Deck 4: Preparing Spoken and Written Messages

Question 1

Bullets are usually preferred over numerals in a document list unless sequence is important.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

The readability level of a passage is affected by the length of the sentences and difficulty of the words.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Business writers normally use active voice more frequently than passive voice because active voice conveys ideas more vividly.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Talking headings recap the information presented in the preceding paragraph.

Question 5

To emphasize a word or an idea, position it first or last in a sentence, clause, paragraph, or document.

Question 6

An effective writer should try to write at the exact grade level of the receiver.

Question 7

Passive voice is used in the following sentence: "The stockholders read the annual report."

Question 8

Grammar and style checkers in word processing programs replace the need for a human editor.

Question 9

Writing a message with a reading index appropriate to the audience guarantees that the message will be understood.

Question 10

The first step in proofreading a document that you have word processed is to use the spell check.

Question 11

In the sentence "Even though your work was late, we completed the project on time," the negative information is in a de-emphasized position.

Question 12

When proofreading, reading a document from right to left is recommended because it helps the writer focus on individual words and spacing elements within the text.

Question 13

Chunking breaks text down into blocks of information, introduces reader-friendly white space, and increases retention by as much as 50 percent.

Question 14

Placing a border around a paragraph sets the text apart while adding shading inside a box gives it greater impact.

Question 15

The imagery in a passive voice sentence is less distinct than it would be if the sentence was in active voice.

Question 16

Slow, deliberative writing is recommended when drafting a business message.

Question 17

For emphasis, one should place an idea in an independent clause; for de-emphasis, place an idea in a dependent clause.

Question 18

Bulleted lists are inappropriate in business writing because they are too casual.

Question 19

All sentences in a business message should be of approximately the same length.

Question 20

Active voice is used in the following sentence: "The report on current fundraising efforts was made available to the committee."

Question 21

Techniques to emphasize important ideas include which of the following?

A) Repetition
B) Passive voice
C) Inductive order
D) All of the above

Question 22

Which of the following is NOT a technique for linking sentences?

A) Repeat a word used in a preceding sentence.
B) Use a pronoun representing a noun from the preceding sentence.
C) Use the passive voice.
D) Use connecting words.

Question 23

Which of the following is an adequate reason for choosing passive voice?

A) To emphasize the "you" focus
B) To avoid assessing blame
C) To make the sentence more emphatic
D) To make the sentence more descriptive

Question 24

"When you complete the assignment" is an example of

A) an independent clause.
B) a dependent clause.
C) passive voice.
D) deductive statement.

Question 25

Generally, when writing a first draft, you should

A) write slowly and deliberately, trying not to make mistakes.
B) write intermittently as you think of new ideas.
C) write rapidly with the intent to fix mistakes during the editing process.
D) write over a period of days to maximize creativity.

Question 26

Which of the following sentences reflects the use of active voice?

A) The new product line was developed by the Research and Development department.
B) The secretary was promoted by her supervisor to an assistant position.
C) The land developer signed the contract yesterday.
D) It was determined that sales have fallen significantly.

Question 27

In business documents, a general rule for readability is that paragraphs normally should be

A) 6 lines or less in length.
B) 7 to 12 lines in length.
C) no longer than 20 lines.
D) any desired length, as the number of lines is not important.

Question 28

Visual enhancements in a business document

A) are unnecessary when the writing is effective.
B) distract from important information in long, complex documents.
C) can be overused and create clutter.
D) can be applied easily using word processing features.

Question 29

In which situation would a communicator use an inductive outline?

A) To explain how to get optimum performance from a smart phone
B) To outline procedures for logging into a network
C) To tell employees that a two-week furlough is necessary for all employees.
D) To respond positively to a request to replace a defective treadmill

Question 30

Which of the following sentences illustrates passive voice?

A) The clerk made five errors.
B) Susan had been in sales for five years.
C) She asked for an adjustment.
D) The report was completed by the entire team.

Question 31

Providing for coherence means

A) using writing techniques that provide conciseness.
B) using various techniques to link ideas together.
C) varying the length of sentences and paragraphs.
D) selecting words that indicate the communicator's wide vocabulary.

Question 32

When writing a business message, you generally should generally

A) write at the exact grade level of the receiver.
B) manually calculate the readability level of every message.
C) write well within the reading level of the audience.
D) write what you need to say and not consider readability.

