Business Communication
Pre-Test Questions
Course Introduction
Business Communication focuses on the principles, strategies, and tools essential for effective communication in professional settings. This course explores verbal and non-verbal communication, business writing, presentation skills, and the use of modern communication technologies. Students will develop their ability to craft persuasive messages, conduct meetings, negotiate, and collaborate in diverse teams. Emphasis is placed on real-world applications, ethical considerations, cross-cultural communication, and adapting messages for various business audiences to ensure clarity, professionalism, and impact in contemporary organizational environments.
Recommended Textbook
A Concise Public Speaking Handbook 4th Edition by Steven A. Beebe
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26 Chapters
682 Verified Questions
682 Flashcards
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Chapter 1: Speaking in Public
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Sample Questions
Q1) It is an audience member's responsibility to properly encode a speaker's remarks.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
Q2) Dave has signed up to be last in the speaking order because his twenty-first birthday was the day before and he just had to celebrate. He feels so tired and hung over that he doesn't even realize it's timefor him to speak until the teacher calls his name...twice. What is Dave experiencing?
A) internal noise
B) an encoding-decoding breakdown
C) external noise
D) poor channel selection
Answer: A
Q3) During this Golden age of public speaking, the Greek philosopher Aristotle formulated, and Roman orators refined, guidelines for speakers that we still follow today.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
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Chapter 2: Improving Your Confidence
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Sample Questions
Q1) _____ speakers feel high levels of anxiety, and show the highest heart rates, all the way through their speeches.
A) Insensitive
B) Inflexible
C) Average
D) Confrontational
Answer: B
Q2) When practicing your speech, you should rehearse the speech mentally to yourself; practicing out loud will only make you more nervous.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
Q3) The most experienced speakers are usually _____ speakers.
A) Average
B) Inflexible
C) Insensitive
D) Confrontational
Answer: C
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Chapter 3: Presenting Your First Speech
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Sample Questions
Q1) The three types of general purposes for giving speeches are
A) to entertain, to introduce, and to inform.
B) to entertain, to inform, and to persuade.
C) to persuade, to convince, and to move to action.
D) to inform, to demonstrate, and to persuade.
Answer: B
Q2) The general purpose of class lectures, seminars, and workshops is to inform.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q3) All of the following are guidelines for effective speech delivery EXCEPT
A) focus your concentration entirely on your message.
B) smile naturally.
C) establish eye contact with your audience.
D) deliver your speech in a conversational style.
Answer: A
Q4) A specific-purpose statement is a statement of your major ideas.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
Page 5
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Chapter 4: Ethics and Free Speech
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Sample Questions
Q1) In 1964, the Supreme Court ruled that before a public official can recover damages for slander, he or she must
A) prove that the slanderous statement was made with actual malice.
B) agree to a lie detector test that proves his or her intentions are honest.
C) prove that the slander presents a clear and present danger.
D) sign a contract waiving his or her right to free speech.
Q2) If you are speaking to an audience about filing their tax returns, and you attempt to convince listeners that they should find small ways to "get back at the government" by cheating on their income tax returns, you are violating a speaking ethic that expects speakers to
A) give the listener choices.
B) have a clear, responsible goal.
C) use sound evidence and reasoning.
D) acknowledge their sources.
Q3) Speakers have an ethical responsibility to give credit for information and ideas that are not their own.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 5: Listening
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Sample Questions
Q1) In a speech about how Texas became a state, Martina provided three main points and delivered them in a chronological pattern. Two of her classmates, Anna and Donna, were discussing the speech the next day.Anna remembered Martina's three main points while Donna only remembered the story used in the introduction. Who was the better listener, according to the textbook's tips to enhance listening skills?
A) Donna was the better listener because she followed the tip, "Avoid information overload."
B) Donna was the better listener because she followed the tip, "Be a selfish listener."
C) Anna was the better listener because she followed the tip, "Listen for major ideas."
D) Anna was the better listener because she followed the tip, "Avoid overreacting emotionally."
Q2) A(n)_____ is a conclusion based on partial information or an evaluation that has not been directly observed.
A) accommodation
B) fact
C) inference
D) statistic
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Chapter 6: Analyzing Your Audience
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Sample Questions
Q1) After you've completed your speech, what are the BEST indicators of your speaking success?
A) verbal responses
B) survey responses
C) behavioral responses
D) nonverbal responses
Q2) Socioeconomic status is NOT a relevant factor in demographic audience analysis.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Audience analysis is the process of examining information about your listeners.
