LESSON THREE REVIEW QUESTIONS

 

LESSON THREE -- Principles of Army Writing Style Questions: 20

INSTRUCTIONS:  The following items will test your grasp of the material in this lesson. There is only one correct answer for each item. When you complete the exercise, check your answers with the asnwer key that follows. If you answer any item incorrectly, study that part of the lesson again before continuing. Answer the following 20 multiple-choice questions. Choose the BEST answer for each question, and select the corresponding letter.

1. What is the style of writing that military writers frequently overuse?
a. Active voice.
b. Passive voice.
c. Indicative mood.
d. Subjunctive mood.

2. Which of the following sentences meets the Army standard for military writing?
a. We are wasting paper in this office.
b. This office has determined that the amount of paper being used by personnel is wasteful.
c. It has come to my attention that this office is using and wasting excessive amounts of paper.
d. In this office we have concluded that excessive amounts of paper are being used and wasted.

3. Which of the following sentences uses the passive voice?
a. Familiarity with the new weapons system is a goal of the required training.
b. The command has determined that this training is necessary for weapons system familiarity.
c. Training will be conducted to ensure that all personnel are familiar with the new weapons system.
d. Commanders will ensure that all personnel receive the required training on the new weapons system.

4. What does conciseness of writing mean?
a. Keeping distribution costs to a minimum.
b. Expressing ideas with as few words as possible.
c. Limiting the document to a maximum of two paragraphs.
d. Assuring that costs conform to projected expense forecasts.

5. What guideline should control the length of your sentences?
a. be varied.
b. be as long as you want.
c. average about 15 words.
d. be what you think your readers can absorb.

6. What is one reason for making most sentences short?
a. They are easy to write.
b. Short sentences are easy to read.
c. They make your writing more accurate.
d. They are more readable and appealing.

7. Which of the following writing principles contributes most to using plain words or phrases that you fully understand?
a. Unity.
b. Clarity.
c. Accuracy.
d. Coherence.

8. Which of the following sentences illustrates the use of uncommon words?
a. The lake is quite deep.
b. The sergeant was exceptionally subdued today.
c. The captain gives his orders in a firm manner.
d. Following the memorial ceremonies, the crowd was insuppressible.

9. Which of the following sentences has the wrong subject-verb relationship?
a. No doubt remains on this question.
b. Expensive cars are a necessity in his life.
c. My friend and benefactor was there to help me.
d. The best part of the program are the vocal duets.

10. Which of the following sentences has one or more prepositions omitted?
a. He was faithful to and devoted to his job.
b. My cat never has and never will eat fish.
c. Sergeant Smith was interested and skillful at photography.
d. Tom's ideas were sound and were adopted without discussion.

11. Which of the following sentences uses the passive voice?
a. Many soldiers believe PVT Jones wrecked the truck.
b. Many soldiers had to give testimony about the wrecked truck.
c. The prosecutor believed the truck was wrecked by PVT Jones.
d. The defense attorney pointed out that PVT Jones was in the hospital at the time of the accident.

12. Which of the following sentences uses the active voice?
a. Company Bravo led the battalion.
b. The horse was shot by the farmer.
c. The regimental guards were not given weapons.
d. The house was built by Brown and Sons Construction.

13. You may organize a paragraph using any one of several organizational principles. Which one of the following is not an organizing principle?
a. Time and space.
b. Compare and contrast.
c. Active and Passive Voice.
d. Definition.

14. Regardless of format the text of military writing is made up of three elements. What is the order of these three elements?
a. The body, the introduction, and the conclusion.
b. The introduction, the conclusion, and the body.
c. The introduction, the body, and the conclusion.
d. None of the above.

15. Which of the following effective writing principles should you never sacrifice for brevity?
a. Unity.
b. Clarity.
c. Coherence.
d. Emphasis.

16. What constitutes a logical and clear sentence?
a. One that has fewer than 25 words.
b. One that has coherence and unity.
c. One that has an average of 17 words or fewer.
d. One in which all unessential words or phrases have been omitted.

17. Which sentence has an error in subject-verb agreement?
a. Many soldiers have to pull this duty.
b. The filing cabinet and this table is accountable property.
c. My three years in the Army were an excellent experience.
d. The supply sergeant or the platoon leader is responsible for this mistake.

18. What happens to a sentence when we bury the verb?
a. Increases sentence clarity.
b. Decreases misunderstanding.
c. Increases the forcefulness of our writing.
d. Decreases the forcefulness of our writing.

19. Some sentences are not understandable because the writer has omitted an essential word or phrase. Which one of the following sentences is not clear or understandable?
a. The US Air Force has more planes than the air force of any other country.
b. This headquarters is neither concerned nor interested in the proposed program.
c. Some political leaders believe that air power alone is the only way to defeat an enemy.
d. The Eighth Army headquarters is neither concerned with nor interested in the proposed program.

20. Where should you place your thesis statement in a document?
a. In the first paragraph.
b. In the final paragraph.
c. In the middle of the document.
d. At the end of the third paragraph.