Deck 7: Positive Emphasis

Question 1

Some negatives are necessary.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Negatives are never necessary in business messages.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Sometimes negatives create a "reverse psychology"that makes people look favorably at your product.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Words that begin with "in"may be negative.

Question 5

You can deemphasize a negative in your message by focusing on what the reader can do rather than on limitations.

Question 6

In most situations, it's better to be positive than negative.

Question 7

You should avoid negative words like "deny"and "mistake"in business messages.

Question 8

Include unimportant negatives in your messages to make sure you cover all the bases for readers.

Question 9

When deemphasizing negative information, it's OK to focus on the limitations rather than on what the reader can do.

Question 10

Positive emphasis can also be expressed as "seeing the glass as half-empty"rather than "completely empty."

Question 11

"Afraid,""missing,"and "trivial"are negative words or words with negative connotations.

Question 12

"Don't forget to call"is an example of a negative expression.

Question 13

"Hidden negatives"are words that are not negative in themselves but become negative in context.

Question 14

Getting rid of negatives often has the benefit of making your message easier to read.

Question 15

If you follow a positive statement with a word like "but,"the reader usually suspects a negative to follow.

Question 16

One way to make a sentence easier to understand is to use negatives, instead of beating around the bush with indirect language.

Question 17

"We will allow you to charge $1,500"is positive but lacks you-attitude, so it should be revised.

Question 18

Omit negatives when the reader already has the information, regardless of whether he or she has access to it.

Question 19

Giving a topic little space in a business message emphasizes it to the reader.

Question 20

Apologies may help to build goodwill, but they can also have legal implications.

Question 21

If you can't find a way to use positive emphasis, you should not write the message.

Question 22

"Delay"is a negative word but "wait"is not.

Question 23

Sentences with three or more negatives are harder to understand than those with fewer negatives.

Question 24

"Patience"can be a negative word under certain circumstances.

Question 25

Few people will take a problem seriously unless it is described with negative language. Therefore, it's better to phrase messages negatively most of the time.

Question 26

When you have a benefit and a requirement the reader must meet to get the benefit, put the benefit at the end of the sentence.

Question 27

When putting negatives on the first page of a document, put them at the bottom, where readers are least likely notice.

Question 28

The tone of a message may be interpreted differently depending on whether you are writing to a superior or to a subordinate.

Question 29

Tone rarely interacts with power.

Question 30

It's OK to tell your supervisor "Thank you for your cooperation"at the close of a letter.

Question 31

It is never a good idea to apologize in the workplace.

Question 32

There are laws that may shield workers who apologize from lawsuits.

Question 33

When you apologize it's best to first provide a vivid description of what you did wrong for the offended party.

Question 34

Apologies are always better than not apologizing.

Question 35

Which of the following is NOT a way to deemphasize negative information?

A) Eliminate negative words.
B) Bury the negative information.
C) Put the negative information in the middle of the page.
D) Leave it out, even if it's necessary.
E) Bold the negative information.

Question 36

Getting rid of negatives may have the added benefit of making what you write

A) Faster to read.
B) Easier to understand.
C) Less hurtful to the reader.
D) Much more persuasive.
E) None of the above.

Question 37

Omit negatives entirely when

A) The reader does not need to know the information to make the decision.
B) You have already given the reader the information and he or she has access to it.
C) The information is trivial.
D) All of the above.
E) Only A and B

Question 38

Which of the following words is LEAST negative?

A) Afraid.
B) Deny.
C) Wrong.
D) Assume.
E) Sorry.

Question 39

You receive a report draft from a colleague who's asked for feedback. In one paragraph, he writes, "The good news is that our mid-sized sedan will be safer next year with the addition of side-impact airbags."You should revise this statement because

A) It contains a hidden negative; "even" should be added before "safer" so the reader won't think the current model is unsafe.
B) It contains a hidden negative; "next year" should be eliminated so the reader won't have to be reminded that he or she must wait a year.
C) It contains a hidden negative; "side-impact" should be revised to "lateral" so the reader won't immediately visualize bodily injury.
D) Actually, you should leave the statement as-is; there is no hidden negative.
E) None of the above.

Question 40

You're in your mid-20s and are assigned to write sales letters to customers aged 45 and above. You decide to address each customer by his or her first name. Is this a good strategy?

A) No, because many people don't like being called by their first name by people they don't know.
B) No, because many people don't like being called by their first name by people much younger.
C) Yes, because many people appreciate that we live in a much more casual society than ever before.
D) Yes, because the only way to be assertive with people who are older is to treat them as your equal.
E) Both A and B

Question 41

Which of the following is the BEST revision of "I'm sorry that your order arrived damaged"?

A) "I'm sorry that you will have to wait for a replacement, but it's only a brief wait."
B) "I'm sorry, but your order was damaged by the shipper and not our company."
C) "A replacement for your order can be shipped immediately. Would you prefer a replacement or a refund?"
D) "I'm sending a replacement to you immediately. Thanks for your patience"
E) All of the above are equally good revisions.

Question 42

In which of the following situations is it MOST appropriate to deemphasize negatives?

A) When the reader must correct a dangerous practice.
B) When you're denying a customer's request for credit.
C) When you're fining a company for polluting the environment.
D) When hiding the negative news may make you appear to be dishonest or unethical.
E) None of the above.

Question 43

"Careless driving will result in expensive repairs and accidents that will make your insurance premiums exorbitant."Indicate the alternative that both correctly evaluates the sentence and correctly explains the reason for the evaluation.

A) Good positive emphasis because it contains the word "you."
B) Lacks positive emphasis because it contains negative words.
C) Lacks positive emphasis because it contains a hidden negative.
D) Good positive emphasis because it helps the reader save money.
E) Both C and D

Question 44

Which of the following is NOT an example of a hidden negative?

A) "But" after a positive statement.
B) "But" after a negative statement.
C) "Now Choco Puffs taste better."
D) "Please be patient during the transition."
E) All of the above are examples of a hidden negative.

Question 45

"Since more credit would be difficult for you to repay, your credit limit will not be increased at this time."

A) Lacks positive emphasis because there is no positive suggestion of how the reader can get additional credit
B) Lacks positive emphasis because the reason may not be convincing to the reader
C) Good positive emphasis because the refusal is put at the end of the sentence
D) Good positive emphasis because the writer gives a reason for the refusal
E) None of the above.

Question 46

Identify three situations in which using negatives is necessary

Question 47

List 10-15 words that are negative or have negative connotations

Question 48

Explain the importance of understanding the power implications of the words you use.

Question 49

Explain why making apologies may only work in some situations.

Question 50

Some negatives are necessary. But in most situations, it's better to be ________.

Question 51

When you must use a negative, use the least ________ term that will convey your meaning.

Question 52

If the negative is truly unnecessary, __________ it.

Question 53

The _______ and _______ are always positions of emphasis in messages.

Question 54

When you must apologize, do so ______, ______, and ______.