Which of the following are considerations for adjusting your speeches to a given
speaking situation?
a. Will the time or timing of my speech pose any challenges?
b. Will the physical location for my speech pose any challenges?
c. Are there any recent news events of relevance I should account for?
d. All of the above
What kind of fallacy are we guilty of when we misstate opposing views in a manner
that makes them easier to discredit?
a. post hoc
b. straw man
c. shaky principle
d. ad hominem
Because he is so visibly nervous, Johnny’s speech on stress management is not very
effective. His presentation fails to satisfy what requirement of integrated
communication?
a. congruent verbal and nonverbal messages
b. failure to achieve one’s optimum pitch
c. lack of regard for audience concerns
d. poor topic choice
What is characteristic of an analogous color scheme?
a. uses colors that are opposite on the color wheel
b. uses colors that are adjacent on the color wheel
c. combines colors that are opposite on the color wheel
d. suggests tension and opposition
Proxemics is the study of how humans use what in communication?
a. time
b. space
c. appearance
d. touch
What form of information should be our first objective when researching speech topics?
a. definitions
b. expert opinions
c. engaging narratives
d. the facts
The fact that effective public speaking almost always impresses audiences best reflects
what form of credibility discussed in your text?
a. evolving
b. emerging
c. initial
d. terminal
Which source of testimony would be the best choice for illustrating the real-life
consequences of issues?
a. expert
b. reluctant
c. lay
d. prestige
What type of transition reminds listeners of the points you have covered before you
move onto the next part of your message?
a. stock words
b. internal summary
c. vocalized pause
d. signpost
Thinking about the date you have after class represents what form of listening barrier?
a. presentation problems
b. personal concerns
c. chance association of words
d. listening burnout
What do effective speakers use to demonstrate to their listeners that they are through
with one point or part of their speeches, and moving onto the next?
a. divination
b. subpoints
c. transitions
d. passage markers
“Public speaking is a skill. Public speaking is an art. Public speaking is the essence of
democracy” is an example of _____.
a. parallel construction
b. alliteration
c. inversion
d. antithesis
A speech explaining why the New Orleans levee system failed in the wake of Hurricane
Katrina would most likely call for what informative design?
a. sequential
b. spatial
c. causation
d. categorical
For his speech on earthquake preparedness, Stephen Huff informed his classmates that
their university was located near a volatile fault zone, reflecting what factor of
maintaining audience attention?
a. relevance
b. contrast
c. novelty
d. repetition
What motivational appeal would most likely be invoked by speeches persuading
listeners to purchase a home alarm system?
a. understanding
b. achievement and recognition
c. safety and security
d. justice
The idea that “opposites attract” best reflects what strategy for motivating and
sustaining audience interest while speaking?
a. intensity
b. relevance
c. novelty
d. contrast
Commercials for home security systems depicting criminals fleeing the sound of an
alarm most directly invoke what appeal for motivating audiences to listen?
a. our need for enjoyment
b. our need for safety and well-being
c. our need for a sense of accomplishment
d. our need for consonance
What are graphics?
a. iconic representations of stories
b. visual representations of information
c. posters developed for your presentation
d. listing of the main points of the speech
What approach to developing topic ideas explores “habitual” paths of thought such as
people, places, ideas, values, and problems?
a. mind mapping
b. topic analysis
c. interest charts
d. media prompts
Popular opinion polls best exemplify what form of supporting information?
a. statistics
b. brief examples
c. lay testimony
d. liberal
What type of supporting material is most associated with cultural traditions?
a. definitions
b. testimonies
c. statistics
d. narratives
Lisa agrees with her representative in Congress on tax cuts, but is concerned that her
use of fear appeals and personal attacks is undermining the integrity of dialogue on the
subject. Lisa’s concerns best reflect what basic principle of ethical public speaking?
a. moral community building
b. avoiding academic dishonesty
c. respect for the integrity of ideas and information
d. a concern for consequences
Which of the following critical standards of effective evidence use would be violated if
a speaker used examples of juvenile crime in Europe to argue that American kids are
out of control?
a. relevant
b. representative
c. recent
d. reliable
What form of listening is particularly important to protect us from the designs of
dishonest speakers?
a. constructive
b. empathic
c. critical
d. discriminative
When preparing and using presentation aids, speakers should always
a. consider whether charts and graphs distort the meaning of important information.
b. cite sources of important information presented.
c. alert audiences to visual images that have been altered to convey a point.
d. all of the above.
You have been given all the following advice for conducting research interviews except
a. plan a series of questions that reflect your specific purpose.
b. do not let respondents ‘spin” the truth.
c. summarize what you hear for verification.
d. all of the above advice is given.
Unless your instructor says otherwise, you are generally not encouraged to use
Wikipedia without checking with your instructor because
a. most of its entries fail the test of recency.
b. entries are user-contributed and not always peer reviewed.
c. its very format reflects a clear left-wing bias.
d. most professors do not like the Internet.
Responsible knowledge includes all of the following except
a. main points of concern.
b. what the experts say.
c. recent events and discoveries.
d. abstract truths that always apply.
What typical misconception about the audience is often associated with communication
anxiety?
a. The audience does not care.
b. The audience will forgive any mistake.
c. The audience is more nervous than the speaker.
d. The audience is waiting to pounce on the speaker’s mistakes.
Which of the following Internet resources would be the best bet for locating a brief, but
credible, primer on the philosophy of existentialism?
a. americanrhetoric.com
b. about.com
c. merriam-webster.com
d. whitehouse.gov
A ceremonial tribute to someone that has just died is called
a. an award presentation.
b. a eulogy.
c. a roast.
d. magnification.
Which approach to capturing audience attention reflects the extent to which our
information is new or unusual?
a. intensity
b. relevance
c. novelty
d. contrast
Henry A. Murray and his associates at Harvard identified more than 50 different human
needs.
The principle of _____ entails that speech materials in an outline should descend in
importance from general main points to more specific subpoints and sub-subpoints.
a. coordination
b. balance
c. subordination
d. order
What does a preliminary tuning effect refer to?
a. How the time of day affects audience perceptions of a speech
b. How the occasion affects audience perceptions of a speech
c. How recent events affect audience perceptions of a speech
d. How speeches before your speech affect audience perceptions
Visualizing yourself making your presentation successfully helps many speakers cope
with last minute communication anxiety.
Acronyms are composed of the initial letters of words to help the audience remember a
message.
Material that is accurate and reliable should be verifiable through other sources.
The Self-Awareness Inventory helps a speaker stimulate the creative, inventive process
of speech topic selection.
The introduction and conclusion of a brief speech should be brief and approximately
equal in length.
Strongly held attitudes and feelings are typically grounded in core values.
The second amendment guarantees all U.S. citizens the right to freedom of speech.
Graphic presentation aids should focus on multiple ideas at once to suggest the
complexity of your message.
Because controversial humor is popular on late-night television, you should make
ample use of it when speaking on formal occasions.
Facts and statistics are especially important with informative and persuasive speaking.
A spatial design is based on physical relationships, such as east-west, north-south, or
points around a circle.
Responsible knowledge best reflects your own personal opinions.
Understanding the speaker’s verbal and nonverbal language occurs during the
constructive listening phase.
Using visual aids usually increases communication anxiety.
There is a universal language of gestures.
Effective description relies heavily on the artful use of language.