Chapter 6
Audience-centeredness means that public speakers should
a. keep the audience foremost in mind throughout the speechmaking process.
b. use any means necessary to gain the assent of the audience.
c. avoid choosing topics that are controversial.
d. All of these answers are correct.
e. Both keep the audience foremost in mind throughout the speechmaking process and use any means necessary to gain the assent of the audience.
keep the audience foremost in mind throughout the speechmaking process.
Phrases such as "dry as a bone," "clear as a bell," "dark as night," and "smart as a whip" should be avoided in speeches because they are
a. clichés.
b. figurative.
c. connotative.
d. similes.
e. abstract.
a. clichés.
Which of the following is discussed in your textbook as a basic criterion for the effective use of language in public speaking?
a. Use language clearly.
b. Use language accurately.
c. Use language vividly.
d. All the answers are correct.
e. both use language clearly and accurately.
d. All the answers are correct.
"To persuade my audience that it is unethical for journalists to invade people's private lives" is a specific purpose statement for a persuasive speech on a question of
a. attitude.
b. policy.
c. fact.
d. opinion.
e. value.
e. value.
According to your textbook, a fallacy is
a. an inductive argument.
b. a kind of appeal to emotion.
c. a strong argument.
d. an error in reasoning.
e. another name for a syllogism.
d. an error in reasoning.
As a member of the City Council, you have been invited to address the city's bicycling club about the mayor's plan to create additional bike routes. The most important demographic factor you should consider when analyzing your audience is probably its
a. education.
b. economic standing.
c. ethnic background.
d. occupation.
e. group membership.
e. group membership.
The connotative meaning of a word is
a. concrete and precise.
b. what the word suggests or implies.
c. its dictionary definition.
d. determined by the speaker.
e. usually too technical for a general audience.
b. what the word suggests or implies.
The three types of questions that give rise to persuasive speeches are questions of
a. need, plan, and practicality.
b. opinion, attitude, and value.
c. problem, cause, and solution.
d. opinion, fact, and policy.
e. fact, value, and policy.
e. fact, value, and policy.
Persuasive speeches on questions of __________ judge whether something is good or bad, right or wrong, fair or unfair.
a. value
b. judgment
c. criteria
d. fact
e. policy
a. value
According to your textbook, what kind of reasoning is used in the following statement?
Providing a quality education is one of the fundamental responsibilities of any nation. Thousands of American students are stuck in poor-performing schools that barely provide minimal skills. Therefore, the United States is failing to fulfill one of its fundamental obligations as a nation.
a. reasoning from emotion
b. reasoning from specific instances
c. reasoning from principle
d. reasoning from cause
e. reasoning from obligation
c. reasoning from principle
If you were giving an informative speech to a general audience about the war in Vietnam, the most important demographic factor to consider in analyzing your audience would probably be the
a. economic standing of the audience.
b. sexual orientation of the audience.
c. education of the audience.
d. age of the audience.
e. gender of the audience.
d. age of the audience.
Which of the following words is the most concrete and specific?
a. music
b. classical music
c. entertainment
d. symphony
e. Beethoven's Ninth Symphony
e. Beethoven's Ninth Symphony
The following set of main points for a persuasive speech on a question of policy follows which pattern of organization?
Nuclear power is a better alternative to fossil fuels than solar and wind energy because it is more powerful.
Nuclear power is a better alternative to fossil fuels than solar and wind energy because it is more reliable.
Nuclear power is a better alternative to fossil fuels than solar and wind energy because it requires less land.
a. relative solutions
b. comparative advantages
c. Monroe’s motivated sequence
d. need-plan-practicality
e. problem-cause-solution
b. comparative advantages
Using vivid imagery to help listeners see the benefits of the plan you are advocating is crucial to the __________Blank step in Monroe's motivated sequence.
a. attention
b. satisfaction
c. visualization
d. motivation
e. action
c. visualization
The fallacy that attacks the person rather than dealing with the real issue in dispute is referred to as
a. post hoc, ergo propter hoc.
b. red herring.
c. personification.
d. ad hominem.
e. bandwagon.
d. ad hominem.
As Amanda analyzed the audience for her speech about organic foods, she focused on such things as their gender, age, and cultural background. In doing so, she was engaging in ____________Blank audience analysis.
a. descriptive
b. demographic
c. preliminary
d. psychological
e. situational
b. demographic
"Unfortunately, many Americans live on the outskirts of hope—some because of their poverty, some because of their color, and all too many because of both" is an example of
a. personification.
b. parallelism.
c. analogy.
d. antithesis.
e. simile.
b. parallelism.
According to your textbook, when your fundamental purpose in a speech is to inspire the audience, you are most likely presenting a(n) __________Blank speech.
A. acceptance
b. commemorative
c. after-dinner
d. persuasive
e. informative
b. commemorative
Which of the following specific purpose statements is from a persuasive speech seeking passive agreement?
a. To persuade my audience to adopt a regular exercise program.
b. To persuade my audience that the campus library should be open 24 hours a day.
c. To persuade my audience to boycott coffee from plantations that damage the rainforests.
d. To persuade my audience to vote in the next local election.
e. To persuade my audience to sign organ donor cards.
b. To persuade my audience that the campus library should be open 24 hours a day.
When giving a persuasive speech to an audience that opposes your point of view, it is especially important that you use ____________Blank to answer their objections to your views.
a. credibility statements
b. syllogisms
c. visual aids
d. evidence
e. emotional appeals
d. evidence
According to your textbook, what are the three primary factors to consider when assessing an audience's disposition toward a speech topic?
a. size, occasion, and group membership
b. background, situation, and gender
c. interest, background, and age
d. gender, knowledge, and opinions
e. knowledge, interest, and attitude
e. knowledge, interest, and attitude
The denotative meaning of a word is
a. often too technical to be used in a speech.
b. usually more abstract than its connotative meaning.
c. based on the audience's sense of appropriateness.
d. what the word suggests or implies.
e. its literal or dictionary meaning.
e. its literal or dictionary meaning.
A speaker introducing the president of a university to an audience of prospective students and their families will best accomplish this goal by
a. summarizing the president's major accomplishments at the university.
b. presenting a detailed biography of the president's entire life.
c. praising the president as the finest public speaker on campus.
d. defending the changes in graduation requirements instituted by the president.
e. discussing the history of the university and its excellent athletic teams.
a. summarizing the president's major accomplishments at the university.
The specific purpose for Ali's persuasive speech is "To persuade my audience to eat locally produced food." According to your textbook, Ali is speaking on a question of
a. research.
b. opinion.
c. policy.
d. fact.
e. value.
c. policy.
According to your textbook, the following statement is an example of what type of fallacy?
Why should we be concerned about Siberian tigers becoming extinct when there are more and more homeless people who need our support?
a. ad hominem
b. hasty generalization
c. red herring
d. slippery slope
e. either-or
c. red herring