Deck 4: The Importance of Listening

Question 1

Hearing and listening are distinctly different processes.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Differentiate between hearing and listening and explain how each are important in the context

Answer 2

of public speaking.
Hearing is accidental, involuntary, and effortless. Listening is focused, voluntary, and intentional. As we are hearing a speaker's message, it is important that we filter out other incidental sounds so that we can isolate a speaker's message and avoid the confusing mixture of incoming stimuli. At this stage, we are still only hearing the message. When you actively listen well to others, you start to recognize the stylistic components related to how people form arguments and present information. As a result, you have the ability to analyze what your own listening style is and the preferred focus of a listener's attention in a given situation. An effective listener will adapt his or her listening style to the context.

Question 3

Listening helps you become a better student because:

A) it helps you think of questions to ask later.
B) teachers appreciate good classroom behavior.
C) you make a good impression on the teacher.
D) you will understand the complex meanings of a speech.
E) you won't have to take any notes.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

How does listening help you be a good student?

Question 5

What are some of the specific benefits of active and focused listening?

Question 6

The term "listening style" refers to:

A) a listener's attitude toward a speaker.
B) how well an individual understands a message.
C) our nonverbal responses to a message.
D) the extent to which a listener is open-minded or biased.
E) the specific focus of a listener's attention.

Question 7

_______________ involves effort and focus.

Question 8

Hearing helps you understand complex meanings.

Question 9

The adage "We have two ears but only one mouth" means that:

A) listening is easier than speaking.
B) listening is twice as important as speaking.
C) we should be most concerned with our ability to speak.
D) we should speak out whenever we have the chance.
E) with two ears we can pay attention to two things at once.

Question 10

Listening is:

A) acceptance of a speaker's message.
B) focused attention on a speaker's message.
C) hearing a speaker clearly.
D) note-taking during a speech.
E) showing respect for a speaker.

Question 11

The best reason to listen attentively is to:

A) keep from being called on by the speaker.
B) set the mood for your own speech when it's your turn.
C) show good manners.
D) take a complete set of notes.
E) understand the meanings expressed in the speech.

Question 12

Listening involves motivation and effort.

Question 13

Listening can help you be a good public speaker because you'll:

A) discover ways to focus attention back to audience members.
B) find out how to handle your note cards while maintaining eye contact.
C) learn how to command the attention of a restless audience.
D) learn how to pronounce words and names you have only seen in print.
E) notice how effective arguments are constructed.

Question 14

Listening is an automatic brain response.

Question 15

Hearing is:

A) an automatic brain response to sound.
B) concentrating on a speaker's message.
C) discerning the underlying meaning of a speech.
D) paying attention to the speaker.
E) understanding what a speaker says.

Question 16

What are the basic differences between hearing and listening?

Question 17

Hearing involves purposeful and focused attention.

Question 18

Listening helps you be seen as intelligent and perceptive because:

A) it indicates that you have an ongoing interest in the topic.
B) it makes you more knowledgeable and thoughtful.
C) it shows your ability to focus on one thing only.
D) people will be impressed with your diplomatic behavior.
E) people will think of you coming from high social status.

Question 19

_____________ is the brain's automatic response to sounds.

Question 20

Listening helps you be a better friend because:

A) it encourages someone to divulge information.
B) it helps you find out their private secrets.
C) it makes a person feel grateful to you.
D) it shows that you care about them.
E) it will motivate loyalty.

Question 21

The action-oriented listener:

A) prefers descriptive speech.
B) provides active feedback to the message.
C) resists accepting the message.
D) takes active steps to meet the speaker later.
E) wants to know what is expected of him or her.

Question 22

The people-oriented listener:

A) enjoys being in an audience surrounded by people during a speech.
B) focuses on the influential people mentioned within the speech.
C) is less interested in the message than in the speaker.
D) prefers listening to speeches about people.
E) prepares to listen by reading up on the topic to be addressed by a famous speaker.

Question 23

A content-oriented listener:

A) accepts messages in which the content is surprising.
B) is likely to believe a speech in which the speaker fills every moment with facts.
C) prefers content about socially significant issues.
D) rejects messages in which the content is controversial.
E) wants to hear content that is accurate and true in the fullest possible way.

Question 24

Explain why there is always the potential for misunderstanding a message.

Question 25

A(n) ______________-oriented listener is curious about the speaker.

