Deck 6: Finding a Purpose and Selecting a Topic

Question 1

A speech about how to winterize your car is a speech to inform.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Common types of informative topics are:

A) aspirations, vision, education, planning, and success.
B) objects, people, events, concepts, processes, and issues.
C) position, pay, power, and prestige in the professions.
D) religion, rights, and responsibility as a citizen.
E) technology, crime, and the inadequacy of the law.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

A persuasive speech includes a call for action.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Knowledge sharing is the delivery of information, skills, or expertise to people.

Question 5

Knowledge sharing refers to:

A) acting as a liaison between groups and gaining recognition from it.
B) alerting the audience to potential problems so they can be vigilant.
C) delivering information or expertise to people who will benefit from it.
D) networking with various groups in order to elicit appropriate responses.
E) selecting the relevant facts for people or groups who need them.

Question 6

Manipulative persuasion occurs when the speaker:

A) cites knowledgeable people who have done research in the same area.
B) discloses his or her honest reasons for proposing a particular change.
C) disguises or hides his or her ulterior reasons for proposing a particular change.
D) provides a real-life case study to show the benefits of the proposed change.
E) provides a slogan or rhyme to help the audience remember the message.

Question 7

A ___________ is one's perception of the usefulness, importance, or worth of something.

Question 8

___________ persuasion occurs when a speaker urges listeners to action by misleading them.

Question 9

A belief is:

A) an assumption or inference that challenges scientific or conventional knowledge.
B) the emotional dependence on a higher, more powerful authority, such as God.
C) erroneous or inaccurate information easily corrected by presenting observable facts.
D) a proposition that a person holds as true or false without positive knowledge or proof.
E) wishful thinking in which someone expects a particular outcome in return for belief.

Question 10

A value is a:

A) listener's "yardstick" for assessing how credible the speaker is.
B) moral standard that a speaker can invoke during his or her speech.
C) person's perceptions of the usefulness, importance, or worth of something.
D) speaker's desire for others to perceive him or her in a particular way.
E) strongly held aspiration toward which an individual is willing to strive.

Question 11

A speech given for the enjoyment of the audience is a speech to ____________.

Question 12

A speech with a general purpose refers to:

A) an event in which various speakers present.
B) presenting a message with no particular goal.
C) presenting a speech for a generalized audience.
D) a speech that informs, persuades, or entertains.
E) a topic which is thought to appeal to everyone.

Question 13

The purpose of a speech to inform is to:

A) convey knowledge the audience doesn't already have.
B) ensure that the audience will agree with the speaker.
C) impress the audience with your speaking skills.
D) inspire the audience to meet a specific challenge.
E) warn them about political change that will affect them.

Question 14

A speech urging you to vote against a proposition is a speech to entertain.

Question 15

___________ persuasion occurs when the speaker truly believes that a particular change is in the best interest of the audience.

Question 16

Pure persuasion occurs when the speaker:

A) accommodates the audience by using only the facts that support his or her thesis.
B) presents himself or herself as "one of you," with dreams and values in common.
C) simplifies his or her language, defines confusing terms, and provides examples.
D) takes the time to thank the audience for their time and thoughtful attention.
E) truly believes the change he or she proposes is in the best interest of the listeners.

Question 17

In a speech to entertain, a speaker:

A) advises listeners to make time for themselves every week.
B) gets the audience to respond interactively to "what if?" questions.
C) gives a speech that provides enjoyment for the listeners.
D) makes use of gestures and facial expressions to elicit laughter.
E) uses jokes and sarcasm to cast doubt on popular beliefs.

Question 18

A speech for presenting an award is a ceremonial speech.

Question 19

An attitude is:

A) the character of a personality that makes a speaker honest and direct.
B) a communication style that is incisive, confrontational, and sarcastic.
C) a mindset toward analyzing or exposing the weaknesses in an idea.
D) a noncommittal approach that avoids getting bogged down in details.
E) the predisposition toward seeing something as good or bad, right or wrong.

Question 20

The general purposes of speaking are to ___________, to persuade, and to entertain.

Question 21

An audience constrains a speaker because they:

A) are likely to over-react if they disagree.
B) are too smart to take logical shortcuts with.
C) have different interests, needs, and concerns.
D) have the right to ignore or disbelieve you.
E) will be listening for weaknesses in delivery.

Question 22

Why are audience beliefs, attitudes, and values important to a persuasive speaker?

Question 23

Differentiate between pure and manipulative persuasion. Describe a time when it may be ethical to use each type of persuasion. If you believe there is never an ethical opportunity for either one, explain why.

