Busad 106 - Written Business Communication » Fall 2022 » Midterm

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Question #1
If you are requesting five things in a message, what is the best way to present?
A.   Create a numbered or bulleted list in the body of the letter. 
B.   Email follow-up.
C.   Paragraph.
D.   Enclosure in a memo.
Question #2
What is AIDA?
A.   Action, Introduce, Desire, and Action.
B.   Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action.
C.   Analyze, Introduce, Demand, and Act.
D.   Anticipate, Interest, Desire, and Action.
Question #3
The direct strategy would be most appropriate when
A.   revealing sensitive news.
B.   expecting the audience to be pleased, mildly interested, or neutral.
C.   presenting ideas requiring persuasion.
D.   delivering bad news.
Question #4
What is parallel structure?
A.   When language is sensitive and bias free.
B.   When a writer joins two independent clauses with a comma.
C.   When the same word type or tense is used in a list (i.e. walk, talk, run, not walking, talked, ran).
D.   When modifiers must be close to the words they describe or limit. 
Question #5
Which of the following sentences avoids burying a verb in a wordy noun expression? Buried verbs are those that are needlessly converted to wordy noun expressions.
A.   We will give serious consideration to your application.
B.   The board will conduct a discussion about the possible merger.
C.   We hope to discover the reason our profits are declining.
D.   The task force reached a conclusion about how to improve morale.
Question #6
One of the best ways to develop audience benefits is to use the "you" view, which
A.   emphasizes second-person pronouns instead of first-person (I, we) pronouns.
B.   uses slang and abbreviations to personalize the message.
C.   dictates that all sentences be written as commands.
D.   means that all messages are written in the active voice.
Question #7
Which of the following best avoids a long lead-in?
A.   Yes, we will send the information you requested.
B.   I am writing this letter to inform you that we will send the information you requested.
C.   This is to advise you that we will send the information you requested.
D.   You may be interested to learn that we will send the information you requested.
Question #8
All of the following sentences contain unnecessary fillers except
A.   There are three important issues that we can choose to discuss at today's meeting.
B.   There is only one job opening currently available.
C.   Three candidates are running for the board.
D.   It was our one and only office manager who won the raffle.
Question #9
Which sentence avoids redundant expressions?
A.   I want to thank each and every stockholder.
B.   It is absolutely essential that our accounting records are accurate.
C.   Let's not repeat our competitor's mistakes.
D.   Please refer back to the June financial statements.
Question #10
Which of the following statements regarding bulleted or numbered lists is most accurate?
A.   Lists confuse readers because they are visually distracting.
B.   Lists decrease the readability level of a document.
C.   Lists allow readers to review main ideas quickly. Increase skim value.
D.   Lists decrease a reader's comprehension of the main ideas.
Question #11
All of the following are reasons memos are used to send internal messages except
A.   formality.
B.   permanency.
C.   length.
D.   social media marketing.
Question #12
Choose the best closing for a message persuading the president of your organization to accept your benefit proposal.
A.   If you have any further questions about this new benefits plan, please do not hesitate to contact me. 
B.   Please email me at your earliest convenience with your decision.
C.   We really need to implement this new benefits plan soon. 
D.   Contacting me December 1st about your support of this new benefits plan will allow me to present this proposal at the next strategic planning session.
Question #13
How do you draft bad news messages using the indirect strategy? (what is the process?)
A.   Bad news, reasons, buffer, and closing.
B.   Closing, buffer, bad news, and reasons. 
C.   Buffer, reasons, bad news, and closing. 
D.   Buffer, bad news, reasons, and closing.
Question #14
Which of the following is an effective opening for a routine request message? (direct strategy)
A.   I recently read an article about your firm in the local newspaper.
B.   Please answer the following questions about your Web services.
C.   Cape Consulting Inc. is the premier communication-consulting firm in the Cape and islands area.
D.   My name is Jill Aubrey, and I am the office manager for Cape Consulting Inc.
Question #15
The conclusion of a response message should
A.   omit the sender's name to avoid legal liability. 
B.   include familiar expressions such as "If I may be of further assistance, please don't hesitate to call me."
C.   avoid repeating the information provided or referring to its use.
D.   provide specific details (time, date, etc.) if further action is required.
Question #16
How do you draft good new messages?
A.   Subject, opening, body, and closing.
B.   Subject, closing, body, opening.
C.   Buffer, reasons, bad news, and closing.
D.   Subject, closing, body, and opening.
Question #17
Corbin must inform employees that overtime pay will be reduced from the current 2.0 factor to a 1.5 factor. Because he anticipates a hostile reaction, which of the following sequences should Corbin use for the parts of his message? (indirect strategy for bad news)
A.   Bad news, reasons, buffer, and closing
B.   Buffer, reasons, bad news, and closing
C.   Buffer, explanation, reasons, and closing
D.   Bad news, explanation, reasons, and closing
Question #18
What are the three steps or phases in the 3x3 writing process?
A.   Edit, proofread, and evaluate. 
B.   Analyze, anticipate, and adapt. 
C.   Prewriting, drafting, and revising. 
D.   Organize,research, and draft.
Question #19
What is meant by concise?
A.   Adding unnecessary words to a message to make it longer. 
B.   Adapting a message to its audience.
C.   Eliminating unnecessary words like long lead-ins and words that add no value.  
D.   Using positive language that avoids negative words.
Question #20
Sammie is planning a persuasive request. What advice should she follow for the opening of her request? (AIDA)
A.   Cite facts, statistics, expert opinions, examples, and specific details to support her request.
B.   Capture the reader's attention and interest.
C.   Identify herself and her company.
D.   Provide her telephone number.
Question #21
When should you use save to draft?
A.   All of these.
B.   You may have a very important email going to a large group or your CEO.
C.   You may get passionate about something and want to fire back an email.
D.   You may be summarizing something in which you have worked very diligently. 
Question #22
What makes up the drafting phase of the 3x3 writing process?
A.   Researching, organizing, and drafting. 
B.   Analyze, anticipate, and adapt. 
C.   Writing, questioning, and guessing.
D.   Edit, proofread, and evaluate.
Question #23
Which of the following would be the most effective closing statement in a routine action request letter?
A.   Thanking you in advance for sending a copy of the contract for installation of a new HVAC. 
B.   I would appreciate receiving a copy of the contract for your proposed installation at your earliest possible convenience. 
C.   Please send a contract for heating and ventilation work by April 1 to allow installation to begin by April 15. 
D.   We hope you can get our work completed in a timely manner. 
Question #24
What is the maximum sentence length in business writing?
A.   10 words.
B.   20 words.
C.   There is no limit.
D.   40 words.
Question #25
Communicators from North America, Scandinavia, and Germany tend to be logical, analytical, and action oriented. They also depend little on the context of a situation to convey their meaning. These communicators represent what kind of culture?
A.   High-context
B.   Primitive
C.   Ancient
D.   Low-context
Question #26
The types of appeals used in persuasive writing (page 231) are all of these except:
A.   Psychological
B.   Emotional
C.   Dual (both Rational and Emotional)
D.   Rational

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