CHAPTER FOURTEEN
DEVELOPING THE DELIVERY
True-False
T F 1. Raising your shoulders when you inhale increases lung capacity and reduces
tension.
T F 2. Most individuals have the ability to develop good vocal projection.
T F 3. Many articulation problems can be improved through practicing vocal exercises
and speaking more distinctly.
T F 4. According to the text, your speaking rate can affect the audience’s
comprehension of your ideas.
T F 5. A speaker who does not have a formal rehearsal session will not be adequately
prepared to deliver a speech.
T F 6. Pronunciation can differ depending on the region of the country.
T F 7. Vocal delivery refers strictly to the word of the speech.
T F 8. The “approximate pitch” refers to your normal voice.
T F 9. When you inhale, air lowers into the lungs, filling the vacuum.
T F 10. Individuals suffering from stuttering, cleft palate, or aphasia can overcome their
difficulties in a speech class.
T F 11. A speaker’s clarity and enunciation refer to articulation.
T F 12. Rate has little effect on the interpretation of a speech.
T F 13. Correct pronunciation of a word or term means understanding the generally
accepted pronunciation.
T F 14. It is necessary for speakers to utter vocalized pauses when they are nervous.
T F 15. Body movement does not enhance or contribute to a speech.
T F 16. The substance or content of a speech is more important than delivery.
T F 17. Changes in pitch are called inflections.
T F 18. According to the text, you should memorize the speech in order to free
yourself from note cards and to use effective eye contact to the audience.
T F 19. Breathing from the top of the lungs causes unsteadiness in the air supply.
T F 20. Speakers should adjust volume levels to meet the needs of particular settings.
T F 21. According to the text, many articulation problems are the result of bad habits
and verbal laziness.
T F 22. The sound or timbre of the voice is known as its quality.
T F 23. Pauses that are intentionally used between main ideas that can bring out the
meaning of a specific passage are known as vocalized pauses.
T F 24. Visual delivery refers to the nonverbal aspect of communication.
T F 25. A speaker should analyze the speaking situation when making decisions about
his or her appearance.
T F 26. Raising your head up and down frequently between your note cards and the
audience is an effective practice for establishing eye contact.
T F 27. Phrasing refers to the grouping of words and sentences into units of thought.
T F 28. Adjustments in volume can be used for emphasis.
T F 29. One way a speaker can learn to use pauses effectively in a speech is to
experiment with different combinations of pauses.
T F 30. The text suggests that a speaker’s appearance should be neither too formal nor
too casual.
T F 31. You can memorize gestures in order to increase your effectiveness in a speech.
T F 32. According to the text, it is good speaking practice to develop posture that is
relaxed and erect.
T F 33. A speaker delivering a speech in a monotone is usually boring and frustrating to
listeners.
T F 34. While it is important for a speaker to establish consistent eye contact with
listeners, it is not necessary for a speaker to look at all areas of an audience.
T F 35. According to the text, beginning speakers tend to use too many gestures.
T F 36. Speakers who project emotion about topics through facial expression will tend to
receive similar responses from listeners.
T F 37. Slouching or leaning over the lectern can interrupt the natural process of
inhalation.
T F 38. Pitch changes are necessary in vocal delivery.
T F 39. Since the manner of communication can significantly affect and influence an
audience, a speaker’s delivery tends to be more important than the content.
T F 40. One of the first principles of an effective delivery is to know your material.
T F 41. Your note cards can contribute to an effective or ineffective delivery.
T F 42. Because we use the phrase regularly in our daily lives, “you know” is acceptable
in a speech.
T F 43. The textbook suggests that when you listen to someone from another culture, you
should try to make quick decisions as to the meaning of the speaker’s body
language.
T F 44. Eye contact is universally engaged in across cultures.
T F 45. Women tend to be less expressive in their gestures than men.
T F 46. Men tend to have more contact with the same sex than do women.
T F 47. The textbook indicates that women show more emotion such as sadness or fear
than men.
T F 48. Women often mask their anger with tears.
T F 49. Men maintain more fixed eye contact with each other than women do with each
other.
T F 50. Notecards should be numbered before using them for a speech.
T F 51. Physical contact for American males is often aggressive toward other men.
T F 52. Women are more touch-oriented than men.
T F 53. Gestures should be spontaneous.
T F 54. Speakers who practiced complicated vocal exercises and studied illustrations and
definitions of gestures where known as elocutionary speakers.
T F 55. Anger for American men is often a mask for pain and sorrow.
T F 56. American men are given more latitude in expressing hostility and aggression
than women.
T F 57. Americans rarely exhibit sloppy enunciation.
T F 58. The vocal quality of most adults is established by the situation or context.
T F 59. An decreased rate of speaking can create suspense.
T F 60. A speaker’s facial expression should not be used to “give away” his or her verbal
message.
