Deck 12: Preparing and Delivering Business Presentations

Question 1

If you are presenting to a large audience, ________.

A)your presentation should be more interactive
B)you less likely to be interrupted with questions
C)you will more likely be interrupted with questions
D)it is less likely that you will get through your presentation without a query from the audience
E)your presentation will be unaffected by the size of your audience

Answer 1

B
Explanation: B) Size matters. With a small audience, be prepared for a more interactive presentation since your audience may interrupt you with questions. In contrast, if you are speaking to a large audience, it's likely you can get through your presentation without someone interrupting you with questions.

Question 2

Which of the following is NOT true regarding audience analysis?

A)Anticipating the needs, interests, attitudes, and possible biases of your audience can be very valuable in shaping your content.
B)An audience analysis worksheet can help you plan your presentation content.
C)If you don't know your audience, you cannot do anything to anticipate their responses.
D)If you know your audience is not particularly tech savvy, refrain from using long technical explanations.
E)You should emphasize potential savings to an audience that is very cost conscious.

Answer 2

C
Explanation: C) You will certainly be at an advantage if you know the individuals in your audience, but even if you don't, you can imagine how they might respond. Put yourself in their shoes and look at the situation from their perspective.

Question 3

If, as a result of your presentation, you want your audience to approve funding for new teleconferencing hardware and software, then your presentation is ________.

A)informational
B)persuasive
C)instructional
D)collaborative
E)anecdotal

Answer 3

B
Explanation: B) If the desired outcome of your presentation is to make your audience believe something or do something, it is a persuasive presentation.

Question 4

The more specific your objective, ________.

A)the more difficult it will be to create an effective presentation
B)the more time it will take to create an effective presentation
C)the longer your presentation will need to be to be effective
D)the easier it will be to create an effective presentation
E)the shorter your presentation will need to be to be effective

Question 5

If, as the result of your presentation, you want your audience to discuss with you the pros and cons of outsourcing work versus hiring an intern to do it, then your presentation will be ________.

A)informational
B)persuasive
C)instructional
D)collaborative
E)anecdotal

Question 6

Jane needs to create a presentation to teach her coworkers how to work with the new database system. This means that her presentation will be ________.

A)informational
B)persuasive
C)instructional
D)collaborative
E)anecdotal

Question 7

Susanna wants to present a demonstration to one or two people in a conference room. Which of the following would be the most appropriate medium?

A)whiteboards
B)props
C)slides
D)video
E)flipcharts

Question 8

You've planned for a 30-minute presentation, but as you walk into the room you discover that the VP, who is your primary audience, must leave in 15 minutes. You should ________.

A)show all your slides, just twice as fast as you'd planned
B)show just the first half of your slides
C)start halfway through and show just the second half of your slides
D)show just the crucial slides, leaving additional support until later
E)show every other slide, assuming that your audience will be able to connect the dots

Question 9

If your general outcome for a presentation is to make your audience believe or do something, then your specific outcome could be for your audience ________.

A)to learn the new process for filing claims
B)to understand why the old process for filing claims was faulty
C)to share some stories about problems with the old process for filing claims
D)to agree to implement a new process for filing claims
E)to discuss the pros and cons of the old process for filing claims versus those of implementing a new process

Question 10

When you deliver a business presentation ________.

A)you are limited to one and only one medium
B)you should not include more than two medium options
C)mixing several medium options is not recommended, as this will likely confuse your audience
D)you can combine multiple options that best serve your purpose, audience, content, and setting
E)you should never embed video or audio files with your slides

Question 11

According to the table for selecting the best medium, if you want to encourage your audience to listen and look carefully, which of the following would NOT be appropriate?

A)slides
B)podcasts
C)document cameras
D)handouts
E)flipcharts

Question 12

All business presentations ________.

A)present analysis
B)present recommendations
C)update the audience on a project
D)motivate the audience to act in a certain way
E)are designed to accomplish a business goal

Question 13

This medium choice ________.

A)meets all of Jasper's criteria
B)meets Jasper's audience- and setting-related criteria, but not his purpose- and content-related criteria
C)meets Jasper's purpose- and content-related criteria, but not his audience- and setting-related criteria
D)meets Jasper's audience-related criteria, but not his purpose-related criteria
E)meets none of Jasper's criteria

Question 14

Which of the following is considered part of analyzing your setting?

A)how many people will be in your audience
B)the needs and interests of your audience
C)your audience's level of familiarity with your topic
D)whether your audience will be in the same room with you
E)relevant personal information about your audience

Question 15

Which of the following mediums would be appropriate for Jasper's presentation?

