Test Bank for Communication: Making Connections, Tenth Edition
CHAPTER 12: PERSUASIVE SPEAKING
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1) Which of the following is NOT an action goal of persuasion?
A) discontinuance
B) deterrence
C) recurrence
D) adoption
E) continuance
2) In her persuasive speech, Robyn wants her listeners to stop eating too much fast food. Which subgoal of
persuasion is Robyn attempting to meet?
A) adoption
B) discontinuance
C) deterrence
D) continuance
E) recurrence
3) In his campaign to secure the Republican presidential nomination, Mitt Romney needed to aim his speeches
at persuading swing voters that the Romney-Ryan combination was the best ticket. His action goal, therefore,
was
A) rejection. B) extension. C) continuance. D) deterrence. E) adoption.
4) “I’m a tender, loving human being” and “I didn’t realize I was doing anything wrong.” These statements are
all examples of strategies that appeal to
A) concepts. B) emotion. C) logic. D) fear. E) reason.
Test Bank for Communication: Making Connections, Tenth Edition
5) The Toyota Prius is a hybrid in the automobile market. Toyota advertisers want the hybrid-lovers of America
to invest in this brand of automobile. The action goal of persuasion in the Prius advertising campaign is to
obtain
A) continuance.
B) deterrence.
C) discontinuance.
D) agreement.
E) adoption.
6) According to the text, some difference must exist between the speaker’s view and that of the audience when
the speaker’s goal is
A) deterrence. B) adoption. C) to entertain. D) avoidance. E) to inform.
7) A speech that asks whether something is good or bad, desirable or undesirable, centers around a question of
A) fact.
B) policy.
C) continuance.
D) truth.
E) value.
8) The key to attaining credibility is to establish
A) ethics, evidence, and enthusiasm.
B) warmth, commitment, and delivery.
C) values, commitment, and clarity.
D) competence, character, and charisma.
E) integrity, honesty, and dynamics.
Test Bank for Communication: Making Connections, Tenth Edition
9) When selecting a topic for a persuasive speech, you can increase your likelihood of success if you
A) select a subject that is of little concern to your audience.
B) select a topic that you’re interested in, but know relatively little about.
C) verbally attack your opponent’s position on the topic.
D) select a topic with a goal for influence or action.
E) select a topic that your audience is strongly opposed to.
10) Questions such as “Who is the richest person in the world?” and “Which building is the tallest in the world?”
reflect
A) weak questions of fact for a persuasive speech.
B) strong questions of value for a persuasive speech.
C) weak questions of policy for a persuasive speech.
D) strong questions of fact for a persuasive speech.
E) weak questions of value for a persuasive speech.
11) A logical appeal requires the ability to argue for your point of view. To accomplish this, you usually state a
A) proposition and a deductive falsifier.
B) deductive reason and an inductive reason.
C) deductive falsifier and a justification.
D) proposition and a justification.
E) deductive proposition and an inductive proposition.
12) Which of the following statements is true about question of value speeches?
A) Questions of value are about religious references.
B) Effective speakers base their answers to questions of value on their personal opinions.
Test Bank for Communication: Making Connections, Tenth Edition
C) Questions of value are usually straightforward to answer.
D) Speakers must address the need, plan, and suitability of their positions when answering questions of
value.
E) Effective speakers should justify their answers to questions of value, using research and evidence to
build strong cases.
13) The specific purpose of Andrew’s speech is “To persuade the audience that Facebook should be banned from
providing personal information to third party advertisers.” Andrew’s speech centers on a question of
A) policy. B) value. C) deterrence. D) attitude. E) fact.
14) When discussing questions of policy, persuasive speakers usually focus on
A) beliefs about right and wrong, resources, and suitability.
B) emotional appeals, warrants, and needs.
C) need, resources, and suitability.
D) need, plan, and suitability.
E) need, warrants, and suitability.
15) In a speech persuading her audience to donate money to support cancer research, Caroline discusses how she
lost her father to cancer, and wishes that he were here today to see the woman she has become. Caroline is
using
A) logical appeal.
