,TESTBANK FOR Business Communication Process
and Product, Brief Edition , 7th Edition Mary Ellen
Guffey
Notes
1- The file is chapter after chapter.
2- We have shown you few pages sample.
3- The file contains all Appendix and Excel sheet
if it exists.
4- We have all what you need, we make update
at every time. There are many new editions
waiting you.
5- If you think you purchased the wrong file You
can contact us at every time, we can replace it
with true one.
Our email:
,Name: Class: Date:
Chapter 1 — Business Communication in the Digital Age
1. Which of the following statements about the importance of communication skills in today’s workplace
is correct?
a. They are not as important as they once were.
b. They are a necessity in today’s workplace.
c. They are required only for high-level positions.
d. They are not needed in today’s high-tech workplace.
ANSWER: b
2. Which of the following best describes the need for writing skills in the workplace?
a. Writing skills in today’s workplace are an advantage, but they are not a necessity.
b. Only salaried employees at the top level need good writing skills.
c. Having good writing skills can improve your chances for promotion and can result in higher
earnings.
d. Good writing skills are no longer important in today’s digital world.
ANSWER: c
3. Which of the following best describes an effective communicator in the digital age?
a. Digital workplace writing can be much more casual than traditional business writing.
b. There is no need to worry about daily texts, Facebook postings, and tweets because they’re
not “real” writing.
c. Because most business is conducted face to face, workers don’t have to be grammar experts.
d. Workers using social media and other online technology must guard their online image and
reputation.
ANSWER: d
4. What is the 21st-century economy mainly based on?
a. information and knowledge b. physical labour
c. a supply of raw materials d. the stock market
ANSWER: a
5. What must workers do to succeed in today’s digital workplace?
a. write a minimum number of tweets per day
b. transmit information across various communication channels
c. install software programs
d. subscribe to numerous social networking sites
ANSWER: b
6. What does it mean to be a learning worker?
a. being in the three-month probation period of a new job
b. working while finishing a degree or diploma
c. having the skills to learn on the job and adapt to new situations
d. being in an apprentice position in a company
ANSWER: c
Copyright Cengage Learning. Powered by Cognero. Page 1
,Name: Class: Date:
Chapter 1 — Business Communication in the Digital Age
7. Which of the following correctly describes a three-point plan to help you think critically and solve
problems competently?
a. explore the challenge, gather information, implement solutions
b. gather information, generate ideas, implement solutions
c. explore the challenge, pick the most promising ideas, implement solutions
d. explore the challenge, generate ideas, implement solutions
ANSWER: d
8. What should students entering today’s workplace expect to find?
a. a position that involves lifelong learning and constant training
b. employers who provide them with a clearly defined career path
c. an abundance of nine-to-five jobs
d. regular pay increases and job security
ANSWER: a
9. In today’s competitive job market, what qualifications should a successful job candidate possess?
a. at least a 2.0 grade point average b. mediocre writing skills
c. website design capabilities d. the ability to communicate effectively
ANSWER: d
10. Which of the following is a significant trend in today’s dynamic workplace?
a. union participation and regulation b. more homogeneous workforces
c. around-the-clock availability d. stricter dress codes
ANSWER: c
11. Which of the following statements accurately describes social media?
a. Social media are still relatively new and untried communication channels for most businesses.
b. Most businesses today have discarded old media and instead use social media exclusively for
communicating and marketing.
c. Social media networks first attracted industries built on tradition and formality.
d. Social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter offer positive ways to promote a business
and to reach and react to customer concerns.
ANSWER: d
12. Linda works contract to contract for several companies. To be successful, what kind of worker has
Linda learned to be?
a. agile b. learning
c. knowledge d. tech
ANSWER: a
13. Gerard’s company has opted to save office space by using flexible workstations and boomerang-
shaped desks. What is this style of office design called?
a. telephony b. virtual office
c. open office d. Web 2.0
Copyright Cengage Learning. Powered by Cognero. Page 2
,Name: Class: Date:
Chapter 1 — Business Communication in the Digital Age
ANSWER: c
14. Javi has colleagues located throughout the world and would like to conduct a real-time meeting with
them to discuss an important issue. Which of the following communication technologies should Javi
choose?
a. teleconferencing or videoconferencing b. e-mail
c. blogging or a wiki d. text messaging
ANSWER: a
15. Kendra is responsible for updating the company’s Facebook page with information about products,
promotions, and special events. What communication medium is Kendra using?
a. presence technology b. blogging
c. social media d. Web conferencing
ANSWER: c
16. Which of the following statements accurately describes the term around-the-clock availability?
a. It means that you will be paid for working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
b. It means workers may be expected to be available practically anytime without extra pay.
c. It is illegal under Canadian labour laws.
d. It refers only to websites, not people.
