Soft Skills Free Online Training (Business Communication Quiz - 53)

1. While applying for job, you want to attach a recommendation from one of your old bosses with whom you are presently not in touch. Now you want to write a letter to your old boss requesting him for the recommendation letter. If you request a recommendation from a person you haven't had contact with recently, you should
[A]Use the opening of your letter to refresh the person's memory
[B]Enclose a stamped, preaddressed envelope
[C]Use the persuasive approach
[D]Use the bad-news approach


2. Which of the following statements is not true?
[A]Headings and subheadings show a document's organization, get the reader's attention, and also demonstrate the relationship between different ideas in a document
[B]When messages are categorized by type, they can be classified as (1) routine, good-news, and goodwill; (2) bad-news; and (3) persuasive messages
[C]Extra care is needed to write bad-news message
[D]An indirect approach of presenting the main idea after some discussion of the evidence is not suited for bad-news or persuasive messages


3. Without empathy for the audience’s feelings, it is hard to gain its cooperation or persuade it to accept tough decisions. So, before composing a letter containing unpleasant news, always ask yourself, “if I were the receiver of the message I am about to transmit, how would I react?” How should a bad-news message be ended?
[A]On an upbeat note
[B]On a sad note
[C]With the reason for the bad news
[D]With an apology for the bad news


4. The fundamental question about the effectiveness of the message is proper organization of the message. But how should the material be organized? It’s all very well to say that the subject, audience, and purpose determines the organization, but how exactly do they impact it? There may be some organizational patterns and presentation ideas to improve the presentation. But in the final analysis you alone are the best judge of your speaking situation, and based on that you should organize and develop your presentation.
Jamie has just become Executive Director of the local Red Cross and she needs to contact corporations in the community for their support and funding for the Blood Drive next month. In creating her message, she should use a strategy that is
[A]Persuasive and direct, since this is for a good cause
[B]Persuasive and indirect, since this is for a good cause
[C]Persuasive and indirect, since the audience needs to see the benefit for them
[D]Persuasive and direct, since the audience needs to see the benefit for them


5. Due to some unavoidable circumstances, you have to refuse a request of one of your existing customers. Which of the following additional challenges does a communicator face when conveying bad news to an existing or potential customer?
[A]The challenge of conveying more bad news in the future
[B]The challenge of facing the customer in person
[C]The challenge of explaining the bad news to the customer
[D]The challenge of making a resale or creating opportunities for future sales inspite of the bad news


6. The statement, "Although layoffs are painful, a reduction of 5 percent in the workforce now will increase our cost-to-profit ratio by 25 percent and will make future growth a real possibility." is an example of
[A]Bad news cushioned by neutral news
[B]Neutral news cushioned by good news
[C]Bad news cushioned by good news
[D]Neutral news emphasized by bad news


7. In which of the following circumstances can a bad news letter begin with a clear statement of the refusal?
I. When refusing an obviously unethical or immoral request.
II. When the writer is of the opinion that the request is not reasonable.
III. When the writer has to demonstrate authority.
[A]Only (I) above
[B]Only (II) above
[C]Both (I) and (II) above
[D]Both (I) and (III) above


8. Various attention-getting techniques have been successful in convincing recipients to put aside whatever they are doing and considering an unsolicited letter. I want to start my message with attentiongetter like “Are you interested in improving your health?” Comment on my choice.
[A]It is a good attention-getter many people will be attracted since, everybody is interested in improving their health
[B]It is a good attention-getter message because you are talking about other people’s health
[C]It is a bad attention-getter because answer to this question is always “yes”. Hence, there is no need to ask this question
[D]It is a bad attention-getter because people do not want others to intrude in their personal space


9. Although persuasion is generally associated with sales letters, it is also a strategy that business people must master to gain the support of others for important decisions. Persuasion involves the ability to win others to your point of view. What are selling points in a message?
[A]They are the most attractive features of an idea or product
[B]They are the points awarded to communicators for writing successful sales messages
[C]They refer to the sales letters that generate the highest sales
[D]They are the points given to the products that sell the most


10. Most college graduates look for entry-level positions. Before deciding it would be helpful to answer the questions like, what are the specific duties and responsibilities? Do the specific duties and responsibilities seem compatible with my personal characteristics attitudes, interests? Which of the following do they come under?
[A]Self analysis
[B]Job analysis
[C]Career analysis
[D]Company analysis


11. To make yourself heard above the din of the marketplace you must not only have a clear idea of exactly what kind of employment would suit you best, but also the ability to sell yourself effectively to would be employer. Which of the following is true regarding a "perfect" resume?
[A]It responds to the needs and preferences of the reader
[B]It is written in a chronological format
[C]It is organized around a list of skills and accomplishments
[D]It is electronic


12. Imagine you are a HR manager in a medium sized firm, which recently put out an advertisement for sales representatives. After careful consideration you selected some candidates, for whom you have sent interview letters. In that letter there will be various parts. Which of the following identifies the recipient fully?
[A]The salutation
[B]The signature block
[C]The inside address
[D]The letterhead


13. The elements of a report refer to those components that are usually included in a formal business report. Executive summary is one of them. Which of the following statements is false regarding an executive summary?
[A]It can be descriptive or informative
[B]It is intended for readers who need a condensed version of the information contained in the report
[C]It need not provide a summary of conclusions and recommendations
[D]It is one of the most important elements in a formal report


14. The abstract of a report is directed primarily to readers who are familiar with the technical subject and need to know whether to read the full report. When writing an abstract you can use technical terminology freely and refer to advanced concepts in your field. The two basic types of abstracts are
[A]Informative and informational abstracts
[B]Descriptive and executive abstracts
[C]Informative and executive abstracts
[D]Descriptive and informative abstracts


15. Reports are business tools that convey information objectively from one organizational area to another or from one institution to another. Which of the following is the most standardized of all types of reports?
[A]Staff study report
[B]Letter report
[C]Short report
[D]Audit report