Business English 12th Edition By Mary Ellen Guffey – Test Bank

91. Preparing for an interview takes____ of time, patience, and practice.
a. alot
b. allot
c. a lot
ANSWER: c
RATIONALE: The correct expression of this word should be a lot, which is always written as two words. Don’t confuse a lot with the verb allot, which means “to assign a share or portion” or “to distribute.”
POINTS: 1
DIFFICULTY: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BENG.GUFF.17.N/A – N/A
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG.BENG.GUFF.17.1.5 – DISC.BENG.GUFF.17.1.5
United States – BUSPROG.BENG.GUFF.17.1.6 – DISC.BENG.GUFF.17.1.6
United States – BUSPROG.BENG.GUFF.17.6.6 – DISC.BENG.GUFF.17.6.6
United States – BUSPROG.BENG.GUFF.17.6.7 – DISC.BENG.GUFF.17.6.7
TOPICS: FAQs About Business English
KEYWORDS: BLOOM’S: Application

92. To provide additional privacy, a ____ wall was installed in our office.
a. stationery
b. stationary
ANSWER: b
RATIONALE: This sentence requires the word stationary, which means “not moving” or “permanent.” Stationery, on the other hand, means “writing paper.”
POINTS: 1
DIFFICULTY: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BENG.GUFF.17.N/A – N/A
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG.BENG.GUFF.17.1.5 – DISC.BENG.GUFF.17.1.5
United States – BUSPROG.BENG.GUFF.17.1.6 – DISC.BENG.GUFF.17.1.6
United States – BUSPROG.BENG.GUFF.17.6.6 – DISC.BENG.GUFF.17.6.6
United States – BUSPROG.BENG.GUFF.17.6.7 – DISC.BENG.GUFF.17.6.7
TOPICS: FAQs About Business English
KEYWORDS: BLOOM’S: Application

93. Because the room was ____ hot, we could not concentrate on the speaker’s presentation.
a. to
b. too
c. two

ANSWER: b
RATIONALE: These words are confusing to many people. To can serve as a preposition (to the library) and as part of an infinitive construction (to send). However, in this sentence the correct word is the adverb too, which means “also” or “to an excessive extent.” Two refers to a specific number.
POINTS: 1
DIFFICULTY: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BENG.GUFF.17.N/A – N/A
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG.BENG.GUFF.17.1.5 – DISC.BENG.GUFF.17.1.5
United States – BUSPROG.BENG.GUFF.17.1.6 – DISC.BENG.GUFF.17.1.6
United States – BUSPROG.BENG.GUFF.17.6.6 – DISC.BENG.GUFF.17.6.6
United States – BUSPROG.BENG.GUFF.17.6.7 – DISC.BENG.GUFF.17.6.7
TOPICS: FAQs About Business English
KEYWORDS: BLOOM’S: Application

94. In our office text messaging has become a ____ mode of communication.
a. principle
b. principal
ANSWER: b
RATIONALE: Because the sentence is implying the chief or main mode of communication, use the adjective principal.
POINTS: 1
DIFFICULTY: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BENG.GUFF.17.N/A – N/A
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG.BENG.GUFF.17.1.5 – DISC.BENG.GUFF.17.1.5
United States – BUSPROG.BENG.GUFF.17.1.6 – DISC.BENG.GUFF.17.1.6
United States – BUSPROG.BENG.GUFF.17.6.6 – DISC.BENG.GUFF.17.6.6
United States – BUSPROG.BENG.GUFF.17.6.7 – DISC.BENG.GUFF.17.6.7
TOPICS: FAQs About Business English
KEYWORDS: BLOOM’S: Application

95. This position calls for an individual who shows good judgment and can be ____.
a. discreet
b. discrete
ANSWER: a
RATIONALE: Although these words sound similar, their meanings are quite different. Discreet means “showing good judgment” and “prudent,” which is the meaning in this sentence. The word discrete, on the other hand, means “separate” or “noncontinuous.”
POINTS: 1
DIFFICULTY: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BENG.GUFF.17.N/A – N/A
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG.BENG.GUFF.17.1.5 – DISC.BENG.GUFF.17.1.5
United States – BUSPROG.BENG.GUFF.17.1.6 – DISC.BENG.GUFF.17.1.6
United States – BUSPROG.BENG.GUFF.17.6.6 – DISC.BENG.GUFF.17.6.6
United States – BUSPROG.BENG.GUFF.17.6.7 – DISC.BENG.GUFF.17.6.7
TOPICS: FAQs About Business English
KEYWORDS: BLOOM’S: Application

96. We have ____ received applications from five individuals for the comptroller position.
a. already
b. all ready
c. all-ready