A)True
B)False
Q4) For her informative speech assignment, Carol has chosen biomedical ethics as her topic. But before she begins, she compiles a questionnaire for audience members to determine their personal knowledge,interest, and attitudes about this issue. What is the term for this technique?
A) formal audience analysis
B) informal audience analysis
C) informal situational analysis
D) formal situational analysis
Page 8
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Chapter 7: Adapting to Your Audience as You Speak
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Sample Questions
Q1) If your audience seems inattentive or bored, you should do all of the following EXCEPT
A) tell a story.
B) use a personal example.
C) make direct references to the audience.
D) use more facts and statistics.
Q2) If your audience seems confused or doesn't understand your point, you should be more redundant.
A)True
B)False
Q3) For most North American audiences, the BEST way to determine whether your listeners are maintaining interest in your speech is to note
A) the amount of eye contact they have with you.
B) how often they laugh.
C) how often they move.
D) the amount of noise they make.
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Chapter 8: Developing Your Speech
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Sample Questions
Q1) When starting with a broad speech topic such as "basketball," it is necessary to narrow it down because
A) speeches on sports-related topics should be much briefer.
B) your audience may get bored with the topic unless they are interested in sports.
C) it will require less time to research.
D) it needs to fit within the time limits of your speech.
Q2) Acomplete, declarative sentence that summarizes your speech is known as the A) specific purpose.
B) general purpose.
C) central idea.
D) blueprint.
Q3) It's NOT a good idea to watch television or read books and magazines in search of a speech topic. Using these as a source of topics is a form of plagiarism.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Brainstorming involves dividing your central idea into logical divisions.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 9: Gathering Supporting Material
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Sample Questions
Q1) The purpose of ____ websites is to sell products or services.
A) commercial
B) educational
C) organizational
D) military
Q2) The domain of an educational Web site is usually .edu.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Jack used Internet sources for his informative speech about gun control. However, his over-reliance on the National Rifle Association site caused his speech to be slanted in one direction, rather than presenting multiple sides of the issue. Which of the six criteria for evaluating Internet sources did Jack ignore?
A) objectivity
B) accuracy
C) usability
D) accountability
Q4) The purpose of a commercial Web site is to advocate a group's point of view.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 10: Supporting Your Speech
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Sample Questions
Q1) The best types of illustrations are those that are NOT personal to the speaker.
A)True
B)False
Q2) The most authoritative source for statistics is the primary source.
A)True
B)False
Q3) _____ provide the details that allow audience members to develop mental pictures of what speakers are talking about.
A) Illustrations
B) Definitions
C) Explanations
D) Descriptions
Q4) To use illustrations effectively, you should be certain that your stories are directly relevant to the idea or point they are supposed to support.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Both analogies and definitions deal with relationships and comparisons.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 11: Organizing Your Speech
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Sample Questions
Q1) Deanna makes the claim in her persuasive speech that unregulated car emissions in major urban areas worldwide contribute to the depletion of the ozone layer, which contributes to global warming. Which typeof organizational pattern is reflected in this example?
A) problem-solution
B) spatial
C) topical
D) cause-effect
Q2) When explaining the progress of molecular discoveries, Guilherme began by discussing Mendel's 1866 studies about inheritance of biological traits in peas, ending with recent information about the human genome project. Which pattern of organization would BEST suit Guilherme's speech?
A) spatial
B) topical
C) cause-effect
D) chronological
Q3) The principle of recency means that an audience will BEST remember your last supporting point.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 12: Developing an Introduction
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Sample Questions
Q1) Janet's introduction contained the following remarks: "How many of you know someone who has tried to quit smoking, successfully or unsuccessfully? Have any of the smokers in this audience tried toquit?Well, if you have tried to quit and failed, you are among the 20 percent of Americans who have tried to quit multiple times. A few months ago I tried to quit, for the umpteenth time, but this time I made it. I'd like to tell you exactly how I made it." Which of the following statements is accurate about this introduction?
A) Janet shouldn't discuss her own experience with quitting smoking because it sets up some distance between her and the audience.
B) Janet has successfully combined introductory devices of questions to the audience, statistical information, and a personal reference.
C) Janet has too many devices in this introduction; the audience will be confused rather than intrigued by this introduction.
D) Janet has successfully combined introductory devices of startling statements, reference to historical events, and illustrations.
