Deck 2: Adapting to Audiences

Question 1

"I have negotiated an agreement that gives you a 10% discount for any domestic flight charged on our company credit card." Indicate the option that both correctly evaluates the sentence and correctly explains the reason for the evaluation.

A)Good you-attitude because it contains a reader benefit.
B)Good you-attitude because the reader is getting something valuable for travelling.
C)Lacks you-attitude because it focuses on what the writer has done.
D)Lacks you-attitude because it does not mention whether the reader travels very much.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

"I was sorry to hear about your mother's death." Indicate the option that both correctly evaluates the sentence and correctly explains the reason for the evaluation.

A)Lacks you-attitude because it begins with the word "I."
B)Lacks you-attitude because it talks about the writer's emotion.
C)Good you-attitude because it offers sympathy.
D)Good you-attitude because it focuses on the writer's emotions.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

"We" is MOST likely to include the reader in a:

A)Memo announcing the fringe benefits that management is giving to hourly workers.
B)Memo to members of your own department.
C)Letter rejecting a job candidate.
D)Sales letter to a customer.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

At a staff meeting, Jill Joyce, your department head, tells you that the CEO has asked each department to submit suggestions for improving company-wide productivity.Jill asks each staff member to write a memo outlining his or her suggestions.Each department head is to pass on no more than 5 suggestions and there are 16 employees in your department, so Jill will have to screen them.The CEO will decide herself whether she will implement any of the suggestions.Before writing your memo you think about your audience.What type of audience is Jill?

A)Your primary audience
B)Your primary audience and your initial audience
C)Your initial audience and the gatekeeper
D)The gatekeeper

Question 5

Who is the initial audience for a message?

A)Readers whose needs you need to focus on the most
B)Readers who decide how to act on your message
C)Readers who have the power to stop your message from reaching others
D)Readers who are the first ones to get your message

Question 6

You are sending a large factory 2,500 widgets that have been on back order.This factory buys from your supply house several times a month.In your letter that tells when the widgets will arrive, the BEST way to refer to the widgets would be

A)"your order."
B)"your widgets."
C)"your invoice #678."
D)"your invoice dated December 9."

Question 7

When you know your audience does not like your organization, your position, or you personally, which of the following should you NOT do?

A)Develop logic and reader benefits fully
B)Use positive emphasis
C)Avoid condescending phrases
D)Emphasize the common ground you have with your audience

Question 8

Which of the following words is LEAST negative?

A)Cautious
B)Unsure
C)Delay
D)Wait

Question 9

"This estimate makes no allowance for inflation." The sentence is an example of:

A)A reader benefit.
B)Positive emphasis.
C)A passive description.
D)An impersonal expression.

Question 10

Which of the following options is the MOST compelling reason to avoid relying ONLY on extrinsic motivators?

A)They become costly over time.
B)They can cause jealousy among employees.
C)Customers will expect them to get increasingly better.
D)Customers will be less satisfied with their purchase.

Question 11

"We are happy to inform you that you have been chosen to receive a Platinum VISA." Does this sentence have good you-attitude?

A)Yes, since it is positive.
B)Yes, since it contains a reader benefit.
C)No, since the sentence does not begin with "you."
D)No, since the reader doesn't care about the writer's emotions.

Question 12

"Your order was shipped today." Indicate the option that both correctly evaluates the sentence and correctly explains the reason for the evaluation.

A)Lacks you-attitude because it is passive.
B)Good you-attitude because it focuses on what the reader will receive.
C)Good you-attitude because it stresses what the reader wants to know.
D)Lacks you-attitude because it does not specify what the order is or when it will arrive.

Question 13

"You will be sorry to hear that you can't receive a Home Beautiful credit card until you are 18 years old." Indicate the option that both correctly evaluates the sentence and correctly explains the reason for the evaluation.

A)Good you-attitude because it begins with the word "you."
B)Lacks you-attitude because it talks about the reader's feelings.
C)Lacks you-attitude because it does not thank the reader for shopping at Home Beautiful.
D)Good you-attitude because it focuses on what the reader will (or won't) receive.

Question 14

Reader benefits are advantages that the reader gets by:

A)Using other services
B)Adopting their own ideas
C)Not buying the products
D)Following the policies

Question 15

You have to write to the workers' union in your capacity as a manager to attempt to persuade the union members to accept a wage freeze so that the company can save money.You know that the union members dislike the management and that the current union leader you have to write to especially dislikes you.Which technique is LEAST likely to persuade your audience?

A)Develop logic and reader benefits fully.
B)Admit the flaws of your solution, but show that it is the best solution available.
C)Use a direct "no-nonsense" tone.
D)Respond to the specific objections you anticipate from your audience.

Question 16

Which of the following is an example of a psychographic characteristic?

A)Income level
B)Race
C)Lifestyle
D)Religion

Question 17

Where in a message should good news appear?

A)In the middle, at the heart of the information.
B)In the opening paragraph, where it will be emphasized.
C)In the conclusion, so readers will remember it.
D)In the second paragraph, where readers will spend the most time.

