Deck 1: Introduction to Technical Communication

Question 1

Chapter 15 discusses four aspects of the speaking situation that you should take into account when planning the graphics you'll use in an oral presentation. One is the length of the presentation. What are the other three aspects?

A) audience aptitude and experience
B) size and layout of the room
C) equipment
D) formality of the presentation
E) color schemes

Answer 1

A, B, C

Question 2

According to Chapter 15, one of the suggestions for introducing your presentation is to introduce yourself. What are two other suggestions from the chapter?

A) Have the audience read your title slide aloud.
B) Explain the purpose of the presentation.
C) Provide an advance organizer.
D) Tell the audience how many slides you will use.

Answer 2

B, C

Question 3

Chapter 15 presents several techniques for overcoming nervousness and releasing nervous energy before giving an oral presentation. One is to remind yourself that you are prepared. What are two other techniques mentioned in the chapter?

A) Jog rapidly in place for a few minutes.
B) Talk with someone for a few minutes.
C) Take several deep breaths, exhaling slowly.
D) Drink two or three 8-ounce glasses of water.
E) Focus your gaze on the far wall for the first few minutes of your presentation.

Answer 3

B, C

Question 4

Which of the following is an example of a nonfluency?

A) When you say "rural juror," the audience hears "ruhr juhr."
B) When you get nervous, you say, "And, um. . . ."
C) You pronounce the word nuclear as "nuke-you-lar."
D) The speech that took 10 minutes when you practiced it is over in 5 minutes.

Question 5

According to Chapter 15, maintaining eye contact is one way to use your body effectively. What are other techniques are discussed in the chapter?

A) Use natural gestures.
B) Control the audience's attention.
C) Avoid blocking the audience's view of the screen.
D) All responses are correct.
E) None of the responses are correct.

Question 6

A manager has asked a colleague to deliver a 15-minute presentation explaining the latest test data at tomorrow's department meeting. Ideally, the colleague should do all except which one of the following to prepare for this presentation?

A) Rehearse the presentation at least three times.
B) Visit the site of the presentation.
C) Prepare appropriate presentation graphics.
D) Memorize the presentation.

Question 7

According to Chapter 15, how many times should you rehearse an oral presentation?

A) once
B) twice
C) three times
D) until you have memorized it

Question 8

Which of the following statements signals a transition?

A) "My name is Susan Tratz, and I represent the Bureau of Environmental Quality."
B) "In this presentation, I will discuss the causes of political gridlock as well as three potential solutions."
C) "Now that we have discussed the symptoms of the disease, I would like to discuss its probable causes."
D) None of the responses are correct.

Question 9

If you are presenting to nonnative speakers of English, which of the following should you do?

A) Survey your audience for the most frequently spoken languages and arrange for translations of your slides into those languages.
B) Offer to provide free translations of the slides to any interested audience members following the presentation.
C) Include, directly on your slides, brief translations of the most essential content in the most commonly spoken languages.
D) Use simple vocabulary and slow down the pace of your delivery.

Question 10

According to Chapter 15, which factors should you take into account when using Prezi to prepare a presentation?

A) You will be able to access the free version only when you have access to the Internet.
B) You can collaborate with others on your Prezi presentation in real time.
C) You will need to pay a fee in order to present your Prezi presentation to the public.
D) Once you decide on a sequence for a specific presentation, you will need to use that same sequence each time you deliver the presentation.

Question 11

A presenter is preparing to deliver a presentation at an annual conference. Over 200 people are expected to attend this presentation. Which of the following is the LEAST effective technique for making a lasting impression on the audience?

A) Open with a joke.
B) Focus on the audience's interests.
C) Describe the topic in human terms.
D) Use specific numbers, dollars, or percentages.

Question 12

Analyzing the speaking situation as you prepare an oral presentation calls for which of the following steps?

A) analyzing how much your audience already knows about the subject
B) determining your purpose in making the presentation
C) analyzing the audience's attitudes toward your subject
D) determining how much information you can present in your allotted time
E) All responses are correct.

Question 13

According to Chapter 15, what is a potential disadvantage of using the free version of the Prezi presentation tool?

A) Unless you register for a privacy control package, your presentations will be in a public space, so you must be careful about the information you put in them.
B) You must connect to the Internet to show your presentations.
C) You must connect to the Internet to make changes to your presentations.
D) All responses are correct.

