Deck 16: Occasions for Public Speaking

Question 1

All speaking occasions create __________.

A) decorum
B) constraints
C) formality
D) identification

Answer 1

constraints

Question 2

When a speech is well suited to the expectations of a particular occasion, it has the quality of __________.

A) decorum
B) positive ethos
C) identification
D) resonance

Answer 2

decorum

Question 3

When Drew gave the toast at his best friend's wedding reception, he failed to notice the shocked looks as he told some off-color stories about the happy couple's dating life. What quality of decorum did Drew violate in this example?

A) The toast was too long.
B) The toast did not reflect the speaker's feelings.
C) The audience did not like the speaker.
D) The speech was too informal for the occasion.

Answer 3

The speech was too informal for the occasion.

Question 4

Norm was asked to speak at the retirement dinner for his boss, and he really wanted to make a good impression. He spoke about every good quality his boss had and embellished it until his praise was so lavish that his boss was thoroughly embarrassed. What aspect of decorum did Norm violate?

A) length
B) formality
C) intensity
D) resonance

Question 5

Your active participation in the public forum is most likely to come through __________.

A) community service and involvement
B) group presentations
C) speeches of greeting
D) speeches of tribute

Question 6

Which of the following questions does deliberative speaking aim to answer?

A) What's my purpose?
B) Who is right?
C) What shall we do?
D) Who is my target audience?

Question 7

Public debates are a form of __________.

A) deliberative speaking
B) ceremonial speaking
C) forensic speaking
D) epideictic speaking

Question 8

Which of the following situations is an occasion for deliberative speaking?

A) introducing the guest speaker at the annual Chamber of Commerce dinner
B) discussing an upcoming class project with your project group
C) giving a toast at your best friend's wedding
D) presenting an employee of the year award at the company's annual dinner

Question 9

When group reports are presented orally to others, the occasion is called __________.

A) a panel
B) a forum
C) a symposium
D) a debate

Question 10

The strength of a ceremonial speech depends primarily on the __________.

A) speaker's ability to use words and images to capture the occasion
B) speaker's ability to use compelling reasoning
C) uniform worn by the speaker
D) clarity of the informative strategies

Question 11

James spoke at a ground-breaking ceremony. No one in the audience had mentioned being proud, but James spoke about the pride the new building would bring to the community. This message rang true to the audience. This is an example of __________.

A) decorum
B) reinforcement
C) resonance
D) consonance

Question 12

In his famous Gettysburg Address, Abraham Lincoln urged his listeners to rededicate themselves to the cause of freedom so that the soldiers buried there would not have died in vain. This appeal reflects the strategy of __________.

A) reinterpreting a common past
B) invoking common values
C) reinterpreting events
D) emphasizing people

Question 13

Ceremonial speeches tend to __________.

A) address the question of how to solve human problems
B) focus on values that draw people together
C) concern themselves with matters of justice
D) promote unified groupthink

Question 14

Creating a sense of presence for particular ideas and values is an important element of ________.

A) ceremonial speaking
B) deliberative speaking
C) public speaking
D) forensic speaking

Question 15

The speaker's ability to articulate the audience's unexpressed feelings is called ________, because the speaker's words echo listeners' feelings.

A) resonance
B) decorum
C) reinforcement
D) erudition

Question 16

One goal of a speech of introduction is to __________.

A) entertain the audience
B) give the listeners relevant information about the speaker
C) make the speaker feel welcome
D) provide an audience orientation

Question 17

Which of the following are examples of speeches of tribute?

A) testimonials, eulogies, toasts, and roasts
B) symposia, group discussions, and forums
C) pep talks, commencement addresses, and after-dinner speeches
D) epideictic, forensic, and deliberative speeches

Question 18

Which of the following statements is true of eulogies?

A) They should focus on the honoree's virtues.
B) They should magnify the person's weaknesses and minimize his or her strengths.
C) They should emphasize the speaker's relationship with the honoree.
D) They should offer lavish praise of the person being honored.

Question 19

A(n) __________ is a testimonial speech that is concerned with honoring the dead by celebrating the essential character of the person.

