Business Writing Exam 1: Ch 4,5,6

[1] We will prepare your information packet immediately. [2] While we perform a compilation of your packet, please complete the attached form. Which sentence contains a buried verb?

[2] While we perform a compilation of your packet, please complete the attached form.

Bypassing

when people miss each other with their meanings Each of us attaches a little bundle of meanings to every word and these meanings are not always similar

The trite business phrase in accordance with your wishes can be revised as __________. a) as you wish b) given whatever you wish c) in accordance with what you want

a) as you wish

The construction supervisor working with your company gives you directions to meet him at your company's new commercial development. He says, "It's a short drive. Meet me at the trailer, and I'll give you a tour." You follow the directions: down Madison Parkway and past several new housing developments. You continue to drive: mile 5, mile 10. It isn't until you reach mile 20 that you finally see the trailer. After all of this driving, you complain and tell the supervisor, "That's not a short drive!" What communication barrier is described in this situation?

Differing frames of reference

Differing Frames of Reference

Everything you see and feel in the world is translated through your individual frame of reference. Because your frame of reference is different from everyone else's you will never see things exactly as others do.

Dear Marilyn, Thanks for lunch. I had a great time, and we accomplished a lot. Those pictures of your kids are adorable. Listen, I wanted to see whether we could schedule a meeting with the boss for Friday to go over the survey plan we made at lunch. Could you contact him and try to set something up when you both are available? I can be free anytime on Thursday or Friday. Before sending the message, it occurs to you that your e-mail will probably be forwarded to your supervisor. What will you need to change to make the message appropriate for both a colleague and your supervisor?

Make the message more formal and remove the personal discussion.

You're putting the final touches on a proposal. It all looks good, but you realize you forgot to include the material costs and don't have that information at your fingertips. The supply chain specialist would know, but he's in another building and doesn't seem to be online right now. You'd really like to finish the proposal today. What is the most efficient way to contact him for some quick price quotes? You should use a ________ , which is a ________ medium.

You should use a phone call, which is a rich medium.

Which of the following are clichés that should be dropped from your business messages? Check all that apply. a) Think outside the box b) Best regards c) Welcome change d)Enclosed is

a

Which questions should you ask yourself before determining what and how to research? Check all that apply. a) What is the receiver to do after reading the message? b) Will the receiver like the template I plan to use? c)Should I use formal headings? d)What does the receiver need to know about this topic?

a & d

A group of eight marketing agents is asked to design the next feature on a smartphone because an existing feature is outdated. The group begins the brainstorming session at 9 a.m. by reviewing the agenda. The agenda states that the brainstorming session will last until 5 p.m. There is only one scheduled break at noon for lunch. To improve the group's brainstorming, the group leader should __________.

establish short brainstorming sessions

[1] Seven conference calls are scheduled this morning between 10 and 11 a.m. [2] As a general rule, the company limits the number of conference calls to three per hour. [3] In the future, we should be more careful about scheduling calls. Which sentence contains a flabby expression?

[2] As a general rule, the company limits the number of conference calls to three per hour.

At the 5th Annual Youth Leaders Conference, participants will have the opportunity to engage in self-paced modules, present outcomes, provide feedback, connect online, collaborate on projects, engage in discussion, and consult leadership experts. What document design strategy would improve the readability and comprehension of this passage? a) Bulleting the list b) Aligning the text c) Adding headings

a) Bulleting the list

You are the mayor of Destiny, a small town with a population of 6,000. Destiny sits at sea level, and it's western boundary faces the Gulf of Mexico. You know that global warming will cause sea waters to rise in the next 20 years, and you need ideas for keeping Destiny safe. So you announce a new contest at your next town meeting. Townspeople are asked to submit ideas for handling the rising ocean on a city website. Ideas that are supported by more than 1000 people will be considered as finalists in the contest. The winner of the contest will receive $5,000 and the opportunity to work with city planners to implement his or her idea. This is an example of: a) Crowdstorming b) Crowdfunding c) Crowdsourcing

a) Crowdstorming

The construction supervisor working with your company gives you directions to meet him at your company's new commercial development. He says, "It's a short drive. Meet me at the trailer, and I'll give you a tour." You follow the directions: down Madison Parkway and past several new housing developments. You continue to drive: mile 5, mile 10. It isn't until you reach mile 20 that you finally see the trailer. After all of this driving, you complain and tell the supervisor, "That's not a short drive!" How might you overcome this communication barrier in the future?

Be more aware of your frame of reference.

