1. A covering memorandum should be attached to formal reports that are sent to

A. customers.

B. the federal government.

C. shareholders.

D. someone within the company.

2. One advantage of topic outlines is that they provide

A. topic sentences for your paragraphs.

B. new ideas for your outline.

C. internal headings for your document.

D. more precise ideas.

3. The following four statements tell something about written descriptions. Which one of the statements is incorrect?

A. There is a complete paragraph for each part listed in the introduction.

B. The paragraphs in the body describe each part in greater detail than the introduction.

C. One paragraph describes several different parts.

D. Transitional clues such as first and next guide the reader.

4. Business and technical writers use abbreviations for

A. days of the week and months of the year.

B. the title of a person if it appears before the person's name.

C. any sign and symbol used in the body of a report.

D. technical words used only occasionally in a report.

5. Reports that are very large in both size and scope usually take the form of a/an

A. formal report. C. interoffice memorandum.

B. letter. D. feasibility report.

6. Unlike memos, letters include

A. a signature above the sender's typewritten name.

B. a general subject line.

C. indented paragraphs.

D. the sender's name in the heading.

7. Among the various kinds of visual aids, tables are

A. the most difficult to construct.

B. the most common aid used in reports.

C. helpful for showing the relationships between two sets of data.

D. generally used to show trends in business performance.

8. When documenting your research, you should cite the sources for everything except

A. paraphrased material. C. common knowledge.

B. surveys and interviews. D. statistics from a reference book.

9. Which one of the following sentences contains a misplaced or dangling modifier?

A. Assemble the product in a well-lighted place.

B. With three children, a job, and school, my wife has little spare time.

C. When prepared correctly, the garden spot should need no further fertilizing.

D. Walking down Main Street, the cramp in my foot got worse.

10. Progress reports usually report on work that is

A. about to begin but not yet started.

B. currently being done but not yet completed.

C. finished and completed in the previous year.

D. recently finished and completed.

11. Technical instructions are almost always written for

A. technicians and line workers.

B. middle managers and supervisors.

C. people who purchase the machinery.

D. people who need to evaluate the machinery's efficiency.

12. Jargon, or specialized words, should be used only when you

A. don't know who your reader is. C. are writing for your CEO.

B. are writing to someone familiar with it. D. have a dictionary nearby.

13. Which one of the following items is included in almost all types of informal reports?

A. Final recommendations C. Summary of work completed

B. Description of the investigation D. Statement of the problem

14. A summary or abstract enables your readers to

A. get a quick overview of your report.

B. test the accuracy of your findings.

C. assess the cost effectiveness of your recommendations.

D. test your writing ability.

15. What is the main advantage of sentence outlines?

A. They are easier to write than topic outlines.

B. They supply you with internal headings.

C. They can be used in your table of contents.

D. They supply you with topic sentences for your paragraphs.

16. The table of contents in a formal report is composed of

A. first-level headings only.

B. those headings you deem most useful.

C. all internal headings.

D. whatever information you think is important.

17. The main difference between technical descriptions and literary descriptions is that technical descriptions lack

A. details.

B. emotional appeal.

C. irrelevant information.

D. interest.

18. The major information sources you use in a report may include any of the following except

A. tests and experiments you've performed.

B. published material you've consulted.

C. your own personal experiences and observations.

D. the opinions of your coworkers.

19. Status reports are distinguished from progress reports primarily by their focus on the

A. absenteeism of personnel.

B. description of an investigation.

C. solution to a problem.

D. present conditions.

20. Unlike most reports, informal and formal proposals must

A. be logical.

B. clearly organize all information.

C. persuade readers toward the writer's point of view.

D. present a solution to a problem.

21. Which one of the following statements shows appropriate netiquette?

A. "THE SHIPMENT ARRIVED FOUR DAYS AFTER THE REQUESTED DATE."

B. "Don't know when you'll get around to this since you never seem to be in the office."

C. Including a specific subject line

D. Sending an e-mail of five monitor screens

22. Suppose you're writing a description of an object or a process. How many pararaphs should you include in your introduction?

A. One

B. Two

C. Three

D. As many as you choose

23. To make your writing concrete and specific, you should use

A. words that encompass many meanings.

B. facts and figures wherever possible.

C. words that are emotional and therefore "real."

D. as few words as possible.

24. When you're writing instructions, it's almost always helpful to

A. include a table of contents.

B. include an illustration.

C. explain why one method is better than another one.

D. show how much time and money the process will save the company.

25. When writing a technical article, it's usually best to pick a topic that is

A. profitable.

B. appealing to firms who may hire you.

C. interesting to you.

D. minimally time consuming.

26. When composing technical or procedural manuals, always use

A. medium-sized sentences and paragraphs.

B. medium-sized sentences and short paragraphs.

C. sentences and paragraphs whose sizes vary for interest and readability.

D. consistently short sentences and paragraphs.

27. An effectively written sentence usually

A. starts with it is or there are to keep the beginnings similar.

B. includes passive construction that makes sentences direct.

C. ends with a direct object to provide readers with closure.

D. uses active voice with a clear subject and verb.

28. The best way to ensure that you use words correctly is to

A. use only simple words that you understand completely.

B. look up unfamiliar or difficult words every time you're in doubt.

C. invest in a pocket dictionary.

D. hire a secretary.

29. In a paragraph, where does the controlling idea usually appear?

A. In the first sentence C. In the middle of the paragraph

B. In the second sentence D. In the last sentence

30. What can you do to increase the chances your technical article will be considered for publication?

A. Include in your cover letter how much time it took you to write the article.

B. Offer the editor a commentary on what you found helpful in the publication.

C. Include borders and artwork on your manuscript.

D. Review recent issues of the publication.