Deck 1: Communication Skills As Career Filters

Question 1

Which of the following is considered a form of nonverbal communication?

A) Facial expressions, such as a frown or raising the eyebrows
B) Eye contact, such as staring or avoiding looking someone in the eye
C) Time, such as showing up too late or too early
D) All of the above are forms of nonverbal communication

Answer 1

D
Explanation:All of the options listed are forms of nonverbal communication. Facial expressions, eye contact, and use of time are just a few examples of forms of nonverbal communication.

Question 2

On the job you are more likely to be taken seriously and promoted if you

A) look and sound professional.
B) frame your degree or certificate and hang it on your office or cubicle wall.
C) appear to be busy even when you're not really doing anything.
D) do all of the above.

Answer 2

A
Explanation:If you look and sound professional while working, you are more likely to be taken seriously and promoted.

Question 3

Because the U.S. economy is increasingly _____________ based, education is extremely important.

A) politically
B) production
C) knowledge
D) labor

Answer 3

C
Explanation:Because the U.S. economy is increasingly knowledge based, education is extremely important. Two thirds of all new jobs require some kind of postsecondary education.

Question 4

One of the fastest ways to ensure your career success is to

A) learn how to design Web pages.
B) post a persuasive résumé online.
C) develop excellent communication skills.
D) invite your boss out to lunch periodically.

Question 5

Amelia has made a conscious effort to become an active listener. Therefore, she shuts down her computer, turns off her cell phone, and asks her assistant to hold all incoming calls when she conducts interviews. What technique is she using to improve listening?

A) Keeping an open mind
B) Establishing a receptive mind-set
C) Capitalizing on lag time
D) Controlling her surroundings

Question 6

North Americans value straightforwardness and are suspicious of evasiveness. These traits identify the cultural dimension of

A) individualism.
B) formality.
C) communication style.
D) time orientation.

Question 7

Major trends in today's dynamic world of work include increased emphasis on self-directed work groups and virtual teams, heightened global competition, innovative communication technologies, new work environments, and focus on

A) creating an entirely online presence.
B) promoting from within.
C) restructuring and downsizing.
D) information and knowledge as corporate assets.

Question 8

Communication is defined as "the transmission of information and meaning from one individual or group to another." The crucial element of this definition is _______________.

A) transmission.
B) information.
C) meaning.
D) all of the above are equally important.

Question 9

Brian is attending a seminar on workplace efficiency and must make a presentation on this topic when he returns to work. Brian can increase his comprehension by keeping an open mind, listening for main points, taking selective notes, and

A) closing his eyes.
B) speaking up immediately when he does not agree with the speaker.
C) filling in the lag time by reviewing in his mind other things he must do that day.
D) judging ideas, not appearances.

Question 10

Your boss is giving instructions for a new method of keeping expense accounts. However, you find it difficult to concentrate because you think the change is unnecessary. What type of barrier to effective listening are you experiencing?

A) Language problem barrier
B) Psychological barrier
C) Physical barrier
D) Nonverbal distraction barrier

Question 11

Every country has a unique culture or common heritage that

A) teaches its members how to behave and conditions their reactions.
B) results from a common gene pool.
C) is created by a structured educational system.
D) comes from an orderly system of government and laws.

Question 12

Most people think that the best predictor of a speaker's true feelings is his or her

A) facial expressions.
B) posture.
C) gestures.
D) eyes.

Question 13

Nonverbal communication includes

A) all unwritten and unspoken messages, intended or not.
B) only body language and gestures that accompany a spoken message.
C) only eye contact and facial expressions that support the meaning of the words.
D) only cues that reveal agreement with or contradiction of the verbal message.

Question 14

Suzanne wants to make a good impression during a job interview. What should she do?

A) Avoid eye contact with her interviewer in order to show respect.
B) Slump down in her chair to show that she's relaxed.
C) Wear professional business attire.
D) She should do all of the above.

Question 15

The communication process begins when the sender

A) determines the appropriate communication channel.
B) has an idea.
C) encodes an idea into a message.
D) plans for feedback.