ANSWER: b
17. What is the most significant difficulty in doing business globally?
a. dealing with people who live in different time zones
b. dealing with people who speak another language
c. dealing with people who differ from you in customs, lifestyles, and religious beliefs
d. dealing with people who use different equipment and technology in conducting business
ANSWER: c
18. Given the increase of diversity in the workplace, which of the following should be a major priority for
businesspeople?
a. learning to design their own wiki
b. learning a second language to communicate with coworkers
c. cooperating and communicating successfully with diverse coworkers
d. reconsidering their values to relate to diverse global markets
ANSWER: c
19. For years businesses have been flattening their management hierarchies. What does this flattening
mean?
a. Information must flow through more layers of management.
b. It takes longer to make decisions.
c. Areas within an organization have little contact with one another.
d. Employees at all levels must be skilled communicators.
ANSWER: d
Copyright Cengage Learning. Powered by Cognero. Page 3
,Name: Class: Date:
Chapter 1 — Business Communication in the Digital Age
20. Which of the following statements best describes management’s use of cooperative teams?
a. Companies use team-based management as a way to improve communication.
b. Because the concept is relatively new, few companies have adopted cooperative teams yet.
c. People are willing to work in teams, so there is rarely any conflict or any need for
communication coaches when companies adopt cooperative teams.
d. Companies are not willing to train new employees to work effectively as part of a team.
ANSWER: a
21. How do employers benefit from establishing diverse work teams?
a. Having diverse work teams ensures that all coworkers will get along.
b. Diverse work teams are better able to predict and meet the needs of a diverse customer base.
c. Diverse work teams ensure that employment equity standards are being met.
d. Diverse work teams require very little employee support.
ANSWER: b
22. Amaya works in an office that has nonterritorial workspaces. This is new to her, and she would like to
display good open office etiquette. What should she do?
a. She should speak in a soft voice and wear headphones to cut down on noise.
b. She should try to get to the office first each morning to always get the best desk.
c. She should engage in a lot of small talk to get to know coworkers better.
d. She should exhibit territorial behaviour and avoid casual interactions with coworkers.
ANSWER: a
23. Which of the following statements best describes today’s new work environments?
a. Mobile technologies do not support flexible working arrangements that allow employees to
work from home or on the road.
b. Few workers in companies are part of virtual teams.
c. Individual offices and cubicles are used to promote an open environment.
d. Working from home or on the road makes communication skills less important.
ANSWER: c
24. Which of the following skills have become essential for employees working in a business
environment affected by the pandemic?
a. researching new safety measures
b. organizing events to connect workers
c. focusing on e-mail and text communications
d. mastering communication technology and online skills
ANSWER: d
25. Which of the following best describes communication in today’s business organizations?
a. Many companies use intranets to communicate with customers, outside vendors, and
governmental agencies.
b. Smartphones and tablet computers are prevalent in the workplace but do not have the
capabilities to replace laptops and personal computers.
c. The increased worldwide interconnection of people and businesses means that people are
Copyright Cengage Learning. Powered by Cognero. Page 4
,Name: Class: Date:
Chapter 1 — Business Communication in the Digital Age
sending more messages than ever.
d. The most common workplace use of tablet computers is blogging.
ANSWER: c
26. What is one definition of communication?
a. persuading someone to agree with you b. transmitting information and meaning
c. promoting goodwill using language d. impressing readers using language
ANSWER: b
27. What are the three basic functions of business communication?
a. to inform, entertain, and impress b. to inform, persuade, and promote goodwill
c. to inform, persuade, and explain d. to inform, instruct, and entertain
ANSWER: b
28. Which of the following best defines communication?
a. Communication is the transmission of information from one individual or group to another.
b. Communication is the transmission of data from one individual or group to another.
c. Communication is the transmission of information and meaning from a sender to a receiver.
d. Communication is the transmission of ideas from one individual or group to another.
