67312 BE ch01 001-017

Laying a Foundation

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Guffey, Business English 8e, ©2005, Mason:South-Western

Reference Skills

Parts of Speech

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Reference Skills

1. T 2. F 3. T 4. F 5. T

O B J E C T I V E S

When you have completed the materials in this chapter, you will be able to do thefollowing:

• Describe several types of dictionaries.• Use a dictionary confidently to determine spelling, meaning, pronunciation, syllabi-

cation, accent, word usage, and word history.• Select a dictionary to suit your needs.• Anticipate what information is included in dictionaries and what information is not.• Understand the value of reference manuals.• Use an electronic dictionary with confidence.

P R E T E S T

Each chapter begins with a brief pretest. Answer the questions in the pretest to as-sess your prior knowledge of the chapter content and also to give yourself a pre-view of what you will learn. Compare your answers with those at the bottom of thepage. When you complete the chapter, take the posttest to measure your improve-ment.

Write T (true) or F (false) after the following statements.

1. Today’s business and professional people use both print and online dictionaries. T

2. Dictionary guide words help readers pronounce words correctly. F

3. The usage label archaic means that a word is very old. T

4. Dictionaries generally present word definitions (senses) in the same order. F

5. A reader should not expect to find the spelling of the plural form of business in most dictionaries. T


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TEACHING TIPIn a recent survey1,500 recruitersranked oral and writ-ten communicationskills No. 1 amongskills sought in appli-cants. They consid-ered communicationskills even more im-portant than com-puter literacy orinterpersonal skills.To reinforce the valueof this course to yourstudents, ask them tobring in employmentads in their fields.Discuss the emphasison communicationskills.

WHY STUDY BUSINESS ENGLISH?Just what is business English, and why should you study it? Business English is thestudy of language fundamentals. These basics include grammar, usage, punctuation,capitalization, and number style. Because businesspeople must express their ideasclearly and correctly, such language basics are critical.

In today’s workplace you can expect to be doing more communicating than everbefore. You will be participating in meetings, writing reports, and sending many e-mail messages. Suddenly, language skills are becoming very important. Business-people who never expected to be doing much writing on the job find that theInternet forces everyone to exchange written messages. As a result, businesspeopleare increasingly aware of their communication skills. Misspelled words, poor gram-mar, sloppy punctuation—all of these faults stand out glaringly when printed. Notonly are people writing more, but their messages travel farther. Messages are seen bylarger audiences than ever before.

Because of the growing emphasis on exchanging information, language skills aremore and more relevant. As a businessperson or professional, you will want to feelconfident about your writing skills. This textbook and this course can sharpen yourskills and greatly increase your confidence in expressing ideas. Improving your lan-guage skills is the first step toward success in your education, your career, and yourlife.

When Sarah T. enrolled in this course emphasizing language basics, she did notplan to become an expert in the subject. After finishing the course, she didn’t thinkof herself as an expert. When she started to work, however, she discovered thatmany of her fellow workers considered her an English expert. Most of them had notraining in grammar, or they had studied it long ago. Their skills were rusty. Sarahfound that even her boss asked her questions. “What are they doing now about let-ter salutations?” “Where do you think we should put that apostrophe?” Because shewas a recent graduate, her coworkers assumed she knew all the answers. Sarah didn’t know all the answers. But she knew where to find them.

One of the goals of your education is to know where to find answers. You shouldalso know how to interpret the information you find. Experts do not know all theanswers. Attorneys refer to casebooks. Doctors consult their medical libraries. Andyou, as a student of the language, must develop skill and confidence in using refer-ence materials. You can become a language expert not only by learning from thistextbook but also by learning where to find additional data when you need it.

Using references should become second nature to you. Dictionaries and onlineresources are invaluable when you must verify word spellings and meanings, punc-tuation style, and usage. If you have your own personal library of reference materi-als, you can find information quickly. At the minimum you need a current desk orcollege dictionary and a good reference manual. Another helpful reference book is a thesaurus. This is a collection of synonyms (words with similar meanings) andantonyms (words with opposite meanings). Many helpful resources are now availabledigitally, whether online or in a software program such as MS Word.