A)podcasts
B)flipcharts
C)props
D)slides
E)document cameras

Question 16

Whiteboards are recommended when you want to ________.

A)encourage the audience to collaborate and create content
B)encourage the audience to listen and look carefully
C)communicate complex material that people need to look at carefully
D)provide a demonstration
E)have an electronic record of the material

Question 17

Max will be presenting for his boss regarding a flex-time schedule. Max's boss does not accept arguments based solely on employee happiness or unhappiness. Which of the following would be the best approach for Max?

A)To stress that on a recent company survey, the majority of employees were in favour of a flex-time schedule.
B)To emphasize that work/life balance is one of the biggest issues facing North American business today.
C)To relate anecdotal evidence from other companies that have implemented a flex-time schedule, showing how it has improved the lives of several individual employees.
D)To provide research showing that flex-time scheduling is related to increased productivity and decreased employee turnover.
E)To give personal testimony as to how much it would improve Max's life if the flex-time schedule were to be implemented.

Question 18

Which of the following is NOT an advantage of effectively produced slide presentations?

A)They help organize the logic and flow of the presentation.
B)They engage the audience and keep them focused.
C)They require little time or effort to put together.
D)They keep the presenter on track during the presentation.
E)They provide a written record of the main ideas.

Question 19

Typically, 20 minutes of presentation time translates into ________ slides, though if your presentation is more interactive you should plan for fewer slides.

A)5 to 10
B)10 to 15
C)15 to 20
D)20 to 25
E)25 to 30

Question 20

When you're presenting to a small audience in a small room, all of the following mediums are recommended as appropriate EXCEPT ________.

A)flipboards
B)podcasts
C)slides
D)props
E)handouts

Question 21

Benita organizes her presentation by listing the three options to the business problem she is addressing, in order of most desirable to least desirable. She is using ________ organization.

A)component parts
B)chronological order
C)conceptual order
D)questions/answers
E)categorization

Question 22

Saying that a slide deck needs to make "stand-alone sense" means that it ________.

A)needs to be comprehensive
B)needs to include every word you plan to say
C)requires the presence of the presenter standing there to make sense of it
D)requires supporting documents like handouts to be understood
E)needs to be comprehensible to anyone who reads it without the benefit of the presenter

Question 23

Which of the following benefits would be best to emphasize when your primary audience is from the human resources department?

A)Implementing this program will be seen as progress toward the company's long-term technology initiative.
B)Implementing this program will better enable employees to complete their assignments and increase employee morale.
C)Implementing this program will raise the esteem of the company in the eyes of the media and consequently the general public.
D)Implementing this program will decrease the amount of time that is spent on routine paperwork.
E)Implementing this program will eradicate the financial losses currently incurred due to duplicated efforts of employees.

Question 24

If you are talking about proposed changes to a school curriculum and present changes to kindergarten, changes to the first grade, changes to the second grade, changes to the third grade, and changes to the fourth grade, you are breaking your content down into ________.

A)conceptual order
B)component parts
C)chronological order
D)problem/solution
E)question/answer

Question 25

All of the following are recommended ways to establish rapport with your audience by piquing their interest EXCEPT ________.

A)stating a relevant fact
B)describing the organization of your report
C)sharing an appropriate anecdote
D)quoting a familiar saying
E)asking a question

Question 26

You're at the introduction of your presentation. If you don't already have credibility with your audience, ________.

A)this is a good time to earn it
B)it's too late to try to establish it now
C)wait until the body of your presentation before attempting to build it
D)try to establish it with a strong closing
E)make a mental note to establish it before your next presentation

Question 27

The end of a presentation is ________ the beginning.

A)as important as
B)less important than
C)far more important than
D)insignificant compared to
E)less memorable than

Question 28

Which of the following benefits would be best to emphasize when you find out that just yesterday the principal decision-maker in your audience sent out a memo urging cost-cutting measures?

A)Implementing this program will be seen as progress toward the company's long-term technology initiative.
B)Implementing this program will better enable employees to complete their assignments and increase employee morale.
C)Implementing this program will raise the esteem of the company in the eyes of the media and consequently the general public.
D)Implementing this program will decrease the amount of time that is spent on routine paperwork.
E)Implementing this program will eradicate the financial losses currently incurred due to duplicated effort of employees.

Question 29

Starting a presentation with a(n)________ can be risky.

A)fact
B)anecdote
C)quotation
D)question
E)statistic

Question 30

In visual aid presentations, ________.

