Instructor’s Manual and Test Bank for Essentials of Human Communication, Eighth Edition
CHAPTER 14: THE PERSUASIVE SPEECH
Multiple Choice Questions
1)
Persuasion is best defined as the process of
A)
influencing another person’s attitudes, beliefs, values, and/or behaviors.
B)
changing people’s minds.
C) getting an audience to believe what you believe.
D)
convincing people to do something they’ve never done before.
2)
Cameron’s speech aims at getting his audience to vote in the upcoming election. Which goal of
persuasive speeches best fits Cameron’s topic?
A)
strengthen attitudes, beliefs, or values
B) weaken attitudes, beliefs, or values
C)
change attitudes, beliefs, or values
D)
motivate the audience to action
3)
The principle of selective exposure suggests that listeners
A)
actively seek out information that supports their existing opinions, beliefs, values, decisions, and
behaviors.
B) actively seek information that others do not have about them.
C)
always look for information that negates their preconceived notions of others.
D)
sometimes look for information that agrees with their negative perceptions of others.
4)
Which of the following is a guideline for persuasive speaking?
A)
Focus on your speech, not your audience.
B)
Avoid asking for change.
C) Always use a long-term orientation.
D)
Anticipate selective exposure.
5)
Your persuasive speeches are most effective when you
A)
ask for small changes in beliefs, attitudes, values, or behavior.
B)
ask for large changes in beliefs, attitudes, values, or behavior to ensure some movement.
C)
focus on your assertions rather than presenting supporting evidence.
D)
state your position early in your presentation, particularly if you know the audience may be
predisposed to disagree with it.
6)
When dealing with a collectivist culture, stress
A)
family, loyalty, and national pride.
B)
immediate gratification.
C)
independence and uniqueness.
D)
nonconformity.
7)
Using logical appeals in persuasive speaking
A)
is tricky because most people don’t think logically.
B)
generally leads to more permanent commitment to your position and resistance to counterarguments.
C)
is not as important as arguing from emotional appeals because emotional appeals are more immediate and
relevant.
D)
is only useful if the audience is well-educated and predisposed to accept your position.
8)
In his persuasive speech on eliminating the general education requirements at State U., Barry argues,
“I’ve already taken two of the required fifteen courses, and believe me they were a waste of time.”
Barry’s use of reasoning from specific instances to a generalization is
A)
valid because he is using his own experience.
B) invalid because he didn’t state what classes he took.
C) valid because it is something his audience can relate to.
D)
invalid because the number of specific instances isn’t large enough or diverse enough.
9)
In his speech advocating a smoking ban on campus, Reginald stated, “Last month I distributed over
500 surveys to students asking if they favored a campus-wide smoking ban, and 395 indicated that they
did. It is clear that the student body at State U. favors a smoking ban.” Reginald has used reasoning from
A)
analogy. C)
sign.
B)
causes and effects. D)
specific instances and generalizations.
10)
If you argue that smoking in public places should be banned because cancer can result from breathing
secondhand smoke, which type of reasoning are you using?
A)
sign C)
causes and effects
B)
credibility D)
specific instances and generalizations
11)
In her persuasive speech aimed at convincing her audience that global warming is a serious problem, Tere
presents information on changing weather patterns, ice cap depletions, and changes in arctic flow. Tere’s use
of reasoning is an example of reasoning from
A)
credibility. C)
sign.
B)
causes and effects. D)
specific instances and generalizations.
12)
In her speech announcing her candidacy for president of the Student Government Association,
Meagan states, “We need to build a better sense of community on campus by making the student center a place
where students want to come to meet friends, share meals, and just talk. I have a plan to make that
happen.”
Meagan is using an emotional appeal to her audience’s __________ needs.
A)
physiological C)
belonging and love
B)
safety D)
self-actualization
13)
In his speech announcing his candidacy for mayor, Hugh states, “Crime is a problem in our city. We need
a better system of locking up the career criminals and patrolling our streets, and I have a plan to do
just that.”
Hugh has used an emotional appeal to his audience’s __________ needs.
A)
physiological C)
belonging and love
B)
safety D)
self-actualization
14) Credibility refers most closely to what we call
A)
empathic ability. C)
persuasiveness.
B)
effectiveness. D)
believability.