DICTIONARIESBusinesspeople today make use of both print dictionaries and online dictionaries.First, you’ll learn about print dictionaries, including how to select one and how touse it. Then, you’ll learn about using an online dictionary, such as the one thatcomes with your word processing software.

Selecting a Print DictionaryNot all dictionaries are the same, as you will doubtless notice when you shop forone. To make a wise selection, you should know how to distinguish among threekinds of print dictionaries: pocket, desk, and unabridged. You should also know

CAREER TIPThe lifetime earningsof a person with acollege degree areabout three timesthose of a personwithout a college degree.

SPOT THE BLOOPEROn résumés thatcrossed the desk ofpersonnel expertRobert Half: “I am arabid typist.” “Hereare my qualificationsfor you to overlook.”“Hope to hear fromyou shorty.”

Reference Skills Chapter 1 3

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when your dictionary was published (the copyright date), and you should examineits special features.

• Pocket dictionary. As its name suggests, a pocket dictionary is small. Generally,it contains no more than 75,000 entries, making it handy to carry to class andefficient to use. However, a pocket dictionary doesn’t contain enough entries tobe adequate for postsecondary or college reference homework.

• Desk or college-level dictionary. A desk or college-level dictionary generallycontains over 170,000 entries plus extra features. For college work you shouldown a current desk dictionary. The following list shows some of the best-knowndesk dictionaries. Notice that the titles of two dictionaries contain the name Web-ster. Because names cannot be copyrighted, any publisher may use the word Web-ster on its dictionary. Definitions and usage in this textbook are based onMerriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition. Publishers often rely onthis dictionary as their standard. Many readers, however, prefer The AmericanHeritage College Dictionary. It provides more plural spellings, more usage labels,more readable entries, and more opinions about appropriate usage than mostother dictionaries. Any of the following dictionaries is a good choice for post-secondary and college students:

The American Heritage College DictionaryRandom House Webster’s College DictionaryWebster’s New World DictionaryMerriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition (the standard dictionaryfor definitions and usage in this book)

• Unabridged dictionary. An unabridged dictionary is a complete dictionary.Abridged dictionaries, such as pocket and desk dictionaries, are shortened or con-densed. Because unabridged dictionaries contain nearly all English words, theyare large, heavy volumes. Schools, libraries, newspaper offices, and offices con-cerned with editing or publishing use unabridged dictionaries. One of the best-known unabridged dictionaries is Merriam-Webster’s Third New InternationalDictionary. It includes over 450,000 entries and claims to be America’s largest dic-tionary. Another famous unabridged dictionary is the Oxford English Dictionary(OED). This 20-volume set shows the historical development of all English words;it is often used by professional writers, scholars of the language, and academics.CD-ROM versions are available for easy computer searching.

• Copyright date. If the copyright date of your current dictionary shows that itwas published ten or more years ago, consider investing in a more recent edi-tion. English is a responsive, dynamic language that admits new words and rec-ognizes changes in meaning, spelling, and usage of familiar words. These changesare reflected in an up-to-date dictionary.

• Features. In selecting a dictionary, check the features it offers in addition to vocabulary definitions. Many editions contain biographical and geographicaldata, abbreviations, standard measurements, signs, symbols, foreign words andphrases, lists of colleges and universities, and information about the language.

Using a Print DictionaryWhether you purchased a new one or you are using a family dictionary, take a fewmoments to become familiar with it so that you can use it wisely.

• Introduction. Before using your dictionary, take a look at the instructions lo-cated in the pages just before the beginning of the vocabulary entries. Pay par-ticular attention to the order of definitions (senses). Some dictionaries show themost common definitions first. Other dictionaries develop meanings historically;that is, the first known meaning of the word is shown first.

4 Unit 1 Laying a Foundation


TEACHING TIPEncourage your stu-dents to purchasetheir dictionaries atdiscount stores. Bigsavings!

TEACHING TIPUnabridged dictionar-ies are sometimescalled “hernia” editions.

STUDY TIPTo abridge means to“shorten”; a bridgeshortens the distancebetween points. An “unabridged”book has not beenshortened.

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• Guide words. In boldface type at the top of each dictionary page are two wordsthat indicate the first and last entries on the page. When searching for a word,look only at these guide words until you locate the desired page.

