COM 1501 2019 to 2013 exam question papers and
answers
2019 – Oct/Nov
1) Which five major stages in the development of human communication are distinguished according to
different ‘ages’?
Consider the options below and identify the key containing the ages listed in the correct chronological
order.
1. Writing, speech and language, electronic mass media, printing
2. Writing, printing, speech and language, electronic mass media
3. Speech and language, writing, printing, electronic mass media
4. Writing, speech and language, printing, electronic mass media
2) In the ancient times, people made vocal sounds and could communicate information about their
environment in various ways. Identify the key containing the most comprehensive means of
communication.
1. Senses, sight, touch, cave paintings
2. Gestures, writing, speech, facial expressions
3. Cave paintings, posture, touch
4. Touch, grunts, senses, facial expressions
3) The development and use of paper resulted in a significant change for humans, because information
could now be recorded where it was previously conveyed through word of mouth.
Consider the options below, and indentify the key containing the correct chronological measures used to
record the earliest forms of writing up to the use of paper.
1. Cuneiform, animal skins, hieroglyphics, papyrus, parchment, paper
2. Hieroglyphics, cuneiform, animal skins, parchment, papyrus, paper
3. Animal skins, parchment, papyrus, hieroglyphics, cuneiform
4. Hieroglyphics, animal skins, papyrus, parchment, paper
4) Literacy came within reach of the masses during the age of
1. Writing
2. Print
3. Speech and language
4. The electronic mass media
5) During which era in the development of human communication, did people start to express their
creativity in the form of art?
1. Speech and language
2. Writing
3. Electronic mass media
4. Mass communication
6) Aretha Franklin, one of the world’s most renowned RnB and Soul singer passed away in August 2018.
Many people were filled with sadness, and wanted to pay tribute to the late pop star. Numerous radio
stations across the globe interviewed people, and asked why and how they would remember him. The
purpose of communication (from those interviewed) in this instance (even though the pop star was not
personally known to everyone interviewed) is to.
, 1. Give expression to an informed decision
2. Boost the sense of self
3. Satisfy a psychological need
4. Confirm a relationship with the actor
7) People use mass media for various reasons. A family watching a specific program on television do so
with the intention to relax and spend quality time together. They soon discover that their watching
television together is inhibiting their conversation. This negative effect of watching television together
without communication can be regarded as a/an ___ effect of communication.
1. Intentional
2. Decision making
3. Unintentional
4. Persuasive
8) According to Steinberg (2007/15) “*t+he most remarkable achievement of the 20th century was the ___
tabs
1. Speed with which communication developments occurred
2. Advent of electricity
3. Creation of the wired world
4. Development of print
9) Advertisers’ use (or misuse) specific holidays to make more money. One such example is for instance
Valentine’s Day, red roses are exceptionally expensive on Valentine’s Day and you are prepared to pay R 00
for a bunch of red roses for your loved one on this day. The messaged displayed in advertisements at this
specific time of the year are directed towards our emotions which are associated with a basic need. The
fact that you are prepared to buy a bunch of red roses for your loved one at this price can (in terms of
Packard’s theory of needs) be associated with a need for
1. Love objects
2. Emotional security
3. Ego gratification
4. Assurance of worth
10) Interpersonal communication enables us to understand one another. It also provides information
about ourselves because by what people say or the way in which they respond to us, we develop a sense of
who we are and how people react to our behavior. We want people to respect us and many people expect
public recognition for what they do.
In terms of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, a sound sense of self and the enhancement of respect for others
and self-respect address our needs related to
1. Esteem
2. Decision making
3. Sense of self
4. Persuasion
11) Consider the list below, and identify the key which illustrates the correct similarities between the
needs of Maslow and Packard.
Maslow’s A. Need for security and Packard’s need for immortality B. Social needs and Packard’s ego
gratification C. Need for esteem and Packard’s need for love objects D. Need for safety and Packard’s need
for reassurance of worth
1. abc
2. bd
3. bcd
4. abcd
,12) A number of violent killings of women have rocked South Africa lately. In a recent incident a young
woman was necklaced and murdered by her partner in Cape Town. This has upset the whole country and a
number of researchers have then decided to take action. The researchers have involved the entire
community, and a questionnaire is to be distributed to every household of this particular township. The
nature of this research to be conducted here will be ___ research.
1. Experimental
2. Survey
3. Historical
4. Ethnographic
13) Various warnings for the spread of the Cholera virus were made world-wide after Cyclone Idai hit
Mozambique and Malawi in March 2019. People across the world were warned not to travel to these
countries in which the cholera virus was evident. In terms of Packard’s needs, this information reflects a
need for...
1. A sense of power
2. Emotional security
3. Immortality
4. Ego gratification
14) Most shopping centers’ have parking bays reserved for people with disabilities. The sticker displaying a
wheelchair in a car window represents a ___ and indicated that the owner or driver of that vehicle has a
disability.
