Principles Of Public Speaking (Practice Test_1)

Front 1

If a student needs an article about diabetes that appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association, which of the following would be the best tool to use?

Back 1

b. Periodical database

Journal of the American Medical Association is a type of periodical. Libraries have periodical databases that catalogue articles from journals and magazines.

Front 2

Which of the following explains how oral style differs from written style?

Back 2

b. More repetition

Redundancy occurs in speeches to help listeners remember major points. Repeating important concepts ensures that the audience will comprehend the information presented.

Front 3

Analyzing an audience based on beliefs, attitudes, and values is referred to as which of the following?

Back 3

a. Psychological profiling

Psychological profiling is the term used for analyzing an audience based on beliefs, attitudes, and values. A speaker can tailor an effective message to an audience by understanding their pre-existing thoughts and attitudes about a subject.

Front 4

A speech outline should indicate the most important and the least important information according to which of the following principles?

Back 4

d. Subordination

A speech outline that follows the principle of subordination will make the information's order of importance clear. Main points are indicated by Roman numerals, while sub-points are indicated with capital letters.

Front 5

Which of the following would be the best source for finding the state tree of Delaware?

Back 5

d. Gazetteer

A gazetteer is a geographical dictionary formatted like a regular dictionary. Information in a gazetteer relates to geographical topics, and brief facts about nearly 50,000 places in the world are included in the reference work.

Front 6

What are the three primary purposes of most speeches?

Back 6

b. Inform, persuade, or entertain

The general purpose of most public speeches is to inform, to persuade, or to entertain listeners. An informative speech attempts to develop understanding, a persuasive speech attempts to influence, and an entertaining speech seeks to amuse people.

Front 7

Communication that uses more words than necessary to express an idea is referred to as which of the following?

Back 7

a. Clutter

Clutter refers to unnecessarily wordy speech. It is especially important in speeches to speak clearly and simply in order to avoid confusing or boring the audience.

Front 8

Which of the following is most important for a speaker to do when addressing a knowledgeable audience?

Back 8

d. Emphasize that the subject matter will be new and useful

An audience that is familiar with the subject matter may assume that they will be listening to redundant information. A speaker should inform the audience that the information will be new, relevant, and useful and that the speech will not waste their time.

Front 9

How are facts and figures most often used in persuasive speeches?

Back 9

d. To provide a basis for an argument

Facts and figures are typically used early in a persuasive speech because they serve as the foundation of the argument. In informative speeches, data often illustrate points later in the speech.

Front 10

Which of the following terms describes the act of mistaking one word for another?

Back 10

d. Malapropism

A malapropism occurs when a speaker mistakes one word for another. For example, saying "obstacle" instead of "spectacle" is a malapropism.

Front 11

Which of the following often helps speakers relieve excess energy and apprehension during a speech?

Back 11

b. Making appropriate gestures and bodily movements

Making appropriate gestures and movements during a speech can greatly reduce a speaker's excess energy. Making gestures or walking around can be effective communication tools if they are purposeful.

Front 12

Which of the following is most important to consider when evaluating a speech based on artistic standards?

Back 12

d. Language and structure

Language, structure, and delivery should be considered when evaluating a speech based on artistic standards. Evidence, reasoning, and organization of the speech also relate to the artistic standard.

Front 13

According to studies, which of the following elements of a speech has the greatest emotional impact on listeners?

Back 13

b. Facial expressions

According to a study by Albert Mehrabian, facial expression has the greatest emotional impact of a speech. A speaker's facial expressions provide signals to listeners about the speaker's attitude.

Front 14

Which of the following patterns of organization begins with minor points, uses the strongest points in the middle, and ends with the weakest points?

Back 14

c. Pyramidal structure

Pyramidal structure organizes a speech like a pyramid with weak points at the beginning and end and strong points in the middle. This type of structure is rarely used and is typically only appropriate for a hostile audience.

Front 15

Opinions that support claims presented by a speaker are referred to as which of the following?