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Page 14
Chapter 13: Developing a Conclusion
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Sample
Questions
Q1) In his speech about registering to vote, Dan explains the new legislation that allows voter registration to coincide with driver's license renewal. But he concludes by stating that anyone who is notregistered should immediately register in time for the next election. Finally, Dan reiterates: "Everyone please register to vote; it's your right and your duty as a citizen." What aspect of effective conclusions has Dan utilized?
A) an appeal to respond on the part of the audience
B) a personal reference to his own experience
C) an effective summary of main points in a speech
D) an inspirational appeal or challenge to the audience
Q2) Most speakers summarize the speech at the end of the conclusion.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Which of the following is a function of a speech conclusion?
A) restating the main ideas
B) providing new material
C) invoking guilt in the audience
D) fading out gradually
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Chapter 14: Outlining and Revising Your Speech
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Sample Questions
Q1) In a preparation outline, the blueprint should come immediately after the A) speech body.
B) central idea.
C) conclusion.
D) introduction.
Q2) When George shows Laura his speaking notes for an upcoming speech, she criticizes George for including supporting material and signposts in his outline. Who is right?
A) Laura is right because supporting material and signposts do not belong in speaking notes.
B) Laura is right about the supporting material, but George is right about the signposts.
C) George is right because supporting material and signposts should be included in speaking notes.
D) George is right because all elements of a speech should be detailed in speaking notes.
Q3) You should include your central idea in your speaking notes.
A)True B)False
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Page 16
Chapter 15: Using Words Well
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following is an example of sexist language?
A) member of Congress
B) server
C) chair
D) policeman
Q2) Sexist language is always a direct and intentional form of discrimination.
A)True
B)False
Q3) ________ occurs when a sentence has two parts with parallel structures, but contrasting meaning.
A) Antithesis
B) Parallelism
C) Repetition
D) Alliteration
Q4) ________ refers to words or phrases specific to one part of the country but rarely used in quite the same way in other places.
A) Ethnic vernaculars
B) Regionalism
C) Jargon
D) Spanglish
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Chapter 16: Methods of Delivery
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Sample Questions
Q1) Reading a speech from a prepared text is termed
A) memorized speaking.
B) manuscript speaking.
C) extemporaneous speaking.
D) impromptu speaking.
Q2) An unrehearsed rebuttal to a comment made by a colleague during a meeting is an example of
A) manuscript speaking
B) impromptu speaking
C) memorized speaking
D) extemporaneous speaking
Q3) Kara is accepting an award. She wants to use a method of delivery that has the most potential for eye contact with the audience, because she wants to really "drive home" her points. What method of deliverywould be BEST?
A) memorized speaking
B) impromptu speaking
C) extemporaneous speaking
D) manuscript speaking
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18
Chapter 17: Nonverbal Communication
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Sample Questions
Q1) Even during a very informal presentation, it is NEVER appropriate to deliver your speech while sitting on the edge of a desk.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Movements such as standing or moving closer to listeners or coming out from behind a lectern can help to create a perception of _____ between you and your audience.
A) constancy
B) recency
C) immediacy
D) urgency
Q3) Your face and voice show your audience which emotion you are feeling; your posture communicates
A) your professionalism.
B) how much speaking experience you have.
C) your physical stamina.
D) the intensity of that emotion.
Q4) Aspeaker who pounds one hand into another is using a repeating gesture.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 18: Verbal Communication
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Sample Questions
Q1) All of the following are precautions you need to take when using a stationary microphone EXCEPT
A) Check to see if your mike is multidirectional.
B) Speak clearly and crisply.
C) If you must test a microphone, count or ask the audience whether they can hear you.
D) Pronounce B, P, and S sounds with more intensity than usual.
Q2) What dialect is preferred by most audience members?
A) New England
B) Southern
C) Midwestern
D) their own
Q3) Whereas articulation relates to the clarity of sounds, _____ concerns the degree to which the sounds conform to those assigned to words in standard English.
A) pronunciation
B) dialect
C) rate
D) inflection
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Chapter 19: Adapting and Delivering Your Speech
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Sample Questions
Q1) Why should you repeat or rephrase questions in a Q&A session?
A) to demonstrate your critical listening skills.
B) to give yourself more time to think of an answer.
C) to demonstrate your articulation skills.
D) to ensure everyone can hear the question.
Q2) You should never use verbal signpost while answering audience questions.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Some seasoned speakers suggest that you save a bit of your speech to deliver during the Q&A session. This is known as
A) listening nonjudgmentally.
B) giving a "double-barreled" talk.
C) using organized signposts.
D) creating immediacy.
Q4) According to the text, which of the following cultures expects less immediacy?
