Excellence in Business Communication 11Th Edition Thill Test Bank Full Chapter PDF

Excellence in Business Communication
11th Edition Thill Test Bank

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Excellence in Business Communication, 11e (Thill/Bovee)
Chapter 8 Writing Routine and Positive Messages
1) When making a routine request, you should begin with

A) an indication of the importance of your request.
B) a statement of who you are.
C) a clear statement of the main idea or request.
D) a question.
E) a humorous comment.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Like all other business messages, a routine request has three parts: an opening, a
body, and a close. Using the direct approach, open with your main idea or request. Questions
should be included in the body of your message.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
AACSB: Written and oral communication
Learning Outcome: Describe strategies for developing routine and positive messages.
2) When making a routine request, you should

A) use the inductive plan.
B) assume that the audience will comply.
C) demand immediate action.
D) explain the consequences of failing to comply.
E) assume that the audience will not comply.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Making requests is a routine part of business. In most cases, your audience will
be prepared to comply, as long as you are not being unreasonable or asking people to do
something they would expect you to do yourself. There is no such thing called an inductive plan.
Even though you expect a favorable response, pay attention to tone. Do not demand immediate
action. Explaining the consequences of failing to comply when you have not even given your
audience an opportunity to do so is unnecessary and could be considered rude.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
1
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3) Which of the following would be the best opening for a routine request?
A) Please send me a summary of last month's east region sales data.
B) As soon as you get this, send me last month's sales data.
C) I know you may not want to, but send me last month's sales data.
D) I am very sorry to ask you to do this.
E) Hopefully, this will not be too much trouble for you.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Begin routine requests by placing your initial request first; up front is where it
stands out and gets the most attention. However, getting right to the point should not be
interpreted as license to be abrupt or tactless. 1) Pay attention to tone. 2) Assume that your
audience will comply. 3) Be specific.
Diff: 2
Skill: Critical Thinking
Objective: 1
4) In the body of a routine request, you should

A) beg the reader to grant your request.
B) explain and justify your request.
C) give your sales pitch.
D) explain what will happen if the audience does not do what you are asking.
E) state your main idea.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Use the body of your message to explain and justify your request. Justify the
request or explain its importance. Explain any potential benefits of responding. Ask the most
important questions first. Break complex requests into individual questions that are limited to
only one topic each.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
2
5) When asking multiple questions in a request message,
A) begin with the least important question and work your way up to the most important.
B) avoid any open-ended questions.
C) begin with the most important question.
D) weave your questions into the rest of the content of your message.
E) combine as many questions as possible into one.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Whether you are writing a formal letter or a simple instant message, you can
use the body of your request to list a series of questions. Keep these tips in mind: (1) Ask the
most important questions first. (2) Ask only relevant questions. (3) Deal with only one topic per
question. Use the body of your message to explain your request. Make the explanation a smooth
and logical outgrowth of your opening remarks. If possible, point out how complying with the
request could benefit the reader. For example, if you would like some assistance interpreting
complex quality-control data, you might point out how a better understanding of quality control
issues would improve customer satisfaction and ultimately lead to higher profits for the entire
company.
Diff: 1
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
6) When closing a direct request, you should

A) thank the reader in advance for helping you.
B) mention your own qualifications or status.
C) request a specific response and mention the time limits.
D) indicate the consequences of a failure to reply.
E) downplay the significance of what you are asking.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) To close your message, request specific action in a courteous close. Make it
easy to comply by including appropriate contact information. Express your gratitude, and clearly
state any important deadlines for the request. However, do not thank the reader in advance for
cooperating; many people find that presumptuous.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
3
7) In requesting a sales report from a co-worker, you should
A) use the indirect approach.
B) get straight to the point.
C) maintain a formal style and tone.
D) use circular reasoning to justify your request.
E) do all of the above.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) When you need to know about something, elicit an opinion from someone, or
request a simple action, you usually need only ask. If your reader is able to do what you want,
such a straightforward request will get the job done quickly. Use the direct approach by opening
with a clear statement of your reason for writing. In contrast to requests sent internally, those
sent to people outside the organization usually adopt a more formal tone. Circular reasoning is
not going to help in any type of business letter.
Diff: 3
Skill: Application
Objective: 2
8) Before volunteering someone's name as a reference, always

A) assume you have permission to do so.
B) ask that person's permission.
C) describe your relationship with that person.
D) list that person's address and phone number for ease of contact.
E) explain that you're not really sure what they will say about you.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Before you volunteer someone's name as a reference, ask permission to do so.
Some people do not want you to use their names perhaps because they do not know enough
about you to feel comfortable writing a letter or because they or their employers have a policy of
not providing recommendations. When writing someone for a recommendation and you have not
had contact with that person for some time, use the opening to trigger the reader's memory of the
relationship you had. Close your message with the full name and address of the person to whom
the letter should be sent.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
AACSB: Ethical understanding and reasoning
4
9) If you request a recommendation from a person you haven't had contact with recently, you
should
A) use the opening of your letter to refresh the person's memory regarding the nature or history
of your relationship.
B) don't bother to enclose a stamped, preaddressed envelope.
C) use the persuasive approach.
D) use the bad-news approach.
E) exaggerate your qualifications so they can write a stronger letter.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) When writing someone for a recommendation and you have not had contact
with that person for some time, use the opening to trigger the reader's memory of the relationship
you had. Always be sure to enclose a stamped, preaddressed envelope as a convenience to the
other party.
Diff: 2
Skill: Application
Objective: 2
10) The opening of a request for a recommendation should include

A) a buffer statement to establish common ground.
B) a statement implying that you're applying for a position.
C) a statement of why the recommendation is needed.
D) an apology for bothering the reader.
E) a request for the writer to overstate your qualifications.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Because requests for recommendations and references are routine, you can
organize your inquiry using the direct approach. Open your message by clearly stating why you
need the recommendation and ask your reader to write the letter.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
5
11) In closing a request for a recommendation, you should include
A) an expression of appreciation.
B) an indication that you've enclosed a stamped, preaddressed envelope.
C) the full name and address of the person to whom the letter should be sent.
D) none of the above.
E) all of the above.
Answer: E
Explanation: E) When writing for a recommendation, close your message with an expression of
appreciation and the full name and address of the person to whom the letter should be sent. When
asking for an immediate recommendation, you should also mention the deadline. Always be sure
to enclose a stamped, preaddressed envelope as a convenience to the other party.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
12) When making claims or requesting adjustments, you should begin by

A) complimenting the company for past service.
B) providing a detailed description of the faulty merchandise.
C) providing a straightforward statement of the problem.
D) threatening legal action if you do not receive a favorable adjustment.
E) saying how disappointed you are in the company.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) When you're making a claim or requesting an adjustment, open with a statement
of the problem; then, provide specific details in the body, and present facts honestly and clearly.
In the closing, politely summarize the desired action, clearly state what you expect as a fair
settlement or ask the reader to propose a fair adjustment, and explain the benefits of complying
with the request, such as your continued patronage. While you're writing, maintain a professional
tone, even if you're frustrated.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
AACSB: Analytical thinking
6
13) When making a claim or requesting an adjustment, your close should usually
A) clearly state how angry and disappointed you are.
B) explain the specific details of the problem.
C) request a specific action or express your desire to find a solution.
D) explain that you are planning to seek legal counsel.
E) suggest that you will probably take your business elsewhere.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) When making a claim or requesting an adjustment, politely summarize the
desired action in the closing. Be sure to maintain a professional tone, even if you are extremely
frustrated. Explain the benefits of complying with the request, such as your continued patronage.
In most cases (especially in your first message), assume that a fair adjustment will be made. You
should always use a direct request.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
14) Routine, positive messages should do all of the following except

A) leave your reader with a good impression.
B) use an indirect approach.
C) provide all required details.
D) communicate the information or positive news.
E) use a professional, respectful tone.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) When making or responding to routine and positive messages, you have several
goals for such messages: to communicate the information or the good news, to answer all
questions, to provide all required details, and to leave your reader with a good impression of you
and your firm. Because readers will generally be interested in what you have to say, you can
usually use the direct approach. Use the body to explain all the relevant details, and close
cordially—perhaps highlighting a benefit to your reader.
Diff: 1
Skill: Concept
Objective: 3
7
15) In a positive message, present the main idea
A) in the first sentence of the middle paragraph.
B) at the end of the middle paragraph.
C) right at the beginning of the letter.
D) in the last sentence of the letter.
E) by implication only.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) By opening routine and positive messages with the main idea or good news,
you are preparing your audience for the details that follow. Make your opening concise and
clear. In other words, you should start with the main idea, not have it be part of the body or
closing.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 3
16) In a positive message, you should explain your point completely in the
A) introduction.
B) body.
C) close.
D) All three, since repetition is the key to getting your message across.
E) None of the above, allowing the reader to figure it out on his or her own.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) In a positive message, use the body to explain your point completely so that
your audience will not be confused or doubtful about your meaning. Your introduction should
have your main point, not your explanation of your point. Your closing should leave your readers
with a feeling that you have their best interests in mind. You can accomplish this task either by
highlighting a benefit to the audience or by expressing appreciation or goodwill.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 3
8
17) If you have mildly disappointing information to deliver as part of a positive message, you
should
A) put the negative information in a favorable context.
B) just leave it out.
C) put the negative information first.
D) put the negative information last.
E) use sarcasm to suggest that it's not all that bad.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) If your routine message must convey mildly disappointing information, put the
negative portion of your message into as favorable a context as possible. Be careful though: You
can use negative information in this type of message only if you are reasonably sure the audience
will respond positively. Otherwise, use the indirect approach.
Diff: 2
Skill: Synthesis
Objective: 3
18) If you have strongly negative information to deliver as part of a positive message, you should
A) open with the negative information.
B) use the indirect approach.
C) put the negative information in a separate message.
D) apologize for having to spoil the moment.
E) put it at the beginning of your message.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) If your routine message is mixed and must convey mildly disappointing
information, put the negative portion of your message into as favorable a context as possible.
You can use negative information in this type of message only if you are reasonably sure the
audience will respond positively. Otherwise, use the indirect approach. Always follow these
steps: (1) maintain a professional demeanor, (2) don't blame anyone in your organization by
name, and (3) don't make exaggerated, insincere apologies. There is no reason to put the negative
information in a separate message.
Diff: 2
Skill: Synthesis
Objective: 3
9
19) In corresponding with customers, making statements such as, "Thank you for purchasing the
most durable notebook computer you can buy" is
A) to be avoided in routine positive messages.
B) a good way to build customer relationships.
C) an important part of all negative responses to claim letters.
D) insulting and self-serving, unless you include a check or free product.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Using favorable comments, such as "Thank you for purchasing the most durable
notebook computer you can buy," exemplifies a technique called resale. It is a good way to build
customer relationships. These comments are commonly included in acknowledgement of orders
and other routine announcements to customers, and they are most effective when they are
relatively short and specific. These comments should not be included in response to claim letters
and are not considered insulting or self-serving.
Diff: 2
Skill: Application
Objective: 3
20) The close of a routine reply or positive message should

