Think Interpersonal Communication 1st Canadian Edition By Wynn – Test Bank

Complete Test Bank With Answers

 

 

Sample Questions Posted Below

 

CHAPTER 5

Verbal Communication

5.1 MULTIPLE CHOICE

Ans: c

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Difficulty: 2

1. Researchers estimate that the first humans to speak language as we know it

lived in East Africa about __________ years ago.

a. 10,000

b. 50,000

c. 150,000

d. 250,000

e. 500,000

Ans: a

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2. Whereas a symbol is an arbitrary collection of sounds, a sign

a. b. c. often has a visual relationship to the thing it represents.

is an arbitrary collection of letters.

requires you to apply your experience and feelings to decide what it

means.

d. e. can express supraordinate, basic, and subordinate terms.

relies much more on connotation than denotation.

Ans: d

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3. Language scholars C. K. Ogden and I. A. Richards use a triangle to explain

the three elements of language which are

a. b. c. d. e. semantics, syntax, and significance of language.

denotative, connotative, and abstract meanings of words.

superordinate, basic, and subordinate meanings of words.

person, the symbol (or sign), and the referent.

encoding, decoding, and noise in language.

Ans: b

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4. Defining a computer as “a programmable electronic device that stores,

retrieves, and processes data” represents what type of meaning?

a. bypassing

b. denotation

c. connotation

d. abstract

e. jargon

Ans: c

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Difficulty: 2

5. If the word “computer” evokes a negative image of an increasingly complex

software nightmare that frustrates and infuriates you, what type of meaning

is influencing your response to the word?

a. bypassing

b. denotation

c. connotation

d. concrete

e. jargon

52Ans: e

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Ans: d

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Ans: b

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Ans: b

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Ans: c

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Ans: b

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6. Which of the following is the best example of an abstract word?

a. textbook

b. table

c. computer

d. dictionary

e. fairness

7. Which of the following words is the most concrete description of another

person’s behavior?

a. disruptive

b. rude

c. insensitive

d. burps

e. procrastinates

8. Which answer best represents the progression of a subordinate to basic to

superordinate term?

a. dog, animal, pet

b. banana split, ice cream, dessert

c. car, vehicle, Toyota Prius

d. music, opera, Carmen

e. flower, plant, tulip

9. The words pencil and pen are examples of

a. a superordinate term.

b. a basic term.

c. a subordinate term.

d. an abstract term.

e. a complex term.

10. The phrases No. 2 pencil, ballpoint pen, and yellow highlighter are

examples of

a. a superordinate term.

b. a basic term.

c. a subordinate term.

d. an abstract term.

e. a complex term.

11. Which group has a “we” orientation when it comes to language?

a. individualistic

b. collectivist

c. young people

d. older people

e. no group has a “we” orientation

53Ans: e

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12. Ans: b

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13. Ans: a

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14. Ans: d

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15. Ans: e 16. Which interpretation of the Whorf Hypothesis is most accepted by today’s

linguistic scholars?

a. The structure of a language determines how you see, experience, and

interpret the world around you.

b. If you don’t have a word for a concept (such as red), you will not be

able to see or experience it and separate it from other similar concepts

(such as blue or yellow).

c. If you do not have a word for tomorrow, you cannot plan for

tomorrow.

d. The nature of each language determines how people think and

perceive others.

e. Language reflects cultural models of the world, which in turn

influences how the speakers of a language come to think, act, and

behave.

Which answer best reflects the answer to the research question: Do Women

Talk More than Men?

a. b. In similar circumstances, women talk more than men.

In general, males and females use the same number of words when

talking.

c. Women talk more than men, especially when interacting with their

husbands and strangers.

d. Men talk more with classmates and where the topic of conversation

requires disclosure of feelings.

e. In general, women do most of the talking in work settings.

Linguist John McWhorter notes that many middle-class African Americans

typically speak both Black English and Standard American English,

alternating between the two, often in the same sentence. This is an example

of

a. code switching.

b. accents.

c. bypassing.

d. phatic language.

e. jargon.

At a regular study group meeting, one member asks that everyone be able to

“summarize the most important information in each chapter.” At the next

meeting, another member distributes an outline of the textbook’s important

concepts but wonders why no one else in the group has made the same

effort. This misunderstanding is an example of

a. failure to follow the rules of language.

b. denotation.

c. failure to interpret nonverbal behavior.

d. bypassing.

e. concrete words.

