Deck 5: Business Communication: Creating and Delivering Messages that Matter

Question 1

In communication, the term _____ refers to any interference that causes the message one sends to be different from the message one's audience understands.

A)noise
B)encoding
C)feedback
D)decoding

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Which of the following scenarios provides an example of nonverbal communication that is most likely to have a negative impact on the outcome of a talk?

A)Tim leans forward while speaking with his project manager about the project details.
B)Radhika, an American, maintains sustained eye contact with another American client during a presentation.
C)Vincent keeps maintains a low tone of voice when he is angry with Keith.
D)Rudolph fidgets frequently when he delivers a Powerpoint presentation to his sales team.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Memos are a good communication channel when the intent is to convey an uncontroversial but detailed message to a large number of people.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

In face-to-face communication, the verbal content of a message conveys much more meaning to the listener than the tone of voice and facial expression.

Question 5

During a PowerPoint presentation, a presenter should look at the slides rather than the audience.

Question 6

During the English class, Ingrid was having difficulty paying attention to the presentation given by his professor as the classroom was too cold and his table was creaking. In this case, the cold and the table are both _____ to communication.

A)perceptual barriers
B)physical barriers
C)body language barriers
D)organizational barriers

Question 7

In American culture, older people tend to experience negative age bias much more often than younger people.

Question 8

While travelling by bus, Fiola is unable to understand Mark's explanation of the concept of the theory of relativity. Mark uses jargon that hampers her from comprehending the concept. Which of the following communication barriers is most likely interfering with Fiola's understanding of the concept?

A)Language barriers
B)Physical barriers
C)Body language barriers
D)Perceptual barriers

Question 9

Communication must be static rather than dynamic.

Question 10

Who among the following is most likely to spend most of their time listening?

A)Weekly employees
B)Executives
C)Hourly employees
D)Managers

Question 11

Who among the following is least likely to spend most of their time listening?

A)Senior executives
B)Weekly employees
C)Top-level managers
D)Chief officers

Question 12

Identify a true statement about business communication.

A)It should seek and understand feedback from the speaker's audience.
B)It should be static and one-way.
C)It is most effective when a speaker is able to extensively use special effects and sounds in his presentation.
D)It is most effective when a speaker is able to extensively use jargons in his speech.

Question 13

One of the most effective ways to improve written or verbal communication is to make extensive use of slang to enliven and enrich the message.

Question 14

Effective communication happens when one transmits relevant meaning to one's audience.

Question 15

Identify the type of communication barrier that arises when operational managers are not allowed to communicate with the senior managers or the top-level management in a firm?

A)Perceptual barrier
B)Organizational barrier
C)Body language barrier
D)Physical barrier

Question 16

Florence talks with a client that can get her firm the next project. She is told by her senior manager that one of the ways to determine whether the client would be interested in doing business is by analyzing whether the client leans forward and shows interest in the conversation. Which of the following forms of nonverbal communication is the senior manager referring to while determining the success of the conversation?

A)Gestures and posture
B)Facial expressions
C)Perceptual emotions
D)Tactile expressions

Question 17

An email should be lengthy and should have as many attachments as possible to communicate a message.

Question 18

Business writers should consider how the audience will respond to their message-think about how they will feel about the information.

Question 19

The goal of nonverbal communication should be to reinforce the meaning of your message.

Question 20

A manager at Orifeon Corporation has learned that one of his employees has been engaging in fraudulent activities. The team members report to the manager that the employee has been regularly indulging in such fraudulent behavior. Which of the following communication channels should the manager most likely use in communicating this information with the employee?

A)Telephone
B)Face-to-face meeting
C)Memo
D)Text message

Question 21

Chen has decided to supplement his job application to the Wendell Corporation with a cover letter to the Senior Manager of Human Resources. However, he knows neither the name nor the gender of the Senior Manager. Which of the following is the best way to address the recipient without displaying gender bias?

A)"Dear Sir/Madam"
B)"To Whom It May Concern"
C)"Dear Senior Manager of Human Resources"
D)"Hi!"

Question 22

Which of the following statements is true of business emails?

A)Emails should be treated as private messages.
B)Attachments to emails should be used wherever possible.
C)Descriptive and detailed emails should be used to provide the reader with ample information.
D)Response to emails should be as prompt as possible.

Question 23

Miguel has an idea for a new project management software application that will enhance the efficiency of his unit's operations. His supervisor has asked him to present his ideas to the entire unit. Miguel is excited about the opportunity, but also a little nervous because he has never given a presentation in public before. In order to reduce his speech anxiety, Miguel should _____.

A)improvise during his presentation so that it sounds natural
B)take a sip of water, send himself positive messages, and visualize success
C)focus on an inanimate object at the back of the room beyond the audience
D)breathe quickly and breathe in through his mouth and out through his nose

Question 24

Which of the following tips should be followed in business writing?

A)Use the passive voice when writing your message.
B)End sentences with prepositions when it sounds natural.
C)Indent the first sentences of all your paragraphs.
D)Do not use block paragraphs.

Question 25

The number of key ideas covered in the body of a presentation should be:

A)based on the presentation material.
B)directly proportional to the number of people in the audience.
C)more than the number of speakers at the presentation.
D)two to four, whereas three ideas would be ideal.

Question 26

Which of the following is a tip for dynamic delivery?

