Deck 12: Preparing Speeches

Question 1

Characteristics of your audience that can be categorized and labeled, such as age, gender, cultural background, educational level, and economic status are called

A) attitudes.
B) beliefs.
C) demographics.
D) audience analysis.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Vivien is going to give a speech about the Greek system on her college's campus. She knows that in order to make her information useful to her audience, she should find out ahead of time how many students in her class are in fraternities and sororities. Which demographic characteristic does Vivien need to assess?

A) Cultural diversity
B) Political affiliation
C) Attitudes
D) Group membership

Answer 2

D

Question 3

The purpose of _______ is to develop remarks that are appropriate to the characteristics of your listeners, thereby helping you achieve your speaking goal.

A) focus groups
B) force field analysis
C) demographics
D) audience analysis

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Deeply rooted feelings about a concept's inherent worth or worthiness are called

A) attitudes.
B) beliefs.
C) demographics.
D) values.

Question 5

A predisposition to respond to regard a speaker or topic favorably or unfavorably is reflected in an audience's

A) attitudes.
B) values.
C) demographics.
D) group memberships.

Question 6

Experts in audience analysis often try to recognize and appeal to _______, because they are relatively few in number, and abstract enough to be shared by large groups of listeners.

A) values
B) beliefs
C) attitudes
D) political affiliations

Question 7

Adrianna is studying her audience. She chooses to appeal to her audience by speaking about work ethic. What does work ethic represent?

A) Group membership
B) Demographics
C) Audience analysis
D) Values

Question 8

Parker travels the country speaking to college students about the importance of staying in school. He analyzes sophomores in particular. What do sophomores represent?

A) Attitudes
B) Beliefs
C) Demographics
D) Audience analysis

Question 9

Franklin is giving a speech at a medical convention. He understands that his audience cares deeply about saving lives. His audience believes that every cost should be considered when human lives are at stake. He is speaking to them about a new medical technology that can save lives. Which part of this description speaks of audience values?

A) Franklin is giving a speech at a medical convention.
B) He understands that his audience cares deeply about saving lives.
C) His audience believes that every cost should be considered when human lives are at stake.
D) He is speaking to them about a new medical technology that can save lives.

Question 10

Sasha hopes to enlighten her audience by teaching them all about the dangers of eating a diet high in trans-fat. What is Sasha's general purpose?

A) To inform
B) To persuade
C) To motivate
D) To entertain

Question 11

Julio hopes to convince his audience to increase the amount of waste they recycle. What is Julio's general purpose?

A) To inform
B) To persuade
C) To enlighten
D) To entertain

Question 12

Dimitri is giving a light-hearted presentation about humorous adventures he's had while traveling. What is Dimitri's general purpose?

A) To teach
B) To persuade
C) To motivate
D) To entertain

Question 13

A complete sentence that describes a specific intent, conveying precisely what a speaker wants to accomplish is called a(n)

A) purpose statement.
B) introduction.
C) motivated sequence.
D) general purpose.

Question 14

One of three primary ways a speaker seeks to affect an audience-to entertain, inform, or persuade-is called a

A) general purpose.
B) thesis statement.
C) motivated sequence.
D) specific purpose.

Question 15

The precise effect that the speaker wants to have on an audience is called a

A) general purpose.
B) thesis statement.
C) motivated sequence.
D) specific purpose.

Question 16

The _______ tells your listeners the central idea of your speech and is the one idea that you want your audience to remember after they have forgotten everything else you had to say.

A) general purpose
B) introduction
C) thesis
D) specific purpose

Question 17

In planning your speech, when should you define your purpose?

A) After you choose your topic
B) After you write a purpose statement
C) After you state your thesis
D) After you gather information

Question 18

What is the first step in planning a successful speech?

A) Choose your topic.
B) Write a purpose statement.
C) State your thesis.
D) Gather information.

Question 19

Raj wants his speech to donors to have the effect of generating more donations. He writes this down as he plans to give his speech. He is working on which stage of his planning process?

A) The general purpose
B) The introduction
C) The thesis
D) The specific purpose

Question 20

The term "filter bubble" is used by researchers to describe the echo-chamber effect created when search engines and social media reinforce the pre-conceived ideas and beliefs that people have. Which stage in the preparation of a speech is made especially important by this tendency?

