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Indicate the answer choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
1. Some communication scholars argue that all forms of speaking are persuasive at some level.
a.
True
b.
False
2. Which informative speech is a speech about an event?
a.
a theatrical review of a new play on campus
b.
a discussion about the benefits of volunteering
c.
a demonstration of how to unclog a drain
d.
a talk about the new owner of a small private company
3. Showing a photo of her prized garden during an informative speech on home gardening is a good example of
Samantha’s effective use of:
a.
visual aids.
b.
biased information.
c.
feedback.
d.
technical jargon.
4. Speakers use different types of definitions, including dictionary, example, functional/operational, and visual.
a.
True
b.
False
5. The role of an informative speaker is similar to that of a politician or another leader.
a.
True
b.
False
6. When Garret had the choice of giving either an informative speech or a persuasive speech, he chose
informative because it’s easier to give information than to:
a.
accuse someone of being wrong.
b.
change someone’s mind or behavior.
c.
ask people for a commitment.
d.
be objective about a subject.
7. Informative speeches that are viewed as objective are also commonly viewed as:
a.
memorable.
b.
entertaining.
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c.
credible.
d.
unique.
8. By highlighting the three main points in a slide at the beginning of a speech, Martha is employing what two
strategies of the K.I.S.S. (Keep it simple, students) rule?
a.
Provide vast amounts of information, and use concrete terms.
b.
Repeat key information, and use visual aids.
c.
Speak to the audience’s level, and keep it brief.
d.
Use technical language, and allow the audience to draw conclusions.
9. Tina mistakenly believed that her classmates were familiar with the entire series of Harry Potter films and
delivered her informative speech on the symbolism found in them. Which guideline of the K.I.S.S. (Keep it
simple, students) rule did she violate?
a.
Don’t coerce the audience.
b.
Analyze the audience.
c.
Don’t overestimate the audience’s knowledge.
d.
Keep things concrete.
10. Students may turn to YouTube videos to see what has already been done on their topic so that they can try
something:
a.
dramatic.
b.
similar.
c.
popular.
d.
unique.
11. During Black History Month, Anna watched a lecture about social equality. Which was the lecture about?
a.
process
b.
object
c.
concept
d.
person
12. During an informative speech, the speaker explains how to remove a background from a digital photo using
a specific program. This is an example of what speech strategy?
a.
demonstration
b.
definition
c.
winnowing
d.
exploration
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13. Sierra wants to give an informative speech on why the yoga class she teaches is the best, but she realizes
that she would have difficulty with this topic because she could not be:
a.
analyzed as a speaker.
b.
biased.
c.
celebratory.
d.
objective.
14. Earl gives a speech about recycling that sounds like all the other speeches given on recycling. Earl’s speech
is:
a.
not unique.
b.
impromptu.
c.
too abstract.
d.
not informative.
15. Speaking to inform aims to change beliefs, attitudes, and values—and sometimes behavior.
a.
True
b.
False
16. One strategy for making an informative speech simple and easy to understand is to use repetition and:
a.
concrete language.
b.
abstract language.
c.
biased language.
d.
technical jargon.
17. A podcaster explains what it was like to fly for the first time, focusing on what she was feeling, the sounds,
and even the smell. This is an example of description.
a.
True
b.
False
18. Accurately estimating the audience’s knowledge about a topic is one strategy for observing what guideline
of informative speaking?
a.
Use technical language.
b.
Focus on the abstract.
c.
Keep it simple, students (K.I.S.S.).
d.
Complete a speaker evaluation.
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19. Audiences expect an informative speaker to be objective.
a.
True
b.
False
20. Ramona believes it is essential to explain every detail of her extensive research in her informative speech on
severe weather, but she is ignoring the K.I.S.S. (Keep it simple, students) rule about:
a.
narrative coherence.
b.
topic selection.
c.
quantity of information.
d.
personal relevance.