Question 33

Writer's pride of ownership is a desirable characteristic that results when the business writer takes sole responsibility for checking the accuracy of material he/she has written.

Question 34

"The training session was worthwhile; it was worthwhile because employees learned to do the task correctly." is an example of which of the following techniques used for emphasis?

A) Position
B) Repetition
C) Words that label
D) Passive voice

Question 35

Which of the following is FALSE concerning readability level?

A) A readability level of 10 means that a person would need to be able to read at the tenth-grade level to understand the material.
B) The two factors that affect the readability level are the number of words in the passage and the complexity of the sentences.
C) Many word processing programs calculate readability measures automatically.
D) The writer should use feedback on readability level to revise appropriately.

Question 36

Which of the following statements is FALSE concerning sentence and paragraph length in business writing?

A) A two-word sentence is acceptable, as is a 60-word sentence, as long as the message is clear.
B) While compound sentences should be used along with simple sentences, complex sentences should be avoided in business writing.
C) The first and last paragraphs are typically shorter than other paragraphs.
D) Paragraphs in business letters, memos, and e-mail messages are typically shorter than paragraphs in business reports.

Question 37

In a document that follows the deductive pattern, the topic sentence

A) precedes the details.
B) comes after the details.
C) contains the details.
D) leaves out any details.

Question 38

Which of the following sentences illustrates passive voice?

A) She served the customer the food.
B) The food was served to the customer.
C) The customer asked to change the order.
D) You took the customer's order.

Question 39

Which of the following is NOT a technique for achieving coherence?

A) Repeat a word used in a preceding sentence.
B) Use a pronoun to represent a noun from the preceding sentence.
C) Use connecting words.
D) Use active voice.

Question 40

Which of the following is FALSE concerning writing analysis tools in word processing programs?

A) Sentence fragments, passive voice, jargon, and clichés are some types of errors that can be detected.
B) After reviewing a document, the program can generate the total word count, average sentence length, and readability measures.
C) They flag potential errors and require the writer to accept or reject the change.
D) Such programs eliminate the need for the reader to check a passage for grammatical correctness.

Question 41

Your team has completed its analytical report for presentation to the board of directors. Which of the following should be checked in the final proofreading of the report?

A) Content, organization, and style
B) Mechanics
C) Format and layout
D) All of the above

Question 42

Proofreading by reading a document aloud while another person verifies the copy is

A) recommended for every business document.
B) recommended for extremely important documents.
C) recommended only when time permits.
D) not recommended because it takes up two people's time.

Question 43

Which of the following is an example of effective use of an enumerated list?

A) Three supervisors will travel to Orlando. They are: 1. Bob,
2) Larry, and
3) John.
B) Our company should provide access to the security system to all managers because: 1. Most managers have keys and will be entering the building during times when no one from the security office is available to disarm the system.
2) Managers should be able to allow other employees into the building.
3) Managers would see the trust our company has in them and that would help boost employee morale.
C) When you are ready to log into the network, you should: 1. Double-click the network icon located in your desktop.
2) Type in your user ID and password in the boxes indicated.
3) Click OK.
4) Select the network drive you wish to access (e.g. X: Personnel).
5) Click OK.
D) None of the above is an effective example.

Question 44

Hong's memo that describes new steps for merchandise returns should include which of the following techniques for emphasis?

A) Bulleted list
B) Talking heads
C) Numbered list
D) Boxed text

Question 45

Writer's pride of ownership refers to

A) the writer's desire to assure the total accuracy of each document created.
B) the reluctance many writers have in sharing their writing with others and accepting constructive criticism about it.
C) the writer's reluctance to share privileged information with the reader.
D) the fact that documents belong solely to the author, not the organization.

Question 46

Which of the following is the MOST effective heading in a memo report to employees?

A) Employee Benefits
B) Benefits Will Undergo Radical Alterations in Forthcoming Fiscal Year
C) Benefit Cuts
D) How Do Benefit Changes Affect You?

Question 47

Final proofreading of an important business document should typically be done

A) from the computer screen.
B) from a draft paper copy.
C) from a final copy on company letterhead.
D) from an archive file copy.

Question 48

What proofreading procedure should Anthony use when proofreading a technical support manual?