You are preparing to proof a recommendation report for the executive team. Your HR team has worked on this report for several months, and the report is 179 pages long. You know the executive team demands excellence, and you want to impress them. Which of the following proofreading strategies would be most appropriate for this situation? a) Print a double-spaced copy of the report body, read the message at least twice, and enlist a proofreading buddy. b) Design your own proofreading marks that are specific to the recommendation report you are working on. c) Proof electronically, using the down arrow to reveal one line at a time as you look for misspellings and small mistakes.

a) Print a double-spaced copy of the report body, read the message at least twice, and enlist a proofreading buddy.

We'll slash an additional 10 percent off living room sets if you shop by Tuesday. Which is more reader oriented? a) Shop by Tuesday and you'll save an additional 10 percent on all living room sets. b) No change necessary. c) If you don't shop by Tuesday, you'll miss our additional 10 percent discount on living room sets.

a) Shop by Tuesday and you'll save an additional 10 percent on all living room sets.

I am sending you this letter to let you know that the team is ready for its next assignment. Choose best revision. a) The team is ready for its next assignment. b) I am writing this letter because I need to let you know that the team is ready for its next assignment. c) This is to inform you that the team is ready for its next assignment.

a) The team is ready for its next assignment.

Which of the following items should be on your revision checklist? Check all that apply. a) Eliminate flabby expressions. b) Don't use clichés or slang. c) Avoid headings and boldface. d) Evaluate your final product. e) Keep the message simple.

a, b, d, & e

Which of the following sentences employ the KISS formula? Check all that apply. a) Please respond as soon as possible. b) Please be open to an immediate response considering all options. c) Happy employees produce good results. d) Open the file and select "New."

a, c, & d

[1] This community needs programs assisting those in the reentry process. [2] JUMP High Schools' efforts that work toward providing better information for newly released juvenile offenders are remarkably commendable. [3] Basic fundamental information regarding reentry services that addresses the essentials is sorely needed in our community. What types of revisions could be made to the passage to make it more concise? Check all that apply. a) Drop unnecessary fillers. b) Reject redundancies. c)Purge empty words.

b & c

Which is the most clear and precise sentence explaining what to do before submitting new content to a webmaster? a) If you wish to submit new content to the webmaster, refer to the Frequently Asked Questions web page first. b) Please consult the Frequently Asked Questions web page before submitting new content to the webmaster. c) The Frequently Asked Questions web page will provide you with useful information when you are preparing new content to submit to the webmaster.

b) Please consult the Frequently Asked Questions web page before submitting new content to the webmaster.

There are six folders left in the break room. Choose best revision. a) It is important to note that there are six folders in the break room. b) Six folders are left in the break room. c)There are six folders left in the break room, so come get them.

b) Six folders are left in the break room.

Which is the most clear and precise sentence explaining how to apply for a junior accountant position? a) If you would like to apply for the junior accountant position, send your cover letter, your résumé, and your list of references to our Human Resources department. Send them to Maricela Ortiz in the Human Resources department. b) To apply for the junior accountant position, please send your cover letter, résumé, and list of references to Maricela Ortiz, Human Resources. c)Our Human Resources Director, Maricela Ortiz, will review all applications for the junior accountant position. If you want to apply for the position, you should include a cover letter, a résumé, and a list of references in your application, which should be sent to Maricela Ortiz.

b) To apply for the junior accountant position, please send your cover letter, résumé, and list of references to Maricela Ortiz, Human Resources.

Your team consists of five members, in separate locations, who are collaborating on a lengthy report. Your team is in the initial phase of the writing process and is involved in brainstorming. The entire team needs to participate in a conversation to plan the report. Which collaboration tools would be best for this situation? Check all that apply. a)Texting b) Web conferencing c) E-mail

b) Web conferencing

You work in HR. You are leading a cross-functional team that is preparing recommendations on how to improve the company's recruiting process. Your team has completed its initial investigation and is ready to begin brainstorming and working on its report. During this phase of the writing process, what would be the best strategy for your team? a)You should brainstorm and plan the report on your own and then share it with the team. b) Your team should work together closely to brainstorm and plan the report. c) Your team should work separately to brainstorm and plan individual report sections.

b) Your team should work together closely to brainstorm and plan the report.

You know very little about the migratory habits of the flamingo, but you are told to give an extensive report about them to a panel of ornithologists. In order to prepare, you spend three days in the library reviewing magazines and journal articles, searching academic databases, and identifying primary sources. What research method did you use in this situation? a) Formal research b) Informal research

b)Informal research

Which are appropriate questions to ask when profiling your audience? Check all that apply. a) What format should I use? b) How much does the audience know about my topic? c)What do I know about the audience's education, beliefs, culture, and attitudes? d)Do I care about my audience's weekend plans? e)How will the audience react to my message?

b, c, & e

Pursuant to your request, the sales managers will be a ubiquitous presence in case they are needed. Choose best revision. a)Per your request, the sales managers should be an omnipresent presence if needed. b)Every effort will be made for sales managers to be available if needed. c) Sales managers are available if needed.

c) Sales managers are available if needed.