21. In addition to finding an appropriate topic, two key challenges in informative speaking are getting the
audience to find the topic interesting and:
a.
getting them to provide feedback.
b.
using narrative strategies to tell stories.
c.
analyzing the audience.
d.
encouraging them to remember it.
22.     Perry gave an informative speech to beginning tennis players, thinking they were experienced tennis
players. In his speech, he used the terms “deuce court,” “poach,” “no–ad,” and “ace” without defining them. He
also demonstrated and described specific strategies used by professional tennis players. His audience was left
feeling confused, MOST likely because of his use of:
a.
technical language.
b.
abstract language.
c.
concrete examples.
d.
demonstrations.
23. Avoiding overly technical language and jargon is one strategy for observing what rule of informative
speaking?
a.
the feedback rule
b.
speaker evaluation
c.
the winnowing-down rule
d.
the K.I.S.S. (Keep it simple, students) rule
24. According to the K.I.S.S. (Keep it simple, students) rule, if a speaker must use abstractions, it is important
to:
a.
provide visual aids to illustrate them.
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b.
define them clearly.
c.
repeat them to reinforce retention.
d.
make them concrete.
25. On Election Day, the college invites a public official to talk about the benefits of voting in local elections.
This speech will be about a(n):
a.
issue.
b.
person.
c.
process.
d.
event.
26. The key distinguishing factor between an informative speech and a persuasive speech is the conscious goal
of the speech.
a.
True
b.
False
27. Informative speakers are in a position to help the audience learn, but they need to do three things to engage
the audience. One of these is:
a.
share personal opinions throughout the speech.
b.
include information beyond common knowledge.
c.
select broad topics that audiences are familiar with.
d.
use colorful language to describe common things.
28. Reducing the quantity of information in a speech is one strategy for:
a.
persuading the audience.
b.
making the message easy to understand.
c.
making the audience pay attention.
d.
increasing audience feedback.
29. An approach to topic selection used by the ancient Greeks includes selecting a generic topic and then:
a.
personalizing it.
b.
winnowing it down.
c.
arguing the opposite point.
d.
generalizing to a broader audience.
30. When giving an informative speech about the increase of extreme weather in the United States, Amit
defines the official meaning of his key term. This is an example of what type of definition?
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a.
etymological
b.
persuasive
c.
functional or operational
d.
dictionary
31. Tabatha gave an informative speech about basic painting techniques to a group of professional artists,
believing them to be novices. What speech-giving error was she MOST likely to make based on her belief?
a.
focusing too much on persuasion
b.
providing definitions of known terms
c.
not making the speech personally relevant
d.
focusing too much on abstract concepts
32. When speaking to inform, what is the primary challenge faced by the speaker?
a.
finding visual aids to support the message
b.
being understandable without being condescending
c.
providing enough information to satisfy the audience
d.
finding a topic that has not been covered already
33. In informative speaking, descriptions are typically about abstract concepts.
a.
True
b.
False
34. When visual artists are asked about their work, they would probably use which strategy to inform an
audience about a painting?
a.
winnowing
b.
description
c.
persuasion
d.
feedback
35. Benjamin is planning his informative speech on communism, which includes a number of abstract concepts.
How can he use K.I.S.S. (Keep it simple, students) guidelines to make his speech a success?
a.
Define abstract terms and give examples.
b.
Provide a visual aid to make the concepts concrete.
c.
Repeat abstract terms to enhance retention.
d.
Trust that anyone in a college audience can define communism.
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36. Before taking a boxing class, Christina watches a demonstration about boxing at her local gym. The
demonstration is a speech about a(n):
a.
person.
b.
event.
c.
object.
d.
process.
37. To connect with the audience, speakers may tell stories, also referred to as:
a.
explanations.
b.
histories.
c.
demonstrations.
d.
narratives.
38. A speech about a process involves explaining a philosophical or an intellectual idea.
a.
True
b.
False
39. One way to make familiar or known topics feel new to audiences is to present the material using more
abstract language.
a.
