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Indicate the answer choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
1. Which term refers to descriptive representations used to illustrate claims?
a.
charts
b.
visual aids
c.
examples
d.
graphs
2. Why are statistics a popular form of support?
a.
They are likely to be believed.
b.
They make it easier for audiences to interpret numerical data.
c.
They impress an audience more than other forms of support.
d.
They are easy to find.
3. Patrick is speaking to a mixed audience whose members have strongly opposed views. He wants to unite the
group early on in his speech. What type of speech support is MOST likely to accomplish this?
a.
examples
b.
stories or narratives
c.
testimony
d.
facts
4. Which statement is true regarding supporting material?
a.
The primary function is to support the speaker’s opinion.   
b.
What is considered weak support in one context may not be in another.
c.
Supporting material is needed only for informative and persuasive speeches.
d.
No more than three different supporting materials should be used in a speech.
5. When giving informative speeches, it is best to focus solely on conveying facts.
a.
True
b.
False
6. Visually displaying statistics can be especially helpful when showing changes in statistics over time.
a.
True
b.
False
7. Facts are the same thing as testimony.
a.
True
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b.
False
8. While delivering his speech for the D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program, Chris talks about
the challenges he faced when he quit smoking. What type of testimony is this?
a.
expert testimony
b.
lay testimony
c.
personal experience
d.
a declaration of faith
9. Which form of support should Jacqueline predominantly rely on when giving a speech about the process of
buying a house?
a.
statistics
b.
testimony
c.
facts
d.
stories and narratives
10. What is the primary function of examples as speech support?
a.
to highlight expert opinion
b.
to refute possible opposing ideas
c.
to help others create a mental picture
d.
to convey factual information quickly
11. What type of speech support would be MOST effective for a training session for the new hires at a
company?
a.
examples
b.
statistics
c.
stories and narratives
d.
testimony
12. What type of belief can be empirically verified?
a.
opinion
b.
declaration of faith
c.
value
d.
fact
13. The material a speaker selects to back up their claims is called expert testimony.
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a.
True
b.
False
14. Which of these is defined as quantitative measures of the amount, size, or number of something?
a.
pie charts
b.
statistics
c.
graphs
d.
data points
15. Kai is working with a group of classmates on a speech for her social studies class. Which classmate offers
the MOST accurate advice about speech rules?
a.
Bruce says that all speeches should start with a joke and end with a quote.
b.
Janice says that there are no rules or guidelines to cover all speaking situations.
c.
Marilyn says that all speeches should include a personal anecdote.
d.
Vince says that any speech that does not include at least one statistic will seem as though it has not
been supported enough.
16. Which statement accurately describes how facts and statistics are related?
a.
Statistics are an objective way to present facts.
b.
Statistics are a form of factual support.
c.
If a speaker uses statistics to support a claim, the audience can assume that the claim is a fact.
d.
Statistics are the only kind of fact that is credible in a speech.
17. What is speech support dependent on?
a.
process
b.
context
c.
audience
d.
occasion
18. In his speech about balancing academics and sports, William shares the experiences of several student
athletes. What type of testimony is this?
a.
expert testimony
b.
personal experience
c.
lay testimony
d.
a declaration of faith
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19. Although it may not be possible to avoid bias completely, it is important to evaluate sources for biases and
for ways that those biases distort the truth, alter facts, or promote misinformation.
a.
True
b.
False
20. Dr. Buchanan, a physician, provides her opinion about a medical procedure during a speech at a conference.
What type of testimony is this?
a.
expert testimony
b.
personal experience
c.
lay testimony
d.
a declaration of faith
21. Conscious bias can be defined as a preference for something that benefits one person or others unequally.
a.
True
b.
False
22. Adriana makes a speech to her church’s youth group in which she describes the epiphany she experienced
during her silent retreat. What term BEST describes her testimony?
a.
expert testimony
b.
personal experience
c.
lay testimony
d.
a declaration of faith
23. One reason that stories can be effective is that they often focus on people’s shared lives.
a.
True
b.
False
24. In which type of situation are declarations of faith most effective as forms of speech support?
a.
on any religious occasion
b.
when audience members share the same religious beliefs
c.
when an inspirational or a spiritual tone is called for
d.
when they are being used to fuel protest movements
25. Which is an accurate statement regarding statistics?
a.
Self-report is a trustworthy source of statistics.
b.
An aggregate is a nonchanging statistic.
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c.
A direct count is more credible than an extrapolation or a projection.
d.
The most familiar example of misleading statistics is medical research.
26. Deciding when it is appropriate to use a statistic or a story is a form of contextual reasoning.
a.
True
b.