15)
In her speech advocating volunteering, Clarissa remarked, “By volunteering you get a chance to
become more than a spectator in your city; you gain a sense of community spirit and start to see yourself as
part of a community of neighbors and friends.” Clarissa has made a motivational appeal based
primarily on the need for
A)
belonging. C)
self-actualization.
B)
self-esteem. D)
safety.
16) To demonstrate character in a speech, stress
A)
fairness.
B)
concern for today’s values.
C)
knowledge of the subject matter.
D)
how different you are from your audience.
17)
When you express a positive attitude, convey dynamism and assertiveness, and are enthusiastic, you are
demonstrating
A)
character. C)
credibility.
B)
competence. D)
charisma.
18)
If Bonnie’s thesis for her persuasive speech is “Capital punishment deters crime,” we can assume she is
addressing a question of
A)
fact. C)
policy.
B)
value. D)
proposition.
19)
If the thesis for Horace’s persuasive speech is “Capital punishment is inhumane” we can assume he is
addressing a question of
A)
fact. C)
policy.
B)
value. D)
proposition.
20)
If the thesis for Celia’s persuasive speech is “Capital punishment should be eliminated,” we can
assume she is addressing a question of
A)
fact. C)
policy.
B)
value. D)
proposition.
Applied
True/False Questions
1)
Persuasive speakers may set their goals to weaken the audience’s existing attitudes, beliefs, or values.
2)
If for her persuasive speech Lonnie sets her goal as getting her audience to register to vote, we can
assume she is seeking to strengthen her audience’s beliefs about voting.
3)
In preparing a persuasive presentation, it is important to remember that generally listeners will
actively avoid information that contradicts their existing attitudes, beliefs, and values.
4)
If you use reasoning from specific instances to generalizations as a logical appeal in a persuasive
speech, it is important to consider the number of specific instances you are using.
5)
In regard to supporting material for persuasive speeches, logical appeals tend to have the most lasting
effect.
6)
According to your text, appealing to an audience’s self–actualization needs is the most common and
effective emotional appeal a persuasive speaker can use.
7)
The selective exposure principle holds that listeners will seek out information that does not agree with their
existing opinions, beliefs and values.
8)
Credibility appeals are needed only if your audience is NOT aware of your knowledge and expertise.
9)
Perceptions of what constitutes the credibility of speakers tend to be similar across cultures.
10) Questions of fact concern what is true or not true.
Completion Questions
1) __________ is the process of __________ another person’s attitudes, beliefs, values, and/or
behaviors.
2)
Listeners actively seek information that supports their opinions, attitudes, beliefs, values, and
behaviors, and conversely, they avoid information that contradicts their existing opinions, attitudes,
beliefs, values, and behaviors. This statement best supports the principle of
__________
3)
The greater and more important the change you want to produce in your audience, the
__________
difficult your task will be.
4)
Persuasive speeches serve three major goals: 1. to strengthen or weaken attitudes, beliefs, or values;
2. to change attitudes, beliefs, or values; and 3. __________
5)
The three general types of supporting material used in persuasion are
__________ appeals,
__________ appeals, and __________ appeals.
6)
Bobby and Billy have been working together for a month. Bobby observes that Billy overeats, is
regularly tired, and has extreme thirst. Bobby concludes that Billy has hyperthyroidism since these are
symptoms that frequently accompany this condition. This case illustrates logical reasoning from
__________
7)
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs includes five levels:
1. physiological, 2. __________, 3. belonging and love , 4.
__________, 5. self-actualization.
8)
Credibility appeals focus on demonstrating the qualities of competence, character, and
__________
9) Persuasive speeches on questions of fact lend themselves most clearly to
__________ organization.
10)
Persuasive speeches that urge an audience to do something about an issue address questions of
__________
Matching Sequence
Match the specific type of appeal with the statement that exemplifies it.
1)
appeal to causes and effects
A)
reasoning
2)
appeal to reasoning from specific
B)
instances and generalizations
3)
appeal to self-esteem needs
C)
If you want to be successful, you have to look
successful. QWE Department Store has everything
you need to feel confident for that first big job
interview.
When neighbors organize crime watches, reported
property crimes in the community decrease.
According to a recent nationwide survey that included
over a thousand respondents, most Americans forget to
turn off their cell phones when they go to the
movies.