Question 24

A speech to inform should inspire your audience to try something new.

Question 25

Which question should you ask yourself when narrowing your speech?

A) Can I reasonably hope to inform or persuade the audience within the time frame?
B) Is this a topic for which I will have to do a lot of time-consuming research?
C) Is this topic one that will leave the audience with a positive impression of me?
D) Will my topic impress my audience enough to make them see me in a new light?
E) Will the topic be exceptional enough to inspire questions from the audience?

Question 26

Reasonable and intelligent audiences do not have preconceived ideas about politics and religion.

Question 27

A narrowed topic is easier to prepare and deliver than a broad subject area.

Question 28

Narrowing a speech topic:

A) is easily accomplished by leaving out boring details.
B) makes it possible to cover a lot of territory quickly.
C) is necessary for speakers who speak very slowly.
D) is a necessary step, but a fairly quick and easy one.
E) takes time and patience to focus effectively.

Question 29

You should select a broad subject area that is:

A) controversial so that the audience is attentive.
B) cutting-edge and brand new to your audience.
C) easy to research and new to the audience.
D) interesting to both you and your audience.
E) unique to you, so nobody can contradict you.

Question 30

The time frame for a speech is unimportant if you are the only speaker.

Question 31

Your purpose in preparing a speech will be to:

A) get and keep audience attention.
B) inform, persuade, or entertain.
C) prepare an analytical speech.
D) present an interesting topic.
E) show that you are prepared.

Question 32

What's the difference between a speech to inform and a speech to persuade?

Question 33

Constraints in public speaking refer to:

A) a delivery that matches the outline word for word.
B) formality, both in content and in delivery.
C) the need for a dignified, professional self-presentation.
D) purpose, audience, context, and time frame.
E) rejecting topics that are controversial or titillating.

Question 34

You should narrow your topic so that:

A) the audience won't be overwhelmed with all the knowledge.
B) it will also apply to research you're doing in other courses.
C) visual and presentation aids can do most of the work for you.
D) you can present worthwhile content within the time frame.
E) you'll be able to accomplish all the research for it online.

Question 35

What are beliefs, attitudes, and values? Define each, and provide an example.

Question 36

What is the main difference between pure persuasion and manipulative persuasion?

Question 37

Context is a public speaking constraint because:

A) appropriate topics are different in one location than in another location.
B) only certain locations can accommodate reporters and television cameras.
C) opening remarks are audience-friendly if they include reference to the location.
D) speakers must take steps to make sure they will not be quoted out of context.
E) speakers should attempt to groom and dress themselves to conform to the location.

Question 38

Why is manipulative persuasion unethical?

Question 39

Narrowing your topic means:

A) explaining to the audience why you can't cover your topic completely.
B) focusing the topic to a very specific area within a broader topic.
C) identifying a single detail you can talk about for five to seven minutes.
D) making sure the speech can be given significantly under the time frame.
E) treating the topic in general without going into any degree of depth.

Question 40

The time frame constraint refers to:

A) the amount of time you are allowed to use in delivering your speech.
B) the requirement that you research and prepare in a certain amount of time.
C) the time of day or the time of year that influences your speech topic.
D) the timeliness, or currency, of the speech content and specific details.
E) the topic of the speech: historical, contemporary, or future projections.

Question 41

A personal inventory is a:

A) detailed calendar or time line of life events.
B) detailed and descriptive list about an individual.
C) formal record of a student's written work.
D) list of people's opinions about a specific person.
E) record of an individual's accomplishments.

Question 42

A common error is narrowing a topic insufficiently for the _______ _______.

Question 43

What are the general purposes for speaking?

Question 44

Why is the audience a constraint?

Question 45

What questions should you ask yourself in deciding how to narrow your topic? Why should you ask them?

Question 46

The Internet is a helpful finding aid because it:

A) always provides accurate information about many topics.
B) bypasses the need to look in library reference sources.
C) does most of your factual research for you and saves time.
D) has excellent YouTube videos of other people's speeches.
E) is a rich source of interesting topics you can consider.

Question 47

The purpose of generating a personal inventory about yourself is to:

A) begin to rely on your inner knowing rather than depending on other sources.
B) identify unique and interesting life experiences to consider as possible topics.
C) prove that your personal experiences will be interesting to the audience.
D) reduce your anxiety about standing in front of an audience and speaking.
E) streamline your research and make your speech preparation more efficient.