Multiple Choice
61. The most desirable speaking rate is between _________________words per minute.
a. 75 and 100
b. 100 and 125.
c. 125 and 150
d. 150 and 175
62. Eliminating vowels and consonants, running words together, and mumbling sentences refers
to ineffective
a. articulation
b. voice quality
c. inflection
d. volume
63. Good posture
a. helps a speaker to breathe more effectively to produce sound
b. gives a speaker greater stability
c. makes the speaker appear to be better prepared
d. all of the above
e. none of the above
64. Which statement does not accurately describe the diaphragm.
a. it is dome-shaped
b. it is a muscle
c. it is located below the abdomen and chest
d. it is primarily involved in inhalation
65. A speaker who wants to highlight words and sentences by making alterations in rate,
volume, and pitch employs
a. emphasis
b. phrasing
c. articulation
d. quality
66. Research indicates that poor eye contact
a. does not affect audience comprehension
b. has a negative impact on audience comprehension
c. actually forces listeners to pay more attention to a speech
d. neither helps nor hurts a speaker
67. Which of the following is not true of volume when speaking?
a. The speaker should always maintain the same volume.
b. The speaker may need to speak louder in conference room.
c. The speaker in a gymnasium would want to be heard by those in the last row.
d. These are all true of volume.
68. A speaker who says “uh” or “um” in a speech
a. is creating a dramatic pause
b. is emphasizing the meaning of a passage
c. is uttering a vocalized pause
d. is helping the listener to focus on an emotion
69. Individuals with speaking disorders
a. need patience and understanding
b. require speech therapy
c. need to build confidence
d. all of the above
e. none of the above
70. Dramatic pauses
a. help you to separate thoughts
b. provide listeners time to grasp ideas
c. are intentional breaks
d. all of the above
e. none of the above
71. Grouping sentences into smaller thought units can be done by
a. articulation
b. quality
c. phrasing
d. emphasis
72. When you deliver a speech, your facial expression
a. should communicate friendliness to the audience at all times
b. be somewhat neutral
c. should be planned in advanced
d. should support your verbal message
73. According to the text, good eye contact will occur as a result of
a. practice and repeated experience
b. memorization of note cards
c. written instructions on note cards
d. all of the above
e. none of the above
74. In order to produce sound you need
a. to use clavicular breathing
b. to tense the muscles in the neck and throat
c. respiration from the top of the lungs
d. a steady breath from the diaphragm
75. A speaker can control the intensity of his or her voice by
a. practicing speaking as loudly as possible when speaking with friends.
b. doing some vocal exercises.
c. practicing diaphragmatic breathing.
d. all of the above.
e. only B and C above.
76. According to the text, vocal delivery includes
a. volume, pronunciation and articulation.
b. pitch, phrasing and inflection.
c. quality, rate, pausing and emphasis.
d. all of the above.
77. According to the text, speech students
a. rarely have the problem of projecting too much volume
b. frequently delivery speeches with too much volume
c. do not experience difficulties with volume levels
d. are vocally sensitive
78. According to the text, Americans often exhibit sloppy
a. mannerisms
b. enunciation
c. pitch patterns
d. emphasis
79. Poor enunciation can be recognized by
a. eliminated vowels and consonants.
b. words that are run together.
c. mumbled sentences.
d. all of the above.
80. A speaker can find his or her approximate pitch by
a. finding the highest and lowest pitches in the voice
b. finding a note which corresponds to the normal speaking voice
c. singing a short song
d. testing the volume levels of the voice
81. That element which makes your voice unique is known as
a. quality
b. pitch
c. volume
d. articulation
82. Bad habits that are responsible for unpleasant voices
a. can be overcome by increasing the speaking rate.
b. can be altered through dramatic pauses.
c. can be overcome by using more eye contact.
d. can be altered through tension-reducing vocal exercises.
83. The use of “um” and “uh” would be referred to as
a. dramatic pauses.
b. articulative pauses.
c. vocalized pauses.
d. empthatic pauses.
84. Because of apprehension, many beginning speakers
a. speak too slowly
b. speed up their speaking rate
c. are very conscious of their speaking rate
d. have few problems with their rate of speech
85. The voice quality of most adults
a. changes rapidly, depending on the speech setting
b. cannot be altered
c. is established by long-term vocal habits
d. is not necessarily recognizable
86. To achieve effective communication,
a. the speaker must enunciate clearly.
b. the audience must be able to understand words and phrases easily.
c. the audience must be able to guess what some words mean.
d. all of the above
e. A and B above
87. When you inhale, the diaphragm
a. contracts and moves upward
b. expands and moves downward
c. contracts and moves downward
d. remains in the same position
88. If you feel insecure in front of an audience, the test advises you
a. not to look at the audience too frequently
b. to become more absorbed with your note cards
c. to find several friendly faces
d. to place emphasis on finishing the speech rather than on worrying about eye
contact
89. A speech can be made more interesting by using
a. emphasis.
b. phrasing.
c. vocalized pauses.
d. all of the above
e. A and B above.
90. Beginning speakers often
a. use large, forceful gestures.
b. use gestures that show enthusiasm and confidence.
c. use few gestures at all.
d. use gestures that are precise and punctuate their words.
