Deck 11: Planning a Speech

Question 1

What is the first step to preparing an effective speech?

A) Analyzing the audience for your speech
B) Choosing a topic for your speech
C) Identifying the goal or goals you want to accomplish in your speech
D) Gathering information to support your speech

Answer 1

Identifying the goal or goals you want to accomplish in your speech

Question 2

Which of the following is NOT a goal of public speaking?

A) To relate
B) To inform
C) To give honor
D) To entertain

Answer 2

To relate

Question 3

Peyton is responsible for training new employees at the restaurant where she works. She must let them know the correct greeting for customers, where to find the specials for each day, and how to ensure repeat business. What is Peyton's goal during these training sessions?

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

Answer 3

To inform

Question 4

When we speak to __________________, we are appealing to our listeners to think or act in a certain way.

A) give honor
B) persuade
C) introduce
D) inform

Question 5

Before his death in 2009, Billy Mays was a famous television pitchman for household products such as Mighty Putty and Grater Plater. He was best known for his opening line, "Hi, Billy Mays here for..." What was Mays's primary goal in his commercials?

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

Question 6

Kathy Griffin, the stand-up comedian and actress, has a goal to ______________ her audiences during a stand-up routine.

A) entertain
B) inform
C) persuade
D) give honor

Question 7

To be effective, speakers who _______________ must be keenly aware of who their listeners are and what they are likely to find amusing.

A) inform
B) introduce
C) entertain
D) persuade

Question 8

In August 2008, presidential candidate John McCain held a press conference to announce Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin as his vice presidential running mate. Because most of the country was unfamiliar with Palin, McCain's goal was to __________________, as he used such statements as "I have found the right partner to stand up to those who value their privileges over their responsibilities".

A) introduce
B) inform
C) give honor
D) entertain

Question 9

In his speech class, Gavin's first speech assignment is to tell the class about his past, his current plans, and his hopes for the future. Gavin's goal for the speech is

A) to inform.
B) to give honor.
C) to introduce.
D) to entertain.

Question 10

After singer Michael Jackson's death, over 20,000 friends, fans, and family members gathered together at a memorial in Los Angeles. Among others, singer Stevie Wonder gave a eulogy, stating in part, "I do know that God is good, and I know that as much as we may feel, and we do, that we need Michael here with us, God must have needed him far more". Wonder's goal during his eulogy was to

A) introduce.
B) give honor.
C) entertain.
D) persuade.

Question 11

A speech of ___________ honors someone who is receiving an award.

A) dedication
B) commemoration
C) toast
D) recognition

Question 12

On the fifth anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, President George W. Bush gave a speech of ____________________ in which he honored the memory of victims and rescue workers who lost their lives.

A) dedication
B) recognition
C) commemoration
D) evaluation

Question 13

To select an appropriate speech topic when none has been specified, you can start by ___________ to generate a list of potential topics.

A) praying
B) suggesting
C) creating
D) brainstorming

Question 14

Which of the following strategies encourages you to identify as many ideas as possible without stopping to evaluate them?

A) Brainstorming
B) Creating
C) Innovating
D) Listing

Question 15

Pace is asked to give a speech to a local youth group. He considers his experience, hobbies, beliefs, values, and attitudes, how he enjoys spending his time, and what issues he cares about. What question is Pace answering as he brainstorms?

A) What topics are in the news?
B) What does my audience know about?
C) What topics do you care about?
D) What topics are relevant?

Question 16

Julia is asked to speak at a university conference, so she reads the university's website and its student newspaper to find out what students and faculty are talking about these days. Which question is she most likely trying to answer?

A) What topics are interesting?
B) What topics do you care about?
C) What topics are relevant?
D) What topics are in the news?

Question 17

Answering questions such as "What do you talk about the most with your friends and family"? and "What is your fantasy career"? relates to what brainstorming technique?

A) Finding topics you care about
B) Finding topics in the news
C) Finding topics that are current
D) Finding topics that are relevant

Question 18

If you read Time magazine or log onto a website such as www.cnn.com, you are answering what question for brainstorming?