True
b.
False
40. Mateo is presenting a speech on urban renewal to an audience in a rural school district. In his speech he
includes information that connects the audience to the topic. What is the MOST likely reason he does this?
a.
to demonstrate this his presentation is not biased
b.
to avoid confusing the audience about his main point
c.
to increase his credibility as a speaker
d.
to demonstrate the relevance of his topic to the audience
41. Which speech would be classified as a speech about a person?
a.
a review of a band’s newest album
b.
a discussion of a band member’s rise to fame
c.
a discussion of how to make a demo recording
d.
a summary of different instruments used in different genres
42. Alice wants to set her speech apart from other informative speeches on the benefits of exercise, so she
presents it by using a different organization structure. What is the MOST likely reason she does this?
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a.
to make her speech feel like an impromptu speech
b.
to increase her credibility as a speaker
c.
to make the topic feel fresh to the audience
d.
to eliminate bias from her speech
43. Simon gives an informative speech about the Eiffel Tower. What is his speech about?
a.
a concept
b.
an event
c.
an object
d.
an issue
44. Informative speeches are most effective when speakers use just one of the five strategies for informative
speaking.
a.
True
b.
False
45. Speakers who inform have one primary goal—to provide new information or a new:
a.
persuasive argument.
b.
visual aid.
c.
point of view.
d.
insult.
46. Repeating the main points in a speech will bore the audience and reduce retention.
a.
True
b.
False
47. Speakers will have a better sense of how sophisticated their speech should be and what angle to take by
finding out how much interest the audience has in the topic and what their background knowledge is.
a.
True
b.
False
48. In informative speaking, speakers who use the explanation strategy position themselves as educators.
a.
True
b.
False
49. In some situations, it may be appropriate to include dictionary definitions of terms used in a speech.
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a.
True
b.
False
50. The president of the local art society is coming to campus to speak about Pablo Picasso. This speech will be
about a(n):
a.
object.
b.
person.
c.
event.
d.
issue.
51. Kassidy previewed her main points in the introduction of her speech and then summarized them in the
conclusion. This is an example of:
a.
a browbeating technique.
b.
reinforcement through repetition.
c.
the winnowing technique.
d.
an etymological explanation.
52. An example defines a term by citing the meaning of it as it is given in the dictionary.
a.
True
b.
False
53. Cody plans to give his informative speech on federal drug laws to two groups—his coworkers at a law firm
and the members of his father’s softball league. This means he will need to adjust the amount of what in his
speech?
a.
technical language
b.
overall information
c.
bias
d.
visual aids
54. Tim has a tendency to move into the audience, raise his voice, point, and accuse them of not trying to
understand his message. Why does this turn off the audience?
a.
He tries to analyze the audience.
b.
He is speaking on a topic that is not personally relevant.
c.
He moves into the audience’s physical space.
d.
He browbeats the audience instead of teaching them.
55. When giving an informative speech about the history of origami, Mika explains that the word origami
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means “paper folding”. Which type of definition is this?
a.
dictionary
b.
example
c.
etymological
d.
functional
56. The focus of an informative speech about the history of wearable technology is a(n):
a.
event.
b.
issue.
c.
concept.
d.
object.
57. An important and helpful difference between informing and persuading in a speech concerns:
a.
objectivity.
b.
breadth of the topic.
c.
speaker evaluation.
d.
use of visual aids.
58. Topics for informative speeches include objects, people, events, processes, concepts, and issues.
a.
True
b.
False
59. Tara’s speech about her aunt’s expertise in embroidery includes colorful, embroidered clothing as visual
aids. This is an example of what type of definition?
a.
etymological
b.
examples
c.
dictionary
d.
functional or operational
60. Compared with speaking in the classroom, when speaking outside the classroom, it’s more likely that the
occasion for the speech will determine the speaker’s:
a.
bias.
b.
gestures.
c.
topic.
d.
use of visual aids.
