Chapter 19: Prepare to Persuade
Test Bank
Multiple Choice
1. ______ and change characterize our lives.
a. Choice
b. Chance
c. Clarity
d. Commodity
2. The positions we take on the issues of the day and our efforts to convince others of
our correctness
a. can have a real impact.
b. do not have any impact.
c. only occasionally have an impact.
d. only rarely have an impact.
3. ______ is the deliberate attempt to change or reinforce attitudes, beliefs, values, or
behaviors.
a. Trickery
b. Persuasion
c. Arguing
d. Influencing
4. A(n) ______ is a mental set or predisposition that leads us to respond to or evaluate
people, places, things, or events positively or negatively.
a. attitude
b. belief
c. value
d. idea
5. _____ are classified along a continuum ranging from positive to negative, with
neutrality at the midpoint.
a. Attitudes
b. Beliefs
c. Values
d. Ideas
6. If most of your audience members are neutral toward your topic, your primary task is
a. to provide information to redirect audience member attitudes.
b. to offer arguments that reduce hostility or negativity.
c. to supply them with reasons to care and evidence that substantiates your position.
d. to provide information and arguments that give listeners reason to reaffirm their
stance.
7. The idea that some attitudes are negative and some are positive is referring to
a. the direction.
b. the intensity.
c. the salience.
d. the weight.
8. The strength of the positive or negative attitude is referred to as its ______.
a. direction
b. intensity
c. salience
d. weight
9. The importance and relevance the attitude has for its holders is called
a. its direction.
b. its intensity.
c. its salience.
d. its weight.
10. Attitudes can differ in all of the following EXCEPT
a. direction.
b. intensity.
c. salience.
d. weight.
11. We measure attitudes along a ______ continuum.
a. favorable/unfavorable
b. probable/improbable
c. moral/immoral
d. happy/unhappy
12. We measure beliefs along a ______ continuum.
a. favorable/unfavorable
b. probable/improbable
c. moral/immoral
d. happy/unhappy
13. ______, sometimes referred to as core beliefs, are enduring and deeply ingrained
indicators of what we each feel is good or bad, right or wrong.
a. Attitudes
b. Wants
c. Needs
d. Values
14. If we value honesty over deception, we classify honesty as
a. desirable.
b. undesirable.
c. strange.
d. neutral.
15. When delivering a persuasive speech, we use to select our subject all of the
following EXCEPT
a. values.
b. beliefs.
c. attitudes.
d. needs.
16. Persuasive speakers seek change that can result in all of the following goals
EXCEPT
a. contradiction of a position.
b. shift in a position.
c. adoption of a behavior.
d. elimination of a behavior.
17. The persuasive speaker must be able to answer which of following questions?
a. What exactly am I trying to reinforce or change in my receivers?
b. What information can I provide?
c. What causes and effects of phenomena can I outline?
d. What are the needs of my audience members?
18. Speeches to persuade can take all of the following directions EXCEPT
a. adopt a new way of thinking.
b. present facts about a way of thinking.
c. sustain a way of thinking.
d. extinguish a way of thinking.
19. A question of _____ includes an evaluation of person, event, situation, or action.
a. fact
b. value
c. policy
d. idea
20. A question of ______ includes what you think should be done.
a. fact
b. value
c. policy
d. idea
21. What do you use to persuade receivers of the truth of your proposition of fact?
a. Evidence
b. Emotion
c. Charisma
d. Deception
22. Propositions of ______ are conclusions asserting that something does or does not
exist, is or is not true, or is or is not valid.
a. fact
b. value
c. policy
d. right
23. The question “What is moral?” would be best answered by a proposition of
a. fact.
b. value.
c. policy.
d. right.
24. A proposition of ______ might ask receivers to take action to remedy an existing
situation or solve a perceived problem.
a. fact
b. value
c. policy
d. right
25. In a question of policy speech where you quickly reviewed the need for change and
moved on to a consideration of your plan and its viability, it is likely you would use a
______ format.
a. relative advantages
b. collective advantages
c. combined advantages
d. comparative advantages
26. The third phase of Monroe’s motivated sequence is
a. need.
b. satisfaction.
c. visualization.
d. action.
27. During this phase of Monroe’s motivated sequence, the speaker asks the audience
to support and act on their policy.
a. Need
b. Satisfaction
c. Visualization
d. Action
28. ______ are sometimes referred to as core beliefs and are enduring and deeply
ingrained indicators of what we each feel is good or bad, right or wrong.
29. A _____ is the relationship you wish to establish between accepted facts and your
desired conclusions.
30. Presenting each reason as a main point is using the ______ approach.
31. When speaking on a question of ______, you convince your audience with reasons
and then by proposing practical action or a solution
32. In a question of policy speech where the first main point depicts the nature and
seriousness of the problem, the problem’s causes in the second main point, and the
33. ______ motivated sequence is an organizational framework that speakers on
propositions of policy find particularly effective in motivating receivers to act.
34. Monroe’s Motivated Sequence has ______ phases that move listeners toward
accepting and acting on a proposition of policy.
True/False
35. When we change or reinforce another’s attitudes, beliefs, or values (with or without
coercing or manipulating them), we practice persuasion ethically and successfully.
36. If you and the audience already share similar attitudes it is actually more difficult a
task to persuade them.
37. We measure attitudes along a favorable-unfavorable continuum, and beliefs along a
probable–improbable one.
38. Attitudes and beliefs work in concert.
39. It is common to use a topical organization to organize speeches on questions of
fact.
40. If you believe that you can best achieve the goals of your persuasive presentation
by describing an issue as worsening over time, you would use a spatial organization.
41. A proposition of value represents your assertion of a statement’s worth.
42. When you are speaking on a proposition of value, your task is to justify your belief or
opinion so that your receivers accept it too.
Essay
43. Discuss and exemplify how attitudes and beliefs work in concert.
Ans: Area to explain: If you have a positive attitude toward someone or something, you
44. When deciding on a persuasive speech topic, after you have identified strong
attitudes you hold about five controversial issues, what is next?
Ans: Area to explain: Identify the beliefs you hold that help explain your attitude on each
45. Discuss and exemplify how you define specific aims.
46. Discuss and exemplify how you would use a refutation format.
47. Briefly explain what happens during phase two (need) of Monroe’s motivated
sequence.
Ans: Area to explain: This phase is when you show the audience that there is a serious