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1. The style of the words you use in your speech consists of word choices and rhetorical
devices.
A) True
B) False
2. Speeches make less frequent use of repetition than do most forms of written
communication.
A) True
B) False
3. Spoken communication is more interactive than written language.
A) True
B) False
4. Speakers should strive for simplicity by using jargon in their speeches.
A) True
B) False
5. The specialized “insider” language of a given profession is called concrete language.
A) True
B) False
6. Speakers should take care not to use simple language because it can seem condescending
to listeners.
A) True
B) False
7. Speakers should avoid repeating themselves.
A) True
B) False
8. Phrases and sentence fragments should be avoided in both written and spoken language.
A) True
B) False
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9. Effective speakers often repeat key words or phrases.
A) True
B) False
10. Abstract language has no physical reference.
A) True
B) False
11. “Bravery,” “jealousy,” and “wisdom” are all examples of abstract language.
A) True
B) False
12. Speakers can create imagery by modifying nouns with descriptive adjectives.
A) True
B) False
13. A metaphor compares one thing to another, using like or as to do so.
A) True
B) False
14. “Love is a rose” is an example of a simile.
A) True
B) False
15. An analogy compares an unfamiliar concept or process to a more familiar one to help
audience members understand the unfamiliar one.
A) True
B) False
16. Irony refers to endowing abstract ideas or inanimate objects with human qualities.
A) True
B) False
17. Speakers should use malapropisms in their speeches to inspire audience confidence.
A) True
B) False
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18. The connotative meaning is the literal, or dictionary, definition of a word.
A) True
B) False
19. Speaking in the passive rather than the active voice will make a speaker’s statements
clear and assertive instead of indirect and weak.
A) True
B) False
20. A speaker’s use of personal pronouns fosters a sense of inclusion and creates an
impression of conviction.
A) True
B) False
21. A mixed metaphor is a predictable or stale comparison.
A) True
B) False
22. Colloquial expressions are sayings that are specific to a certain region or group of
people.
A) True
B) False
23. Speakers should word their speeches with gender-neutral language.
A) True
B) False
24. A speaker using anaphora is repeating a word or phrase at the end of successive
sentences.
A) True
B) False
25. Alliteration is the arrangement of words, phrases, or sentences in a similar form.
A) True
B) False
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26. Parallelism is the repetition of the same sounds, usually initial consonants, in two or
more neighboring words or syllables.
A) True
B) False
27. Anaphora and epiphora are forms of repetition.
A) True
B) False
28. Which of the following represents a difference between oral and written style?
A) Spoken language uses fewer contractions.
B) Spoken language uses more personal pronouns.
C) Written language uses more sentence fragments.
D) Written language uses more repetition and transitions.
29. Which technique can help a speaker prepare his or her speech to be heard rather than
read? A) choosing the more complex synonym: “extrapolate” for “guess”
B) experimenting with sentence fragments
C) using more rather than fewer words to express his or her thoughts
D) avoiding contractions
30. A speaker who uses vivid imagery
A) tends to use passive forms of the verb “to be.”
B) distracts listeners from the main point of the speech.
C) helps audiences recall the speech.
D) uses abstract language.
31. People in Wisconsin call drinking fountains “bubblers.” This is an example of
A) a simile.
B) a colloquial expression.
C) a cliché.
D) connotative meaning.
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32. Forms of expression that make striking comparisons that help listeners visualize, identify
with, and understand the speaker’s ideas are called
A) alliteration.
B) libelous language.
C) figures of speech.
D) conjunctions.
33. “She is as busy as a bee” best illustrates which of the following techniques?
A) simile
B) metaphor
C) personification
D) alliteration
34. Comparing the budget of the U.S. government to a household budget is an example of
A) hyperbole.
B) irony.
C) faulty analogy.
D) mixed metaphor.
35. A speaker should avoid using expressions that are
A) clichés.
B) analogies.
C) gender neutral.
D) figures of speech.
36. The mixing in of casual language, dialects, a second language, or slang in a speech is
called A) hyperbole.
B) mixed metaphor.
C) allusion.
D) code-switching.
37. According to Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary, the word plump means “having a
pleasingly full rounded shape.” This is the word’s _____ meaning.
A) hyperbolic
B) analogous
C) denotative
D) connotative
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38. _____ lends a poetic, musical rhythm to speech.
A) Metaphor
B) Parallelism
C) Alliteration
D) Epiphora
39. One device that helps a speaker incorporate rhythm into a speech is
A) repetition.
B) personification.
C) analogy.
D) metaphor.
40. “The White House issued a statement today in response to the incident.” This statement
illustrates which of the following techniques?
A) anaphora
B) metaphor
C) personification
D) alliteration
41. Speakers often make use of three parallel elements, called a
A) trilogy.
B) triumvirate.
C) triplet.
D) triad.
42. In Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, Mark Antony says, “The evil that men do lives after
them; The good is oft interred with their bones.” This is an example of
A) alliteration.
B) antithesis.
C) epiphora.
D) metaphor.
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Answer Key
1. A
2. B
17. B
18. B