While working for an international development agency, you must create a presentation about primary and secondary education in the Middle East. Which is the best research approach? a) Write an e-mail to your former professor who teaches courses on foreign policy, and ask his opinion on the subject. b) To get a local perspective on Middle Eastern affairs, conduct a phone survey of people who live in the area. In order to get a balanced response, include survey respondents who have children and those who do not. c) Using electronic databases, find statistics gathered by the United Nations that show the dropout rates of students by gender and age. Request that certain reports be sent to you so you can examine the data yourself.

c) Using electronic databases, find statistics gathered by the United Nations that show the dropout rates of students by gender and age. Request that certain reports be sent to you so you can examine the data yourself.

Which of the following sentences is the most bias free? a) Ms. DeLillo, who is handicapped, is always on time. b) Ms. DeLillo, who is wheelchair bound, is always on time. c)Ms. DeLillo is always on time.

c)Ms. DeLillo is always on time.

Our affordable prices and great styles will make redecorating your home a breeze. Which is more reader oriented? a) No change necessary. c) We'll help you redecorate your home with the latest styles and the most affordable prices. d) Redecorate your home with the latest styles at an affordable price.

d) Redecorate your home with the latest styles at an affordable price.

You are asked to send out an important letter to your business associates in Japan, and it must be sent within the next 90 minutes. You know it will take you about 30 minutes to gather all the information you will need to include in the letter. This will leave you one hour for prewriting, drafting, and revising. Because this letter is critical and will influence all future business with your Japanese associates, you know that you will use the entire hour to write the letter. Approximately how much time should you spend revising your message once you have gathered the information you need, planned, and written your message?

30 min

Akihabara Imports offers the widest selection of Japanese animation products available on the Internet. All products are shipped with certificates of authenticity. Choose from our vast selection of action figures, collectibles, DVDs, and print books. Items noted with an (*) are signed by the original author. Some supplies are limited, so act now! Use our secure online form for immediate purchase, or call our operators at 555.555.5555, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This message is designed to _______. Specifically, the primary purpose of this message is to __________. The secondary purpose of this message is to ___________ with the customer.

This message is designed to persuade. Specifically, the primary purpose of this message is to sell animation products. The secondary purpose of this message is to build goodwill with the customer.

Which of the following sentences use slang or buzzwords? Check all that apply. a) It would be rad to have a booth at the trade show. b) Please send me the press release. c) The teams collaborated to design the product. d) The HR seminar on diversity is required for all employees. e)This strategy is both innovative and cost effective.

a & e

Which sentence controls exuberance? a) Henry was sad to learn that his coworker was retiring in May. b) Pete was actually depressed when his coworker retired. c) Kaylie was truly and deeply sad to learn that her coworker was fired.

a) Henry was sad to learn that his coworker was retiring in May.

Which sentences are expressed most positively? Check all that apply. a) Questions about your health plan? See the Benefits Office today! b) You can only choose your health plan at the Benefits Office. c) If you haven't selected a health plan, you must go to the Benefits Office to do so. d) The Benefits Office can help you select your health plan. e) There are a limited number of health plans that can be selected at the Benefits Office. f) Choose your health plan at the Benefits Office.

a, d, & f

Come to Barclay's Furniture and see how low we've cut prices at our grand opening in Seattle! What is more reader oriented? a) We've cut prices just for you at the Barclay Furniture Seattle store's grand opening. b) You'll save with major discounts at the Barclay Furniture Seattle store's grand opening. c)No change necessary.

b) You'll save with major discounts at the Barclay Furniture Seattle store's grand opening.

Which sentence provides the most clarity? a) The aforementioned meeting will be at Harry Laughlin's home. b) The meeting will be at Harry Laughlin's domicile in a lovely subdivision in Duluth. c) The meeting will be at Harry Laughlin's home in Duluth.

c) The meeting will be at Harry Laughlin's home in Duluth.

You work for an IT company that specializes in Internet security. You lead a team of six employees who recently conducted an IT security audit of a client's entire enterprise, including three large manufacturing plants in China, one in Mexico, and many executive offices throughout Europe, Asia, and North America. Now you need to present your findings to the client. Who should write and prepare the presentation? a)Two team members b)You c)You and your team

c)You and your team