Communication Skills for Business Exam Review
Course Introduction
This course is designed to develop essential communication skills required for success in the modern business environment. Through interactive lectures and practical exercises, students will learn how to effectively convey ideas, collaborate in teams, craft persuasive messages, and handle professional correspondence across multiple channels. Emphasis is placed on verbal and non-verbal communication, business writing, presentation techniques, active listening, negotiation, and cross-cultural sensitivity, equipping students to navigate diverse workplace scenarios with confidence and professionalism.
Recommended Textbook
Business Communication Today 11th Global Edition by Courtland Bovee
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22 Chapters
1959 Verified Questions
1959 Flashcards
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Chapter 1: Achieving Success Through Effective Business Communication
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Sample Questions
Q1) How does the primary function of upward-flowing communication differ from that of downward-flowing communication?
Answer: Communication that flows upward mainly helps executives solve problems and make intelligent decisions. On the other hand, communication that flows downward is geared primarily toward helping employees do their jobs.
Q2) All of the following are examples of unethical communication except A) distorting visuals.
B) using jargon.
C) selective misquoting.
D) plagiarism.
Answer: B
Q3) Upward communication generally helps executives solve problems and make intelligent decisions.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q4) Selective ________ is the process of distorting or ignoring information that does not fit one's view of reality.
Answer: perception
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Chapter 2: Mastering Interpersonal Communication
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Sample Questions
Q1) Touch
A) is the least important form of nonverbal communication.
B) should be completely avoided in all business situations.
C) is governed by cultural customs that establish who can touch whom and when.
D) is the great equalizer, putting people of different status on the same footing.
Answer: C
Q2) The main role of the meeting leader is to be passive and let others speak without interference.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
Q3) The first step in the basic listening process is
A) encoding the message.
B) evaluating the message.
C) physically receiving the message.
D) interpreting the message.
Answer: C
Q4) ________ refers to working together to meet complex challenges.
Answer: Collaboration
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Chapter 3: Communicating in a World of Diversity
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Sample Questions
Q1) In many Asian societies, younger employees generally avoid disagreeing with senior executives in public.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q2) When adapting to other cultures, the "Golden Rule" is
A) helpful, but only in Asian countries.
B) less effective than treating others the way they want to be treated.
C) a helpful principle to follow.
D) none of the above.
Answer: B
Q3) In general, attitudes toward work and success are consistent across the world.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
Q4) ________ ________ refers to any form of computerized intelligence used to translate one language to another.
Answer: Machine translation
Q5) ________ is a fear of strangers and foreigners.
Answer: Xenophobia
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Chapter 4: Planning Business Messages
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Sample Questions
Q1) Your entire message supports, explains, or demonstrates your ________ ________-a specific statement about the topic of your message.
Q2) Explain each phase of the three-step writing process.
Q3) Briefly explain the difference between the topic of a message and the main idea.
Q4) Messages should contain supporting detail and background information when A) you and your audience share the same general background.
B) you and your audience do not share the same general background.
C) you expect a favorable response.
D) all of the above are the case.
Q5) In deciding which ________ to use for a message to a manager in another department, you should consider factors such as formality, confidentiality, feedback, time, and cost.
Q6) In general, audiences are likely to
A) ignore poor organization if the message is important.
B) fully understand most messages, even those that are poorly organized.
C) draw inaccurate conclusions from poorly organized messages.
D) none of the above.
Q7) How can your audience's level of understanding help you determine the appropriate amount of information to include in a business message?
Page 6
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Chapter 5: Writing Business Messages
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Sample Questions
Q1) Select the sentence with the best "you" attitude:
A) Because your report was poorly written, we cannot accept it.
B) When we receive a report that is professional, we can act on your recommendations.
C) Your report failed to meet company requirements.
D) Once your application is complete, you should receive a response within two weeks.
Q2) Which of the following is not an example of pompous language?
A) Please be advised that
B) We are in receipt of
C) We wish to inform you
D) Please let us know
Q3) Plain language is a style of writing
A) aimed primarily at readers for whom English is a second language.
B) inappropriate for business communication.
C) designed to make complex materials more understandable to the audience.
D) used only for casual correspondence.
Q4) A properly constructed paragraph should deal with more than one topic.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 6: Completing Business Messages
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Sample Questions
Q1) Multimedia documents
A) require highly technical training in order to create.
B) convey information more slowly than traditional documents.