ANSWER: c
29. In which of the following cases is communication successful?
a. when the fastest communication channel is used
b. when the sender pronounces all words perfectly
c. when positive feedback is given
d. when the receiver understands an idea as the sender intended it
ANSWER: d
30. When does the process of communication begin?
a. when a message is put into words
b. when the message is sent over a communication channel to the receiver
c. when the sender has an idea
d. when the receiver actually receives the message and decodes it
ANSWER: c
31. When employees at Coors chose the slogan “Turn It Loose,” they didn’t realize it would translate to
“Suffer from Diarrhea” into Spanish. To avoid similar problems, which of the following must the sender
of a message do?
a. select a proper communication channel
b. provide means to ensure reliable feedback
c. keep all messages in English
d. select appropriate words or symbols as part of the encoding process
ANSWER: d
Copyright Cengage Learning. Powered by Cognero. Page 5
,Name: Class: Date:
Chapter 1 — Business Communication in the Digital Age
32. Robert must send an e-mail message to a client in Turkey. He is carefully selecting his words to
ensure that his Turkish client, who speaks English as a second language, will understand. In which part of
the communication process is Robert involved?
a. message encoding b. idea formation
c. message transmission d. message decoding
ANSWER: a
33. Zachary needs to deliver a sensitive message to a colleague and decides to deliver it face to face.
What is Zachary in the process of doing?
a. encoding the message b. decoding the message
c. preparing for feedback d. selecting the channel for the message
ANSWER: d
34. While reading an e-mail message from her boss, Linh is distracted by numerous typographical and
spelling errors. What is the term for these errors that detract from the message and make it difficult to
read?
a. bypassing b. noise
c. feedback d. frame of reference
ANSWER: b
35. Suzanne has just received an e-mail message from a client and is reading it carefully to determine her
client’s needs. Which part of the communication process is Suzanne involved in?
a. encoding b. channel selection
c. decoding d. feedback
ANSWER: c
36. Which of the following is an example of an internal disruption in the decoding process?
a. Loud construction sounds outside prevent Imran from hearing the message.
b. Meaghan finds her mind drifting during a lecture as she thinks about her upcoming trip to
Florence.
c. Brandon finds it hard to pay attention during the interview because the interviewer’s phone
keeps ringing.
d. Sylvia finds it difficult to read an e-mail message from her colleague because it’s filled with
grammatical errors and typos.
ANSWER: b
37. Jeanette is offended when she notices that only masculine pronouns are used in the company’s human
resources manual. What is this decoding problem a result of?
a. a closed communication climate b. bypassing
c. an external disruption d. a semantic obstacle
ANSWER: d
38. When Jin includes the sentence “Let me know whether I can answer any questions” at the end of his
e-mail message, what is he encouraging?
a. decoding b. feedback
Copyright Cengage Learning. Powered by Cognero. Page 6
,Name: Class: Date:
Chapter 1 — Business Communication in the Digital Age
c. frame of reference d. bypassing
ANSWER: b
39. What helps the sender know whether the message was received and understood?
a. feedback b. noise
c. bypassing d. decoding
ANSWER: a
40. As her supervisor explains the new procedure, Rachel nods. What is Rachel’s response an example
of?
a. verbal feedback b. noise
c. evaluation d. nonverbal feedback
ANSWER: d
41. You are talking with the president of your company about a possible merger. Which of the following
is the most useful feedback you can provide during the conversation?
a. I don’t understand why you think we should go through with this merger.
b. If I understand you correctly, your recommendation is that we go through with the merger.
c. There’s no way this merger can possibly work.
d. Are you serious?
