business communication

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The primary difference between constructive feedback and destructive feedback is that constructive feedback

is designed to stimulate improvement.

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Communication is the process of_______.

sending and receiving messages

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One major difference between the 1.0 and 2.0 approaches to business communication is that in the 2.0 approach audiences are encouraged to be

active participants in the communication.

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"Business Communication 2.0" refers to:

a new approach to business communication, emphasizing interaction and conversation rather than one-way publication.

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An example of internal communication would be_______.

an e-mail message from a sales manager to a salesperson asking for a report on travel expenses for a trade show

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An example of informal external communication would be_______.

on the golf course, a restaurant owner listening to a friend describe the poor service she recently received while dining at the restaurant.

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In most organizations, the rumor mill tends to be particularly active when:

the formal communication network is not providing the information employees want.

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In the first step of the communication process, the sender _______.

has an idea

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The term corporate culture refers to:

the mixture of values, traditions, and habits that give a company its atmosphere and personality.

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The final link in the communication chain is_______.

giving feedback to the sender

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Uncomfortable meeting rooms, multitasking, and computer screens filled with popup messages are all examples of:

distractions.

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Distorting the parts of a received message that do not fit your plan is called_______.

selective perception

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If a company’s formal communication network contains many levels of hierarchy_______.

upward and downward communication tend to be less effective

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Which of the following contributes to overcoming emotional distractions in business communication?

Recognizing your feelings and anticipating others’ reactions

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Writing and speaking from your audience’s point of view make it more likely that_______.

receivers will understand your message and respond positively

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Every organization has_______.

an informal communication network

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All of the following are examples of unethical communication except_______.

using jargon

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Which of the following is an example of an ethical dilemma?

Deciding whether or not to inform employees that layoffs are coming as they work on finishing a big project

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Which of the following is an example of an ethical lapse?

Informing a new employer about your previous (competing) employer’s major clients

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To help establish clear guidelines for ethical behavior, many companies provide a written_______.

code of ethics

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A meeting agenda_______.

should be circulated before the meeting, providing participants with enough time to prepare

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Use of parliamentary procedure_______.

helps meetings run more smoothly

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At the last staff meeting, someone suggested that using parliamentary procedure would help make the meetings more efficient. To learn more about parliamentary procedure, which of the following should you consult?

Robert’s Rules of Order

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If a person says one thing but sends a conflicting message nonverbally_______.

people are more likely to believe the nonverbal message

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Touch is_______.

governed by relatively strict customs that establish who can touch whom and when

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Groupthink refers to _______.

the willingness of individual group members to withhold contrary or unpopular opinions, even when those objections are legitimate

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A hidden agenda refers to_______.

individuals' private motives that affect a group's interaction

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When composing collaborative messages, it is a good idea to_______.

avoid writing as a group

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____________ are unstated standards of conduct that team members share

Group norms

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Group members who are motivated mainly to fulfill personal needs play a_______.

self-oriented role

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One member of a task force on which you serve is particularly good at helping other members get along and work through their differences. This individual plays a:

team-maintenance role

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The first phase that a team typically goes through is_______.

Orientation

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When it comes to overcoming resistance in groups, it is a good idea to_______.

deal directly with resistance

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Making a phone call at the end of the day is usually_______.

not a good idea since most people are trying to leave the office

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A common mistake in holding meetings is_______.

not having an agenda

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If you are listening mainly to understand the speaker’s message, you are engaging in_______.

content listening

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If you are engaging in critical listening, your goal is to_______.

evaluate the logic and validity of the message

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Which of the following is not an important consideration related to etiquette in the workplace?

Your height and weight

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The first step in the basic listening process is_______.

physically receiving the message

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When it comes to online etiquette,

it is vital to follow basic expectations of spelling, punctuation, and capitalization.

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Diversity in the workplace can be based on differences in

Geography Ethnic heritage Religion

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Social rules vary from culture to culture in terms of

roles and status. use of manners. attitudes toward work and success.

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Culture influences a person’s understanding of ______.

Words gestures use of time and space

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Many difficulties in intercultural communication occur because people in different cultures have different ______.

assumptions about how people should think, behave, and communicate

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To convey meaning in a low-context culture such as the one existing in Germany, people rely more on ______.

explicit verbal communication

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When it comes to decision-making customs, North American executives.

tend to focus on the results of the decisions they face.

