Deck 5: Verbal Communication Skills

Question 1

If we can experience the referent of a word with one of our senses, then we say the word is

A)concrete.
B)denotative.
C)abstract.
D)connotative.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Language conveys meaning on two levels

A)low context and high context.
B)denotatively and connotatively.
C)symbolically and thoughtfully.
D)confirming and disconfirming.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

The actual vehicle that the word "bus" represents is a

A)symbol.
B)referent.
C)thought.
D)abstract.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Thinking of a sister as "a person who will be there for you through thick and thin" conveys which level of content for the word sister?

A)denotative
B)connotative
C)jargon
D)malapropism

Question 5

The theory of symbolic interaction illuminates

A)how language determines or influences thoughts or perceptions.
B)how we use our common understanding of symbols to form interpersonal relationships.
C)how the meaning of messages is dependent upon context and nonverbal cues.
D)how the meaning of messages is dependent upon language.

Question 6

You see the word "bus" and have a mental picture of the large vehicle that delivers you to campus each morning.The word is a

A)referent.
B)symbol.
C)thought.
D)category.

Question 7

If we are unable to experience the referent of a word with one of our senses, we say the word is

A)denotative.
B)abstract.
C)connotative.
D)concrete.

Question 8

Referents refer to

A)the word.
B)the symbol.
C)what symbols represent.
D)the connotation.

Question 9

The connotative level of language

A)provides the dictionary definition of words.
B)conveys feelings.
C)uses a similar but different word.
D)is a culturally acquired perspective.

Question 10

The meaning of a symbol such as a word

A)is consistent across cultures.
B)is culturally independent.
C)is consistent within a culture.
D)can change from culture to culture.

Question 11

The word "bus" brings to your mind a dependable vehicle that delivers you to campus in all kinds of weather safely and in relative comfort.The triangle of meaning has been completed with a

A)symbol.
B)referent.
C)word.
D)thought.

Question 12

The word that indicates a person, thing, event, or feeling is the

A)symbol.
B)referent.
C)thought.
D)connotative meaning.

Question 13

The denotative level of language

A)indicates the personal and subjective meaning of a word.
B)provides a word or phrase for another word or phrase that sounds like it.
C)is the thing a symbol represents.
D)conveys content.

Question 14

If you call the container in which you carry your lunch a bag and your roommate calls the container in which s/he transports lunch a sack, you are demonstrating that

A)words are context bound.
B)words are culturally bound.
C)words have denotative meaning.
D)words are arbitrary.

Question 15

The General Motors car named "Nova" means bright star in English, but in Spanish it translates to "It does not go." This illustrates that the meaning of a symbol such as a word

A)is consistent across cultures.
B)can change from culture to culture.
C)is universal.
D)will remain unchanged during translation.

Question 16

Saying that a sister is "a female sibling" conveys which level of content of the word sister?

A)slang
B)jargon
C)connotative
D)denotative

Question 17

Which level of meaning of a word is more personal and subjective?

A)jargon
B)denotative
C)malapropism
D)connotative

Question 18

Before you can decipher the specific meanings of words, they need

A)to be placed in context.
B)have a connotative meaning.
C)to be culturally bound.
D)to be arbitrary.

Question 19

The theory stating that "as a society we are bound together because of our common use of symbols" is known as

A)symbolic interaction.
B)linguistic determinism.
C)referent interaction.
D)bypassing.

Question 20

The study of words and meaning is called

A)symbolic interaction.
B)linguistic determinism.
C)referent interaction.
D)semantics.

Question 21

Lack of precision is a word barrier that occurs when

A)change is not considered when labelling people and events.
B)people and things are lumped together.
C)language reflects bias.
D)words are used inappropriately or imprecisely.

Question 22

When you and your cousin arrange to meet in front of the greenhouse and you arrive at the florist and your cousin waits in front of the house down the street that was just painted green, what word barrier has occurred?

A)lack of precision
B)allness
C)bypassing
D)fact-inference confusion

Question 23

Which of the following words is most abstract?

A)celery
B)vegetable
C)edible vegetation
D)food

Question 24

The theory that each language includes some unique features that are not found in other languages is called

A)linguistic relativity.
B)linguistic determinism.
C)the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis.
D)symbolic interaction.

Question 25

The notion that language shapes your culture and your culture shapes your language is called

A)general semantics.
B)linguistic determinism.
C)linguistic relativity.
D)symbolic interactionism.

Question 26

In general, the more ________ the language, the easier it is for others to understand.

A)abstract
B)concrete
C)denotative
D)powerful

Question 27

The text example regarding the consumption of beef and pork in this culture as opposed to the consumption of "horse meat" demonstrates that

A)words have the power to affect and reflect culture.
B)words have the power to create.
C)words have the power to allow us to express feelings.
D)words have the power to affect thoughts and actions.