Question 16

Many of us are poor listeners because

A) the brain can process information at least three times as fast as people talk.
B) we tend to "tune out" speakers whose ideas run counter to our own.
C) we would rather talk than listen.
D) All answer choices are correct.

Question 17

Communicators in _____________ cultures (such as those in North America, Scandinavia, and Germany) depend little on the context of a situation to convey their meaning. They tend to be logical, analytical, and action oriented.

A) high-context
B) Asian
C) ancient
D) low-context

Question 18

You can improve your listening skills if you follow tips for active listening, including

A) keeping an open mind, establishing a receptive mind-set, and listening between the lines.
B) establishing a receptive mind-set, concentrating on appearance and delivery, and sifting information through biases.
C) capitalizing on lag time, concentrating on your next comment, and taking as many notes as possible.
D) All answer choices are correct.

Question 19

A listener who nods her head and maintains eye contact with a speaker is probably

A) listening actively to what the speaker is saying.
B) not understanding what the speaker is saying.
C) faking attention while she listens to music on her MP3 player.
D) formulating her response to a point with which she disagrees.

Question 20

Melissa noticed that Stephen slammed his desk drawer right after he said that he was happy to work late. Melissa should

A) tell Stephen that he should behave more professionally.
B) respond to the verbal message only and thank him for working late.
C) politely seek additional information by saying, I'm not sure that you really want to stay late. Do you have somewhere you need to be?
D) fire Stephen for insubordination.

Question 21

Workers who communicate successfully with diverse audiences must make few assumptions, learn about their own and other cultures, and

A) seek common ground.
B) help others conform.
C) avoid noticing differences.
D) All answer choices are correct.

Question 22

The central objective of communication is the transmission of meaning.

Question 23

Robert frequently comments that he likes working independently because that's the American way-and the American way is the best way! Robert's belief in the superiority of his own culture is an example of

A) stereotyping.
B) individualism.
C) ethnocentrism.
D) communication style.

Question 24

Which of the following is a benefit of a diverse work environment?

A) Better ability to create the products that consumers desire
B) Fewer discrimination lawsuits, fewer union clashes, and less government regulatory action
C) Improvement of employee relationships and increased productivity
D) All of the above are benefits of a diverse work environment.

Question 25

Megahertz Technology Solutions, Inc. recently suffered a discrimination lawsuit. Advice to improve its workforce diversity is likely to include understanding the value of differences, providing diversity training for employees, building on similarities, and

A) hiring a more homogenous work group.
B) making fewer assumptions.
C) requiring all employees to use jargon that conveys stereotypes.
D) making sure all employees conform to a standard company culture.

Question 26

When writing for a multicultural audience, you are more likely to be understood if you use short sentences and short paragraphs and if you include

A) slang, such as This product really rocks!
B) idioms, such as You can improve your bottom line by using this product.
C) acronyms, such as ASAP.
D) action-specific verbs, such as e-mail me if you have any questions rather than contact me if you have any questions.

Question 27

Words have the same basic meanings for everyone; therefore, messages communicated verbally are always understood.

Question 28

Because of today's communication technology, writing skills are less important than in the past.

Question 29

An American businessperson who thinks that all Swiss are hard-working, efficient, and neat is illustrating an example of

A) ethnocentrism.
B) tolerance.
C) stereotyping.
D) a cultural norm.

Question 30

In making hiring decisions, employers often rank communication skills among the most requested competencies.

Question 31

When speaking with someone for whom English is a second language, you should talk slowly, enunciate clearly, check frequently for comprehension, observe eye messages, listen without interrupting, and

A) follow up in writing.
B) avoid smiling, which might make you appear to lack seriousness.
C) use vocabulary words that will impress the listener.
D) assume that the listener understands if he or she nods and smiles in agreement.

Question 32

Psychological barriers to listening include hearing disabilities, poor acoustics, and noisy surroundings.

Question 33

Anything that disrupts the transmission of a message in the communication process is called noise.

Question 34

Theresa will be working with Alex on a virtual team to develop a new marketing plan. Because they won't meet face to face, their work will be less dependent on good communication skills.