A)support material on the body of each slide develops and explains its headline
B)the speaker's words primarily provide backup and the slides carry the main story of the presentation
C)ideally much more space is devoted to various forms of illustration that focus the discussion
D)the slides are visually appealing and do not require oral explication
E)the slides must make "stand-alone sense"

Question 31

A(n)________ is a very short story, usually a true one, that can bring a subject to life.

A)fact
B)anecdote
C)quotation
D)message headline
E)animation

Question 32

At the end of your introduction ________.

A)preview the presentation's organization
B)ask your audience what they'd like you to tell them
C)answer any questions you think will be on your audience's mind as they listen to your presentation
D)call your audience to action
E)make next steps clear

Question 33

The introduction to your presentation should do all of the following EXCEPT ________.

A)get your audience's attention
B)establish rapport with your audience
C)motivate your audience to care about your presentation
D)preview the organization of your presentation
E)make clear what your audience's action steps are

Question 34

Cassie is putting together a stand-alone presentation. Which of the following is NOT one of the criteria her presentation should meet?

A)Cassie's slide deck needs to be comprehensible to anyone who reads it without her there to explain the information.
B)Cassie's slides should primarily provide illustration and backup for her words.
C)Cassie's slides must include an agenda slide.
D)Cassie's slides must include message headlines summarizing the key point of each slide.
E)Cassie's slides must include material on each slide that develops its headline.

Question 35

Starting a presentation with a question ________.

A)involves no risk whatsoever
B)requires a genuine question that you'd actually like your audience to answer
C)should not involve a rhetorical question
D)immediately involves your audience
E)is not a recommended way to establish rapport with your audience by piquing their interest

Question 36

Organizing content for a business presentation by the problem/solution pattern ________.

A)is counterintuitive, but sometimes useful
B)should always involve equally weighting both parts
C)means showing your audience how you can help them take advantage of an opportunity
D)should usually weight the solution more heavily than the problem
E)often results in presentations that don't achieve their goal because they spend so little time on the problem that they put too much weight on the solution

Question 37

Kyle is preparing a presentation about why the company should switch to a new operating system. He organizes his content by listing the seven reasons for the switch, in order of least importance to greatest importance. Kyle ________.

A)should have ordered the reasons from greatest importance to least importance
B)should have listed the reasons in the chronological order that they occurred in the company
C)is including more categories than is recommended for this organizational pattern
D)is appropriately following the opportunity/action pattern
E)needs to add at least two more categories

Question 38

All of the following are ways to motivate your audience to care about your proposal EXCEPT ________.

A)telling them that you will solve their problem
B)addressing a need for change
C)identifying an opportunity that they can take advantage of
D)specifying a way that your audience will benefit
E)explaining how your topic is valuable to you

Question 39

Which of the following would be the most effective way to begin a presentation on implementing a new training program?

A)Our current training system is not up to par.
B)Are you aware that our training system is outdated?
C)Two out of every five employees are not sufficiently prepared for their jobs by our current training system.
D)I remember my first job. I went through a couple of days of training and then was ready to go and do my work.
E)Training is very important to the success of our company.

Question 40

Dexter is delivering a presentation on a new project that is perceived as risky by some members of his audience. He opens his presentation with the following words: "Nothing ventured, nothing gained." This is an example of establishing rapport by ________.

A)stating a fact
B)telling an anecdote
C)quoting a familiar saying
D)asking a question
E)sharing a secret

Question 41

Which of the following would NOT be a good last-minute tip to give John?

A)When you get to the meeting space, greet your audience and try to get used to talking with them.
B)If you're feeling stressed, use relaxation techniques to focus your mind.
C)If you're in a technology room that requires low light, start speaking with the lights low so as not to have to turn them down later and unsettle your audience.
D)If possible, start your presentation before projecting any visuals to connect with your audience before moving onto your slides.
E)Remove keys or loose change or anything else from your pockets that can jingle when you move and distract yourself and/or your audience.

Question 42

During a presentation, smiling ________.

A)is frowned upon
B)projects energy
C)is universally encouraged in both speaker and audience, regardless of cultural context
D)tenses up your facial muscles
E)makes it more likely your audience will argue with you

Question 43

Your colleague Anita previews for you the slides she created for an upcoming presentation. You notice that she used slide animations on almost every slide. What advice would you give her?

A)Animations are engaging and should be used anywhere possible on your slides.
B)Animations are not necessary but fun so you should squeeze them in as much as possible.
C)Animation should be used only to reveal bullet points one at a time.
D)Animation is encouraged only when it helps your audience better understand your point.
E)Animation trivializes your concepts and should not be used in serious presentations.

Question 44

________ provide the audience with documentation of your presentation that they can refer to long after your presentation is over.