Question 28

There is evidence to suggest that we have the ability to control our emotions based on our ability to control what we think about, as well as the choice of words we use to describe our feelings.This illustrates which of the following:

A)words have the power to create
B)words communicate denotative and connotative meaning
C)words communicate concrete or abstract meaning
D)words have power to affect the quality of our interpersonal relationships

Question 29

Using one word or phrase when you meant to say one that sounds like it is

A)an inference.
B)a connotation.
C)a restricted code.
D)a malapropism.

Question 30

Bypassing, static evaluation and allness are

A)ways to make words more positive.
B)examples of the levels of abstraction.
C)barriers created by language.
D)how we interpret what we experience.

Question 31

The nervous speaker who confused the word organism with orgasm used

A)indexing.
B)a malapropism.
C)restricted code.
D)static evaluation.

Question 32

Bypassing occurs when

A)language reflects an ethnic bias.
B)objects have been labelled without considering change.
C)description occurs in terms of extremes.
D)the same word means different things to different people.

Question 33

One researcher estimated that the 500 words we use most often have over ________ different dictionary meanings.

A)14,000
B)16,000
C)13,000
D)20,000

Question 34

The proud pet owner who announces that all of her female cats have been sprayed is displaying what lack of clarity?

A)biased language
B)polarization
C)bypassing
D)malapropism

Question 35

What two principles form the underlying elements in the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis?

A)Linguistic determinism and symbolic interactionism.
B)bypassing and linguistic determinism.
C)Linguistic determinism and linguistic relativity
D)Linguistic relativity and bypassing

Question 36

Using fillers like "you know" and "I mean" and hedging our conclusions with "I guess" and "sort of" characterizes

A)linguistic relativity.
B)powerless speech.
C)denotative language.
D)bypassing.

Question 37

How we interpret what we experience is called

A)bypassing.
B)world view.
C)high-context.
D)linguistic determinism.

Question 38

If you can see it, touch it, smell it, taste it, or hear it, then a word refers to something that is

A)connotative.
B)concrete.
C)ambiguous.
D)affective.

Question 39

A restricted code is

A)illegal word choices.
B)words having a unique meaning to a subgroup or culture.
C)words used to reveal classified information.
D)terminology that causes psychological interference.

Question 40

Which of the following words is most concrete?

A)catfish
B)fish
C)animal
D)living thing

Question 41

Using words that disparage a perons's age, mental or physical ability, or social standing are examples of

A)bypassing.
B)demeaning language.
C)polarization.
D)static evaluation.

Question 42

"You never listen to my suggestions," is an example of which word barrier?

A)allness
B)lack of clarity
C)indexing.
D)polarization

Question 43

People who work in specialized areas need to take extra caution so as not to use

A)a restricted code.
B)polarization.
C)static evaluation.
D)malapropism.

Question 44

The statement "You're wrong, I'm right.You're going to do it my way or else." is likely to result in

A)a quality relationship with others.
B)a positive communication climate.
C)debate rather than true dialogue.
D)establishing agreement.

Question 45

"Weatherman," "chairman," "stewardess" are examples of

A)bypassing.
B)allness.
C)static evaluation.
D)sexist language.

Question 46

You call your 28-year-old nephew a "juvenile delinquent" because he spray-painted your fence when he was 11.This is an example of the word barrier

A)polarization.
B)bypassing.
C)static evaluation.
D)lack of clarity.

Question 47

Using language to make unqualified, possibly untrue generalizations is the word barrier of

A)static evaluation.
B)allness.
C)fact-inference confusion.
D)polarization.

Question 48

Static evaluation is

A)lumping things or people into all-encompassing categories.
B)using words inappropriately or imprecisely.
C)unnecessary use of many abstract words.
D)labelling people, objects, or events without considering change.

Question 49

Static evaluation is a statement that

A)evokes different meanings for different people.
B)fails to recognize change.
C)reflects gender or ethnic bias.
D)lumps people together into categories.

Question 50

Reflecting non-sexist attitudes, helping you become more other-oriented, making your speech more contemporary, and confirming the value of all individuals are benefits of

A)non-sexist language.
B)allness.
C)bypassing.
D)static evaluation.

Question 51

Polarization is a word barrier that

A)describes and evaluates in extremes.
B)labels people, objects, and events without considering change.
C)pronounces something as fact without verification.
D)reflects gender, ethnic, or racial bias.

Question 52

"This particular instructor is known for her difficult test" is a way to avoid allness statements by

A)bypassing.
B)indexing.
C)polarizing.
D)dating.

Question 53

The jargon used by a group or culture can have the result of

A)breaking the cohesiveness of the group or culture.
B)causing the group or culture to break into splinter groups.
C)creating cohesiveness within the group or culture.
D)causing the group or culture to develop new terms.