A euphemism substitutes a mild, indirect, or vague term for a harsh, blunt,

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Ans: a

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Ans: b

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Ans: e

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Ans: c

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Ans: c

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17. 18. 19. 20. 21. or offensive one. Which of the following answers represents a euphemism?

a. powder room rather than toilet

b. darn rather than damn

c. slept with rather than had sex with

d. interrogation treatments rather than torture

e. all of the above

Which of the following statements avoids exclusionary language?

a. b. c. e. Bill uses a wheel chair.

Walter is a political extremist.

Anne is a normal woman.

d. Frank is a psycho.

Grace is a cancer victim.

The specialized language of a homogeneous group is best known as

a. gobbledygook.

b. jargon.

c. verbal efficiency.

d. euphemisms.

e. metaphors.

By using a word such as now to replace the five-word, seventeen-letter

phrase at this point in time, you are using

a. connotative language.

b. denotative language.

c. oral language.

d. a euphemism.

e. jargon.

Which of the following answers describes one of the textbook’s techniques

for reducing the amount of swearing in a person’s speech?

a. b. c. Count the number of swear words you use every day.

Put a dollar in a jar every time you swear.

When you feel like swearing, look for less offensive, more interesting

words.

d. e. Only use mild swear words.

Only use swear words with close friends.

Your textbook recommends all of the following steps for improving your

use of language except

a. improve your vocabulary.

b. avoid offensive language.

c. avoid active, vivid language.

d. use “I,” “You,” and “We” language.

e. use appropriate grammar.

55Ans: e

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Ans: d

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Ans: c

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5.2 TRUE/FALSE

Ans: true

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Ans: true

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Ans: false

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Ans: false

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Ans: false

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22. 23. All of the following answers describe a characteristic of oral language

except

a. use short, simple sentences

b. use short, familiar words

c. use more informal, colloquial expression

d. use more personal pronouns

e. use compound sentences

Which of the following sentences is expressed in a passive voice?

a. b. d. e. Hermione served salmon at her party.

Hermione bought fresh, farm-grown salmon at the grocery store.

c. The salmon was contaminated.

The contaminated salmon was eaten by everyone at the party.

Everyone at Hermione’s party became ill.

24. All of the following are effective recommendations for avoiding the use of

gobbledygook when speaking except

a. b. c. never write a sentence with more than 40 words.

treat only one subject per sentence.

use the word “you” rather than “I” when expressing judgments about

others.

d. e. don’t include information just to show off that you know it.

use shorter words and phrases such as “now” rather than “at the

present time.”

1. T F Fully modern language probably evolved from simpler

languages only 50,000 years ago.

2. T F Anthropologists explain that standing up on two feet contributed

to physiological changes in the larynx, lungs, throat, and vocal

cavity that enabled us to talk.

3. T F The vocal folds in the larynx produce vibrations for speech

sounds and also provide a place for articulating consonants.

4. T F According to your textbook, the first humans to speak language

as we know it lived in East Africa about 1 million years ago

even though human ancestors lived about 4 million years ago in

what is now Ethiopia.

5. T F The ability to follow the accepted rules of our language has very

little influence on others’ perceptions of our intelligence and

social status.

56Ans: true

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Ans: false

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Ans: false

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Ans: false

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6. T F Language is a system of arbitrary signs and symbols used to

communicate thoughts and feelings.

7. T F Ogden and Richards Triangle of Meaning includes

superordinate, basic, and subordinate terms.

8. T F Ogden and Richards Triangle of Meaning does not use a solid

line to connect the symbol and the referent because they must be

mentally processed in order to result in meaning.

9. T F Semanticist S. I. Hayakawa refers to connotation as “the aura of

feelings, pleasant or unpleasant, that surround practically all

words.”

10. T F Denotation, rather than connotation, is more likely to influence

how we respond to words.

11. T F Abstract words refer to an idea or concept that cannot be

observed or touched.

12. T F The bird sitting on the perch is not just a finch, it’s an American

Goldfinch with an injured wing. The phrase American

Goldfinch with an injured wing is an example of a subordinate

term.

13. T F Superordinate terms are those with the highest level of

concreteness.

14. T F There are approximately 5,000 to 6,000 languages spoken in the

world.

15. T F Collectivist cultures have an “I” orientation; individualistic

cultures have a “we” orientation.

16. T F The most current interpretation of the Whorf Hypothesis claims

that language reflects cultural models of the world, which, in

turn, influence how the speakers of a language come to think,

act, and behave.

17. T F Many Japanese speakers have a very low-context, direct way of

using language.

57Ans: true

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Ans: true

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18. T F 19. T F Robin Lakoff, one of the first linguists to write about gender

differences, claims that women tend to use more tag

questions at the end of sentences (such as “don’t you agree?”

and “haven’t you?”) than men.

English is a language with a positive bias toward males. As a

result, female terms tend to take on demeaning connotations.