A) What topics are interesting?
B) What topics are relevant?
C) What topics are in the news?
D) What topics do you care about?

Question 19

Read the following list of potential speech topics: the U.S. economy, same-sex marriage laws, the 2012 presidential election, immigration policy. What question did the speaker most likely answer to generate this list?

A) What topics are interesting?
B) What topics do you care about?
C) What topics are relevant?
D) What topics are in the news?

Question 20

When choosing a topic, which question will allow you to speak with credibility and confidence?

A) "How much to I care about this topic"?
B) "What do I already know about this topic"?
C) "How much do I need to learn about this topic"?
D) "How valuable is this topic"?

Question 21

Eliza is assigned a persuasive speech in her communication course. When brainstorming, she knows it is important to pick a topic ____________ because it will make preparing her speech more enjoyable and her presentation will be more engaging for the audience.

A) she cares about
B) she knows about
C) that is valuable
D) she doesn't need to learn about

Question 22

To give an effective speech, you need to select a topic that is right not only for yourself but also your

A) assignment.
B) audience.
C) interests.
D) experience.

Question 23

Asking yourself which of the following questions will help you to consider whether the topic will be suitable for your listeners?

A) "How much will my audience care about this topic"?
B) "How much do I know about this topic"?
C) "How much do I care about this topic"?
D) "How appropriate is this topic for my audience"?

Question 24

To give an effective speech, you need a topic that is right for the _______________, meaning that it is appropriate for the situation.

A) audience
B) occasion
C) assignment
D) juncture

Question 25

When identifying a topic that is right for the occasion, you should ask yourself:

A) What do I know about this topic?
B) How much will my audience care about this topic?
C) How much do I know about this topic?
D) Why am I speaking?

Question 26

Jocelyn is a dynamic, humorous speaker. When she is asked to give a eulogy for her former biology professor, she prepares a somber, serious speech commemorating the educator's contribution to his field. In order to give a speech appropriate for the occasion, Jocelyn most likely asked herself,

A) "What is the emotional tone of the event"?
B) "How much do I know about this topic"?
C) "How appropriate is this topic for my audience"?
D) "How much do I care about this topic"?

Question 27

If you start with a broad list of potential topics, you can narrow it down by considering which topics are right for you, for the audience, and for the

A) demographic.
B) assignment.
C) occasion.
D) speech.

Question 28

Good public speakers engage in ______________, which means thinking carefully about the characteristics of their listeners so they can address their audience in the most effective way.

A) self-analysis
B) careful topic selection
C) psychoanalysis
D) audience analysis

Question 29

Carrie is giving a speech to her political science class. To make her topic interesting and engaging to her audience, Carrie looks at her audience's ____________ characteristics, such as sex and sexual orientation, culture, and political orientation.

A) demographic
B) social
C) psychological
D) general

Question 30

Which of the following is NOT a demographic characteristic?

A) Age and facility with computer-mediated communication
B) Socioeconomic status
C) Mood
D) Education level

Question 31

As the president of his college honor society, Quincy has been asked to give a speech to a local senior citizens' organization. Quincy spends a lot of time working on his presentation aids, thinking they will help his audience follow his topic more easily. He uses many PowerPoint slides and video clips. About halfway through his speech, Quincy notices his audience seems distracted, and he even sees some of the senior citizens walk out. In considering demographics, it seems that Quincy did not carefully consider

A) sex and sexual orientation.
B) occasion.
C) age and facility with computer-mediated communication.
D) mental characteristics.

Question 32

Diana, a nontraditional student who is returning to college after raising her children, has not kept up with technology. Therefore, when she is required to have a presentation aid for her persuasive speech, she decides to use a poster. As she watches the other speakers with their PowerPoint slides and YouTube videos, Diana realizes she probably should have more carefully considered what demographic characteristic?

A) Occasion
B) Political orientation
C) Physical and mental characteristics
D) Age and facility with computer-mediated communication

Question 33

Tori is giving a speech in her economics class on health care reform. One of her main focuses is on the coverage of families. As she discusses that issue, she uses such terms as "spouse", "husband", and "wife" rather than the more general term "family". Several members of her audience feel dismissed and overlooked, as Tori's speech does not fully consider the demographic characteristic of

A) sex and sexual orientation.
B) physical and mental characteristics.
C) age.
D) political orientation.

