Test Questions & Answers Listening And Responding Skills Ch5

Chapter 5: Listening and Responding Skills

Multiple Choice Questions

1) What stage of the listening process is involved when you focus on one sound from the many that compete for your attention?

A) attending

B) understanding

C) selecting

D) responding

Learning Objective: 5.1 Define listening, and describe five elements of the listening process.

Topic: Listening Defined

Difficulty Level: Easy

Skill Level: Remember the Facts

2) You are sitting in Professor Rashad’s class listening to a lecture, when you hear the student behind you talking to her friend about the party to be held this Friday. As you sit there taking in details about the party, you are drawn back to Professor Rashad when you hear, “And that is what will be on the test Friday.” Which stage of the listening process is reflected at the point where you return to hearing what the professor is saying?

A) hearing

B) attending

C) understanding

D) remembering

Learning Objective: 5.1 Define listening, and describe five elements of the listening process.

Topic: Listening Defined

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

3) Which stage of the listening process is involved when you focus your eyes on your friend, nod your head, and say “uh huh” occasionally as he speaks?

A) selecting

B) remembering

C) attending

D) responding

Learning Objective: 5.1 Define listening, and describe five elements of the listening process.

Topic: Listening Defined

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

4) As you listen to Dr. Stralia's lecture on barriers to effective listening, you begin to see how those barriers have operated in your conversations with your spouse. Which stage of the listening process is reflected in this realization?

A) attending

B) remembering

C) understanding

D) responding

Learning Objective: 5.1 Define listening, and describe five elements of the listening process.

Topic: Listening Defined

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

5) Alexia and Wendell are the best of friends and people often say they are like twins. How will their similarities affect their communication relationship?

A) They are more likely to misunderstand one another.

B) They are less likely to achieve accurate understanding.

C) They are more likely to achieve accurate understanding.

D) They are more likely to be distracted during the listening process.

Learning Objective: 5.1 Define listening, and describe five elements of the listening process.

Topic: Listening Defined

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

6) Which term is used to describe the physiological process of decoding sounds?

A) listening

B) selecting

C) hearing

D) understanding

Learning Objective: 5.1 Define listening, and describe five elements of the listening process.

Topic: Listening Defined

Difficulty Level: Easy

Skill Level: Remember the Facts

7) When we are __________, our brains are storing important information for us to access later.

A) attending

B) remembering

C) understanding

D) responding

Learning Objective: 5.1 Define listening, and describe five elements of the listening process.

Topic: Listening Defined

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Understand the Concepts

8) A father is listening to his daughter pour her heart out about her rotten day at school. If the father's goal is to primarily focus on his daughter's emotions and feelings, which listening style should he be using?

A) relational-oriented

B) analytical-oriented

C) critical listening

D) task-oriented

Learning Objective: 5.2 Identify characteristics of four listening styles.

Topic: Listening Styles

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

9) Angelique was involved in a small car accident a few days ago. When the police officer arrived at the scene of the accident, he withheld judgment about who was at fault until he spoke with Angelique, the other driver, and an eyewitness. Which listening style did the police officer primarily use?

A) analytical

B) critical

C) relational

D) task-oriented

Learning Objective: 5.2 Identify characteristics of four listening styles.

Topic: Listening Styles

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

10) Shawna and Darrel have been assigned to figure out the best date to schedule their annual class dance and party. Shawna wants to establish an ongoing positive communication relationship with Darrel, but it seems as though he is only interested in arriving at a solution to the question at hand. This is probably because Darrel employs which type of listening style?

A) critical

B) task-oriented

C) analytical

D) relational

Learning Objective: 5.2 Identify characteristics of four listening styles.

Topic: Listening Styles

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

11) Which listening style is often characterized by the use of second-guessing?

A) task-oriented

B) relational

C) analytical

D) critical

Learning Objective: 5.2 Identify characteristics of four listening styles.

Topic: Listening Styles

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Understand the Concepts

12) Research has found that listening style is impacted by gender. For example, those with a masculine listening style tend to have the goal of __________ through listening.

A) enhancing relationships

B) solving problems

C) understanding multiple elements of messages

D) reinforcing existing message structures

Learning Objective: 5.2 Identify characteristics of four listening styles.

Topic: Listening Styles

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Understand the Concepts

13) When she went to hear a presentation at the city council meeting, Carly was fearful of misunderstanding the speaker's message, so she made sure to take notes during the entire speech. This action was due to Carly’s __________ apprehension.

A) listener

B) hearing

C) speaking

D) communication

Learning Objective: 5.3 List and describe barriers to effective listening.