A) Proofread only once, thoroughly checking for errors of various types.
B) Proofread twice, concentrating in the first pass on content errors and in the second pass on format errors.
C) Proofread three times, concentrating on content, organization, and style in the first pass, on mechanical errors in the second pass, and reading from right to left on the third pass.
D) Allow the computer to do the proofreading, as it is more thorough and accurate.

Question 49

From a managerial point of view, which is the BEST advice?

A) Leave proofreading to the administrative help.
B) Spot check documents for accuracy before signing them.
C) Read all documents carefully before signing them.
D) Key your own documents, even if you have administrative help.

Question 50

Which of the following is NOT appropriate advice for effective revising and proofreading?

A) Attempt to see things from your reader's perspective rather than from your own.
B) Revise your documents until you cannot see any additional ways to improve them.
C) Remember that allowing others to proof your work is not helpful because you are the best judge of the accuracy of your writing.
D) All of the above are appropriate advice.

Question 51

Which of the following is NOT an effective way to revise and proofread your message?

A) Proofread the messages as many times as necessary until you cannot see any additional ways to improve it.
B) Allow someone else to read your message to judge its content, style, and accuracy.
C) Look for receiver-centeredness in your message as part of the revising process.
D) All of the above are appropriate advice.

Question 52

Which of the following is true of text chunking in documents?

A) Enumerated lists decrease visual attention given to paragraphed material.
B) Numerals are generally preferred over bullets.
C) Chunking makes the page look more organized and increases retention by 50 percent.
D) Placing a number, letter, or bullet before elements in a series reduces readers' attention to material.

Question 53

Which of the following is NOT an effective attitude when revising and proofreading documents?

A) The perspective of the audience is not as important as the writer's viewpoint.
B) Proofreading and revising documents is essential to good writing.
C) Other people can often make suggestions for improving one's writing.
D) Spell check cannot catch all errors.

Question 54

Which is the BEST technique for emphasizing to stockholders the reasons for revenue increases?

A) Place each reason in a separate paragraph.
B) Place each reason in a short, separate line preceded by a bullet.
C) Place all reasons in the first paragraph.
D) Place all reasons in the final paragraph.

Question 55

Roberto's 10-page report on emerging international markets contains important information that needs emphasis for the readers. Which of the following techniques would LEAST improve the readability of the report?

A) Enumerated or bulleted lists
B) Major and minor headings that are equally emphasized.
C) Tables and graphs
D) Short talking headings

Question 56

Discuss why the effective business communicator should vary sentence and paragraph length.

Question 57

Enumerated or bulleted lists

A) should be placed only in an appendix section of a business document.
B) detract from the flow of the written message.
C) can be used to add visual impact to items in a series.
D) result in too much wasted white space in a business document.

Question 58

Which of the following is true of document headings?

A) Readers are more motivated to pay attention to a document with headings than one without headings.
B) Headings should not reveal the conclusions reached in the discussion.
C) Major and minor headings should be formatted to receive equal attention.
D) All of the above are true.

Question 59

Explain the value of using the reading level feature when word processing a document.

Question 60

Which of the following is the most effective report heading?

A) Quarterly Sales
B) 4th Quarter Sales
C) 4th Quarter Sales Exceed Predictions
D) Sales

Question 61

List and briefly explain five visual enhancements a writer can use to draw attention to important information.

Question 62

Email Request to Employees
Revise the following paragraph from an email message to employees. Focus on use of voice, appropriate sentence length, and word selection to make the passage effective.
With the approach of the end of this fiscal year, it has been recommended by our accountant that the monies allocated in the budget to capital equipment be used as soon as is expedient. Therefore, as has been our practice in the past, we are requesting that each of you compile a comprehensive detailed list outlining your requests for new equipment which you may have put on the back burner, so to speak. It would be appreciated if you could provide this information to me by the first of next week so that I can begin to process all orders prior to the expiration of the fiscal year. It is anticipated that a multitude of requests will be simultaneously submitted by departmental heads; it is highly probable that requests for equipment will be processed in the order received and delayed requests may not be funded. I sincerely appreciate your cooperation in our efforts to upgrade some of our capital equipment.

Question 63

How can proofreading be seen as an ethical responsibility of a communicator?