4 Listeners and Speakers
TRUE/FALSE QUESTIONS
1. In public speaking, listeners and speakers are interdependent.
2. Speaking is the communication activity that one does more than any other.
3. Selective perception is a process in which people pay attention selectively to
certain messages while ignoring others.
4. Monologues feature an open sharing of ideas in an atmosphere of respect.
5. Active listening is focused and purposeful.
6. A listening distraction is anything that competes for attention you are trying to
give to something else.
7. Competing conversations and poor lighting are both examples of internal
listening distractions.
8. Daydreaming can be considered
internal listening distractions.
9. Scriptwriting occurs when we focus on what we, rather than the speaker, will
say next.
10. In defensive listening
the speaker is going to say or that they know better.
11. Differences in dialects or accents, nonverbal cues, word choice, and physical
appearance can sometimes serve as cultural barriers to listening.
12. Setting listening goals helps listeners get the most from a listening situation.
13.
nonverbal cues.
14. p listeners understand
the main points of a message.
15. Facial expressions do not provide reliable cues to help people listen better.
16. Critical thinking is the ability to evaluate claims on the basis of well-supported
reasons.
17. When evaluating evidence, the listener should assume that the sources of
evidence are credible.
18. Critical thinking
19.
their own strengths and weaknesses as speakers.
20.
fair in evaluating the speech.
21. Accents, awkward grammatical phrases, and word choice are good reasons for
22. When evaluating a speech, you should always start out with criticism so that
MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS
23. Listening that is focused and purposeful is
A) active listening. C) directed listening.
B) passive listening. D) attentive listening.
24. More than any other single communication act, we
A) write. C) speak.
B) listen. D) read.
25. Numerous studies show that people confident in this skill tend to be more
successful and efficient in both their personal and professional lives.
A) public speaking C) listening
B) analysis D) association
26. The conscious act of recognizing, understanding, and accurately interpreting
the messages communicated by others is called
A) hearing. C) circular response.
B) listening. D) the message-perception gap.
27. The reflexive or automatic process of perceiving sound is called
A) hearing. C) circular response.
B) listening. D) the message-perception gap.
28. Paying attention to information that is important to us, paying attention to
information that touches on our own experiences and backgrounds, and sorting
and filtering new information based on what we already know are key
elements of
A) imaginative listening. C) simplistic listening.
B) selective perception. D) attentive listening.
29. Listeners tend to pay attention to
A) information that they deem important.
B) information that is associated with their experiences.
C) information that relates to their backgrounds.
D) All of the options are correct.
30. Speakers who engage in dialogic communication
A) try to impose their beliefs on the audience.
B) approach a speech as an argument that must be won.
C) approach a speech as an opportunity to achieve understanding with
audience members.
D) None of the options are correct.
31. Active listening is
A) a vague, abstract process.
B) a focused, purposeful process.
C) possible under distracting conditions.
D) also known as defensive listening.
32. Construction noise, automobile traffic, slamming doors, and poor ventilation
are examples of
A) external listening distractions. C) defensive listening.
B) internal listening distractions. D) inattentiveness.
33. Daydreaming, fatigue, illness, and strong emotions are examples of
A) scriptwriting. C) external listening distractions.
B) internal listening distractions. D) defensive listening.
34. Scriptwriters tend to
A) focus on the speaker.
B)
C) focus on what they would say next.
D) employ external distractions.
35. Laziness and overconfidence in listening are manifested by
A) expecting too little from the speaker.
B) displaying an arrogant attitude.
C) ignoring important information.
D) All of the options are correct.
36.
A)
B) focus on the points he or she agrees most with.
C)
D) None of the options are correct.
37.
listeners
A) become unbiased.
B) .
C) .
D) remove external distractions.
38. ______ involves evaluating evidence, analyzing assumptions and biases, and
A) Critical thinking
B) Bridging the message-perception gap
C) Minimizing distractions
D) Eliminating cultural barriers
FILL-IN-THE-BLANK QUESTIONS
39. ______ is the act of focused and purposeful listening.
40. Paying attention to certain messages and ignoring other messages is called
______.
41. In contrast to monologue, ___________ communication encourages the speaker
and the listener to reach conclusions together.
42. Anything that competes for attention you are trying to give to something else is
called a listening ______.
43. To minimize ________ listening distractions, consciously focus on listening, avoid
daydreaming, monitor yourself for lapses in attention, and plan on being well
rested.
44. Listeners should refrain from _________ a speaker on the basis of his or her
accent, appearance, or demeanor.
45. Setting listening ______ helps active listeners prepare to get the most from the
46. Smiling, frowning, raising eyebrows, and other ________ are useful nonverbal
cues that can help you listen better.
47. -supported reasons is a
component of ______.
48. will
most likely make the speaker more receptive to your ______.
49. If you find a speaker dull or too serious but still pay attention to the speech, you
have
ESSAY AND SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
50. How can developing listening skills during speeches help you as a speaker?
51. How does monologue differ from dialogic communication?
52. What is the difference between an internal listening distraction and an external
listening distraction?
53. Describe two types of internal listening distractions, and explain how they
detract from a communication situation.
54. Describe how a listener can plan ways of coping with common listening
distractions.
55. Define defensive listening, and prescribe two ways to eliminate it.
56. How does scriptwriting differ from defensive listening?
57. Identify something you perceive to be a cultural barrier to listening, based on
your own experience or a hypothetical situation, and explain how this barrier
could be overcome.
58. Write a brief list of ways you can become a more active listener. Tailor your list
to reflect your own strengths and weaknesses as a listener.
59. Explain how nonverbal cues m
audience.
60. Define critical thinking, and explain why it is important in the process of
communicating with others.
61. Identify three guidelines for evaluating speeches and presentations.
62. When you evaluate a speech, how can you be compassionate and constructive
in your criticism?
ANSWER KEY FOR CHAPTER 4