B) deductive reasoning.
C) reasoning by analogy.
D) emotional appeal.
E) inductive reasoning.
Test Bank for Communication: Making Connections, Tenth Edition
16) When you develop an argument that progresses from a series of related facts to a general conclusion, you are
engaging in
A) reasoning by metaphor.
B) deductive reasoning.
C) inductive reasoning.
D) causal reasoning.
E) reasoning by analogy.
17) During a presidential debate, both candidates include irrelevant information on education to divert attention
from the real issue: foreign policy. The flaw most clearly evident in both candidates’ argument development
is called
A) red herring fallacy.
B) questionable cause.
C) ergo propter hoc.
D) ad hominem attack.
E) misuse of fact and opinion.
18) In Meredith’s speech on the need to add more student parking spaces, she said, “My roommate agrees that
we need more parking spaces, as does my boyfriend. It is clear that students on this campus believe we need
more parking spaces.” The flaw most clearly evident in Meredith’s argument development is called
A) hasty generalization.
B) red herring fallacy.
C) ad hominem attack.
D) induction.
E) questionable cause.
19) “To persuade the audience that it is wrong for employers to use drug–testing to screen employees” is a
persuasive purpose focused on a question of
A) value. B) fact. C) deduction. D) policy. E) deterrence.
Test Bank for Communication: Making Connections, Tenth Edition
20) According to Toulmin’s model of everyday argument, listeners can respond to the claims advanced by a
speaker in which of the following ways?
A) The can reject the claim based on the amount of humor used in the speech.
B) They can accept the claim based on the organizational structure of the argument.
C) They can reject the speaker’s claims based on the internal summaries used in the speech.
D) They can fail to consider the claim and the speaker.
E) They can accept the speaker’s claims at face value.
21) The decision whether or not to present both sides of an issue rests on
A) the speaker’s ability to use gestures.
B) the audience’s evaluation of the speaker’s credibility.
C) whether or not the audience is interested in the topic.
D) the speaker’s knowledge of the topic.
E) the speaker’s ability to use humor.
22) The visualization step in the motivated sequence pattern of organization
A) provides the details of the solution which will solve the problem.
B) presents an example of the problem.
C) explains how the solution relates to the audience’s needs and will solve the problem.
D) describes the ways in which the audience can commit to the proposed solution.
E) explains how the problem relates to the audience’s concerns and interests.
Test Bank for Communication: Making Connections, Tenth Edition
23) Toulmin’s model of everyday argument includes which of the following elements?
A) logical fallacies, humor, and warrants
B) data, warrants, and evidence
C) logical fallacies, data, and warrants
D) claims, data, and warrants
E) claims, logical fallacies, and data
24) Persuasive policy speeches generally fall under all the following categories EXCEPT
A) defending existing policy.
B) reporting on existing policy.
C) offering a new policy to replace an old one.
D) suggesting the creation of a policy.
E) modifying an existing policy.
25) When making an argument, the statement indicating what the speaker hopes will be believed is called a(n)
A) warrant. B) data. C) argument. D) claim. E) assertion.
26) A speaker can enhance perceptions of his or her competence by
A) demonstrating involvement.
B) using at least one visual aid per main point.
C) using other people’s ideas and language.
D) using a lot of humor.
E) citing irrelevant research.
27) The main elements contributing to the character of a speaker are trustworthiness and
Test Bank for Communication: Making Connections, Tenth Edition
A) flexibility. B) reasoning. C) delivery. D) ethics. E) eye contact.
28) Which of the following best describes charismatic speakers?
A) They are always successful in their attempts to persuade their audiences.
B) They rely solely on humor instead of sound evidence.
C) They are relatively unconcerned with audience engagement.
D) They speak with energy and enthusiasm.
E) They are more interested in the topic than in their listeners.
29) Which of the following steps is not included in Monroe’s motivated sequence pattern?
A) visualization
B) need
C) evaluation
D) attention
E) action
30) The problem-solution pattern typically includes which of the following elements?
