Deck 4: Writing Business Messages

Question 1

Which of the following is not a recommended strategy for creating an effective business writing style?

A) Use plain English.
B) Use an elevated and formal tone.
C) Avoid obsolete language.
D) Avoid preaching and bragging.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Select the sentence with the best "you" attitude.

A) G&B's savings scheme is the best of its kind in the country.
B) G&B has offerings tailored to every need.
C) Learn how to save your money with G&B's new savings scheme.
D) Helping customers save money is our aim at G&B.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

For most business messages you should use a ________.

A) legalistic tone
B) conversational tone
C) confidential tone
D) formal tone

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Identify the type of bias in the sentence "It requires great dedication to be a doctor because a doctor must always put his patient's interests before his own."

A) Ethnic bias
B) Gender bias
C) Age bias
D) Disability bias

Question 5

"For an older person,he knows a lot about computers." This statement is an example of ________ bias.

A) gender
B) disability
C) age
D) racial

Question 6

Which of the following sentences uses bias-free language?

A) Despite Ms. Curtis's disability, she does a good job.
B) Ms. Curtis's disability does not prevent her from doing a good job.
C) For a disabled person, Ms. Curtis does a good job.
D) Ms. Curtis's employee evaluations rank among the top five in the company.

Question 7

Which voice will allow you to write more direct,shorter,and more vigorous sentences?

A) Active
B) Imperative or vocative
C) Passive
D) State of being

Question 8

Which of the following negative effects can result from the use of euphemisms?

A) Euphemisms often convey disrespect or rudeness.
B) Negative news is conveyed in a negative way.
C) There is a risk that the truth might be obscured.
D) Euphemisms can trigger negative connotations.

Question 9

Biased language ________.

A) often leads listeners to disbelieve unfair stereotypes
B) conveys meaning without carrying negative connotations
C) avoids words and phrases that unfairly categorize or stigmatize people
D) perpetuates the underlying stereotypes and prejudices that it represents

Question 10

Bias-free language ________.

A) is often unethical and can obscure the truth
B) avoids words and phrases that unfairly or unethically stigmatize people
C) uses milder synonyms in place of stronger words to minimize negative emotions
D) communicates in terms of the point of view of the audience, using the audience's interests and preferences

Question 11

Which of the following is a euphemistic way of saying that someone is stubborn?

A) Marina is very tenacious.
B) Jules is a very unyielding person.
C) Joshua has an inflexible way of working.
D) Sylvia is obstinate about certain matters.

Question 12

Which voice will allow you to be diplomatic about pointing out a problem or error?

A) State of being
B) Active
C) Passive
D) Imperative or vocative

Question 13

Which of the following phrases no longer belongs in business messages?

A) Be advised that
B) We have received
C) As per your letter
D) Both A and C

Question 14

Matthew heads the HR team at his workplace.Two team members,Alex and Brianna,are involved in a conflict regarding work.Matthew supports Alex,because he and Alex often go bowling together.In this case,Matthew's lack of ________ can undermine his credibility with his coworkers.

A) honesty
B) objectivity
C) sincerity
D) competence

Question 15

To create an effective business writing style,it is a good idea to ________.

A) adapt a personal and familiar tone, like you are old friends
B) simplify your language
C) use humour
D) all of the above

Question 16

Select the sentence with the best positive emphasis.

A) We failed to complete the process audit on time.
B) We will complete the process audit by Friday.
C) Because of Joan's inaccurate figures on the Haymen project, we have not finished the process audit.
D) The process audit was delayed due to operational reasons.

Question 17

Using the term chairperson for women and chairman for men is an example of ________.

A) racial bias
B) ethnic bias
C) gender bias
D) euphemism

Question 18

Elena is the director for a retirement home.She is writing material that will be included in the brochure promoting the home.When referring to the residents of the home,she is careful to use "senior citizens" instead of "old people," to avoid the unpleasant connotations of the words.This is an example of the use of ________.

A) comparison
B) metaphors
C) euphemisms
D) similes

Question 19

Which of the following sentences is the best illustration of the "you" attitude?

A) Because your report was poorly written, we cannot accept it.
B) Your report failed to meet company requirements.
C) When we receive a report that is professional, we can act on your recommendations.
D) Once the report includes the necessary estimates, the project can proceed.

Question 20

In general,written and electronic communication ________.

A) cannot use the "you" attitude
B) allow the writer to adjust the message according to the audience's reaction
C) require more tact than oral communication
D) are only used when an informal approach is required

Question 21

In business writing,grammatical correctness is very important because ________.

