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Module 20 – Making Oral Presentations
Part 2: Answers to Textbook Assignments
Questions for Comprehension
20.1 How are monologue presentations, guided discussions, and sales presentations alike
and different? (LO 20-1)
All are alike in that they have speakers and audiences, require the speaker to be prepared and
professional, and may be encountered in business. However, they differ in structure and format.
Monologue presentations are what students typically learn in high school and many college
public speaking courses. As the name suggests, the speaker speaks without interruption to an
20.2 What are the four modes for openers? (LO 20-2)
20.3 What does maintaining eye contact and smiling do for a presentation? (LO 20-5)
In many cultures, including dominant U.S. cultures, maintaining strong eye contact makes the
speaker seem more confident and trustworthy. Smiling is seen as being friendly or relaxed.
However, these same behaviors may mean quite different things in other cultures. For instance,
© 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any
manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
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Module 20 – Making Oral Presentations
20.4 If you use presentation software, will you automatically have strong visuals? (LO 20-1)
Not automatically. While some software packages come with effective clip art, how the speaker
ultimately uses that clip art determines whether it’s strong. Users must also pay attention to
color and composition while making slides and make sure that images are balanced according to
20.5 Why should you plan a strong close, rather than just saying, “Well, that’s it”? (LO
20-2)
Like the opening, the close is a position of emphasis in an oral presentation. Leaving with a
20.6 Why does an oral presentation have to be simpler than a written message to the same
audience? (LO 20-2)
Listeners to an oral presentation can’t “rewind” the speaker if they miss a point or are confused.
Listeners usually can’t absorb as much information as readers of written documents, who can
20.7 What are the advantages and disadvantages of using humor? (LO 20-2)
Humor can often set an audience at ease, but some forms of humor have the opposite effect.
Speakers should avoid offending audiences with humor at the audience’s expense or that contains
20.8 Making a Short Oral Presentation (LO 20-1 to LO 20-7)
to Making a Longer Oral Presentation (LO 20-1 to LO 20-7)
20.10 Making a Group Presentation (LO 20-1 to LO 20-7)
Student answers will vary. Make sure students read the problems you assign carefully before
attempting to complete an oral presentation. Have them use all of the principles discussed in this
© 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any
manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
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Module 20 – Making Oral Presentations
To grade students, use the evaluation sheets (or your own) on Appendix 20-A and Appendix
20-B.
Polishing Your Prose: Choosing Levels of Formality (Odd-numbered answers are in the
back of the textbook.)
2. Jade Henry improved our changes of getting the contract by submitting an excellent proposal.
4. Until our offer is accepted, we should be flexible with our schedule.
Unit 5 Cases for Communicators
The Charismatic Communicator
This unit case describes the results of a business school study that took managers from a large
Swiss company and divided them into two groups: one group of managers received training on
how to be a charismatic leader, while the other group did not. After the study was completed, the
managers who received charismatic training were assessed by co-workers and demonstrated
© 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any
manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
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Module 20 – Making Oral Presentations
© 2014 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any
manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
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