Deck 4: Revising Business Messages

Question 1

"Tightening" your message refers to

A)proofreading for grammatical and mechanical errors.
B)cutting out background information.
C)addressing more than one topic in the same message.
D)looking for shorter ways to say what you mean.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

All of the following sentences contain unnecessary fillers except

A)There are three important issues to discuss at today's meeting .
B)There is only one job opening available .
C)It was our office manager who won the raffle .
D)Three candidates are running for the board .

Answer 2

D

Question 3

There is and It is  are examples of

A)long lead-ins.
B)sentence fillers.
C)redundancies.
D)grammatical errors.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Long sentence lead-ins

A)are unnecessary introductory words.
B)introduce the "meat" of the message.
C)avoid reader confusion.
D)demonstrate effective language usage.

Question 5

Concise writing

A)is necessary for both formal and informal messages.
B)is easier to read and comprehend.
C)saves time and money.
D)All of these are true.

Question 6

One way to improve the clarity of your writing is to apply the KISS formula. KISS stands for

A)Key Ideas Succinctly and Swiftly.
B)Keep It Short and Simple.
C)Knowledge Is Supported and Summarized.
D)Know Intentions, Strategies, and Solutions.

Question 7

Katelyn is writing a letter to thank a potential employer for her job interview. Which of these sentences contains modern expressions Katelyn should use?

A)Thank you in advance for considering me for your available position.
B)You will note that my coursework has thoroughly prepared me for your medical technician position.
C)Enclosed herein please find the salary history you requested during the interview.
D)Pursuant to your request, I will return for a second interview on May 28.

Question 8

Monica's supervisor has expressed concern about the readability of her messages, claiming that paragraphs are often too long. What aspect of her writing should Monica focus on to address this issue?

A)Researching
B)Proofreading
C)Formatting
D)Evaluating her purpose

Question 9

There is a new software company that will be hiring employees is an example of a sentence with

A)concise wording.
B)a wordy prepositional phrase.
C)a filler.
D)faulty parallelism.

Question 10

Which of the following about writing and revising business documents is most accurate?

A)Experienced business writers rarely need to revise.
B)Evaluating your message involves analyzing whether your message achieves its purpose.
C)Revision is not necessary for informal documents such as internal memos or e-mail messages.
D)The real work of revision should happen in the writing stage as you select words and form sentences.

Question 11

All of the following are tips you should follow when microblogging except

A)ignore spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors.
B)include only the main ideas.
C)personalize your message if possible.
D)choose descriptive but short words.

Question 12

Which of the following statements about revising business messages is most accurate?

A)An automated spell checker is sufficient for most messages.
B)Revision should always occur after you have completed writing.
C)Effective revision saves time, avoids confusion, and optimizes your credibility.
D)Revising and proofreading involve the same steps.

Question 13

Which sentence avoids redundant expressions?

A)It is absolutely essential that our accounting records are accurate .
B)Let's not repeat our competitor's mistakes .
C)Please refer back to the June financial statements .
D)I want to thank each and every stockholder .

Question 14

Think outside of the box  i s an example of

A)clear, precise language.
B)a buried verb.
C)a cliche.
D)outdated language.

Question 15

Microblogging

A)is ineffective for communication with customers.
B)involves adding website links to a blog to encourage feedback from others.
C)consists of short messages exchanged on social media networks.
D)is performed primarily by corporate officials who write comments about their companies.

Question 16

Which of the following sentences is most effective?

A)This is to inform you that your account is now up-to-date.
B)At this point in time, your account is up-to-date.
C)Due to the fact that we have just received your check, your account is up-to-date.
D)Your account is now up-to-date.

Question 17

Which of the following best avoids flabby expressions?

A)In very few cases do job applicants perform adequate research about a company.
B)The CEO is of the opinion that stock prices will increase next quarter.
C)Although many employees have requested training, we can't afford the extra expense.
D)We do not expect any pay raises at this point in time .

Question 18

Which of the following best avoids a long lead-in?

A)Yes, we will send the information you requested.
B)This is to advise you that we will send the information you requested.
C)You may be interested to learn that we will send the information you requested.
D)I am writing this letter to inform you that we will send the information you requested.

Question 19

Due to the fact that  is a flabby expression that could be shortened to the word(s)

A)Because.
B)Until.
C)Despite.
D)Although.

Question 20

Expressions that are intended to impress rather than express are known as

A)cliches.
B)buzzwords.
C)trite phrases.
D)overly exuberant.

Question 21

Which statement regarding type sizes and fonts is most accurate?

A)Font styles are a stylistic means of adding emphasis to your words.
B)Readers are generally most comfortable with 8- to 10-point type for body text.
C)Fonts include caps, boldfacing, italics, underlining, outlining, and shadowing.
D)Writers should always use all caps to emphasize their ideas.