• Syllabication. Most dictionaries show syllable breaks with a centered dot, as yousee in Figure 1.1 for the word signify. Compound words are sometimes trouble-some to dictionary users. If a compound word is shown with a centered dot, itis one word, as in work�out (workout). If a compound word is shown with a hy-phen, it is hyphenated, as in old-fashioned. If two words appear without a cen-tered dot or a hyphen, they should be written as two words, as in work up. If youfind no entry for a word or phrase in a college-level dictionary, you may usuallyassume that the words are written separately, for example, ball field. For newerterms, such as home page or firewall, you should check an online dictionary.

• Pronunciation. Special symbols (diacritical marks) are used to help you pro-nounce words correctly. A detailed explanation of pronunciation symbols isfound in the front pages of a dictionary; a summary of these symbols may ap-pear at the bottom of each set of pages. If two pronunciations are possible, thepreferred one is usually shown first.

• Accent. Most dictionaries show accents with a raised stress mark immediatelyfollowing the accented syllable, as shown for the syllable sig in our example.Other dictionaries use a raised stress mark immediately preceding the accentedsyllable (�sig ni�fi). Secondary stress may be shown in lighter print (as illustratedon the syllable fi in our example), or it may be shown with a lowered accent mark(�sig ni�fi).

• Etymology. College-level dictionaries provide in square brackets [ ] the brief his-tory or etymology of the word. For example, the word signify has its roots inMiddle English, Old French, and Latin. Keys to etymological abbreviations maybe found in the introductory notes in your dictionary. Do not confuse the ety-mological definition shown in brackets with the actual word definition(s).

• Part of speech. Following the phonetic pronunciation of an entry word is anitalicized or boldfaced label indicating what part of speech the entry word rep-resents. The most common labels are the following:

adj (adjective) prep (preposition)

adv (adverb) pron (pronoun)



HOT LINKNeed to find the lat-est word definition or spelling? Visit Merriam-Webster’saward-winning Website at http://www.merriam-webster.com. You can playword games as well as look up defini-tions, pronunciation,etymology, spelling,and usage.

HOT LINKTo access quickly anyof the Hot Links, goto the Guffey StudentWeb Site at http://www.westwords.com/guffey/students.html.You’ll find an up-dated list of all URLsused in the book.

sig•ni•fy (si g�nə-fi_�) v. -fied, -fy• ing, -fies, —tr. 1. To denote; mean.

2. To make known, as with a sign or word: signify one’s intent.

—intr. 1. to have meaning or importance. See Syns at count.

2. Slang. To exchange humorous insults in a verbal game.

[ME signifien < OFr. signifier < Lat. significa_re : signum, sign;

see SIGN � -fica_re, -fy)—sig�ni•fi’•a•ble adj.—sig�ni•fi�er n.

syllabication pronunciation part of speech inflected forms definitions

verbal illustration

synonymreference

usagelabel

etymologyadditional forms

Figure 1.1Dictionary Entry

© Houghton Mifflin Company. Reproduced by permission from The American HeritageDictionary of the English Language. Fourth College Edition.

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conj (conjunction) v or vb (verb)

interj (interjection) vt or v tr (verb transitive)

n (noun) vi or v int (verb intransitive)

Spelling, pronunciation, and meaning may differ for a given word when that wordfunctions as different parts of speech. Therefore, check its grammatical label care-fully. If the parts of speech seem foreign to you at this time, do not despair. Chap-ter 2 and successive chapters will help you learn more about the parts of speech.

• Labels. Not all words listed in dictionaries are acceptable in business or profes-sional writing. Usage labels are given to warn readers about the use of certainwords. In the dictionary entry shown in Figure 1.1, notice that one meaning forthe word signify is labeled slang. The following list defines slang and other usagelabels:

Label Example

archaic: words surviving from a previous knave (meaning maleperiod servant)

obsolete: no longer in use miss (meaning a loss)

colloquial or informal*: used in casual writing shindig (meaning aor conversation festive party)

slang: very informal but may be used sparingly skinny (meaning for effect inside information)

nonstandard and substandard: not conforming hisself (himself)to usage among educated speakers

dialect, Brit., South, Scot, etc.: used in certain bodacious (used inregions the South to mean

remarkable)

*Some dictionaries no longer use the labels colloquial or informal.