A) Double-check your sources.
B) Gather information.
C) State your thesis.
D) Choose a topic.

Question 21

Trevor knows he wants to give a speech about the effects of condominium lighting on sea turtle nesting grounds. He wants to make condo owners aware of the dangers their lights pose to hatchlings. He tells his audience that reducing the lights that face the water increases the survival of hatchlings by 50 percent. He expresses how dear the cause is to his heart. He also believes this can realistically be accomplished. He did a lot of research on the web to prepare for the speech. Wikipedia was one of his primary sources. What part of this description points to Trevor's thesis?

A) Trevor knows he wants to give a speech about the effects of condominium lighting on sea turtle nesting grounds.
B) He wants to make condo owners aware of the dangers their lights pose to hatchlings.
C) He tells his audience that reducing the lights that face the water increases the survival of hatchlings by 50 percent.
D) He expresses how dear the cause is to his heart.

Question 22

Trevor knows he wants to give a speech about the effects of condominium lighting on sea turtle nesting grounds. He wants to make condo owners aware of the dangers their lights pose to hatchlings. He tells his audience that reducing the lights that face the water increases the survival of hatchlings by 50 percent. He expresses how dear the cause is to his heart. He also believes this can realistically be accomplished. He did a lot of research on the web to prepare for the speech. Wikipedia was one of his primary sources. How might he have better planned for his speech?

A) His thesis statement was not clear.
B) His purpose statement should have been results-oriented.
C) His purpose statement should have been more specific.
D) He could have chosen more credible information sources.

Question 23

If you take time to check when a website was last updated, and ascertain how recently the links were included, you are most likely evaluating an online source for

A) currency.
B) credibility.
C) objectivity.
D) controversy.

Question 24

Every speech outline should follow the _______ that includes an introduction, body, and conclusion.

A) general purpose
B) motivated sequence
C) formal outline
D) basic speech structure

Question 25

Your _______ is for your eyes only, and you'll probably create several drafts of it as you refine your ideas.

A) general purpose
B) formal outline
C) working outline
D) basic speech structure

Question 26

A _______ uses a consistent format and set of symbols to identify the structure of ideas.

A) general purpose
B) motivated sequence
C) formal outline
D) basic speech structure

Question 27

What organizational pattern is demonstrated by the following example?
Early airline food: A gourmet treat.
The middle period: Institutional food at thirty thousand feet.
Today's airline food: The passenger starves.

A) A time pattern
B) A spatial pattern
C) A problem-solution pattern
D) A cause-effect pattern

Question 28

Sean started to give his speech and realized with horror that he forgot to make a document to help jog his memory. What did Sean neglect to do?

A) He overlooked his general purpose.
B) He overlooked his speaking notes.
C) He overlooked his basic speech structure.
D) He overlooked his working outline.

Question 29

Chantal has written down her ideas for her speech in her notebook. She has been making new drafts and revising them as her ideas become clearer. We can consider her notes to be her

A) general purpose.
B) formal outline.
C) basic speech structure.
D) working outline.

Question 30

The old aphorism, "Tell what you're going to say, say it, and then tell what you said." illustrates which element in structuring a speech?

A) The basic speech structure
B) The working outline
C) The formal outline
D) The thesis

Question 31

Analyze the following statements and identify the one that best demonstrates the importance of the topic to the audience.

A) I was canoeing down the Blackwater River last week when I encountered a duck trapped in the plastic rings from a six-pack of beer.
B) The prevalence of plastic waste is cluttering waterways, endangering wildlife, and damaging scenery on our planet.
C) Imagine if everyone made the choice to recycle used plastics.
D) Help protect our natural wonders!

Question 32

"I was canoeing down the Blackwater River last week when I encountered a duck trapped in the plastic rings from a six-pack of beer." Which of the ways to capture the audience's attention does this exemplify?

A) Refer to the audience.
B) Refer to the relationship between the audience and the subject.
C) Refer to something familiar to the audience.
D) Tell an anecdote.

Question 33

The first structural unit of a speech, in which the speaker captures the audience's attention and previews the main points to be covered, is called the

A) outline.
B) thesis.
C) general purpose.
D) introduction.

Question 34

Prudence is well prepared for her speech. She is confident as she faces her audience. She then tells her audience about an experience she has had regarding the topic of her speech. What is she doing?

