Introduction to Public Speaking

1. If you plan to give a speech on the Battle of Bunker Hill from the perspective of one of the American or British soldiers who fought in the battle, what sort of listening are you asking your audience to use?

A. Productive X B. Empathetic

C. Categorical D. Assimilating

2. When using a pie graph as a presentational aid, don't use more than ____ segments.

A. 15 B. 50

C. 25 X D. 5

3. A seminar participant is asking herself a series of questions (Who? What? Why? When?) about the general subject she is considering for her presentation. She is using

X A. topoi, the system of topics.

B. a tree diagram. C. a search directory. D. rhetoric, the system of language.

4. A shy, introverted woman is now terrified because public speaking will be required in her new job. She decides to work her way up by first initiating a conversation with a friend, then asking a few coworkers some questions, then voicing her opinion in a group, and finally giving a speech to a larger audience. What technique is she using?

A. Enlarged conversation X B. Systematic desensitization

C. Self-affirmation D. Performance visualization

5. Why is visualization useful to you in preparing a speech?

X A. It can reduce negative thinking.

B. It can eliminate the need for research. C. It can make the preparation more enjoyable. D. It can help persuade the audience

6. A consumer activist planning to talk about dangerous drugs marketed by the pharmaceutical industry reviews annual reports of several drug manufacturers as well as original research studies published in academic journals. He is using

A. secondary sources. X B. primary sources. C. tertiary sources. D. professional sources.

7. Carrie realizes she needs to become a better listener. What is the first thing she needs to understand about listening if she wants to improve?

X A. Listening is not a passive activity.

B. Listening is actually quite a simple process. C. Listening is much less demanding than speaking. D. Listening is the physical part of hearing.

8. Your thesis statement should encompass the ______of your speech.

A. outline X B. central idea

C. conclusion

D. researched sources

9. Which of the following is an example of self-affirmation?

A. "People can see that I'm nervous." B. "No one is going to believe me." X C. "I've worked hard for this."

D. "Why are there so few people in the audience?" 10. To limit your speech topic, you should use a

X A. tree diagram.

B. dictionary. C. thesaurus.

D. Google map.

11. Within the first minute, a listener thinks, "Oh boy, this speech is gonna be dull." She has forgotten a guideline for listening with an open mind, which cautions listeners to avoid

A. assimilating. B. using listening cues. C. filtering out messages. X D. prejudging.

12. An author is deciding what to present in a ten-minute talk at a book fair. She quickly jots down every topic that comes to her, no matter how crazy, then reviews her list for the best one. What technique is she using?

A. Surveying X B. Brainstorming

C. Narrowing D. Visualizing

13. The speaker says, "Before we identify a solution to this problem in America, let's see what other countries have done about it." This statement is an example of a/an

A. introduction. B. conclusion.

C. transition. X D. proof.

14. While the speaker is talking, an audience member gestures?smiling, nodding, and leaning forward?to show that she is listening. These behaviors are called

A. tonal languages. X B. backchannel cues.

C. display rules. D. listener biases. 15. A speaker gives a talk on meditating, comparing it in a creative and vivid way to listening to music. She is using a/an

X A. figurative analogy.

B. illustration as an example. C. narrative as an example. D. literal analogy.

16. Keegan wants to display illustrations and photos during his informative speech on volcano formation. Which guideline should Keegan follow for using this presentation aid?

A. Pass around the aids during the main body of the speech. B. Display the aids only after the conclusion of the speech. X C. Enlarge or project the aids in a size large enough for everyone to see.

D. Look at each aid as he talks about it to emphasize its importance.

17. Which of the following terms denotes figures that haven't been modified by any mathematical operations?

A. Statistics X B. Raw numbers

C. Means D. Percentages

18. Topics one should avoid broaching in certain areas are considered

A. limited.

B. vague. C. rare. X D. taboo.

19. A young man is learning a lot about public speaking but can't remember where to start in finding a topic. He might recall that the first step in choosing his topic will be to

A. look at his own interests. B. decide on his purpose. C. focus on what is popular. X D. analyze his audience

20. An inexperienced speaker is advised to use cognitive restructuring to reduce his fears and worries related to public speaking. This technique involves

A. getting gradually used to an uncomfortable activity. B. picturing a positive outcome. X C. changing the way you think about a situation.

D. doing deep breathing exercises.

21. Katie wants to analyze her audience for an upcoming presentation to the local Sierra Club, so she plans to have members fill out an audience questionnaire. What is she doing to learn about her audience?

A. Using inference and empathy B. Interviewing audience members C. Observing X D. Collecting data systematically

22. A lecturer has no problem addressing large halls full of hundreds of people, but clams up in small roundtable discussions. She is experiencing

A. state apprehension. B. temporal apprehension. X C. situational apprehension.

D. trait apprehension.

23. Thinking that one's own culture is better than others is called

X A. ethnocentrism.

B. prejudice. C. individualism. D. egocentrism.

24. When you present your speech, you should

X A. pause briefly to look at the audience before beginning.

B. either confess that you are nervous or hide your nervousness. C. draw attention to your body movements. D. select two people and maintain eye contact with them.

25. A speaker decides to include a particular type of example, one that she will convey by telling a brief story. This means she will be using a/an

A. definition. X B. narrative.

C. analogy. D. illustration.

Rehearsal and Delivery

1. A seasoned speaker has decided he is most comfortable using extemporaneous delivery. The main reason is because using this method can be thought of as taking part in a kind of

X A. enlarged conversation.

