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1. If you are delivering an informative speech that explains what composting is and how the
process works, which technique are you using?
A) Definition
B) Demonstration
C) Narrative
D) Explanation
2. Which type of definition gives the exact, literal definition of a term?
A) Etymological
B) Association
C) Functional
D) Dictionary
3. A(n) __________ definition gives the connotative meaning of a term.
A) association
B) expert
C) dictionary
D) etymological
4. The sentence “In practice, American law recognizes obscenity as hard-core pornography,
not as violence, disease, or other social ills” is an example of which type of definition?
A) Dictionary
B) Etymological
C) Expert
D) Functional
5. The explanation technique is an effective choice when the goal of your informative
speech is to __________.
A) break a whole into its parts
B) define a complex term
C) discuss a process
D) evoke the sense of touch
6. The description technique would work best when informing an audience on which of the
following topics?
A) Biology of photosynthesis
B) Sounds of mating doves
C) Creation of origami sculptures
D) Meaning of the Diet of Worms
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7. When using the description technique, it is most important to __________.
A) tell a story
B) define a term
C) model a process
D) use vivid language
8. A speaker who shows an audience how to prepare a baby’s bottle during a presentation
uses which informing technique?
A) Definition
B) Demonstration
C) Description
D) Natural
9. Demonstration coupled with __________ has proven especially effective as a learning
and memory-enhancement tool.
A) repetition of the speech message
B) the inclusion of expert and etymological definitions
C) the use of presentation software such as Microsoft PowerPoint
D) telling an emotional story
10. If you want to use the narrative technique when delivering an informative speech about
NASCAR accidents, you should __________.
A) identify the ways in which NASCAR safety rules have changed since the 1950s
B) provide the audience with a recording of expert testimony about accident prevention
C) show the audience a photograph of a NASCAR accident
D) tell the audience a story about a NASCAR accident
11. What should you do when using the narrative technique in an informative speech?
A) Practice telling the story until you sound overrehearsed
B) Strive to come across as casual and natural
C) Focus on making the story entertaining
D) Simultaneously tell the story and model a process
12. The one thing that all objects have in common is that they __________.
A) are not living
B) are not human
C) can be held up in the speaker’s hands
D) have cultural significance
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13. Which is an example of a mechanical object that you might deliver an informative
speech about?
A) Drill
B) Poem
C) Houseplant
D) Wig
14. A painting and a gourmet dish are examples of which type of object?
A) Cultural
B) Mechanical
C) Natural
D) Personal
15. A speech about the Temptations (the first Motown artists to win a Grammy Award)
would be an informative presentation about a(n) __________.
A) anecdote
B) group
C) idea
D) object
16. A speech on the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. is an example of which type of
informative speech topic?
A) Event
B) Idea
C) Individual
D) Object
17. An informative presentation in which the speaker demonstrates the steps of connecting
an iPad to a television set would be considered a speech about a(n) __________.
A) event
B) idea
C) individual
D) process
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18. What should you do when delivering a speech about a process?
A) Select a commonly used topic, such as how to make a peanut butter and jelly
sandwich
B) Describe the steps of the process from easiest to hardest rather than from first to last
C) Combine explanation and demonstration if your goal is to teach your listeners how
to perform the process themselves
D) Select a highly technical process, such as how changes in the tax code affect the
concept of the alternative minimum tax
19. A speech about religious freedom would be considered a speech about a(n) __________.
A) object
B) idea
C) person
D) event
20. Which statement about developing an informative speech about an idea is FALSE?
A) It doesn’t matter whether the audience has had prior exposure to the idea if you can
define and discuss it effectively.
B) Some ideas, such as the notion of “terrorism,” are loaded because people have
difficulty agreeing on their meaning.
C) If your audience has little knowledge of the idea you are discussing, you should
provide background information about it.
D) One way to help make an abstract concept more understandable for your audience is
to draw an appropriate analogy.
21. When delivering an informative speech, it’s your responsibility to __________.
A) keep the audience entertained
B) play to the audience’s emotions
C) be persuasive
D) remain objective
22. Which organizational pattern would be the best choice for a speech to explain the
trajectory of a meteor that may come dangerously close to Earth?
A) Categorical
B) Causal
C) Chronological
D) Spatial
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23. Which pattern for organizing an informative speech moves from the beginning to the end
by referencing points in time?
A) Categorical
B) Comparison
C) Chronological
D) Narrative
24. It would be most appropriate to use a narrative organizational pattern for a speech about
__________.
A) how the current presidential administration compares to past administrations
B) the life of Mahatma Gandhi
C) the migration patterns of sea turtles
D) why the skin sometimes itches
25. While delivering an informative speech on police arrest procedures, Margot played an
audio recording of a police officer responding to an emergency call. What did Margo do to
clarify her message?
A) Used jargon
B) Included an analogy to make information seem familiar
C) Used a presentation aid
D) Offered various types of definitions
26. An informative presentation is primarily designed to inspire listeners to adopt a
particular stance.
A) True
B) False
27. Most informative presentations use a blend of techniques to convey information.
A) True
B) False
28. The etymological definition of a word states the word’s denotative meaning.
A) True
B) False
29. Demonstration is an appropriate technique for informing if your goal is to teach your
audience how a set of guidelines works.
