BCOM 3360 Ch 6

In which one of the following statements has the speaker used bias-free language to convey a message?

"In my opinion, Emirates employs the most courteous flight attendants."

In which of the following cases has a conversational tone been used to convey the message?

"Please call us any time between ten o'clock and five o'clock if you need any additional information regarding the request."

In which one of the following situations should the active voice be preferred over the passive voice while composing messages?

A writer wants to make the writing livelier and easier to read.

Which of the following BEST describes the difference between a cliché and a buzzword? A. A cliché is a term or phrase so commonly used that it has lost its power to communicate effectively; a buzzword is a new term that is associated with a current industry. B. A cliché is part of the specialized jargon of an industry; a buzzword is a word that expresses the implications of a term. C. A cliché is a word that expresses the literal meaning of a term; a buzzword is part of the specialized jargon of an industry. D. A cliché is a word that expresses the implications of a term; a buzzword is a part of the specialized jargon of an industry. E. A cliché is a new term that is associated with a current industry; a buzzword is a term or phrase so commonly used that it has lost its power to communicate effectively.

A. A cliché is a term or phrase so commonly used that it has lost its power to communicate effectively; a buzzword is a new term that is associated with a current industry.

Which of the following is a general guideline for writing business messages? A. Be careful with intimacy. B. Use lots of humor in formal messages to make your audience comfortable. C. Use texting phrases. D. Brag about your accomplishments to instill confidence. E. Use pompous language to impress your audience.

A. Be careful with intimacy.

A sentence that has two main clauses, at least one of which has a subordinate clause, is known as which of the following? A. Compound-complex B. Complex C. Simple D. Simple-compound E. Compound

A. Compound-complex

Luka writes the following sentence: "Demand has increased, so in order to meet demand, we will increase production." Which of the following has he written? A. Compound-complex sentence B. Simple sentence C. Compound sentence D. Simple-compound sentence E. Complex sentence

A. Compound-complex sentence

Which of the following BEST describes the use of conversational language? A. Conversational language is appropriately casual but not overly casual, so it is just right for business communication. B. Conversational language is too casual and acronym-laden for appropriate business communication. C. Conversational language should only be used with middle-class clients for appropriate business communication. D. Conversational language should never be used for business communication. E. Conversational language is too formal and wordy for appropriate business communication.

A. Conversational language is appropriately casual but not overly casual, so it is just right for business communication.

Pedro is writing a paragraph by using examples of the types of distributors that handle company products. Which technique is Pedro using to develop this paragraph? A. Illustration B. Cause and effect C. Transition D. Comparison or contrast E. Classification

A. Illustration

Which of the following is an example of bias-free language? A. Mary Jones has just joined our trust department. B. Shing-Tung Yau excels naturally in mathematics. C. Disabled workers face many barriers on the job. D. The typical executive spends four hours of his day in meetings. E. Tracy is an epileptic, but she has no trouble performing her job.

A. Mary Jones has just joined our trust department.

Which of the following BEST describes the difference between style and tone? A. Style involves word choice; tone involves the impression your message makes. B. Style involves the impression your message makes; tone involves word choice. C. Style is a templating script you might use on a website; tone is a templating script you might use in a word processing document. D. Style is the content of the message you create; tone is the word processing software you use to create your message. E. Style is the word processing software you use to create your message; tone is the content of the message you create.

A. Style involves word choice; tone involves the impression your message makes.

Audiences are determining your __________ when they measure your believability based on reliability and trustworthiness. A. credibility B. technical ability C. professionalism D. intelligence quotient E. emotional quotient

A. credibility

In order to convey your meaning without negative connotations, you might consider whether the use of __________ would be more reader-friendly, while still remaining clear and ethical. A. euphemisms B. jargon C. idioms D. acronyms E. colloquialisms

A. euphemisms

By using the __________ pyramid approach for creating messages for mobile devices, you can prioritize the information and reveal the most important information briefly at first and then provide details in successive layers. A. inverted B. diverted C. divergent D. converted E. convergent

A. inverted

Your communication __________ is created by your word choice, the manner in which you use these words in sentences, and how you use sentences to build paragraphs. The __________ is the overall impression of your communication. A. style; tone B. method; style C. tone; style D. medium; channel E. channel; tone

A. style; tone

__________ wording is described as language that has broad concepts which audiences are likely to perceive in several different ways.