Question 18

Which of the following is NOT a criterion for good reader benefits?

A)Based only on extrinsic motivators
B)Adapted to the audience
C)Phrased in you-attitude
D)Explained in adequate detail

Question 19

Rocco Stebila, a university professor who specializes in business communications, teaches undergraduate classes, supervises graduate students' independent research, helps out each year with orientation for new business students and their families, and occasionally speaks at the local Chamber of Commerce.How many discourse communities Professor Stebila likely participates in?

A)Impossible to determine without knowing the communication habits and connections among these groups
B)Impossible to determine without knowing the shared meanings and identities of the relevant groups
C)Two, since his university activities form one discourse community and his Chamber of Commerce activities form another
D)Four, since discourse communities never overlap

Question 20

A gym is advertising with the following statement: "Sign up today for a happier tomorrow!" Which option correctly evaluates this statement?

A)It is likely to be successful because it is catchy.
B)It is likely to be successful because it uses you-attitude.
C)It is unlikely to be successful because its reader benefits are not logical.
D)It is unlikely to be successful because its reader benefits ignore you-attitude.

Question 21

Choose the alternative that indicates the characteristic of good business writing that is missing, if any, in the following sentence."You can see any theatre productions free by showing your student ID card at the door."

A)You-attitude
B)Positive emphasis
C)Bias-free language
D)The original sentence is acceptable.

Question 22

Using "people-first language" means:

A)Creating positive emphasis through complimentary, upbeat statements about the people with whom you work.
B)Stating employees' names first, and then giving their titles.
C)Naming the person first, then mentioning any disability or disease that you need to discuss.
D)Emphasizing the goals of the people in an organization rather than the organization's goals.

Question 23

Which of the following would be the MOST acceptable way to describe a person with a disability?

A)Blind person
B)AIDS victim
C)Uses a wheel chair
D)Abnormal person

Question 24

In which of the following situations would using the word "you" typically NOT be a good choice?

A)When you must inform a subordinate that she has inadvertently made a costly error
B)When you must inform a subordinate that you have passed her idea on to your superior
C)When you want to focus on what the reader will gain from your new policy
D)When you want to congratulate your subordinate for her promotion

Question 25

Which of the following is both grammatically correct and non-sexist?

A)"New accounts managers should explain the procedure to customers."
B)"The new accounts manager should explain the procedure to his customers."
C)"The new accounts manager should explain the procedure to her customers."
D)"The new accounts manager should explain the procedure to their customers."

Question 26

The primary audience of your document always differs from your initial audience.

Question 27

What is the BEST reason for addressing a woman as "Mrs."?

A)You do not know her marital status.
B)She uses "Mrs." when she introduces herself.
C)She uses her first and last name with no courtesy title when she writes to you.
D)You know that she is married.

Question 28

You should expect that both the secondary audience for a message and the watchdog audience may take action based on the message.

Question 29

You are responding to a letter from a potential new client named Pat Fox and do not know if "Pat" is a man or a woman.Which of the following is the LEAST acceptable strategy?

A)Assume that Pat is male, since no title was given, and write "Dear Mr.Fox."
B)Call the company to ask the receptionist whether Pat Fox is male or female.
C)Use the full name in the salutation and write "Dear Pat Fox."
D)Use a letter format that omits the salutation.

Question 30

Which of the following is sexist?

A)"Our team leaders are Clarke Betz, Brian Earley, and Carole Wagner."
B)"Our new sales reps are Mr.Betz, Mr.Earley, and Ms.Wagner."
C)"Our new sales reps are Mr.Betz, Mr.Earley, and Carole."
D)"Our new sales reps are Clarke, Brian, and Carole."

Question 31

Research shows that most employees are motivated primarily by extrinsic motivators.

Question 32

Choose the option that indicates what's missing, if anything, in the following sentence."We at the Department of English are happy to give you this scholarship cheque for $1,000."

A)You-attitude
B)Positive emphasis
C)Bias-free language
D)The original sentence is acceptable.

Question 33

Admitting that your solution isn't perfect can be productive.

Question 34

You are writing to alumni of the University of Saskatchewan to raise money for a scholarship.If you cannot personalize the letters, what would be the best salutation?

A)"Dear Brother"
B)"Dear Sir or Madam"
C)"Dear Wealthy Alumnus"
D)"Dear University of Saskatchewan graduate"

Question 35

The sentence "He is a gifted and compassionate Aboriginal physician" is racist because:

A)Aboriginal peoples would rather be called "First Nations."
B)it does not indicate the physician's medical speciality.
C)it implies that the writer does not expect an Aboriginal physician to have positive qualities.
D)there used to be barriers that prevented Aboriginal peoples from becoming physicians.

Question 36

Secondary audiences can include lawyers who may use your message, perhaps years later, as evidence of your organization's culture and practices.

Question 37

Which of the following would be considered ageist language?

