Test Bank for Workplace Communications: The Basics, 8th Edition

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Test Bank
For
Workplace Communications: The Basics
Eighth Edition
George J. Searles, Mohawk Valley Community College
Prepared by
Kathy Riley

iii
CONTENTS
Chapter 1: The Keys to Successful Communication: Purpose, Audience, Tone,
and Ethics 1
Chapter 2: Workplace Correspondence: Memos, E-mail, Text Messages,
and Business Letters 9
Chapter 3: Effective Visuals: Tables, Graphs, Charts, and Illustrations 17
Chapter 4: Short Reports: Page Design, Formats, and Types 25
Chapter 5: Collateral Advertising: Fliers, Brochures, Newsletters, and Websites 32
Chapter 6: Instructions: Guidelines, Alerts, and Procedure Descriptions 39
Chapter 7: Job Application Process: Online Search, Cover E-mail, Résumé, Interview,
and Follow-Up 47
Chapter 8: Oral Presentations: Preparation and Delivery 54
Chapter 9: Proposals: Objectives, Types, and Formats 61
Chapter 10: Long Reports: Format, Collaboration, and Documentation 69

1
CHAPTER 1
The Keys to Successful Communication: Purpose, Audience, Tone, and Ethics
MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or
answers the question.
1. Which purpose would be served by a memo asking for supplier prices on a frequently
purchased item?
a. persuasion
b. creating a record
c. providing information
d. requesting information
Correct Answer: D
2. Which of the following questions is related to purpose?
a. “Am I writing primarily to create a record, to request or provide information,
or to persuade?”
b. “Who will read what I have written?”
c. “What factors might influence the readers’ response to this message?”
d. “Am I writing to one person or more than one?”
Correct Answer: A
3. Which of the following questions relates to ethics?
a. “Am I writing primarily to create a record, to request or provide information,
or to persuade?”
b. “Is what I am writing factually correct?”
c. “What factors might influence the readers’ response to this message?”
d. “What do the readers already know about this specific situation?”
Correct Answer: B
4. Which of the following is part of the prewriting stage of the writing process? a.
considering the organization of the content
b. creating a first draft, concentrating on content
c. adjusting the tone to suit the audience
d. identifying the purpose and intended audience
Correct Answer: D
5. Which of the following questions can be used to tailor a piece of writing to a
particular audience?
a. “What are the readers’ job titles or responsibilities?”
b. “Am I writing primarily to create a record, to request or provide information, or to
persuade?”
c. “What factors might influence my skill as a writer?”
d. “Have I credited my information sources?”

2
Correct Answer: A
6. Which of the following is part of the rewriting stage of the writing process?
a. checking for ethical validity
b. creating a first draft, concentrating on content
c. deciding what needs to be said
d. choosing the most appropriate format
Correct Answer: A
7. Which of the following is an accurate statement about workplace communication?
a. The memo has now been almost totally replaced by texting.
b. Every instance of workplace writing occurs for a specific reason.
c. Every instance of workplace writing is intended for a general audience.
d. Workplace writing should avoid personal pronouns such as I and you.
Correct Answer: B
8. Which of the following is an example of reader-centered perspective?
a. A public-opinion survey describes 55 percent of the respondents as a “substantial
majority.”
b. An employee assigned to prepare a report submits a similar report written by
someone at another company and downloaded from the Internet.
c. A writer uses please, thank you, and other polite terms.
d. A writer provides detailed statistical information in a report for a general
audience.
Correct Answer: C
9. What is the main problem with the Fin & Feather Pet Supplies letter in Exercise 1.3 in
the text, in which the writer discusses a malfunctioning heating unit?
a. The writer fails to use polite language.
b. The writer fails to tell the reader what action is required.
c. The letter uses incorrect formatting for a business letter.
d. The writer provides inappropriate details about the situation.
Correct Answer: D
10. What is the main problem with the e-mail to Mr. Rhodes in Exercise 1.2 in the text, in
which the writer explains why she missed a day of work?
a. The writer fails to apologize for an inappropriate action.
b. The writer should have used a business letter rather than an e-mail.
c. The writer provides inappropriate details about the situation.
d. The subject line is not accurate.
Correct Answer: C
11. Which of the following is an example of a “softening” word or
phrase? a. furthermore