Question 35

While conducting business with a customer from Italy, Zoe was careful to speak slowly and clearly, using short sentences and short, familiar words. But she noticed that the customer had a glazed expression and did not understand her. Zoe should

A) repeat what she has said in a louder voice.
B) graciously accept the blame for not making her meaning clear.
C) end the conversation until an interpreter can be found.
D) require the Italian businessperson to restate the message in simple words.

Question 36

Most people listen with 50 percent or higher efficiency.

Question 37

Working with people from other cultures will requires tolerance. One of the best ways to become more tolerant is by

A) practicing empathy.
B) increasing your individualism.
C) encouraging ethnocentrism.
D) knowing your communication style.

Question 38

After explaining a new procedure to her employees, Amy asks, "Is there anything that wasn't clear?" She is asking this question to encourage feedback.

Question 39

We are born with the ability to read, listen, speak, and write.

Question 40

Max is preparing a contract between his company and one in Mexico. What should he do when citing numbers in the contract?

A) Use figures for all dates for clarity.
B) Use American currency figures.
C) Use figures instead of spelling them out.
D) Do all of the above.

Question 41

Businesses that want to capitalize on cultural diversity need to train workers to think and act alike in order to reduce conflicts.

Question 42

Greg will be the student speaker for graduation. To ensure that his nonverbal cues support his verbal message, he should ask friends and family to monitor his conscious and unconscious body movements and gestures.

Question 43

Zach's company does business globally. By associating with people from diverse cultures, Zach can widen his knowledge of intercultural messages and can increase his tolerance of differences.

Question 44

______________ skills refer to reading, listening, nonverbal, speaking, and writing skills.

Question 45

Because Ryan has never met a person from Germany, he is worried about traveling there to do business for his company. Ryan could reduce his worry by attending a meeting of the local German club and interacting with its members from Germany.

Question 46

Laura values individualism and personal responsibility in herself and coworkers. These values are typical of North American culture.

Question 47

Brooke is listening to a difficult presentation on nanotechnology development. As a good listener, she should take complete notes of everything said.

Question 48

If you want to become a better listener, your first step is to stop talking.

Question 49

When the receiver translates the message from its symbol form into meaning, it is known as _____________.

Question 50

Cross-cultural communication can be improved by practicing tolerance and ethnocentrism.

Question 51

Both your personal appearance and the physical appearance of your business documents transmit immediate and important nonverbal messages.

Question 52

Joseph will be traveling to South America to increase sales for his company. Because the meanings of nonverbal gestures are similar in all cultures, Joseph can indicate that everything is OK with his South American customers by using his thumb and forefinger to form a circle.

Question 53

When you decide the spoken or written means by which you will send a message, you have selected the _______________ of communication.

Question 54

When verbal and nonverbal messages conflict, listeners tend to believe the verbal message.

Question 55

In the communication process, _______________ means converting an idea into words or gestures that will convey meaning.

Question 56

___________________ is defined as "the transmission of information and meaning from one individual or group to another."

Question 57

For international trade it is a good idea to learn and use the metric system.

Question 58

North Americans consider time a precious commodity and correlate it with productivity, efficiency, and money.

Question 59

Bijan and his family place great emphasis on tradition, ceremony, and social rules. Bijan is most likely a member of a low-context culture.

Question 60

Developing a diverse staff that can work together cooperatively is one of the biggest challenges facing business organizations today.

Question 61

__________ cues include eye contact, facial expression, body movements, space, time, territory, and appearance.

Question 62

______________ means learning about beliefs and practices different from our own and appreciating them. One of the best ways to develop this trait is to practice empathy.

Question 63

According to a model developed by cultural anthropologist Edward T. Hall, _______________ refers to the stimuli, environment, or ambience surrounding an event and is arranged on a continuum from low to high.

Question 64

The verbal and nonverbal responses of the receiver create ___________, a vital part of the entire communication process that helps the sender know that the message was received and understood.

Question 65

The belief in the superiority of one's own culture is known as ____________. This natural attitude is found in all cultures.