Active listening is as important when conversing over the phone as when conversing in person.

Which of the following would be the worst advice for Timothy, a salesperson, at an office supplies store?

Lead prequalification helps salespeople use their time wisely.

An RFP typically does not communicate details about a budget.

Read the following passage from the play Trifles, by Susan Glaspell then answer the questions that follow.   MRS. HALE. She—come to think of it, she was kind of like a bird herself—real sweet and pretty, but kind of timid and—fluttery. How—she—did—change. (Silence; then as if struck by a happy thought and relieved to get back to everyday things.) Tell you what, Mrs. Peters, why don’t you take the quilt in with you? It might take up her mind.  MRS. PETERS. Why, I think that’s a real nice idea, Mrs. Hale. There couldn’t possible be any objection to it, could there? Now, just what would I take? I wonder if her patches are in here—and her things. (They look in the sewing basket.)  MRS. HALE. Here’s some red. I expect this has got sewing things in it (Brings out a fancy box.) What a pretty box. Looks like something somebody would give you. Maybe her scissors are in here. (Opens box. Suddenly puts her hand to her nose.) Why— (Mrs. Peters bends nearer, then turns her face away.) There’s something wrapped up in this piece of silk.  MRS. PETERS. Why, this isn’t her scissors.  MRS. HALE (lifting the silk.) Oh, Mrs. Peters—it’s— (Mrs. Peters bend closer.)  MRS. PETERS. It’s the bird.  MRS. HALE (jumping up.) But, Mrs. Peters—look at it. Its neck! Look at its neck! It’s all—other side to.  MRS. PETERS. Somebody—wrung—its neck.  (Their eyes meet. A look of growing comprehension of horror. Steps are heard outside. Mrs. Hale slips box under quilt pieces, and sinks into her chair. Enter Sheriff and County Attorney. Mrs. Peters rises.)  COUNTY ATTORNEY (as one turning from serious thing to little pleasantries). Well, ladies, have you decided whether she was going to quilt it or knot it?  MRS. PETERS. We think she was going to—knot it.  COUNTY ATTORNEY. Well, that’s interesting, I’m sure. (Seeing the birdcage.) Has the bird flown?  MRS. HALE (putting more quilt pieces over the box.) We think the—cat got it.  COUNTY ATTORNEY (preoccupied). Is there a cat?  (Mrs. Hale glances in a quick covert way at Mrs. Peters.)  MRS. PETERS. Well, not now. They’re superstitious, you know. They leave.  COUNTY ATTORNEY (to Sheriff Peters, continuing an interrupted conversation.) No sign at all of anyone having come from the outside. Their own rope. Now let’s go up again and go over it piece by piece.  (They start upstairs.) It would have to have been someone who knew just the—  (Mrs. Peters sits down. The two women sit there not looking at one another, but as if peering into something and at the same time holding back. When they talk now, it is the manner of feeling their way over strange ground, as if afraid of what they are saying, but as if they cannot help saying it.)  MRS. HALE. She liked the bird. She was going to bury it in that pretty box.  MRS. PETERS. (in a whisper). When I was a girl—my kitten—there was a boy took a hatchet, and before my eyes—and before I could get there—(Covers her face an instant.) If they hadn’t held me back, I would have— (Catches herself, looks upstairs, where steps are heard, falters weakly.)—hurt him.  MRS. HALE (with a slow look around her.) I wonder how it would seem never to have had any children around. (Pause.) No, Wright wouldn’t like the bird—a thing that sang. She used to sing. He killed that, too.  MRS. PETERS (moving uneasily). We don’t know who killed the bird.  MRS. HALE. I knew John Wright.  MRS. PETERS. It was an awful thing was done in this house that night, Mrs. Hale. Killing a man while he slept, slipping a rope around his neck that choked the life out of him.  MRS. HALE. His neck, Choked the life out of him. (Her hand goes out and rests on the birdcage.)  MRS. PETERS (with a rising voice). We don’t know who killed him. We don’t know.    The above passage best represents which part of the plot?

