Business Communication: Polishing Your Professional Presence, 5e (Shwom)
Chapter 1 Developing Your Professional Presence
1) Which of the following is a complex process of encoding and decoding information, ideas,
and feelings?
A) Confidence
B) Communication
C) Professional presence
D) Critical thinking
E) Feedback
Answer: B
Explanation: In its most basic form, communication is a complex process of encoding and
decoding messages (information, ideas, and feelings).
Diff: Easy
Question Category: Concept
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Learning Objective: 1.1 Explain why communication is a complex process that is affected by
context and requires more than the delivery of messages.
2) Which model of communication focuses on a single communication exchange in a linear path
from a sender to a receiver?
A) Transmission
B) Complex
C) Language
D) Transactional
E) Relational
Answer: A
Explanation: The transmission model focuses on a single communication exchange and
portrays communication as the linear transmission of a message from a sender to a receiver.
Diff: Moderate
Question Category: Concept
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Learning Objective: 1.1 Explain why communication is a complex process that is affected by
context and requires more than the delivery of messages.
1
,3) Putting ideas into words, images, or actions takes place during which step in the
communication process?
A) Medium determination
B) Transmission
C) Encoding
D) Decoding
E) Interaction
Answer: C
Explanation: A sender has an intention, selects a medium of communication, encodes that
intention into words, images, or actions; and sends the message through that medium.
Diff: Moderate
Question Category: Concept
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Learning Objective: 1.1 Explain why communication is a complex process that is affected by
context and requires more than the delivery of messages.
4) What term refers to the external or internal circumstances that influence communication?
A) Physical barriers
B) Feedback
C) Semantic barriers
D) Context
E) Language barriers
Answer: D
Explanation: The concept of context refers to the circumstances and forces that influence
communication.
Diff: Moderate
Question Category: Concept
AACSB: Reflective thinking
Learning Objective: 1.1 Explain why communication is a complex process that is affected by
context and requires more than the delivery of messages.
5) Issues such as the distance between communicators and the noise in a room are aspects of
what type of context?
A) Technological
B) Semantic
C) Cultural
D) Psychological
E) Physical
Answer: E
Explanation: Physical context is the context in which the communication takes place, including
the physical distance between communicators as well as what's going on around you, such as a
noisy room or someone whispering.
Diff: Easy
Question Category: Application
AACSB: Application of knowledge
Learning Objective: 1.1 Explain why communication is a complex process that is affected by
context and requires more than the delivery of messages.
2
,6) Language that is difficult to understand or is ambiguous is indicative of what type of barrier?
A) Semantic
B) Cultural
C) Physical
D) Psychological
E) Physiological
Answer: A
Explanation: Semantic barriers arise from language that is ambiguous or difficult to understand.
Diff: Easy
Question Category: Concept
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Learning Objective: 1.1 Explain why communication is a complex process that is affected by
context and requires more than the delivery of messages.
7) Which of the following workplace activities is most likely to be the one in which your
communication skills will be utilized?
A) Calculating whether sales are up this quarter using the latest figures
B) Formulating strategies to manage your new team
C) Persuading your colleagues that your idea will likely lead to increased sales
D) Analyzing the pattern of errors found in your new product
E) Designing algorithms for new software
Answer: C
Explanation: None of the other options require communication skills as they are not intended to
be directed toward someone; by contrast, persuading colleagues requires talking to them and
making them understand what you wish to convey.
Diff: Moderate
Question Category: Application
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Objective: 1.1 Explain why communication is a complex process that is affected by
context and requires more than the delivery of messages.
3
, 8) Which of the following expands the concept of context and is influenced by social, relational,
and cultural forces?
A) Transactional Model
B) Critical thinking
C) Interaction Model
D) Transmission Model
E) Medium determination
Answer: A
Explanation: The Transactional Model of communication expands on the concept of context
and recognizes that communication is influenced by a broader set of external forces: social,
relational, and cultural.
Diff: Moderate
Question Category: Concept
AACSB: Application of knowledge
Learning Objective: 1.1 Explain why communication is a complex process that is affected by
context and requires more than the delivery of messages.
9) During the communication process, which of the following acknowledges that one group's
learned behaviors may be different from those of another group?
A) Relational context
B) Cultural context
C) Social context
D) Psychological context
E) Physical context
Answer: B
Explanation: Cultural context acknowledges that one group's set of learned behaviors and
norms may be different from another's.
Diff: Moderate
Question Category: Concept
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Objective: 1.1 Explain why communication is a complex process that is affected by
context and requires more than the delivery of messages.
10) Which of the following concepts helps to explain why communication can fail?
A) Transmission
B) Medium
C) Barriers
D) Encoding
E) Interaction
Answer: C
Explanation: The concept of barriers helps explain why communication often fails. Barriers are
obstacles that get in the way of effective communication and come in many forms.
Diff: Moderate
Question Category: Concept
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Objective: 1.1 Explain why communication is a complex process that is affected by
context and requires more than the delivery of messages.