Question 54

When you announce, that, "everybody did poorly on the exam," you are using the word barrier of

A)indexing.
B)bypassing.
C)allness.
D)static evaluation.

Question 55

A confusion of one word or phrase for another that sounds similar to it is a

A)fact.
B)inference.
C)judgement.
D)malapropism.

Question 56

Your parents assuming you will still enjoy activities that you enjoyed as a child is an example of

A)dating.
B)static evaluation.
C)polarizing.
D)bypassing.

Question 57

The statement "All Maritimers rely on the sea for their livelihood" is an example of the word barrier

A)bypassing.
B)allness.
C)statice evaluation.
D)polarization.

Question 58

According to your text, to acknowledge each individual's uniqueness is to engage in

A)indexing.
B)allness.
C)fact/inference confusion.
D)bypassing.

Question 59

People who use either/or language or words like never or always are using

A)dating.
B)indexing.
C)allness.
D)polarization.

Question 60

A way to avoid static evaluation is to

A)index statements.
B)use words the receiver will interpret similarly to you.
C)date your observations.
D)avoid stereotyping.

Question 61

Pulling rank is conveying

A)evaluation.
B)rigidity.
C)neutrality.
D)superiority.

Question 62

A noncondescending but explicit message to be used with someone from another culture is called

A)jargon.
B)a restricted code.
C)an elaborated code.
D)indexing.

Question 63

The underlying principle to avoid biased language is

A)to be other-oriented and imagine how others will react to your words.
B)to keep abreast of changes in labels.
C)to adopt designations currently preferred by members of ethnic groups themselves.
D)to use the words and terms you are most comfortable using.

Question 64

A brief preface to a feedback statement intended to communicate that you don't want your listener to take the message in an overly critical way is called

A)an "I" message.
B)a word picture.
C)an apology.
D)an extended "I" statement.

Question 65

A viewpoint that says one answer is right and all other answers are wrong conveys

A)control.
B)neutrality.
C)evaluation.
D)rigidity.

Question 66

A manner of speaking that allows others the opportunity to express their viewpoints is

A)problem orientation.
B)empathy.
C)being flexible.
D)description.

Question 67

A manipulative person

A)is controlling.
B)considers the uniqueness of each individual.
C)has hidden agendas.
D)is rigid in his/her thinking.

Question 68

The words amazed, ambivalent, sentimental, and vulnerable are all examples of

A)neutral terms.
B)positive terms.
C)negative terms.
D)genuine terms.

Question 69

To enhance the effectiveness of an apology, you must

A)honestly and sincerely admit you were wrong.
B)apologize for hurting the other person.
C)state honestly and sincerely that you are sorry.
D)ensure that the other person hears your apology immediately after the offense.

Question 70

The ability to understand others' feelings and their emotional responses is

A)problem solving.
B)empathy.
C)description.
D)genuineness.

Question 71

"When you forgot my birthday, I felt like crumbs swept under the table".This is an example of

A)a word picture.
B)an evaluative statement.
C)an elaborated code.
D)descriptive statement.

Question 72

A way to avoid problems of "you" statements is to

A)keep the focus on problem solving rather than control.
B)use the word "I" and describe your feelings and thoughts.
C)show you understand another person's viewpoint.
D)present yourself as an equal rather than a superior.

Question 73

When others are telling us what is good for us, we resent being

A)stereotyped.
B)controlled.
C)evaluated.
D)manipulated.

Question 74

Rather than using words like mailman, chairman or alderman

A)substitute the word "woman."
B)use words that are not gender specific.
C)use appropriate labels when you know the gender of the subject.
D)use the word "one."

Question 75

Being yourself and taking an honest interest in others is to be

A)manipulative.
B)genuine.
C)defensive.
D)flexible.

Question 76

Accusations that begin with "you" may result in

A)supportiveness.
B)allness.
C)defensiveness.
D)indexing.

Question 77

Describing your feelings allows you to

A)be genuine rather than manipulative.
B)make yourself feel better.
C)own the problem which in turn leads to openness and trust.
D)keep the focus on problem solving.

Question 78

When individuals are indifferent or apathetic, they convey

A)control.
B)neutrality.
C)manipulation.
D)evaluation.

Question 79

When describing others' sexual orientation

A)people should be sensitive to their own comfort first.
B)use polarization to describe your perceptions.
C)maintain the goal of being a dominant communicator.
D)you should always be sensitive to how others wish to be addressed and discussed.

Question 80

Using nonsexist language

A)does not necessarily reflect nonsexist attitudes.
B)such as stewardess and mankind will assist you in becoming more other-oriented.
C)confuses people because it doesn't let others know your biases.
D)reflects a non-sexist attitude and helps you become more other-oriented..