C) are generally too expensive to produce to be useful in business.
D) can allow recipients to personalize the communication process to their own needs.
Q2) You should strive for a sixth-grade reading level for most business messages.
A)True
B)False
Q3) To increase the sophistication of your message, make liberal use of references such as "the latter," "the former," "the aforementioned," and "as mentioned above."
A)True
B)False
Q4) ________ ________ provides visual contrast for your readers and gives them a resting point.
Q5) ________ headings identify a topic but do little more; ________ headings guide readers to think in certain ways about a topic.
Q6) An electronic ________ gives you alternative words and helps you find synonyms.
Q7) Briefly explain what the opening of a document should accomplish.
Page 8
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Chapter 7: Crafting Messages for Electronic Media
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Sample Questions
Q1) In business-related email messages, it is a good idea to make frequent use of background colors and colored type to add visual appeal to the text.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Using iTunes to distribute podcasts is unrealistic for most organizations.
A)True
B)False
Q3) When it comes to monitoring incoming and outgoing email,
A) most employers view monitoring email as an invasion of employee privacy.
B) only a few companies make the effort.
C) many employers monitor email, either with software, security staff, or both.
D) only about 15 percent of U.S. employers do it.
Q4) Briefly explain the difference between blogging and microblogging.
Q5) There are no important differences between instant messaging and text messaging. A)True
B)False
Q6) The ________ ________ feature of instant messaging enables users to see which people are at their desks and available to IM.
Q7) Explain how to apply the three-step writing process to instant messages.
Page 9
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Chapter 8: Writing Routine and Positive Messages
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Sample Questions
Q1) Messages of ________ need not be poetic to express sympathy.
Q2) When asking questions in a request message
A) begin with the least important question and work your way up to the most important.
B) weave your questions into the rest of the content of your message.
C) avoid any open-ended questions.
D) begin with the most important question.
Q3) When making a direct request, you should state what you want in the first sentence or two and then follow with an explanation.
A)True
B)False
Q4) In emailing a vendor for an update on the ship date of your order, what elements should you include in the closing of your request?
Q5) You may need to obtain a letter of recommendation for a new job, a promotion, a scholarship, or ________ from a bank.
Q6) Friendly notes with no direct business purpose, such as those conveying congratulations or thanks, are called ________ messages.
Q7) List at least three guidelines to follow when writing condolence messages.
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Chapter 9: Writing Negative Messages
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Sample Questions
Q1) In the close of a negative message, you should
A) express concern over possibly losing the reader's business.
B) avoid uncertainty.
C) ask for feedback on whether the decision is acceptable to the reader.
D) encourage the person to write or call to discuss the situation further.
Q2) Rewrite the following sentence using more respectful wording: "You shouldn't have put the blender into the dishwasher."
Q3) A woman returns a formal dress to your store. It is stained and has a rip at the hem line, but she says she is returning it unworn because it doesn't fit. Which of the following would be the best way to inform her of your refusal to give a refund?
A) Use humor to soften the blow of your refusal.
B) State that company policy prevents you from accepting the return but that if you had anything to say about it you'd take it back, no questions asked.
C) Restate her complaint to let her know you understand it, explain as positively as possible that you are unable to accept the return of damaged merchandise, and recommend a tailor who can fix the tear and alter the dress for her.
D) Challenge the woman to try on the dress and prove that it doesn't fit.
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Chapter 10: Writing Persuasive Messages
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Sample Questions
Q1) ________ reasoning is a logical fallacy in which you try to support your claim by using the premise of your statement.
Q2) When writing a persuasive request for action, you should A) demonstrate that helping you will solve a significant problem. B) ask for more than you actually want so that you'll have a cushion for negotiation. C) use the hard-sell approach. D) avoid flattery.
Q3) Briefly explain the difference between selling points and benefits, and then give an example of each.
Q4) The AIDA model can be used with both the direct and indirect approaches for persuasive messages.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Most persuasive messages take the direct approach.
A)True
B)False
Q6) Briefly explain the difference between conversation marketing and social commerce.
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Chapter 11: Finding, Evaluating, and Processing Information
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Sample Questions
Q1) Online ________ provide access to journals, electronic books, and other resources often unavailable through general purpose search engines.
Q2) Books, periodicals, newspapers, and websites are all examples of ________ sources.
