Deck 11: Developing Your Speech

Question 1

When faced with the prospect of speaking anxiety, it is important to remember _____.

A) that a rush of adrenaline is a hindrance
B) that it is an uncommon reaction
C) the audience perceives that you are less nervous than you may feel
D) only unprepared speakers experience anxiety

Answer 1

C

Question 2

In order to come up with an idea for her speech, Renata took out a sheet of paper and started writing down every possible idea she could think of. After three minutes, she had ten ideas. What process is Renata using?

A) Information overload
B) Silent brainstorming
C) Self-talk
D) Habituation

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which of the following is NOT a recommended strategy for selecting and narrowing your topic?

A) Practice silent brainstorming
B) Listen and read for topic ideas
C) Generate decreasingly specific categories
D) Scan web directories and web pages

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Connor experiences stage fright every time he has to speak in front of a group. Stage fright means that Connor feels ____.

A) morose
B) frustrated
C) happy
D) anxious

Question 5

Yolanda was looking forward to giving her informative speech because she liked her topic-her hometown. However, when she gave the speech the audience seemed disinterested; she couldn't understand why she got such negative audience feedback. Given this information about the situation, what was Yolanda's mistake?

A) She violated several ethical principles of public speaking.
B) She didn't have enough research and statistics in the speech to make it interesting.
C) She confused the roles of speaker and listener.
D) She was speaker-centered rather than audience-centered in her topic selection.

Question 6

"As a result of my presentation, my listeners will return their library books on time." This is an example of a _____.

A) specific purpose statement
B) central idea
C) general purpose statement
D) thesis statement

Question 7

Grace knew her speech-backward and forward. She rehearsed it over and over again, timing it to make sure she didn't run over the time limit. When she actually delivered the speech, she found herself much less nervous and much more confident than she expected to be. Which guideline for developing confidence provided in your text applies here?

A) Recreate the speech environment when you rehearse
B) Be prepared
C) Know your audience
D) Act calm to feel calm

Question 8

Marcus decides that he wants to give a persuasive presentation on the topic of blood donation; however, he has never donated blood himself and doesn't plan to participate in upcoming blood drives. Marcus should have paid closer attention to what aspect of topic selection?

A) Consider your audience.
B) Consider the occasion.
C) Consider your experiences and interests.
D) Consider current events.

Question 9

Rolando knew that the past few times he had to speak in front of the class, he had actually felt less nervous-especially compared to how nervous he felt his freshman year. This is a demonstration of which concept?

A) Visualization
B) Self-talk
C) Context
D) Habituation

Question 10

Lara was really nervous before her speech, but she just kept concentrating on how important she believed her message to be. Her belief in her message finally helped her dispel her nervousness before the presentation. Which tip about developing confidence in public speaking does this example reflect?

A) Focus on your message rather than your fear
B) Seek speaking opportunities
C) Visualize your success
D) Know your introduction and conclusion

Question 11

Mick was asked to make a presentation to the town council on the Eagle Scouts who lived in the town. His three main points covered the history of Eagle Scouts, the process of becoming an Eagle Scout and the names of the boys who had achieved the ranking. The general purpose of this speech was most likely to _____.

A) inform
B) persuade
C) entertain
D) demonstrate

Question 12

Which of the following would be an appropriate central idea for a presentation?

A) Swimming and hot air ballooning are two enjoyable recreational activities.
B) What is hot air ballooning?
C) Swimming is an enjoyable recreational activity that provides important health benefits for college students.
D) As a result of my presentation, my audience will be able to list the health benefits associated with swimming.

Question 13

Bruce has been invited to speak at career day for his son's eighth grade class. Bruce is a computer programmer whose job involves developing financial planning software. Rather than talk about his products, he decided to focus his talk on computer programming in the development of computer games. The presentation was a success. What technique did Bruce use that helped his speech be successful?

A) Consider your interests and experiences.
B) Consider current events.
C) Consider your audience.
D) Consider logical divisions in thinking.

Question 14

Nate was asked to give an after-dinner speech at the awards banquet for the rugby team. He decided to take a light approach to the sport, and entitled his speech, "Rugby, Rugby, How Do I Love Thee? or Three Ways to Break Your Legs." The general purpose of this speech is most likely to _____.

A) inform
B) persuade
C) demonstrate
D) entertain

Question 15

Marco's mother reminded him that he would get more comfortable speaking in front of others every time he had to do it. This describes _____.

A) meditation
B) cognition
C) habituation
D) context

Question 16

Which of the following is an appropriate example of a specific purpose for a speech to persuade?

A) At the end of my speech, the audience will be able to list the steps of a golf swing.
B) At the end of my speech, the audience will be able to explain the three steps in making brownies.
C) At the end of my speech, the audience will understand the process of nuclear fusion.
D) At the end of my speech, the audience will believe that the handicapped need better access on campus.

Question 17

Public speaking is also known as which of the following?

