Question 1

You can ease disappointment by using positive words rather than negative ones.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 2

An apology should ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  be stated at the end of your buffer 
B)  be stated at the beginning of your buffer 
C)  not be included if there is a threat of a lawsuit 
D)  include an explanation of your reasons for the bad news in the buffer

Question 3

Which of the following is a guideline for providing reasons for bad news in a negative news message that uses the indirect approach?

Accepted Answer

A)  Use "company policy" as the reason most of the time. 
B)  Start with the most negative points first and move forward to increasingly positive ones. 
C)  Present your reasons in a clearly apologetic tone. 
D)  Provide enough detail for the audience to understand your reasons.

Question 4

If you've failed to meet expectations that you set for the customer,an element of apology should be considered when conveying negative news about the transaction.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

When using the indirect approach in organizing your negative news message,the reasons for the bad news should precede the actual statement of the bad news.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 6

Dana,HR manager at a small company,must communicate to an employee that his request for a raise cannot be fulfilled,considering his productivity rates.Which of the following lines would best serve as a buffer for this message?

Accepted Answer

A)  We would love to grant your request but your productivity is really not up to the mark this year. 
B)  We have decided that, considering your productivity rate, we cannot give you the raise that you had requested. 
C)  You are doing a great job out there and we would like to commend you on your performance. 
D)  After receiving your request for a raise, we did a careful evaluation of your productivity levels over the course of the last year.

Question 7

Bad news messages should be delivered promptly,without delay.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

Which of the following is a goal you should have in mind when sending out a message communicating bad news about transactions to a customer?

Accepted Answer

A)  To limit your responsibility 
B)  To repair the relationship 
C)  To sell an alternative product or service 
D)  To limit further communication on the matter

Question 9

An important aspect of a positive close is describing the actions being taken to avoid similar mistakes in the future.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

You should use the direct approach to organize negative news messages when ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  you want to soften the blow of the negative news 
B)  the reader has an emotional investment in the situation 
C)  the situation is routine or minor 
D)  you need to maintain a close working relationship with the reader

Question 11

What is an example of a sincere apology?

Accepted Answer

A)  I'm sorry if you were offended by what happened. 
B)  I'm sorry that our product resulted in a financial loss for your business. 
C)  I'm sorry that Chris's service did not live up to your expectations. 
D)  I'm sorry to hear of your difficulties.

Question 12

Direct messages take less time for you to write,and readers need less time to reach the main idea of the message.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

The primary advantage of using the direct approach is that it ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  is efficient 
B)  prepares readers for the bad news 
C)  is useful in limiting your responsibility 
D)  helps obscure the bad news

Question 14

An effective buffer is a neutral,noncontroversial statement unrelated to the main purpose of the message.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

In a negative message that uses the indirect approach,an ideal explanation section should ________ the bad news ahead.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In a negative message that uses the...

Question 16

The indirect approach is meant to obscure bad news,delay it,or limit your responsibility.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

When refusing claims,you should ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  use the direct approach in most such instances 
B)  maintain a personal and intimate tone to build rapport 
C)  apologize sincerely for the negative answer 
D)  emphasize your continued desire for a positive relationship with the customer

Question 18

An apology in business communications means admitting fault.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

When providing reasons for bad news in a negative news message that uses the indirect approach,you should ________.

Accepted Answer

A)  avoid using "company policy" as the reason most of the time 
B)  start with the most negative points and then move on to increasingly positive ones 
C)  present your reasons in a clearly apologetic tone 
D)  avoid going into details of the reasons for the bad news

Question 20

In a negative message using the indirect approach,the buffer in the opening is immediately followed by a(n)________.

Accepted Answer

A)  clear statement of the bad news 
B)  explanation for the news 
C)  neutral statement unrelated to the purpose of the message 
D)  positive statement, expressing genuine optimism for the future

Exam 8: Writing Negative Messages

You can ease disappointment by using positive words rather than negative ones.

An apology should ________.

Which of the following is a guideline for providing reasons for bad news in a negative news message that uses the indirect approach?

If you've failed to meet expectations that you set for the customer,an element of apology should be considered when conveying negative news about the transaction.

When using the indirect approach in organizing your negative news message,the reasons for the bad news should precede the actual statement of the bad news.

Dana,HR manager at a small company,must communicate to an employee that his request for a raise cannot be fulfilled,considering his productivity rates.Which of the following lines would best serve as a buffer for this message?

Bad news messages should be delivered promptly,without delay.

Which of the following is a goal you should have in mind when sending out a message communicating bad news about transactions to a customer?

An important aspect of a positive close is describing the actions being taken to avoid similar mistakes in the future.

You should use the direct approach to organize negative news messages when ________.

What is an example of a sincere apology?

Direct messages take less time for you to write,and readers need less time to reach the main idea of the message.

The primary advantage of using the direct approach is that it ________.

An effective buffer is a neutral,noncontroversial statement unrelated to the main purpose of the message.

In a negative message that uses the indirect approach,an ideal explanation section should ________ the bad news ahead.

The indirect approach is meant to obscure bad news,delay it,or limit your responsibility.

When refusing claims,you should ________.

An apology in business communications means admitting fault.

When providing reasons for bad news in a negative news message that uses the indirect approach,you should ________.

In a negative message using the indirect approach,the buffer in the opening is immediately followed by a(n) ________.