3
b. actually
c. if you wish
d. OTOH (meaning on the other hand)
Correct Answer: C
12. Which of the following strategies would be appropriate when a problem has been caused
by an error or oversight on your part?
a. Don’t mention the error.
b. State specifically what your mistake was.
c. Explain how the situation will be corrected.
d. Create an excuse for the mistake.
Correct Answer: C
13. Which of the following statements is true about whistle-blowing?
a. Retaliation against the whistle-blower is easy to prove.
b. The whistle-blower may return to a hostile work environment.
c. Blacklisting rarely affects the whistle-blower’s future job search.
d. A worker’s primary obligation is to follow an employer’s directions, even if they
seem unethical.
Correct Answer: B
14. Using terms deliberately chosen for their ambiguity (e.g., “customary service charges”)
may create __________.
a. a high-context communication
b. a hostile tone
c. unethical communication
d. upward communication
Correct Answer: C
15. Which of the following raises ethical concerns in writing?
a. documenting sources
b. expressing regret about a mistake
c. full disclosure of information
d. conflict of interest
Correct Answer: D
16. Which of the following is true of idioms?
a. They are recommended when communicating with international audiences.
b.

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17. Which of the following follows a strategy for a positive tone?
a. “Your case has been closed and will not be reopened unless you file a new
claim.”
b. “Don’t call us after 3:00 p.m. on Fridays.”
c. “Thank you for purchasing our product and for taking the time to contact us
about it.”
d. “We feel certain that the unsatisfactory performance of your recent purchase
was caused by something you did.”
Correct Answer: C
18. Which of the following indicates a reader quality that places that person higher on
the pecking order?
a. an introverted personality
b. more education
c. less access to information
d. greater need
Correct Answer: B
19. Which of the following is true of a casual tone?
a. It should not be adopted with equals.
b. It should not be adopted with subordinates.
c. It should maintain a “business is business” attitude.
d. It may be perceived as combative.
Correct Answer: C
20. Which of the following is true of a casual tone?
a. An excessively conversational tone should be avoided.
b. It is appropriate to adopt with superiors.
c. It is appropriate to include personal information, for example about leisure
activities.
d. Personal pronouns should be avoided.
Correct Answer: A
21. Which of the following best describes a writer from the United States communicating
with a reader from the Middle East?
a. The writer is from a high-context culture, while the reader is from a low-
context culture.
b. The writer is from a low-context culture, while the reader is from a high-
context culture.
c. Both the writer and reader are from high-context cultures.
d. Both the writer and reader are from low-context cultures.
Correct Answer: B

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22. Which of the following best describes a writer from Asia communicating with a reader
from the South America?
a. The writer is from a high-context culture, while the reader is from a low-
context culture.
b. The writer is from a low-context culture, while the reader is from a high-
context culture.
c. Both the writer and reader are from high-context cultures.
d. Both the writer and reader are from low-context cultures.
Correct Answer: C
23. What purpose would be served by a memo apologizing for a missing part on a recently
shipped order and giving the reader a tracking number for a replacement part?
a. persuasion
b. providing information
c. obtaining information
d. requesting information
Correct Answer: B
24. Which of the following is true of business and technical communications in low-
context cultures?
a. They emphasize background information.
b. They often contain an interpersonal component.
c. They de-emphasize background information.
d. They are often long-winded.
Correct Answer: C
25. What is the best description of the writer-audience relationship in the letter from the
claims adjustor at Southeast Insurance Company in Exercise 1.1 in the text?
a. The writer holds a superior position to the reader.
b. The writer holds a subordinate position to the reader.
c. The writer is a peer (equal) of the reader.
d. The writer doesn’t know who the reader is.
Correct Answer: A
26. Which of the following is true of acronyms and abbreviations frequently used in social
media and text messaging (e.g., OTOH for on the other hand)?
a. Most are appropriate for workplace communication.
b. They will usually be readily understood by readers for whom English is not
their native language.
c. They may not be readily understood by older readers.
d. They will usually be readily understood by older readers.