A)Handouts
B)Appendices
C)Slides
D)Animations
E)Hyperlinks

Question 45

Anne includes most of the text she plans to speak about during her presentation on the slides themselves. This is ________.

A)a good idea, so she can use the slides as a script during the presentation
B)a good idea, since it will give her audience more to focus on
C)a good idea, as white space on slides is undesirable
D)a poor idea, because this layout will convey too much originality
E)a poor idea, since the audience can absorb more when the slides contain less information

Question 46

What should you tell him regarding practicing?

A)Going over the words in your head is sufficient to prepare.
B)Saying the words aloud will create a "sound image" to recall during your presentation.
C)Practicing will just make you more nervous about the whole presentation.
D)Going in spontaneously is most effective, as the adrenaline will propel you forward.
E)You want your words to sound natural, so don't practice them in advance.

Question 47

Visualizing the outcome for your audience means ________.

A)telling the audience what you've told them
B)reminding your audience why you talked about the topics you discussed
C)drawing up a plan for who is responsible for what
D)providing a visual reference like a timeline to outline next steps
E)painting a picture of the audience's world when your plans or recommendations are in place

Question 48

Using "Insert" to bring images into a presentation ________.

A)requires so much technical expertise that it is not recommended
B)is an effective technique to increase the size of presentation files
C)will cause PowerPoint to create a very large embedded object
D)is a tip you can use to shrink the size of presentation files
E)results in objects that are much larger than if you had simply copied and pasted or dragged images into PowerPoint

Question 49

Will needs to decrease the size of his presentation files, as they are currently too large to email. Which of the following would be the best way for him to do so?

A)turn on "fast saves"
B)compress his pictures
C)delete entire slides from the presentation
D)drag images into PowerPoint so that they are embedded objects
E)remove all images, pictures, and graphics

Question 50

In business communication ________.

A)the message should be secondary to the presentation slide design
B)you should encourage your audience to focus on the design elements of your slides
C)it is best to make your slide design intricate to hold your audience's attention
D)effective visual communication emphasizes your message over design elements
E)when your slide design competes with your content, you're doing something right

Question 51

In terms of body language, during a presentation you should ________.

A)stand in one position
B)keep your hands in your pockets
C)pick just a couple of people in the front of the audience with whom to make eye contact
D)engage just the decision makers in the audience
E)smile

Question 52

________ are software effects that control when and how elements appear on your slide when you present.

A)Data slides
B)Animations
C)Story boards
D)Slide masters
E)Hyperlinks

Question 53

In less formal presentations, ________.

A)you still need to wear business-formal clothing
B)your appearance is not significant, so you don't need to put any thought into what you wear
C)you should wear clothing that looks neat and allows you to move comfortably
D)you'd like people to focus on your clothing, so wear what you would wear for a night out
E)you should choose a piece of jewellery that makes a statement to grab your audience's attention

Question 54

Using a bullet-point layout would be appropriate for all of the following EXCEPT ________.

A)the four steps in a manufacturing process
B)several examples of how a problem is manifesting itself
C)a paragraph citing several categories of marketing expenses
D)a list of possible solutions to a problem
E)the top three reasons for implementing a new process

Question 55

In which situation would you NOT use a hyperlink?

A)to access a detailed appendix slide containing information your audience asked about
B)to launch a slide from another presentation
C)to move linearly through your presentation without any detours
D)to link to a website you discuss in your presentation
E)to present the slides in your presentation out of order

Question 56

Anne is trying to get a sense of the overall structure of her slide presentation. She sketches headlines and ideas for the body of the slides on some Post-it notes, rearranging them as necessary. Anne is creating a(n)________ for her presentation.

A)storyboard
B)template
C)slide master
D)animation
E)conclusion

Question 57

A slide master ________.

A)is not available in PowerPoint
B)enforces consistency in your visual elements
C)saves you time but runs the risk of inconsistent formatting
D)is useful as it allows you to cut and paste the formatting from one slide to the next
E)is incompatible with a simple look

Question 58

You talk to John about how a presenter preparing to give a presentation is analogous to an athlete getting ready for an athletic performance. So when you tell him to get into a ready position before he speaks, this means he ________.

A)should get into a batting stance
B)should get into position to make a jump shot
C)must jog in place until he begins
D)needs to stand in a position that makes him feel comfortable and confident, so that his gestures and movements will feel more natural
E)must always stand with hands loose at his side, knees and elbows relaxed, weight balanced on both feet, and feet exactly a shoulder width apart

Question 59

The concept of ________ comes from the film industry and it helps you see the big picture of the presentation before you get too involved in creating individual slides.