A) errors can damage your credibility
B) errors can confuse the reader
C) it shows your education level
D) both A and B

Question 22

A sentence that has two main clauses,at least one of which contains a subordinate clause,is called a ________.

A) complex sentence
B) compound sentence
C) compound-complex sentence
D) simple sentence

Question 23

Identify the voice in the following sentence: When the committee hired Jane,they followed correct procedures.

A) Imperative or vocative
B) Active
C) State of being
D) Passive

Question 24

Identify the voice in the following sentence: Mary wrote the report.

A) Active
B) Imperative or vocative
C) Passive
D) State of being

Question 25

Identify the voice in the following sentence: The bridge was faultily designed.

A) Active
B) State of being
C) Passive
D) Imperative or vocative

Question 26

What kind of sentence is this? "Management is hiring a new head of personnel,and while we may not agree with their move,we know the reasons for their action."

A) Compound-complex sentence
B) Compound sentence
C) Complex sentence
D) Simple sentence

Question 27

A sentence that expresses two or more independent but related thoughts of equal importance,usually joined by and,but,or or,is called a ________.

A) complex sentence
B) compound-complex sentence
C) compound sentence
D) simple sentence

Question 28

A sentence that has a single subject and a single predicate is called a ________.

A) compound-complex sentence
B) complex sentence
C) simple sentence
D) compound sentence

Question 29

What kind of sentence is this? "Stock prices have fallen at an unprecedented rate,and foreign investments are far below normal levels."

A) Compound-complex sentence
B) Compound sentence
C) Simple sentence
D) Complex sentence

Question 30

Identify the voice in the following sentence: The national anthem was sung by Mark.

A) Active
B) State of being
C) Passive
D) Imperative or vocative

Question 31

To choose strong words,________.

A) avoid adjective and adverbs
B) use nouns
C) use action verbs
D) all of the above

Question 32

Which voice would you use if you wanted to avoid sounding accusatory?

A) Active
B) Imperative or vocative
C) Passive
D) State of being

Question 33

What kind of sentence is this? "While you may disagree with Joan's recommendations,you must admit that her suggestions would save the company money."

A) Simple sentence
B) Complex sentence
C) Compound-complex sentence
D) Compound sentence

Question 34

Identify the voice in the following sentence: Be sure to fill out each item on the form.

A) Imperative or vocative
B) State of being
C) Active
D) Passive

Question 35

A sentence that expresses one main thought and one or more subordinate thoughts related to it is called a ________.

A) complex sentence
B) compound sentence
C) simple sentence
D) compound-complex sentence

Question 36

Select the sentence that is bias-free.

A) All sales representatives and their wives are invited to the reception.
B) All salesmen and their spouses are invited to the reception.
C) All sales representatives and their guests are invited to the reception.
D) All salesmen and their guests are invited to the reception.

Question 37

What kind of sentence is this? "Management is hiring a new head of personnel."

A) Compound-complex sentence
B) Compound sentence
C) Simple sentence
D) Complex sentence

Question 38

All of the following are techniques for selecting the best words EXCEPT ________.

A) avoid jargon
B) choose formal and unfamiliar words
C) avoid clichés
D) blend abstract and concrete words

Question 39

Which voice can allow you to leave the actor completely out of the sentence?

A) State of being
B) Passive
C) Imperative or vocative
D) Active

Question 40

What is jargon?

A) The specialized language of a particular profession
B) Buzzwords that signal you're an insider
C) Terms and phrases so common they have lost their meaning
D) Familiar words that most people will understand

Question 41

Sarah needs to send out an email to all the clients of her firm.The content of the mail will remain the same; all that needs to be changed is the names and addresses of the recipients.Which of the following should Sarah use?

A) File merge
B) Templates
C) Style sheets
D) Mail merge

Question 42

You can give emphasis to key points by ________.

A) using simple sentences
B) making important ideas the subject
C) giving more space to important ideas
D) both B and C

Question 43

The five members of Elena's team are working on five different parts of a report.Elena needs to make sure that the formatting for paragraphs and certain words remain consistent throughout,so that when it's ready,all five parts of the report can be integrated seamlessly.Which of the following tools can Elena's team use to achieve this consistency?

A) Typescripts
B) Themes
C) Style sheets
D) Boilerplate

Question 44

A paragraph that focuses on the reasons for something is developed according to which method?

