenting a quotation C) referring to the occasion D) making a startling statement

D) making a startling statement

A guided discussion A) works best with large audiences in formal settings in which the speaker does not expect audience interaction B) feels more like a conversation than a speech C) refers to a speech delivered without interruption from the audience D) occurs when a speaker has a set plan of material to cover, but encourages listeners to join in during the presentation with questions and comments

D) occurs when a speaker has a set plan of material to cover, but encourages listeners to join in during the presentation with questions and comments

Which organizational pattern would be best for a speaker who is proposing a change that will improve the current situation? A) chronological B) spatial C) topical D) problem-solution

D) problem-solution

What organization pattern is the motivated sequence pattern based on? A) cause-effect pattern B) comparative advantage pattern C) criteria satisfaction pattern D) problem-solution pattern

D) problem-solution pattern

Members of a polychronic culture would probably A) finish a telephone conversation before acknowledging a friend who has entered the room B) arrive well before a meeting is scheduled to start C) consider it a waste of time to begin a meeting with half an hour of socializing D) spend time getting to know a person before doing business with her or him

D) spend time getting to know a person before doing business with her or him

A subordinate makes suggestions to her supervisor about ways to improve work conditions. This is an example of A) downward communication B) social communication C) horizontal communication D) upward communication

D) upward communication

As you analyze yourself as a speaker, it is NOT recommended that you ask yourself which of the following questions? A) How can I imitate my favorite public speaker? B) What do I want my listeners to gain from my presentation? C) Am I enthusiastic about my topic? D) Do I have sufficient knowledge about my topic?

A) How can I imitate my favorite public speaker?

Which of the following likely indicates a low-context culture? A) Legal contracts are lengthy B) Communicators often rely on subtle, nonverbal cues to convey meaning C) Social contexts reveal much information about relationships D) It is considered impolite to say "yes" or "no" directly

A) Legal contracts are lengthy

Parinaaz grew up in India and recently moved to the United States. Although she speaks English fluently, she has a strong accent. Which of the following statements about Parinaaz is most likely true? A) Parinaaz is likely to experience bias against her and greater communication problems as a result B) Parinaaz is likely to be recommended for a higher-level job than a person with a neutral accent C) Parinaaz's accent will result in her being treated much the same as someone from the Midwest D) Parinaaz is more likely to be recommended for a job with more public contact than someone with a less pronounced speech style

A) Parinaaz is likely to experience bias against her and greater communication problems as a result

There are a number of visual elements a speaker should consider prior to and during a presentation. Which of the following is NOT a guideline to follow when planning a presentation? A) Sweep your eyes in a repeating pattern that moves from left to right to left to right, etc. B) Stand with feet at shoulder width C) Step to the lectern with confidence D) Don't pack up notes until you are completely finished

A) Sweep your eyes in a repeating pattern that moves from left to right to left to right, etc.

You can minimize audience interruptions by A) asking the audience to turn off cell phones and laptops during your presentation B) serving refreshments during your presentation C) keeping the doors open during your presentation to encourage latecomers to enter D) completing your entire presentation (if it is lengthy) without any breaks

A) asking the audience to turn off cell phones and laptops during your presentation

Chronological patterns are useful for A) explaining the steps in a process B) organizing material according to its location C) grouping ideas into categories or logical themes D) showing how certain events result from certain circumstances

A) explaining the steps in a process

After hearing that a local tire company was looking for a new firm to handle their advertising, Kevin scheduled a sales presentation to try to persuade the company to sign on with his advertising business. For the presentation, Kevin wanted to use a style of delivery that would enable him to cover all his prepared material in an organized way, yet would still appear spontaneous. Which delivery method should Kevin select for his presentation? A) extemporaneous B) impromptu C) manuscript D) memorized

A) extemporaneous

The channel of communication that has the highest level of nonverbal "richness" is A) face-to-face communication B) instant messaging C) voice mail D) snail mail

A) face-to-face communication

Personal goals that are NOT made public are called A) hidden agendas B) personal memos C) private goals D) secret targets