1. Code
2. Sign
3. Channel
4. Medium
15) Many academics at universities write books which are prescribed to different courses and modules all
over the world. The presentation of messages by means of publications implies that these authors are ___
messages.
1. Accepting
2. Decoding
3. Receiving
4. Encoding
16) Which theorist/s believed that the channel used during communication was the most important aspect
for successful communication?
1. Shannon and Weaver
2. Schramm
3. Lasswell
4. Lasswell and Schramm
17. Your entire office has to attend a presentation made by a colleague whom you do not admire at all.
Due to your dislike for this person, you hardly pay any attention to the presentation. Your lack of paying
attention is caused by…
1. Your frame of reference
2. Internal noise
3. Semantic noise
4. External noise
, 18) Lasswell was of the opinion that the purpose of communication was to persuade the recipient to adopt
a specific point of view. It therefore had to be ensured that the correct person conveyed the message
through a medium which was most efficient. Reason being that in terms of Lasswell’s communication
model, the communication was regarded as being…
1. A transaction
2. Interpersonal
3. A Linear process
4. An interactive process
19) was/were the first communication theorist(s) to recognize that
A. Participants had to share a common frame of reference
B. Participants needed to actively encode, transmit, receive, decode and respond during a communication encounter.
C. Messages could have more than one meaning
D. Both content and meaning of messaged were important to ensure successful communication
1. Lasswell
2. Shannon and Weaver
3. Schramm
4. Shannon
20) A dynamic view of communication regards the communication process as constantly being in motion,
because messages are travelling between parties who are actively involved in exchanging meaning and
creating relationships. These characteristics relate to the ___ view of communication.
1. Meaning-centered
2. Transactional
3. Technical
4. Circular
21) The view that communication only related to the transmission process (the way in which the message
is sent and received) from Person A to Person B represents the ___ view of communication.
1. Technical
2. Transactional
3. Meaning-centered
4. Circular
22) Consider the option below relating to perception and select the correct key A. We need to question the
accuracy of our perceptions of other people B. Our perception of others can be checked by means of
dialogue C. Perceptions of people need not change over time D. Our perception of people is based on
reality
1. ac
2. bd
3. ad
4. ab
23) The fact that the brain can select relevant information in a specific situation and arrange that
information in meaningful patterns related to our frame of reference is known as...
1. Selection
2. Selective exposure
3. Perception
4. Perceptual organization
24) Consider the options below and select the correct key which reflects the communication context in
which you will have little or no opportunity to directly interact with the encoder.
answers
2019 – Oct/Nov
1) Which five major stages in the development of human communication are distinguished according to
different ‘ages’?
Consider the options below and identify the key containing the ages listed in the correct chronological
order.
1. Writing, speech and language, electronic mass media, printing
2. Writing, printing, speech and language, electronic mass media
3. Speech and language, writing, printing, electronic mass media
4. Writing, speech and language, printing, electronic mass media
2) In the ancient times, people made vocal sounds and could communicate information about their
environment in various ways. Identify the key containing the most comprehensive means of
communication.
1. Senses, sight, touch, cave paintings
2. Gestures, writing, speech, facial expressions
3. Cave paintings, posture, touch
4. Touch, grunts, senses, facial expressions
3) The development and use of paper resulted in a significant change for humans, because information
could now be recorded where it was previously conveyed through word of mouth.
Consider the options below, and indentify the key containing the correct chronological measures used to
record the earliest forms of writing up to the use of paper.
1. Cuneiform, animal skins, hieroglyphics, papyrus, parchment, paper
2. Hieroglyphics, cuneiform, animal skins, parchment, papyrus, paper
3. Animal skins, parchment, papyrus, hieroglyphics, cuneiform
4. Hieroglyphics, animal skins, papyrus, parchment, paper
4) Literacy came within reach of the masses during the age of
1. Writing
2. Print
3. Speech and language
4. The electronic mass media
5) During which era in the development of human communication, did people start to express their
creativity in the form of art?
1. Speech and language
2. Writing
3. Electronic mass media
4. Mass communication
6) Aretha Franklin, one of the world’s most renowned RnB and Soul singer passed away in August 2018.
Many people were filled with sadness, and wanted to pay tribute to the late pop star. Numerous radio
stations across the globe interviewed people, and asked why and how they would remember him. The
purpose of communication (from those interviewed) in this instance (even though the pop star was not
personally known to everyone interviewed) is to.
, 1. Give expression to an informed decision
2. Boost the sense of self
3. Satisfy a psychological need
4. Confirm a relationship with the actor
7) People use mass media for various reasons. A family watching a specific program on television do so
with the intention to relax and spend quality time together. They soon discover that their watching
television together is inhibiting their conversation. This negative effect of watching television together
without communication can be regarded as a/an ___ effect of communication.