A) clearly state who will take action next, what they'll do, and when they'll do it.
B) explain the reasons for any negative information you have included.
C) offer an explanation for why this decision was made.
D) create some ambiguity, so the audience will be more likely to contact you.
E) always end with a question.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Close routine replies and positive messages courteously. Let your readers know
that you have their personal well-being in mind. If follow-up action is required, clearly state who
will take action, as well as what they'll do and when they'll do it.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 3
10
21) The closing section of a positive message
A) highlights a benefit to the audience or expresses goodwill.
B) states the main idea.
C) is the longest part.
D) provides resale information.
E) should usually include a joke or personal comment.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Your message is more likely to succeed if your readers believe that you have
their best interests in mind. You can accomplish this task either by highlighting a benefit to the
audience or by expressing appreciation or goodwill. If follow-up action is required, clearly state
who will take action, as well as what they'll do and when they'll do it. The main idea should be in
the opening, not the closing. The closing should not be the longest part. The resale statement
should be in the body, not the closing. Jokes and personal comments are typically not acceptable
in a business message.
Diff: 3
Skill: Concept
Objective: 3
22) The categories of routine replies and positive messages include all of the following except
A) answering requests for information and action.
B) granting claims and adjustments.
C) refusing requests.
D) sending goodwill messages.
E) providing recommendations.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Most routine and positive messages fall into six main categories:
1) answers to requests for information and action, 2) grants of claims and requests for
adjustment, 3) recommendations, 4) routine information, 5) good-news announcements,
and 6) goodwill messages.
Diff: 1
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
11
23) When answering requests and a potential sale is involved, one important goal is to
A) leave your audience with a good impression of you and your firm.
B) provide negative information about any possible competitors.
C) use hard sell techniques to pressure the reader into making the purchase.
D) make negative comments about your competition.
E) none of the above.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) When you are answering requests and a potential sale is involved, you have
three main goals: 1) to respond to the inquiry and answer all questions, 2) to leave your reader
with a good impression of you and your firm, and 3) to encourage the future sale.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
24) When responding to a customer's request for an adjustment, it is usually reasonable to

assume that
A) if you handle the situation well, the customer will be even more loyal than before.
B) the customer's account of the situation is exaggerated.
C) the customer is hostile.
D) the customer is trying to pull a fast one.
E) the customer will no longer do business with you, even if you grant the request.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Even the best-run companies make mistakes, from shipping the wrong order to
billing a customer's credit card inaccurately. In other cases, a customer or third party might be
responsible. However, if you handle the situation well, your customer is likely to be even more
loyal than before because you have proven that you are serious about customer satisfaction.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
12
25) When responding to a customer's complaint about one of your company's services, you
should
A) soften the situation with excuses such as "Nobody's perfect" or "Mistakes will happen."
B) use a generous, grudging tone.
C) use a standard form letter, with blanks left for filling in unique information in neat
handwriting.
D) avoid blaming anyone in your organization by name.
E) always find a way to blame the customer for the problem.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) When responding to a customer complaint, be sure to follow these steps.
Maintain a professional demeanor. Do not blame anyone in your organization by name. Do not
make exaggerated, insincere apologies. Do not imply that the customer is at fault. Do not
promise more than you can deliver.
Diff: 3
Skill: Application
Objective: 4
26) When responding to a claim when your company is at fault, it is best to

A) avoid sympathizing with the customer, since it can lead to lawsuits.
B) do all you can to discourage any need for follow-up.
C) take (or assign) personal responsibility for setting matters straight.
D) be vague about when the claim may be resolved.
E) wait at least two weeks before you respond.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) If you're responding to a customer's complaint and your company is at fault,
consider the specific policies of your company and then do the following: (1) Acknowledge
receipt of the customer's claim or complaint. (2) Sympathize with the customer's inconvenience
or frustration. (3) Take (or assign) personal responsibility for setting matters straight. (4) Explain
precisely how you have resolved, or plan to resolve, the situation. (5) Take steps to repair the
relationship. (6) Follow up to verify that your response was correct.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
13
27) If you plan to grant a claim made by a customer who's clearly at fault,
A) pinpoint the customer's shortcomings to discourage future mistakes.
B) discourage future mistakes without insulting the customer.
C) scold the customer to discourage future business.
D) voice your frustrations on social media to discourage future mistakes.
E) tell the customer he or she is lucky you're not pursuing legal action.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) When you're granting a claim and the customer is at fault, try to discourage
future mistakes without insulting the customer.
Diff: 2
Skill: Application
Objective: 4
28) When responding to a request for adjustment when a third party is at fault, the best approach
is to
A) refuse the claim and suggest that the customer sue the third party.
B) refuse the claim but forward the paperwork to the third party.
C) respond promptly, explaining how the problem will be solved.
D) honor the claim but explain that your company was not at fault.
E) refuse the claim but assure the customer that you will never do business with the third party
again.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Regardless of who eventually resolves the problem, if a customer contacts you,
explain how the problem will be resolved. Pointing fingers is unproductive and unprofessional.
Resolving the situation is the only issue customers care about.
Diff: 2
Objective: 4
14
29) If you will write a letter of recommendation about a job candidate, your goal should be to
A) remain neutral about the candidate's suitability for the job.
B) boost the job candidate's sense of self-esteem and well-being.
C) explain why you're qualified personally and professionally to assess the job candidate.
D) convince readers that the candidate has the characteristics necessary for the job.
E) include at least one negative comment to show you're being objective.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) If you decide to write a letter of recommendation about a job candidate, make it
your goal to convince the employer that the person you're recommending has the characteristics
necessary for the job.
Diff: 3
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
30) If you have serious concerns about the qualifications of a job candidate who has asked you
for a recommendation, you should
A) avoid mentioning your concerns in the letter of reference.
B) include hearsay in the body of the recommendation message.
C) tell the job candidate that you won't be able to provide a recommendation.
D) use social media to express your concerns about the job candidate.
E) avoid responding to the job candidate's request in any way.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) If you must refuse to provide a recommendation, maintain a polite and
respectful tone. Unless your relationship with the person warrants an explanation, simply suggest
that someone else might be in a better position to provide a recommendation.
Diff: 2
Skill: Application
Objective: 4
Learning Outcome: Discuss the challenges and importance of business communications.
31) Your negative comments about a job candidate could be considered defamatory if
A) those comments are restricted to job titles and dates of employment.
B) you omit important negative information about the candidate in a recommendation letter.
C) you decline to provide a recommendation because of "company policy."
D) you cannot prove that those comments are true.
E) you use actual examples to support what you say or write.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Don't write negative things about a candidate if you can't prove they're true. If
you can't prove your charges, it's best to keep your comments on an unspecific, generic level.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
15
32) Excluding important negative information about a candidate in a recommendation letter
A) is expected–otherwise no one would be able to get a good job.
B) has led some employers to sue after hiring the candidate and discovering problems.
C) is the only way to prevent the candidate from suing you.
D) is okay, as long as you explain to the candidate that you are doing it.
E) is fine unless you have a business relationship with the recipient of your letter.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Employers have sued other employers for failing to disclose negative
information about job candidates. Before you provide information in response to another
employer's background check, make sure that you understand your company's policies.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
33) If you are sending an informative memo to employees about policy statements or procedural
changes, you should
A) assume that employees will have a negative response.
B) use the indirect approach.
C) use the body of the message to provide all the necessary details.
D) make the subject line as ambiguous as possible, so that they will be more likely to read the
memo.
E) do all of the above.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) When sharing routine information, provide the necessary details in the body and
end your message with a courteous close. Most routine communications are neutral. That is, they
stimulate neither a positive nor negative response from readers. Therefore, don't use the indirect
approach. Instead, present the information in the body of the message, and don't worry too much
about the reader's attitude toward the information. You should never be vague or ambiguous in a
subject line; doing so will not encourage your audience to read the memo or letter.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 3
16
34) When offering compliments in a goodwill message, you should
A) use over-the-top metaphors and lavish praise.
B) keep them general and non-specific.
C) be sure to back them up with specific points.
D) temper them with comments on areas for improvement.
E) offset them with negative comments about other employees.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Effective goodwill messages must be sincere and honest. Otherwise, you will
appear to be interested in personal gain rather than in benefitting customers, fellow workers, or
your organization. To come across as sincere, avoid exaggerating and back up any compliments
with specific points.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
35) Condolence messages should

A) focus on your own sense of loss.
B) be philosophical and poetic.
C) be short, simple, and sincere.
D) always be sent via electronic media.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Condolences are the most personal business messages you may ever have to
write; as such, they require the utmost in care and respect for your reader. Keeping the message
simple, short, and sincere will help you achieve the right tone.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
17
36) Writing "thank you in advance" at the close of a routine request
A) is courteous and effective.
B) will guarantee a positive response.
C) is best to avoid, since many people find it presumptuous.
D) is most effective when you end the statement with an exclamation point.
E) is expected when your audience is unfamiliar.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) When requesting specific action in a message, conclude your message by
sincerely expressing your goodwill and appreciation. However, do not thank the reader "in
advance" for cooperating; many people find that presumptuous.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
37) Choosing between the direct and indirect approaches in a routine request depends primarily
on
A) whether the audience is internal or external.
B) whether the audience is large or small.
C) how reluctant the audience will be to comply.
D) how soon you need the request fulfilled.
E) when you send the request.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) When writing routine and positive messages, use the indirect approach if you're
not sure how the audience will respond. Some routine informative messages may require
additional care. If a policy change or other announcement could have a profound negative effect
on the audience, for example, use the indirect approach.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
18
38) Unlike a claim, a request for adjustment
A) is a formal complaint.
B) should be phrased in a more aggressive tone.
C) does not require supporting documentation.
D) seeks a specific settlement.
E) should always open with a buffer.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) If you are dissatisfied with a company's product or service, you can opt to make
a claim (a formal complaint) or request an adjustment (a settlement of a claim). Avoid being
aggressive when you're requesting an adjustment; instead, be professional, no matter how angry
or frustrated you are. An adjustment should always have supporting documentation. A buffer
will not be helpful when requesting an adjustment.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
39) If you're dissatisfied with a company's product or service, you have the right to file a claim (a
formal complaint) and request an adjustment (settlement of your claim). When you request an
adjustment, keep in mind that asking the company to assess your claim and then propose a fair
solution to the problem is
A) a waste of time.
B) effective with small companies only.
C) always more effective than proposing a solution of your own.
D) helpful when you are uncertain about the exact nature of the problem.
E) feasible only if you have hired legal counsel.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) When requesting an adjustment, sometimes you may be uncertain about the
precise nature of the trouble. With or without the aid of legal counsel, you could ask the
company to assess the situation and then advise you on how to fix it. Proposing a solution on
your own may be just as effective, however, no matter whether the company is large or small.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
19
40) When a company grants a customer's claim or request for adjustment,
A) the customer is still likely to take his or her business elsewhere.
B) the customer is likely to tell more people about it than if the matter was handled poorly.
C) it opens the door to frivolous lawsuits.
D) the customer is likely to be even more loyal than before.
E) it sends the message that the company is unsuccessful.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Even the best-run companies make mistakes, from shipping the wrong order to
billing a customer's credit inaccurately. If you handle the situation well, your customer is likely
to be even more loyal than before because you have proven that you are serious about customer
satisfaction. Dissatisfied customers often take their business elsewhere without notice and tell
numerous friends and colleagues about the negative experience. Doing this is not likely to open
lawsuits or send messages that the company is unsuccessful. The customer is more likely to
remain a patron of this business.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
41) For serious problems that go beyond routine errors, your company should have ________
that outlines communication, both inside and outside the organization.
A) a crisis management plan
B) a mission statement
C) a contingency proclamation
D) an emergency response symposium
E) a disaster-preparedness meeting
Answer: A
Explanation: A) For serious problems that go beyond routine errors, your company should have
a crisis management plan that outlines communication steps both inside and outside the
organization.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
20
42) In recommendation letters, comparing the candidate's potential to that of his or her peers
A) should be avoided, since it opens the door to legal action.
B) is unprofessional because it distracts attention from the candidate you are recommending.
C) helps the recipient evaluate the candidate more effectively.
D) is a good idea, even if you have only a "gut feeling" about how the candidate stacks up.
E) almost always reduces the candidate's chances of landing the job.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) When writing a letter of recommendation, your goal is to convince readers that
the candidate has the characteristics necessary for the objective he or she is seeking. Comparing
the candidate's potential against his or her peers isn't unprofessional, and it won't reduce his or
her chances of landing the job. However, if you have only a "gut feeling" about the candidate's
qualifications, perhaps you shouldn't provide a recommendation.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
43) When you're writing routine replies and positive messages, use the direct approach because
A) it will help skeptical readers understand your argument.
B) your readers will be indifferent to the content of your message.
C) recipients will generally be interested in what you have to say.
D) inquisitive readers will enjoy exploring the rhetorical context of your message.
E) presenting your reasoning before your bottom line will grab each reader's attention.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Because recipients will usually be interested in what you have to say, the direct
approach works well for routine replies and positive messages.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
21
44) Unlike traditional press releases, a social media release
A) emphasizes bullet-point content over narrative paragraphs.
B) makes it more difficult to publicize your content.
C) must always be written using "I" or "we."
D) is much longer.
E) almost always reaches a much smaller audience.
Answer: A
Explanation: A) The social media release emphasizes bullet-point content over narrative
paragraphs so that bloggers, editors, and others can assemble their own stories, rather than being
forced to rewrite the material in a traditional release. Social bookmarking buttons make it easy
for people to help publicize the content. Social media releases do not need to always be written
using "I" or "we" and are likely to be shorter given the bullet points. Social media releases reach
both large and small audiences.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
45) In today's electronic media environment, handwritten thank-you notes