Abstract

Which of the following sentences should Paul write to avoid using a cliché? A. "Our staff can read the writing on the wall." B. "This project will be very expensive." C. "This project will cost an arm and a leg". D. "Let's run this idea up the flagpole." E. "Our workers are fighting an uphill battle."

B. "This project will be very expensive."

Which of the following is an example of an abstract word? A. Software B. Beauty C. Chair D. Database E. Website

B. Beauty

Which of the following avoids words or phrases that unfairly categorize people in terms of gender, race, age, disability, or other characteristics? A. Gender-biased language B. Bias-free language C. Age-biased language D. Racially-biased language E. Ethnically-oriented language

B. Bias-free language

Which of the following is advised when selecting words for business communication? A. Use lots of jargon to impress your audience. B. Choose strong, precise words. C. Use as many buzzwords as possible. D. Choose unfamiliar words to impress your audience. E. Use clichéés.

B. Choose strong, precise words.

A term or phrase so common that it has lost some of its power to communicate is known as which of the following? A. Adjective B. Cliché C. Buzzword D. Adverb E. Noun

B. Cliché

Micaela is writing a paragraph that discusses the differences that the company has undergone since it has doubled in size. Micaela is pointing out that although there are differences there are also similarities in the way the company conducts business. What technique is Micaela using to develop this paragraph? A. Cause and effect B. Comparison or contrast C. Transition D. Illustration E. Classification

B. Comparison or contrast

A __________ sentence contains two main clauses that express multiple independent but related thoughts of equal importance, usually joined by a conjunction (and, but, or). A. simple B. compound C. complex D. compound-complex E. run-on

B. compound

When using the __________ voice, the subject performs the action and the object receives the action. When using the __________ voice, the subject receives the action. A. passive; active B. direct; indirect C. active; passive D. indirect; direct E. submissive; passive

C. active; passive

When creating documents for larger screens or print, a writer may use the ___________ style to incorporate supporting visuals and summary boxes. A. formal B. informal C. linear organization D. converted pyramid E. conversational

C. linear organization

In order to give the audience a summary of the general idea of what will be covered in the rest of the paragraph, an effective ________ should be used. A. supporting sentence B. introduction C. topic sentence D. transition E. main idea

C. topic sentence

Which one of the following is true regarding the credibility of a speaker or sender?

Credible speakers can distance themselves from emotional situations and look at all sides of an issue.

Using language to imply someone is too immature or too frail to perform his or her duties is an example of which of the following? A. Ethnic bias B. Racial bias C. Disability bias D. Age bias E. Gender bias

D. Age bias

Using similarities or differences to develop the topic in a paragraph is known as which of the following? A. Illustration B. Problem and solution C. Classification D. Comparison or contrast E. Cause and effect

D. Comparison or contrast

The literal meaning of a word is known as which of the following? A. Connotative meaning B. Jargon C. Abstract language D. Denotative meaning E. Concrete language

D. Denotative meaning

Which of the following is TRUE about support sentences? A. Support sentences are not clearly related to the general idea being developed. B. The support sentence is less specific than the topic sentence. C. Support sentences do not demonstrate the general truth of the main thought. D. The support sentences are all more specific than the topic sentence. E. The support sentence does not give the paragraph unity.

D. The support sentences are all more specific than the topic sentence.

Which of the following sentences is written in active voice? A. Difficulties were encountered in receiving your product. B. The product was delivered to the wrong address. C. Shipping problems were encountered. D. You sent the product to the wrong address. E. Inadvertent errors were experienced in shipping.

D. You sent the product to the wrong address.

Since mobile devices have gained in popularity, business messages should be organized with a __________ flow that goes from the top to the bottom of the message. A. simplified B. direct C. columnar D. linear E. complicated

D. linear

Which of the following is the meaning of the term buzzword? A. A word that expresses a concept, quality, or characteristic. B. A part of the specialized jargon of an industry. C. A term or phrase so commonly used that it has lost its power to communicate effectively. D. A word that expresses the implications of a term. E. A popular term that is often associated with current technology, business, or culture.