Q3) If you are researching a topic on which new material appears frequently, you should A) use only metacrawlers for your search to ensure the accuracy of your sources. B) explain to the audience that you simply couldn't keep up with all of the new information.
C) take advantage of search engines, but stay away from most databases .
D) consider using online monitoring tools so that you will automatically get new information as it comes out.
Q4) Observations, surveys, and experiments are all considered secondary sources of information.
A)True
B)False
Q5) You have been asked to help a company find ways to reduce the amount it spends on employee health and dental benefits. Write a problem statement for the report that you will produce.
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Chapter 12: Designing Visual Communication
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Sample Questions
Q1) Generally speaking, a line chart should not contain more than 2-3 lines for comparison.
A)True
B)False
Q2) ________ refers to decorative elements that clutter documents without adding any relevant information.
Q3) A(n) ________ chart can take several forms including singular, deviation, segmented, combination, or paired.
Q4) ________ charts are a form of line chart with a cumulative effect; all the lines add up to the top line.
Q5) One potential disadvantage of using a photograph to help explain a repair procedure is that it shows too much detail.
A)True
B)False
Q6) The deviation bar chart shows variation for a variable over time.
A)True
B)False
Q7) Define and explain the "visual evolution in business communication."
Q8) A(n) ________ title on a graphic simply identifies the topic.
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Chapter 13: Planning Reports and Proposals
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Sample Questions
Q1) Sales call reports are a type of compliance report.
A)True
B)False
Q2) All ________ reports are written in response to regulations of one sort or another.
Q3) The statement of purpose for analytical reports will usually need to be more comprehensive than one for informational reports.
A)True
B)False
Q4) An executive dashboard is a customized online presentation of highly summarized business information.
A)True
B)False
Q5) The 2 + 2 = 4 approach
A) is far more complicated than any other organizational strategy.
B) is the only approach that is appropriate for any business report.
C) is the first logical argument strategy to try.
D) generally works only with lengthy, nonroutine reports.
Q6) Breaking down a problem into a series of specific questions is called problem
Page 15
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Chapter 14: Writing Reports and Proposals
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Sample Questions
Q1) In the introduction to a report on how to establish a paperless office, explaining the historical conditions or factors that led up to the report
A) diminishes your credibility by wasting readers' time.
B) enables readers to understand how the opportunity developed.
C) is necessary only in very formal reports.
D) is unnecessary in internal reports.
Q2) Which of the following statements has the most formal tone?
A) I think we should buy TramCo.
B) In my opinion, we should consider the purchase of TramCo.
C) The financial analysis clearly shows that buying TramCo is the best alternative.
D) We therefore conclude that acquiring TramCo would (based on information we have gathered) be in our company's best interest.
Q3) Describe six strategies (in addition to using the AIDA format) for strengthening your argument in business proposals.
Q4) The introduction or opening of a business report should outline its ________-the factors beyond your control that affect report quality.
Q5) What are the three main sections of a business report?
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Page 16
Chapter 15: Completing Reports and Proposals
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Sample Questions
Q1) The text of a proposal
A) should be less than six pages.
B) consists of the introduction, body, and close.
C) must always follow the AIDA plan.
D) is usually presented in outline form.
Q2) If a proposal is unsolicited, the letter of transmittal should follow the format for persuasive messages.
A)True
B)False
Q3) A(n) ________ ________ is a fully developed "mini" version of the report itself.
Q4) The ________ ________ is a single sheet of paper with only the title of the report on it.
Q5) Briefly explain the difference between an informative synopsis and a descriptive synopsis.
Q6) A(n) ________ contains materials that are too lengthy or too bulky to include in the main body of a report.
Q7) A(n) ________ is a list of secondary sources consulted when preparing a report.
Q8) What three main parts make up the text of a report?
Page 17
Q9) The ________ section is your last opportunity to urge readers to act on your proposal.
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Page 18
Chapter 16: Developing Oral and Online Presentations
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Sample Questions
Q1) When using conventional structured slides, try to average one slide for A) every 3 minutes you speak.
B) each minute you speak.
C) every 7 minutes you speak.
D) every 10 minutes you speak.
Q2) Disadvantages of delivering a presentation from memory include all of the following except
A) sounding stilted.
B) sounding too informal.
C) possibly forgetting your lines.
D) all of the above are disadvantages.
Q3) You can overcome ________ related to public speaking by concentrating on your message and your audience, not on your fears.