If no usage label appears, a word is considered standard; that is, it is acceptable forall uses. However, it should be noted that many lexicographers have substantiallyreduced the number of usage labels in current editions. Lexicographers, by the way,are those who make dictionaries.

• Inflected forms. When nouns, verbs, adverbs, or adjectives change form gram-matically, they are said to be inflected, as when child becomes children. Becauseof limited space, dictionaries usually show only irregular inflected forms. Thus,nouns with irregular or unusual plurals (wife, wives) will be shown. Verbs withirregular tenses or difficult spelling (gratified, gratifying) will be shown. Adverbsor adjectives with irregular comparatives or superlatives (good, better, best) willalso be shown. But regular noun plurals, verb tenses, and comparatives gener-ally will not be shown in dictionaries. Succeeding chapters will elucidate regularand irregular parts of speech.

• Synonyms and antonyms. Synonyms, words having similar meanings, are oftenprovided after word definitions. For example, a synonym for elucidate is explain.Synonyms are helpful as word substitutes. Antonyms, words having oppositemeanings, appear less frequently in dictionaries; when included, they usually fol-low synonyms. One antonym for elucidate is confuse. The best place to find syn-onyms and antonyms is in a thesaurus.



SPOT THE BLOOPERCBS News anchorDan Rather speakingon CNN’s Larry KingLive: “Cable news isrevelant, of course,but I think networknews is, if anything,even more revelant.”

TEACHING TIPAsk how many students use a com-puter dictionary orthesaurus. How dothese computer aidscompare with printdictionaries? Advan-tages? Disadvantages?

CAREER TIPBusinesspeople arejudged by the wordsthey use. Knowingthe part of speech fora word helps you useit correctly. For exam-ple, if you discoverthat a word is a verb,you won’t try to useit to describe a noun.

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Plugging in to Electronic DictionariesAn increasing number of electronic resources are available on the Internet, on CD-ROMs, and as handheld devices. The Internet provides an amazing amount of in-formation at no cost to users. Many excellent online resources, some of which aredescribed in Figure 1.2, are similar to their print counterparts. The big differences,though, are that the online versions are free and many also provide audio pronun-ciations. Some even give you hyperlinked cross-references. Online dictionaries areespecially useful because they can be updated immediately when new words or mean-ings enter the language.

Online sites offer many features. The best-known site is Merriam-Webster OnLine,where you not only find authoritative definitions but also can play word games andincrease your vocabulary with the Word of the Day feature. The site for OneLookDictionaries provides over 900 different dictionaries in various fields. Microsoft’sEncarta World English Dictionary site is unique in linking to encyclopedia articles toprovide in-depth answers to your inquiries.

If you don’t want to bother searching the Internet to look up a word, you maypurchase one of many CD-ROM dictionaries. Installed on your computer, productssuch as the Random House Compact Unabridged Dictionary or the Oxford EnglishDictionary OED CD-ROM give you access to a large database of words that can be eas-ily searched electronically.

Handheld electronic dictionaries offer another efficient way to check spellings,find meanings, and look up synonyms. Handhelds are easy to use for students andbusinesspeople. They are especially appealing to people struggling with a differentlanguage, such as tourists, interpreters, emigrants, and immigrants. Some are voice-enabled translation devices and even can talk.



HOT LINKHow does a word getinto the dictionary?Find out by visitingMerriam-Webster’sFrequently AskedQuestions at http://www.merriam-webster.com/service/howwordsgetin.htm.

Figure 1.2Notable Online Dictionaries

An amazing number of Web sites offer free dictionaries and usage advice. If any ofthe URLs for the sites listed here have changed, just put the name into a search en-gine (www.google.com) and you should find it.

• Merriam-Webster Online (http://www.merriam-webster.com). Indicates the audio pronunciations, etymologies, and authoritative definitions of a vast numberof words. Provides word games and essays on the history of English and theprocesses involved in the making of dictionaries. Word of the Day feature definesan infrequently used word.

• OneLook Dictionaries (http://www.onelook.com). Claims to index more than 5million words contained in more than 900 dictionaries (at this writing). Accessescomputer/Internet, science, medical, technological, business, sports, religion, andgeneral dictionaries.

• American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (http://www.bartleby.com/61). Provides definitions for more than 90,000 entries and audio pronunciations for 70,000. Offers synonym, usage, and word history notes,along with 900 color illustrations.

