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Answer Key
1. C
2. B
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1. New forms of art are often criticized because they lack
A) style.
B) humor.
C) a familiar pattern.
D) skill.
2. What is the key to experiencing freedom as a speaker when working within or outside of
speech genres?
A) Always meet audience expectations.
B) Learn the rules of a speech genre.
C) Be sure to exercise caution when constructing a speech.
D) Use speech genres as a road map.
3. If you were giving a forensic speech, you would likely focus on
A) the past.
B) the future.
C) celebrating an event.
D) inducing change.
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4. Which contemporary speech genres is focused on the present?
A) deliberative
B) informative
C) celebratory
D) persuasive
5. Which contemporary speech genre is focused on the past?
A) deliberative
B) informative
C) celebratory
D) persuasive
6. Which contemporary speech genre is focused on the future?
A) deliberative
B) informative
C) celebratory
D) persuasive
7. You give a speech that teaches the audience how to make a lemon meringue pie. Which
contemporary speech genre does this fall under?
A) celebratory
B) informative
C) persuasive
D) forensic
8. What is a benefit of understanding the expectations of certain speech genres?
A) It can provide a framework to work in.
B) It ensures that the audience will agree with the message.
C) It decreases the amount of time needed for research and writing.
D) It reduces the likelihood of a misunderstanding.
9. Which is considered a contemporary speech genre?
A) epideictic
B) informative
C) deliberative
D) forensic
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10. If you are teaching a classroom of fourth graders, which contemporary genre of speech
will the audience expect?
A) celebratory
B) informative
C) deliberative
D) forensic
11. Why is it helpful to compare ancient speech genres with contemporary ones?
A) to exhibit how dynamic speech forms are
B) to show that genres are unpredictable
C) to display how enduring speech genres are
D) to illustrate the fluidity of speech genres
12. According to Aristotle, which type of speech was given by someone to celebrate or
commemorate?
A) deliberative
B) judicial
C) epideictic
D) persuasive
13. Which ancient Greek genre of speech is focused on the present?
A) deliberative
B) forensic
C) epideictic
D) persuasive
14. According to Aristotle, which type of speech was given by someone accused of a crime
or wrongdoing?
A) deliberative
B) judicial
C) epideictic
D) informative
15. Which ancient Greek genre of speech is focused on the past?
A) deliberative
B) forensic
C) epideictic
D) persuasive
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16. According to Aristotle, which type of speech contains a persuasive argument about
something people should or should not do?
A) deliberative
B) forensic
C) epideictic
D) celebratory
17. Why did Aristotle consider deliberative oratory to be the riskiest genre?
A) It requires the greatest trust in the speaker.
B) It determines whether one is convicted of a crime.
C) It is about someone who is present during the speech.
D) It is about a topic on which the audience is already informed.
18. Which ancient Greek genre of speech is focused on the future?
A) deliberative
B) forensic
C) epideictic
D) legal
19. What does a speech genre create in your audience?
A) fear
B) power
C) expectation
D) comfort
20. What are contemporary speech genres based on?
A) guidelines
B) groupings
C) expectations
D) professions
21. Which is considered a contemporary speech genre?
A) deliberative
B) epideictic
C) forensic
D) persuasive
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22. Nora is writing a speech to encourage people to take steps to reduce their carbon
footprint. Which speech genre is most appropriate in this case?
A) deliberative
B) informative
C) forensic
D) persuasive
23. Mikhail is preparing a speech to give at his boss’s retirement party. Which speech genre
is most appropriate in this case?
A) celebratory
B) informative
C) forensic
D) persuasive
24. Reyna gives testimony during a court case to convince a judge of her innocence. Which
contemporary speech genre does this fall under?
A) deliberative
B) celebratory
C) forensic
D) persuasive
25. If you are giving a speech asking for donations to your intramural soccer team, which
genre of speech will the audience expect?
A) informative
B) celebratory
C) forensic
D) persuasive
26. You are speaking at a memorial service for a mentor who has died. The audience will be
expecting what type of speech?
A) deliberative
B) celebratory
C) forensic
D) persuasive
27. According to Kenneth Burke, what causes people to enjoy or reject a piece of art?
A) style
B) purpose
C) form
D) humor
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28. _____ is the activation and satisfaction of expectations in audiences.
A) Genre
B) Rhetoric
C) Form
D) Persuasion
29. A speaker should understand _____ in order to meet audience expectations.
A) style
B) rhetoric
C) form
D) persuasion
30. On what would you focus if you are giving an epideictic speech?
A) the past
B) the future
C) inducing change
D) celebrating an event
31. Which describes a judicial speech?
A) It is focused on the future.
B) Its goal is to inform or educate the audience.
C) It asks the audience to make a judgment.
D) It seeks to amplify shared beliefs, attitudes, and values.
32. Which describes deliberative speeches?
A) Their goal is to inform the audience.
B) They focus on the past.
C) They ask the audience to make a judgment.
D) They are also called policy speeches.
33. Which describes the epideictic speech genre?
A) Its goal is to induce change.