A)animations
B)a storyboard
C)a slide deck
D)message headlines
E)impromptu speaking

Question 60

John is unsure of where he should best position himself during the presentation. What should you tell him?

A)If there's a podium, stand behind it to give yourself a feeling of security and superiority.
B)It's a good idea to use a large desk to create a barrier between you and your audience.
C)Don't walk about using a remote control, as this will confuse your audience.
D)If you are using a projector, try to walk between the screen and the projector's light.
E)Clear space around equipment so you can walk about with ease and approach the audience.

Question 61

If someone asks a question that you cannot answer, ________.

A)never say "I don't know"
B)stall for time and if after a minute or so you still can't answer, apologetically admit that you don't know
C)don't be afraid to say "I don't know"
D)maintain your credibility by trying to bluff your way around the question
E)dismiss the question as irrelevant to avoid having to admit that you don't know

Question 62

An exchange with the audience at the end of your presentation ________.

A)helps you build your credibility by demonstrating your expertise and openness
B)is not an effective way to make your presentation interactive
C)gives you no way to deflect or address your audience's criticism
D)undermines and trivializes the important parts of your presentation
E)does not require or benefit from advance planning on your part

Question 63

Visual aid presentations ideally devote much more space to various forms of illustrations that focus the discussion and demonstrate the points than stand-alone presentations do.

Question 64

Less than one-quarter of the graduates entering the workforce excel at oral communication.

Question 65

Emma is winding down her presentation and is ready for questions. She is excited about this interactive element of her presentation and really wants to encourage participation. Which of the following would be best for Emma to say?

A)Are there any questions?
B)What questions do you have?
C)That's it for the presentation, unless anyone has a question.
D)So we're all done here except for questions.
E)Unless anyone has a question, we can wrap up.

Question 66

A stand-alone presentation should not include an agenda slide.

Question 67

A business presentation generally emerges from a specific business question.

Question 68

If you get a hostile question ________.

A)become defensive
B)try to prove that you are right
C)say "I'll get to that later"
D)dismiss the questioner
E)work to identify the source of the objection

Question 69

If you will be using computer equipment that is already in the room, you should verify in advance that your material will be projected as you intend it to.

Question 70

If you want your audience to know why the database is currently sluggish and understand how the adjustments being made will lead to better processing times, then your presentation is collaborative.

Question 71

Which of the following is NOT a benefit of a Q&A session?

A)making your presentation interactive
B)learning from their questions how well your audience understands your points
C)having a chance to emphasize and expand upon important points
D)diffusing criticism and objections with skillful replies
E)fielding a question that takes the presentation off track

Question 72

Your first job when the presentation begins is to get your audience's attention with a strong introduction.

Question 73

When presenting as a team ________.

A)everyone on the team must participate equally in the presentation
B)the sum of the parts should be greater than the whole
C)interrupt immediately if a teammate forgets to mention a point
D)practice transitions from person to person
E)be prepared to present your own slides only

Question 74

If you know that your audience is not very familiar with with technology issues, you should refrain from using technical jargon in your presentation.

Question 75

When used effectively, slide presentations help organize the logic and flow of the presentation.

Question 76

The text makes an analogy between a presenter preparing to deliver a presentation and an athlete preparing for an athletic performance. Which of the following best illustrates how this analogy could be applied to the process of a presenter performing audience analysis?

A)scouting out the other team to discover the kinds of pitches their pitcher throws
B)"trash talking" the opposition to diminish their confidence
C)taking illegal performance enhancing aids to artificially boost your performance
D)assessing the judges' preferences in order to tailor your figure skating performance to their tastes
E)sabotaging the other team's equipment to gain an unfair advantage

Question 77

Nothing destroys audience attention more than ________.

A)projecting your voice to the back of the room
B)speaking in a monotone voice
C)minimizing verbal tics
D)pausing intentionally
E)speaking slowly

Question 78

During a presentation, pausing intentionally ________.

A)signals that something new is coming
B)should never be done
C)prevents your audience from processing information
D) is discouraged, as silence is always a speaker's enemy
E)increases the incidence of "ers" and "ums"

Question 79

The time of day you are presenting has no impact on your presentation.

Question 80

Rob sees an effective slide in a presentation given by a coworker. The next time Rob has to give a presentation, he remembers that slide and wants to use it. In this situation he should ________.

A)not use the slide, as doing so would violate his coworker's copyright
B)not use the slide, as doing so would be unethical and unoriginal
C)use the slide without having to acknowledge the source
D)use the slide only if he purchases a license to do so
E)use the slide, being sure to include a citation