A) are not likely to be read.
B) give the impression that the writer is unprofessional.
C) are often particularly appreciated by the recipient.
D) require too much time to prepare and deliver.
E) are viewed as obsolete, except in personal contexts.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) When sending messages of appreciation, your praise does more than just make
the person feel good. In today's electronic media environment, a handwritten thank-you note can
be a welcome acknowledgement. Notes like this do not give an unprofessional impression, do
not require too much time, and are not viewed as obsolete.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
22
46) Refusing to write a recommendation letter
A) should be avoided at all costs.
B) is unnecessary, since you can simply "forget" to write one if you decide against it.
C) is unethical, even if you have misgivings about the candidate.
D) is more risky than writing a negative letter.
E) is the best option if a candidate has serious shortcomings.
Answer: E
Explanation: E) If the person's shortcomings are so pronounced that you do not think he or she
is a good fit for the job, the only choice is to not write a letter at all. Unless your relationship
with the person warrants an explanation, simply suggest that someone else might be in a better
position to provide a recommendation. Refusing to write a recommendation letter is not
something you should avoid, and it is necessary under some circumstances. Such a refusal is not
unethical; neither is it risker than writing a negative letter.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
47) When making an unusual or complex request, it is best to

A) ask all at once, even if it makes results in one long and complicated question.
B) use passive voice to state the request.
C) break it down into specific, individual questions.
D) use a particularly demanding tone.
E) warn the audience that they might struggle to understand it.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Whether you are writing a formal letter or a simple instant message, you can
use the body of your request to list a series of questions. If you have an unusual or complex
request, break it down into specific, individual questions so that the reader can address each one
separately. Do not put the burden of untangling a complicated request on your reader. The use of
passive or active voice when making such a request is irrelevant. Using a demanding tone is not
likely to produce the result you want. Warning the audience that they might struggle to
understand the request is condescending.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
23
48) Including a deadline in the close of a request
A) is rude and unprofessional.
B) is acceptable for internal audiences, but never external audiences.
C) will offend your audience, unless they are your subordinates.
D) is effective only when you explain the consequences of failing to meet it.
E) helps the audience understand exactly what you want.
Answer: E
Explanation: E) When writing routine requests, clearly state any important deadlines in the
closing. Stating deadlines in a request isn't rude. It's acceptable for internal and external
messages, and it won't offend the audience. Explaining the consequences of failing to meet a
deadline is unnecessary; it may also be offensive, since it can imply that you don't trust the
recipient to observe the deadline.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
49) When asking for information and action, explaining why you're making the request
A) is unnecessary since the audience is likely to comply.
B) is part of an effective strategy for getting what you want.
C) suggests that you think the audience is unintelligent.
D) causes your request to be wordy and hard to understand.
E) generally reduces the likelihood of receiving a positive response.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) When making a routine request, explain that request in the body of the message.
Make the explanation a smooth and logical outgrowth of your opening remarks. If possible, point
out how complying with the request could benefit the reader. An explanation should be an
integral part of your message. An explanation won't insult your audience's intelligence; neither
will it reduce the likelihood of receiving a positive response.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
24
50) Requesting references before extending credit
A) was once common, but not anymore.
B) happens only when the applicant has a very poor credit rating.
C) is illegal in the U.S.
D) is just a diplomatic way of denying applications.
E) is a common practice.
Answer: E
Explanation: E) It's common for companies to ask applicants for references, before extending
credit or awarding contracts, promotions, employment, or scholarships. Such requests are legal in
the U.S. They aren't based on an applicant's credit rating, and they're not a diplomatic way of
denying applications.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
51) In the closing section of a routine request, ________ would be out of place.
A) asking a series of questions
B) requesting some specific action
C) expressing your goodwill and appreciation
D) providing your contact information
E) all of the above
Answer: A
Explanation: A) If you have questions, include them in the body of the message. Close a routine
request by asking for some specific action. In addition, provide your contact information and
express your appreciation.
Diff: 2
Skill: Application
Objective: 1
25
52) Which of the following will not help you write routine messages that promote goodwill?
A) Providing information your readers may find helpful
B) Using content and tone to provide an element of entertainment
C) Including a sales pitch with every routine message
D) All of the above
E) None of the above
Answer: C
Explanation: C) You can design almost any message to build goodwill by providing information
that your audience may find useful and using the content and tone of the message to provide
entertainment.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept/Application
Objective: 4
53) When you're writing a message of appreciation,

A) avoid mentioning specific circumstances.
B) help readers understand how hard you've struggled to succeed.
C) try to mention the names of those whom you want to praise.
D) focus on panoramic statements about today's global workplace.
E) give yourself a "pat on the back" for taking the time to recognize a job well done.
Answer: C
Explanation: C) Because a message of appreciation may become an important part of someone's
personnel file, try to the mention the specific person or people you want to praise.
Diff: 2
Skill: Application
Objective: 4
54) Because a social-media release emphasizes bullet-point content over narrative paragraphs,
bloggers, editors and others
A) rarely take such material seriously.
B) are hesitant to accept the accuracy of the content.
C) don't feel obligated to acknowledge the source of the release.
D) can assemble their own stories, rather than having to rewrite the material.
E) can distribute the release "as found" to their respective audiences.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Social media releases emphasize bullet-point content over narrative paragraphs.
Unlike traditional news releases (which bloggers, editors, and others must rewrite), those parties
can assemble their own stories from social-media releases.
Diff: 2
Objective: 4
26
55) Direct-to-consumer news releases are
A) specialized documents used to share relevant information with the news media.
B) general-purpose tools for communicating directly with customers and other audiences.
C) compliance documents written for governmental regulatory agencies.
D) ready-to-share content that's intended for the use of top corporate managers.
E) none of the above.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) A direct-to-consumer news release is a general-purpose tool for communicating
directly with customers and other audiences.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
56) Most simple requests can be handled by explaining

A) what you want to know.
B) what you want your audience to do.
C) why you're making the request.
D) why it may be in your readers' interest to help you.
Answer: E
Explanation: E) You can handle most simple requests with the following message points: what
you want to know or want your audience to do, why you're making the request, and what's in it
for your readers if they help you.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
57) A claim is ________; an adjustment is ________.

A) a goodwill message; a means to an end
B) an emotional reaction; a calculated response
C) a formal complaint; a settlement of a claim
D) an informal complaint; an emotional reaction
E) an assertion; a shift in point of view
Answer: C
Explanation: C) If you're dissatisfied with a company's product or service, you can opt to make a
claim (a formal complaint) or request an adjustment (a settlement of a claim).
Diff: 3
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
27
58) When you're writing a routine reply to a positive message, your readers will generally be
________ what you have to say; therefore, you can use the ________ with a routine reply or
positive message.
A) interested in, direct approach
B) resistant to, indirect approach
C) skeptical of, direct approach
D) in tune with, indirect approach
E) oblivious to, direct approach
Answer: A
Explanation: A) Because readers will generally be interested in what you have to say, you can
use the direct approach with most routine replies and positive messages.
Diff: 3
Skill: Synthesis
Objective: 3
59) When you're responding to a complaint from a customer and your company is at fault,
A) deflect the blame up the supply chain.
B) maintain a sincere, professional demeanor.
C) counter the complaint with logic and wit.
D) pinpoint the employees who were responsible for the error.
E) remember that the best defense is a good offense.
Answer: B
Explanation: B) Maintain a sincere, professional demeanor when responding to a complaint.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
60) Most routine informative messages are