A) Previewing the main points
B) Setting the mood and tone of her speech
C) Demonstrating the importance of her topic to her audience
D) Establishing credibility

Question 35

Muriel is giving a speech to the community's business leaders. She begins by stating, "Our community has been strong in the face of adversity, but we now face the most serious challenge in years. The tax base is shrinking and will be 30 percent smaller in three years." What is she doing?

A) Capturing attention
B) Previewing the main points
C) Setting the mood and tone of her speech
D) Establishing credibility

Question 36

Marcus makes a joke toward the beginning of his speech. He is speaking to a serious audience and wants to put them at ease. What is he doing?

A) Previewing the main points
B) Setting the mood and tone of his speech
C) Demonstrating the importance of his topic to his audience
D) Establishing credibility

Question 37

When you choose to include a startling fact or opinion, or use a quotation in the introduction to your speech, you are primarily aiming to

A) establish credibility.
B) demonstrate the importance of your topic.
C) capture your audience's attention.
D) preview the main points of your speech.

Question 38

Andrea is giving a speech to a group of environmentally conscious architects. She says, "What if I told you buildings can save our planet? I look forward to talking to you tonight about how buildings' shape, construction materials, and solar integration can reduce the energy use of the world's buildings." She speaks with enthusiasm to excite her audience about new and upcoming technologies. She continues by saying, "Each year, three billion metric tons are released into the atmosphere unnecessarily. The work that we do can have a fantastic effect on the planet." What part of the introduction is missing from this description?

A) Capturing attention
B) Previewing the main points
C) Setting the mood and tone of your speech
D) Establishing credibility

Question 39

Andrea is giving a speech to a group of environmentally conscious architects. She says, "What if I told you buildings can save our planet? I look forward to talking to you tonight about how buildings' shape, construction materials, and solar integration can reduce the energy use of the world's buildings." She speaks with enthusiasm to excite her audience about new and upcoming technologies. She continues by saying, "Each year, three billion metric tons are released into the atmosphere unnecessarily. The work that we do can have a fantastic effect on the planet." What part of her introduction represents capturing attention?

A) The work that we do can have a fantastic effect on the planet.
B) She says, "What if I told you buildings can save our planet?"
C) I look forward to talking to you tonight about how buildings' shape, construction materials, and solar integration can reduce the energy use of the world's buildings.
D) She continues by saying, "Each year, three billion metric tons are released into the atmosphere unnecessarily."

Question 40

Phrases that connect ideas in your speech by showing how each idea relates to the other are called

A) anecdotes.
B) linkers.
C) transitions.
D) purpose statements.

Question 41

At what point in a speech would we review the main points, and offer final remarks to motivate the audience to act or help listeners remember key ideas?

A) When we capture attention
B) At a transitional moment
C) When we demonstrate the importance of the topic to the audience
D) At the conclusion

Question 42

A _______ can include an internal review (a restatement of preceding points), an internal preview (a look ahead to upcoming points), or both.

A) conclusion
B) transition
C) thesis
D) summary

Question 43

"So, we have seen exactly how serious this issue is, and it's now time to move ahead to consider what can be done to address it." This sentence from a speech is most likely making a(n)

A) conclusion.
B) transition.
C) thesis.
D) outline.

Question 44

A paraphrase or repetition of your thesis, or a strikingly worded summary of your thesis to help the audience remember it, is most likely to occur where in your speech?

A) In a transition
B) In the introduction
C) In an anecdote
D) In the conclusion

Question 45

Sam is moving toward the end of his speech to members of his town's chamber of commerce. He has been talking about the problems many local small businesses are having with rents and taxation. A lot of them have been forced to close recently. As a local businessman himself, it is a topic he feels strongly about the topic. He says: "That's the problem. So, what's the answer? Do I really need to spell it out? Lower the costs! I know change isn't easy but, as the proverb says, you can't make an omelet without breaking some eggs!" His speech was less successful than he'd hoped. Why?

A) His conclusion lacked a review of the main points.
B) His conclusion was too short.
C) His conclusion lacked a memorable closing remark.
D) His conclusion was not prepared by a transition.

Question 46

Sam is moving toward the end of his speech to members of his town's chamber of commerce. He has been talking about the problems many local small businesses are having with rents and taxation. A lot of them have been forced to close recently. As a local businessman himself, it is a topic he feels strongly about the topic. He says: "That's the problem. So, what's the answer? Do I really need to spell it out? Lower the costs! I know change isn't easy but, as the proverb says, you can't make an omelet without breaking some eggs!" Which part of his conclusion represents his thesis?

