Question 1

Research on comforting messages has been shown to do all of the following except _______.
A)make someone become dependent on being comforted
B)increase the self-esteem of the person who is comforting the other
C)improve physical health
D)none of the above

Accepted Answer

Research on comforting messages has not been shown to make someone become dependent on being comforted. However, it has been shown to increase the self-esteem of the person who is comforting the other and improve physical health.

Question 2

The statement,"Photosynthesis is the process used by plants to convert sunlight into fuel" is _______.
A)a statement of fact
B)a generalization
C)an inference
D)an opinion

Accepted Answer

This statement is a well-established scientific fact and is not open to debate or interpretation. Therefore, it is a statement of fact.

Question 3

If you want to offer emotional support to your friend,which of the following does your book recommend that you do?
A)Clearly state that you want to help.
B)Try to make it sound like you are not giving advice.
C)Give a detailed account of a time you experienced something similar.
D)Emphasize that you are an impartial observer.

Accepted Answer

Clearly stating that you want to help shows that you are available and willing to listen and support your friend. This can help create a safe space for them to express their emotions and talk about what they are going through.

Question 4

Attending is our favored and usually unconscious approach to listening.

Accepted Answer

Attending is a conscious effort to focus on the speaker and their message, rather than an unconscious approach.

Question 5

Your friend says to you,"I failed two of my classes this semester," as she shows you her report card.Which of the following statements is a fact?
A)Your friend is upset about her grades.
B)Your friend failed two classes.
C)Your friend did not try very hard this semester.
D)Your friend is not very smart.

Accepted Answer

The only statement that is a fact is that the friend failed two classes. The other statements are assumptions or opinions.

Question 6

In response to the statement "I brought all the boxes up to the second floor,and he tells me I didn't do what I was supposed to-that really irks me," which of the following best holds the characteristics of an effective supportive message?
A)"Were you supposed to bring them to the basement instead?"
B)"Maybe he didn't yell at you.Maybe he just has a loud voice."
C)"He's a real jerk,isn't he?"
D)"Yeah,I can understand why you'd be upset."

Accepted Answer

Choice D acknowledges the speaker's feelings and shows understanding, which is a characteristic of an effective supportive message. Choices A, B, and C do not provide support or understanding for the speaker's frustration.

Question 7

Julie tells Deanna that she's really upset because she may fail her math class.To understand how Julie must feel,Deanna recalls when she was doing poorly in her Spanish class and how bad she felt.Deanna is engaging in _______.
A)sympathetic responsiveness
B)perspective taking
C)empathic responsiveness
D)using a mnemonic

Accepted Answer

Deanna is engaging in perspective taking, as she is recalling her own experience of doing poorly in a class to try and understand how Julie may be feeling. Sympathetic responsiveness involves feeling sorry for someone's situation, while empathic responsiveness involves feeling the same emotions as the person. Using a mnemonic involves using a memory aid to remember something.

Question 8

Getting physically and mentally ready is one of the steps to receive messages accurately.

Accepted Answer

Being physically and mentally prepared can help improve our focus, reduce distractions, and increase our receptiveness to messages, leading to more accurate reception of messages.

Question 9

Chris calls Kelly and says,"Kelly,I'm so sorry.I'm running five minutes late to pick you up for our ballet class." Which of the following is a fact about this situation?
A)Chris and Kelly will be late to ballet.
B)Chris is late to pick up Kelly.
C)These women are friends who are taking a ballet class together.
D)All of these are facts

Accepted Answer

The fact in this situation is that Chris is running late to pick up Kelly for their ballet class. The other options are either assumptions or general information about the situation that are not necessarily facts.

Question 10

When you listen to someone judgmentally you are engaging in discriminative listening.

Accepted Answer

Discriminative listening focuses on distinguishing different sounds and words, not on making judgments about what is being said. Judgmental listening involves forming opinions or evaluations about the speaker or message.

Question 11

Other-centered messages _______.
A)are seen as rude in most cultures
B)are more appropriate for women than for men
C)encourage people to elaborate on how they feel about the situation
D)none of the above

Accepted Answer

Other-centered messages encourage people to elaborate on how they feel about the situation, showing concern for the other person's perspective and emotions. It is considered a positive and effective communication strategy in most cultures. Gender is not a determinant factor for this type of message.

Question 12

The process of determining the truthfulness,authenticity,or believability of the information provided is called critical analysis.

Accepted Answer

Critical analysis involves evaluating and examining information to determine its validity, credibility, and reliability.

Question 13

Which of these is an accurate paraphrase of this company policy: "Returns will be accepted within 60 days of purchase with a receipt.After 60 days,no returns or exchanges will be made"?
A)"You can return things within 60 days."
B)"No returns will be made without a receipt."
C)"You can return things to this store."
D)"If you want to return something,you must do so within two months and have your receipt."

Accepted Answer

This choice accurately paraphrases the company policy by stating that returns are only accepted within 60 days of purchase with a receipt, and after this period, no returns or exchanges will be made.