A) positive.
B) negative.
C) confrontational.
D) neutral.
E) transparent.
Answer: D
Explanation: D) Most routine communications are neutral; that is, they stimulate neither a
positive nor a negative response from readers.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
28
61) When making a direct request, you should state what you want in the first sentence or two
and then follow with an explanation.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: When making a direct request, state your request up front. Use the direct approach
because your audience will probably respond favorably to your request. Then, explain and justify
your request. Explain any potential benefits of responding.
Diff: 1
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
62) When making direct requests, you should avoid such polite words and phrases as please and
I would appreciate.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Begin routine requests by placing your initial request first; up front is where it
stands out and gets the most attention. However, getting right to the point should not be
interpreted as license to be abrupt or tactless. Make sure you pay attention to tone. Even though
you expect a favorable response, the tone of your initial request is important. Instead of
demanding action, soften your request with words such as please and I would appreciate.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
63) As you explain and justify your request, you should try to point out how complying with the
request could benefit the reader.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Use the body of your message to explain your request. Make the explanation a
smooth and logical outgrowth of your opening remarks. If possible, point out how complying
with the request could benefit the reader. For instance, if you would like some assistance
interpreting complex quality-control data, you might point out how a better understanding of
quality-control issues would improve customer satisfaction and ultimately lead to higher profits
for the entire company.
Diff: 1
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
29
64) If the middle section of your request letter contains a series of questions, save the most
important question for last.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Whether you are writing a formal letter or a simple instant message, you can use
the body of your request to list a series of questions. These questions help organize your message
and help your audience identify the information you need. Just keep in mind to ask the most
important questions first.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
65) In the final section of a request message, you should thank the reader in advance for
cooperating.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Conclude your message by sincerely expressing your goodwill and appreciation.
However, do not thank the reader in advance for cooperating; many people find that
presumptuous.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
66) Normally, requests sent to individuals outside your organization should be more formal than
requests sent to audiences within your organization.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: In contrast to requests sent internally, those sent to people outside the organization
usually adopt a more formal tone.
Diff: 1
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
30
67) It is not necessary to ask someone's permission before listing his or her name as a job
reference.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Before you volunteer someone's name as a reference, ask permission to do so.
Some people do not want you to use their names, perhaps because they do not know enough
about you to feel comfortable writing a letter or because they or their employers have a policy of
not providing recommendations.
Diff: 1
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
68) When requesting recommendations, you should use the indirect approach.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: Because requests for recommendations and references are routine, you can
organize your inquiry using the direct approach.
Diff: 1
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
69) When responding to a customer's request for a claim, companies usually accept his or her
explanation of the problem.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Even the best-run companies make mistakes. If you handle the situation well, your
customer is likely to be even more loyal than before because you have proven that you are
serious about customer satisfaction. Communication about a claim is a delicate matter when the
customer is at fault. If you refuse the claim, you may lose your customer as well as the
customer's friends and colleagues. You must weigh the cost of making the adjustment against the
cost of losing future business from one or more people. Sometimes a third party such as UPS or
another delivery service is at fault. Regardless of who eventually resolves the problem, if
customers contact you, you need to respond with messages that explain how the problem will be
resolved.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
31
70) It's best to back up all claims and requests for adjustments with invoices, sales receipts, and
so on and to send copies to the company and keep the originals.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: When making a claim or requesting an adjustment, be prepared to back up your
claim with invoices, sales receipts, canceled checks, dated correspondence, and any other
relevant documents. Always make and send the copies, and keep the originals for your files.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
71) The best opening for a positive message includes the single most important information you
need to give the audience.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: When beginning a routine and positive message, you should place your main idea
first. Because readers will generally be interested in what you have to say, you can usually use
the direct approach. Then, use the body to explain all the relevant details, and close cordially.
Diff: 2
Skill: Application
Objective: 3
72) When sending a positive message to a customer, it is a good idea to reassure the customer
that he or she has made a wise purchase.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: If you are communicating with a customer, you might want to use the body of your
message to assure the customer of the wisdom of his or her purchase selection (without being
condescending or self-congratulatory). Using such favorable comments, often known as resale, is
a good way to build customer relationships. These comments are commonly included in
acknowledgements of orders and other routine announcements to customers, and they are most
effective when they are relatively short and specific.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 3
32
73) To preserve your company's reputation, messages granting customer requests for adjustment
should always imply that the customer was at fault.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: When responding to claims and requests for adjustment, your response will depend
on your company's policies for resolving such issues and your assessment of whether the
company, the customer, or some third party is at fault. If your company is at fault, acknowledge
receipt of the customer's claim or request, sympathize with the customer's inconvenience or
frustration, take (or assign) personal responsibility for setting matters straight, explain precisely
how you have resolved or plan to resolve the situation, take steps to repair the relationship, and
follow up to verify that your response was correct. If the customer is at fault, you must weigh the
cost of making the adjustment against the cost of losing future business from one or more
customers. If a third party is at fault, explain the problem will be solved. Don't point fingers.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
74) When replying to a customer's complaint when your company is at fault, be sure to list the
names of all employees who were involved in the error.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: If your company is at fault, acknowledge receipt of the customer's claim or request,
sympathize with the customer's inconvenience or frustration, take (or assign) personal
responsibility for setting matters straight, explain precisely how you have resolved or plan to
resolve the situation, take steps to repair the relationship, and follow up to verify that your
response was correct. Furthermore, maintain a professional demeanor. Do not blame anyone in
your organization by name.
Diff: 1
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
75) When a third party is at fault in a claim, the best approach is always to refer the customer to
that party to resolve the problem.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: No general scheme applies to every case involving a third party, so evaluate the
situation carefully and know your company's policies before responding. However, regardless of
who eventually resolves the problem, if customers contact you, you need to tell them how the
problem will be solved. Pointing fingers is unproductive and unprofessional. Resolving the
situation is the only issue customers care about.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
33
76) Recommendation letters have created so many legal problems that many companies no
longer allow employees to write them.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Recommendation letters have become a complex legal matter in recent years, so be
sure to check your company's policies before writing a recommendation. Moreover, each time
you write a recommendation, you're putting your own reputation on the line. Ex-employees who
received negative references have sued their former employers. In addition, employers have sued
each other over reference letters that failed to disclose important negative information.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
77) In positive recommendation letters, it's important to back up your general points with
specific examples of the candidate's fitness for the job.
Answer: TRUE
Explanation: When writing a positive recommendation letter, include the candidate's full name,
the objective the candidate is seeking, and the nature of your relationship with the candidate.
You should also include facts and evidence relevant to the candidate and the opportunity, a
comparison of the candidate's potential with that of his or her peers (if available), and your
overall evaluation of the candidate's suitability for the opportunity.
Diff: 1
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
78) When asked to write a letter of recommendation for a poorly performing employee, you
should never refuse to do so.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: If the person's shortcomings are so pronounced that you do not think he or she is a
good fit for the job, the only choice is not to write the letter at all. Unless your relationship with
the person warrants an explanation, simply suggest that someone else might be in a better
position to provide a recommendation.
Diff: 2
Skill: Application
Objective: 4
34
79) A new co-worker recently won a prestigious award for her work on green technologies.
Since you do not know her well, you should not send a note to congratulate her on the
achievement.
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: One prime opportunity for sending goodwill messages is to congratulate
individuals or companies for significant business achievements. Obviously, the nature of your
relationship with a recipient determines the ranges of appropriate subjects for congratulations.
Diff: 2
Skill: Application
Objective: 4
80) When writing a condolence message about a loss, you should always use comforting poetic
expressions such as "life is for the living."
Answer: FALSE
Explanation: When writing a condolence message, write in your own words. Write as if you
were speaking privately to the person. Do not quote "poetic" passages or use stilted or formal
phrases.
Diff: 2
Skill: Application
Objective: 4
81) List four guidelines to follow in preparing the opening of a routine request in the direct
format.
Answer: In preparing the opening of a routine request in the direct format, pay attention to tone
and don’t demand action. Instead, assume that your audience will comply, and be specific about
what you want.
Explanation: (1) State your request up front. (2) Write in a polite, undemanding, personal tone.
(3) Use the direct approach because your audience will probably respond favorably to your
request. (4) Be specific and precise in your request.
Diff: 3
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
35
82) In emailing a vendor for an update on the ship date of your order, what elements should you
include in the closing of your request?
Answer: The closing for an effective routine request should request specific action, provide
contact information, and express appreciation and goodwill.
Explanation: When requesting specific action, close your message with a specific request, your
contact information, and an expression of appreciation.
Diff: 2
Skill: Application
Objective: 1
83) List the three major categories of common routine requests.

Answer: The three major types of routine requests are (1) requesting information and action,
(2) asking for recommendations, and (3) making claims and requesting adjustments.
Explanation: Most routine messages fall into three main categories: asking for information and
action, asking for recommendations, and making claims and requesting adjustments.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 2
84) Describe the three-step strategy for writing a routine request.

Answer: Clearly state your reason for writing. Then explain or justify your request. Close by
stating what you expect, including a deadline if appropriate.
Explanation: (1) State your request up front. (2) Explain and justify your request. (3) Request
specific action and close with courtesy.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
85) You're preparing an internal blog posting to provide information about this year's annual
company picnic. Overall, your message is positive, but you also need to say that, unlike past
picnics, the event won't be catered. What approach should you use to convey this message?
Answer: If you're writing a generally positive routine message, place any mildly disappointing
information in as favorable a context as possible.
Explanation: If a routine message will contain positive and mildly disappointing information,
put the negative information into as favorable a context as possible.
Diff: 2
Skill: Synthesis
Objective: 3
36
86) What three goals should you have when answering routine requests and a potential sale is
involved?
Answer: Your goals should be: (1) to respond to the inquiry and answer all questions, (2) to
leave your reader with a good impression of you and your firm, and (3) to encourage the future
sale.
Explanation: If the response to a request is a simple yes or some other straightforward
information, the direct approach is appropriate. A prompt, gracious, and thorough response will
positively influence how people think about you and the organization you represent. When you
are answering requests and a potential sale is involved, you have three main goals: 1) to respond
to the inquiry and answer all questions, 2) to leave your reader with a good impression of you
and your firm, and 3) to encourage the future sale.
Diff: 3
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
87) What part of a routine request should explain what you are asking the audience to do?
Answer: The body of a routine request should contain an explanation of what you are asking the
audience to do.
Explanation: Your routine request has three parts: an opening, a body, and a close. Your
opening should state your request up front. Use the body of your message to explain and justify
your request. Close your message courteously with a specific action.
Diff: 3
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
88) If you need to include mildly disappointing information in a routine message, what should
you do?
Answer: You can still use the direct approach, if you put the negative portion into as favorable a
context as possible. However, if you're not sure that readers will react in a positive way, you
should use the indirect approach instead.
Explanation: If a routine message written in the direct approach will contain both positive and
mildly disappointing information, present the negative part in as favorable a context as possible.
However, include negative information in this type of message only if you're reasonably sure the
audience will respond in a positive way. Otherwise, the indirect approach will be more effective.
Diff: 3
Skill: Concept
Objective: 3
37
89) What is a news release?
Answer: A news release (or press release) is a specialized document used to share relevant
information with the local or national news media.
Explanation: A news release (a.k.a., press release) is a specialized document used to share
relevant information with the news media. News releases often communicate good-news.
Diff: 3
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
90) How does a social media release differ from a traditional press release?
Answer: A social media release emphasizes bullet-point content over narrative paragraphs so
that bloggers and others can assemble their own stories.
Explanation: A news release (a.k.a., press release) is a specialized document used to share
relevant information with the news media. Unlike a traditional news release, the social media
release emphasizes bullet-point content over narrative paragraphs. Therefore, bloggers, editors,
and others can simply assemble their own stories, rather than having to rewrite the material in a
traditional release.
Diff: 3
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
91) How have the Internet and social media changed the way many companies use news
releases?
Answer: Thanks to the Internet and social media, many companies often rely on direct-to-
consumer news releases, in which they communicate directly with customers and other
audiences instead of or in addition to going through the media.
Explanation: Thanks to the Internet and social media, the nature of the news release is changing.
Many companies now view a news release as a general-purpose tool for communicating directly
with customers and other audiences, creating direct-to-consumer news releases.
Diff: 3
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
38
92) If you're responding favorably to a claim even though the customer was at fault, what should
you try to accomplish in the body of your message?
Answer: In the body of the message, you want to discourage such claims in the future by
steering the customer in the right direction. Also, don't want to imply that you will grant similar
claims in the future. Instead, use diplomacy to remind the customer of proper usage without
being condescending or preachy.
Explanation: If you choose to grant a claim, writing such a message can be difficult. The body
of the message is tricky because you want to discourage such claims in the future by steering the
customer in the right direction. Even if you do grant a particular claim, you do not want to imply
that you will grant similar claims in the future. The challenge is to remind the customer (in a
diplomatic way) of proper usage or procedures without being condescending or preachy.
Diff: 3
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
93) Describe the typical pattern for sharing routine information.