Question 14

Which statement accurately describes PowerPoint and Prezi, the presentation software programs discussed in Chapter 15?

A) A Prezi presentation is organized as a network or web, while a PowerPoint presentation is linear.
B) A PowerPoint presentation is organized as a network or web, while a Prezi presentation is linear.
C) Both PowerPoint and Prezi allow you to arrange your images in a web with seamless transitions.
D) Both Prezi and PowerPoint require you to arrange graphics linearly.

Question 15

Chapter 15 describes four types of oral presentations, including impromptu presentations. What are the other three?

A) contemporaneous presentations
B) extemporaneous presentations
C) scripted presentations
D) prescriptive presentations
E) memorized presentations

Question 16

What is an advance organizer?

A) a note card listing some of the major points of your presentation, prepared in advance as a memory aid
B) a stress-relief exercise that you perform in the last few minutes before you begin to speak, to shake off some of the nervousness that you will probably experience
C) an assistant or colleague who helps prepare the room to ensure that your audiovisual aids are working, the lighting and room temperature are appropriate, and sufficient seating is available for the audience
D) a statement that tells the listener what you are about to say

Question 17

What should you do if you want the audience at your oral presentation to pay close attention to what you are saying?

A) Stop talking and wait for the audience to look at you.
B) Confront the audience about their rude behavior.
C) Remove the graphics from the screen or let the screen go blank.
D) None of the options are correct.

Question 18

According to Chapter 15, where on a presentation slide should you place the claim you are making?

A) in the headline area at the top
B) in the body of the slide
C) in a graphic in the middle of the slide
D) in the middle of the footer area

Question 19

According to Chapter 15, which statement about oral presentations is correct?

A) The audience and purpose are basically the same for any presentation you give.
B) The audience for an oral presentation will be receptive to your message; otherwise, they would not attend.
C) You can always find a way to fit all of your ideas into the allotted time.
D) Some presentations call for both informing and persuading the audience.

Question 20

Which of the following forms of delivery is the best one to use if a presenter must clearly communicate precise safety data?

A) impromptu
B) extemporaneous
C) scripted
D) memorized

Question 21

Because a presentation occurs only once, you must work harder to maintain and direct the audience's attention to what you are saying than you do when writing a document.

Question 22

According to Chapter 15, it is better to plan ahead to say something funny or witty than to do so spontaneously.

Question 23

Usually, your audience is more aware of your nervousness than you are.

Question 24

What should you do if a belligerent audience member rejects your response during a question-and-answer session and insists on restating his or her point?

Question 25

According to Chapter 15, you do not need to announce the end of your presentation. Listeners can tell when you are ending.

Question 26

Chapter 15 describes four types of oral presentations, including impromptu presentations. What are two of the other three?

Question 27

According to Chapter 15, memorable language brings to mind things that people can see, touch, or easily imagine.

Question 28

In a question-and-answer session, what should you do if you are asked a question you do not understand?

Question 29

If you are asked a question you do not understand during a question-and-answer session, you should first ask for clarification, then respond to the question, and then ask if you have answered the question adequately.

Question 30

An effective graphic for an oral presentation has five characteristics. One is that it presents a clear, well-supported claim. What are two other characteristics mentioned in the chapter?

Question 31

Inexperienced speakers encounter problems with five aspects of vocalizing. One aspect is volume. Name two other aspects of vocalizing that can be a source of problems.

Question 32

In an oral presentation, what is an advance organizer?

Question 33

One technique a presenter can use to make his or her language more memorable is to involve the audience.

Question 34

Chapter 15 suggests using three techniques to make your language more memorable. One technique is to refer to people, not to abstractions. What is one other technique described in the chapter?

Question 35

Maintaining eye contact is one way to use your body effectively. What is another technique mentioned in the chapter?

Question 36

To invite questions after your presentation, a simple "Any questions?" is appropriate.

Question 37

When you are answering questions from the audience, it is more important to appear authoritative than to appear polite.

Question 38

According to Chapter 15, an effective 20-minute presentation could take 13 hours to prepare.

Question 39

Chapter 15 lists a number of points to keep in mind if you become nervous before giving an oral presentation. One is to realize that you are prepared. What is one other mentioned in the chapter?

Question 40

According to Chapter 15, there are four techniques for concluding a presentation. One is to look to the future. What is one other?