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Asking a colleague "How was your weekend?" is

accepted in the United States, but considered intrusive in some cultures

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When speaking in English to people who use English as a second language, you should ______.

speak slowly and clearly

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Ethnocentrism can be overcome by ______.

avoiding assumptions

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The practice of accepting multiple cultures on their own terms is known as ______.

cultural pluralism

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If you will be living in another country where you will be doing business in English, you ______.

will show respect by making every effort to learn the language

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Xenophobia is the fear of ______.

strangers and foreigners

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Letters from Japanese businesspeople tend to be ____________ than those written in the United States.

less direct

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In general, international correspondence tends to be ____________ than that of the United States.

more formal

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When writing letters to businesspeople in other countries, you should ______.

make generous use of transitional words and phrases

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When preparing a message to someone from another culture, you should ______.

be careful to express times and dates in the format used in that person's culture.

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When adapting to other cultures, the "Golden Rule" is

less effective than treating others the way they want to be treated.

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During conversations with non-native English speakers, you should

do none of the above.

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To learn more about unfamiliar cultures, you should

sample newspapers, magazines, music, and movies of that culture. read books and websites about the culture. study the languages of the culture.

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When speaking with someone from another culture, avoid

talking down to the other person

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The three primary steps involved in preparing a business message are

planning, writing, and completing.

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A message should be deferred or canceled if

the timing is wrong.

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Choosing the right medium for your message

can make the difference between effective and ineffective communication.

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Of the following media, which is the richest?

An interactive website enabling audiences to participate in the communication process

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Organizing messages effectively helps readers by

all of the above

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No matter how you feel personally about a situation, your communication should reflect your organization's objectives.

True

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Skilled communicators include only the information that their audience has specifically requested.

False

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Which of the following statements best reflects the "you" attitude?

You will have your merchandise by July 15 if you send us your check for $25 today.

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When you are criticizing or correcting, it is best to

focus on what the person can do to improve.

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Many rules of grammar and usage

are complex and some evolve over time.

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Good business letters use language that is as formal as possible and use proven terminology such as "please be advised that" and "we are in receipt of."

False

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Connotative meanings are the literal or dictionary meanings of words.

False

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Templates and style sheets both can help to ensure a consistent look for all company documents.

True

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The main tasks in completing a business message consist of all except

forecasting.

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Skilled business writers

vary the length of their sentences.

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For effective document design, you should

balance the space devoted to text, artwork, and white space.

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Which of the following techniques can help you proofread more effectively?

Read each page of the document backward, from the bottom to the top.

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It is a good idea to set aside a first draft for a day or two before beginning the revision process.

True

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One important goal in revising business messages is to reduce the number of words you use.

True

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Proofreading is rarely necessary since today's professionals use word processing software to prepare documents.

False

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When making a routine request, you begin with______.

a clear statement of the main idea or request

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A good beginning for an order letter would be: ______.

Please send the following items.

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When asking questions in a request message______.

begin with the most important question

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When closing a direct request, you______.

request a specific response and mention the time limits Routine, positive messages should do all of the following except______.

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The categories of routine replies and positive messages include all of the following except______.

refusing requests

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When responding to a customer request for an adjustment, it is usually sensible to assume that ______.

the customer’s account of the situation is truthful

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When responding to a customer complaint about one of your company’s services, you should______.

avoid blaming anyone in your organization by name

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If a customer requesting an adjustment is at fault for the problem, the best response is to______.

honor the claim but tactfully point out that your firm was not at fault

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When responding to a request for adjustment when a third party is at fault, the best approach is to ______.

respond promptly, explaining how the problem will be solved

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Which of the following is not a general purpose common to business communication?

to negotiate

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An example of a specific purpose for a business message would be______.

to inform employees about the new vacation policy

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A message should be deferred or canceled if______.

the timing is wrong

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You need to provide more information in your message if______.

you are unsure about the audience’s level of understanding

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If you face a skeptical audience, try to______.

introduce your conclusions and recommendations gradually

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Educating your audience requires______.

giving only enough information to accomplish the purpose of the message

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When meeting your audience’s informational needs, you emphasize ideas______.

of greatest interest to the audience

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A good way to test the thoroughness of your business message is to check it for______.

the who, what, when, where, why, and how

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Which of the following statements best reflects the “you” attitude?

You will have your merchandise by July 15 if you send us your check for $25 today.

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Select the sentence with the best “you” attitude.

Once the project includes the necessary estimates, we can proceed with the project.

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It is best to limit your use of the word “you” in business messages if______.

your organization prefers a more formal, impersonal style

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Which of the following is not a technique for helping readers who skim your document?

