Organizing the Body of the Speech 11
TRUE/FALSE QUESTIONS
1. w well it is
organized.
2.
speaker credibility.
3. The strategic process of deciding how to order speech points into a coherent
and convincing pattern for your topic and audience is also called arrangement
by classical rhetoricians.
4. Outlining cannot help you check for logical inconsistencies in the placement of
speech points.
5. A speech is composed of three general parts: an introduction, a body, and a
conclusion.
6. The body of a speech establishes the purpose of the speech and shows its
relevance to the audience.
7. The introduction of a speech tells listeners where the speaker is taking them.
8. The body of a speech presents main points that are intended to fulfill the speech
purpose.
9. Main points express the key ideas and major themes of the speech.
10. The thesis statement expresses the goal of the speech, whereas the specific
purpose statement expresses the theme or central idea of the speech.
11. Research has shown that audiences can comfortably take in between eight and
ten main points.
12. The fewer main points in a speech, the greater are the odds that you will keep
13. Listeners have better recall of the main points made at the beginning and at the
end of a speech than of those made in between.
14. A main point should not introduce more than one idea.
15. Each main point should be expressed as an interrogative sentence.
16. Presenting each main point as a declarative sentence emphasizes the point and
alerts audience members to the main thrusts of the speech.
17. Whenever possible, main points should be stated in parallel form.
18. Supporting points represent the supporting material or evidence that a speaker
has gathered to explain or justify the main points.
19. In an outline, supporting points appear in the same position as main points.
20. In an outline, different levels of points are indicated by different levels of
indentation.
21. The most common outline format is the roman numeral outline.
22. In a roman numeral outline, third-level points are typically enumerated with
capital letters.
23.
make it easy for the speaker to follow the outline as he or she speaks.
24. Outlines are based on the principles of coordination and subordination.
25. Ideas that are coordinate are given unequal weight.
26. In an outline, subordinate points are indicated by their parallel alignment, and
coordinate points are indicated by their indentation below the more important
points.
27. A well-organized speech is characterized by unity, coherence, and balance.
28. Coherence refers to a speech containing only those points that are implied by
the purpose and thesis statements.
29. In speeches that have unity, each point focuses on a single idea.
30. Unity refers to clear and logical organization.
31. The speech body should follow logically from the introduction, and the
conclusion should follow logically from the body.
32. The principle of balance suggests that appropriate emphasis or weight be given
to each part of the speech relative to the other parts and to the theme.
33. The introduction of a speech should always be the longest part.
34. Assigning each main point at least two supporting points is one aspect of
balance.
35. Words, phrases, or sentences that tie the speech ideas together and enable the
speaker to move smoothly from one point to the next are called transitions.
36. The words similarly, however, and finally are examples of transitional words.
37. In any speech, there should always be an equal amount of transitions and
connectives.
38. Rhetorical questions invite actual responses from the audience.
39. In moving between supporting points, single words or phrases such as Next, . . .
and are effective.
40. Transitions should only be used between the introduction and the body of your
speech.
41. Within the body itself, internal previews can be used to alert audience
members to a shift from one main point or idea to another.
42. The internal summary is the same as the internal preview.
MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS
43. Organizing the speech is also called ______ by classical rhetoricians.
A) pathos C) arrangement
B) invention D) logos
44. The body of a speech consists of
A) thesis statements and introductions.
B) main points, supporting points, and transitions.
C) specific purpose statements and internal summaries.
D) bibliographical statements.
45. The speech conclusion brings closure to the speech by
A) restating the purpose.
B) reiterating why the purpose is relevant to the audience.
C) leaving audience members with something to think about.
D) All of the options are correct.
46. Which of the following expresses the goal of the speech?
A) specific purpose statement C) main points
B) thesis statement D) supporting points
47. Research indicates that audiences prefer speeches that contain ______ main
points.
A) one to two C) five to ten
B) two to seven D) at least six
48. Ideas that are coordinate are given _____ weight.
A) more C) equal
B) less D) None of the options is correct.
49. A well-organized speech is characterized by
A) unity, coherence, and balance.
B) unity, coordination, and balance.
C) unity, subordination, and coherence.
D) unity, coordination, and subordination.
50. Effective transitions move listeners from
A) one main point to the next.
B) main points to supporting points.
C) one supporting point to another supporting point.
D) All of the options are correct.
51. Identify what type of transition is demonstrated by the following sentence:
Could there really be a way for internal-combustion engines to surpass 50 miles–
per-gallon in city driving?
A) rhetorical question C) internal preview
B) conclusion D) internal summary
52. Which of the following draws together ideas before a speaker proceeds to
another speech point?
A) connective C) internal preview
B) rhetorical preview D) internal summary
FILL-IN-THE-BLANK QUESTIONS
53. ____________ is the strategic process of deciding how to order speech points into a
coherent and convincing pattern for your topic and audience.
54. _______ is the physical process of plotting speech points on a page in hierarchical
order of importance.
55. The ______ of a speech establishes the speech purpose and shows its relevance to
the audience.
56. ______ points express the key ideas and major themes of the speech.
57. Listeners have a better recall of the main points made at the beginning of a
speech than of those made in the middle of a speech, a phenomenon termed the
________.
58. ______ points represent the supporting material or evidence a speaker has
gathered.
59. ______ is the most common outline format.
60. Ideas that are ______ are given equal weight.
61. Points in an outline that are indicated by their parallel alignment are known as
______ points.
62. Points in an outline that are indicated by their indentation below the more
important points are known as ______ points.
63. A well-organized speech is characterized by unity, ______, and balance.
64. Words, phrases, or sentences that tie the speech ideas together and enable the
speaker to move smoothly from one point to the next are called ______.
ESSAY AND SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
65. What are the three general parts of a speech, and what are the basic functions
of each?
66. Explain how the specific purpose and thesis statements serve as guideposts in
creating main points.
67. Why should a speaker adhere to the rule of restricting the number of main
points?
68. What are the primacy and recency effects, and how might they impact a
69. Explain the principles of coordination and subordination.
70. Within an outline, how can a speaker ensure that supporting points are
subordinate to main points?
71. Define unity, coherence, and balance in terms of speech organization, and give
an example of each.
72. List and define two types of transitions used to move from main point to main
point.
ANSWER KEY FOR CHAPTER 11