Topic: Listening Barriers

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

14) Which barrier to effective listening is displayed when Hilde listens to Sven very carefully until he says something she can use against him, and then she interrupts?

A) criticizing the speaker

B) distracting emotional noise

C) differing speech rate and thought rate

D) being self-absorbed

Learning Objective: 5.3 List and describe barriers to effective listening.

Topic: Listening Barriers

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You know

15) When people have difficulty focusing on anything but themselves and their own experiences and ideas, they may be guilty of __________.

A) reflexive listening

B) interactive sociopathy

C) conversational narcissism

D) conversational sabotage

Learning Objective: 5.3 List and describe barriers to effective listening.

Topic: Listening Barriers

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Understand the Concepts

16) Brody’s wife walks into the family room while he is watching the TV and begins to tell him what she found out at the PTA meeting. Brody turns off the TV and directs his attention to his wife. Which barrier to effective listening has Brody addressed?

A) emotional noise

B) external noise

C) differing speech rate and thought rate

D) being self-absorbed

Learning Objective: 5.3 List and describe barriers to effective listening.

Topic: Listening Barriers

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

17) Magda is trying to talk to Michael about her day, but begins to realize that Michael is tired and distracted. He has spent a long day at work and is now trying to balance his checkbook, and then must get ready for a test tomorrow morning. Magda decides to wait to initiate a conversation. She has just become aware of which barrier Michael is experiencing?

A) information overload

B) information rate

C) external noise

D) personal agenda

Learning Objective: 5.3 List and describe barriers to effective listening.

Topic: Listening Barriers

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

18) What is generally true about speech rate versus thought rate?

A) We speak faster than we can think.

B) We think faster than we can speak.

C) Everybody speaks at an understandable rate.

D) We speak and think at about the same rate.

Learning Objective: 5.3 List and describe barriers to effective listening.

Topic: Listening Barriers

Difficulty Level: Easy

Skill Level: Remember the Facts

19) Tanya was looking forward to the speaker's presentation on home energy efficiency. But the speaker wanted to be sure that all audience members understood what he had to say, so he spoke in a deliberate, slow fashion. The technique backfired, causing most of the audience to become bored and some to even leave, including Tanya. Which barrier to listening does this demonstrate?

A) conversational narcissism

B) selective listening

C) information overload

D) differing speech rate and thought rate

Learning Objective: 5.3 List and describe barriers to effective listening.

Topic: Listening Barriers

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

20) While Danilo argues with his girlfriend, Katie, he uses profane language and raises his voice. This causes Katie's blood pressure to increase and inhibits her ability to accurately interpret Danilo's messages. Which form of communication interference is Katie experiencing?

A) selective listening

B) conversational narcissism

C) emotional noise

D) external noise

Learning Objective: 5.3 List and describe barriers to effective listening.

Topic: Listening Barriers

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

21) Mrs. Applebaum teaches seventh grade, and definitely prefers her female students over her male students, who are often rude and disrespectful. When one of her female students speaks rudely to her, Mrs. Applebaum doesn’t seem to hear it. What barrier to effective listening is Mrs. Applebaum experiencing?

A) conversational narcissism

B) selective listening

C) external noise

D) ambush listening

Learning Objective: 5.3 List and describe barriers to effective listening.

Topic: Listening Barriers

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

22) While listening to her biochemistry professor give a lecture, Genevieve engages in self-talk to boost her concentration and understanding of the professor's message. Genevieve is engaging in __________.

A) meta-messaging

B) meta-cognitions

C) empathic listening

D) social decentering

Learning Objective: 5.4 Identify and use skills to enhance comprehension, empathy, and critical listening.

Topic: Listening Skills

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

23) Shannon told her friend, "I am sorry that you lost the tennis match." What approach did Shannon use to comfort her friend?

A) offer empathy

B) use active listening

C) use information triage

D) offer sympathy

Learning Objective: 5.4 Identify and use skills to enhance comprehension, empathy, and critical listening.

Topic: Listening Skills

Difficulty Level: Easy

Skill Level: Remember the Facts

24) When Jeannie noticed that her friend Kam was upset, Jeannie asked her what was wrong. Although Kam reassured her that everything was okay, Jeannie noticed that Kam had a slight frown on her face and was not making eye contact. What did Jeannie do to accurately read the situation?

A) use social-decentering

B) analyze meta-messages

C) analyze meta-cognitions

D) use compassionate listening

Learning Objective: 5.4 Identify and use skills to enhance comprehension, empathy, and critical listening.

Topic: Listening Skills

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

25) What is a conclusion that is based on speculation?