A) Preparational speaking
B) Presentational speaking
C) Performative speaking
D) Personal speaking

Question 18

According to your book, the most central element in all aspects of preparing your speech is _____.

A) your supporting material
B) considering your audience
C) becoming confident in the process
D) selecting your topic

Question 19

Rey presented an informative speech on earthquakes. He described the structural causes of earthquakes, how they develop, which areas of the earth are prone to quakes, how quakes are measured, the damage they do, and what to do when one hits. The speech became dry, the audience's attention declined, and Rey's speech exceeded the time limit by three minutes. From this description, what was Rey's mistake?

A) Poor topic selection
B) Lack of appropriate research
C) Incoherent organization
D) Failing to narrow his topic

Question 20

After she finished her speech, Gail's classmate told her that she didn't appear nervous at all-while Gail was sure the audience could see her hands shaking. This demonstrates the illusion of _____.

A) transparency
B) habituation
C) classification
D) testimony

Question 21

Libraries' collections of books are known as which of the following?

A) Booleans
B) Stacks
C) Periodicals
D) Periodical index

Question 22

In her speech about racism in America, Selena used the following: "Just like Martin Luther King said three decades ago, 'I have a dream; I have a dream today' I also have a dream that racism will end in my lifetime." What form of supporting material was she using?

A) A literary quotation from Martin Luther King's famous speech
B) A literary analogy, because Selena compared racism today with racism three decades ago
C) Expert statistics, because Martin Luther King was an expert on racism
D) A brief illustration about racism now, versus three decades ago

Question 23

The primary advantage of illustrations is _____.

A) they offer solid proof of the point you want to make
B) audiences enjoy listening to stories, so your speech is more interesting
C) you can just make up stories if you can't find other materials
D) they are the primary means of building speaker credibility

Question 24

Dan was using Alta Vista on the web to find sources on the history of Latin American dance. When he typed in that phrase, he ended up with a list of 10,000 finds. What did Dan fail to do?

A) He should have limited his hits by using a Boolean search.
B) He should not have used the word "history" in his search.
C) He should have started in the library rather than on the Web.
D) He should have used a different search engine.

Question 25

The text provides six criteria for evaluating web resources. Which of these criteria focuses on whether the website is free of bias?

A) Accuracy
B) Objectivity
C) Usability
D) Accountability

Question 26

Terms used in a presentation can be defined by a(n) _____, which explains how the word or phrase works or what it does.

A) operational definition
B) analogy
C) figurative analogy
D) lay quotation

Question 27

As he began his speech, Jeremiah said, "While this has not actually happened, it could occur in the next ten years." This tells the audience that Jeremiah is using a(n) ______.

A) metaphor
B) description
C) hypothetical illustration
D) operational definition

Question 28

Juanita has been a cross-country skier since she was a child and plans to use many of her own experiences in her speech to the class as she tells them about winter activities. What type of supporting material does this represent?

A) Online database
B) Lay testimony
C) Functional definition
D) Using yourself

Question 29

A website that is free of bias against either gender, against any ethnic, racial, or sexual-preference group, or people with disabilities is a type of _____ site.

A) inclusive
B) Boolean
C) hyperlink
D) vertical search

Question 30

Marcia is generating main ideas for her speech on film genres. She naturally thinks of genres such as horror, westerns, and romantic comedies. She is using which tip for the generation of main ideas?

A) Think of logical divisions.
B) Think about reasons why the central idea is true.
C) Break the central idea down into a chronological sequence.
D) Use direct, specific language.

Question 31

Sara is giving a speech to her sociology class. Her central idea is "Why are consumers drawn to the violence in video games?" What is the problem with this central idea?

A) The central idea should reflect a single topic.
B) The central idea should be a complete declarative sentence.
C) The central idea should use specific language.
D) The central idea should be audience centered.

Question 32

Carmelita was planning her speech with the central idea, "Soft drinks aren't bad." In using this central idea, Carmelita failed to _____.

A) consider her audience
B) choose a single topic
C) write a declarative sentence
D) use direct, specific language

Question 33

What form of supporting material is being used in the following question? "If many states profit from the institution of a lottery, why can't our home state do the same?"

A) An extended analogy
B) A figurative analogy
C) A literal analogy
D) An operational definition

Question 34

During the preparation of his speech, Ari interviewed the United States senator from his district about the construction costs of a new airport planned outside the city. He used information from the interview to support his persuasive speech. This type of support is known as which of the following?

A) Lay testimony
B) Hypothetical illustration
C) Statistics
D) Expert testimony

Question 35

A search which allows you to enclose phrases in quotation marks or parentheses so that a search yields only those sites on which all words or the phrase appear in that order and eliminates sites that contain the words at random is known as what type of search?

A) Online database
B) Boolean
C) Periodical index
D) Google

Question 36

Which of the following is an important guideline for the use of statistics in a speech?

