Question 1

Denotative words may be more easily misinterpretedthan connotative words.

Accepted Answer

Denotative words have specific, literal meanings, making them less likely to be misinterpreted compared to connotative words, which carry additional emotional or cultural meanings.

Question 2

Writing a message with a readability index appropriate for the audience guarantees the message will be understood.

Accepted Answer

A readability index can help tailor the complexity of language to the audience's reading level, but it doesn't guarantee understanding, as comprehension also depends on context, prior knowledge, and clarity of the message.

Question 3

Business communicators normally use active voice more heavily than passive voice because active voice:

Accepted Answer

Active voice conveys ideas more vividly, making it easier for readers or listeners to understand the message. It is direct and engaging, which grabs the audience's attention and keeps them interested in the message being conveyed. Active voice also removes confusion and ambiguity.

Question 4

A best practice to communicate concisely is to:

Accepted Answer

Using compound adjectives can help convey information more succinctly by combining multiple descriptors into a single, concise term.

Question 5

In a document, numerals are typically preferred overbullets unless the sequence of the items in theseries is critical.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In a document, numerals are typically preferred...

Question 6

Condescending words seem to imply that a communicatoris temporarily coming down from a level of superiorityto join a receiver on a level of inferiority.

Accepted Answer

Condescending words typically convey a sense of superiority and looking down on the receiver, implying that the communicator is temporarily lowering themselves to the receiver's level of inferiority.

Question 7

"The training session was worthwhile; it was worthwhile because employees learned to do the task correctly" is an example of the emphasis technique _____.

Accepted Answer

The sentence uses the word "worthwhile" twice to emphasize the importance of the training session, which is an example of repetition.

Question 8

The Fog Indexand the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level calculator consider the length of sentences and the difficultyof words to produce the approximate grade levelat which a person must read in order to understand thematerial.

Accepted Answer

The statement is true, as both the Fog Index and the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level calculator analyze sentence length and word difficulty to estimate the comprehension level required to understand a given piece of text.

Question 9

To emphasize a word or an idea, position it first or lastin a sentence, clause, paragraph, or presentation.

Accepted Answer

This is a common technique used in writing and public speaking to make a point stand out and grab the audience's attention. Placing important words or ideas at the beginning or end of a sentence, clause, paragraph, or presentation can help emphasize them and make them more memorable.

Question 10

Use passive voice toreduce the number of wordsrequired to express an idea and thus save thereader a little time.

Accepted Answer

Passive voice often requires more words than active voice, which can make sentences longer and less direct.

Question 11

Passive voice enables:

Accepted Answer

Passive voice is often used to subordinating an unpleasant thought or avoiding finger-pointing. This is because it can shift the focus away from the doer of the action (which may be seen as negative) and onto the action itself.

Question 12

Writing rapidly with intent to rewrite certain portionscan be frustrating and canreduce the quality of the finished work.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Writing rapidly with intent to rewrite certain...

Question 13

Business writers prefer simple, informal words that arereadily understood and less distracting than more difficult,formal words.

Accepted Answer

Business writing should be clear and easy to understand, so using simple and informal words is preferred over complex and formal words that can be distracting and confuse the reader.

Question 14

A difference between active voice and passive voice is that active voice:

Accepted Answer

Active voice places greater emphasis on the subject's concerns because the subject is performing the action in the sentence. This makes the sentence more direct and vibrant, expressing the subject's intent and agency.

Question 15

Overuse of visual enhancements will cause a document to appear clutteredand will defeat the purpose of creating an appealing,easy-to-read document.

Accepted Answer

Overuse of visual enhancements like colors, fonts, and images can make a document look cluttered and overwhelming, which can make it difficult for readers to focus on the important information. This defeats the purpose of creating an appealing and easy-to-read document. It is important to use visuals strategically and sparingly to enhance the document's overall design and readability.

Question 16

Reading a document from right to left helps reduce reading speed, allowingan individual to concentrate deliberately on each word.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. When reading from right to left, it disrupts our normal reading flow and requires our brains to concentrate more deliberately on each word, thus reducing reading speed.

Question 17

Routinely used clichéscapture a receiver's attention because they are original,fresh, and interesting.

Accepted Answer

This statement is false. Clichés are overused phrases that have lost their originality and impact. They can actually have the opposite effect of capturing someone's attention because they are predictable and unoriginal. It is better to avoid clichés and use original and specific language to communicate effectively.

Question 18

The first step in proofreading a document is to use the spell checker.

Accepted Answer

Running a spell checker is often the first step in proofreading a document, but it should not be the only step. After running a spell checker, the writer should also manually review and edit the document for grammar and punctuation errors.

Question 19

Business communicators normally use passive voice moreheavily than active voice because passive voice conveysideas more vividly.

Accepted Answer

This statement is false. Active voice tends to be preferred in business communication because it is more direct and concise, while passive voice can be seen as more indirect and vague.

Question 20

To emphasize an idea, place it in a dependentclause.

Accepted Answer

Dependent clauses are used to add additional information to a sentence, but they do not emphasize an idea. Emphasis is typically achieved by placing the idea in an independent clause or at the beginning or end of a sentence.

Quiz 4: Preparing Written Messsages