False
27. Emilio is trying to persuade people from his class to join his after-school club. During his pitch, he shares
how he has benefited from the club. What type of speech support is he using?
a.
expert testimony
b.
hypothetical example
c.
personal experience
d.
a declaration of faith
28. Students in a beginning speech class are told to research how to cite their sources orally for their next
assignment. Which form of news reporting would serve as the best example?
a.
television
b.
newspaper
c.
radio
d.
the Internet
29. Which of these is one of the five types of speech support?
a.
informal logic
b.
stories
c.
common sense
d.
visual aids
30. Which of these refers to the perception or conviction that something is true and is often contrasted with
facts?
a.
emotions
b.
assumptions
c.
hypotheses
d.
opinions
31. Jordan is writing a speech for his mock trial group. He is representing a customer who saw a shop owner get
robbed at gunpoint. What type of testimony is Jordan writing?
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a.
personal experience
b.
lay testimony
c.
expert testimony
d.
a declaration of faith
32. What type of belief is the most basic and reliable for speech support?
a.
opinions
b.
expert testimony
c.
lay testimony
d.
facts
33. Casey’s oral citation of a book on the history of the Trail of Tears for his speech on that subject should
include the author’s credentials.
a.
True
b.
False
34. When using statistics for speech support, it is important to cherry-pick the most relevant data.
a.
True
b.
False
35. According to philosopher Douglas Walton, what kind of reasoning do most people use in public speaking?
a.
informal logic
b.
formal logic
c.
expert reasoning
d.
contextual reasoning
36. Gloria is presenting the findings of her experiment related to tree frogs. In her speech, she quotes Dr. Ethan,
whose research corroborates evidence from Gloria’s experiment. Which phrase best summarizes what Dr.
Ethan’s research lends to Gloria’s speech?
a.
“Don’t just take my word for it.”
b.
“I am not original in my research ideas.”
c.
“I’m an expert, too.”
d.
“I read about tree frogs in my spare time, too.”
37. Which statement accurately describes how examples and stories are related?
a.
Stories are extended examples that follow the familiar pattern of beginning, middle, and end.
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b.
Examples are always factual descriptions, whereas stories can be factual or fictional.
c.
Stories are focused on people, but examples can focus on people, objects, or concepts.
d.
Examples are visual, whereas stories are shared in narrative form.
38. Statistics are not likely to be useful as a form of speech support for someone giving a cooking
demonstration.
a.
True
b.
False
39. It is the speaker’s responsibility to determine whether a statistic is both fair and debatable.
a.
True
b.
False
40. Roberto is working on a presentation about epilepsy for his science class. He finds a statistic he would like
to include that supports his claim that the number of people with epilepsy increases every year in the United
States. Which question should Roberto ask himself before deciding to include the statistic?
a.
Can it be represented in a visual aid?
b.
What or who is the source of the statistic?
c.
Is my audience likely to believe it?
d.
Will the use of numbers bore my audience?
41. People are naturally cautious about believing numbers.
a.
True
b.
False
42. The fallacy of incomplete evidence is another name for:
a.
bias.
b.
a declaration of faith.
c.
cherry-picking.
d.
a hypothetical example.
43. Jerome is giving a speech to try to persuade local citizens to vote to increase taxes to build a new hospital.
What type of speech support is likely to be MOST effective in garnering support?
a.
quotes
b.
examples
c.
stories and narratives
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d.
statistics
44. When a speaker is described as making contextual judgments, it means the speaker considered the speaking
occasion before:
a.
forming an opinion on the speech topic.
b.
selecting supporting materials to include in the speech.
c.
doing any research on the speech topic.
d.
creating a bibliography.
45. Shawn is giving a presentation to his students about an upcoming field trip they are going to take. What type
of speech support should he predominantly use in his presentation?
a.
facts
b.
statistics
c.
testimony
d.
stories and narratives
46. Using contextual reasoning, what can Terry conclude about his informative speech on the most effective and
efficient methods of energy production?
a.
He should rely mainly on statistics to prove that certain strategies create better results.
b.
Facts would be the best form of support for his speech.
c.
All forms of speech support would be valuable except for stories or narratives.
d.
He could benefit from using all five forms of speech support in this speech.
47. A speaker’s contextual judgments include deciding on the order of the main points, avoiding contradictions,
and selecting the most suitable supporting material.
a.
True
b.
False
48. Which statement about a specific type of speech is true?
a.
Humorous stories are not appropriate in eulogies.
b.
Personal stories are not acceptable forms of speech support.
c.
Persuasive speeches about public policy often demand more serious forms of support.
d.
Special-occasion speeches do not require support materials.
49. Why is caution the best approach when using statistics as speech support?
a.
The source of the statistics may not be trustworthy.
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b.
Most audiences find them boring.
c.
They are a weak form of support.
d.
They are sometimes collected using surveys.
50. A sum or tally is also referred to as a direct count.
a.
True
b.
False
51. Why is it helpful to use a variety of support materials?
a.