Read the following passage from the play Trifles, by Susan Glaspell then answer the questions that follow.   MRS. HALE. She—come to think of it, she was kind of like a bird herself—real sweet and pretty, but kind of timid and—fluttery. How—she—did—change. (Silence; then as if struck by a happy thought and relieved to get back to everyday things.) Tell you what, Mrs. Peters, why don’t you take the quilt in with you? It might take up her mind.  MRS. PETERS. Why, I think that’s a real nice idea, Mrs. Hale. There couldn’t possible be any objection to it, could there? Now, just what would I take? I wonder if her patches are in here—and her things. (They look in the sewing basket.)  MRS. HALE. Here’s some red. I expect this has got sewing things in it (Brings out a fancy box.) What a pretty box. Looks like something somebody would give you. Maybe her scissors are in here. (Opens box. Suddenly puts her hand to her nose.) Why— (Mrs. Peters bends nearer, then turns her face away.) There’s something wrapped up in this piece of silk.  MRS. PETERS. Why, this isn’t her scissors.  MRS. HALE (lifting the silk.) Oh, Mrs. Peters—it’s— (Mrs. Peters bends closer.)  MRS. PETERS. It’s the bird.  MRS. HALE (jumping up.) But, Mrs. Peters—look at it. Its neck! Look at its neck! It’s all—other side to.  MRS. PETERS. Somebody—wrung—its neck.  (Their eyes meet. A look of growing comprehension of horror. Steps are heard outside. Mrs. Hale slips box under quilt pieces, and sinks into her chair. Enter Sheriff and County Attorney. Mrs. Peters rises.)  COUNTY ATTORNEY (as one turning from serious thing to little pleasantries). Well, ladies, have you decided whether she was going to quilt it or knot it?  MRS. PETERS. We think she was going to—knot it.  COUNTY ATTORNEY. Well, that’s interesting, I’m sure. (Seeing the birdcage.) Has the bird flown?  MRS. HALE (putting more quilt pieces over the box.) We think the—cat got it.  COUNTY ATTORNEY (preoccupied). Is there a cat?  (Mrs. Hale glances in a quick covert way at Mrs. Peters.)  MRS. PETERS. Well, not now. They’re superstitious, you know. They leave.  COUNTY ATTORNEY (to Sheriff Peters, continuing an interrupted conversation.) No sign at all of anyone having come from the outside. Their own rope. Now let’s go up again and go over it piece by piece.  (They start upstairs.) It would have to have been someone who knew just the—  (Mrs. Peters sits down. The two women sit there not looking at one another, but as if peering into something and at the same time holding back. When they talk now, it is the manner of feeling their way over strange ground, as if afraid of what they are saying, but as if they cannot help saying it.)  MRS. HALE. She liked the bird. She was going to bury it in that pretty box.  MRS. PETERS. (in a whisper). When I was a girl—my kitten—there was a boy took a hatchet, and before my eyes—and before I could get there—(Covers her face an instant.) If they hadn’t held me back, I would have— (Catches herself, looks upstairs, where steps are heard, falters weakly.)—hurt him.  MRS. HALE (with a slow look around her.) I wonder how it would seem never to have had any children around. (Pause.) No, Wright wouldn’t like the bird—a thing that sang. She used to sing. He killed that, too.  MRS. PETERS (moving uneasily). We don’t know who killed the bird.  MRS. HALE. I knew John Wright.  MRS. PETERS. It was an awful thing was done in this house that night, Mrs. Hale. Killing a man while he slept, slipping a rope around his neck that choked the life out of him.  MRS. HALE. His neck, Choked the life out of him. (Her hand goes out and rests on the birdcage.)  MRS. PETERS (with a rising voice). We don’t know who killed him. We don’t know.    Why are Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters at the crime scene?  

Read the following passage from Oedipus the King, by Sophocles (pp. 1137) and answer the questions below.   CHORUS LEADER: My lord, since you extend your oath to me,        I will say this. I am not the murderer,        nor can I tell you who the killer is.        As for what you’re seeking, it’s for Apollo,        who launched this search, to state who did it.  OEDIPUS: That is well said. But no man has power        to force the gods to speak against their will.  CHORUS LEADER: May I then suggest what seems to me        the next best course of action?  OEDIPUS: You may indeed,        and if there is a third course, too, don’t hesitate        to let me know.  CHORUS LEADER: Our lord Teiresias,        I know, can see into things, like lord Apollo.        From him, my king, a man investigating this        might well find out the details of the crime.  OEDIPUS: I’ve taken care of that—it’s not something        I could overlook. At Creon’s urging,        I have dispatched two messengers to him        and have been wondering for some time now         why he has not come.  CHORUS LEADER: Apart from that,        there are rumours—but inconclusive ones        from a long time ago.  OEDIPUS: What kind of rumours?        I’m looking into every story.  CHORUS LEADER: It was said        that Laius was killed by certain travellers.  OEDIPUS: Yes, I heard as much. But no one has seen        the one who did it.  CHORUS LEADER: Well, if the killer        has any fears, once he hears your curses on him,        he will not hold back, for they are serious.  OEDIPUS: When a man has no fear of doing the act,        he’s not afraid of words.  CHORUS LEADER: No, not in the case        where no one stands there to convict him.        But at last Teiresias is being guided here,        our god-like prophet, in whom the truth resides        more so than in all other men.    What is the purpose of the chorus and chorus leader in Greek theater?  