Answer: Use the following plan when sharing routine information: (1) state the purpose up front
and mention the nature of the information you'll provide; (2) provide the necessary details; and
(3) end with a courteous close.
Explanation: Many messages involve sharing routine information, such as product updates or
order status notifications. Use the opening of these routine messages to state your purpose and
mention the nature of the information you're providing. Give the necessary details in the body,
and then close your message courteously.
Diff: 2
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
94) What potential legal problem can result from writing a critical recommendation letter?
Answer: Negative letters of recommendation have led to many successful defamation lawsuits
by former employees. The problem has become so complex that many companies now prohibit
employees from providing recommendations.
Explanation: Employees have won lawsuits that charged former employers with defamation
related to job recommendations. Employers have also been sued for retaliation by ex-employees
who believed that negative letters were written expressly for purposes of revenge.
Diff: 3
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
39
95) What should you keep in mind as you decide what to include in a message of condolence?
Answer: Condolence messages are the most personal business messages you may ever have to
write; therefore, keep them simple, short, and sincere. Focus on the recipient (not your feelings),
don't offer "life advice" or trite sayings, and think twice before injecting religion into the
message.
Explanation: As you decide what to include in the message, keep the following points in mind.
First, make it a personal expression of sympathy, but don't make the whole message about you
and your sense of loss. Second, don't offer "life advice," and don't include trite sayings that you
may have heard or read. At this point (soon after the loss), the recipient doesn't want advice, only
your sympathy. Finally, don't bring religion into the discussion unless you have a close personal
relationship with the recipient and religion is already a part of your relationship.
Diff: 3
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
96) Many routine requests have several parts. What guidelines should you keep in mind when
your request contains a series of questions?
Answer: It is important to ask the most important questions first and to ask only relevant
questions. Both of these strategies usually expedite the handling of your request. Finally, it is
helpful to deal with only one topic per question, rather than confuse the reader by asking too
much at once. If you have an unusual or complex request, break it down into specific, individual
questions so that the reader can address each one separately. This not only shows respect for
your audience's time but also gets a more accurate answer more quickly.
Explanation: Ask the most important questions first. Ask only relevant questions. To help
expedite the response to your request, ask only questions that are central to your main request.
Doing so will generate an answer sooner and make better use of the other person's time. Break
complex requests into individual questions that are limited to only one topic each. Do not put the
burden of untangling a complicated request on your reader. This consideration shows respect for
your audience's time, and it probably will get you a more accurate answer in less time.
Diff: 3
Skill: Concept
Objective: 1
40
97) Explain what you should do when replying to a claim when the customer is at fault.
Answer: First, you must decide whether the cost of making the adjustment outweighs the cost of
losing this customer's future business. You can refuse the claim and explain your refusal, but
remember that refusal will most likely cost you this customer and perhaps the business of many
of the customer's friends who will hear only one side of the argument. If you grant the claim,
open with the good news. In the body, tactfully educate the customer on how to prevent this
situation from occurring again. Be careful not to offend the person by being condescending or
preachy.
Explanation: You must weigh the cost of making the adjustment against the cost of losing future
business from one or more customers. If you refuse the claim, you may lose your customer—as
well as many of the customer's friends and colleagues, who will hear only one side of the
dispute. If you choose to grant a claim, you can simply open with the good news, being sure to
specify exactly what you are agreeing to do. The body of the message is tricky because if you do
grant a particular claim, you do not want to imply that you will grant similar claims in the future.
The challenge is to remind the customer (diplomatically) of proper usage or procedures without
being condescending or preachy.
Diff: 3
Skill: Application
Objective: 4
98) Explain what you should include in an effective recommendation letter.