• Encarta World English Dictionary (http://dictionary.msn.com). Not only definesand pronounces words but also links to atlas, map, and encyclopedia articles fromMicrosoft’s Encarta.

• YourDictionary.com (http://www.yourdictionary.com). Claims to be the mostcomprehensive and authoritative portal for language resources on the Web. Invitesusers to look up general or specialized words in thousands of English and foreign-language dictionaries. Provides “ways of building vocabularies, studying grammar,practicing spoken and written languages.”

TEACHING TIPFor a lively discussionabout grammar andlanguage with other“Web-footed verbi-vores” and linguists,visit http://www.yourdictionary.comand click The Agoraor ELR.Tho

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Using Electronic Dictionary ProgramsMost high-end word processing programs today come with a dictionary/thesaurusfeature that helps you locate misspelled words as well as search for synonyms andantonyms.

Locating misspelled words. An electronic dictionary (also called a spellchecker) compares your typed words with those in the computer’s memory. MS Worduses a wavy red line to underline misspelled words caught “on the fly” as you key.If you immediately recognize the error, you can quickly key in the correction. If yousee the red wavy line and don’t know what’s wrong, you can click Tools and Spellingand Grammar. This opens a dialog box that generally shows a variety of options tosolve your spelling problem. If one of the suggested spellings appears helpful, youcan click it and the misspelled word is replaced. If no suggestion is useful, you cantype in the correct version in the Not in Dictionary box.

Although some writers dismiss dictionary spell checkers as an annoyance, mostof us are only too happy to have our typos and misspelled words detected. The realproblem is that spell checkers can’t always distinguish between similar words, suchas too and two and many other confusions. That’s why you’re wise to print out everymessage and proofread it word by word.

Searching for synonyms and antonyms. Electronic dictionary pro-grams can also help you find alternative word choices. Let’s say you are writing areport and you find yourself repeating the same word. With MS Word you can high-light the overused word and click on Tools, Language, and Thesaurus. A number ofsynonyms appear in a dialog box. If none of the suggested words seems right, youcan change the search term by using a closely related word from the Replace withSynonym column. From the new Meanings list, you can also change the word orphrase to help you find the most precise word for your meaning.

You can also use an electronic thesaurus feature to look up words and phraseseven if you haven’t selected any words in your document. Just type in the word andclick the Tools, Language, and Thesaurus options. A good online thesaurus can be aterrific aid to writers who want to increase their vocabularies and are seeking preciselanguage.

REFERENCE MANUALSIn addition to one or more printed dictionaries, every writer should have a goodreference manual or handbook readily available.

Reference Manual Versus DictionaryA reference manual generally contains helpful information not available in a dic-tionary. Most reference manuals provide information such as the following.

• Punctuation. Detailed explanations of punctuation rules are presented logically.A well-written manual will also provide ample illustrations of punctuation us-age so that the reader can readily find solutions to punctuation dilemmas.

• Hyphenation. Dictionaries provide syllable breaks. Words, however, cannot bedivided at all syllable breaks. A reference manual will supply rules for, and ex-amples of, word division. Moreover, a good reference manual will explain whencompound adjectives such as up-to-the-minute should be hyphenated.

• Capitalization. Complete rules with precise examples illustrating capitalizationstyle will be shown.

• Number style. Deciding whether to write a number as a figure or as a word canbe very confusing. A reference manual will provide both instruction and nu-merous examples illustrating number and word styles.



SPOT THE BLOOPERFrom a legal notice:“The case is now be-fore the court and isawaiting a herring.”

SPOT THE BLOOPERSign in a souvenirshop in York Beach[Maine]: “You brakeit, you pay for it.”

CAREER TIPFor use now and onthe job, invest in agood reference man-ual, such as Clark andClark’s HOW 10, AHandbook for OfficeProfessionals (South-Western/Thomson).

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Other topics covered in reference manuals are confusing words (such as effect andaffect), abbreviations, contractions, literary and artistic titles, forms of address, andletter and report formats. In addition, some manuals contain sections devoted toEnglish grammar and office procedures. This textbook is correlated with the widelyused Handbook for Office Professionals (South-Western/Thomson) by Clark and Clark.