A) Use visual aids to present statistics.
B) Interpret a statistic in order to prove a point in your speech.
C) Use as many statistics as you can find because they enhance credibility.
D) Report a statistic down to the last decimal point, to be thorough and accurate.

Question 37

When you use the dictionary definition to explain a word, you are using a(n) _____ definition.

A) connotative
B) operational
C) placement
D) classification

Question 38

When should sources be cited in your speech?

A) If they are from visuals you created
B) If the fact is widely available in other sources
C) If you use direct quotes or paraphrased information
D) If you are using an analogy

Question 39

Darci gave a speech with the central idea, "C. S. Lewis' writings were influenced by the reading he did throughout his life." Her main points were "As a child, C. S. Lewis enjoyed books with animal characters." "As an adolescent, C. S. Lewis enjoyed books on Norse mythology." "As an adult, C. S. Lewis studied Medieval Literature." The main points follow what type of sequence?

A) Chronological
B) Reasons
C) Logical
D) Spatial

Question 40

David told his audience, "If every American recycled just one plastic bottle a day, it would yield 200 tons of recycled plastic." In order to enhance the significance of his statistic, he has ____ it.

A) exploded
B) illustrated
C) stacked
D) hypothesized

Question 41

Silent brainstorming is one way to create a specific-purpose statement.

Question 42

The primary purpose of lay testimony, the opinion of someone who experienced an event firsthand, is to stir the audience's emotions and can provide the most memorable moments of a speech.

Question 43

Illustrations can be just a short word or phrase.

Question 44

When a description is used as supporting material, it makes a scene come alive for the audience by providing detailed images that allow the audience to see, smell, and touch what you are describing.

Question 45

A central idea should be written in a declarative sentence and reflect a single topic.

Question 46

A literal analogy compares a large number of things.

Question 47

Research shows that if you feel nervous, the audience can usually spot nervous gestures or a shaky voice.

Question 48

The specific purpose of your presentation is not intended to become part of your speech, but to guide preparation of the speech.

Question 49

A definition by classification is one in which you place a word in a general category and then differentiate it from other items in the category.

Question 50

Everything you include in your presentation should support your central idea.

Question 51

Speakers should offer definitions of all technical or little-known terms in their presentations.

Question 52

Illustrations are good to use as supporting material because they tell a story that gets the audience's attention.

Question 53

A hypothetical illustration is a true-life story that makes a point for the audience.

Question 54

Rather than writing his own speech, Tyler found one to use on the Internet and did not acknowledge his source. Tyler is guilty of _____.

A) slander
B) libel
C) plagiarism
D) an oral citation

Question 55

Most public speakers become progressively more comfortable as they speak.

Question 56

"The human mind is like a filing cabinet," is an example of a literal analogy.

Question 57

When assessing the accountability of a website, you are analyzing whether or not it is free of bias.

Question 58

When using statistics in a speech, exploding them means to get as many into the speech as possible.

Question 59

The central idea is the same as the specific purpose of a speech.

Question 60

If you experience speaking anxiety, it is a good idea to practice giving public presentations.

Question 61

Trevor's speech talked about why it is important to eat breakfast every day. He is using a(n) _____ to help his audience understand how the body uses breakfast as fuel.

Question 62

A comparison between two seemingly dissimilar things that share some common feature on which the comparison depends is called a(n)_____ analogy.

Question 63

Gavin had to give an informative speech for his public speaking class. He wrote as his central idea, "Women-you can't live with them, you can't live without them, who understands them?" Explain what is wrong with this central idea.

Question 64

Explain and demonstrate a central idea.

Question 65

List the questions that you should keep in mind when selecting a topic.

Question 66

Once you have decided on your central idea, how can you subdivide it into main ideas? List the three questions to ask.

Question 67

What does it mean to be an audience-centered presentation speaker?

Question 68

Explain the three types of general purposes for presentations. How are they different?

Question 69

If you are stumped and cannot think of an idea for a presentation, the text recommends three approaches. List and briefly explain each of these.

Question 70

The mistaken belief that the audience is completely aware of the speaker's perspiration, shaking hands, and knocking knees is called the _____ of transparency.

Question 71

Briefly define and discuss plagiarism.

Question 72

List at least five of the recommended methods for dealing with speaking anxiety.

Question 73

List the nine components of the audience-centered public speaking model.

Question 74

The process of becoming more comfortable as you speak is called _____.

Question 75

"Laser beams aid surgeons by cutting or destroying diseased tissue, shrinking tumors, burning off tissue, or sealing blood vessels." This statement is an example of a(n) _____ definition.

Question 76

"A platelet is a tiny, colorless blood cell" is an example of a(n) _____ definition.

Question 77

Stage fright and communication apprehension are also known as _____ anxiety.

Question 78

_____ is a technique used to generate creative ideas. It is one recommended way to help you find a topic for your presentation.

Question 79

What the listeners should know or be able to do at the end of your speech is called the _____ purpose.

Question 80

Plagiarism gives credibility to a speaker.