ANSWER: b
42. Anwar says that he will answer his client’s questions “as soon as possible.” Anwar plans to answer
the questions by early next week; the client expects the answers by the end of the day. What does this
misunderstanding result from?
a. bypassing
b. differing frames of reference
c. noise
d. using the incorrect communication channel
ANSWER: a
43. When are differences in frames of reference especially significant?
a. when working on improving listening skills
b. when communicating with people from different cultures
c. when overcoming physical barriers to communication
d. when dealing with conflicting emotions
ANSWER: b
44. A Canadian sales team offended a group of Peruvian businesspeople by starting its sales presentation
without first engaging in informal conversation as expected in the Peruvian culture. The communication
barrier in this instance could be attributed to which of the following?
a. bypassing
b. poor listening skills
c. a failure to recognize different frames of reference
Copyright Cengage Learning. Powered by Cognero. Page 7
, Name: Class: Date:
Chapter 1 — Business Communication in the Digital Age
d. emotional interference caused when senders or receivers are distracted by internal feelings
ANSWER: c
45. Hannah posts her résumé on the websites of several companies. Unfortunately, it is poorly formatted
and contains several spelling and grammar errors. What kind of communication barrier might this cause?
a. bypassing b. differing frames of reference
c. emotional distraction d. physical distraction
ANSWER: d
46. Alex is having trouble concentrating on a report he is reading because his smartphone keeps ringing
and his colleagues keep sending him text messages. What kind of communication barrier is this?
a. differing frames of reference b. distraction
c. lack of language skills d. bypassing
ANSWER: b
47. Naoko has just moved to Canada from Japan and is taking a class to improve her English. What
interpersonal communication barrier is she trying to overcome?
a. differing frames of reference b. digital interruptions
c. lack of language skills d. bypassing
ANSWER: c
48. While conducting an orientation session for new employees, Clayton noticed looks of confusion on
the faces of some listeners. He then paused and asked his audience, “What questions do you have so far?”
How was Clayton striving to overcome communication barriers?
a. by questioning his assumptions, biases, and prejudices
b. by improving his language and listening skills
c. by creating an environment for useful feedback
d. by reducing physical distractions
ANSWER: c
49. Which of the following is an example of external organizational communication?
a. an employee performance appraisal
b. a sales letter sent to a prospective customer
c. a report recommending a change in company procedure
d. an e-mail message giving instructions for requesting a change in health benefits.
ANSWER: b
50. Which of the following is an example of an internal organizational communication?
a. a collection letter sent to a customer
b. a website advertising a company’s products
c. a meeting of all department managers
d. an annual report sent to company stockholders
ANSWER: c
Copyright Cengage Learning. Powered by Cognero. Page 8
and Product, Brief Edition , 7th Edition Mary Ellen
Guffey
Notes
1- The file is chapter after chapter.
2- We have shown you few pages sample.
3- The file contains all Appendix and Excel sheet
if it exists.
4- We have all what you need, we make update
at every time. There are many new editions
waiting you.
5- If you think you purchased the wrong file You
can contact us at every time, we can replace it
with true one.
Our email:
,Name: Class: Date:
Chapter 1 — Business Communication in the Digital Age
1. Which of the following statements about the importance of communication skills in today’s workplace
is correct?
a. They are not as important as they once were.
b. They are a necessity in today’s workplace.
c. They are required only for high-level positions.
d. They are not needed in today’s high-tech workplace.
ANSWER: b
2. Which of the following best describes the need for writing skills in the workplace?
a. Writing skills in today’s workplace are an advantage, but they are not a necessity.
b. Only salaried employees at the top level need good writing skills.
c. Having good writing skills can improve your chances for promotion and can result in higher
earnings.
d. Good writing skills are no longer important in today’s digital world.
ANSWER: c
3. Which of the following best describes an effective communicator in the digital age?
a. Digital workplace writing can be much more casual than traditional business writing.
b. There is no need to worry about daily texts, Facebook postings, and tweets because they’re
not “real” writing.
c. Because most business is conducted face to face, workers don’t have to be grammar experts.
d. Workers using social media and other online technology must guard their online image and
reputation.
