Question 1

Which type of explanatory communication may require elements of persuasion to achieve its purpose?

Accepted Answer

Overcoming confusion and misunderstanding often requires elements of persuasion to ensure the audience fully comprehends and accepts the explanation, especially if there are preconceived notions or resistance to the information being presented.

Question 2

The primary goal of informatory communication is to create or increase audience awareness about a topic area.

Accepted Answer

Informatory communication is focused on sharing information and increasing audience understanding about a particular topic. Its primary goal is to create or increase audience awareness about a topic area, which makes option A true.

Question 3

What kind of humor did President Ronald Reagan use when he said, "I want to begin by saying how grateful I am that you've asked me here to participate in the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Knights of Columbus. Now, it isn't true that I was present at the first anniversary."

Accepted Answer

President Ronald Reagan used self-effacing humor by joking that he wasn't present at the first anniversary of the Knights of Columbus, which is a way of poking fun at himself and his own age.

Question 4

In The Three Little Pigs, which story component is represented in the following excerpt? "The wolf was very angry. 'I'm going to climb down your chimney and eat all of you up,' he laughed, 'including your chinny chin chins.'"

Accepted Answer

The answer of In The Three Little Pigs, which story...

Question 5

Which of the following strategies should be avoided when asking audience members to actively participate in a presentation?

Accepted Answer

Teasing or pressuring audience members to participate can be embarrassing, uncomfortable and may alienate them from the presenter and the presentation. It is important to create a safe and respectful environment for participation.

Question 6

In informative presentations, inexperienced speakers often do not spend enough time talking about features and functions rather than benefits.

Accepted Answer

Inexperienced speakers often focus too much on features and functions rather than emphasizing the benefits to the audience.

Question 7

The various "infomercials" on television may claim they are only sharing information, when in fact, their one and only purpose is to persuade. Which principle in the National Communication Association's Credit for Ethical Communication should be applied to infomercials?

Accepted Answer

Infomercials should apply the principle of advocating truthfulness, accuracy, honesty, and reason as essential to the integrity of communication because their purpose is to persuade the audience to purchase a product or service. It is important for them to provide truthful and accurate information to ensure consumers are making informed decisions.

Question 8

The terms informative communication and informatory communication have different definitions and functions in Rowan's Theory of Informatory and Explanatory Communication.

Accepted Answer

The terms informative communication and informatory communication have distinct definitions and functions in Rowan's Theory of Informatory and Explanatory Communication. Informative communication refers to communication that provides new knowledge or updates on previously known knowledge, while informatory communication transmits information that is already known to the audience.

Question 9

During his speech about immigration, Daniel tells a joke that refers to immigrants using a derogatory term. Which tip for using humor did Daniel ignore?

Accepted Answer

Daniel ignored the tip to avoid offensive humor, as he used a derogatory term to refer to immigrants.

Question 10

What is the best order for using the strategies for overcoming confusion and misunderstanding in an informative presentation?

Accepted Answer

The correct sequence for overcoming confusion and misunderstanding starts by stating the belief to establish a common understanding, acknowledging its believability to show empathy and respect for the audience's current views, creating dissatisfaction with the misconception to motivate change, and finally explaining a more acceptable belief or theory to guide the audience towards a new understanding.

Question 11

Informative presentations are the most common type of presentation speaking.

Accepted Answer

Informative presentations are the most commonly used type of presentation speaking, where information is imparted to the audience in a clear and organized manner. Other types of presentations include persuasive, entertaining, and instructional presentations.

Question 12

In a presentation about complexity theory, a speaker compares the concepts of order, complexity, and chaos to different states of water: ice, liquid, and steam. What strategy for explaining a quasi-scientific phenomena did the speaker use?

Accepted Answer

The speaker used an analogy to compare the abstract concepts of order, complexity, and chaos to the more concrete states of water - ice, liquid, and steam. By using a relatable comparison, the speaker made the topic more accessible and understandable to the audience.

Question 13

In his speech about their vacation to Alaska, Eddie tells a story about how he and his sister climbed a glacier. While telling the story, he moved his hands in a wide sweeping motion to mimic how large the glacier was compared to them. This gesture demonstrates which best practice for telling a story?

Accepted Answer

Eddie's use of a wide sweeping motion to mimic the size of the glacier is an example of exaggerating delivery to enhance the story's impact and engage the audience.

Question 14

According to Walter Fisher's Narrative Theory, there are two essential qualities to a good story: probability and fidelity. Which of the following explains story fidelity?

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to Walter Fisher's Narrative Theory, there...

Question 15

According to research reported by The Chronicle of Higher Education, most college students tune out of a 50-minute lecture around 40 percent of the time.

Accepted Answer

According to research reported by The Chronicle of Higher Education, most college students tune out of a 50-minute lecture around 40 percent of the time, making the statement true.

Question 16

The primary goal of explanatory communication is to deepen audience understanding about a topic area.

Accepted Answer

Explanatory communication aims to provide clear and concise explanations about a topic area to help the audience gain a deeper understanding of it.

Question 17

According to Walter Fisher's Narrative Theory, which of the following terms refers to whether the elements of a story, such as the consistency of characters and actions, hang together and make sense?

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to Walter Fisher's Narrative Theory, which...

Question 18

Most good stories follow an effective organizational pattern, as illustrated in the textbook's story-building chart. Which phase of the story-building chart answers the questions, "What did you or the characters see, hear, feel, smell, or taste?" and "How are the characters reacting to what's happening?"

Accepted Answer

The phase of the story-building chart that answers the questions, "What did you or the characters see, hear, feel, smell, or taste?" and "How are the characters reacting to what's happening?" is the action or conflict phase. This phase is where the main events of the story take place, and the characters are developed further as they react to the conflicts and obstacles presented.

Question 19

The clear dividing line between informative and persuasive presentations is the speaker's purpose.

Accepted Answer

The purpose of informative presentations is to provide the audience with information and increase their knowledge and understanding of a particular topic. The purpose of persuasive presentations, on the other hand, is to convince the audience to take certain actions or adopt specific beliefs or attitudes. Therefore, the speaker's purpose is the clear dividing line between the two types of presentations.

Question 20

Which of the following is not a technique for involving the audience in your presentation?

Accepted Answer

While telling an entertaining story can make your presentation more engaging, it is not necessarily a technique for involving the audience in your presentation. The other options, such as asking questions, encouraging interaction, doing an exercise, and asking for volunteers, all directly involve the audience and encourage active participation.

Quiz 15: Speaking to Inform