Keeping all sentences the same length

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When it comes to paragraph length______.

use one-sentence paragraphs only occasionally, for emphasis

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When creating a list for a business document______.

be sure to introduce them clearly

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Informative headings and subheadings______.

guide readers to think a certain way about the topics covered

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Using white space in a document ______.

provides contrast

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Justified type is type that is______

set flush on the left and flush on the right

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Centered type in business documents is______.

rarely used for text but commonly used for headings

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When selecting typefaces for most business documents, ______.

avoid using more than two typefaces on a page

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Which of the following is an example of an ethical lapse?

Informing a new employer about your previous (competing) employer’s major clients

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To help establish clear guidelines for ethical behavior, many companies provide a written_______.

code of ethics

🗑

A meeting agenda_______.

should be circulated before the meeting, providing participants with enough time to prepare

🗑

The practice of accepting multiple cultures on their own terms is known as ______.

cultural pluralism

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In the phenomenon of groupthink, the team may arrive at poor-quality decisions and even act unethically.

True

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Studies have shown that people often have cultural beliefs and biases of which they are not even aware.

True

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Use the direct approach with a negative message if______.

the situation is one in which people readily acknowledge the possibility of receiving bad news

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When using the direct approach to deliver bad news, you______.

must still work to end with a positive statement

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When using the direct approach to deliver bad news, the closing should include______.

a goodwill statement aimed at maintaining a good relationship with the audience

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Instead of beginning your negative message with a blunt announcement of the news, you can use______.

a buffer

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A way to be tactful when giving your reasons for bad news is to______.

highlight, if possible, how your negative decision benefits your readers

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Which of the following statements does the best job of delivering the bad news clearly and kindly?

Although you currently do not have the master’s degree that we require for this position, we would be happy to reconsider your application once you have completed your degree.

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Using the indirect approach, the bad news comes______.

immediately after the reasons

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A good way to make bad news less painful is to______.

de-emphasize it by embedding it in the middle of a sentence or paragraph

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When rejecting a job applicant, you can soften the blow by ______.

using a conditional statement to imply that he or she might someday receive a favorable answer

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To clearly and kindly say no, do all of the following except______.

offer a sincere apology

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When delivering bad news, wording such as “We must turn down,” “Much as I would like to,” and “We cannot afford to” ______.

is likely to cause pain and anger in the reader

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In the closing of a bad-news message, you should______.

build goodwill by ending on a positive note

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Which of the following is the most effective close for a letter rejecting a job applicant?

I wish you the best in your job search. I am sure you will find a match for your skills and interests.

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If you must send a bad-news message to someone in another country______.

use the direct approach for countries like France but the indirect approach for countries like Japan

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When you are refusing a routine request, you______.

should use the indirect approach when you’re forced to decline a request that you might have said yes to in the past

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A woman returns a formal dress to your store. It is soiled and has a rip at the hem line, but she says she is returning it unworn because it doesn't fit. How do you inform her of your refusal to give her a refund?

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.

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When you need to inform employees that a benefit will be eliminated, ______.

minimize the bad news by presenting it in as favorable a light as possible

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A letter rejecting a job applicant should______.

clearly state why he/she was not selected

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If you are responding negatively to a request, a buffer______.

validates the request

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The most important goal of a buffer is to______.

establish common ground with your reader.

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Most persuasive messages combine______.

logical and emotional factors

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When it comes to persuasive messages, the direct approach______.

is often preferable when you know your audience is likely to agree with you

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AIDA stands for______.

attention, interest, desire, action

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The purpose of the interest section of a persuasive message is to______.

explain the relevance of your message to your audience

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The purpose of the desire section of a persuasive message is to______.

help the audience embrace your idea by explaining how the change will benefit them

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When writing persuasive messages, one way to avoid faulty logic is to______.

avoid hasty generalizations

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As you consider the benefits of your product, in your marketing or sales messages you will ultimately want to______.

single out one benefit that corresponds to your readers’ primary needs or emotional concerns

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If the audience for your marketing or sales message promoting a new security system is made up of wealthy suburbanites, the consumer benefit you would most want to emphasize is______.

the reliability of the system when protecting the consumer's property

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In marketing and sales messages, the best way to handle potential objections is to______.

identify them up front and try to address as many as you can

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When compared to routine positive messages, persuasive messages aim to influence audiences who are likely to______.

resist at first

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If a supervisor approaches a worker who consistently arrives late by saying, “I know your job is important to you,” the supervisor is addressing the worker’s need for______.

safety and security

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An effective ending for a persuasive message would be:______.