ANSWER: d
4. What is the 21st-century economy mainly based on?
a. information and knowledge b. physical labour
c. a supply of raw materials d. the stock market
ANSWER: a
5. What must workers do to succeed in today’s digital workplace?
a. write a minimum number of tweets per day
b. transmit information across various communication channels
c. install software programs
d. subscribe to numerous social networking sites
ANSWER: b
6. What does it mean to be a learning worker?
a. being in the three-month probation period of a new job
b. working while finishing a degree or diploma
c. having the skills to learn on the job and adapt to new situations
d. being in an apprentice position in a company
ANSWER: c
Copyright Cengage Learning. Powered by Cognero. Page 1
,Name: Class: Date:
Chapter 1 — Business Communication in the Digital Age
7. Which of the following correctly describes a three-point plan to help you think critically and solve
problems competently?
a. explore the challenge, gather information, implement solutions
b. gather information, generate ideas, implement solutions
c. explore the challenge, pick the most promising ideas, implement solutions
d. explore the challenge, generate ideas, implement solutions
ANSWER: d
8. What should students entering today’s workplace expect to find?
a. a position that involves lifelong learning and constant training
b. employers who provide them with a clearly defined career path
c. an abundance of nine-to-five jobs
d. regular pay increases and job security
ANSWER: a
9. In today’s competitive job market, what qualifications should a successful job candidate possess?
a. at least a 2.0 grade point average b. mediocre writing skills
c. website design capabilities d. the ability to communicate effectively
ANSWER: d
10. Which of the following is a significant trend in today’s dynamic workplace?
a. union participation and regulation b. more homogeneous workforces
c. around-the-clock availability d. stricter dress codes
ANSWER: c
11. Which of the following statements accurately describes social media?
a. Social media are still relatively new and untried communication channels for most businesses.
b. Most businesses today have discarded old media and instead use social media exclusively for
communicating and marketing.
c. Social media networks first attracted industries built on tradition and formality.
d. Social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter offer positive ways to promote a business
and to reach and react to customer concerns.
ANSWER: d
12. Linda works contract to contract for several companies. To be successful, what kind of worker has
Linda learned to be?
a. agile b. learning
c. knowledge d. tech
ANSWER: a
13. Gerard’s company has opted to save office space by using flexible workstations and boomerang-
shaped desks. What is this style of office design called?
a. telephony b. virtual office
c. open office d. Web 2.0
Copyright Cengage Learning. Powered by Cognero. Page 2
,Name: Class: Date:
Chapter 1 — Business Communication in the Digital Age
ANSWER: c
14. Javi has colleagues located throughout the world and would like to conduct a real-time meeting with
them to discuss an important issue. Which of the following communication technologies should Javi
choose?
a. teleconferencing or videoconferencing b. e-mail
c. blogging or a wiki d. text messaging
ANSWER: a
15. Kendra is responsible for updating the company’s Facebook page with information about products,
promotions, and special events. What communication medium is Kendra using?
a. presence technology b. blogging
c. social media d. Web conferencing
ANSWER: c
16. Which of the following statements accurately describes the term around-the-clock availability?
a. It means that you will be paid for working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
b. It means workers may be expected to be available practically anytime without extra pay.
c. It is illegal under Canadian labour laws.
d. It refers only to websites, not people.
ANSWER: b
17. What is the most significant difficulty in doing business globally?
a. dealing with people who live in different time zones
b. dealing with people who speak another language
c. dealing with people who differ from you in customs, lifestyles, and religious beliefs
d. dealing with people who use different equipment and technology in conducting business
ANSWER: c
18. Given the increase of diversity in the workplace, which of the following should be a major priority for
businesspeople?
a. learning to design their own wiki
b. learning a second language to communicate with coworkers
c. cooperating and communicating successfully with diverse coworkers
d. reconsidering their values to relate to diverse global markets
ANSWER: c
19. For years businesses have been flattening their management hierarchies. What does this flattening
mean?
a. Information must flow through more layers of management.
b. It takes longer to make decisions.
c. Areas within an organization have little contact with one another.
d. Employees at all levels must be skilled communicators.
ANSWER: d
Copyright Cengage Learning. Powered by Cognero. Page 3
,Name: Class: Date:
Chapter 1 — Business Communication in the Digital Age
20. Which of the following statements best describes management’s use of cooperative teams?
a. Companies use team-based management as a way to improve communication.
b. Because the concept is relatively new, few companies have adopted cooperative teams yet.
c. People are willing to work in teams, so there is rarely any conflict or any need for
communication coaches when companies adopt cooperative teams.
d. Companies are not willing to train new employees to work effectively as part of a team.
ANSWER: a
21. How do employers benefit from establishing diverse work teams?
a. Having diverse work teams ensures that all coworkers will get along.
b. Diverse work teams are better able to predict and meet the needs of a diverse customer base.
c. Diverse work teams ensure that employment equity standards are being met.
d. Diverse work teams require very little employee support.