A) hidden agendas

Of the steps listed below, which should come first as you begin to organize the ideas you have brainstormed and researched into an outline? A) identifying the key points B) writing the introduction C) creating transitions D) writing the conclusion

A) identifying the key points

A presentation that attempts to generate enthusiasm is a A) motivational speech B) goodwill speech C) sales presentation D) proposal

A) motivational speech

The head coach of the football team is not very popular with his players. They think he is mean, but do what he tells them because they want to earn more playing time and avoid being cut from the team. By contrast, while the assistant coach has little influence over playing time and team membership, the players are eager to do what he asks because of his cheerful personality. In this example, the assistant coach primarily relies on ________ power A) referent B) expert C) information D) coercive

A) referent

Even when employees want to collaborate and are given opportunities to do so, if their work requires unusually detailed knowledge and skills, then ________ may limit their ability to communicate A) specialization B) rivalry C) information overload D) physical barriers

A) specialization

Keith is a trainer for a new computer software company and is responsible for teaching people the skills required to use the various products his company creates. What is the general purpose of Keith's presentations? A) to inform B) to persuade C) to frighten D) to entertain

A) to inform

Communication is a process. This means that A) to understand communication, we need to examine the context in which it occurs B) effective communication is efficient C) every message we send is an isolated event D) communication is avoidable

A) to understand communication, we need to examine the context in which it occurs

According to leader-member exchange (LMX) theory, employees who have low-quality relationships with their superiors A) typically communicate in defensive ways B) are treated as insiders C) have high levels of satisfaction with their employer D) receive coaching from their boss

A) typically communicate in defensive ways

The Greek culture (a culture that avoids uncertainty) tends to A) value tradition B) have few formal rules C) encourage new ideas D) enjoy the challenge of risk taking

A) value tradition

Which of the following statements is true of the U.S. workforce? A) In the United States, engineering companies that have embraced diversity are losing their competitive edge B) Most U.S. workers were born outside of the country C) The ability to work effectively with people from other countries is becoming an essential qualification for workers in all industries D) Very few foreign companies have set up operations in the United States

C) The ability to work effectively with people from other countries is becoming an essential qualification for workers in all industries

Two people working together A) constitutes a small group B) can outvote the minority C) can resolve disputes by persuading one another D) can form alliances

C) can resolve disputes by persuading one another

Use a __________________ pattern of organization when the audience is already aware that a problem exists and they are trying to decide among several potential solutions A) problem solution B) criteria satisfaction C) comparative advantages D) motivated sequence

C) comparative advantages

Maria and Adnan work in different departments of the same company. They discovered that it was much quicker to e-mail each other for information they needed from each other's departments than to wait for the official company newsletter to arrive. This is an example of the __________ function of informal communication A) confirming B) expanding C) expediting D) contradicting

C) expediting

Skylar is a very organized and timely individual. He always shows up for meetings 15 minutes early. He frowns upon colleagues who fail to arrive on time. Which orientation toward time would most accurately describe Skylar's behavior? A) high-context B) standard C) monochronic D) polychronic

C) monochronic

Informal communication includes all of the following EXCEPT A) the grapevine B) a comment about your boss that you overhear as you walk down the hall C) performance appraisals D) conversations around the water cooler

C) performance appraisals

Which of the following shows an accurate difference between a specific goal and a thesis statement? A) A specific goal consists of one sentence; a thesis statement consists of two or three sentences B) A specific goal is directed toward the audience; a thesis statement is directed toward the speaker C) A specific goal should be repeated at least three times during a presentation; a thesis statement should be said only once during a presentation D) A specific goal is often not said out loud to an audience; a thesis statement is often said several times to an audience

D) A specific goal is often not said out loud to an audience; a thesis statement is often said several times to an audience

To maintain your credibility, use proper A) articulation B) pronunciation C) vocabulary D) All of these are important for maintaining credibility

D) All of these are important for maintaining credibility

Which of the following would contribute to an effective delivery of a group presentation? A) When it is your turn to speak, look at your teammates B) When you're not speaking, look at the audience with undivided attention C) If you are bored when a team member is speaking, look at your notes to hide your boredom D) Choose a seating format that will allow each speaker to get up and sit down without running into obstacles or bumping into one another

D) Choose a seating format that will allow each speaker to get up and sit down without running into obstacles or bumping into one another

Which of the following statements about culture is most accurate? A) Cultural variations rarely exist within a country B) The values we learn from our culture are important, but they do not affect our communication C) Most members of a culture can easily describe the "rules" of that culture D) We are usually not even aware of our own culture's "rules."

