Which of the following is a strategy for providing neutral definitions?
a. providing an operational definition
b. defining by using jargon with explanations
c. using metaphors and similes
d. relying on the connotation of keywords
Global warming, which was not always perceived as an issue, is now an important
concern because of public messages that served the purpose of __________.
a. creating a positive feeling
b. converting
c. agenda setting
d. inducing a specific action
A hostile audience is best persuaded through use of which persuasive strategy?
a. strengthening commitment
b. conversion
c. weakening commitment
d. inducing specific action
One goal of a speech of introduction is to __________.
a. entertain the audience
b. give the listeners relevant information about the speaker
c. make the speaker feel welcome
d. provide an audience orientation
Which of the following is a characteristic of critical thinkers?
a. They distinguish between facts and opinions.
b. They take the speaker’s claims at face value.
c. They look at each new idea as acceptable.
d. They accept assertions on faith.
In a speech advocating gun control, Yuki argues that the United States would have
fewer gun deaths if it made guns illegal because Japan has few gun deaths and guns are
illegal there. What type of reasoning is Yuki using?
a. example
b. analogy
c. testimony
d. cause
The most important opportunity arising from a rhetorical situation is that __________.
a. you have a captive audience
b. you have done a thorough audience analysis
c. you have an information advantage over your audience
d. only you know your real purpose
Earl explained what he meant by effective welfare reform by stating, “Welfare reform
can only be considered effective when at least 40 percent of the adults currently on
welfare are employed in full-time jobs that pay minimum wage or better.” In this case,
Earl was offering his audience a(n) __________.
a. technical definition
b. connotative definition
c. operational definition
d. denotative definition
In a persuasive speech organized according to the motivated sequence, the conclusion is
known as the __________.
a. attention step
b. action step
c. need step
d. satisfaction step
While Bobby was listening to a speech about energy conservation, he heard the speaker
discuss oil as a nonrenewable resource. This prompted him to think that it was time to
change the oil in his car, and he began to plan a trip to his mechanic’s garage. Which
listening problem has Bobby fallen prey to?
a. limited attention span
b. listener distraction
c. jumping to conclusions
d. situational distraction
Relying solely on demographic categories for audience analysis leads the speaker to
risk unwarranted __________.
a. stereotyping
b. platitudes
c. condescension
d. allusions
Topics with elaborate arguments or highly technical information should be avoided
because they are not __________.
a. appropriate for oral delivery
b. appropriate for an informative speech
c. worthy of listeners’ time
d. important to the speaker
The most effective way to display a posterboard is to __________.
a. place it on an easel with a cover and uncover it when you plan to discuss it
b. place it in the chalk tray of the chalkboard
c. hold it up as you walk around the room
d. mount it on the wall to display it throughout the speech
When a speaker uses “we” rather than “you” to refer to his or her relationship with the
audience, what is the speaker doing?
a. comparing
b. reinforcing
c. agenda setting
d. clarifying
A good way to ensure that your topic will be important to you and interesting to the
audience is to __________.
a. get some ideas from classmates
b. browse the Web
c. consider the universal audience
d. conduct a personal inventory
Audience members provide verbal and nonverbal responses to a speaker. These
messages from the audience to the speaker are referred to as __________.
a. listener distractions
b. situational distractions
c. audience feedback
d. listening cues
Rhetorical proof is established by __________.
a. the interaction between the speaker’s and audience’s reasoning
b. the audience’s critical listening
c. the speaker’s use of claims
d. effective supporting material.
When you aim to make the audience aware of an issue or problem that they had not
previously known about, your informative purpose is likely __________.
a. creating a feeling
b. converting the audience
c. providing new perspective
d. agenda setting
Charlton supported his argument against gun control with the Second Amendment of
the Bill of Rights. This type of supporting material is an example of __________.
a. an anecdote
b. testimony
c. an example
d. a document
Which of the following is a characteristic of critical thinkers?
a. They distinguish between fact and opinion.
b. They take the speaker’s claims at face value.
c. They look at each idea as new and unique.
d. The accept assertions on faith.
