Effective Public Communication

January 2013

Class Test – Set B

Name: _____________________________

Group _______

Student Number: ______________

Section A.

Multiple choice questions – Answer all questions. (12 marks)

1. Something which represents something else is called a/an:

A. referent.

B. symbol.

C. bipolar term.

D. idiosyncrasy.

2. Codes which have some commonality and some differences in perceived meaning are:

A. denotative.

B. semantic.

C. codeswitching.

D. overlapping.

3. A dichotomous term for “attractive” is:

A. pretty.

B. blue eyes.

C. ugly.

D. tall.

4. The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis assumes:

A. thought shapes language.

B. language constrains thought.

C. language determines thought.

D. language prevents thought.

5. The most accurate estimate of the meaning from nonverbal messages is probably:

A. as much as 97%.

B. 65%.

C. all meaning comes from nonverbal messages.

D. as little as 10%.

6. Which of the following statements about nonverbal communication is true?

A. Nonverbal primarily relates relational messages.

B. Nonverbal messages are ambiguous.

C. People differ in their abilities to “read” nonverbal messages.

D. All of the choices are correct

7. The best seating arrangement for cooperative work at a rectangular table is:

A. end and nearest side seats.

B. side by side seating

C. on opposite sides directly across from each other.

D. on opposite sides diagonally across from each other.

8. Which of the following is not a part of the listening process?

A. Hearing

B. Attending

C. Understanding

D. Responding

9. When a parent wakes to the sound of his/her crying baby, what element of the listening

process is at work?

A. Arousal level

B. Selective attention

C. Selective arousal

D. Empathic listening

10. As you study in the cafeteria, you hear your name mentioned at the next table. Which

listening element has been invoked?

A. Hearing

B. Attending

C. Understanding

D. Remembering

11. Focusing on the words or semantics is a tactic of:

A. avoidance.

B. collaboration.

C. competition.

D. negotiation.

12. Collaboration utilizes which of the following?

A. Aggression

B. Empathy

C. Suppression of needs

D. All of the choices are correct

Section B.

True/False – Answer all questions. Underline the correct answer. (9 marks)

13. No real association exists between most words and their referents. True/False

14. When encoding messages it is best to concentrate totally on your own definitions of words.

True/False

15. Language serves the function of enabling humans to abstract indefinitely from our

experiences. True/False

16. Lack of eye contact is the best indicator of deception. True/False

17. All cultures have the same sense of proxemics. True/False

18. Good listening is learned as a child by observing others. True/False

19. Short term memory seems linked more to sight than to sound. True/False

20. One’s likelihood of being in conflicts may be increased by the existence of intrapersonal

conflict. True/False

Section C.

Fill in the gaps – Answer all questions. (9 marks)

21. A conclusion based on assumptions is a/an ______________.

22. Communication about communication is called _______________.

23. Preening and positioning are examples of _______________.

24. The study of how we use touch to communicate is called ______________.

25. Paralanguage has two elements: voice qualities and _______________.

26. Imagining what the speaker is trying to say creates a/an ______________.

27. The logical error of too few examples is called a/an ______________.

28. ______________ requires cooperation of both parties to a conflict.

29. ______________ is “deciding an issue based on its merits rather than by taking positions

and trying to get the other party to come to our position.”

Section D. Short answers of 150-200 words – (30 marks)

Choose THREE of the questions below. One of the questions MUST be from the video Secrets

of Body Language’.

30a. Describe the relationship between symbols and meaning. Give examples to illustrate it.

30b. Describe your own voice using the four kinds of vocal cues discussed in the nonverbal

chapter. How closely does your voice fit the stereotypically valued voice for North Americans?

30c. Support the assertion that “listeners have too much spare time.”

30d. Explain three ways in which listening is critical to your future job or personal success.

30e. Describe how principled negotiation differs from traditional notions of negotiation.

The following questions are to be answered based on the video ‘Secrets of Body Language’

that you have watched.

31 a. According to the video, how can we tell if someone is lying? Give two examples of public

figures who were not telling the truth according to the video.

31 b. Name one concept mentioned in the video that was not covered in the textbook and give

examples of this concept.