A) North American
B) Australian
C) Japanese
D) Mexican
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Chapter 20: Selecting Presentation Aids
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Sample Questions
Q1) A_______ is a pictorial representation of statistical data.
A) a model
B) a graph
C) a slide
D) a drawing
Q2) Using a dark background with lighter-colored words can have an unpleasant effect and make the words difficult to see.
A)True
B)False
Q3) What is one advantage of using presentation aids?
A) They can help a speaker stay within the time limit.
B) They can substitute for a general lack of information.
C) They cover up a speaker's visible nervousness.
D) They help your audience understand and remember.
Q4) Most public-speaking teachers encourage frequent use of chalkboards and whiteboards.
A)True
B)False
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Page 22
Chapter 21: Preparing and Using Presentation Aids
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Sample Questions
Q1) Some presentation aids speak for themselves, you don't need to explain them.
A)True
B)False
Q2) An effective speaker checks the hardware available before designing presentation aids.
A)True
B)False
Q3) What is the BEST advice for timing the use of presentation aids in a speech?
A) Display presentation aids evenly throughout the speech.
B) Display presentation aids at the beginning of your speech.
C) Display presentation aids early if you use more than one.
D) Display presentation aids to correspond with points in your speech.
Q4) Keeping backup supplies is a good way to avoid unexpected problems with your visual aids.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Handout pages should NOT be numbered, in order to encourage the audience to watch you, not the paper.
A)True
B)False
23
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Chapter 22: Informative Speaking
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Sample Questions
Q1) A speech to inform shares information with others to enhance their knowledge or understanding of concepts and ideas.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Just like writers, it is seldom necessary for a speaker to repeat himself or herself, thus, redundancy should be avoided.
A)True
B)False
Q3) A speech about _____ discusses principles, concepts, and theories.
A) procedures
B) ideas
C) people
D) objects
Q4) An effective way to keep an audience's attention is to tell a story. According to your text, what are elements of a good story?
A) action, suspense, dialogue, humor
B) characters, plot, action, humor
C) conflict, dialogue, action, humor
D) conflict, action, suspense, humor
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Chapter 23: Understanding Principles of Persuasive Speaking
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Sample Questions
Q1) Aristotle believed that the persuasive power of _____ relied upon the credibility of the speaker.
A) logos
B) ethos
C) pathos
D) eros
Q2) The sense of discomfort that prompts a person to change when new information conflicts with previous attitudes, beliefs, values, or behaviors is
A) cognitive dissonance.
B) reasonable disassociation.
C) logical persuasion.
D) personal confusion.
Q3) Britt's central idea was to persuade her audience to consider voting for an antismoking bill in the community. She was using what type of proposition?
A) a proposition of fact
B) a proposition of action
C) a proposition of value
D) a proposition of policy
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Chapter 24: Using Persuasive Strategies
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Sample Questions
Q1) What is the first step in the motivated sequence?
A) establish need
B) grab attention
C) identify solution
D) identify action
Q2) When persuading an unreceptive audience, speakers should present only one side of the issue.
A)True
B)False
Q3) A hypothetical example should NOT be used to reach a conclusion.
A)True
B)False
Q4) The type of credibility when a speaker establishes common ground with the audience, supports an argument with evidence, and presents a well-delivered speech is A) initial credibility.
B) deserved credibility.
C) terminal credibility.
D) derived credibility.
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Page 26
Chapter 25: Speaking on Special Occasions
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Sample Questions
Q1) The first part of an acceptance speech should be to thank the person making the presentation and the organization that person represents; then, mention a few of the people who have contributed greatly toyour success.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Paula is asked to deliver a speech that sets the tone for a childcare conference. What type of special-occasion speech will she give?
A) a eulogy
B) a speech of tribute
C) a humorous speech
D) a keynote address
Q3) Although a(n) _____ speech may inform or persuade, its primary goal is to entertain.
A) announcement
B) presentation
C) acceptance
D) after-dinner
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Chapter 26: Speaking in Small Groups
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Sample Questions
Q1) When all members of a group support a final decision, they have achieved
A) a census.
B) evidence evaluation.
C) a consensus.
D) the analysis step.
Q2) Once a group has selected the best solution, their final task is to test and implement the solution.
A)True
B)False
Q3) In a _____ format the group answers audience questions with short impromptu speeches.
A) panel
B) symposium
C) meeting
D) forum
Q4) Reflective thinking is John Dewey's five-step method of problem solving.
A)True
B)False
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