A) eulogy
B) toast
C) roast
D) epideictic

Question 20

Which of the following is a common characteristic of commemorative celebrations?

A) honors and pokes fun
B) celebrates one key feature of the occasion
C) praises the accomplishments of the honorees
D) refers to and emphasizes the event being celebrated

Question 21

Which of the following types of speeches combine ceremonial and deliberative goals?

A) delivering a commencement speech at a university graduation
B) toasting a couple on the occasion of their wedding
C) giving a sales presentation to the management of a firm
D) presenting an award to the employee of the year

Question 22

What element is essential to the effectiveness of both roasts and after-dinner speeches?

A) the effective use of humor
B) the speaker's balance of forensic and epideictic speaking
C) the brevity of the speech
D) the focus on deliberative goals

Question 23

You are writing an after-dinner speech for a gathering of student government representatives from different universities. It is important for the speech to be humorous. The safest use of humor is __________.

A) entertaining humor that avoids challenging the listeners
B) humor aimed at gender differences that are familiar to every college student
C) humor that pokes fun at the speaker in a way that listeners can identify with
D) jokes aimed at commonly held ethnic or racial stereotypes

Question 24

Which of the following is true of nominating speeches?

A) They downplay the importance of the office.
B) They show the fitness of the candidate for office.
C) They offer informal support for the candidate but do not officially nominate him or her.
D) They are standard across organizations.

Question 25

The speech given by leaders on taking office is known as a(n) __________.

A) inaugural address
B) acceptance speech
C) keynote speech
D) speech of welcome

Question 26

Speakers need to adhere strictly to the constraints of the speaking situation.

Question 27

Proper decorum governs even the choice of supporting material in a speech.

Question 28

Speakers exhibit decorum when they fit their speech to the expectations of the listeners on a particular occasion.

Question 29

Deliberative speaking is common in informal decision-making groups.

Question 30

Groupthink is the process of building consensus in groups through deliberative speaking.

Question 31

The four types of ceremonial speaking are greetings, tributes, speeches marking awards, and farewells.

Question 32

The effective use of humor is the key to a successful roast.

Question 33

Lavish praise is the key to delivering an effective eulogy.

Question 34

Pep talks and after-dinner speeches are of similar types because both pose challenges to the audience.

Question 35

A commencement speech is intended to combine humor with a serious point.

Question 36

The three premises of ceremonial speaking are (1) speeches are presented for specific occasions, (2) occasions create constraints, and (3) constraints are not __________.

Question 37

Some theorists believe that the only purpose of speeches for special occasions is to __________, but this position is misleading.

Question 38

All speakers try to evoke a sense of common bonds among listeners and between the audience and themselves. This is known as __________.

Question 39

Community service and involvement is the way in which most people are likely to become active participants in the __________.

Question 40

A group presentation consisting of several panelists each discussing a different aspect of the general topic is known as a __________.

Question 41

Ceremonial speeches strengthen the bonds between speaker and listeners and among listeners themselves, building a sense of __________.

Question 42

When giving a(n) __________ speech, you should express gratitude, thank those who made your accomplishments possible, and indicate that you understand the values that the award represents.

Question 43

Each year the leader of the local NAACP gives a speech on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. This type of speech is a(n) __________.

Question 44

Many organizations begin meetings with a __________ speech, which sets the agenda for the group and aims to create unity and a sense of community.

Question 45

New office holders often give speeches called __________ to formally accept the office, unify the group, and outline goals for the future.

Question 46

Explain how occasions create constraints for speeches and how absolute those constraints are. Give an example of an occasion, the constraints it presents, and how a speaker might go beyond those constraints.

Question 47

A decorous speech conforms to audience expectations. What five elements are associated with these expectations? What are the key features of each that distinguish them from the others?

Question 48

Discuss the role of deliberative speaking in the five most common settings in which it occurs. What makes each setting distinct?

Question 49

What are the four general categories your textbook outlines for ceremonial speeches? Identify a specific type of speech in each category, and provide an actual or hypothetical example of such a speech.

Question 50

How do candidacy and election speeches combine deliberative and ceremonial goals? How might they do so effectively? Are there any deliberative and ceremonial goals that might be especially difficult to combine?