Short answer type questions for B. Tech.

I year Communication Skills

Q.1. What do you understand by non-verbal communication?
Answer- Communication that takes place with using words, through gestures, signs etc. is
known as non-verbal communication.
Q.2 How will you decide whether your communication has succeeded or failed?
Answer. If I ,as a speaker, am successful in making the desired or intended effect on my
listener and make the listener do what I want him/her to do then my communication is
successful.
Q.3 Draw a diagram to show the different steps of the process of communication.
Q.4 Define- a) noise b) feedback c) channel d) receiver e) sender f) encoding g) decoding. f)
message
Answer. a) Noise- In communication studies and information theory, noise refers to anything
that interferes with the communication process between a speaker and an audience. It's also
called interference.
b) Feedback- Feedback can also be verbal or non-verbal, it completes the cycle of
communications and determines whether message has been received correctly or not.
c) Channel- Channel is the connection that connects the sender with the receiver. It is the path
you choose to communicate with the receiver. It can be verbal, non-verbal, audio-visual or
even electronic.
d) Receiver- Receiver is the person who receives the message and is responsible for decoding
it.
e) Sender- One who decodes his/her thoughts or ideas in the form of a message, the
transmitter of the message and one who is responsible for the process of communication.
f) Encoding- Encoding is the process of the translation of ideas/thoughts into appropriate
messages using verbal/non-verbal science.
g) Decoding- Decoding is the process by which the receiver attempts to convert symbols
conveyed.
f) Message- The thought/idea/emotion/information that the sender communicates to the
receiver is the message.
Q. 5 Give definitions of – a) intensive b) extensive c) scanning d) skimming reading skills.
a) Intensive- Intensive reading is that type of reading in which the material has to be read
carefully and thoroughly, to get specific details.
b) Extensive- Extensive means covering a large area and so, in extensive reading we read and
refer to large quantities of material in our chosen area.
c) Scanning- This reading technique is used when we are looking for a specific fact or piece
of information without reading everything.
d) Skimming- Skimming is the type of reading skill which is used when we are looking for
the general or main ideas.
Q. 6 Hearing and listening are different. How?
Answer- Hearing is perception of all that is being stated or said as per one’s own frame of
reference. Listening on the other hand is an accurate perception of all that is being stated.
Q.7 What is the difference between active and passive voice?
Answer- A verb is inn active voice when its form shows the subject does something, e.g. He
teaches English. Whereas a verb is in passive something is done to the subject, e.g. English is
taught by him.
Q.8 What makes modals different from main and helping verbs?
Answer- The modals can, could, may, might, shall, should, will, would , must and ought do
not have –s in the third person singular, they have no infinitive and ing forms.
Q.9 How can a person improve his/her writing skills?
Answer- Writing skills can be improved by reading, writing a page at least on a regular basis
and developing the habit of thinking from the reader’s point of view.
Q.10 What are the essential parts of a formal letter?
Answer- The essential parts of a formal letter are- sender’s address, date, reference (optional),
inside address, subject, salutation, body, complimentary close, signature, and enclosures.
Q.11Write down the structure of conditional sentences type I, II & III.
Type I- If + simple present tense+ will
Type II If + simple past tense+ would
Type III If + had +would have
Q.12 Give definitions of transitive and intransitive verbs.
Answer- A transitive verb is a verb that denotes an action which passes over from the doer or
subject to an object. An intransitive verb is a verb that denotes an action which does not pass
over to an object, of which expresses a state or being.
Q.13 Good writing skills have a great importance in a professional’s life. Why?
Answer- Both professionals and students need excellent writing skills to survive and excel in
their pursuits as there is hardly any academic or professional activity that does not require
writing skills.
Q.14 What are the various ways in which we communicate?
Answer – We communicate using verbal or non-verbal means. These means include body
language, silence, sign language, spoken or written words, through voice modulation, touch,
eyes and various other ways.
Q. 15 Explain any three means of non-verbal communication.
Answer- Body language, paralanguage and proxemics ( space) language are the three
different ways of non-verbal communication.
Q.16 What are the different types of barriers in the process of communication?
Answer- Some of the barriers in the process of communication are- physical barriers,
semantic or language barriers, socio cultural barriers and organisational or hierarchical
barriers.
Q.17 List a few tips on how you can become good communicator.
Answer – A person can become good communicator by following these tips- 1) Always face
the person you are listening to and adopt a posture which shows you are giving your complete
attention. 2) Maintain natural eye contact. 3) Learn to stop your mind from wandering and
jumping to conclusions. 4) Be open to ideas, which are quite different from what you know or
believe.
Q.18 What are the characteristics of a good business letter?
Answer- To write a good business letter, you must make sure it is- complete, correct, clear,
concise and courteous.
Q.19 What are the various ways in which we communicate?
 We communicate formally or informally.
 We communicate using the spoken or written word.
 We communicate using verbal or non-verbal means.
 We communicate through silence and sign language.
 We communicate through touch and time.
 We communicate through the distance we maintain with the other.
 We communicate by the dressing style, physical appearance, use of accessories,
personal hygiene and our overall personality.
 We communicate through the cleanliness or filthiness of surroundings.
 We communicate through the symbolic significance of colours, flowers and the like.
 We communicate through voice modulation, tone, word stress, pitch, vocabulary,
pronunciation and linguistic skills.
Q. 20 Define articulation.
Answer- Articulation is the ability to express our ideas and thoughts in such a manner that the
people understand exactly what we are trying to say.
Q. 21 What is the difference between assertiveness and aggressiveness?
Answer-The biggest difference between aggressiveness and assertiveness is that assertiveness
includes respect for yourself and the other person, while aggressive communication
disrespects and often insults the other person, leaving them feeling guilty or angry.
Q. 22 Define interpersonal communication.
Answer- When two individuals communicate with each other , it is known as ‘interpersonal
communication.’
Q.23 What is persuasion?
Answer- Persuasion is a symbolic process in which communicators try to convince other
people to change their own attitudes or behaviours regarding an issue through the
transmission of a message in an atmosphere of free choice.
Q.24 What are the ways in which fluency can be developed?
Answer- Fluency in English can be developed by following these simple steps- a) Avoid
translating and try to think in English. 2) Control your hesitation while speaking English. c)
Practise regularly d) Use on line resources to study those people who speak it fluently and
effortlessly.
Q.25 How to become assertive?
Answer- One can become assertive by developing self-confidence, displaying courage to
speak one’s mind and implementing different assertiveness techniques.