A)"Charles Dickens was only 58 years old when he died."
B)"Persons 62 years of age and older are eligible for early retirement benefits."
C)"The premiere was attended by Tina Meinkoth, the producer of Cat's Eyes, and Eddy Filmore, the eighty-year-old filmmaker."
D)"The suspect is a Caucasian male, approximately 183 cm tall, 82 kg, 70 years of age, with brown hair and blue eyes."

Question 38

Which of the following is an example of a demographic characteristic?

A)Goals
B)Writing style
C)Personal interests
D)Education level

Question 39

Cheryl Berry, M.D., has just been named your company physician.In a press release describing her appointment, you should refer to her as:

A)Cheryl
B)Ms.Berry
C)Mrs.Berry
D)Dr.Berry

Question 40

Which of the following writing strategies is NOT designed to help readers assimilate new information?

A)Making a special effort to be clear
B)Using a vivid anecdote to remind readers of shared experiences
C)Linking new information to material the reader knows
D)Testing your document with a member of your audience

Question 41

The reader benefits in persuasive messages give reasons to act and help overcome reader resistance.

Question 42

You-attitude revisions are longer and have more information.

Question 43

The courtesy title Ms.is particularly useful when you do not know a woman's marital status.

Question 44

Empathy is useful when writing business messages, since it prevents you from thinking everyone sees things the same way you do.

Question 45

Companies need to pay closer attention to building trust, well-being, and social capital, rather than focusing on more traditional understandings of meeting customers' needs.

Question 46

Avoid the use of "I" in e-mail messages.

Question 47

An organization never contains more than one discourse community.

Question 48

If a message is directed at others within your organization, you can safely assume that they have a great deal of prior knowledge about your topic, and do not need lengthy explanations.

Question 49

Because it has been proven to be unbiased, clip art can be used freely in business situations.

Question 50

A discourse community can span an entire organization.

Question 51

Oral messages answer questions, cause conflicts, and build consensus.

Question 52

An organization's culture can be revealed through non-verbal as well as verbal signals.

Question 53

"If your suggestion for improving company procedures is accepted, you will receive a monetary award and your picture will be printed in the company newsletter." This sentence is an example of an extrinsic motivator.

Question 54

Passive verbs should always be eliminated from business writing.

Question 55

If you must deliver bad news, it is best to cover all aspects of the situation within the same document, so that your reader understands all of them at once.

Question 56

To make a photograph bias-free, all you have to do is include people of different races.

Question 57

For most readers, legal words and phrases have positive connotations.

Question 58

Business writers should use the same professional style in all of their documents.

Question 59

Courtesy titles must always be used in the salutation of a letter.

Question 60

"We" should never be used in a business situation because it focuses on the writer not the reader, thus making the reader feel excluded.

Question 61

To fulfill your purposes in any message, you must reach the _____ audience.

Question 62

A _____ is a group of people who share assumptions about what channels, formats, and styles to use for communication, what topics to discuss and how to discuss them, and what constitutes evidence.

Question 63

The _____ audience, though it does not have the power to stop the message and will not act directly on it, has political, social, or economic power.

Question 64

_____ is a non-sexist courtesy title for women.

Question 65

_____ characteristics are qualitative rather than quantitative: values, beliefs, goals, and lifestyles.

Question 66

List three strategies for addressing a reader who sees your message as unimportant.Explain why these strategies will likely be successful.

Question 67

_____ are words that are not negative in themselves but become negative in context.

Question 68

_____ motivators come automatically from using a product or doing something; _____ motivators are "added on."

Question 69

Identify three situations in which you need to provide more detail and evidence that there will be a reader benefit, even though the logic of your document is sound.Explain why you have chosen these three situations.

Question 70

List three things that are easier to accomplish using a written message than an oral message.Explain why you have chosen these three things.

Question 71

Think of a business document that you have read or created, and that was clearly intended to reach multiple audiences.Identify these audiences, and classify them in terms of initial, gatekeeping, primary, secondary, and watchdog audiences.Did this document reach all these audiences successfully? If so, explain why; if not, explain where it went wrong, and how it could be improved.

Question 72

When some of your information is new to the reader, what techniques can you use to present the information effectively? Explain why these techniques will likely be successful.

Question 73

Reader benefits that aren't phrased using ______________ will sound selfish and won't be as effective as they could be.

Question 74

_____ language treats all races fairly, avoiding stereotypes of any group.

Question 75

Language that does not discriminate against people on the basis of gender, abilities, race, age, or any other category is called _____.

Question 76

An anecdote that reminds the reader of what you share needs to be ________ in order to avoid seeming like a lecture.

Question 77

_____ is a style of writing that looks at things from the reader's point of view, emphasizing what the reader wants to know, respecting the reader's intelligence, and protecting the reader's ego.

Question 78

Language is _____ when it treats all ages fairly.

Question 79

The benefits or advantages that the reader gets by using your services, buying your products, following your policies, or adopting your ideas are called ____.

Question 80

Those asked to implement your ideas after they've been approved are classified as the _____ audience.