Question 26

A(n) ___________-oriented listener is interested in learning from the speaker.

Question 27

A people-oriented listener pays the most attention to the:

A) details of the speech.
B) logic and organization of the speech.
C) main point of the speech.
D) rhetorical strategies used by the speaker.
E) personal characteristics of the speaker.

Question 28

The time-oriented speaker is primarily interested in:

A) the amount of time a speaker devotes to description and analysis.
B) taking the time to understand the meanings of the message.
C) a speech about current, up-to-date topics.
D) a speech that gets directly to the point.
E) topics about the influence of time on human or other development.

Question 29

There is potential for misunderstanding messages because:

A) human diversity and varied life experiences impact the interpretation of a message.
B) many audience members are narrow-minded and unable to take in the message.
C) many people are not interested in the message.
D) speakers ignore the intellectual shortcomings of the audience.
E) speeches usually contain too many unfamiliar concepts.

Question 30

Listening style is about how well one understands advanced concepts.

Question 31

A(n) ___________-oriented listener wants to be clearly told what s/he should do.

Question 32

A time-oriented listener wants a speech to begin and end on time.

Question 33

A people-oriented listener is interested in the personality or experience of the speaker.

Question 34

A time-oriented listener is interested in:

A) the organization of points in the right order.
B) the point of the speech.
C) the speaker's attitude toward the topic.
D) the speaker's rhetorical approach.
E) timely examples and explanations.

Question 35

College classrooms are typically filled with _________________-oriented listeners.

Question 36

A(n) ______________-oriented listener prefers messages that are short and to the point.

Question 37

An action-oriented listener:

A) admires an energetic speaker.
B) appreciates the reasons behind an action to be taken.
C) attributes credibility to a detailed message.
D) just wants to know what he or she is expected to do.
E) prefers topics related to activity.

Question 38

The content-oriented listener is interested in:

A) comparing the speaker's knowledge with his or her own.
B) finding flaws and inaccuracies in the message.
C) how authoritative the speaker seems to be.
D) learning from the speaker.
E) the speaker's rhetorical style.

Question 39

A content-oriented listener focuses on the educational background of a speaker.

Question 40

An action-oriented listener is a listener who wants a dynamic speaker.

Question 41

Listener (or receiver) apprehension is defined as:

A) anxiety about the listener's ability to understand the message.
B) concern about having a chance to meet the speaker after the speech.
C) a listener's worry about finding a seat near the back of the room.
D) worry about avoiding the attention of the speaker.
E) worry about hearing a potentially embarrassing topic.

Question 42

In a classroom where there will be many content-oriented listeners, how must you prepare your speech?

Question 43

Physiological noise occurs when the listener:

A) can't pay attention because of financial or other worries.
B) has difficulty hearing because of loud sounds in the area.
C) is hungry, cold, or otherwise physically uncomfortable.
D) is preoccupied in anticipating the upcoming weekend.
E) is uninterested in the topic of the speech.

Question 44

Listener distractions are defined as:

A) the academic level of the presentation.
B) the demonstrated ability of a listener to give a speech that is just as good.
C) factors that interfere with the ability to focus attention on a message.
D) the listener's interest in the topic of the speech.
E) the ways in which the speaker engages audience attention.

Question 45

Listening is easy for people who can hear.

Question 46

Let's say your speech purpose is to persuade your audience to donate blood. How would your strategy differ for an action-oriented audience versus a content-oriented audience?

Question 47

Psychological noise occurs when a listener:

A) falls asleep during the speech.
B) is making facial expressions or gestures to insult the speaker.
C) is too cold or uncomfortable to pay attention to the message.
D) is too preoccupied with academic or financial worries to listen.
E) walks out of the room in the middle of the speech.

Question 48

Some people have no biases.

Question 49

Describe the people-oriented listener.

Question 50

Describe the content-oriented listener.

Question 51

Attention span is defined as:

A) the ability of a speaker to pay attention to audience feedback.
B) the amount of time the speaker maintains eye contact.
C) the attention a speaker gives to a variety of points in a message.
D) the length of time a listener can maintain focused attention.
E) the listener's ability to understand the message.

Question 52

Receiver biases are:

A) attitudes of hostility about having to listen instead of being listened to.
B) the inability to understand a speech that introduces challenging concepts.
C) a listener's boredom when he or she has heard the same message too many times.
D) a listener's inability to sit through a lengthy speech.
E) preconceived ideas that interfere with accurately understanding a message.