B. rehearsed theater. C. formal recitation. D. spontaneous commentary.

2. An American diplomat will be addressing a group of political and business leaders during her trip to Japan. In considering context, she should be careful to avoid

X A. being too obvious and direct in stating the case.

B. bringing up examples or illustrations to come to a conclusion. C. presenting evidence and only implying a related point. D. relying on vague expressions or symbolic language.

A speaker who ______should use internal summaries in structuring the presentation.

X A. needs to recap major subdivisions in a long and complex speech

B. wants to trace a map or route using a spatial format C. has a humorous speech that is quite brief

D. would like to suggest what will be coming later

4. Based on criticism of her last speech, the one thing a student speaker wants to do is to be clear. What is one of the guidelines for clarity that will help her accomplish this?

A. Feel free to include slang and street language. X B. Use specific terms and numbers.

C. Add extra words for embellishment and emphasis. D. Avoid abstractions.

5. A political advisor needs to present all the events leading up to the latest U.S. military intervention on foreign soil. Which organizational pattern would be most appropriate?

A. Spatial B. Problem-solution X C. Temporal

D. Topical

6. Which sentence is an example of a character attack?

X A. How can you take the word of a man whose son spent time in prison for possession of illegal substances? B. I stand for life and liberty, like our forefathers who founded this land. C. Any laws passed by this bigoted group go directly against what this country stands for. D. Do you really think a woman born in Europe knows what's best for this country?

7. Twelve people have one characteristic in common – they are all gay parents – which allows them to assist each other in coping with specific problems they confront in society. They have organized a/an ______group.

A. intervention B. assertiveness training C. consciousness-raising X D. encounter

8. A celebrity chef is planning her presentation on how to create an elegant French dish. Which organizational pattern works best for speeches like hers?

A. Temporal B. Topical C. Motivated sequence X D. Spatial

9. A civic leader is asked to give a eulogy at a public gathering next week. A eulogy is designed to

A. mark a special event or anniversary. B. present or accept a prestigious award. C. give meaning to something at a formal ceremony. X D. honor someone who has died.

10. Which of the following is an internal summary transition?

A. To begin this speech, I would like to concentrate on three vital aspects of the root cause of poverty. B. This subject of poverty can be a difficult one, but I challenge you to do your best to try to see all sides of the situation.

X C. So now that we know that poverty affects families of all races, we can start to break the numbers down. D. What is poverty all about? For thousands of years, people have struggled with the vast inequalities that seem to be everywhere.

11. Several pro-choice advocates want to address an anti-abortion rally and convince the crowd of their viewpoint. They should understand that generally, people

A. often reverse their opinion on the spot if the speaker is good enough. X B. change in small increments over a long period of time.

C. almost never change attitudes or beliefs no matter what. D. are more easily persuaded on major issues than minor ones.

12. The most important principle of persuasive speaking is to focus on the

A. argument. B. authority.

C. audience. X D. message.

13. Which sentence uses the verb to enhance the vividness of a speech?

A. You have many hidden talents. X B. Climb over the obstacles in your path.

C. Challenges always seem daunting at first. D. There is no time like the present.

14. The governor opposes the installation of wind turbines as a new energy source in his state because "we have never done anything like this before." What is he using to make his point?

X A. Appeal to tradition

B. Anecdotal evidence C. Testimonial D. Transfer

15. Alliteration, synecdoche, and oxymorons are ______used to create audience attention and memory.

A. metaphors X B. figures of speech

C. signposts

D. high-context cultures

16. Understanding requires that the listener grasp both the information and the

A. technical facts.

X B. emotional tone.

C. historical significance. D. imagination of the speaker.

17. Four speeches are suggested for a seminar, each with a different intention and goal. In which situation would the topical pattern be most appropriate?

A. When tracing something through time B. When explaining something through a series of steps or stages X C. When dividing something into natural units of equal importance

D. When describing something in terms of structure or layout

18. A sports analyst is giving a presentation entitled, "Football and Soccer: What's the Difference?" This speech will focus primarily on

A. definition. B. action. X C. description.

D. demonstration.

19. The best friend of the bride will be giving a toast at the wedding reception. One common pitfall that she should be sure to avoid is to

A. be too brief. X B. tell an inside joke.

C. focus on the couple. D. raise her glass.

20. A theater buff is doing a persuasive speech based on questions of fact, arguing that Shakespeare had a ghost writer. She will want to emphasize

X A. logical proof.

B. personal interest. C. emotional appeals. D. uncertainty avoidance

21. A term or phrase combining two normally opposite qualities is a(n)

X A. oxymoron.

B. analogy.

C. simile. D. metaphor.

22. If you consider how much space you need to keep between yourself and your listener, you're considering the ______of the situation.

X A. proxemics

B. ethnocentrism

C. thesis D. self-justification

23. A lecturer is concerned that the people attending her upcoming presentation will have very different opinions from hers. What can she use to persuade a group like this?

A. Contradictory signs X B. Selective exposure

C. Negative social proof D. Anecdotal evidence 24. A new regional manager is ready to practice giving her report to the annual meeting, but is not exactly sure how. She should be advised to rehearse it

A. by reading the preparation outline aloud. B. by memorizing it word for word. C. from beginning to end, including leaving and returning to her seat. X D. in separate parts in order to make it simpler.

25. Which of the following is a type of speech that requires thorough preparation of the main ideas and their order?

A. Manuscript speech B. Extemporaneous speech X C. Informative speech

D. Impromptu speech

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