Simply return the enclosed coupon by June 15 for your free oil and filter change

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The secret to a successful action phase in the AIDA format is______.

convincing readers that the action you propose is easy

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The AIDA approach for persuasive messages should be used with______.

either a direct or an indirect approach

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An advertisement stating that a new resort offers “freedom and comfort along with great value” is using______.

an emotional appeal

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When preparing a persuasive request, it is vital to______.

remain open to compromise

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When writing a persuasive request for action, you should______.

demonstrate that helping you will indeed solve a significant problem

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If price is one of your strong selling points, you should______.

give it a position of prominence, such as in the headline or as the last item in a paragraph

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Which of the following is not an effective technique for gaining audience attention in sales messages?

Emphasizing how close your company is to going out of business.

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The interest phase of a sales message should______.

provide support for whatever claims or promises you made in the attention section

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When writing reports for audiences in other cultures, it is generally best to adopt a

more formal tone than you would normally use.

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To gain credibility with your audience in business reports, do all of the following except

make the report lengthy.

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A proposal should

follow the plan for good-news messages.

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A public health expert is writing an online report on lead hazards for a widespread audience. To use the inverted pyramid style of organization, she would cover the most important information

briefly at the beginning and then gradually reveal successive layers of detail.

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When preparing review sections in a report

use review sections to summarize key points and help readers absorb the information they just read.

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If you have a great deal of detailed, specific information to present, the best visual to use would be

a table.

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A surface chart is

a form of line chart in which all the lines add up to the top line.

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The primary difference between titles and captions of visuals is that

captions are often longer than titles.

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When it comes to documenting sources in business reports,

anything from outside sources, whether it appears in the text or in a visual, should be fully documented.

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__________ refers to decorative elements that clutter documents without adding any relevant information.

Chartjunk

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Regardless of a candidate's work experience, the prime source of jobs in general appears to be

personal contacts.

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The first step in the employment process is to

find out where the job opportunities are.

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The purpose of a résumé is to______.

get you an interview

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The most common way to organize a résumé is______.

chronologically

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The best organization for the résumé of someone with a strong employment history along a progressive career path would be______.

chronological

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If you are still a student and have little work experience, your résumé should emphasize______.

your educational background

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In describing activities and achievements on your résumé, you should______.

quantify them whenever possible

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Which of the following is not a common problem that employers see in résumés?

They are too straightforward.

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To achieve the best physical appearance for your résumé, you should

leave plenty of white space

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The most common file format for uploading résumés directly to websites such as Monster.com is

Microsoft Word.

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You'll impress prospective employers with your application letter if you

none of the above.

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Unsolicited application letters to prospective employers

require more research than solicited letters.

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If your application letter and résumé fail to bring a response within a month or so, you should

write a follow-up letter.

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Employers use preliminary screening interviews to______.

narrow the field of applicants

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During a screening interview, your best approach is to______.

follow the interviewer’s lead

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Your goal in the initial screening interview is to______.

differentiate yourself from other candidates

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If you are asked back for a final job interview, the interviewer will most likely be concerned with______.

selling you on the benefits of joining the organization

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An interview in which a job candidate is criticized or provoked is a type of______.

stress interview

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Preparing for a video interview is generally______.

the same as preparing for a face-to-face interview

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An interview in which a job candidate is placed in a hands-on scenario and asked to do job-related tasks is a type of______.

situational interview

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When it comes to drug and alcohol testing______.

the great majority of companies now require it

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When asking questions during job interviews, candidates should______.

steer the discussion into areas where they can present their qualifications to peak advantage

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The best way to counteract feelings of shyness, self-consciousness, or nervousness about job interviews is to______.

identify and deal with the source of these feelings

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When choosing the clothing you will wear for an interview, the best policy is to______.

dress conservatively

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If you are a smoker and must go to a job interview, you should______.

refrain from smoking before and during the interview

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Many interviewers make a decision about the applicant______.

within the first 20 seconds of the interview

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The longest phase of a job interview is______.

the question-and-answer stage

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When a job interviewer indicates the interview is coming to a close, you should______.

prepare to leave but try to pin down what will happen next

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On your second or third visit to an organization, if you haven’t been told by the end of an interview whether you got the job, you should______.

ask tactfully when you can expect to learn of the decision

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Within two days after an interview, you should______.

write a short note of thanks (using the format for routine messages)

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