Read the following passage from the play The Brute, then answer the questions that follow.   From Anton Chekhov’s The Brute (pp. 769):   Luka: Instead of carrying on this way, ma‘am, you should go out in the garden and take a bit of a walk, ma‘am. Or why not harness Toby and take a drive? Call on a couple of the neighbors, ma‘am? Mrs. Popov: Oh, Luka!  Luka: Yes , ma‘am? What have I said, ma’am? Oh, dear!  Mrs Popov: Toby! You said Toby! He adored that horse. When he drove me out to the Korchagins and the Vlasovs, it was always with Toby! He was a wonderful driver, do you remember, Luka? So graceful! So strong! I can see him now, pulling at those reins with all his might and main! Luka, tell them to give Toby an extra portion of oats today.  Luka: Yes, ma‘am   A bell rings.  Mrs. Popov: Who is that? Tell them I‘m not at home.  Luka: Very good, ma‘am  Mrs. Popov: (gazing again at the photograph) you shall see, my Popov, how a wife can love and forgive. Till death do us part. Longer than that. Till death re-unite us forever! (suddenly a titter breaks through her tears) aren‘t you ashamed of yourself, Popov? Here‘s your little wife, being good, being faithful, so faithful she’s locked up here waiting her own funeral, while you–  doesn‘t it make you ashamed, you naughty boy? You were terrible, you know. You were unfaithful, and you made those awful scenes about it, you stormed out and left me alone for weeks–   Enter Luka  Luka: (upset) There‘s someone asking for you, ma’am. Says he must –   Mrs. Popov: I suppose you told him that since my husband’s death I see no one?  Luka: yes, ma‘am. I did ma‘am. But he wouldn‘t listen, ma‘am. He say it‘s urgent.  Mrs. Popov:  (shrillly) I see no one!  Luka: He won’t take no for an answer, ma‘am. He just curses and swears and comes in any way. He‘s a perfect monster, ma‘am. He‘s in the dining room right now.  Mrs. Popov: In the dining room, is he? I‘ll give him his comeuppance. Bring him in here this minute.    Luka is what kind of a character?

Read the passage below taken from Fences by August Wilson (pp. 1222) and answer the following questions.   CORY: You talking about what you did for me . . . what’d you ever give me?   TROY Them feet and bones! That pumping heart, nigger! I give you more than anybody else is ever gonna give you.   CORY: You ain’t never gave me nothing! You ain’t never done nothing but hold me back. Afraid I was gonna be better than you. All you ever did was try and make me scared of you. I used to tremble every time you called my name. Every time I heard your footsteps in the house. Wondering all the time . . . what’s Papa gonna say if I do this? . . . What’s he gonna say if I do that? . . . What’s Papa gonna say if I turn on the radio? And Mama, too . . . she tries … but she’s scared of you.   TROY: You leave your mama out of this. She ain’t got nothing to do with this.   CORY: I don’t know how she stand you . . . after what you did to her.   TROY: I told you to leave your mama out of this!   (He advances toward CORY.)   CORY What you gonna do . . . give me a whupping? You can’t whup me no more. You’re too old. You just an old man.   TROY: (Shoves him on his shoulder.) Nigger! That’s what you are. You just another nigger on the street to me!   CORY: You crazy! You know that?   TROY: Go on now! You got the devil in you. Get on away from me!   CORY: You just a crazy old man . . . talking about I got the devil in me.   TROY: Yeah, I’m crazy! If you don’t get on the other side of that yard … I’m gonna show you how crazy I am! Go on . . . get the hell out of my yard.   CORY: It ain’t your yard. You took Uncle Gabe’s money he got from the army to buy this house and then you put him out.   TROY: (TROY advances on CORY.) Get your black ass out of my yard!   (TROY’s advance backs CORY up against the tree. CORY grabs up the bat.)   CORY: I ain’t going nowhere! Come on . . . put me out! I ain’t scared of you.   TROY: That’s my bat!   CORY: Come on!   TROY: Put my bat down!   CORY: Come on, put me out.   (CORY swings at TROY, who backs across the yard.) What’s the matter? You so bad … put me out!   (TROY advances toward CORY.)   CORY: (Backing up.) Come on! Come on!   TROY: You’re gonna have to use it! You wanna draw that bat back on me . . . you’re gonna have to use it.   CORY: Come on! . . . Come on!   (CORY swings the bat at TROY a second time. He misses. TROY continues to advance toward him.)   TROY: You’re gonna have to kill me! You wanna draw that bat back on me. You’re gonna have to kill me. (CORY, backed up against the tree, can go no farther. TROY taunts him. He sticks out his head and offers him a target.) Come on! Come on! (CORY is unable to swing the bat. TROY grabs it.)   TROY: Then I’ll show you.   (CORY and TROY struggle over the bat. The struggle is fierce and fully engaged. TROY ultimately is the stronger, and takes the bat from CORY and stands over him ready to swing. He stops himself.) Go on and get away from around my house.   (CORY, stung by his defeat, picks himself up, walks slowly out of the yard and up the alley.)   CORY: Tell Mama I’ll be back for my things.   TROY: They’ll be on the other side of that fence.   (CORY exits.)   TROY: I can’t taste nothing. Helluljah! I can’t taste nothing no more.   (TROY assumes a batting posture and begins to taunt Death, the fastball in the outside corner.) Come on! It’s between you and me now! Come on! Anytime you want! Come on! I be ready for you … but I ain’t gonna be easy.   (The lights go down on the scene.)    This passage illustrates the importance of which of the following?  