Answer: An effective recommendation letter includes the candidate's full name, the objective the
candidate is seeking, and the nature of your relationship with the candidate. You should also
include facts and evidence relevant to the candidate and the opportunity, a comparison of the
candidate's potential with that of his or her peers (if available), and your overall evaluation of the
candidate's suitability for the opportunity.
Explanation: Successful recommendation letters include the candidate's full name, the objective
the candidate is seeking, and the nature of your relationship with the candidate. Furthermore,
they include facts and evidence relevant to the candidate and the opportunity, a comparison of
this candidate's potential with that of peers, and your overall evaluation of the candidate's
suitability for the opportunity.
Diff: 3
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
41
99) Explain why goodwill messages are important, and describe at least two characteristics of
effective goodwill messages.
Answer: Goodwill messages can improve your relationships with customers, colleagues, and
other businesspersons. They should be sincere and honest–otherwise the writer appears interested
only in personal gain. Avoid exaggeration, back up compliments with specific points, and be
restrained but sincere in your praise. Saying things such as, "You're terrific!" will detract from
your credibility in these messages.
Explanation: You can use goodwill messages to enhance your relationships with customer,
colleagues, and other business people by sending friendly - even unexpected - notes with no
direct business purpose. Effective goodwill messages must be sincere and honest. Otherwise, you
will appear to be interested in personal gain rather than in benefiting customers, fellow workers,
or your organization. To come across as sincere, avoid exaggerating and back up any
compliments with specific points. In addition, readers often regard understated praise as being
more sincere.
Diff: 3
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
100) Why are appreciation messages important? What should they include?
Answer: It is important to recognize the contributions of employees, colleagues, suppliers, and
other associates. Your praise will make the person feel good and encourage further excellence.
These messages can also become part of an employee's personnel file. The message should
specifically mention the person or persons you want to praise, and documents the person's
contributions.
Explanation: An important managerial quality is the ability to recognize the contributions of
employees, colleagues, suppliers, and other associates. Your praise does more than just make the
person feel good; it encourages further excellence. Moreover, a message of appreciation may
become an important part of someone's personnel file. Therefore, when you write a message of
appreciation, try to name the person or people you want to praise.
Diff: 3
Skill: Concept
Objective: 4
42
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CHAPTER IX.
OUR BUTTER FIENDS.
In former days while narrating the events of this voyage, which I have
done some thousands of times, I used to say “we whaled.” But I never
whaled, never went in the boats, never pulled an oar. I had other fish to fry
in the galley, and now that I commence to realize what a conscience is, I
mention this for truth’s sake as well as to give variety to the story. We were
boarded occasionally by a few Mexicans. There was one melancholy-
looking Don Somebody who seemed always in a chronic state of corn-husk
cigarette. When not smoking he was rolling them; when not rolling or
smoking he was lighting them. He and his companions were persons of
some importance, for which reason Captain Reynolds tendered them the
hospitalities of the Henry and would ask them to whatever meal was nearest
ready. These two Mexicans had enormous stowage for grub. They
resembled the gulls. They also seemed unfathomable. There was no filling
them. What they did at table they did with all their might, and when they
finished, especially when eating by themselves, as they frequently did, there
was literally nothing left. “Nothing” in this case meant something. It meant
in addition to bread, meat, and potatoes, every scrap of butter on the butter-
plate and every grain of sugar in the sugar-bowl. I didn’t take the hint the
first time they ate with us, deeming the entire absence of butter and sugar at
the end of the repast to be owing to my placing a small amount on the table.
The second time they came on board I remedied this. But on inspection
after they had finished I found left only an empty butter-plate and sugar-
bowl. It was so at the third trial. Butter and sugar seem to be regarded as
delicacies by the natives of Lower California. Nor do they seem to
comprehend the real mission and import of butter and sugar on the table.
They regarded both these articles as regular dishes and scooped them in. On
discovering this, after a consultation with the Captain, I put them on
allowance. These two men would have eaten up all our butter and sugar in
four weeks.
However it was comparatively a slight toll they levied on us for carrying
off their whale-oil, seal and abalone. We were miles within their legal
boundaries taking away the wealth of their waters. Twelve other American
whalers lay in Marguerita Bay that season. It was practically an invasion;
only the Mexicans didn’t seem to know they were invaded or didn’t care if
they did know. So long as they had plenty of butter and sugar on coming on
board and the blubber-stripped carcasses which came on shore they seemed
satisfied. These carcasses they cut open when stranded and extracted the fat
about the heart, which on being tried out would yield from one to four
barrels of oil and about three miles of solid stench. They borrowed from us
the vessels wherewith to boil this fat. I was ordered to loan them all the
pots, pans, and kettles which could be spared from my culinary laboratory.
They never returned them, and I was very glad they did not. No amount of
scouring would ever have rid them of the odor of decomposed leviathan.
We left them a dozen or so iron vessels the richer. A Mexican, at least on
that coast, with a kettle is looked up to as a man of wealth. Beyond serapes,
cigarette-lighters, saddles and bridles, the gang of natives on shore had few
other possessions. They seemed brilliant examples of contented poverty.
The individual Mexican is a more independent being than the citizen of our
own boasted “independent” nation. His wants are ten times less.
Consequently, he is ten times as independent. Parties who use horses’ skulls
for parlor chairs, whose wooden bowl wherein they mix flour for tortillas,
flint, steel, and a small bonfire constitute their entire kitchen range, won’t
keep many furniture or stove manufacturers alive.
Some mercantile hopes may hang on the señoras and señoritas. The few
we saw wanted calicoes of gay and diverse patterns. The men will eat butter
and sugar, but whether they will buy these articles remains to be proved.
Perhaps furniture sets of polished and painted horses’ skulls might tempt
some of the more æsthetic in the matter of household adornment to
purchase, if put at a reasonable rate. Such are the conclusions drawn
regarding the probabilities of trade with Mexico, at least the fragment of
Mexico I saw from my galley. If we wanted any service of them they talked
dollars at a very high figure. But they never abated. They showed no
anxiety to tempt a bargain or an engagement. They went on just as ever, full
to the brim of genuine sang-froid, eternally rolling, lighting, and smoking
their cigarettes, and looking as if they felt themselves a superior race, and
knew it all, and didn’t want to know any more, until we asked them to eat.
Then they seemed in no hurry, but clambered lazily down the cabin stairs
and lazily set to work to find the bottom of every dish on the table,
including the sugar-dish and butter-plate. I learned on that voyage the true
signification of the term “greaser,” as I fearfully noted the rapidly
diminishing butter keg.
CHAPTER X.
GUADALUPE.
Two hundred miles from the Lower California coast lies the lone island
of Guadalupe. Guadalupe is one of the twelve or twenty names which for
centuries the Spaniards have been applying to the various geographical
divisions of the earth’s surface. Each Spanish navigator, explorer, and
discoverer, armed with these twelve or twenty “San Joses,” “Santa Marias,”
“Sacramentos,” etc., has gone on naming, taking each one in regular order,
and as the list was exhausted and more islands, capes, etc., were found,
starting again at the beginning of the list and using it all over again.
Whitney talked of the plentifulness of sea-elephant on the Guadelupe
beaches; I presume the sea-elephant is identical with the sea-lion. They
resemble a lion about as much as an elephant. So the prow of the Henry was
turned toward Guadalupe. While on this trip one morning before daylight I
heard at intervals a strange noise, something between a bellow and a creak.
I thought it at first the creaking of something aloft, but as it grew lighter I
saw a strange-looking head emerge momentarily from the water. It gave
forth the same cry, dove, and came up on the other side of the vessel. It was
a seal pup, which the sailors said had lost its mother and followed the
vessel, mistaking the hull for its maternal parent. I presume that seals have
no recognized fathers to look after them. The poor thing, uttering its
plaintive but discordant cry, must have followed us to sea forty or fifty
miles. I know not whether the sailors’ explanation of its conduct be correct.
Anyway, it makes the occurrence more pathetic, and were I utterly
unprincipled I should make an entire chapter describing how this pup seal
followed the Henry during the voyage like a dog, being regularly fed, and
as it grew up came on board and was taught a number of accomplishments,
among the rest that of supplying us with fish. ’Tis thus that a rigid
adherence to veracity spoils many an interesting and thrilling tale, and
brings to him who practises it more poverty than pence.
Guadalupe on the third day came in sight; a lone, wave-washed, wind-
swept isle about forty miles in length. It seemed the very embodiment of
loneliness. Some would also say of desolation, as man is ever disposed to
call any place he does not inhabit. But though Guadalupe contained not a
single representative of the most intelligent animal on the planet, it
sustained great herds of goats, sea birds, and a little black and white land-
bird, so tame and trustful as to perch and eat from Miller’s and Whitney’s
tin plates during their former visit to the island. All these got along very
well without the presence of the talented biped who deems every place
“desolate” unless he is there to carry on a monopoly of all the killing of bird
and animal deemed necessary to his comfort and existence.
It was our business to murder all the mother sea-lions who had
established their nurseries at Guadalupe. A boat full of murderers was
quickly sent on shore. We did not see boat or crew again for three days.
Most of that period was spent by us in looking for the boat, and by the
boat’s crew in looking at us. They landed on the first day, found no seal, put
off at dusk, lost us in a fog, went ashore, swore at the Henry’s people for not
sighting them, hauled their boat well up on the beach at the mouth of a deep
canyon, supped on hard bread and water, and, turning their craft bottom-up,
crawled under it for a bed-quilt and went to sleep on the sands. During the
night a semi-hurricane, called in those latitudes a “willa wah,” came tearing
and howling down the canyon. Striking the boat, it rolled it over and over
among the rocks, smashed the frail sides, and rendered it unseaworthy. For
two days the crew roamed up and down the island, living on shellfish and
the fresh water left standing in pools, and trying to signal us by fires built
on the mountains. The Captain was in a state of great perplexity at this
disappearance. But, having left a portion of the crew at St. Bartholomew’s
Bay, he had not hands enough to send another boat ashore, and work the
vessel. Then he dare not come nearer the island than three miles, fearing
sunken rocks and currents setting in-shore. On the third night one of their
fires was seen from the Henry. Standing in for it, by daylight the missing
men were seen making for us in an old yawl. Behind, full of water, was
towed the shattered whaleboat. The yawl had been found on the beach,
probably left there by former sealers. By stuffing all the clothes they could
spare in its sun-warped cracks and constant bailing they managed to keep
afloat long enough to reach us. They crawled on board—a pale, haggard,
famished lot—and I was kept very busy for a time ministering to their
wants. They ate steadily for an hour. Even with this rescue a greater
catastrophe than all came near happening. Becalmed and by means of a
treacherous current we were being rapidly carried toward an enormous
rock, which towered sentinel-like alone a mile or more from the north end
of the island. It reached full five hundred feet toward the clouds. Its
perpendicular sides seemed built up in artificial layers. Toward this the
Henry seemed helplessly drifting, and the “Old Man,” under the influence
of combined anger and despair, jumped up and down in his tracks and
howled on the quarter-deck as he saw the voyage approaching such an
unfortunate termination. Fortunately a providential or accidental breeze
came off the land just in time to give us steerage-way. We trifled no more
with Guadelupe, but sailed straight away for our old harbor. As we passed
the last of these towering sentinel rocks at dusk, we heard from them the
howling and barking of what, judged by the sound, might have been ten
thousand seals. It was as the roaring of a dozen combined menageries. Had
Virgil of old ever sailed by such a sound, he would have pulled out his
stylus forthwith, and written of the Æneid an extra chapter about some
classical hell afloat. These seals were howling at our discomfiture. The rock
was half veiled in a mist in which we could indistinctly see their countless
forms seemingly writhing and tumbling about.
CHAPTER XI.
AT THE GOLD MINES.
After a ten months’ cruise we went back to San Francisco with 500
barrels of oil and ten tons of abalones. My share of the proceeds amounted
to $250, having shipped on a “lay.” Mine was the fifteenth lay, which gave
me one barrel of oil out of every fifty and a similar proportion in abalones.
Then I looked around for something to do, didn’t find it, spent a great deal
of my money unnecessarily in so looking for a job, shipped at last as cook
on a coasting schooner, was discharged before she left the wharf, my grade
of culinary work not reaching to the level of the captain’s refined taste.
I resolved to go to the mines. I went. By boat and stage, I got over the
two hundred miles intervening ’twixt San Francisco and the “diggings.” I
had friends on Hawkins’ Bar on the Tuolumne River in Tuolumne County.
Thither I went. When I “struck” Hawkins’ in 1858, it was on its last legs.
Still it boasted a store and a dozen houses. Golden hopes were still
anchored in the bed of the river. Expensive river claims were then being
worked from Red Mountain down to French Bar. But a premature rain and
consequent freshet swept the river that season from end to end with the
bosom of destruction, and sent for the winter the miners back to their two
dollar per day bank diggings. And from that time henceforward the Bar
steadily declined. The store was kept open for two seasons with great loss
to its proprietor. He was a new man. When he came to the Bar the “boys”
held a consultation on a big drift log. They concluded they could go through
him in one season, provided he gave credit. But he was a discriminating
man as regarded giving credit. So it required two seasons to get through
him. Then he moved away forever, and with tears in his eyes at his losses.
The Bar lingered on for several years. Steadily it lessened in houses and
population. The store was torn down and the lumber carted away. In 1864 I
made a pilgrimage thither and found remaining one house and one man.
That man was Smith. Alex. Smith, a ’49er, a Baltimorean and a soldier
during the Mexican war. Smith’s house was high up on the hillside and his
back yard brought up against the camp graveyard. A score of Smith’s old