91. Using facial muscles, we are able to express
a. sadness.
b. anger.
c. joy and love.
d. all of the above.
92. William Jennings Bryan, Teddy Roosevelt, and Robert Lafollette
a. were influential British speakers in the early 1900’s
b. were prominent elocutionists
c. placed little emphasis on vocal delivery
d. all of the above
e. none of the above
93. A speaker who is not able to have a formal practice session before a speech should
a. use a video tape recorder
b. postpone the speech
c. read the speech word for word
d. have a mental review
94. Distracting styles of appearance include
a. straps that fall down.
b. modest jewelry.
c. hairstyles that readily show the face.
d. all of the above.
e. none of the above.
95. When speaking to someone from another culture,
a. is it wise to make quick decisions about their nonverbal “language.
b. is wise to know how their culture influences their gestures.
c. is wise to ignore their cultural stance and body movements.
d. is wise to apply your own culture’s appearance standards to them.
96. In American society, women
a. touch each other with about the same frequency as men touch each other
b. do not touch each other as much as men do.
c. are given more permission to hug each other than men are given to hug.
d. none of the above.
97. The text suggests that men and women should
a. adopt non-verbal speaking delivery that is appropriate to their gender.
b. become more alike in their non-verbal speaking practices.
c. adopt styles that are relevant to the needs of particular speaking situations.
d. not change or alter their non-verbal delivery strategies in any manner.
98. The text suggests that significant efforts to understand differences in culture must be
made
a. mostly by speakers
b. mostly by listeners
c. equally by speakers and listeners
99. Listeners who encounter a speaker from a culture that avoids direct eye contact
should
a. tell the speaker to practice and be more prepared for the assignment.
b. explain that the speaker is using improper non-verbal cues for an American
audience.
c. give the speaker negative non-verbal feedback.
d. try to understand the speaker’s culture and keep an open mind.
100. Crying for American males is often considered
a. appropriate
b. unmanly
c. important
d. unhealthy
101. For American women, anger
a. is often masked by tears
b. displayed often and openly
c. considered appropriate
d. all of the above
e. none of the above
102. American males tend to express touching and physical contact more often with other
men
a. within friendships.
b. in sports or business.
c. there are no activities where men touch each other publicly.
d. all of the above.
e. none of the above.
Fill in the Blank
breathing, but if your stomach moves forward while you inhale, you are using
accents a speaker chooses to emphasize in a specific word.
100. The study of vocal production and speech delivery that was popular in the early
Short Answer
102. What advice would you give a speaker who wants to improve a nasal-sounding
voice?
103. What advice would you give a speaker who has a tendency to speak too fast?
104. What would you suggest to help a speaker build skills in delivery?
Essay
105. Choose 4 of the following areas of delivery and write 4 paragraphs providing guidelines for
their effective use in a speech.
appearance
articulation
facial expression
gestures
movement
pitch
rate
volume
106. Discuss how to use eye contact effectively in a speech.
107. Explain how vocal and visual delivery should be combined to contribute to an effective
speech.
108. Provide an example of a situation in which a speaker cannot have a formal rehearsal of a
speech, and suggest ways that the speaker can still be prepared for the presentation.
109. Describe the proper breathing process for vocal delivery.
110. Explain some of the issues that often cause Americans to exhibit sloppy enunciation.
111. Describe how pitch and inflections are related and provide an example to illustrate your
conclusion.
112. Explain the differences between enunciation and pronunciation.
Online Chapter Quiz Questions
Chapter 14
Developing the Delivery
True False
1. Articulation and pronunciation are the same thing.
2. A vocalized pause is a negative practice when a speaker is delivering a presentation.
3. When delivering a speech, a speaker should breath from the diaphragm.
4. Inflection is important in delivery because it has to do with the loudness or softness of the voice.
5. Two of the most important parts of the voice are quality and quantity.
Multiple Choice
6. The sound or timber of the voice refers to
a. quality
b. emphasis
c. inflection
d. volume
7. Clavicular breathing refers to
a. the type of breathing that should be done in a speech
b. breathing from the diaphragm
c. breathing from the top of the lungs
d. pauses between breaths
8. According to the text, articulation refers to
a. the pronunciation of a word
b. the clarity and enunciation of words and sentences
c. speaking quality
d. pauses
9. Phrasing in a speech refers to
a. volume
b. articulation
c. the unique sound of the voice
d. grouping words into units of thought
10. A speaker who has good posture appears to be more prepared than a speaker who slouches.
This concept is part of which area of nonverbal or visual delivery?
a. emphasis
b. gestures
c. body position and movement
d. appearance
Fill in the Blank
11. The nonverbal aspect of communication is known as ____________________
_______________________.
12. The number of words you speaker every minute is known as________________.
13. You can alter your rate, volume, and pitch to highlight words and sentences by using
________________________.
14. Our __________________ __________________ should support our verbal message and
project emotion.
15. Name two suggestions to help you develop skills in speech delivery. _________________
______________________.
Answers