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61. A speech about an issue involves explaining a current situation or problem.
a.
True
b.
False
62. One strategy for observing the K.I.S.S. (Keep it simple, students) rule is:
a.
smiling and making eye contact.
b.
asking audience members to complete a survey before beginning.
c.
not overestimating or underestimating the audience’s knowledge.
d.
being forceful and persuasive while speaking.
63. Teaching, not browbeating, is one strategy for observing what rule of informative speaking?
a.
strategic visualization
b.
Aristotelian
c.
K.I.S.S. (Keep it simple, students)
d.
winnowing
64. Emma is writing a speech about Martin Luther King Jr. She plans to open with a quote from King’s “I Have
a Dream” speech. When she discusses this plan with her professor, he recommends that she not do this. What is
the MOST likely reason for his recommendation?
a.
The quote is not objective.
b.
This is an approach that is widely used.
c.
The audience will not recognize the quote.
d.
The quote should be used only in a persuasive speech.
65. Gabrielle’s informative speech about natural law versus conventional law is about a(n):
a.
process.
b.
event.
c.
object.
d.
concept.
66. Selim will give an informative speech to his class on modern art. He will explain the key term modern art
with a(n):
a.
demonstration.
b.
event.
c.
definition.
d.
behavior.
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67. Elia is presenting an informative speech on chiaroscuro painting techniques using his own paintings as
visual aids. This illustrates definition by:
a.
example.
b.
etymology.
c.
function.
d.
dictionary.
68. Melissa’s father suggests that she give an informative speech on chemistry, a topic that Melissa finds boring.
Why would it be a bad idea for Melissa to accept her father’s suggestion?
a.
The subject is not personally relevant.
b.
She would not be able to remain objective.
c.
The topic would not be unique.
d.
The choice would violate the guidelines of the K.I.S.S. (Keep it simple, students) rule.
69. After Ben told his friends about his trip to Paris, he thought the topic would make a great informative speech
for his communications class. To make this work, Ben would need to make the speech more formal and:
a.
abstract.
b.
technical.
c.
persuasive.
d.
objective.
70. When Eva explained the projected sales growth chart in her PowerPoint presentation, she combined two
aspects of the K.I.S.S. (Keep it simple, students) rule, including using a visual aid and:
a.
using bright colors.
b.
using jargon.
c.
asking for feedback.
d.
providing repetition.
71. Jeff develops a formal speech about making tamales. This speech is about a(n):
a.
concept.
b.
issue.
c.
process.
d.
person.
72. Oliver is helping his friend Abe develop a formal speech for an incoming group of first-year students about
the types of majors their university provides. What type of speech is this?
a.
impromptu
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b.
persuasive
c.
celebratory
d.
informative
73. Speaking to inform is usually considered easier than speaking to persuade.
a.
True
b.
False
74. Josh is giving an informative speech to video game developers, but he knows the audience doesn’t have as
much experience as he does as a game developer. Which component of the K.I.S.S. (Keep it simple, students)
rule should Josh be especially aware of?
a.
Don’t browbeat.
b.
Use visual aids.
c.
Rinse, repeat.
d.
Avoid jargon.
75. Which informative speech topic is about an issue?
a.
a speech about allocating funds for public transportation
b.
a speech about the landing of the InSight spacecraft on Mars
c.
a speech about how to fold fitted sheets
d.
a speech about the changing views of beauty and age
76. Philip gives an informative speech about the Academy Awards. What is his speech about?
a.
a concept
b.
an object
c.
an issue
d.
an event
77. A functional definition shows the development of a word’s historical meaning in one or more languages.
a.
True
b.
False
78. Speakers can talk to others about their speech topic to get a better sense of whether an audience would find
the topic interesting and unique.
a.
True
b.
False
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79. The five strategies for getting one’s ideas across in an informative speech are description, explanation,
demonstration, narration, and inducement.
a.
True
b.
False
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