ANSWER: a
RATIONALE: The adverb already means “previously” or “before this time,” which is its meaning in this sentence. The two-word combination all ready means “all prepared.” If you can logically insert the word completely between all and ready, the two-word combination is needed, but do not hyphenate it.
POINTS: 1
DIFFICULTY: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BENG.GUFF.17.N/A – N/A
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG.BENG.GUFF.17.1.5 – DISC.BENG.GUFF.17.1.5
United States – BUSPROG.BENG.GUFF.17.1.6 – DISC.BENG.GUFF.17.1.6
United States – BUSPROG.BENG.GUFF.17.6.6 – DISC.BENG.GUFF.17.6.6
United States – BUSPROG.BENG.GUFF.17.6.7 – DISC.BENG.GUFF.17.6.7
TOPICS: FAQs About Business English
KEYWORDS: BLOOM’S: Application

97. Students were advised to bring ______ job portfolios to the career fair.
a. their
b. they’re
c. there

ANSWER: a
RATIONALE: In this sentence use the possessive pronoun their because ownership of the job portfolios is being demonstrated. The adverb there means “at that place” or “at that point” and can be used as an expletive or filler preceding a linking verb (There are numerous candidates). They’re is a contraction of they and are.
POINTS: 1
DIFFICULTY: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BENG.GUFF.17.N/A – N/A
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG.BENG.GUFF.17.1.5 – DISC.BENG.GUFF.17.1.5
United States – BUSPROG.BENG.GUFF.17.1.6 – DISC.BENG.GUFF.17.1.6
United States – BUSPROG.BENG.GUFF.17.6.6 – DISC.BENG.GUFF.17.6.6
United States – BUSPROG.BENG.GUFF.17.6.7 – DISC.BENG.GUFF.17.6.7
TOPICS: FAQs About Business English
KEYWORDS: BLOOM’S: Application

98. Lance ____ me that my job would not be eliminated.
a. insured
b. ensured
c. assured
ANSWER: c
RATIONALE: Although all three words mean “to make secure or certain,” they are not interchangeable. Assure refers to persons and may suggest setting someone’s mind at rest, which is its meaning in this sentence. Ensure, however, means “to make sure, certain, or safe.” Insure means “to protect or indemnify against loss.”
POINTS: 1
DIFFICULTY: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BENG.GUFF.17.N/A – N/A
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG.BENG.GUFF.17.1.5 – DISC.BENG.GUFF.17.1.5
United States – BUSPROG.BENG.GUFF.17.1.6 – DISC.BENG.GUFF.17.1.6
United States – BUSPROG.BENG.GUFF.17.6.6 – DISC.BENG.GUFF.17.6.6
United States – BUSPROG.BENG.GUFF.17.6.7 – DISC.BENG.GUFF.17.6.7
TOPICS: FAQs About Business English
KEYWORDS: BLOOM’S: Application

99. The best ____ that I can give you is to never stop learning.
a. advise
b. advice
ANSWER: b
RATIONALE: Use the noun advice in this sentence. This noun means “a suggestion or recommendation.” The verb advise means “to counsel or recommend.”
POINTS: 1
DIFFICULTY: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BENG.GUFF.17.N/A – N/A
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG.BENG.GUFF.17.1.5 – DISC.BENG.GUFF.17.1.5
United States – BUSPROG.BENG.GUFF.17.1.6 – DISC.BENG.GUFF.17.1.6
United States – BUSPROG.BENG.GUFF.17.6.6 – DISC.BENG.GUFF.17.6.6
United States – BUSPROG.BENG.GUFF.17.6.7 – DISC.BENG.GUFF.17.6.7
TOPICS: FAQs About Business English
KEYWORDS: BLOOM’S: Application

100. Red wine is often a ____ to a nice pasta dinner.
a. complement
b. compliment
ANSWER: a
RATIONALE: Use complement to complete this sentence because this word means “to complete or make perfect.” The similar-sounding compliment should be used when giving a compliment, favor, or something free.
POINTS: 1
DIFFICULTY: Easy
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: BENG.GUFF.17.N/A – N/A
NATIONAL STANDARDS: United States – BUSPROG.BENG.GUFF.17.1.5 – DISC.BENG.GUFF.17.1.5
United States – BUSPROG.BENG.GUFF.17.1.6 – DISC.BENG.GUFF.17.1.6
United States – BUSPROG.BENG.GUFF.17.6.6 – DISC.BENG.GUFF.17.6.6
United States – BUSPROG.BENG.GUFF.17.6.7 – DISC.BENG.GUFF.17.6.7
TOPICS: FAQs About Business English
KEYWORDS: BLOOM’S: Application