Question 22

Which of the following sentences contains the best use of vivid adjectives without overkill?

A)The resort offered luxurious suites with Jacuzzi tubs and saunas.
B)The all-inclusive, top-notch resort offered luxurious, totally marvelous suites with incredible extras.
C)The resort had nice rooms.
D)All sentences use vivid adjectives effectively.

Question 23

Document design techniques to improve readability include

A)use of white space.
B)typefaces and fonts.
C)headings for visual impact.
D)all of these choices.

Question 24

Converting verbs into noun expressions

A)decreases sentence length.
B)reduces verb strength.
C)increases the reader's ability to process the information.
D)All answer choices are correct.

Question 25

Listed items should reflect parallel structure, which means that

A)they should be next to each other rather than vertical.
B)each should be followed by a comma.
C)they should all use the same graphic font.
D)they should be expressed using the same grammatical structure.

Question 26

To improve readability and comprehension,

A)use approximately 20 or fewer words per sentence.
B)construct paragraphs consisting of 12-15 printed lines.
C)develop long paragraphs.
D)avoid the use of topic sentences on shorter paragraphs.

Question 27

The dangers of using slang in business writing include

A)obscuring meaning.
B)using language that is too informal.
C)using words that quickly go out of fashion.
D)All answer choices are correct.

Question 28

Words such as definitely, quite, actually, extremely, and totally are

A)adjectives that add a welcome degree of emotion to your writing.
B)adjectives that may be omitted because they are imprecise.
C)adverbs that should be used only sparingly in business writing.
D)adverbs that should be used as often as possible in business writing to show excitement and enthusiasm.

Question 29

How many typefaces should you use in a business document?

A)No more than two
B)At least three
C)Up to five
D)At least ten

Question 30

White space  refers to

A)unclear content.
B)margins only.
C)the time a reader takes to process information.
D)empty space on the page.

Question 31

Which of the following sentences demonstrates clear writing?

A)A supervisor asked everyone to work an extra day.
B)A supervisor asked production employees to work an extra day.
C)A supervisor asked everyone to work on Saturday.
D)Lindsey Goulet asked production employees to work on Saturday.

Question 32

Which of the following sentences avoids noun conversion?

A)Your supervisor will give consideration to all capital budget requests.
B)The committee worked on the establishment of a fund for scholarships.
C)The benefits committee will be responsible for the acquisition of an endowment.
D)The scholarship committee approved the plan.

Question 33

Which of the following sentences avoids clichés?

A)We can prove the benefits of exercise for stress reduction beyond a shadow of a doubt.
B)Employees who engage in a regular fitness program are likely to pass the physical exam with flying colors.
C)Please encourage your department members to join the health club.
D)Last but not least, you, too, should join the fitness program.

Question 34

Which statement about margins and text alignment is true?

A)Margins define the reading area and provide important visual relief.
B)Nearly all text in Western cultures is aligned at the right.
C)Business letters and memos usually have side margins of 2 inches.
D)Ragged right margins decrease white space and readability.

Question 35

Which of the following sentences avoids buzzwords and slang?

A)Our stock prices tanked last quarter.
B)All companies must follow the guidelines outlined in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
C)The architects blew the budget for the design of the new energy center.
D)The company decided a new paradigm shift was needed to increase sales.

Question 36

Which of the following statements regarding bulleted or numbered lists is most accurate?

A)Lists decrease a reader's comprehension of the main ideas.
B)Lists allow readers to review main ideas quickly.
C)Lists confuse readers because they are visually distracting.
D)Lists decrease the readability level of a document.

Question 37

Which of the following sentences uses the most precise language?

A)The board approved a substantial budget increase.
B)The board approved a 34 percent budget increase.
C)The board approved a large budget increase.
D)The board approved a sizeable budget increase.

Question 38

Getting burned  is an example of a(n)____________ expression.

A)slang
B)cliched
C)active
D)passive

Question 39

Dylan is designing his document to enhance readability and comprehension. What is the best advice you can give Dylan?

A)Justify the left and right margins so they are both even.
B)Create white space by using headings, bulleted or numbered lists, short paragraphs, and effective margins.
C)Use multiple typefaces within the document.
D)Use ALL CAPS anywhere in a document to emphasize key points.

Question 40

What is the most common serif typeface?

A)Arial
B)Times New Roman
C)Univers
D)Calibri

Question 41

Proofreading includes which of the following tasks?

A)Improving content and tone
B)Fine tuning sentence and paragraph structure
C)Correcting spelling, grammar, punctuation, names and numbers, and format
D)Determining whether the message should be written using the direct or indirect organizational pattern

Question 42

Which of the following is the best advice to follow when you proofread a routine document?