Helga wants to show how the rate of traffic accidents changes for drivers as they
advance in age. Which type of visual aid would best represent this information?
a. decision tree
b. flip chart
c. photograph
d. line graph
Bryce gave a speech about life in a fraternity. As support, he discussed his own
activities in his fraternity, including the living arrangements, the meetings, the social
activities, and the projects he had been involved in. What type of supporting material is
this?
a. personal experience
b. common knowledge
c. testimony
d. documents
Charlton argued that if guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns. What kind of
reasoning is this?
a. example
b. cause
c. analogy
d. narrative
The speaker’s ability to evoke emotions from the audience is known as __________.
a. pathos
b. logos
c. ethos
d. eros
Which of the following statements is true of eulogies?
a. They should focus on the honoree’s virtues.
b. They should magnify the person’s weaknesses and minimize his or her strengths.
c. They should emphasize the speaker’s relationship with the honoree.
d. They should offer lavish praise of the person being honored.
Because listeners have a tendency toward selective attention, speakers must be sure to
__________.
a. provide clear supporting material for listeners
b. use several visual aids
c. use animated gestures and facial expressions to entertain them
d. motivate listeners to pay attention
A speaker relies on an outline to __________.
a. gather material
b. arrange ideas
c. research supporting material
d. enhance language of the speech
As Carlos listened to Brynn’s speech advocating closing U.S. borders to immigrants, he
became upset at her stereotypical view of Latin American immigrants. He sat back in
his chair, frowned, and looked angrily at the speaker. Carlos was involved in the
communication process of __________.
a. rhetorical criticism
b. feedback
c. careful listening
d. conversation
Speeches relying on the strategy of reporting almost always use which organizational
pattern?
a. topical
b. chronological
c. spatial
d. cause-effect
When Hugh wrote, “I want my listeners to replace their high-fat foods for healthier
options,” he was writing a ________ for his speech.
a. general purpose statement
b. general thesis statement
c. specific purpose statement
d. specific thesis statement
Which of the following is true of the standards that should be used to critically evaluate
speeches?
a. the expediency standard is important and the artistic standard is not
b. the artistic standard is important and the expediency standard is not
c. the rhetorical standard is the only important standard
d. both the artistic and expediency standards require careful attention
Sometimes visual aids do not just embellish your ideas; they may actually make
_________ themselves.
a. a speech
b. an argument
c. a presentation
d. an outline
What should you do if the audience provides negative feedback on your inferences
during the speech?
a. Move quickly to the next point.
b. Modify your speech as you are delivering it to support the inferences.
c. Make a mental note of it and strengthen that point in future speeches.
d. Remove the controversial point from your conclusion.
When using computer-generated visual aids, which basic design principle is easy to
ignore?
a. ease of handling
b. aesthetics
c. simplicity
d. visibility
Which of the following characteristics should be identical in both the presentation and
the preparation outlines?
a. the structure of the main points and subpoints
b. the introduction and conclusion
c. the citation of supporting materials
d. the bibliography
When you imagine your specific audience as a group of listeners who share the
common sense, self-interest, sensitivity, and enthusiasm for a good story that most
people share, you are imagining them as the __________.
An __________ is a question raised by the thesis statement that must be addressed for
the thesis to be effectively supported.
Lauren created a __________ on her computer by combining photos, text, animation,
and sound to enhance her speech.
Each year the leader of the local NAACP gives a speech on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
This type of speech is a(n) __________.
What are the four barriers to effective listening, and what are the causes of these
barriers? What can a speaker do to limit the effect of poor listening?
The introduction previews how you will develop the topic in the body of the speech;
classical theorists refer to this step as the __________.
When taking notes to map out a speech, it is best to use __________ rather than
complete sentences.
A __________ statement identifies the central idea or claim that will be established and
supported in a speech.
When you have little or no time to prepare, your mode of presentation will be
__________.
When you argue that two things are related because one thing influenced or brought
about the other, you are using reasoning by __________.
If a speaker wants to infer the opinions or attitudes of a large population, the best
supporting material is a __________.
It is important to create __________ of language and delivery by matching a formal,
serious tone with a formal and serious delivery style.
Suppose you were asked to speak at your uncle’s 75th birthday party as a
commemoration of his life’s work. Identify and explain the steps you would take in
developing and implementing a strategic plan for this speech. Identify the differences
between each step.
When a listener likes the speaker’s topic and wants to know more about it, the topic is
said to appeal to the listener’s __________ interest.
What are the five sources of constraints? Explain how they affect the speaker’s choices.
Listeners’ minds often wander simply because thinking is __________ than listening.