Read the passage below taken from Fences by August Wilson (pp. 1222) and answer the following questions.   CORY: You talking about what you did for me . . . what’d you ever give me?   TROY Them feet and bones! That pumping heart, nigger! I give you more than anybody else is ever gonna give you.   CORY: You ain’t never gave me nothing! You ain’t never done nothing but hold me back. Afraid I was gonna be better than you. All you ever did was try and make me scared of you. I used to tremble every time you called my name. Every time I heard your footsteps in the house. Wondering all the time . . . what’s Papa gonna say if I do this? . . . What’s he gonna say if I do that? . . . What’s Papa gonna say if I turn on the radio? And Mama, too . . . she tries … but she’s scared of you.   TROY: You leave your mama out of this. She ain’t got nothing to do with this.   CORY: I don’t know how she stand you . . . after what you did to her.   TROY: I told you to leave your mama out of this!   (He advances toward CORY.)   CORY What you gonna do . . . give me a whupping? You can’t whup me no more. You’re too old. You just an old man.   TROY: (Shoves him on his shoulder.) Nigger! That’s what you are. You just another nigger on the street to me!   CORY: You crazy! You know that?   TROY: Go on now! You got the devil in you. Get on away from me!   CORY: You just a crazy old man . . . talking about I got the devil in me.   TROY: Yeah, I’m crazy! If you don’t get on the other side of that yard … I’m gonna show you how crazy I am! Go on . . . get the hell out of my yard.   CORY: It ain’t your yard. You took Uncle Gabe’s money he got from the army to buy this house and then you put him out.   TROY: (TROY advances on CORY.) Get your black ass out of my yard!   (TROY’s advance backs CORY up against the tree. CORY grabs up the bat.)   CORY: I ain’t going nowhere! Come on . . . put me out! I ain’t scared of you.   TROY: That’s my bat!   CORY: Come on!   TROY: Put my bat down!   CORY: Come on, put me out.   (CORY swings at TROY, who backs across the yard.) What’s the matter? You so bad … put me out!   (TROY advances toward CORY.)   CORY: (Backing up.) Come on! Come on!   TROY: You’re gonna have to use it! You wanna draw that bat back on me . . . you’re gonna have to use it.   CORY: Come on! . . . Come on!   (CORY swings the bat at TROY a second time. He misses. TROY continues to advance toward him.)   TROY: You’re gonna have to kill me! You wanna draw that bat back on me. You’re gonna have to kill me. (CORY, backed up against the tree, can go no farther. TROY taunts him. He sticks out his head and offers him a target.) Come on! Come on! (CORY is unable to swing the bat. TROY grabs it.)   TROY: Then I’ll show you.   (CORY and TROY struggle over the bat. The struggle is fierce and fully engaged. TROY ultimately is the stronger, and takes the bat from CORY and stands over him ready to swing. He stops himself.) Go on and get away from around my house.   (CORY, stung by his defeat, picks himself up, walks slowly out of the yard and up the alley.)   CORY: Tell Mama I’ll be back for my things.   TROY: They’ll be on the other side of that fence.   (CORY exits.)   TROY: I can’t taste nothing. Helluljah! I can’t taste nothing no more.   (TROY assumes a batting posture and begins to taunt Death, the fastball in the outside corner.) Come on! It’s between you and me now! Come on! Anytime you want! Come on! I be ready for you … but I ain’t gonna be easy.   (The lights go down on the scene.)    After Cory exits the scene, Troy’s last lines are a good example of what?