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CHAPTER 15: Arguing Persuasively
Multiple-Choice Questions
1. The main purpose of the classical tradition of teaching persuasion is to __________.
A) equip people to win arguments in a court of law
B) help people excel in the workplace and advance their own career
C) educate people for democratic citizenship
D) teach people how to manipulate others
2. A vibrant, healthy democracy requires __________.
A) leaders with superhuman, or at least specifically exceptional qualities, and voices that
B) , and speakers who divide
and polarize the citizenry on matters of controversy
C) leaders with superhuman, or at least specifically exceptional qualities, and speakers who
divide and polarize the citizenry on matters of controversy
D) citizens who can recognize sound versus deceptive or misleading arguments, and voices that
3. The goal of arguing persuasively in a democratic society is to __________.
A)
B)
C) stimulate discussion and debate of an important public issue
D)
4. Most scholars of speech would define a good argument as __________.
A) one that is complete, with a claim, evidence, and warrant, & one that is worthy of serious
consideration by a reasonably intelligent, well-informed, and fair-minded listener
B) one that is complete, with a claim, evidence, and warrant, & provocative enough to rise
above the din of competing claims and stories
C) one that is complete, with a claim, evidence, and warrant, & one that eliminates the need for
further discussion and debate of an issue
D) one that is worthy of serious consideration by a reasonably intelligent, well-informed, and
fair-minded listener, & one that eliminates the need for further discussion and debate of an issue
5. __________ are the debatable assertions put forward by a speaker. They are the contested
positions the speaker would like the audience to accept.
A) Claims
B) Premises
C) Enthymemes
D) Syllogisms
6. In a speech to convince citizens that the drug task force was succeeding, the official stated,
statement, alone, represents __________.
A) a complete deductive argument
B) evidence for a claim
C) a claim with no evidence
D) an irrefutable claim
7. In a speech to convince his fellow citizens that they should pass the bond issue that would
A) a complete deductive argument.
B) evidence for a claim.
C) a claim with no evidence.
D) an irrefutable claim.
8. In a speech to
statement, alone, represents:
A) a complete deductive argument.
B) evidence for a claim.
C) a claim with no evidence.
D) an irrefutable claim.
9. Which types of claims are, by their very nature, the hardest to prove, since they involve, in
effect, predicting the future?
A) c
B) claims of policy
C) claims of value
D) claims of fact
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10 jor causes of Colony Collapse Disorder among
honey bees are probably
The reasonable listener would conclude that Joan __________.
A) has overstated her case
B) has underestimated the importance of one of her causes
C) lacks true conviction in her claim
D) is being reasonably cautious in making her claim
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ammunition would probably istener would
conclude that the Senator __________.
A) has overstated his case
B) has underestimated the importance of the cause he has identified
C) lacks true conviction in his claim
D) is being reasonably cautious in making his claim
12 t way to decrease the dropout rate of high school
students seems to
reasonable listener would conclude that Ron __________.
A) has overstated his case
B) has underestimated the importance of the cause he has identified
C) lacks true conviction in his claim
D) is being reasonably cautious in making his claim
13. seem to
be family disintegration, lack of education, and lack of job opp
would conclude that Mick _____.
A) has overstated his case
B) has underestimated the importance of the cause he has identified
C) lacks true conviction in his claim
D) is being reasonably cautious in making his claim
14. The medical doctor assert unless the
__________.
A) lacks true conviction in his claim
B) is being overly cautious in making his claim
C) is being reasonably cautious in making his claim
D) is providing false hope to patients and their families
15.
continue for the foreseeable future unless reasonable
listener would conclude that the engineer __________.
A) lacks true conviction in his claim
B) is being overly cautious in making his claim
C) is being reasonably cautious in making his claim
D) is providing false hope to producers, shippers, and consumers
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16. In a speech to convince citizens that the proposed graduated drivers licensing bill would
drops in teen crashes ranging from five to sixteen percent, as reported by U.S. News & World
Report __________.
