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1. The general goal of persuasive speaking is to influence, advocate, or ask listeners to
accept the speaker’s point of view.
A) True
B) False
2. The ability to speak persuasively ensures a healthy democracy.
A) True
B) False
3. In ancient Greece and Rome, persuasion was known as rhetoric.
A) True
B) False
4. The persuasive speaker’s objective is to limit the audience’s alternatives to the side the
speaker represents by ignoring the unfavorable alternatives.
A) True
B) False
5. The ethical persuasive speaker respects audience members’ choices.
A) True
B) False
6. Audiences rarely respond immediately to a persuasive appeal.
A) True
B) False
7. Reputation factors into a speaker’s initial credibility.
A) True
B) False
8. Derived credibility describes the totality of the audience’s impressions of the speaker.
A) True
B) False
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9. The persuader who seeks only minor changes is usually more successful at achieving
them than the speaker who seeks major changes.
A) True
B) False
10. A speaker is less likely to persuade audience members whose position differs only
moderately from the speaker’s.
A) True
B) False
11. To be persuaded to change, listeners must be convinced that they will somehow be
rewarded.
A) True
B) False
12. According to Aristotle, persuasive appeals consist of logos, ethos, and mythos.
A) True
B) False
13. Persuasive appeals based on reasoning are termed logos.
A) True
B) False
14. A proof is a stated position, with support, for or against an idea or issue.
A) True
B) False
15. Pathos involves the appeal to audience emotion.
A) True
B) False
16. Demogagues and propagandists use pathos in an unethical manner.
A) True
B) False
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17. An appeal that deliberately arouses fear or anxiety in the audience has no legitimate
place in public speaking.
A) True
B) False
18. Speakers who employ propaganda aim to manipulate an audience’s emotions for the
purpose of promoting a belief system or dogma.
A) True
B) False
19. Narratives (storytelling) are not recommended in persuasive speeches because they
usually lack seriousness.
A) True
B) False
20. One element of an ethos-based appeal is the speaker’s moral character.
A) True
B) False
21. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is a set of seven basic human needs.
A) True
B) False
22. The highest level in Maslow’s hierarchy is self-esteem needs.
A) True
B) False
23. The elaboration likelihood model of persuasion (ELM) maintains that people
consciously evaluate the potential costs and benefits associated with taking a particular action.
A) True
B) False
24. Central processing occurs when listeners are motivated and able to think critically about
the content of a speaker’s message.
A) True
B) False
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25. Speaker credibility includes expertise, trustworthiness, and speaker similarity.
A) True
B) False
26. Speaker similarity involves listeners’ perceptions of how similar the speaker is to
themselves, especially in terms of attitudes and moral character.
A) True
B) False
27. Listeners engaged in peripheral processing pay extra-special attention to messages, and
consider them relevant to their own lives.
A) True
B) False
28. Ending abruptly, without a good summation, and hurrying away from the venue will
negatively impact terminal credibility.
A) True
B) False
29. One way speakers can encourage listeners to engage in central rather than peripheral
processing is to demonstrate common bonds (foster identification).
A) True
B) False
30. A persuasive speech
A) attempts to change people’s attitudes, values, beliefs, or behavior.
B) capitalizes on the fears and dreams of the audience.
C) may aim to weaken beliefs about a certain controversy.
D) aims to force listeners to change attitudes and beliefs to more closely match the
speaker’s own.
31. Audience members will assign speakers more or less credibility based on their actual
message, including the quality of evidence and the skill with which the speech is delivered. This
is called _____ credibility.
A) initial
B) derived
C) terminal
D) expert
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32. A speaker is more likely to persuade audience members whose position differs _______
from the speaker’s.
A) totally
B) moderately
C) drastically
D) ethically
33. According to Aristotle, persuasive appeals consist of
A) logos, pathos, and ethos.
B) logos, mythos, and ethos.
C) logos, pathos, and mythos.
D) logos, ethos, and credos.
34. A person who relies heavily on irrelevant emotional appeals to short-circuit the listeners’
rational decision-making process is called a(n)
A) ethical speaker.
B) demagogue.
C) docugandist.
D) propagandist.
35. A persuasive appeal by emotion is termed
A) logos.
B) ethos.
C) pathos.
D) credos.
36. In her persuasive speech about how dental hygiene can affect other aspects of health,
Marisa provided the audience with convincing information because of her knowledge and
experience as a dental hygienist. Marisa employed which type of appeal?
A) logos
B) ethos
C) pathos
D) credos
37. Jerry gave a persuasive speech that attempted to convince his classmates to take a
self-defense course. According to Maslow, this speech appealed to which basic need?
A) physiological
B) safety
C) social
D) self-esteem
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38. In his persuasive talk for teenagers at an inner-city community center, Tomas
encouraged his audience to attend his upcoming workshop on applying and paying for college.
According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, which need did Tomas appeal to?
A) physiological
B) social
C) safety
D) self-actualization
39. According to the elaboration likelihood model of persuasion (ELM), more long-lasting
changes in audience perspectives occur if listeners process the speech message
A) centrally.
B) peripherally.
C) favorably.
D) diffusively.
40. Although the audience did not pay close attention to Marletta’s speech message, they
were influenced by her stylish attire and her reputation as a local television reporter. According
to the elaboration likelihood model of persuasion (ELM), which of the following swayed the
audience to think positively about Marletta?
A) central processing
B) marginal processing
C) peripheral processing
D) diffusive processing
41. The audience’s perceptions of expertise, trustworthiness, and speaker similarity comprise
speaker
A) expertise.
B) credibility.
C) ethos.
D) persuasiveness.
42. If a speaker possesses expertise, he or she
A) is a world authority on the speech topic.
B) has enough knowledge and experience to help the audience understand the speech
topic.
C) has the same attitudes and moral character as the audience.
D) can often overwhelm an audience.
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43. Which theory suggests that an individual will consider what a close friend or family
member will think when making important decisions?
A) elaboration likelihood theory
B) consequence theory
C) hierarchy theory
D) expectancy value theory
44. The principles of _____ theory can help you plan a persuasive speech in which the
specific purpose is to target behavior.
A) elaboration likelihood
B) consequence
C) hierarchy
D) expectancy value
Answer Key
1. A
2. A