Question 34

Effective speakers take into account the _______________ of the audience, since women and men differ from each other in their attitudes about particular topics.

A) sexual orientation
B) sex
C) physical characteristics
D) political orientation

Question 35

_________ sensitive speakers recognize that many minorities have histories of social, economic, or political oppression.

A) Rhetorically
B) Culturally
C) Ethnically
D) Minority

Question 36

In 2007, during an appearance on The Tonight Show, actress Halle Berry made a joke about a digitally altered photograph in which her nose appeared enlarged, saying it was her Jewish cousin. As host Jay Leno and the audience grew silent, Berry said, "Have I just ruined my career"? She asked producers to edit the word "Jewish" from her joke and later apologized for the incident. Berry was considering the demographic of __________ when asking for her comment to be edited and issuing her apology.

A) sexual orientation
B) political orientation
C) economic status
D) culture

Question 37

Speakers who are insensitive to how listeners might interpret their remarks risk offending or alienating ___________ groups in their audiences, even if their intentions were honorable.

A) political
B) cultural
C) sociological
D) economic

Question 38

When considering the demographic of ___________________, you can evaluate whether you think a less wealthy audience might be more liberal and more open to new ways of thinking.

A) economic status
B) culture
C) age
D) political orientation

Question 39

In her speech class, Veronica knows there is a student with a visual impairment and another with high-functioning autism. She plans to take extra time during her speech to explain her presentation aids, as a result of her analysis of which demographic characteristic?

A) Intelligence
B) Physical and mental capabilities
C) Culture
D) Age

Question 40

You should always evaluate the ___________ of your audience, as some members may face cognitive limitations or learning disabilities.

A) culture
B) mental capabilities
C) age
D) physical capabilities

Question 41

Knowing whether your audience is primarily conservative, primarily liberal, or a mix of the two can help you tailor your message accordingly. Therefore, it is useful to consider the demographic characteristic of

A) culture.
B) economic status.
C) mental capabilities.
D) political orientation.

Question 42

During the 2000 U.S. presidential election, journalist Tim Russert devised the method of dividing the country into "red states" (primarily Republican) and "blue states"(primarily Democrat), which represents differences in the states' _________________.

A) political orientation
B) color
C) cultural
D) economic status

Question 43

To consider the context or situation of your speaking engagement, which of the following would you consider about your audience?

A) Political orientation
B) Culture
C) Existing knowledge
D) Age

Question 44

To maximize your effectiveness as a speaker, consider the ___________ of your speech, which reflects why your audience will come together to hear you.

A) size
B) prior knowledge
C) time available
D) purpose

Question 45

When asking yourself questions such as "Will my listeners be required to attend or will they assemble by choice"? and "Is the occasion joyous or somber"? you are considering your audience's

A) size.
B) knowledge.
C) purpose.
D) time.

Question 46

When considering your audience's size, in general it is important to remember that the ____________ the group, the more formally structured your presentation should be.

A) smaller
B) larger
C) more educated
D) less conservative

Question 47

When deciding on activities and tone, you should be concerned with audience ________, as a speech to a dozen people is different than a speech to 200.

A) size
B) make-up
C) demographics
D) attitude

Question 48

Listeners have only a finite amount of __________ to spend listening to a speaker.

A) time
B) knowledge
C) patience
D) purpose

Question 49

If you are allotted 30 minutes to speak, but only use 25, audiences usually appreciate your efficient use of

A) space.
B) time.
C) purpose.
D) knowledge.

Question 50

Davin has been hired to give a motivational speech to a local youth group. His speech is scheduled first thing in the morning, and as he begins, he notices several audience members nodding off. He also notices that several other audience members are texting on their phones. Because Davin had analyzed his audience's ________________ prior to his speech, Davin is ready with a few jokes about the morning and texting. He is able to break the ice with his audience and continue on successfully.

A) time
B) purpose
C) competing demands
D) prior knowledge

Question 51

If you analyze your audience's __________________, you can avoid talking down to your audience and talking over their heads.