Question 53

Describe the time-oriented listener.

Question 54

Physical noise occurs when:

A) a listener can't listen because of a queasy stomach.
B) a listener is still captivated by a previous speech.
C) loud sounds interfere with a listener's ability to hear.
D) a microphone fails to work effectively.
E) the speech seems to be disorganized and disjointed.

Question 55

Which of the following is an example of semantic noise?

A) concern about the opinions of a controversial speaker.
B) a construction project next to the room where the speech is being given.
C) the listener's struggle to stay awake until the end of the speech.
D) a listener's worry about whether others can see the hole in his pants.
E) the speaker's use of unfamiliar and highly technical language.

Question 56

Noise can be defined as:

A) anything that interferes with the ability to attend to and understand a speech.
B) a difficult challenge to a speaker.
C) an inconvenience that can be overcome by using a microphone.
D) a minor distraction to a listener who is truly interested in the speech.
E) a negative response from the audience.

Question 57

Describe the action-oriented listener.

Question 58

Human attention span is limited even in the most focused listeners.

Question 59

Semantic noise occurs when a listener:

A) doesn't agree with the information presented in the speech.
B) has strong preconceived ideas about the topic.
C) is confused by the use of a particular word or phrase.
D) is constructing counter-arguments in opposition to the message.
E) knows more about the topic than the speaker seems to.

Question 60

If you know you have a time-oriented audience, how should you prepare your speech?

Question 61

Remembering is:

A) the ability to recall accurately the content of a message.
B) changing your views in response to the message.
C) memorizing word sequences of definitions provided in the speech.
D) taking verbatim notes.
E) the vivid recollection of a surprising fact from a speech.

Question 62

Evaluating a message is:

A) believing and accepting the content of the message.
B) finding parallels between the speech content and the listener's knowledge.
C) the listener's awareness of flaws in the content or reasoning.
D) the listener's process of judging the value of the speech.
E) a positive response to the speaker and the message.

Question 63

Physiological noise is noise caused by a listener's own body.

Question 64

A mispronounced word can be a source of _________________ noise.

Question 65

What can a speaker do to accommodate limited attention spans?

Question 66

What are the four kinds of noise described in the text?

Question 67

Differentiate among the four types of noise and explain how they can impact the public speaking process.

Question 68

Understanding a message is:

A) accomplished by listeners who are already acquainted with the topic.
B) the effort to learn the speaker's meanings.
C) the first step in agreeing with the speaker.
D) judging the speech by its content and ignoring the speaker's personal style.
E) taking the time to reflect on a message after it is over.

Question 69

Formative feedback:

A) is the effort made after a speech to form a policy or study group.
B) results in a listener forming a judgment prematurely.
C) occurs prior to the presentation of the message.
D) occurs verbally and nonverbally during a speech.
E) is a speech that calls on listeners to form an opinion.

Question 70

Psychological noise is noise caused by one's internal thoughts.

Question 71

Explain the role of receiver bias in a listener's ability or inability to understand messages.

Question 72

Factors that interfere with the ability to listen effectively are called ____________.

Question 73

Receiving a message involves:

A) analyzing the message thoughtfully.
B) comparing the words with the nonverbal cues.
C) focusing attention on the speaker's meanings.
D) hearing well and taking complete notes.
E) understanding and accepting the message.

Question 74

Summative feedback is:

A) the conclusion step in the speech.
B) a device used by a speaker to help listeners remember something.
C) an internal summary within a speech.
D) a response that occurs at the end of a speech.
E) the thesis statement in the introduction of a speech.

Question 75

What is receiver, or listener, bias?

Question 76

Explain psychological noise and give an example.

Question 77

Listener __________________ is the fear that you may be unable to understand a message.

Question 78

Name and describe kinds of semantic noise.

Question 79

Responding to a message is:

A) deciding whether or not to pay attention to the message.
B) giving focused attention to the speaker during the speech.
C) giving verbal and nonverbal feedback during and after the presentation.
D) the listener's interest in the topic of the speech.
E) a reaction that occurs in the presence of objectionable content.

Question 80

A receiver's _______________ towards a speaker keeps a receiver from understanding meanings intended by the speaker.