Deck 12: Rhetorical Styles

Question 1

Cicero called this style of speaking "restrained." This style is:

A) the plain style
B) the middle style
C) the grand style
D) the persuasive style

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Cicero identified various styles in public speaking. The style was used to teach, while the style was used to move.

A) plain, grand
B) middle, grand
C) grand, middle
D) plain, middle
E) plain, persuasive

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Classical discussions of style usually considered all but which of the following:

A) impressiveness
B) correctness
C) truthfulness
D) clarity
E) appropriateness

Answer 3

C

Question 4

According to Cicero, the middle style was used to please auditors because it was verbally charming.

Question 5

Martin Luther King, Jr's "I Have a Dream" speech is an example of the grand style of oratory.

Question 6

Franklin Delano Roosevelt's "Fireside Chats" are examples of the grand style of oratory.

Question 7

List and discuss each of the speaking styles identified by Cicero, explaining the characteristics and purposes of each style. Develop examples to enrich your answer.

Question 8

Do you believe that style is integral to the language of a speech or that it is an ornamental feature of public speaking that functions mostly as an add-on? Offer a detailed answer, using examples to explain and defend your perspective.

Question 9

List and discuss the four factors that constitute the classical dimensions of style, giving examples of each. Would you add any other factors to a contemporary sense of speaking style?