A) a description of how things might be arranged
B) suggesting causes and effects
C) a description of how the best plan can be implemented
D) a description of how to complete the process
E) several subtopics breaking down the main topic of the speech
Test Bank for Communication: Making Connections, Tenth Edition
TRUE/FALSE
1) It is impossible to change people’s attitudes and beliefs without changing their behaviors.
2) Deterrence and continuance ask people to change their behaviors.
3) A speaker’s delivery should play an insignificant role when evaluating a persuasive speech.
4) Topics that lend themselves more readily to persuasive speaking are those topics that are current and
controversial.
5) According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, physical needs are our most basic physiological requirements.
6) A good strategy is to present your strongest arguments at the beginning of the speech and repeat them again
at the end.
Test Bank for Communication: Making Connections, Tenth Edition
7) An appeal to needs attempts to move people to action through the use of evidence and proof.
8) A question like “Where is the headquarters for Apple?” can be answered with a fact.
9) If used correctly, the problem-solution pattern should do nothing more than state a problem and offer a
solution.
10) Because the motivated sequence pattern focuses on action, it is best suited for persuasive speeches.
SHORT ANSWER
1) What is the ultimate goal of a persuasive speech? How does a speaker know if he or she has accomplished
this goal?
Test Bank for Communication: Making Connections, Tenth Edition
accomplished his or her persuasive goal occurs over time, as the listener processes the information,
experiences additional information, and decides if the speaker was right.
2) What does credibility have to do with persuasion?
3) What does the text suggest regarding when to present your best arguments in speech? Why should you follow
this suggestion?
4) Explain the difference between the two action goals: adoption and continuance. Give one example of each to
support your explanation.
5) Give one example of a post hoc fallacy.
Test Bank for Communication: Making Connections, Tenth Edition
6) Give one example of reasoning by analogy.
7) Explain the difference between inductive and deductive reasoning. Provide examples of each in order to
illustrate your explanation.
8) What are the general requirements of most persuasive speech presentations?
9) Explain what you can do to enhance your chances of presenting an effective persuasive speech.
10) What are two of the three special decisions you should make when organizing the topic of a persuasive
speech?
Test Bank for Communication: Making Connections, Tenth Edition
11) How can you establish your competence as a speaker? Identify at least two ways to accomplish this.
12) List some questions which can help you become an effective listener.
13) Describe the problem-solution pattern of organization, including the elements of what is usually included in a
problem-solution speech.
Test Bank for Communication: Making Connections, Tenth Edition
14) List, explain, and provide an example of two fallacies of reason in argument development.
15) List and provide an example of the three parts of the Toulmin model of argument.
16) Provide one example of an ad hominem fallacy.
17) Briefly describe the problem-solution pattern of organization. Provide an example.
18) To be ethical, how should a speaker use emotional appeals?
Test Bank for Communication: Making Connections, Tenth Edition
19) Identify and define the two elements of character that enhance speaker credibility. How will you cultivate
these two elements during the persuasive presentations you engage in during this class and/or in your career?
20) Explain how appealing to needs is important in a persuasive presentation. Describe how you plan to appeal to
needs during your persuasive presentations.
ESSAY
1) Identify the components of the Toulmin model for argument and explain how they may be helpful for
speakers and listeners as they evaluate arguments.
2) Describe the five steps in Monroe’s Motivated Sequence. Design an infomercial for a product using the five
steps in Monroe’s Motivated Sequence.
Test Bank for Communication: Making Connections, Tenth Edition
3) List and explain the three considerations a speaker usually focuses on when discussing a question of policy.
4) Arguments that do not follow rules of logic are called fallacies. Explain the types of fallacies identified in
your textbook. Why is it important to avoid fallacies in your speech?
5) In your opinion, which are the two most important dimensions for evaluating a persuasive speech? Defend
your position by addressing specific criteria that are most relevant to your position. What actions would you
recommend to an individual who fails to meet your expected criteria?
Test Bank for Communication: Making Connections, Tenth Edition