A) Comparison or contrast
B) Problem and solution
C) Illustration
D) Cause and effect

Question 45

________ are collections of formatting choices for words,paragraphs,and other elements.

A) Typecasts
B) Style sheets
C) Boilerplates
D) Themes

Question 46

You can use transitions ________.

A) inside paragraphs
B) inside sentences
C) between sentences
D) inside major sections

Question 47

When you want to use similarities or differences to develop the main idea in a paragraph,which method of development would be the most effective?

A) Illustration
B) Classification
C) Cause and effect
D) Comparison or contrast

Question 48

Elena's team members are working on five different parts of a report.Which of the following tools will help them put the five parts together once the report is complete?

A) Templates
B) File merge
C) Style sheets
D) Mail merge

Question 49

Which of the following refers to a standard block of text that is reused in multiple documents?

A) Template
B) Theme
C) Boilerplate
D) Style sheet

Question 50

A piece of text copied from the main body of the document and formatted as a large,eye-catching visual element is known as a ________.

A) theme
B) tagline
C) pull quote
D) boilerplate

Question 51

Which of the following statements about writing technology and tools is true?

A) Style sets address the overall look and feel of the page, including colour palettes and background images.
B) Both autocompletion and autocorrection refer to the same function.
C) Standard blocks of text that are reused in multiple documents are known as style sheets.
D) Templates set overall document parameters such as page size and provide a set of styles to use.

Question 52

Which of the following transitions are examples of a summary?

A) In short
B) Therefore
C) Furthermore
D) Although

Question 53

Words or phrases that tie ideas together and show how one thought is related to another are called ________.

A) clichés
B) jargon
C) coherent
D) transitions

Question 54

The transition "moreover" is used to ________.

A) add an idea
B) establish a causal relationship
C) compare and contrast
D) summarize the findings

Question 55

What gives a paragraph unity?

A) A clear topic sentence
B) Transitions that connect ideas
C) Each sentence is clearly related to the main idea
D) Contains enough information to make the subject convincing and interesting

Question 56

If you want to emphasize the idea in a dependent clause,where should you put it in the sentence?

A) At the beginning
B) At the end
C) In the middle
D) Between two strong verbs

Question 57

________ tend to address the overall look and feel of the page or screen,including colour palettes and background images.

A) Style sheets
B) Boilerplates
C) Style sets
D) Themes

Question 58

All the employees of Magus Enterprises are required to have a block of text containing a few standard lines about the company at the bottom of all work emails.This is known as ________ text.

A) template
B) boilerplate
C) transcript
D) facsimile

Question 59

When you want to develop a paragraph by showing how a general idea is broken into specific categories,which of these methods would you use?

A) Comparison or contrast
B) Cause and effect
C) Illustration
D) Classification

Question 60

Which of the following describes a topic sentence?

A) It provides a transition to your next idea.
B) It contains a fact.
C) It must come at the beginning of a paragraph.
D) It states the purpose of the paragraph.

Question 61

Euphemisms are milder synonyms that can express an idea while triggering fewer negative connotations.

Question 62

Nouns and verbs are the most concrete kinds of words.

Question 63

Abstract words should be avoided in all business writing; they are too unclear.

Question 64

It's always appropriate to use humour in business prose.

Question 65

Using passive voice makes sense in some situations when it allows you to focus on your audience and demonstrate the "you" attitude.

Question 66

Passive voice creates more direct,shorter sentences and makes your writing more vigorous,concise,and easier to understand.

Question 67

It's a good rule when writing business messages to avoid being too intimate,too folksy,or chatty.

Question 68

Plain English can help you simplify the messages you prepare for audiences who speak English as a second or even third language.

Question 69

Grammatical or usage errors detract from your credibility with your audience.

Question 70

Good business writing is very formal in tone.

Question 71

Concrete words are far more specific than abstractions.

Question 72

Most business messages aim for a conversational tone,using plain language that sounds businesslike without being stuffy,stiff,wordy,or full of jargon.

Question 73

To write clear and direct business messages,it's important to avoid clichés.

Question 74

When you want to point out what has happened without placing blame,it's best to use the passive voice.

Question 75

Using "senior citizens," rather than "old people," when referring to people beyond a certain age is an example of euphemism.

Question 76

Using the "you" attitude means putting the sender's priorities first.

Question 77

When communicating across cultures,it is important to include humour in order to put your audience at ease.

Question 78

An abstract word stands for something you can touch,see,taste,hear,or feel.

Question 79

You achieve coherence by using active or passive voice to show the relationship between paragraphs and among sentences within paragraphs.

Question 80

When writing the first draft,you should try to get everything right the first time.