D) We are usually not even aware of our own culture's "rules."

If you make a mistake while you're delivering a presentation, it is best to A) remind the audience that nobody is perfect B) correct every minor slip you may make C) apologize for your nervousness D) just keep speaking, correcting only obvious mistakes

D) just keep speaking, correcting only obvious mistakes

Among U.S. businesspersons, the most acceptable method for organizing ideas is the ________ pattern A) star B) wave C) spiral D) linear

D) linear

Which is the best advice for seeking a raise? A) Describe how much effort you put into your job B) Clarify ways in which you have directly contributed to your company's profits C) Remind your boss of how long you have worked for the company without a raise D) Deliver your request in an emotional way

B) Clarify ways in which you have directly contributed to your company's profits

Which of the following statements is true about Generation Z? A) The oldest members are rapidly shifting into management roles B) It is the first generation to have access to the Internet from a young age C) In the United States, it is the most ethnically diverse generation in history D) Members tend to hold traditional and conservative values

B) It is the first generation to have access to the Internet from a young age

Which is NOT true about risky shift? A) Highly cohesive groups tend to make decisions that are more extreme than the members would choose on their own B) Risky shift refers to a strategy for asking hard-hitting questions, thereby preventing groupthink C) When risky shift occurs, teams may take unsafe risks that are not justified D) When risky shift occurs, team members often like and respect each other

B) Risky shift refers to a strategy for asking hard-hitting questions, thereby preventing groupthink

Which of the following is NOT conducive to team productivity? A) Team spends time evaluating its solutions and decisions B) Teams are given an urgent deadline for coming up with a solution C) Norms encourage high performance D) Team has enough time to accomplish its goals

B) Teams are given an urgent deadline for coming up with a solution

Which of the following would NOT provide feedback to the sender? A) deciding not to answer a phone message from your ex-girlfriend B) browsing through a company's catalog to see what styles of shoes they offer C) falling asleep during a boring meeting D) sending a letter to the editor of your local newspaper in response to an article the paper published

B) browsing through a company's catalog to see what styles of shoes they offer

All of the following are characteristics of effective notes for extemporaneous presentations EXCEPT A) large enough to read at a glance B) detailed C) unobtrusive D) legible

B) detailed

In presentations, Arab speakers often use A) simple language B) elaborate language C) statistical data D) eyewitness testimony

B) elaborate language

Drake completed a short course in computer technology during summer vacation. Now his parents' friends call him when they have questions about their personal computers. Drake has earned some A) position power B) expert power C) reward power D) coercive power

B) expert power

What type of delivery style is carefully planned and well rehearsed, but is not delivered word-for-word? A) manuscript B) extemporaneous C) memorized D) impromptu

B) extemporaneous

Which of the following is defined as the act of motivating others, through communication, to voluntarily change a particular belief, attitude, or behavior? A) manipulation B) persuasion C) coercion D) information

B) persuasion

Franz is writing a magazine advertisement for a new brand of soap. Roksana will be handling the illustrations to go with the advertisement. Franz e-mails Roksana and asks, "When is the latest I can deliver the text to you and still give you enough time to complete the ad?" The primary purpose of this e-mail is A) conflict resolution B) task coordination C) building rapport D) problem solving

B) task coordination

After working on a new computer software system for the past two years, Richard was selected to explain to employees how to use the software. Which of the following workplace presentations is Richard giving? A) status report B) training C) final report D) briefing

B) training

Which of the following is NOT recommended if you are delivering a technical report to a nontechnical audience? A) Include additional examples if audience members look puzzled B) Use analogies to clarify concepts C) Prepare visuals with precise data shown in the format that is customary for your field D) Teach technical terms if they are essential to understanding the presentation

C) Prepare visuals with precise data shown in the format that is customary for your field