A) fact

B) meta-message

C) inference

D) meta-cognition

Learning Objective: 5.4 Identify and use skills to enhance comprehension, empathy, and critical listening.

Topic: Listening Skills

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Understand the Concepts

26) Atira has just returned from spring break and is telling her friend Nida all about her great time. Nida has been very responsive to Atira’s story—laughing and nodding—but now has increased her eye contact, raised a finger, and shifted her posture. Nida’s nonverbal cues probably indicate that she __________.

A) is upset by Atira’s tale

B) is faking her listening

C) desires to change roles from listener to speaker

D) objects to what Atira has just said

Learning Objective: 5.4 Identify and use skills to enhance comprehension, empathy, and critical listening.

Topic: Listening Skills

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

27) Which skill best reflects a conscious attempt to take into account your conversational partner's thoughts, feelings, values, background, and perspective?

A) social decentering

B) critical listening

C) compassionate listening

D) emotional intelligence

Learning Objective: 5.4 Identify and use skills to enhance comprehension, empathy, and critical listening.

Topic: Listening Skills

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Understand the Concepts

28) When Marcelle explains to Archie how he feels isolated and lonely, Archie wants to respond appropriately. He decides to use compassionate listening in order to __________.

A) manage his own emotions

B) sort useful information from less valid information

C) confirm Marcelle’s self-worth

D) paraphrase Marcelle’s ideas

Learning Objective: 5.4 Identify and use skills to enhance comprehension, empathy, and critical listening.

Topic: Listening Skills

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

29) During a recent conversation with Anit, Maya evaluated the validity and usefulness of the information he had shared. Maya, in this case, was performing __________.

A) social decentering

B) conversational narcissism

C) information overload

D) information triage

Learning Objective: 5.4 Identify and use skills to enhance comprehension, empathy, and critical listening.

Topic: Listening Skills

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

30) Sun is generally considered by her boss to be very good at being aware of, understanding, and managing the emotions of those people who work for her. She has also demonstrated the ability to do the same with her own emotions. Because of these abilities, it may be said that Sun exhibits a high level of __________.

A) information triage skill

B) emotional intelligence

C) critical listening skill

D) listener apprehension

Learning Objective: 5.4 Identify and use skills to enhance comprehension, empathy, and critical listening.

Topic: Listening Skills

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

31) Marques is teaching his friend how to make a frittata. When his friend makes a mistake, Marques immediately corrects her rather than waiting until the dish is cooked. Which tip to improve accurate responding did Marques use?

A) Ask appropriate questions.

B) Provide usable information.

C) Appropriately adapt your responses.

D) Provide well-timed responses.

Learning Objective: 5.5 Identify and use skills to effectively and appropriately respond to others.

Topic: Responding Skills

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

32) Which phrase best demonstrates an effective paraphrase of a person's emotions?

A) "For being nervous, you handled the situation well!"

B) "I understand exactly how you feel."

C) "It sounds as though you are feeling overwhelmed."

D) "That reminds me of a time when I got a bad grade on a test!"

Learning Objective: 5.5 Identify and use skills to effectively and appropriately respond to others.

Topic: Responding Skills

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Understand the Concepts

33) Which suggestion can help make your listening active rather than passive?

A) Think about your own agenda.

B) Avoid paraphrasing.

C) Start by asking questions.

D) Close your eyes to enhance your concentration.

Learning Objective: 5.5 Identify and use skills to effectively and appropriately respond to others.

Topic: Responding Skills

Difficulty Level: Easy

Skill Level: Understand the Concepts

34) Jonathan has just been fired from his job and turns to you to talk about it. According to communication researchers, what would be an inappropriate response to show social support?

A) “Well, things will get better now that the worst is over.”

B) “I think you're overreacting. Things aren't as bad as they seem!"

C) “Don’t worry about it. You can always find a new job.”

D) “I really care about you and am here to help.”

Learning Objective: 5.5 Identify and use skills to effectively and appropriately respond to others.

Topic: Responding Skills

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

35) Which guideline should you keep in mind when paraphrasing the words of your conversation partner?

A) Make paraphrasing concise.

B) Use the exact same words your partner used.

C) Make paraphrasing broad and avoid being too specific.

D) Go beyond the information communicated by your partner.

Learning Objective: 5.5 Identify and use skills to effectively and appropriately respond to others.

Topic: Responding Skills

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Understand the Concepts

36) Pierre finds that when he speaks to his communication professor, he tries to use some of the vocabulary and concepts he has learned in class. When he speaks to his younger cousin, however, he tends to speak in shorter sentences, using more familiar words and ideas. This is an example of how Pierre is applying the __________ theory.