companions there lay buried. And here this man lived alone with the dead
and the memories of the last eighteen years. I said to him: “Smith, how do
you stand it here? Do you never get lonesome?”
“Well, yes; once in a while I do,” replied Smith; “but when I feel that
way I go up the hill and bring down a log for firewood.”
Smith was a philosopher, and thought that the best remedy for
melancholy is physical exertion.
Smith was one of the first settlers at Hawkins’ Bar; Smith could
remember when it contained a voting population of nearly eight hundred
souls; Smith knew every point on the river which had yielded richly; Smith
could show you Gawley’s Point, where Gawley pitched his tent in ’49 and
buried under it his pickle jars full of gold dust. The tradition of Hawkins
was that Gawley used to keep a barrel of whiskey on free tap in his tent.
And that in the fall of 1850 Gawley, warned by the experience of the
previous rainy season, determined to lay in a winter’s stock of provisions.
But Gawley’s ideas as to the proper quantities of food were vague. He had
never before been a purveyor or provider on a larger scale than that of
buying a week’s “grub” at the Bar store. He went to the trader and told him
what he wanted. “Make out your order,” said the merchant. Gawley gave it
to him verbally. “I guess,” said he, “I’ll have a sack of flour, ten pounds of
bacon, ten of sugar, five of coffee, three of tea, a peck of beans, a bag of salt
and—and—a barrel of whiskey!”
In 1870 I made another pilgrimage to Hawkins’ Bar. Smith was gone.
Nobody lived there. The fence of the camp graveyard was broken down.
The wooden headboards were lying prone to the earth. Some were split in
two and most of the inscriptions were being rapidly erased through the
action of the sun and rain. But one house was standing. It was the cabin
wherein had lived one Morgan Davis, the former custodian of the Hawkins’
Bar library. For as early as 1854 or ’55 the Hawkins’ Bar “boys” had
clubbed their funds, sent down to San Francisco and there purchased a very
respectable library. It was a good solid library, too, based on a full set of
American Encyclopedias and Humboldt and Lyell, and from such and the
like dispensers of heavy and nutritious mental food, rising into the lighter
desserts of poetry and novels. As late as 1858 the “boys” were in the habit
of replenishing their library with the latest published scientific works,
novels, and magazines.
But in ’70, on my last visit, the library was gone. Morgan was dead. His
cabin door had fallen from its hinges: a young oak tree had sprung up and
blocked the entrance. The flooring had been torn up. The window sashes
had been taken out. A dinner-pot and broken stove were all that remained of
Morgan’s cooking utensils. Some of the roofing had disappeared. It was a
ghostly place. The trails leading to and from the Bar were fading out. Here,
they were overgrown with brush. There, the river in some higher rise had
swept away the lower bank and left nought but a confusion of rough rock
over which was no semblance of a track. It was at Hawkins that I had first
“buckled to the mines.” My first “buckling,” however, was in the capacity
of a meat peddler. I became the agent of a firm of butchers up on the
mountain for distributing their tough steaks to the Hawkins’ Bar miners.
Through the instrumentality of a horse, over whose back was slung a couple
of huge panniers, I continued the agency for a week. Then one morning the
horse kicked up his heels and ran away. As he ran, at every kick a raw and
bloody steak would fly out of the boxes, flash in the brilliant morning
sunshine, and then fall in the fine red dust of the mountain trail. I followed
hard after, gathering up these steaks as they fell, and when the burden
became too heavy I piled them up by the roadside in little heaps of dusty,
very dusty meat. At last, dusty, perspiring and distressed beyond measure, I
managed to catch that villainous horse. For he, after having ejected nearly
the whole load of meat, concluded to stop and be caught. I loaded the
panniers again with the dusty, carnivorous deposits, led the horse down the
steep trail to the river, then muddy and of a rich coffee-color from up
country mining sediment. Herein I washed my steaks, rinsed them as well
as I could of dust, and, as was then the custom, hung up piece after piece in
the gauze-curtained meat-safes at the miner’s cabins. I think Hawkins’ got
its share of grit that day in its beef. Shortly afterward I went out of the
beefsteak-distributing bureau.
Then I went into the service of the man who kept the Bar store, saloon,
and boarding-house. I was errand boy, barkeeper, bookkeeper,
woodchopper, assistant cook and general maid of all work, and possibly
worthlessness. One day the storekeeper’s horse, packed with miners’
supplies, was given into my charge to lead three miles up the river to the
camp of the Split-Rock River claim. The load was strapped to a “cross-
jack” saddle. It consisted mostly of flour, potatoes, bacon and a demijohn of
whiskey. I was advised by the merchant, on setting out, not to let that horse
get ahead of me. If he did it was prophesised that he would run away, “sure
pop.” But I had not gone forty rods from the store when the beast made a
rush, got ahead of me, tore the leading halter out of my grasp and set off
along the narrow mountain trail at the rate of twenty knots per hour. I
followed on a run of about ten knots per hour. Hence the distance between
us soon increased. As he ran the motion burst the bag of flour, ditto the
potatoes, and then the whiskey demijohn broke. It was a fine sight. The
flour rose in the air like a white cloud above the horse, out of and above
which flew potatoes, and the whole was interspersed with jets of whiskey. It
looked like a snow squall travelling on horseback. When the animal had
spilt all the flour, all the potatoes and all the whiskey, he slowed up and
allowed himself to be caught. His mission was accomplished. I found
remaining the saddle and the empty potato sack. The trail was white with
flour for a mile, and so it remained for months afterward. I led the animal
back to the store. My heart was heavy and his load was light. The store-
keeper gave me his blessing. I did not thereafter long remain in the service
of that transportation bureau.
After this I borrowed a rocker and started to washing some river-bank
gravel. It took me several days to become in any degree skilled in the use of
the rocker. I had no teacher, and was obliged to become acquainted with all
its peculiarities by myself. First I set it on a dead level. As it had no “fall”
the sand would not run out. But the hardest work of all was to dip and pour
water from the dipper on the gravel in the sieve with one hand and rock the
cradle with the other. There was a constant tendency on the part of the hand
and arm employed in pouring to go through the motion of rocking, and vice
versa. The hand and arm that rocked were more inclined to go through the
motion of pouring. I seemed cut up in two individuals, between whom
existed a troublesome and perplexing difference of opinion as to their
respective duties and functions. Such a conflict, to all intents and purposes,
of two different minds inside of and acting on one body, shook it up
fearfully and tore it all to pieces. I was as a house divided against itself and
could not stand. However, at last the physical and mental elements thus
warring with each other inside of me made up their differences, and the left
hand rocked the cradle peacefully while the right hand poured
harmoniously, and the result was about $1.50 per day. Soon after I found
my first mining partner. He wandered to the Bar, a melancholy-looking
man, with three dogs accompanying, and was always in a chronic state of
red bandana and nose-wiping. He and I joined forces and went up the river
to “crevice” among the rocks near the Split Rock claim. He had all the skill,
all the experience, and all the dogs, and I all the general ignorance and
incapacity. I deemed it a great advantage to have thus secured a real “old
miner” for a partner, and felt that such a man must turn up gold.
We built ourselves a rude brush house on a shelf of the rocky ledge in a
canyon whose sides sloped at an angle of forty-five degrees. Even this shelf
was not level. It pitched toward the river, and there was so little of it that
during the night’s repose our legs stuck out of the house-entrance. We were
obliged to “chock” all our supply of provisions in their respective packages
to prevent them from rolling out of our wigwams over the brink and into the
Tuolumne. If a potato got loose it ran like a “thing possessed” over the
rocks and down into the muddy, raging current. We were obliged to peg
ourselves at night while sleeping to prevent a like catastrophe. It was a
permanent and laborious existence at an angle of forty-five. To stand erect
for any length of time was very tiresome. More frequently, like
Nebuchadnezzar, we lived on all fours. “Crevicing” did not prove very
profitable. By day the bare rocks become heated by the sun to a blistering
capacity. With pick and sledge and crowbar and bent bits of hoop-iron we
pried and pounded and scraped, and scraped and pounded and pried all the
hot day long, or else were doubled up in all sorts of back-aching, back-
breaking, body-tiring positions, drawing up at arm’s-length from some
deeper “pothole” or crevice spoonful after spoonful of yellow mould. It did
hold considerable gold, and heavy gold too. But it took so long to get the
mould. This was in the latter part of September. The termination of the dry
season was reached. The first rain came. It came at night. It drizzled
through our brush house. It sent tiny streams down the rocky mountain-
sides, and some of these streams found their way under us. We had lain and
endured the rain from above dripping on our faces and wetting our clothes.
In those times one’s day suit served for a nightgown. But when the aqueous
enemy undermined our position we had to turn out.
It blew a gale. How the wind howled and tore up the canyon! We tried to
kindle a fire. Match after match was blown out. Finally a blaze was
attained. Then the rains descended heavier than ever and put it out. The
chief misery was, we could not at night find our way out of the canyon to
any place of shelter. Nor could we walk at all to keep warm. There was
“standing room only.” All about us were the steeply inclined rocks, molded
into every irregularity of shape. We were obliged all through the night to
“stand and take it” as it came, shivering in our thin summer clothing. With
daylight we made our way to the camp of the Split Rockers. They gave us
some gin. It was common gin—very common gin—but the comfortable and
soothing remembrance of that gin after such a night exists for me even unto
this day. I wore a black cloth cap. The rain had washed out the dye, and this
dye had coursed over my brow and cheeks in tiny rivulets of jet. I noticed
that I seemed to be more than a usual object of interest to those about me,
and wondered, until a friend advised me to consult a mirror. I did so, and
found my face marked like a railroad route map. Such was my inauguration
in mining at Hawkins’ Bar. What glorious old times they were! What
independence! What freedom from the trammels and conventionalities of
fashion! Who cared or commented if we did turn up the bottoms of our
pantaloons, or wear, for coolness’ sake, our flannel shirts outside the
trousers? Who then was so much better than anybody else, when any man
might strike it rich to-morrow? Who would beg for work or truckle and
fawn and curry favor of an employer for the mere sake of retaining a
situation and help that same man to make money, when he could shoulder
pick, shovel, and rocker, go down to the river’s edge and make his two or
three dollars per day? Though even at that time this reputed three dollars
was oftener one dollar and a half.
Even then reports of the paying capacities of claims were as apt to be
watered as are stocks nowadays.
CHAPTER XII.
SWETT’S BAR.
I think and hope that these attempts of mine to portray the history of the
camps on one California gold-bearing river will touch a responsive chord in
the hearts of some old Californian, for the life and incident of the bars I
describe reflect, in certain respects, the life, history, and incident of
hundreds and thousands of places settled in “ ’49,” and perhaps abandoned
by “ ’60,” which have now no name or place on the later maps of the State.
Your genuine old miner likes to revisit the camp where first he dug for gold,
in thought if not in person. It was no common affection they entertained for
these places. If the “boys” moved away to other diggings, they had always
to make a yearly pilgrimage back, so long as the camp lasted. So, yearly
from Vallecito, thirty miles distant, used Jake Yager to revisit Swett’s, and
he tramped the whole distance, too. What was it that so drew them back?
Perhaps the memory of the new and exciting life they experienced from
“ ’49” say till “ ’58” or “ ’60,” with its “ups and downs,” its glittering
surprises in the shape of “strikes,” its comradeship so soon developed
among men who, meeting as strangers, so soon found out each other’s
better qualities, its freedom from the restraints of older communities, its
honesty and plainness in the expression of opinion, engendered by such
freedom; all these thought over and over again during absence brought
about that strong desire to see the old Bar again, the scene of so much
experience and private history. Then the visitor always met a hearty
welcome. He was an old “residenter.” Cabin-owners contended for the
pleasure of entertaining him. No wives or families were in the way.
Conviviality was uninterrupted.
If a black bottle could be produced it could be worshipped undisturbed
until long past midnight. And such was always produced on the return of
the old acquaintance. When the “boys” at last tumbled into their bunks and
smoked a night-cap pipe abed, there was no wife in special charge of
husband to molest or make them afraid or disturb their internal peace by
reason of her near presence. Those were the golden seasons of masculine
domestic tranquillity on the banks of the Tuolumne. Woman never disturbed
the Bar proper with her presence. It was always a masculine Bar, at least on
the right bank of the river. On the left, at a later date, on a flat, where I
enjoyed the privilege of digging for next to nothing for two years, there did
live for a time three foreign households glorified by woman’s presence. But
this was after the palmy days of Swett’s Bar proper right bank. I have heard
that Swett’s Bar was named after John Swett, once Superintendent of Public
Instruction in California. If so, he never there left any relics or reminders of
himself—not even a grammar. Swett’s lies equidistant from Hawkins’ and
Indian Bars. When last I passed through it the floods had washed out every
trace of man’s presence on one side of the river, leaving there an enormous
heap of logs and brush-wood. The Bar proper had been smoothed down by
the flood, every hole or boulder heap, or heap of “headings” or “tailings,”
or the deep pits dug and laboriouly kept free of water by machinery, or
heavily rock-freighted crib of logs, the work of miners in the river’s bed,
had been planed away. The pebbles and boulders had all been rearranged,
the sands were smooth, white, and glistening as though “fresh from the
Creator’s hands;” and none save those conversant with the river’s history
could have guessed that every foot of the bank adjoining the river had been
turned over and over again in the search for gold.
We elected one member of the Legislature from Swett’s. When he left
the Bar he distributed his cabin, blankets, and household effects among the
remaining miners. He confidently thought never to need these articles
again. That was as great a miscalculation as when a Swett’s Bar or any
other bar miner would resolve and swear violently that never again would
he “strike a pick” in the river. We came to regard such an oath with a
superstitious credulity that he certainly would strike such pick again, for
never did such a case occur in my recollection but that the mad resolver was
back next season, ignoring his vow and striking his pick on some claim
generally poorer than the one he worked the season previous. So at the end
of four months, after cumbering the law books of the State of California
with statutes, whose very existence was forgotten eight months after their
