CHAPTER 3

1.
2.
3.
4.

5.

6.

7.
8.

9.
10.

11.

Culture provides patterns of acceptable behavior and belief.

TRUE
An example of a low-context culture would be Canadian culture.
TRUE
An example of a high-context culture is German culture.
FALSE
In low-context cultures, most of the information is inferred from the context of a
message; little is "spelled out."
FALSE
Business communication practices in the United States reflect high-context
preferences.
FALSE
In traditional classrooms, U.S. students are expected to complete assignments alone;
if they get much help from anyone else, they're "cheating."
TRUE
Values and beliefs are seldom influenced by religion.
FALSE.
Like many Christian groups, the Puritans believed that people must choose a simpler
lifestyle in order to be closer to God.
FALSE
Many North Americans measure time in five-minute blocks.
TRUE
Most cultures are more formal than the United States. This must be taken into account
when writing to international audiences.
TRUE
Nonverbal gestures can often have very different meanings in different cultures.
TRUE

12.

The amount of personal space individuals need depends largely upon the culture in
which they were brought up.
TRUE

13.

Even though U.S. homes have more pieces of furniture than the traditional Japanese
home, Japanese may see Western rooms as "empty" since Western furniture lines the
walls, leaving a large empty space in the middle of the room.
TRUE

14.

The kinds of statements that people interpret as compliments and the socially correct
way to respond to compliments also vary among cultures.
TRUE

15.

African American women may be more likely to "talk tough" in response to unwelcome
advances.
TRUE

16.

Though some colors carry different meanings in different cultures, the color black
signifies death in all cultures.
FALSE

17.

A successful international communicator is aware that his or her preferred values and
behaviors are seldom influenced by culture and are always right.
FALSE

18.

A successful international communicator need not be sensitive to differences among

individuals within a culture.
FALSE

19.

Baby Boomers and Millennials often get along just fine in the workplace, mostly
because they share the same values.
FALSE

20.

Baby Boomers greatest strength is their ease of using technology.

FALSE

21.

Workstations that allow face-to-face communication, opportunities to access social

networking sites, and increased use of mobile technologies, are attractive to many
Millennials.
TRUE

22.

Successfully handling discrimination means understanding the situation and one's

options.
TRUE

23.

Many women and minorities find themselves facing a "glass ceiling" that keeps them
from rising to levels for which they are qualified.
TRUE

24.

Chairman is sexist because not everyone who manages a committee or department is

a man.
TRUE

25.

Titles such as a waiter or a waitress is perfectly acceptable as a substitute for server

to ensure nonsexist language.
FALSE

26.

The directors and their wives met the stockholders today. This statement is bias-free.
FALSE

27.

A suggestion to make documents bias-free is to avoid terms that suggest that

competent people are unusual.
TRUE

28.

Oriental is an acceptable substitute for Asian.

FALSE

29.
The following sentence is bias-free.
It is our responsibility to help blind people.
FALSE

30.

When speaking of someone who has lost his or her hearing as an adult, always use
the term deaf.
FALSE

Multiple Choice Questions

31.

You enter a meeting with international clients a few minutes after it has started. You
take a seat, accidentally putting your briefcase down with a thump. You have come
directly from a five-hour flight and your back is sore, so you slouch down a bit in your
chair and stifle a yawn. A few people glance at you but say nothing. You notice,
however, that when a discussion starts, you are largely ignored. Chances are, the
others in the room see you in poor light because they are:
A.
from a low-context culture.
B.
from a medium-context culture.
C.
from a high-context culture.
D.
from a popular culture.
E.
from a vernacular culture.

32.

You are scheduled to have a meeting with a foreign executive who will decide whether
to sign a contract with your company. You begin the conversation by explaining that
you are the company's senior technical expert, you've won several awards, and you're
well acquainted with the executive's company. The executive nods throughout the
conversation. When the meeting concludes, you hand her a contract. Rather than
sign, the executive smiles politely and agrees to consider the offer. She tells you that
she would call you tomorrow to inform you if she considers the offer. Which of the
following types of culture does the executive exemplify?
A.
Low-context cultures
B.
High-context cultures
C.
Vernacular cultures
D.
Popular cultures
E.
None of the above

33.

Which of the following is an example of a high-context culture?

A.
Japan
B.
United States of America
C.
Germany
D.
All of the above
E.
Only A and B

34.

Open body positions include:

A.
keeping hands in pockets.
B. leaning back, sometimes with both hands behind the head.
C.
crossing arms or legs.
D.
leaning forward with uncrossed arms.
E.
none of the above.

35.