You may be wondering how a reference manual differs from a business Englishtextbook such as the one you are now reading. Although their content is similar, theprimary difference is one of purpose. A textbook is developed pedagogically—that is,for teaching—so that the student understands and learns concepts. A reference man-ual is organized functionally, so that the reader finds accurate information efficiently.A well-written reference manual is complete, coherent, and concise.

Most of the language and style questions that perplex businesspeople and stu-dents could be answered quickly by a trained person using a reliable dictionary anda well-written reference manual.

Now complete the reinforcement exercises on the following pages.



DID YOU KNOW?The World Wide Webis a rich source of freegrammar and lan-guage services. Use a search engine suchas Google (http://www.google.com) tosearch for “grammarhelp” or similarterms.

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ReinforcementExercises Name

Note: At the beginning of every set of reinforcement exercises, a self-check exercise is provided so thatyou will know immediately if you understand the concepts presented in the chapter. Do not look at theanswers until you have completed the exercise. Then compare your responses with the answers shown atthe bottom of the page. If you have more than three incorrect responses, reread the chapter before con-tinuing with the other reinforcement exercises.

A. (Self-check) Write T (true) or F (false) after the following statements.

1. Most dictionaries use centered hyphens to indicate syllable breaks. F

2. Students and office workers would find an unabridged dictionary handy to carry with them. F

3. The label colloquial means that a word is informal and may be used in casual writing and conversation. T

4. Guide words indicate the first and last words on a page. T

5. Dictionaries usually show noun plurals only if they are irregular. T

6. Synonyms are words that are spelled alike or sound alike. F

7. Rules for hyphenating compound adjectives may be found in a reference manual. T

8. All dictionaries show definitions in historical order. F

9. Online dictionaries are generally more up-to-date than print dictionaries. T

10. Dictionaries at Web sites may be fast and current, but they are alsoexpensive to use. F

Check your answers at the bottom of the page.

Use a desk, college-level, or electronic dictionary to complete the following exercises. If you do not havea dictionary, use one at a library. The definitions, pronunciations, and usage in this book come from Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition.

B. Select the letter that provides the best definition or synonym for each word shown.

1. reticent (adj) a. famous b. silent c. depressed d. emphatic b

2. entomology (n) a. study of words b. study of fossils c. study of insects d. love of outdoors c

3. imminent (adj) a. impending b. old c. famous d. stubborn a

4. pneumatic (adj) a. drill b. air-filled c. diseased d. sturdy b

5. superficial (adj) a. managerial b. attractive c. elevated d. shallow d

1. F 2. F 3. T 4. T 5. T 6. F 7. T 8. F 9. T 10. F

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C. Write the correct form of the following words. Use a current dictionary to determine whether theyshould be written as one or two words or should be hyphenated.

Example: print out (n) printout

1. double space (v) double-space 4. out of date out-of-date

2. in as much as inasmuch as 5. street wise street-wise

3. key board keyboard 6. work place workplace

D. For each of the following words, write the syllable that receives the primary accent. Then give a briefdefinition or synonym of the word.

Word Syllable Definition or Synonym

Example: judicious di prudent, exhibiting sound judgment

1. comparable com equivalent, similar

2. desert (n) des an arid, barren tract

3. desert (v) sert to abandon

4. indefatigable fat untiring

5. irrevocable rev unalterable

6. posthumous post occurring after death

E. If your dictionary shows usage labels for the following words, write them in the spaces provided. Ifno label appears for a word, which of the following labels would you consider giving it if you were alexicographer? Put your initials next to the labels you suggest.

Labels: archaic nonstandard colloquial or informal dialect slang

Example: goober dialect

1. anyways nonstandard, dialect, or archaic

2. bobby dialect (British meaning police officer)

3. dork slang

4. dinkum dialect (Australian meaning real or truly)

5. irregardless nonstandard

6. sawbones slang

F. Select the letter that most accurately completes the sentence.

1. The word chauvinism derives from Nicholas Chauvin, a Frenchman known as a(n)a. fanatical bomb thrower b. extreme misogynist (woman hater)c. excessive patriot d. radical critic of Napoleon c

2. If you encrypt an e-mail message, you are _________ it.a. preserving b. encoding (scrambling)c. erasing d. decoding (unscrambling) b