Any speech can be made stronger by using all five types of support.
b.
No single form of support is sufficient.
c.
Doing so makes the speech more interesting.
d.
The more support, the better.
52. How can a speaker determine what a statistic measures?
a.
Identify the source of the statistic.
b.
Consult FactCheck.org.
c.
Check to see if the source identifies how the number was determined.
d.
Make sure it included a diverse population.
53. Which form of speech support is BEST for conveying factual observations quickly?
a.
testimony
b.
examples
c.
statistics
d.
stories and narratives
54. Contextual reasoning is all about applying formal logic.
a.
True
b.
False
55. Speech support is the same as contextual reasoning.
a.
True
b.
False
56. In order to select appropriate supporting materials for their speeches, speakers should rely on what?
a.
informal logic
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b.
statistical data
c.
audience analysis
d.
contextual reasoning
57. Speakers should always cite their sources at the end of their speech.
a.
True
b.
False
58. Which word is another term for opinion?
a.
fact
b.
bias
c.
viewpoint
d.
testimony
59. Rosalyn is teaching her fourth-grade math class about fractions. She tells her students to imagine a pizza and
then asks the class to think of each slice as a fraction of the whole. What type of speech support is Rosalyn
using?
a.
story
b.
statistics
c.
lay testimony
d.
hypothetical example
60. It is important to use technical evidence for an audience that has a limited understanding of the speech topic.
a.
True
b.
False
61. Nicole is presenting a speech on black holes. Part of her speech support is a set of complex statistics. A
colleague suggests adding visual aids related to these statistics. What is the MOST likely reason for this
suggestion?
a.
The speech is being given to a group of astrophysicists.
b.
The aids can help Nicole confirm that the data measures what it says it does.
c.
The aids allow Nicole to select the most relevant data.
d.
The aids can help the audience better visualize the meaning of the data.
62. The key to understanding what kind of supporting material is appropriate for a speech is knowing the
context.
a.
True
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b.
False
63. Which of these is required by all types of speeches, whatever their level of formality?
a.
support
b.
visual aids
c.
anecdotes
d.
statistics
64. Aaron’s speech as a zoo tour guide is not likely to include declarations of faith as his speech support.
a.
True
b.
False
65. Jennifer is giving a speech at a fund-raiser for a nonprofit organization of which she is a member. The
organization focuses on improving the education of women around the world. Which statement from her speech
represents lay testimony?
a.
“Our programs focus on providing education and job training to women across the globe.”
b.
“Our organization is conducting multiple randomized controlled trials to evaluate the economic
impact of our programs.”
c.
“In Afghanistan, 91 percent of women receive no formal education at any point in their lives.”
d.
“After Kaamisha completed the program, she reported, ‘I have been able to start my own business
and am finally independent!’”
66. Which statement about facts and opinions is true?
a.
They are equally reliable when used as speech support.
b.
They are both considered types of beliefs.
c.
They can both be empirically verified.
d.
They are in the same category of speech support.
67. A person asks himself, “Does the data represent what the speaker claims it represents?” This person is trying
to determine whether the:
a.
data is appropriate.
b.
source is biased.
c.
source possesses expertise.
d.
data is aggregated.
68. When giving a celebratory speech, it is important to:
a.
use a variety of visual aids.
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b.
provide extensive supporting details.
c.
limit the type of support materials used.
d.
include examples and stories that are easy to follow.
69. Austin is preparing a eulogy for his Uncle Jesse. What type of quote would provide the BEST support for
Austin’s speech?
a.
poetic
b.
technical
c.
historical
d.
statistical
70. Which of these is determined by the where, when, and why of delivering a speech?
a.
tone
b.
setting
c.
volume
d.
venue
71. When orally citing sources, speakers should provide full bibliographic data, including author, publication,
and year of publication.
a.
True
b.
False
72. Statistics are commonly misused and misrepresented.
a.
True
b.
False
73. Laura is giving an informative speech about the increase in traffic accidents in her area. She wants to
reinforce the seriousness of the problem. What type of speech support is MOST likely to be effective in this
situation?
a.
testimony
b.
stories or narratives
c.
statistics
d.
examples
74. Strict contextual reasoning guidelines govern all speaking situations.
a.
True
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b.
False
75. Facts are a type of belief.
a.
True
b.
False
76. What is the term for the sharing of an individual’s viewpoints, perspectives, or opinions?
a.
storytelling
b.
evidence
c.
public speaking
d.
testimony
77. What is one guiding question speakers can ask when determining whether the use of a particular statistic is
fair and appropriate?
a.
What does the statistic measure?
b.
Does the author have a degree in the subject matter?
c.
Does the statistic prove my claim?
d.
Has the statistic been fact-checked?
78. What is an aggregate?
a.
a type of statistic
b.
a projection
c.
a type of testimony
d.
a combination of things
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