A) provided a complete deductive argument
B) provided evidence for her claim
C) made a claim with no evidence
D) established criteria for her argument
17. In a speech to convince citizens that the drug task force was succeeding, the official stated,
A) provided a complete deductive argument
B) provided evidence for his claim
C) made a claim with no evidence
D) established criteria for his argument
18 -school programs so that children will
available, since the program has not yet been tried by his community. What might comprise the
best type of evidence José could use for this proposed policy?
A) The actual costs of the program, & the actual effects of the program
B) The actual costs of the program, & comparisons to similar policies
C) The actual effects of the program, & testimony from experts in the field
D) Testimony from experts in the field, & comparisons to similar policies
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19
officers on bicycles who frequently stop and interact in a fri
What might comprise the best type of evidence Simóne could use for this proposed policy?
A) The actual costs of the program, & the actual effects of the program
B) The actual costs of the program, & comparisons to similar policies
C) The actual effects of the program, & testimony from experts in the field
D) Testimony from experts in the field, & comparisons to similar policies
20. is crazy to run for office. She i
evidence but on the general assumption that people of a certain age should not run for public
office. This general assumption is known as __________.
A) a warrant
B) a qualifier
C) a reservation
D) backing
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but on the general assumption that people of a certain age should not run for public office. This
general assumption is known as __________.
A) a warrant
B) a qualifier
C) a reservation
D) backing
22. What type of reasoning
Theodore Roosevelt, and Dwight Eisenhower were among our greatest presidents. We may
A) reasoning from principle
B) reasoning from specific instances
C) analogical reasoning
D) causal reasoning
23. __________ involves reasoning from a set of specific instances or a series of observations
to a general conclusion.
A) Deductive reasoning
B) Inductive reasoning
C) Analogical reasoning
D) Causal reasoning
24. In his speech, Max cited studies of gun regulations and their correlations with crime. He
noted that places like the United Kingdom, Japan, and Hungary, which have strict regulations,
also have a much lower incidence of armed violence than countries with more liberal gun laws.
Max used this evidence to advocate stricter regulations on guns and ammunition. What type of
reasoning has he used?
A) inductive
B) causal
C) analogical
D) deductive
25. In his speech, Jason cited various studies that found that kids who study music also excel in
math and have fewer behavioral problems. Jason used this evidence to advocate more funding
for music programs in public schools. What type of reasoning has he used?
A) inductive
B) causal
C) analogical
D) deductive
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motivated by m
A) inductive reasoning
B) causal reasoning
C) deductive reasoning
D) analogical reasoning
27. __________ is the process of drawing conclusions about specific cases based upon
inferences from a generally accepted premise or principle.
A) Inductive reasoning
B) Causal reasoning
C) Deductive reasoning
D) Analogical reasoning
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28.
ending to
ensure superior recruits, training, and weaponry. What type of reasoning has she used?
A) inductive
B) causal
C) analogical
D) deductive
29. __________ is a classic form of reasoning in which a speaker omits a premise, with the
expectation that the audience will supply the premise from their own stores of beliefs and
values.
A) Burden of proof
B) Inductive reasoning
C) Prima facie
D) An enthymeme
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audience already agrees
that saving lives is important, is an example of __________.
A) a red herring
B) an enthymeme
C) inductive reasoning
D) analogical reasoning
the audience already agrees with the general principle that people who earn more than $100,000
are successful, illustrates a(n) __________.
A) qualified argument
B) causal argument
C) enthymeme
D) inductive argument
32. The congressman argued that we should reinstate a military draft to deter politicians from
launching wars. His rationale was that if the public had more at stake than tax dollars, they
would be more attentive to policy decisions involving military actions. In making this argument,
the representative has used __________ reasoning.
A) analogical
B) causal
C) deductive
D) inductive
33. Pablo argued that bike lanes in the city would curb overall emissions from automobiles and
lessen congestion on the roadways. In making this argument, Pablo has used __________
reasoning.
A) analogical
B) causal
C) deductive
D) inductive