Question 14

Critical listeners will be able to _______.
A)exhibit optimal hearing acuity
B)distinguish factual statements from inferences
C)put off judgments on the truth of messages
D)agree with ideas or plans that violate their own values

Accepted Answer

Critical listening involves the ability to distinguish factual statements from opinions or inferences. Critical listeners also analyze and evaluate the messages they receive before making judgments on their truth or validity. Optimal hearing acuity (A) is not necessarily a requirement for critical listening, and agreeing with ideas or plans that violate their own values (D) is not consistent with critical thinking.

Question 15

If in response to the statement "I hope I get the job-it really means a lot to me" you replied,"I know you've shown a great interest in the type of work they're doing," your response would be _______.
A)paraphrasing
B)interpreting
C)supportive
D)describing behavior

Accepted Answer

Your response is supportive because it acknowledges the speaker's feelings and reinforces their interest in the job, showing empathy and encouragement without altering or analyzing the original statement.

Question 16

In response to the statement "If my mom keeps dropping me off late for work,I'm afraid they are going to fire me," which of the following would hold the characteristics of an effective supportive response? 
A)"Are you going to say something to her about it?"
B)"Well,your mom has been going through a tough time lately."
C)"Stop worrying.Your boss isn't going to fire you."
D)"If I were you,I'd start getting a ride from your brother Larry instead."

Accepted Answer

A supportive response should offer some form of advice or suggestion to the person, while also showing empathy and understanding of their situation. Option A does this by suggesting that the person talk to their mom about the issue, while also acknowledging that it is a valid concern. Option B downplays the importance of the issue and option C dismisses the person's worries entirely. Option D offers a suggestion but does not address the person's concerns about potentially losing their job.

Question 17

A comforting message _______.
A)should help someone feel better about themselves and their behavior
B)indicates that you think the person is right
C)is not appropriate after a show of negative feelings
D)includes a statement that describes your feelings

Accepted Answer

A comforting message is meant to reassure and support a person who may be feeling upset or insecure. It should focus on making the person feel better about themselves and their behavior, rather than necessarily indicating agreement with them or expressing your own feelings.

Question 18

During the remembering state of listening you _______.
A)separate fact from inference
B)repeat information
C)ask questions
D)observe nonverbal cues

Accepted Answer

During the remembering state of listening, the listener focuses on retaining the information received. Repetition of information is a common technique used to aid in memory retention. Separating fact from inference, asking questions, and observing nonverbal cues are all aspects of the evaluating stage of listening.

Question 19

Critical analysis is especially important when a speaker is asking you to believe,act on,or support what is being said.

Accepted Answer

Critical analysis involves carefully evaluating and examining information presented in order to make an informed decision or judgment. It is particularly important when making decisions about beliefs, actions, or support for a specific idea or proposition. Without critical analysis, one is at risk of accepting information at face value without fully understanding its context or potential biases. Therefore, critical analysis is essential for making informed decisions and avoiding misinformation or manipulation.

Question 20

Supportive messages that comfort are different from merely supportive messages in that they _______.
A)usually occur over several turns in a conversation or over several conversations
B)avoid buffering
C)minimize other-centered messages
D)allow the speaker to frame the discussion as he or she wishes to frame it

Accepted Answer

Supportive messages that comfort often involve more sustained efforts over time to provide reassurance and emotional support to the person in distress, whereas merely supportive messages might only offer a brief expression of sympathy or encouragement. Thus, supportive messages that comfort tend to occur over several turns in a conversation or over several conversations.

Quiz 6: Listening

Research on comforting messages has been shown to do all of the following except _______.

The statement,"Photosynthesis is the process used by plants to convert sunlight into fuel" is _______.

If you want to offer emotional support to your friend,which of the following does your book recommend that you do?

Attending is our favored and usually unconscious approach to listening.

Your friend says to you,"I failed two of my classes this semester," as she shows you her report card.Which of the following statements is a fact?

In response to the statement "I brought all the boxes up to the second floor,and he tells me I didn't do what I was supposed to-that really irks me," which of the following best holds the characteristics of an effective supportive message?

Julie tells Deanna that she's really upset because she may fail her math class.To understand how Julie must feel,Deanna recalls when she was doing poorly in her Spanish class and how bad she felt.Deanna is engaging in _______.

Getting physically and mentally ready is one of the steps to receive messages accurately.

Chris calls Kelly and says,"Kelly,I'm so sorry.I'm running five minutes late to pick you up for our ballet class." Which of the following is a fact about this situation?

When you listen to someone judgmentally you are engaging in discriminative listening.

Other-centered messages _______.

The process of determining the truthfulness,authenticity,or believability of the information provided is called critical analysis.

Which of these is an accurate paraphrase of this company policy: "Returns will be accepted within 60 days of purchase with a receipt.After 60 days,no returns or exchanges will be made"?

Critical listeners will be able to _______.

If in response to the statement "I hope I get the job-it really means a lot to me" you replied,"I know you've shown a great interest in the type of work they're doing," your response would be _______.

In response to the statement "If my mom keeps dropping me off late for work,I'm afraid they are going to fire me," which of the following would hold the characteristics of an effective supportive response?

A comforting message _______.

During the remembering state of listening you _______.

Critical analysis is especially important when a speaker is asking you to believe,act on,or support what is being said.

Supportive messages that comfort are different from merely supportive messages in that they _______.