ANSWER: b
22. Amaya works in an office that has nonterritorial workspaces. This is new to her, and she would like to
display good open office etiquette. What should she do?
a. She should speak in a soft voice and wear headphones to cut down on noise.
b. She should try to get to the office first each morning to always get the best desk.
c. She should engage in a lot of small talk to get to know coworkers better.
d. She should exhibit territorial behaviour and avoid casual interactions with coworkers.
ANSWER: a
23. Which of the following statements best describes today’s new work environments?
a. Mobile technologies do not support flexible working arrangements that allow employees to
work from home or on the road.
b. Few workers in companies are part of virtual teams.
c. Individual offices and cubicles are used to promote an open environment.
d. Working from home or on the road makes communication skills less important.
ANSWER: c
24. Which of the following skills have become essential for employees working in a business
environment affected by the pandemic?
a. researching new safety measures
b. organizing events to connect workers
c. focusing on e-mail and text communications
d. mastering communication technology and online skills
ANSWER: d
25. Which of the following best describes communication in today’s business organizations?
a. Many companies use intranets to communicate with customers, outside vendors, and
governmental agencies.
b. Smartphones and tablet computers are prevalent in the workplace but do not have the
capabilities to replace laptops and personal computers.
c. The increased worldwide interconnection of people and businesses means that people are
Copyright Cengage Learning. Powered by Cognero. Page 4
,Name: Class: Date:
Chapter 1 — Business Communication in the Digital Age
sending more messages than ever.
d. The most common workplace use of tablet computers is blogging.
ANSWER: c
26. What is one definition of communication?
a. persuading someone to agree with you b. transmitting information and meaning
c. promoting goodwill using language d. impressing readers using language
ANSWER: b
27. What are the three basic functions of business communication?
a. to inform, entertain, and impress b. to inform, persuade, and promote goodwill
c. to inform, persuade, and explain d. to inform, instruct, and entertain
ANSWER: b
28. Which of the following best defines communication?
a. Communication is the transmission of information from one individual or group to another.
b. Communication is the transmission of data from one individual or group to another.
c. Communication is the transmission of information and meaning from a sender to a receiver.
d. Communication is the transmission of ideas from one individual or group to another.
ANSWER: c
29. In which of the following cases is communication successful?
a. when the fastest communication channel is used
b. when the sender pronounces all words perfectly
c. when positive feedback is given
d. when the receiver understands an idea as the sender intended it
ANSWER: d
30. When does the process of communication begin?
a. when a message is put into words
b. when the message is sent over a communication channel to the receiver
c. when the sender has an idea
d. when the receiver actually receives the message and decodes it
ANSWER: c
31. When employees at Coors chose the slogan “Turn It Loose,” they didn’t realize it would translate to
“Suffer from Diarrhea” into Spanish. To avoid similar problems, which of the following must the sender
of a message do?
a. select a proper communication channel
b. provide means to ensure reliable feedback
c. keep all messages in English
d. select appropriate words or symbols as part of the encoding process
ANSWER: d
Copyright Cengage Learning. Powered by Cognero. Page 5
,Name: Class: Date:
Chapter 1 — Business Communication in the Digital Age
32. Robert must send an e-mail message to a client in Turkey. He is carefully selecting his words to
ensure that his Turkish client, who speaks English as a second language, will understand. In which part of
the communication process is Robert involved?
a. message encoding b. idea formation
c. message transmission d. message decoding
ANSWER: a
33. Zachary needs to deliver a sensitive message to a colleague and decides to deliver it face to face.
What is Zachary in the process of doing?
a. encoding the message b. decoding the message
c. preparing for feedback d. selecting the channel for the message
ANSWER: d
34. While reading an e-mail message from her boss, Linh is distracted by numerous typographical and
spelling errors. What is the term for these errors that detract from the message and make it difficult to
read?
a. bypassing b. noise
c. feedback d. frame of reference
ANSWER: b
35. Suzanne has just received an e-mail message from a client and is reading it carefully to determine her
client’s needs. Which part of the communication process is Suzanne involved in?
a. encoding b. channel selection
c. decoding d. feedback
ANSWER: c
36. Which of the following is an example of an internal disruption in the decoding process?
a. Loud construction sounds outside prevent Imran from hearing the message.
b. Meaghan finds her mind drifting during a lecture as she thinks about her upcoming trip to
Florence.
c. Brandon finds it hard to pay attention during the interview because the interviewer’s phone
keeps ringing.
d. Sylvia finds it difficult to read an e-mail message from her colleague because it’s filled with
grammatical errors and typos.