4
Chapter 1 Developing Your Professional Presence
1) Which of the following is a complex process of encoding and decoding information, ideas,
and feelings?
A) Confidence
B) Communication
C) Professional presence
D) Critical thinking
E) Feedback
Answer: B
Explanation: In its most basic form, communication is a complex process of encoding and
decoding messages (information, ideas, and feelings).
Diff: Easy
Question Category: Concept
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Learning Objective: 1.1 Explain why communication is a complex process that is affected by
context and requires more than the delivery of messages.
2) Which model of communication focuses on a single communication exchange in a linear path
from a sender to a receiver?
A) Transmission
B) Complex
C) Language
D) Transactional
E) Relational
Answer: A
Explanation: The transmission model focuses on a single communication exchange and
portrays communication as the linear transmission of a message from a sender to a receiver.
Diff: Moderate
Question Category: Concept
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Learning Objective: 1.1 Explain why communication is a complex process that is affected by
context and requires more than the delivery of messages.
1
,3) Putting ideas into words, images, or actions takes place during which step in the
communication process?
A) Medium determination
B) Transmission
C) Encoding
D) Decoding
E) Interaction
Answer: C
Explanation: A sender has an intention, selects a medium of communication, encodes that
intention into words, images, or actions; and sends the message through that medium.
Diff: Moderate
Question Category: Concept
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Learning Objective: 1.1 Explain why communication is a complex process that is affected by
context and requires more than the delivery of messages.
4) What term refers to the external or internal circumstances that influence communication?
A) Physical barriers
B) Feedback
C) Semantic barriers
D) Context
E) Language barriers
Answer: D
Explanation: The concept of context refers to the circumstances and forces that influence
communication.
Diff: Moderate
Question Category: Concept
AACSB: Reflective thinking
Learning Objective: 1.1 Explain why communication is a complex process that is affected by
context and requires more than the delivery of messages.
5) Issues such as the distance between communicators and the noise in a room are aspects of
what type of context?
A) Technological
B) Semantic
C) Cultural
D) Psychological
E) Physical
Answer: E
Explanation: Physical context is the context in which the communication takes place, including
the physical distance between communicators as well as what's going on around you, such as a
noisy room or someone whispering.
Diff: Easy
Question Category: Application
AACSB: Application of knowledge
Learning Objective: 1.1 Explain why communication is a complex process that is affected by
context and requires more than the delivery of messages.
2
,6) Language that is difficult to understand or is ambiguous is indicative of what type of barrier?
A) Semantic
B) Cultural
C) Physical
D) Psychological
E) Physiological
Answer: A
Explanation: Semantic barriers arise from language that is ambiguous or difficult to understand.
Diff: Easy
Question Category: Concept
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Learning Objective: 1.1 Explain why communication is a complex process that is affected by
context and requires more than the delivery of messages.
7) Which of the following workplace activities is most likely to be the one in which your
communication skills will be utilized?
A) Calculating whether sales are up this quarter using the latest figures
B) Formulating strategies to manage your new team
C) Persuading your colleagues that your idea will likely lead to increased sales
D) Analyzing the pattern of errors found in your new product
E) Designing algorithms for new software
Answer: C
Explanation: None of the other options require communication skills as they are not intended to
be directed toward someone; by contrast, persuading colleagues requires talking to them and
making them understand what you wish to convey.
Diff: Moderate
Question Category: Application
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Objective: 1.1 Explain why communication is a complex process that is affected by
context and requires more than the delivery of messages.
3
, 8) Which of the following expands the concept of context and is influenced by social, relational,
and cultural forces?
A) Transactional Model
B) Critical thinking
C) Interaction Model
D) Transmission Model
E) Medium determination
Answer: A
Explanation: The Transactional Model of communication expands on the concept of context
and recognizes that communication is influenced by a broader set of external forces: social,
relational, and cultural.
Diff: Moderate
Question Category: Concept
AACSB: Application of knowledge
Learning Objective: 1.1 Explain why communication is a complex process that is affected by
context and requires more than the delivery of messages.
9) During the communication process, which of the following acknowledges that one group's
learned behaviors may be different from those of another group?
A) Relational context
B) Cultural context
C) Social context
D) Psychological context
E) Physical context
Answer: B
Explanation: Cultural context acknowledges that one group's set of learned behaviors and
norms may be different from another's.
Diff: Moderate
Question Category: Concept
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Objective: 1.1 Explain why communication is a complex process that is affected by
context and requires more than the delivery of messages.
10) Which of the following concepts helps to explain why communication can fail?
A) Transmission
B) Medium
C) Barriers
D) Encoding
E) Interaction
Answer: C
Explanation: The concept of barriers helps explain why communication often fails. Barriers are
obstacles that get in the way of effective communication and come in many forms.
Diff: Moderate
Question Category: Concept
AACSB: Analytical thinking
Learning Objective: 1.1 Explain why communication is a complex process that is affected by
context and requires more than the delivery of messages.
4