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3. An office desk and chair that were ergonomically designed woulda. reduce fatigue and discomfort b. improve office decorc. save money d. eliminate depreciation a

4. The abbreviation* (actually an acronym) for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration isa. O.S.H.A. b. Oshac. OSHA d. OS&HA c

5. Which of the following is correctly written?a. Monarch butterfly b. monarch butterflyc. Monarch Butterfly d. monarch Butterfly b

6. The film star’s sequined jumpsuit was somewhat ostentatious for the opening of a juice bar; thus the outfit was considered tooa. expensive b. showyc. revealing d. dated b

7. If an expression is redundant, it isa. repetitive b. obsoletec. clever d. awkward a

8. The word spam, which now means “unsolicited e-mail,” derives froma. the canned meat product b. users who hate receiving itc. Monty Python’s Flying Circus d. senders who remain anonymous c

G. Writing Exercise. All employers seek workers with good writing skills. In this book you will findunit workshops devoted to developing your writing skills. In addition, each chapter will include ashort writing exercise. Let’s say that a friend asks you to explain what an electronic dictionary is andwhy it might be useful. Write about three sentences with your explanation. Some dictionary makers, such as Merriam-Webster, have placed their entire dictionaries on the Internet. Anyone can

use these electronic dictionaries to look up words quickly, easily, and cheaply. A clear advantage to an electronic

dictionary is that it is likely to be more current than a print dictionary.

In a couple of complete sentences, tell whether you prefer a print or an electronic dictionary. Explain why. Sometimes I prefer a print dictionary because it gives complete definitions and I don’t have to turn on my computer.

However, electronic dictionaries are handy when I’m using my computer.

*Does your dictionary list abbreviations after the main entries? You will learn more about

acronyms in Chapter 2.

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E D I T O R ’ S C H A L L E N G E

The following e-mail message contains 15 misspelled or misused words, some of which you looked up inearlier exercises. Underline any error and write a correction above it. Note: The Editor’s Challenge docu-ments that you see in this book are double-spaced so that you can write in corrections. Actual business doc-uments would be single-spaced.

Catherine:

I’ve just learned that a new O.S.H.A. directive on ergonimics is iminent. I realize that some

of our out of date equipment may be criticized. In as much as you have attended training

seminars on creating an erginomic work environment, I am asking you to study the problem.

Perhaps you could investigate firms comparible to ours. What have they done to address

problem jobs? I am most worried about repetative strain injuries caused by computer

key boarding. Should we consider chairs with pnewmatic adjustability, armrests, and lumbar

support? Should we encourage our employees who do extensive keyboarding to take more

frequent brakes?

Irregardless of the cost, we must begin to consider ways to identafy and control work place

risk factors. Please see me on Monday at 2:30 to discuss your investagation.

Erick

To: Catherine Bean, Human Ralations <[email protected]>From: Erick J. Dorman, President <[email protected]>Date: Fri, 11 Jul 01 13:24:25 PDT

Subject: INVESTIGATING WAYS TO IMPROVE WORKPLACE ERGONOMICSBcc:

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L E A R N I N G W E B W A Y S

To make sure you enter the work world with goodInternet skills, this book provides a short Web ex-ercise in each chapter. If your instructor assigns thisexercise, you will need access to a computer with anInternet connection. Additionally, your computermust have a Web browser, such as Microsoft Ex-plorer or Netscape. These programs enable you tosee and use Web pages.

All Web pages have addresses called URLs (uni-form resource locators). URLs must be typed exactlyas they are shown, including periods (.), hyphens (-), underscores ( _ ), slashes (/), tildes (~), and upper-or lowercase letters. URLs are often enclosed in an-gle brackets < >. You do not need to include the an-gle brackets when typing a URL.

The following exercise introduces you to an elec-tronic dictionary. A major advantage of an onlinedictionary is that it presents the latest information.It also provides pronunciation if you have a soundcard at your computer.

Goal: To gain confidence in using an electronic

dictionary.

1. With your Web browser on the screen, key thefollowing URL in the location box: http://www.merriam-webster.com. Press Enter.

2. Look over the Merriam-Webster Online homepage. Move up and down the page by using

the scroll bar at the right. Try to ignore themarketing clutter.