20. T F A study of college students found that the number of words

spoken by males and females are virtually the same.

21. T F In work settings, men do most of the talking, even when women

hold influential positions.

22. T F In educational settings (from kindergarten through university),

males usually dominate classroom talk.

23. T F Code switching describes how, depending on the context, we

often modify the way we use verbal and nonverbal

communication to generate meaning.

24. T F Bypassing uses words that reinforce stereotypes, belittle other

people, or exclude others from understanding an in-group’s

message.

25. T F When people say that someone has “passed away,” they are

using a euphemism that substitutes for “died.”

26. Exclusionary language uses words that reinforce stereotypes,

belittles other people, or excludes others from understanding an

in-group’s message.

27. T F The use of jargon is always counterproductive in workplace

communication.

28. T F Swearing and cursing are universal behaviors in all cultures.

58Ans: true

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Ans: true

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29. T F One study reported that 91 percent of respondents ranked foul

language as “the most ill-mannered type of workplace

behavior.”

30. T F Oral language uses shorter, familiar words as well as shorter,

simple sentences.

Ans: false

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31. T F Even though oral language uses shorter words and sentences, it

avoids contractions and colloquial expressions.

Ans: false

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32. T F “The Olympic ice hockey game was won by the women’s team

from Canada” is an example of a sentence using the active

voice.

Ans: false

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33. T F Your textbook recommends that one way to avoid

gobbledygook is to avoid writing sentences with more than ten

words.

5.3 ESSAY0

1. Humans are the only species specialized for speech and complex language development. Compare

the speech functions of four major speech organs with their primary survival functions in both

humans.

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Difficulty: 2

In terms of studying verbal communication, what is the difference between a sign and a symbol?

Demonstrate your understanding of these two concepts by providing a definition of each term as well

as examples to illustrate your explanation.

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What is denotative and connotative meaning? Demonstrate your understanding of these two concepts

by providing a definition of each term as well as examples to illustrate your explanation.

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What are the differences between concrete words and abstract words? How are these two types of

words related to the differences among superordinate, basic, and subordinate terms. Provide a

specific example to illustrate each type of term. Why is it important to understand these differences?

Page: 87

Difficulty: 2

5.

59The Whorf Hypothesis, even in its most moderate form, highlights the profound connections between

language and culture. Explain how this Hypothesis influences our interaction with others, particularly

in terms of a culture’s (1) vocabulary, (2) use of pronouns, and (3) verbal directness. Explain these

three connections and provide examples to demonstrate your understanding.

6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. Pages: 89

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What do your textbook authors mean by “Most languages reflect a gender bias”? How do such biases

affect the way we perceive the roles and values of women and men in a culture? Provide examples to

demonstrate your claims.

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Difficulty: 3

There are several techniques you can use to avoid gender bias in the use of pronouns. Identify and

describe three of those techniques. Use examples to demonstrate your understanding of each

technique.

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Do women talk more than men? Justify your answer to this question. Provide research examples to

support your claims.

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Discuss the concept of code switching. Explain what it is and provide examples of when

communicators switch codes in particular situations.

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Define bypassing. Provide an extended example that demonstrates your understanding of this

common language barrier.

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Exclusionary language uses words that reinforce stereotypes, belittle other people, or exclude others

from understanding an in-group’s message. Give examples of how you can avoid exclusionary

language in areas referring to a person’s age, political viewpoints, religion, health and ability, and

race/ethnicity.

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12. What is a euphemism? Identify two reasons people use euphemisms? Provide two examples of

euphemisms and identify the purpose of that euphemism.

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13.

60Researchers who study the evolution of language report that swearing or cursing is a human

universal. Define swearing. Why do people swear? Why and under what circumstances should we

avoid swearing?

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14. What are the characteristics of oral language? Provide at least three examples that contrast the

differences between the words we use for written documents and the words we use orally in daily

conversations, group discussions, and presentations.

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15. Your textbook recommends using “I,” “You,” and “We” language. What does this mean? Give

examples to demonstrate your understanding of this recommendation.

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16. 17. What are the three components of using “I” language effectively? Provide an example of these three

components in a statement that demonstrates how this technique can improve your way with words.

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Chapter 5, Verbal Communication, offers many strategies for improving your language (e.g.,

minimizing gender bias, swearing, and exclusionary language; expanding your vocabulary; using

oral, active, and grammatical language; avoiding gobbledygook). Choose three of these strategies and

describe how you can use them to improve your language. Make sure you describe (a) why you need

to improve your language in this way, (b) each strategy and provide examples of how to use it, and

(c) your plan for improving these aspects of your language.

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