Question 48

The common constraints of public speaking are ________, audience, context, and time frame.

Question 49

A topic should be narrowed in a way that is appropriate for the audience.

Question 50

One way to poll your audience for their interests and needs is to:

A) ask a question in front of class and see what they say.
B) collect information using a simple questionnaire.
C) eavesdrop on their discussions to learn their concerns.
D) find out what their speech topics are, and try to fit in.
E) observe them in class and listen to their participation.

Question 51

The set of circumstances surrounding a speech, including the location itself, is the ________.

Question 52

A finding aid is a(n):

A) assistant to a research librarian who helps students.
B) index that organizes subjects into categories.
C) piece of software that organizes your research.
D) resource that provides facts about famous people.
E) tool that will help you find lists of possible topics.

Question 53

Media outlets are effective finding aids when they:

A) are interesting and entertaining.
B) are the only source you need.
C) become the topic of your speech.
D) provide interesting topic ideas.
E) reduce the amount of work you do.

Question 54

A __________ area is a broad area of knowledge (e.g., art, business, history, physical sciences, social sciences, humanities, education).

Question 55

Polling organizations are effective finding aids because they:

A) are an accurate source of important factual information.
B) can indicate what people are interested in understanding.
C) clarify major social issues and make them understandable.
D) focus on information about college student opinions.
E) show how diverse and divided American opinions are.

Question 56

What is topic narrowing?

Question 57

If you use a media outlet as a source of information, you must:

A) accurately paraphrase the complicated concepts.
B) be able to repeat accurately the facts presented in it.
C) cite the topic by title, network, station, and date aired.
D) give an honest evaluation of the specific episode.
E) use your insight to identify its underlying meanings.

Question 58

Can constraints become so cumbersome that they prevent a speaker from ethically delivering an appropriate speech?

Question 59

A best-seller list is a helpful finding aid because it:

A) analyzes the writing styles and accuracy of books.
B) gives you sales figures that show how good books are.
C) summarizes books so that you can just skim them.
D) tells you what kinds of topics people are reading about.
E) tells you which books are worth your time to read.

Question 60

A ______________ is how we refer to any limitation or restriction that you may have as a speaker.

Question 61

__________ organizations collect information about people's perceptions and interests.

Question 62

Use your own personal inventory to show how you can select a specific topic. State the topic and why you could select it.

Question 63

A needs analysis is designed to determine audience needs, wants, wishes, and desires.

Question 64

Media information, once aired, is in the public domain, so you don't have to cite the source.

Question 65

How can media outlets help you choose a speech topic? Give examples.

Question 66

Media outlets are best used as the topics of persuasive speeches.

Question 67

Which of the following is not a part of a specific purpose?

A) statement of the general purpose
B) specification of one's audience
C) actual topic a speaker has chosen
D) explanation of the persuasive or informative intent
E) basic objective the speaker hopes to accomplish

Question 68

The formal process for conducting a _________ _________ is threefold: 1.) find a gap in knowledge, 2.) figure out the cause, and 3.) identify solutions.

Question 69

Which of the following is not one of the circumstances generally discussed by an analysis of a rhetorical situation?

A) audience
B) channel
C) context
D) speaker
E) text

Question 70

What is a statement that starts with a general purpose and is followed by a specification of one's audience, the actual topic a speaker has chosen, and the basic objective the speaker hopes to accomplish with the speech?

A) general purpose
B) thesis statement
C) specific purpose
D) thesis idea
E) general idea

Question 71

Best-seller lists help you learn what people are interested in reading about.

Question 72

The Internet is a reliable source of accurate information for a speech.

Question 73

What is referred to as the set of circumstances surrounding someone's speech?

A) historical context
B) historical perspective
C) rhetorical device
D) rhetorical intent
E) rhetorical situation

Question 74

Some Internet sources that include ".edu" can be used to:

A) choose a unique topic that nobody else would ever think of.
B) decide how to start your speech with an effective "grabber."
C) find ready-made speeches on topics suitable for college audiences.
D) get all the factual information you will need in one location.
E) identify interesting topics you can research for your public speech.

Question 75

What does a polling organization do? How does that help you?

Question 76

Is there ever a time when a needs analysis may not be ethical? If so, explain why. If not, explain why.

Question 77

What is a needs analysis?

Question 78

One way to learn what topics people are interested in reading about is to look at
_________-_________ __________.

Question 79

A detailed and descriptive list about an individual is called a __________ ___________.

Question 80

You can __________ your audience to learn their interests and needs.