3. Scroll to the top and move your cursor to theMerriam-Webster Dictionary box.

4. Key the word spam. Click Look it up.5. Scroll down to see the definition for spam—

noun.6. Click the megaphone icon to hear the word

pronounced. Then close the box.7. Print a copy of the definition page by clicking

File (upper left corner of your browser). ClickPrint and OK. Save all printouts to turn in.

8. Click Back (upper left corner of browser) toreturn to the search page.

9. In the Merriam-Webster Dictionary box,delete spam. Key the word firewall and clickLook it up. Read the definition. Print a copy.

10. Click Back. Using either the Dictionary orThesaurus feature, look up one word from Exercise F. Print the definition or synonym.

11. Click Word of the Day (left navigationpanel). Read about the word. Print a copy.

12. End your session by clicking the X box (upperright corner of browser).

13. As your instructor advises, send an e-mailmessage summarizing what you learned orturn in all printed copies properly identified.

I N F O T R A C

Building Knowledge andResearch SkillsTo excel as a knowledge workerin today’s digital workplace, youmust know how to find and eval-

uate information on the Internet. As a student pur-chasing a new copy of Guffey’s Business English orProfessional English, you have an extraordinary op-portunity to develop these research skills. For fourmonths you have special access to College Edition, acomprehensive Web-based collection of over 1 mil-lion journal, magazine, encyclopedia, and news-paper articles. You’ll find chapter-related activitiesand study questions in this text that help you buildknowledge and develop research skills using Info-Trac. Watch for the InfoTrac icons.

How to Use InfoTrac1. With your Web browser on your computer

screen, key the URL for InfoTrac:http://www.infotrac-college.com.

2. To learn more about InfoTrac, click InfoTracDemo.

3. Follow the on-screen instructions for register-ing a new account.

4. After registering, click InfoTrac College Edi-tion and enter your search term in the key-word search box.

5. If your search term produces any citationsthat look interesting, click them. If not, clickBack to Search (left side of screen).

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I N F O T R A C I N A C T I O N

Your boss must give a talk beforethe local Kiwanis club on thetopic of new high-tech words.She knows that you are enrolledin a language course and asks for

your help. You could research the topic on the Web,but you decide that it would be more efficient tosearch a database packed with magazine and jour-nal articles. With InfoTrac, use the search term high-tech entries, technical buzzwords, or similar terms.Find a good article, print one page, and submit it to

your instructor. In the space provided here, write atleast five new high-tech terms that your boss coulduse in her talk.

Answers will vary. DSL (for digital subscriber line), HDTP

(handheld device transfer/transport protocol), cyber-

squatting (registering of Internet domain names to be sold

for profit), streaming (technology for transferring data), and

portal (Web portal relating to a certain business or industry)

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P O S T T E S T

Write T (true) or F (false) after the following statements. Compare your answers with those at the bottomof the page.

1. The best dictionary for a college student’s assignments is a pocket dictionary. F

2. When searching for a word in a dictionary, look only at the guide words until you locate the desired page. T

3. The etymology of a word is usually contained within square brackets. T

4. The usage label colloquial means that the word may be used in certain regions only. F

5. A dictionary user could expect to find the spelling of the past tense of an irregular verb such as build. T


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B O N U S L E A R N I N G R E S O U R C E S

Want extra practice? Check out these bonus learning resources!See the inside cover for a complete description of these activities. Your instructor will tell you which of thefollowing to complete. To access any of the Web activities, go to the Guffey Student Web site at http://www.westwords.com/guffey/students.html or http://www.meguffey.com. Click Book Support, clickyour book cover, and click the appropriate activity.

On the Web:

Web Editor’s Challenge provides a business document to be revised.

Web Interactive Chapter Review tests your knowledge of chapter concepts.

Web Crossword Puzzle reviews chapter and builds your vocabulary.

WebCheck Reinforcement Exercises 1.1, 1.2 provide dictionary practice and strengthen your vocabulary.

In Your Book:

Self-Help Exercises give you more chances to reinforce your learning.

On Your CD-ROM:

CD Study Guide (Ms. Grammar) builds your language skills.

PowerPoint Slides summarize chapter principles and include checkups.

1. F 2. T 3. T 4. F 5. T

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67312 BE ch01 001-017