A)If proofreading on screen, display the entire document at once.
B)Proofread the document using a printed copy.
C)Proofread your document as you compose your ideas.
D)Rely solely on a spell-checker to catch any errors.

Question 43

A good standard to apply to your writing is to remember that it

A)is not as important as it seems.
B)takes the place of a personal appearance.
C)is not read closely by many audiences.
D)should primarily be used for formal messages.

Question 44

You can often reduce flabby expressions to single words.

Question 45

In the near future is a more effective expression in business writing than soon.

Question 46

Concise messages are easier to read and comprehend.

Question 47

You will be interested to learn that is an effective way to begin a business message because it fosters goodwill.

Question 48

Which statement about proofreading is most accurate?

A)Good business writers wait at least 24 hours or longer to proofread a document.
B)Only important messages or documents need to be proofread.
C)Documents with errors do not affect a person's credibility because readers understand that everyone makes mistakes.
D)Proofreading should occur while the document is being written.

Question 49

Which statement regarding headings is most accurate?

A)Headings provide visual distraction for readers; thus they should be avoided.
B)Headings appear most often in business letters.
C)Headings highlight information and improve readability.
D)Headings should be avoided in all business documents.

Question 50

What is the best way to judge the success of your writing?

A)Receiving a raise or promotion
B)Using a spell-checker
C)Receiving feedback from your receiver
D)Organizing your message using the direct organizational strategy

Question 51

Redundant words or phrases convey a meaning more than once.

Question 52

The terms editing , proofreading , and evaluating are synonymous.

Question 53

Taylor is enrolled in a business communications course at her local community college. She just received a paper back from her professor who noted that Taylor should review the principles for comma usage. How should Taylor handle this criticism?

A)Report her teacher to the president of the college for abuse.
B)Argue with her teacher about comma rules.
C)Withdraw from the class.
D)Accept the feedback and use it constructively to improve her future writing assignments.

Question 54

Professional writers develop a system of writing and revising that works for them; they may revise at any point in the process.

Question 55

There are many account representatives who can help you with your order  is an example of a cliche´.

Question 56

Each and every student will be required to participate in one group writing project contains a redundant expression.

Question 57

Branch managers of First Federated Savings and Loan received this e-mail message: Please inform all personal that management retains the right to check personal belongings of employees before employees leave the bank. What error did the writer make?

A)A grammatical mistake
B)A proofreading error
C)A failure to use spell check
D)No error was made. The sentence is correct as written.

Question 58

Tyler used a bulleted list on his résumé to describe his previous job duties. Which of the following items from his list does not demonstrate parallel structure?

A)Performed inspections of plant equipment, including boilers, condensers, and chillers
B)Troubleshooting of plant's chemical equipment
C)Performed load calculations for plant equipment
D)Wrote analytical reports detailing system performance

Question 59

What is the best advice for proofreading a complex document?

A)Be prepared to find errors.
B)Increase your reading speed.
C)Read the message only once.
D)Proofread the message immediately after it has been fully written.

Question 60

Microblogging consists of short messages exchanged on social media sites.

Question 61

Clichés such as think outside the box  are effective to use with multicultural audiences because they have flexible meanings.

Question 62

Use bulleted lists to represent a sequence of ideas or a numbered order.

Question 63

The following sentence contains a zombie noun: Our purchasing department will give consideration to the RFP submitted by Powertex.

Question 64

Conciseness is critical when microblogging.

Question 65

Converting a verb into a noun creates stronger, more professional business writing (e.g., made a decision instead of decided ).

Question 66

To sound current, fresh, and trendy, effective business communicators make ample use of slang when writing and speaking.

Question 67

As you revise, make your writing clear by using specific verbs, concrete nouns, and vivid adjectives.

Question 68

Well-designed documents give the impression that the writer is intelligent.

Question 69

In describing sexual harassment in the workplace, Julia explains that Supervisors are getting burned in harassment lawsuits. Julia is using slang in this statement.

Question 70

Nearly all text in Western cultures is aligned at the left and reads from left to right.

Question 71

When right margins are not aligned or justifi ed, they provide more white space and improve readability.

Question 72

The following sentence demonstrates effective writing: Please do not hesitate to call me if you have any questions.

Question 73

You can streamline your writing and make it more emphatic by using vivid adverbs such as very , extremely , and actually as often as possible.

Question 74

When designing documents, you should place as much text as possible on a page to keep the reader engaged.

Question 75

Only main ideas should be included in a microblog.

Question 76

The following sentence contains clear and precise wording: In some businesses they won't let you accumulate sick leave.

Question 77

Business messages should contain at least three typefaces to add emphasis and contrast.

Question 78

Typing a sentence in all capital letters is an effective way to create emphasis.

Question 79

Your goal as a business writer is to impress your reader.

Question 80

Expressions such as pursuant to your request and thank you in advance  increases the professionalism of business messages.