A) True
B) False
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30. Props are often used when performing a demonstration.
A) True
B) False
31. When using a narrative in an informative speech, your primary goal should be to
entertain or captivate the audience.
A) True
B) False
32. A tablet computer is an example of a natural object.
A) True
B) False
33. An informative speech about an object may also have elements of process in
it—especially if that object has moving parts.
A) True
B) False
34. The Grand Canyon would be an appropriate topic for an informative speech about a
group. A) True
B) False
35. Exciting, newsworthy, historically important, unfamiliar, or surprising events make good
topics for informative speeches.
A) True
B) False
36. An informative presentation can address a process at the micro level or the macro level.
A) True
B) False
37. Most informative speeches about ideas require the use of definition or explanation.
A) True
B) False
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38. When preparing an informative speech, you do not need to use audience analysis
because you don’t have to worry about persuading your listeners.
A) True
B) False
39. When speakers set out to develop informative speeches, they should start by selecting an
organizational pattern.
A) True
B) False
40. Speakers can strengthen their credibility by establishing common ground with their
audience.
A) True
B) False
41. Your choice of technique is crucial because it helps you decide how you’ll develop and
organize the main points and supporting materials in your presentation.
A) True
B) False
42. If you are delivering an informative speech to a small audience in a cramped space, a
Microsoft PowerPoint presentation would be a better choice of presentation aid than simple
handouts.
A) True
B) False
43. Audience demographics would be an important consideration when planning a speech on
Hmong wedding traditions or the events leading up to the assassination of U.S. president John F.
Kennedy.
A) True
B) False
44. When developing an informative speech, it’s particularly important to remain focused on
your rhetorical purpose—to inform—at every phase.
A) True
B) False
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45. The comparison organizational pattern presents the topic as a condition that must be met
for a conclusion to follow.
A) True
B) False
46. Clarity is a crucial quality of all parts of an informative speech.
A) True
B) False
47. One way to help make your message clear when developing an informative speech is to
move from a general topic to a more specific one.
A) True
B) False
48. You should always include as much information related to your topic as possible when
developing an informative speech.
A) True
B) False
49. Including technical jargon in your speech helps make complex information seem more
familiar to your listeners.
A) True
B) False
50. Repetition is the same thing as reiteration.
A) True
B) False
51. Through ____________, you break something down by its parts and explain how those
parts add up to identify the topic.
52. If a professor of archaeology explained the meaning of archaeological terms such as
assemblage, diagnostic artifact, and lithic, he or she would be providing a(n)
______________definition.
53. As a technique in informative speaking, a(n) ______________ traces a line of reasoning
or a series of causal connections between events.
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54. When you use ____________, you use words to paint mental pictures for your listeners.
55. A presentation showing how to properly fold an American flag qualifies as a(n)
______________ because it pairs physical modeling and verbal elements with the use of a
visual aid.
56. An anecdote about a misunderstanding between romantic partners is a(n)
______________ that could help support an informative speech by engaging and entertaining
the audience while also sharing information.
57. ______________ objects—such as jackets, necklaces, and ice skates—are topics for
informative speeches that do not include human subjects.
58. A(n) ______________—a notable or exceptional occurrence, such as a commemoration
at the Tomb of the Unknowns—is one type of topic for informative speeches.
59. A(n) ____________ is a series of steps or stages that lead to a particular outcome.
60. The most abstract type of informative speech is based on a(n) ______________, such as
income inequality or family values, and can be difficult for an audience to comprehend.
61. Audience ______________ are a critical part of informative speech development
because they tell the speaker such things as their listeners’ group membership, race, ethnicity,
and socioeconomic background.
62. A speech that explains the roots of a process, such as a presentation that explains how
plate tectonics lead to earthquakes or tsunamis, organizes information according to the
______________ pattern.
63. A presentation to explain running a marathon that breaks race preparation into sections
of information—such as training, nutrition, and relaxation techniques—follows the
______________ pattern for organizing an informative speech because its main points serve as
separate topics that support the speech’s thesis.
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64. Speakers should avoid using ______________, or technical or insider terminology, in
informative speeches because such verbiage tends to be difficult for listeners outside the group
or field to understand.
65. Through ______________, you clarify a complex message by referring to it several
times, using different words each time.
66. Contrast informative speaking with persuasive speaking, and identify some unique
aspects of informative speaking. Include two examples of common scenarios in which
informative messages are presented.
67. Discuss the definition technique of informing an audience, and describe the different
types of definitions.
68. Discuss why narratives are effective tools in informative speaking, and explain the
situations in which a narrative would be an appropriate technique to use in a speech. Provide
two examples of when the use of a narrative would be beneficial.
69. Chris is giving an informative speech about the life of the singer Prince. Based on the
text, what are some suggestions you can give him as he writes his speech?
70. Explain the difference between giving an informative speech about an event and giving
one about a process. Provide suggestions and examples for presenting an informative speech
about an event and a process.
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Answer Key
1. A
2. D
3. A
4. D
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