E. A popular term that is often associated with current technology, business, or culture.

__________ words are broad and encompass a category of ideas, while _________ words stand for something you can touch, see, or visualize. A. Concrete; abstract B. Concrete; precise C. Precise; abstract D. Abstract; precise E. Abstract; concrete

E. Abstract; concrete

"Although you might question Gerald's conclusions, you must admit that his research is thorough." is an example of which type of sentence? A. Compound-complex B. Simple C. Compound D. Run-on E. Complex

E. Complex

Rewording sentences to use no pronoun at all rather than referring to all individuals as "he" is a way to avoid which of the following? A. Age bias B. Ethnic bias C. Disability bias D. Racial bias E. Gender bias

E. Gender bias

Jonathan is a marriage counselor. His clients describe their problems and he helps them focus on their issues, not on their emotions. Which of the following is he demonstrating? A. Awareness B. Communication C. Honesty D. Credentials E. Objectivity

E. Objectivity

Which of the following BEST describes the use of stuffy language? A. Stuffy language should always be used for all business communication. B. Stuffy language should only be used with wealthy clients for appropriate business communication. C. Stuffy language is too casual and acronym-laden for appropriate business communication. D. Stuffy language is appropriately casual but not overly casual, so it is just right for business communication. E. Stuffy language is too formal and wordy for appropriate business communication.

E. Stuffy language is too formal and wordy for appropriate business communication.

Which of the following is TRUE regarding style? A. Style is the content of the message you create. B. Style is a templating script you might use on a website. C. Style involves the impression your message makes. D. Style is the word processing software you use to create your message. E. Style involves word choice.

E. Style involves word choice.

A sentence that introduces a paragraph's main idea is known as which of the following? A. Transition sentence B. Structured sentence C. Defined sentence D. Caption sentence E. Topic sentence

E. Topic sentence

To maintain credibility, always be sincere and avoid _________, such as "you are the world's greatest employee." A. sincere compliments B. unbiased praises C. objective statements D. personal references E. hyperbole

E. hyperbole

For mobile devices, writers may use the __________ style to briefly reveal the most important information first and then follow with more detail. A. conversational B. converted pyramid C. informal D. linear E. inverted pyramid

E. inverted pyramid

A paragraph should deal with a single topic and should begin with a(n) ________. A. explanation of jargon B. simple sentence C. compound-complex sentence D. support sentence E. topic sentence

E. topic sentence

__________ are less negative substitutes used in place of rude or offensive words so as to appear more polite.

Euphemisms

__________ should not be used when communicating across cultural boundaries.

Humor

_____________ can help a writer to more easily choose the words that will convey the right tone.

Reading extensively

"The product was tested on a sample population of 1,000 consumers" is an example of what type of sentence?

Simple sentence

Which one of the following best describes the "you" attitude in a writer?

Speaking and writing in terms of the preferences of the audience.

Which one of the following sentences uses bias-free language?

The journalist wrote a report on the cleanliness drive conducted by the city authorities.

Which one of the following is a compound sentence?

The product was tested on a sample population of 2,000 consumers, and was launched into the market.

To establish credibility, you should __________.

be reliable

"After the product was tested on a sample population of 1,000 employees, the product was launched into the market." is an example of a _____.

complex sentence

"After the product was tested on a sample population, it was launched into the market, and was well-received by the consumers" is an example of a _____.

compound-complex sentence

Words like "chair," "blue," or "five" can be touched, seen, or visualized. These words are __________, which means that they are specific and are likely to be interpreted the same way by everyone.

concrete

Abstract wording refers to __________.

language that has broad concepts which audiences are likely to perceive in several different ways

Euphemisms are __________.

less negative substitutes used in place of rude or offensive words so as to appear more polite

In business messages, ________

people should avoid using an intimate tone

When writing business messages, transitions __________.

should be used to connect ideas

The choices that you make to express yourself is your communication __________.

style

A(n) __________ identifies the main point or the overall idea of a paragraph, and is often placed at the beginning of the paragraph.

topic sentence