OPELA Communication Skills 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A student receives an email from a professor asking for clarification on a submitted assignment. What is the most appropriate first step in responding?
- Reply immediately with a defensive explanation
- Acknowledge the professor's concern before providing clarification (Correct answer)
- Ask a classmate to respond on your behalf
- Ignore the email and resubmit the assignment
Correct answer: Acknowledge the professor's concern before providing clarification
Acknowledging the concern first shows respect and sets a constructive tone before addressing the substance of the issue.
Question 2: Which sentence best demonstrates concise academic writing?
- Due to the fact that the results were inconclusive, we were unable to reach a definitive conclusion.
- The results were inconclusive, so no definitive conclusion was reached. (Correct answer)
- In light of the various inconclusive results that were obtained, it became apparent that no definitive conclusion could be drawn.
- Results being inconclusive meant that a definitive conclusion was not something we could reach.
Correct answer: The results were inconclusive, so no definitive conclusion was reached.
Concise writing conveys the same information with fewer words, eliminating redundant phrases like 'due to the fact that.'
Question 3: In an oral presentation, a speaker notices the audience looks confused. What is the best strategy?
- Speed up to cover more content before time runs out
- Pause, ask if anything needs clarification, and rephrase the key point (Correct answer)
- Skip to the conclusion to avoid further confusion
- Read directly from the slides to ensure accuracy
Correct answer: Pause, ask if anything needs clarification, and rephrase the key point
Pausing to check comprehension and rephrasing demonstrates responsive communication and audience awareness.
Question 4: Which of the following is an example of an indirect communication style?
- Stating 'I disagree with this approach because of X and Y.'
- Saying 'That's an interesting perspective; there might be some additional considerations worth exploring.' (Correct answer)
- Writing 'This method has three clear flaws: cost, time, and reliability.'
- Asking 'Can you explain why you chose this method over the alternatives?'
Correct answer: Saying 'That's an interesting perspective; there might be some additional considerations worth exploring.'
Indirect communication conveys disagreement or concern through suggestion rather than explicit statement.
Question 5: When paraphrasing a source in academic writing, you must:
- Copy the original sentence and add quotation marks
- Restate the idea in your own words and cite the source (Correct answer)
- Summarize every paragraph from the source in full
- Only use the author's exact phrases if they are well known
Correct answer: Restate the idea in your own words and cite the source
Paraphrasing requires restating ideas in your own words while still crediting the original source to avoid plagiarism.
Question 6: A student's written argument would be strengthened most by:
- Repeating the thesis statement in every paragraph
- Supporting each claim with specific evidence and analysis (Correct answer)
- Using emotional language to persuade the reader
- Listing as many sources as possible regardless of relevance
Correct answer: Supporting each claim with specific evidence and analysis
Strong arguments rely on specific evidence tied to a clear claim, with analysis explaining the connection.
Question 7: Which listening behavior best demonstrates active listening during a lecture?
- Transcribing every word the lecturer says verbatim
- Nodding, making eye contact, and noting key concepts in your own words (Correct answer)
- Remaining completely still and silent to avoid distraction
- Reviewing previous notes while the lecturer speaks
Correct answer: Nodding, making eye contact, and noting key concepts in your own words
Active listening involves engaged body language and processing information meaningfully rather than passively recording it.
OPELA Communication Skills 2
A student receives an email from a professor asking for clarification on a submitted assignment.
What is the most appropriate first step in responding?