A) "That's the problem. So, what's the answer?"
B) "Lower the costs!"
C) "I know change isn't easy."
D) "You can't make an omelet without breaking eggs!"

Question 47

A careful, concise and precise statement of one's source is called a(n)

A) outline.
B) citation.
C) narration.
D) testimony.

Question 48

A style of presenting your supporting material that functions like a story with a beginning, middle, and end is called a(n)

A) outline.
B) citation.
C) narration.
D) testimony.

Question 49

A(n) _______ is a brief story with a point, often (but not always) based on personal experience.

A) citation
B) narration
C) testimony
D) anecdote

Question 50

Supporting material that proves or illustrates a point by citing an authoritative source is called a(n)

A) analogy.
B) narration.
C) definition.
D) testimony.

Question 51

An extended comparison that can be used as supporting material in a speech is called a(n)

A) analogy.
B) citation.
C) definition.
D) testimony.

Question 52

A specific case that is used to demonstrate a general idea is called a(n)

A) analogy.
B) citation.
C) definition.
D) example.

Question 53

What do we call a set of numbers arranged or organized to show how a fact or principle is true for a large percentage of cases?

A) Figures
B) Statistics
C) Analogies
D) Citations

Question 54

Casey says in her speech, "Drinking a diet soda is like pouring poison down your throat." How would you characterize this statement?

A) As a simile
B) As a statistic
C) As an anecdote
D) As a testimony

Question 55

Flynn says in his speech, "I was the guy that came home and crashed on the couch. I felt terrible every day. Then something happened. I found running, or it found me. Then my life changed." How would you characterize this statement?

A) As an analogy
B) As an anecdote
C) As a definition
D) As a testimony

Question 56

Sandra says in her speech about writing, "When I spoke to world-renowned author J.K. Rowling she told me, 'It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all, in which case you have failed by default.' This quote inspired me to keep writing." How would you characterize this statement?

A) As an analogy
B) As a definition
C) As a testimony
D) As an example

Question 57

A(n) _______ is a direct comparison that generally uses the words like or as.

A) simile
B) anecdote
C) metaphor
D) example

Question 58

"I felt that with such a tidal wave of support behind me, I was guaranteed to win." What kind of supporting material is used this sentence?

A) A simile
B) A metaphor
C) A definition
D) An example

Question 59

Choose the statement that best characterizes the difference between an anecdote and narration.

A) An anecdote is a style of support that uses storytelling to relay information; a narration is a brief story with a point.
B) A narration is a style of support that uses storytelling to relay information; an anecdote is a brief story with a point.
C) An anecdote takes advantage of someone else's memorable wording; a narration is a brief story with a point.
D) An anecdote can be used to compare or contrast an unknown concept with a known one; a narration takes advantage of someone else's memorable wording.

Question 60

Choose the statement that best characterizes the difference between a simile and a metaphor.

A) A simile points out a straightforward comparison of one thing with another; a metaphor contains or implies a comparison without directly stating it.
B) A simile contains or implies a comparison without directly stating it; a metaphor points out a straightforward comparison of one thing with another.
C) A simile is a form of analogy and a metaphor takes advantage of somebody else's memorable wording.
D) A metaphor is a form of analogy and a simile takes advantage of somebody else's memorable wording.

Question 61

Tim is giving a speech about local crime. He says, "An elderly couple was robbed within city limits last week. Imagine a city where you can't leave your door unlocked, even for a second! It's as though the prison doors have been open, and all the criminals are free to do as they please in our town. This is not meant to scare you, but crime has gone up fifty percent since last year! This is all according to the latest bulletin published by city-data.com." What style of support does he use?

A) Hypothetical examples
B) Definitions
C) Quotations
D) Citation

Question 62

What is the purpose of an audience analysis?

Question 63

What are the three functions of a conclusion?

Question 64

What are the main differences between narration and citation as supporting styles?

Question 65

Compare a purpose statement with a thesis statement.

Question 66

Compare formal outlines with speaking notes.

Question 67

Describe the role of transitions in your speech.

Question 68

Describe why supporting materials are important to a speech?