Q4) You should be able to summarize the main idea for a speech in a single sentence that links your subject and purpose to the audience's frame of reference.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Early in the planning stages of a speech, you should develop a(n) ________ profile.
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Chapter 17: Enhancing Presentations With Slides and Other
Visuals
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Sample Questions
Q1) Screencasting allows you to record what takes place on your screen into a little video that can be emailed to other users so they can view how to use software programs.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Chalkboards and whiteboards are particularly useful
A) for formal situations.
B) for presentations on controversial topics.
C) when making presentations for large audiences.
D) for small-group sessions.
Q3) Describe seven strategies for writing readable content for slides.
Q4) Effective visuals should take center stage during your presentation and become the focus of the audience's attention.
A)True
B)False
Q5) What is a title slide?
Q6) Explain the content and function of the three types of navigation and support slides.
Q7) Describe the eight factors you should consider when completing slides and other visuals.
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Chapter 18: Building Careers and Writing Résumés
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Sample Questions
Q1) Employers generally treat major job boards such as Monster as their last resort when seeking qualified candidates.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Because lying on résumés is rare, employers are seldom on the look-out for it.
A)True
B)False
Q3) When mailing a résumé, it is a good idea to
A) use a standard white #10 envelope.
B) use a large kraft envelope.
C) pay to have it delivered the next day.
D) have it delivered via Priority Mail.
Q4) Showing up a few minutes late to an interview sends a strong message that you are a busy person.
A)True B)False
Q5) The best résumés are written using short, crisp phrases starting with strong ________ verbs.
Q6) The ________ ________ section of a résumé states what you wish to accomplish in your work.
Page 21
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Chapter 19: Applying and Interviewing for Employment
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which type of interview would be likely to include a question such as, "You seem wholly unqualified for this job, and your answers so far have been terrible. Why should we continue with this?"
A) Structured
B) Screening
C) Stress
D) Situational
Q2) Preliminary screening interviews are often conducted via telephone or Skype.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Part of your preparation for job interviews is an evaluation of your vocal tone and speaking habits.
A)True
B)False
Q4) If you receive a job offer but are waiting to hear from other possible employers, request a time ________.
Q5) Describe at least five types of employment interviews.
Q6) Describe at least three common employment messages that follow an interview.
Q7) What six tasks do you need to complete to prepare for a successful job interview?
Page 22
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Chapter 20: Format and Layout of Business Documents
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Sample Questions
Q1) The second page of a letter includes a heading that is different from the heading of the first page.
A)True B)False
Q2) Most envelopes used in U.S. businesses are No. 10 that are 8 1/2 inches in length to accommodate standard letters that are 8 1/2 inches wide.
A)True B)False
Q3) When preparing a formal report that will be bound, leave at least a
A) 1-inch margin on three sides and a 1-1/2-inch margin on the bound side.
B) uniform 2-inch margin on all sides.
C) uniform 1-1/2-inch margin on all sides.
D) 2-inch margin at the top and bottom and a 1-inch margin on the sides.
Q4) In business documents, abbreviations such as U.S.A. and M.B.A. must always contain periods.
A)True B)False
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Chapter 21: Documentation of Report Sources
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Sample Questions
Q1) In the list of works cited following MLA style
A) the date comes immediately after the author's name.
B) electronic sources are not included.
C) all the main words are capitalized in the titles of books and articles.
D) the titles of books and periodicals are put in quotation marks.
Q2) If you use unpublished materials, such as doctoral dissertations or public speeches, as resources, you do not need to cite them in your report.
A)True
B)False
Q3) In APA style, titles of articles are put in quotation marks and all important words are capitalized.
A)True
B)False
Q4) If you use MLA style, your in-text citations include the author's last name and a page reference.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 22: Correction Symbols
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Q1) The difference between "lie" and "lay" is that "lie" is an intransitive verb and "lay" is a transitive verb.
A)True
B)False
Q2) The plural of "son-in-law" is "sons-in-law," but the possessive is "son-in-law's."
A)True
B)False
Q3) In the following sentence, which word should not be capitalized? "After talking with President Hilda Bruckner, he decided that the Insurance industry would provide a suitable career for someone who was a graduate of the Department of Business at Gable University."
A) Department
B) Insurance
C) Gable
D) President
Q4) The pronoun "who" is in the nominative case; the pronoun "whom" is in the objective case.
A)True
B)False
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