passage, our Swett’s Bar legislator was seen one evening coming down the
hill, bearing in one hand two whiskey bottles tied together by one string—
one being empty and the other full. “Silver and gold have I none,” said he,
as he came to my cabin door, “but what I have give I unto thee,” which he
did. Next day came his trunk. The principal accession to the legislative
wardrobe were three new shirts and a blue coat with brass buttons. That, the
session I think of 1859, was known as the “Legislature of ten thousand
drinks.” Our law-maker said it had been the “Star Winter” of his existence,
and he never expected to see such another. Three days after his arrival at the
Bar he borrowed a pair of blankets, “cabined” with a chum and contentedly
resumed his pick and shovel. Did Cincinattus do more when he buckled
once more to the plough? But our Swett’s Bar Cincinattus was never hunted
for to save his country. There were too many other country savers on hand,
even in our immediate locality.
Generally speaking, Swett’s was divided in two portions. There was the
old bar on the right bank of the river, settled in “ ’49,” and there was the flat
on the other side, whose golden store was not discovered until 1859.
Attempts were made to give this flat a distinct name. Various settlers and
miners craved the immortality which they supposed might thus be
conferred. For a time it was called “Frazier’s Flat,” from a diabolical
Scotchman of that name who lived there. Only one of these names would
stick, and finally everybody settled down on the old appellation, “Swett’s.”
I do not believe that John Swett, if he did confer his name on this Bar, ever
realized the local fame and reputation of his name. When first we struck the
diggings at Swett’s left bank, we had great expectations. It was a later
discovery, a “back river channel.” Consequent on the discovery of pay
ground 1,000 feet back of the river, and the definite fixing of the boundary
lines between the various claimants, there ensued the usual series of
disputes, rows, bad blood, assaults, and threatened shootings. Nobody was
shot. Not even a mining law-suit came of it. A local capitalist threw a flume
across the river and brought to bear on the flat the upland muddy water,
which came down from Columbia diggings, twenty-five miles away,
through Wood’s Creek. That flume was being talked of, being planned,
being hoped for and very gradually being erected, during the years of “ ’59”
and “ ’60,” while the rest of the nation was agitated by “Bleeding Kansas,”
“John Brown,” “Squatter Sovereignty,” “The Douglas Party,” “The Little
Giant” and all that foreboding series of watchword and motto which
preceded “The War.” But the Swett’s Bar mind, the Swett’s Bar hope, the
Swett’s Bar expedition, was concentrated principally on a wire cable, two
uprights on either side of the river, and some 400 feet of rough wooden
flume thereby supported, all of which was to bring us water to wash out the
expected gold. At last the suspension flume was finished. We had water. We
commenced washing. The dirt did not pay as we expected. We averaged
week in and week out about three dollars per day, and one dollar of this
went for water money.
After the suspension flume was finished and water was on the Flat our
claim cleaned up for the first week’s work about fifty dollars a piece. We
used quicksilver plentifully in the sluices; and the amalgam was taken to
my cabin in a gold-pan and put on the hot coals to drive off the mercury,
which it did, and salivated the four of us besides. The sublimated mineral
covered walls, tables and chairs with a fine, frost-like coating, and on
rubbing one’s finger over any surface a little globule of quicksilver would
roll up before it. Then we went to Chinese Camp and gave the doctor about
half our individual week’s dividends to get the mercury out of us. Three
weeks of sore mouths and loosened teeth followed this intelligent exposure.
It was through such experiences as these that we became in California
practical mineralogists. However, it’s an easy way of taking “blue mass.”
The claim from which great gains had been expected eventually settled
down to an average of two dollars and a half to three dollars per day. Break-
downs of the flume, failure of water from up country, very stormy weather,
building and repairing reservoirs, cutting tail races through rock—all
caused numerous delays, and every such delay lessened the average per
diem. It was necessary to build reservoirs, to store the water for washing,
and these reservoirs broke with the ease and facility of a Bowery savings
bank.
CHAPTER XIII.
ONE DAY’S DIGGING.
We got out of our blankets heavily. Legs and back were apt to be a little
stiff in the morning. Or if not stiff, they lacked action. Working all the day
previous, possibly in the water, or with it splashing all about, tugging at
heavy boulders, shouldering wet sluices, to say nothing of the regular pick-
and-shovel exercise, would make itself felt even when the limbs and blood
were younger than now. Dressing was a short job. A pair of damp overalls,
a pair of socks, a pair of shoes, or possibly the heavy rubber mining boots.
Flannel shirts we slept in. A face-swabbing with cold water in the tin basin
outside and a “lick and a promise” for the hair with the comb. That was
about all for week days. Vanity of apparel there was little for the working
miner. Who was there to dress for? Woman? The nearest was half a mile,
fifty years of age, and married. Then breakfast. The fire kindled in the
contrary little stove. Possibly it was necessary to attack with a axe that dried
old stump near by and hack off a few chips to cook with. The miner’s
wood-pile was generally small. He got in fuel on rainy days, or at the odd
intervals to be spared from work. You put on the worn tin teapot, lowered
the gauze-covered meat safe from the tree, cut a steak from the chunk of
bull mahogany within called beef, slung a dab of lard in the frying-pan, put
therein the meat and let it sizzle. Two or three boiled potatoes might be
sliced, fried more or less brown in the gravy, and this, with bread and tea,
formed the breakfast. The bread was the bread of your own laborious
baking, the loaf of an irregular shape, the crust very hard and thick, the
color often “pied,” being black where it had burned, brown where it had
baked, and of a pallid whiteness where it had not baked at all. Within the
loaf might be close, heavy, and in color either a creamy or a canary yellow,
in proportion to the improper amount of yeast powder used.
The table is a broad shelf against the wall. There is no table-cloth. You
did not always wash up after breakfast, for the dishes, as they stood, were
all in place for dinner. Some fastidious miners washed their dishes after
each meal; most of us did not. It was too much to expect of hard-worked
humanity. The cabin door is open while you eat and from it you look forth
on the claim. There lies the bank of red earth as you left it yesterday after
the “cave.” There is the reservoir full of coffee-colored ditch water which
had run in during the night after being used for washing in a dozen claims
“up country.” Then you draw on those damp, clammy rubber boots, either
to the knee or hip high, the outside splashed with the dried reddish mud,
and smelling disagreeably of rubber as you pulled them on and smelling
worse as you became heated and perspiring. In these you waddle to the
claim. I forgot. Breakfast over, one of the most important acts of the day
was next on the programme. That was the filling, lighting, and smoking of
your pipe. Nothing could hurry you through this performance. The filling
was cut in slivers with a careful and solemn consideration; the weed was
carefully bestowed in the bowl; the match was applied with a deliberation
savoring of a religious act; the first puff rose in the air as incense to the
early morn, and smoking thus you waddled in your big boots to the claim.
There you met your three partners, all likewise smoking. There they stand
on the bank, looking into the ground-sluice. There is no “good morning” or
other greeting: if anything, grunts. There lay the tools—shovels, picks,
crowbar, and sluice-fork—helplessly about, as left last evening. A little
muddy water trickles through the line of sluices. One of us goes to the
reservoir, a few hundred yards off, and turns on the water. Another goes to
the tail of the sluices with the sluice-fork. Then is heard the clicking of the
pick and the grating of the shovel against the red dirt; down comes the
muddy water over the bank and the day’s work has fairly commenced.
We stand in a row, allowing sufficient room between each for swinging
the pick. We are undermining the bank, the water running at our feet and
between us and the bottom of the bank. Each chunk of red dirt dislodged by
the pick falls into the running water, and if it be hard and will not readily
dissolve it must be broken up by pick or shovel to keep the stream clear and
unimpeded. The large boulders are picked out by hand and thrown behind
us—not in disordered fashion, either. Room in the cut is scarce and must be
economized, so the ever-accumulating bowlder pile is “faced up” with a
neat wall, laid without mortar, but with some care and skill. The bed-rock is
under our feet. We are undermining the bank and keeping the stream turned
in as much as possible to the part undermined. The gravel for a foot or six
inches is pretty hard and the stones here are harder and closer packed than
those nearer the surface. There the gravel is lighter. Many of the stones are
light and rotten; a blow with the pick dashes them to pieces. This streak just
above the ledge and for a few inches in the crevices of the ledge is our “pay
streak” where ages on ages ago some stream ran, depositing, as all streams
do, the heavier gravel on the bottom and the lighter above. Occasionally the
pick strikes a firmly embedded boulder hard and square on its point, in such
a way as to send the vibration like a shock along the iron, up the handle and
into one’s arm and “crazy-bone.” Our bank of dirt is about eight feet in
height. A few inches of the top is a dark mould, below that is three or four
feet of “hard-pan,” below the “hard-pan” light sandy gravel and rotten
boulders, and near the ledge is the pay streak. This order of formation has
varied as we have worked up and into the bank. At first, near the river’s
edge, there was only mould on a very light alluvial sand. This was readily
washed off and paid four dollars or five dollars per day. A little farther back
we struck the edge of the red gravel streak. This for a time paid better.
Farther still came the deposit of light sandy gravel, and lastly came in the
accursed “hard-pan.”
Our claim, on being first prospected, was reported to pay three cents to
the pan from the top down. We believed it at first, not having learned that
“three cents to the pan from the top down” means the biggest kind of luck.
If you get an average of half a cent a pan from the top down, and the dirt
would wash easily, we should make money. It was hard even for an “honest
miner” to give as the result of a prospect anything less than “three cents to
the pan.” But “hard-pan” is our foe. “Hard-pan” is the essence of brickbats.
Its consistency is about that of chalk. It seems the finest kind of sand
cemented and pressed together. It can be carved into any form with a knife.
It takes as much time to work off a square foot of hard-pan as ten square
feet of soft gravel. When, after half a day’s labor, we succeed in getting
down a cave, it goes into the ground-sluice in a few great lumps, which
must be battered to pieces with our picks before the water will slowly
dissolve them into mud. And it doesn’t hold a “color” of gold. The work in
the ground-sluice goes on hour after hour. Pick and shovel and scrape,
scrape and shovel and pick, the water meantime tumbling and roaring over
the bank and making it difficult for us to hear each others’ voices. The sun
climbs higher and gets hotter. The water pail is frequently visited. The
backs of the gray shirts are wet with perspiration. In an easy,
companionable claim, where the partners are all good fellows and on good
terms and not too insane in the matter of getting an enormous quantity of
dirt through the sluices each day, there may be more or less brief
suspensions from the work, when all hands lean on their shovels and talk
politics, or horses, or last night’s poker game, or have a short service of
tobacco smoke, with the usual solemn preliminaries of cutting the plug and
filling pipes. But if the majority of the “company” are a mean, crabbed,
close-fisted lot, the misery goes on without cessation.
A queerly assorted group are we thus laboring together. Jack Gwin’s
impelling hope and life’s idea is to earn enough to pay his passage home to
Philadelphia and buy him a suit of clothes. A decent suit he has not owned
these five years. He would be the terror and distress of his relatives if ever
he got back, for with him five dollars in his pocket over expenses and
sobriety are an impossibility. McFadden dreams of a cabin, a cow, some
geese and goats, a horse and a wife, and is in a fair way of realizing them
all. He saves most of his earnings, gets drunk wisely only on holidays, pays
his debts regularly, hates the English, lives in that little black, brownish
cabin up yonder, does all his cooking in two tin pots, sleeps in one pair of
ancient blankets and a most disreputable bed quilt, and three dollars will
cover the cost of all his domestic fittings and utensils. Bill Furnea, a French
Canadian, has drifted here into this hole in the foothills very much as he
drifted into the world—without aim or object in life save present
enjoyment. He is a good worker and works because he was brought up to it
and can’t help it. He is a good boatman, a good logger, a skilled woodcutter,
a devotee of poker and generally a successful one, an entertaining scamp,
full of wit and originality, quick to take in the peculiarities and
eccentricities of others, something of a dandy, as far as dandyism can be
indulged in this out-of-the-way place, and a born scamp, glib of tongue,
unreliable, and socially the best man of the crowd.
It is near eleven o’clock. There stands in a cool corner of the claim and
carefully shielded from any stray flying pebble, a black bottle. It is nearly
full of whiskey—very common corn whiskey. It is most welcome at this
hour. Poison it may be, but a draught from the tin cup brightens up and
makes all things new. The sunshine is more cheerful. All Nature smiles. The
picks descend with increased force and a host of new day-dreams start into
being. It revives hope. It quenches despair. It gilds the monotony of our
lives. It was ever thus, and possibly ever shall be, world without end. It is
high noon. The sun is over our heads and the shadows are at their shortest
length. One of our number trudges wearily up to the reservoir to shut off the

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Excellence in Business Communication

11th Edition Thill Test Bank

1) When making a routine request, you should begin with

2) When making a routine request, you should

4) In the body of a routine request, you should

6) When closing a direct request, you should

8) Before volunteering someone's name as a reference, always

10) The opening of a request for a recommendation should include

12) When making claims or requesting adjustments, you should begin by

14) Routine, positive messages should do all of the following except

20) The close of a routine reply or positive message should

24) When responding to a customer's request for an adjustment, it is usually reasonable to

26) When responding to a claim when your company is at fault, it is best to

35) Condolence messages should

45) In today's electronic media environment, handwritten thank-you notes

47) When making an unusual or complex request, it is best to

53) When you're writing a message of appreciation,

56) Most simple requests can be handled by explaining

57) A claim is ________; an adjustment is ________.

60) Most routine informative messages are

83) List the three major categories of common routine requests.

84) Describe the three-step strategy for writing a routine request.

93) Describe the typical pattern for sharing routine information.

98) Explain what you should include in an effective recommendation letter.

OUR BUTTER FIENDS.

AT THE GOLD MINES.

ONE DAY’S DIGGING.

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57) A claim is ; an adjustment is .