ANSWER: b
37. Jeanette is offended when she notices that only masculine pronouns are used in the company’s human
resources manual. What is this decoding problem a result of?
a. a closed communication climate b. bypassing
c. an external disruption d. a semantic obstacle
ANSWER: d
38. When Jin includes the sentence “Let me know whether I can answer any questions” at the end of his
e-mail message, what is he encouraging?
a. decoding b. feedback
Copyright Cengage Learning. Powered by Cognero. Page 6
,Name: Class: Date:
Chapter 1 — Business Communication in the Digital Age
c. frame of reference d. bypassing
ANSWER: b
39. What helps the sender know whether the message was received and understood?
a. feedback b. noise
c. bypassing d. decoding
ANSWER: a
40. As her supervisor explains the new procedure, Rachel nods. What is Rachel’s response an example
of?
a. verbal feedback b. noise
c. evaluation d. nonverbal feedback
ANSWER: d
41. You are talking with the president of your company about a possible merger. Which of the following
is the most useful feedback you can provide during the conversation?
a. I don’t understand why you think we should go through with this merger.
b. If I understand you correctly, your recommendation is that we go through with the merger.
c. There’s no way this merger can possibly work.
d. Are you serious?
ANSWER: b
42. Anwar says that he will answer his client’s questions “as soon as possible.” Anwar plans to answer
the questions by early next week; the client expects the answers by the end of the day. What does this
misunderstanding result from?
a. bypassing
b. differing frames of reference
c. noise
d. using the incorrect communication channel
ANSWER: a
43. When are differences in frames of reference especially significant?
a. when working on improving listening skills
b. when communicating with people from different cultures
c. when overcoming physical barriers to communication
d. when dealing with conflicting emotions
ANSWER: b
44. A Canadian sales team offended a group of Peruvian businesspeople by starting its sales presentation
without first engaging in informal conversation as expected in the Peruvian culture. The communication
barrier in this instance could be attributed to which of the following?
a. bypassing
b. poor listening skills
c. a failure to recognize different frames of reference
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Chapter 1 — Business Communication in the Digital Age
d. emotional interference caused when senders or receivers are distracted by internal feelings
ANSWER: c
45. Hannah posts her résumé on the websites of several companies. Unfortunately, it is poorly formatted
and contains several spelling and grammar errors. What kind of communication barrier might this cause?
a. bypassing b. differing frames of reference
c. emotional distraction d. physical distraction
ANSWER: d
46. Alex is having trouble concentrating on a report he is reading because his smartphone keeps ringing
and his colleagues keep sending him text messages. What kind of communication barrier is this?
a. differing frames of reference b. distraction
c. lack of language skills d. bypassing
ANSWER: b
47. Naoko has just moved to Canada from Japan and is taking a class to improve her English. What
interpersonal communication barrier is she trying to overcome?
a. differing frames of reference b. digital interruptions
c. lack of language skills d. bypassing
ANSWER: c
48. While conducting an orientation session for new employees, Clayton noticed looks of confusion on
the faces of some listeners. He then paused and asked his audience, “What questions do you have so far?”
How was Clayton striving to overcome communication barriers?
a. by questioning his assumptions, biases, and prejudices
b. by improving his language and listening skills
c. by creating an environment for useful feedback
d. by reducing physical distractions
ANSWER: c
49. Which of the following is an example of external organizational communication?
a. an employee performance appraisal
b. a sales letter sent to a prospective customer
c. a report recommending a change in company procedure
d. an e-mail message giving instructions for requesting a change in health benefits.
ANSWER: b
50. Which of the following is an example of an internal organizational communication?
a. a collection letter sent to a customer
b. a website advertising a company’s products
c. a meeting of all department managers
d. an annual report sent to company stockholders
ANSWER: c
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