A) purpose
B) prior knowledge
C) competing demands
D) patience

Question 52

Professor Galeran is teaching an advanced public speaking class for the first time. She stops to define terms such as "demographic characteristics" and "audience analysis", much to the annoyance of her audience. Professor Galeran failed to think what about her audience?

A) Purpose
B) Prior knowledge
C) Competing demands
D) Boredom

Question 53

Which of the following is NOT a potential source of objective supporting material?

A) Personal opinions
B) Systematic observations
C) Interviews
D) Questionnaires

Question 54

Because it would be nearly impossible to read and evaluate the thousands of potential sources it can produce, you might find which of the following research techniques to yield too much information on your topic?

A) library research
B) internet search
C) personal observation
D) interview

Question 55

Which of the following is a website that allows you to search other websites containing information on a topic you specify?

A) Specific engine
B) Source
C) General search engine
D) Research site

Question 56

A _________________ doesn't scan the Internet as broadly as general search engines do but rather looks only for research that has been published in books, academic journals, and other periodicals.

A) research search engine
B) news search engine
C) general search engine
D) specific search engine

Question 57

Rhiannon is doing research for her speech on whaling. When using a search engine such as Yahoo, Rhiannon becomes frustrated, as all she can seem to pull up are websites without research or credibility. Upon her professor's suggestion, she tries a ______________ at scholar.google.com, and suddenly, she can easily find published journal and periodical articles on her topic.

A) general search engine
B) news search engine
C) specific web site
D) research search engine

Question 58

Which of the following allows you to explore a variety of resources and offers the assistance of trained professionals who can help you navigate all of the available assets?

A) Internet research
B) Library research
C) A personal observation
D) An interview

Question 59

Which of the following can be divided into books, periodicals, nonprint materials, and electronic print materials?

A) Internet research
B) Personal collections
C) Library research
D) Fiction

Question 60

What is another term for materials that are published on a regular basis, such as magazines, newspapers, and scientific journals?

A) Websites
B) Papers
C) Quartiles
D) Periodicals

Question 61

Sound recordings, movies, and photographs are examples of which of the following?

A) Periodicals
B) Books
C) Nonprint materials
D) Electronic print materials

Question 62

Rafe is doing research for his informative speech and has not been happy with the quality of information he's been finding on online search engines. He goes to his university library, where he searches PsycInfo, a _________________ focused on the discipline of psychology.

A) search engine
B) database
C) nonprint material
D) online source

Question 63

For her informative speech on nonverbal leave-taking behaviors, Harper goes to a local airport when she knows that a group of Marines is being deployed overseas. She observes the different ways families and friends say goodbye to the departing troops. In her speech, Harper then discusses this __________________ as a form of support.

A) nonprint material
B) research
C) experience
D) personal observation

Question 64

When using ___________________ as supporting material, it is vital to remember that your study may not accurately reflect the behaviors of the population at large.

A) personal observation
B) nonprint materials
C) databases
D) online resources

Question 65

If you want to learn something you cannot directly observe, such as people's attitudes, beliefs, or histories, what is usually the best form of research?

A) Personal observations
B) Databases
C) Surveys
D) Periodicals

Question 66

Which of the following is a structured conversation in which one person poses questions to which another person responds?

A) Survey
B) Interview
C) Questionnaire
D) Observation

Question 67

Penny is doing a speech on breast cancer survivors. She decides it would be helpful for the audience to know first-hand, from someone who has survived the disease, what the struggle for survival was like. She meets with Cathy, who has been in remission for five years, to ask questions about the experience. Penny thinks this __________ will help make this topic more personal and emotional for the audience.

A) interview
B) questionnaire
C) observation
D) survey

Question 68

Compared to interviews, __________________ allow you to collect data from a large number of people relatively efficiently.

A) surveys
B) observations
C) questionnaires
D) polls

Question 69

Ben is doing a speech on communication apprehension in college students. He decides that a(n) _______________ would be the most efficient way to see how a large number of speech students feel about communication apprehension.

A) observation
B) survey
C) poll
D) questionnaire