During your interview with a potential hire, you observe that the interviewee sits with
his arms and legs crossed. This is an example of:
A.
an open body posture that demonstrates confidence.
B.
an open body posture that demonstrates indifference.
C.
a closed body posture that demonstrates irritation.
D. a closed body posture that demonstrates discomfort.
E. a neutral body posture that demonstrates only a personal habit.

36.

Which of the following statements is true of body language?

A. Open body positions include leaning back, sometimes with both hands behind the
head.
B. Closed body positions include leaning forward with uncrossed arms and legs, with
the arms away from the body.
C. North American whites see eye contact as a sign of dishonesty.
D. Gestures mean approval in the United States as well as in other countries.
E. Japanese may see the U.S. tendency to fidget and shift as an indication of a lack of
mental or spiritual balance.

37.

If a business associate refuses to look you in the eye while you and he are speaking,
you should:
A.
ask why he won't look you in the eye.
B.
realize that he's probably telling you the truth.
C. keep moving toward him, until you force him to look you in the eye.
D. realize that he may have learned that constant eye contact is not appropriate in a
business situation.
E.
none of the above.

38.

Which of the following spatial arrangements connotes status in the U.S.?

A.
Size of one's office
B.
Placement of one's office
C.
Privacy of one's office
D.
All of the above
E.
None of the above

40.

You are in a meeting with an international executive at his office. A colleague comes in
to talk to him during your appointment, and he answers two phone calls a little later.
This probably means that:
A.
he thinks you are less important than the other callers.
B.
he is unorganized.
C.
his culture is monochronic.
D.
his culture is polychronic.
E.
seldom emphasizes on relationships.

41.

Which of the following is true of nonverbal symbols?

A. Across cultures, mourners wear black to funerals, while brides wear white.
B.
Height connotes status in many parts of the world.
C. In Japan, clothing seldom denotes the status or the occupational group.
D. Many North Americans typically measure time in thirty-minute blocks.
E.
None of the above.

42.

When doing business in Japan, which person in a group would look most authoritative
to the Japanese?
A.
The youngest person
B.
The heaviest person
C.
The tallest person
D.
The shortest person
E.
The oldest person

43.

Which of the following is a characteristic of a successful international communicator?

A. The communicator is aware that his or her preferred values and behaviors are
influenced by culture and are not necessarily "right."
B.
The communicator is flexible and open to change.
C. The communicator is sensitive to verbal and nonverbal behavior.
D.
None of the above.
E.
All of the above.

44.

Which of the following is a characteristic of a successful international communicator?

A. The communicator is sensitive to verbal and nonverbal behavior.
B. The communicator is aware of the values, beliefs, and practices in other cultures.
C. The communicator is sensitive to differences among individuals within a culture.
D.
All of the above.
E.
None of the above.

45.

A Millennial employee does not respond to her e-mails on time. The best channel to
get a faster response would be:
A.
"snail" mail.
B.
voicemail.
C.
a memo.
D.
a text message.
E.
none of the above.

46.

You were born in 1988. Your manager, born in 1960, seemed irritated when for the
third time you asked for assistance while drafting a problem-solving report. Chances
are, your manager expects:
A. you to outsource the work, if you can not complete it on your own.
B. you to consult the top management for assistance in this matter.
C.
more autonomy from you.
D.
nothing. She's just being difficult because of her age.
E.
none of the above.

47.

_____ have strengths that include optimism, confidence, enthusiasm, organization, and
goal orientation, their greatest may be with technology. They are accomplished
multitaskers. Supervisors relying on "snail mail," voicemail, or even e-mail messages
to contact these employees may find theyre better off texting or adopting newer
technologies. Workstations that allow face-to-face communication, opportunities to
access social networking sites like Facebook and Myspace, and increased use of
mobile technologies, such as iPods, laptops, or cell phones, are attractive to these
employees.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.

Millenials
Baby boomers
The Silent Generation employees
The Greatest Generation employees
The Lost Generation employees

48.
You work for a company whose workforce consists of seventy percent females.
However, there are few women in executive positions. In fact, there are only a few
female managers, even in departments that have more women than men. Which of
the following best explains this situation in the company?
A. Discrimination is likely, because obviously men throughout history have tried to
restrict the progress of women.
B. Discrimination is likely, because the ratio disproportionately reflects the workforce.
C. Discrimination is unlikely, because women are more likely to gravitate toward
clerical rather than managerial work.
D.
Discrimination is unlikely, because women mostly prefer not to take up managerial
positions as they find it difficult to manage responsibilities both at home and at
work.
E. There is not enough information to adequately determine if discrimination is at
work.
There is not enough information to adequately determine if discrimination is at work.
49.

50.

Which of the following is the best alternative to "foreman" in a nonsexist language?