A) appropriation

B) self-centering

C) adaptation

D) communication accommodation

Learning Objective: 5.5 Identify and use skills to effectively and appropriately respond to others.

Topic: Responding Skills

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

37) In his observations of married couples, marriage researcher John Gottman found that a significant predictor of divorce was __________.

A) neglecting to confirm one’s marriage partner during everyday conversations

B) increased use of interrupting responses

C) neglecting to paraphrase one’s marriage partner’s emotions

D) employing false listening behaviors in everyday conversations

Learning Objective: 5.6 Identify and use skills to effectively and appropriately confirm others.

Topic: Confirmation Skills

Difficulty Level: Easy

Skill Level: Remember the Facts

38) Camila waited in the rain for fifteen minutes because her boyfriend, D'Andre, was late to pick her up after class. When she asked him why he was so late, he replied "I had to drop off my dry cleaning on the way. Stop making such a big deal out of this!" What best classifies D'Andre's response?

A) confirming response

B) impervious response

C) supportive response

D) disconfirming response

Learning Objective: 5.6 Identify and use skills to effectively and appropriately confirm others.

Topic: Confirmation Skills

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

39) According to researcher John Shotter, most people spend too much time __________.

A) speaking rather than listening

B) confirming rather than disconfirming

C) listening rather than speaking

D) critiquing rather than supporting

Learning Objective: 5.6 Identify and use skills to effectively and appropriately confirm others.

Topic: Confirmation Skills

Difficulty Level: Easy

Skill Level: Remember the Facts

40) A __________ is an example of a disconfirming response.

A) compliment

B) clarifying response

C) tangential response

D) direct acknowledgement

Learning Objective: 5.6 Identify and use skills to effectively and appropriately confirm others.

Topic: Confirmation Skills

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Understand the Concepts

Essay Questions

1) What is the difference between hearing and listening?

Learning Objective: 5.1 Define listening, and describe five elements of the listening process.

Topic: Listening Defined

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Understand the Concepts

2) Use the five steps of the listening process to describe how you listen to a lecture.

Learning Objective: 5.1 Define listening, and describe five elements of the listening process.

Topic: Listening Defined

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

3) Identify the four listening styles, and describe the situation in which each style is most appropriate.

Learning Objective: 5.2 Identify characteristics of four listening styles.

Topic: Listening Styles

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Understand the Concepts

4) How is emotional noise different from external noise? Provide an example of each.

Learning Objective: 5.3 List and describe barriers to effective listening.

Topic: Listening Barriers

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

5) Phillip is not listening carefully to Jacques describe his vacation because he is more interested in telling Jacques what he did on his vacation. What listening barrier is Phillip experiencing and what can he do to overcome it?

Learning Objective: 5.3 List and describe barriers to effective listening.

Topic: Listening Barriers

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

6) Briefly explain the difference between fact and inference, and provide an example of each.

Learning Objective: 5.4 Identify and use skills to enhance comprehension, empathy, and critical listening.

Topic: Listening Skills

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

7) Josh has created very strong general ideas about how people from other cultures behave and communicate. Why Josh should avoid always applying these ideas when he meets someone from another culture?

Learning Objective: 5.4 Identify and use skills to enhance comprehension, empathy, and critical listening.

Topic: Listening Skills

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Understand the Concepts

8) Desiree just met her new college roommate, Francesca, for the first time. Francesca is from Mexico and is having difficulty adjusting to American culture. She is feeling homesick as this is her first time away from home. Desiree is excited to finally be away from home, and is looking forward to a fun-filled year. Although Francesca seems nice, it is a bit of a “downer” to have such a melancholy roommate. Desiree has heard that you have taken a course in interpersonal communication, and asks for advice about how to interact with her new roommate. You decide that the best approach is for Desiree to try and socially decenter in an effort to get off on the right foot with her new roommate. Using the various skills associated with social decentering, what advice do you give Desiree?

Learning Objective: 5.4 Identify and use skills to enhance comprehension, empathy, and critical listening.

Topic: Listening Skills

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

9) What is the main difference between a confirming and a disconfirming response to a message? Provide an example of each.

Learning Objective: 5.6 Identify and use skills to effectively and appropriately confirm others.

Topic: Confirmation Skills

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

10) Kaitlyn is excited about her new job and is telling Kendra about it. How can Kendra respond to Kaitlyn in ways that confirm her? Provide at least three appropriate examples.

Learning Objective: 5.6 Identify and use skills to effectively and appropriately confirm others.

Topic: Confirmation Skills

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Skill Level: Apply What You Know