B) Its goal is to inform the audience.
C) It seeks to amplify shared beliefs.
D) It is also called legal oratory.
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34. Henry is a roofer listening to a speech about safety at work. At the end of the speech,
Henry decides he will always wear a safety harness when working on roofs. What type of
speech did Henry most likely listen to?
A) celebratory
B) forensic
C) informative
D) persuasive
35. Which describes the celebratory speech genre?
A) It is focused on the future.
B) It focuses on teaching.
C) It is considered a traditional speech genre.
D) It is most similar to epideictic speaking.
36. Which ancient Greek genre of speech was described as not asking anything of the
audience?
A) forensic
B) informative
C) persuasive
D) epideictic
37. The ancient genre of judicial speeches has been absorbed into which contemporary
speech genre?
A) forensic
B) celebratory
C) persuasive
D) informative
38. You are giving a speech asking everyone to consider voting to pass a particular
proposition that will increase funding for local schools. Which ancient Greek genre would this
be classified as?
A) forensic
B) informative
C) persuasive
D) deliberative
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39. Matthew has received a parking ticket and is representing himself in court. Which
traditional genre of speech would this fall under?
A) forensic
B) informative
C) persuasive
D) celebratory
40. Form helps a speaker understand an audience’s
A) misconceptions.
B) humor.
C) prejudices.
D) expectations.
41. The appropriateness of violating an audience’s expectations of a given speech genre
depends on your
A) familiarity with the conventions.
B) mastery of traditional speech techniques.
C) speaking situation.
D) chosen speech form.
42. Early theories of public speaking categorized oratory based on
A) expectations.
B) guidelines.
C) speech settings.
D) professions.
43. What is a label for a widely recognized form in a given culture?
A) rhetoric
B) genre
C) style
D) persuasion
44. If you are giving a speech intended to convince an audience to exercise more, your
speech will likely focus on
A) known information.
B) celebrating.
C) the future.
D) the present.
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45. Aristotle formed his idea of speech genres based on
A) audience expectations.
B) the opinions of those who were most powerful.
C) the judgments that people were asked to make.
D) speaker expectations.
46. According to contemporary scholars, how many categories of speeches exist?
A) one
B) two
C) three
D) four
47. Which is the goal of epideictic speeches?
A) to inform or teach
B) to praise or blame
C) to induce change
D) to persuade
48. Which is the goal of deliberative speeches?
A) to inform or teach
B) to persuade or induce change
C) to praise
D) to celebrate
49. Which is the goal of judicial speeches?
A) to inform
B) to persuade
C) to praise
D) to celebrate
50. What would you focus on when giving a deliberative speech?
A) the past
B) the present
C) proving your guilt or innocence
D) inducing change
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51. Nate is giving a policy speech. Based on this, we know that the objective of his speech is
to A) teach the audience about a process.
B) strengthen community bonds and celebrate the present.
C) convince the audience of his innocence in a court of law.
D) persuade people to engage in a specific behavior.
52. Kari is giving a forensic speech. Based on this, we know that she is most likely
attempting to
A) demonstrate what an ideal future looks like.
B) amplify the beliefs and attitudes of the audience.
C) convince the audience of her innocence.
D) teach the audience about forensics.
53. What is a defining characteristic of a deliberative speech?
A) It is primarily used in legal proceedings.
B) It encourages change by focusing on the future.
C) It includes “how to” information.
D) It praises a specific individual or event.
54. If you are giving an epideictic speech, you would likely focus on
A) the past.
B) the present.
C) your guilt or innocence.
D) inducing change.
55. For the speaker, sometimes audience expectations can feel constraining.
A) True
B) False
56. Scholar Kenneth Burke concluded that people derive a sense of pleasure from hearing
things that are repeated.
A) True
B) False
57. Many human art forms are categorized into genres to make them easier to talk about.
A) True
B) False
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58. The term speech guidelines describes the sets of expectations in speaking contexts.
A) True
B) False
59. Comparing the ancient genres of speech to the contemporary genres of speech is useful
for understanding how dynamic public speaking genres are in Western culture.
A) True
B) False
60. According to Kenneth Burke, fulfillment of a familiar pattern causes people to reject a
piece of art.
A) True
B) False
61. Aristotle argued that an audience’s sense of drama leads them to either enjoy or reject a
work of art.
A) True
B) False
62. Form is purely a mental experience.
A) True
B) False
63. Epideictic speeches are focused on an uncertain future.
A) True
B) False
64. If you intend to break from the expectations of a given speech genre, you must do so
artfully and with respect.
A) True
B) False
65. If you are giving a lecture to a classroom of students, your speech will likely focus on
the past.
A) True
B) False
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66. Audiences may become confused if a speaker follows a genre’s guidelines too closely.
A) True
B) False
67. Speaking genres have remained relatively stables for centuries.
A) True
B) False
68. One component of Aristotle’s formed idea of speech genres is based on how the audience
was expected to respond.
A) True
B) False
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Answer Key
1. C
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