A.
Salesperson
B.
Adjutant
C.
Supervisor
D.
Director
E.
None of the above
To avoid sexist language, secretary should be:
A.
changed to administrative assistant.
B.
changed to personal assistant.
C.
changed to business associate.
D.
changed to clerical assistant.
E.
retained as it is, as the term is already neutral.

Short Answer Questions

51.

Define the term "culture" and differentiate between high-context and low-context
cultures.
Culture provides patterns of acceptable behavior and belief among people in a group.
Cultures can be categorized as high-context or low-context. In high-context cultures,
most of the information is inferred from the context of a message; little is spelled
out. Japanese, Arabic, and Latin American cultures are high-context. In low-context
cultures, context is less important; most information is explicitly spelled out. German,
Scandinavian, and the dominant U.S. cultures are low-context.

52.

List five elements of diversity in the workplace.

Answers will vary. "Diversity" in the workplace comes from many sources:
Gender
Race and ethnicity
Regional and national origin
Social class
Religion
Age
Sexual orientation
Physical ability

53.

Differentiate between open and closed body positions and its cultural significance.
Posture and body movements connote energy and openness. North American open
body positions include leaning forward with uncrossed arms and legs, with the arms
away from the body. Closed or defensive body positions include leaning back,
sometimes with both hands behind the head, arms and legs crossed or close together,
or hands in pockets. As the labels imply, open positions suggest that people are
accepting and open to new ideas. Closed positions suggest that people are physically
or psychologically uncomfortable, that they are defending themselves and shutting
other people out.

54.

Differentiate between monochronic and polychronic cultures.

Edward T. Hall distinguishes between monochronic cultures, which treat time as a
resource, and polychronic cultures, which emphasize relationships. Researchers see
the United States as monochronic.

55.

Define the term "conversational style." List the questions to ask to determine
conversational style.
Deborah Tannen uses the term conversational style to denote an individual's
conversational patterns and the meaning they give to them: the way they show
interest, politeness, and appropriateness.
Answers to the following questions reveal a person's own conversational style:
How long a pause tells you that it's your turn to speak?
Do you see interruption as rude? Or do you say things while other people are still
talking to show youre interested and to encourage them to say more?
Do you show interest by asking lots of questions? Or do you see questions as
intrusive and wait for people to volunteer whatever they have to say?

56.

What should a writer keep in mind when writing to international audiences?

Answers may vary.
Most cultures are more formal than the United States.
When you write to international audiences, use titles, not first names.
Avoid contractions, slang, and sports metaphors.
The patterns of organization that work for North American audiences may need
to be modified for international correspondence.
For most cultures, buffer negative messages and make requests more indirect.
You may need to modify style, structure, and strategy when you write to
international readers.
Make a special effort to avoid phrases that could be seen as arrogant or
uncaring.

57.

Mention two characteristics of successful international communicators.

The successful international communicator is
Aware that his or her preferred values and behaviors are influenced by culture and
are not necessarily "right."
Flexible and open to change.
Sensitive to verbal and nonverbal behavior.
Aware of the values, beliefs, and practices in other cultures.
Sensitive to differences among individuals within a culture.

58.

Mention four methods that makes a sentence nonsexist.

Nonsexist language treats both sexes neutrally.
Check to be sure your writing is free from sexism in four areas: words and
phrases, job titles, pronouns, and courtesy titles.
Avoid terms that assume that everyone is married or is heterosexual.
Use neutral titles which do not imply that a job is held only by men or only by
women.
When you write about a specific person, use the appropriate gender pronouns.

59.

Mention two guidelines to check for bias in documents you write or edit to make it
nonracist and nonagist.
Answers may vary.
Give someone's race or age only if it is relevant to your story.
Refer to a group by the term it prefers. As preferences change, change your
usage.
Avoid terms that suggest that competent people are unusual.

60.

Define "bias-free photos and illustrations" and explain how to achieve these.
Bias-free documents and images avoid privileging one group at the expense of others.
Ways to avoid it are to check for diversity in images and fair representation. Check
relationships and authority figures as well as numbers. If all the men appear in
business suits and the women in maids' uniforms, the pictures are sexist even if an
equal number of men and women are pictured. If the only blacks and Latinos pictured
are factory workers, the photos support racism even when an equal number of people
from each race are shown.

Fill in the Blank Questions

61.

_____ provides patterns of acceptable behavior and belief.

Culture

62.

In _____ cultures, context is less important; most information is explicitly spelled out.
low-context

63.

_____ include leaning forward with uncrossed arms and legs, with the arms away from
the body.
Open body positions

64.

A _____ culture treats time as a resource.

monochromic

65.

_____ language is language that does not discriminate against people on the basis of
sex, physical condition, race, age, or any other category.
Bias-free