A)Slow down, listen to yourself, and stick to your allotted time.
B)Memorize the material word for word.
C)Avoid looking directly at the audience at any point during your delivery.
D)Keep your voice and facial expressions the same throughout the delivery.

Question 27

Identify a true statement about dynamic delivery.

A)It is a natural skill for everyone.
B)It is ineffective when done among friends or in front of a mirror.
C)It begins and ends with preparation.
D)It is a nonvibrant form of presentation delivery.

Question 28

If you encounter a hostile questioner while giving a presentation, you should avoid:

A)reestablishing eye contact once you have answered the question.
B)pausing for a deep breath, and then proceeding to answer.
C)using body language that implies you do not wish to interact with the questioner.
D)agreeing to disagree with the questioner and instead seek approval.

Question 29

Which of the following communication channels should be ideally be used when the content is uncontroversial and a quick response regarding relatively simple issues is required?

A)Telephone conversation
B)Texting
C)Videoconferencing
D)Face-to-face meeting

Question 30

A(n)_____ type of communication channel has the highest level of channel richness and is used when the message is personal, emotional, or high-priority.

A)voice mail
B)face-to-face meeting
C)instant message
D)memo

Question 31

Which of the following should ideally be followed in one's presentation?

A)Tell the audience the key points before launching into the body of the presentation.
B)Include as many key points as possible and reduce the use of slides, graphs, or tables during the body of the presentation.
C)Let the audience ask as many questions as possible at the beginning of the presentation.
D)Make an interesting anecdote or a reveal a startling statistic to hook the audience at the end of the presentation.

Question 32

Lance sees an advertisement in the paper for a chef's job at a continental restaurant. As he is about to call the restaurant, he sees the fine print at the bottom of the advertisement stating, "Please apply only if you were born in Continental Europe." The advertisement for the chef's job at this continental restaurant is displaying _____.

A)racial bias
B)age bias
C)gender bias
D)class bias

Question 33

Which of the following communication channels has a high degree of channel richness?

A)Memos
B)Videoconferencing
C)Reports
D)Emails

Question 34

Which of the following instructions should be followed to achieve effective business writing?

A)Use contractions.
B)Use passive voice.
C)Do not use personal pronouns.
D)Never use split infinitives.

Question 35

Good business writing flows naturally like spoken language. To strike the right tone for any message it is important that an individual:

A)avoids contractions such as "I'll" or "don't" as they are informal.
B)uses the active voice to facilitate concise communication.
C)avoids using common words to explain a situation.
D)uses technical jargon to convey superior knowledge.

Question 36

Which of the following communication channels has the lowest degree of channel richness?

A)An email
B)An in-person presentation
C)A face-to-face meeting
D)A videoconference

Question 37

Which of the following should be followed while making a PowerPoint presentation?

A)Have at least 10 lines per slide.
B)Use as many special effects as possible to draw attention of the audience.
C)Look at the slides rather than the audience for effective presentation.
D)Use pictures and graphics whenever possible.

Question 38

A key to a successful dynamic delivery is to:

A)memorize the material and then deliver it.
B)look at the notes rather than the audience.
C)vary your voice, expressions, and body language.
D)speak formally and as fast as possible.

Question 39

Tanya is planning a presentation on best practices in communication. After much thought, Tanya decides to stick to a few key points. This is because:

A)speakers lose credibility with more than four points.
B)this limits the scope for questions after the presentation.
C)audiences can only absorb about two to four main points.
D)detailed ideas cannot be explained through a presentation.

Question 40

Before beginning her presentation, Niharika told her audience she would answer questions at the end of her presentation. Vincent walked in late during the presentation and began asking her questions. The ideal way for Niharika to handle this is by:

A)answering his questions immediately in order to minimize the distraction.
B)disregarding Vincent and refusing to acknowledge his questions from the outset.
C)announcing that she will now answer questions during the presentation.
D)advising Vincent and reminding the audience that there is plenty of time for questions at the end.

Question 41

In the context of communication barriers, _________ include everything from how you greet colleagues and establish eye contact to how you handle disagreement, eat business meals, and make small talk at meetings.

A)perceptual barriers
B)cultural barriers
C)physical barriers
D)organizational barriers

Question 42

How do you pick the words that will encourage your audience to pay attention long enough to absorb your intended message?

Question 43

What is nonverbal communication? List and define the four types of nonverbal communication.

Question 44

_________ has a high degree of channel richness and uses state-of-the-art equipment to reach multiple people with complex or high-priority content.

A)Emailing
B)Videoconferencing
C)Blogging
D)Instant messaging

Question 45

A(n)_________ is a preconception about members of a particular group.

A)bias
B)noise
C)gesture
D)barrier

Question 46

The various ways in which a message can be sent, ranging from one-on-one in-person meetings to Internet message boards are called _________.

A)richness channels
B)communication biases
C)communication channels
D)channel biases

Question 47

Define active listening. What role does active listening play in an organization?

Question 48

What are communication channels and what determines which one you select to carry your message?

Question 49

Define and explain effective communication. Why is it important in the business environment?

Question 50

In the context of communication barriers, _________ range from a document that looks like a wall of type, to a room that's freezing cold.

A)physical barriers
B)language barriers
C)perceptual barriers
D)organizational barriers