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27. Which of the following is true of technical acronyms specific to particular businesses
and occupations?
a. Most are inappropriate for workplace communication.
b. They may facilitate dialogue among employees in those fields.
c. They may not be readily understood by older readers.
d. They may facilitate communication with a lay audience.
Correct Answer: B
28. Which of the following is true of business and technical communications in high-
context cultures?
a. They emphasize background information.
b. They avoid an interpersonal component.
c. They de-emphasize background information.
d. They are relatively concise, compared to low-context communications.
Correct Answer: A
29. Which of the following is true of an executive reader?
a. The reader has decision-making power.
b. The reader does not possess significant prior knowledge of the field.
c. The reader should be addressed using strategies appropriate for those outside
your workplace.
d. The reader doesn’t have the authority to make decisions.
Correct Answer: A
30. Which of the following types of communication is intended for those at your own level
in the hierarchy?
a. upward communication
b. lateral communication
c. downward communication
d. outward communication
Correct Answer: B
31. Which of the following types of communication best describes a letter to someone at
a company with which you do business?
a. upward communication
b. lateral communication
c. downward communication
d. outward communication
Correct Answer: D

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c. downward communication
d. outward communication
Correct Answer: C
33. Which of the following types of communication best describes a text message replying
to a question from your supervisor?
a. upward communication
b. lateral communication
c. downward communication
d. outward communication
Correct Answer: A
34. Which of the following types of communication best describes a voicemail to a
coworker in your department?
a. upward communication
b. lateral communication
c. downward communication
d. outward communication
Correct Answer: B
35. Which of the following tactics might cause a document to fail an ethics test?
a. The writer shares relevant information with coworkers.
b. The writer gives credit for others’ ideas, findings, or written material.
c. The writer uses terms deliberately chosen for their clarity and precision.
d. The writer downplays negative aspects of a situation in order to create the
desired impression.
Correct Answer: D

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9
CHAPTER 2
Workplace Correspondence: Memos, E-mail, Text Messages, and Business
Letters
MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement
or answers the question.
1. The typical purpose of a memo is to __________; as a result, its approach tends to
be __________.
a. complain, direct
b. persuade, indirect
c. request, indirect
d. inform, direct
Correct Answer: D
2. Text messages are limited to how many characters?
a. 140, not including spaces and punctuation marks
b. 160, not including spaces and punctuation marks
c. 150, including spaces and punctuation marks
d. 160, including spaces and punctuation marks
Correct Answer: D

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5. Which of the following is a similarity between traditional memos and e-mails?
a. Both tend to be dashed off “in the heat of the moment.”
b. Both can be sent to multiple readers.
c. Needless correspondence is created by both.
d. Both tend to be proofread carefully.
Correct Answer: B
6. Identify one cause of an “e-mail about e-mail.”
a. mistakes caused by hasty composition
b. the use of spell-checkers
c. the relative informality of e-mail
d. the use of text messaging instead of e-mail for relatively informal
interchanges
Correct Answer: A
7. A letter-style salutation is eliminated by which of the following?
a. the Subject line of an e-mail
b. the complimentary close of an e-mail

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d. Reply All any time the sender is your supervisor.
Correct Answer: C
11. Which of the following is true about forwarding an e-mail to other readers?
a. You should have the original writer’s knowledge and permission.
b. It is appropriate to do so as long as you send it to only one other reader.
c. It is appropriate to do so as long as the message is business-related.
d. It is appropriate to do so as long as the message was sent from the reader’s
business e-mail address to your business e-mail address.
Correct Answer: A
12. Which of the following is true about personal messages?
a. Many employers provide a separate e-mail “bulletin board” for
announcements such as personal sales and unwanted tickets to events.
b. Personal messages may be sent as long as you do so to one recipient at a time.
c. Personal messages may be sent as long as you do so only in a mass mailing.
d. You are not legally responsible for the content of any personal messages.
Correct Answer: A
13. Which of the following is true about memos?

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16. A standard in-house memo contains which of the following elements?
a. the recipient’s office address
b. a Subject line
c. a salutation
d. a complimentary close
Correct Answer: B
17. An external e-mail nearly always includes a letter-style salutation and
complimentary close, unless which of the following circumstances is true?
a. The e-mail contains detailed information providing background about the
reason of the current e-mail.
b. Including a salutation and complimentary close will cause the e-mail to
exceed one screen page in length.
c. The writer and reader have established an ongoing professional relationship.
d. The writer and reader are extremely busy.
Correct Answer: C
18. “Claim letter” is another term for what type of business letter?
a. one that voices a complaint
b.

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