1. Intentional
2. Decision making
3. Unintentional
4. Persuasive
8) According to Steinberg (2007/15) “*t+he most remarkable achievement of the 20th century was the ___
tabs
1. Speed with which communication developments occurred
2. Advent of electricity
3. Creation of the wired world
4. Development of print
9) Advertisers’ use (or misuse) specific holidays to make more money. One such example is for instance
Valentine’s Day, red roses are exceptionally expensive on Valentine’s Day and you are prepared to pay R 00
for a bunch of red roses for your loved one on this day. The messaged displayed in advertisements at this
specific time of the year are directed towards our emotions which are associated with a basic need. The
fact that you are prepared to buy a bunch of red roses for your loved one at this price can (in terms of
Packard’s theory of needs) be associated with a need for
1. Love objects
2. Emotional security
3. Ego gratification
4. Assurance of worth
10) Interpersonal communication enables us to understand one another. It also provides information
about ourselves because by what people say or the way in which they respond to us, we develop a sense of
who we are and how people react to our behavior. We want people to respect us and many people expect
public recognition for what they do.
In terms of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, a sound sense of self and the enhancement of respect for others
and self-respect address our needs related to
1. Esteem
2. Decision making
3. Sense of self
4. Persuasion
11) Consider the list below, and identify the key which illustrates the correct similarities between the
needs of Maslow and Packard.
Maslow’s A. Need for security and Packard’s need for immortality B. Social needs and Packard’s ego
gratification C. Need for esteem and Packard’s need for love objects D. Need for safety and Packard’s need
for reassurance of worth
1. abc
2. bd
3. bcd
4. abcd
,12) A number of violent killings of women have rocked South Africa lately. In a recent incident a young
woman was necklaced and murdered by her partner in Cape Town. This has upset the whole country and a
number of researchers have then decided to take action. The researchers have involved the entire
community, and a questionnaire is to be distributed to every household of this particular township. The
nature of this research to be conducted here will be ___ research.
1. Experimental
2. Survey
3. Historical
4. Ethnographic
13) Various warnings for the spread of the Cholera virus were made world-wide after Cyclone Idai hit
Mozambique and Malawi in March 2019. People across the world were warned not to travel to these
countries in which the cholera virus was evident. In terms of Packard’s needs, this information reflects a
need for...
1. A sense of power
2. Emotional security
3. Immortality
4. Ego gratification
14) Most shopping centers’ have parking bays reserved for people with disabilities. The sticker displaying a
wheelchair in a car window represents a ___ and indicated that the owner or driver of that vehicle has a
disability.
1. Code
2. Sign
3. Channel
4. Medium
15) Many academics at universities write books which are prescribed to different courses and modules all
over the world. The presentation of messages by means of publications implies that these authors are ___
messages.
1. Accepting
2. Decoding
3. Receiving
4. Encoding
16) Which theorist/s believed that the channel used during communication was the most important aspect
for successful communication?
1. Shannon and Weaver
2. Schramm
3. Lasswell
4. Lasswell and Schramm
17. Your entire office has to attend a presentation made by a colleague whom you do not admire at all.
Due to your dislike for this person, you hardly pay any attention to the presentation. Your lack of paying
attention is caused by…
1. Your frame of reference
2. Internal noise
3. Semantic noise
4. External noise
, 18) Lasswell was of the opinion that the purpose of communication was to persuade the recipient to adopt
a specific point of view. It therefore had to be ensured that the correct person conveyed the message
through a medium which was most efficient. Reason being that in terms of Lasswell’s communication
model, the communication was regarded as being…
1. A transaction
2. Interpersonal
3. A Linear process
4. An interactive process
19) was/were the first communication theorist(s) to recognize that
A. Participants had to share a common frame of reference
B. Participants needed to actively encode, transmit, receive, decode and respond during a communication encounter.
C. Messages could have more than one meaning
D. Both content and meaning of messaged were important to ensure successful communication
1. Lasswell
2. Shannon and Weaver
3. Schramm
4. Shannon
20) A dynamic view of communication regards the communication process as constantly being in motion,
because messages are travelling between parties who are actively involved in exchanging meaning and
creating relationships. These characteristics relate to the ___ view of communication.
1. Meaning-centered
2. Transactional
3. Technical
4. Circular
21) The view that communication only related to the transmission process (the way in which the message
is sent and received) from Person A to Person B represents the ___ view of communication.
1. Technical
2. Transactional
3. Meaning-centered
4. Circular
22) Consider the option below relating to perception and select the correct key A. We need to question the
accuracy of our perceptions of other people B. Our perception of others can be checked by means of
dialogue C. Perceptions of people need not change over time D. Our perception of people is based on
reality
1. ac
2. bd
3. ad
4. ab
23) The fact that the brain can select relevant information in a specific situation and arrange that
information in meaningful patterns related to our frame of reference is known as...
1. Selection
2. Selective exposure
3. Perception
4. Perceptual organization
24) Consider the options below and select the correct key which reflects the communication context in
which you will have little or no opportunity to directly interact with the encoder.