Back 15

c. Testimonial evidence

Testimonial evidence consists of opinions of the speaker or of an expert that support the claims presented in a speech. Although testimonies can be used in informative speeches, they are more critical in persuasive speeches.

Front 16

Audience adaptation cannot occur during a speech without which of the following?

Back 16

b. Eye contact

Eye contact is required for a speaker to make audience adaptations. By keeping an eye on the audience, a speaker can detect their comprehension and attitude.

Front 17

Speeches presented at formal occasions should be characterized by which of the following?

Back 17

c. Subtle humor

Formal occasions call for subtle humor rather than obvious jokes. Speeches given at formal occasions, such as ceremonies, should rely on structured, researched writing.

Front 18

Questions prepared in advance of an interview are referred to as which of the following?

Back 18

c. Primary

Primary questions are the main questions that an interviewer plans to ask. Although primary questions may be open, closed, or neutral, they are always written before conducting the interview.

Front 19

In order for a testimony to be persuasive, it should have which of the following characteristics?

Back 19

c. Unbiased and current

Expert testimony is effective if it is unbiased and up-to-date. Testimony from a biased individual will have little effect or a negative effect on the persuasive nature of the speech.

Front 20

Which of the following refers to main points of a speech outline being worded in a similar structural pattern?

Back 20

d. Parallel

Parallel structure refers to statements being worded in a similar style. Parallel structure enables listeners to recognize that a main point is being made.

Front 21

Assuming that a speaker will be dull before listening to the speech is an example of which of the following types of barriers?

Back 21

d. Self-fulfilling prophecy

A self-fulfilling prophecy is a preset idea that can be a barrier to effective listening. An audience member who assumes a speaker is dull will probably find the speech boring.

Front 22

According to Aristotle, the impression a speaker makes through his or her communication skills is referred to as which of the following?

Back 22

b. Ethos

Ethos is the image that a listener has about a speaker. Aristotle believed ethos was the most powerful element of persuasion, and modern research supports his theory.

Front 23

Which of the following is NOT a typical method of generating speech topics?

Back 23

c. Venn diagram

A Venn diagram is used to compare and contrast two ideas and is not a typical method for brainstorming speech topics. Making an inventory of personal experiences and skills either with a list or by clustering ideas often generates topics, as does an Internet search.

Front 24

Which of the following elements from the Toulmin model refers to the reasoning process that is either verbalized or implied during an argument?

Back 24

b. Warrant

The warrant is the logical statement that links the evidence with the claim. The warrant is the reason that the claim is considered credible.

Front 25

Which two factors are the most important when determining the outcome of a speech?

Back 25

b. Speaker and audience

The speaker and the audience determine the success or failure of a speech because the two must work together for effective communication to occur. An effective speaker is aware of the audience and adapts the message accordingly.

Front 26

While listening to an oral presentation, a speech critic should do which of the following?

Back 26

c. Evaluate the relevancy of supporting materials

The relevancy of supporting materials is an important element to consider when providing a speech evaluation. An evaluator should assess whether the facts, stories, and illustrations are useful in the speech.

Front 27

Competence, character, sociability, composure, and extroversion are aspects of which of the following?

Back 27

b. Source credibility

Source credibility is an element of intrinsic proof. It relates to the likelihood of a target audience believing the source of a message.

Front 28

Which of the following modes of speech delivery occurs when a speakers uses an outline or brief notes?

Back 28

d. Extemporaneous

Extemporaneous speaking occurs when a speaker uses notes or an outline when delivering a speech. Extemporaneous speaking is the mode most commonly taught in speech classes.

Front 29

Which of the following would be suitable for a politician who wants to rally supporters with a speech?

Back 29

d. Words with strong, connotative meanings

A politician trying to encourage supporters will use words with strong, connotative meanings. Connotative words are those that trigger emotions.

Front 30

Which of the following is considered a high-context culture?

Back 30

c. South Korea

Front 31

When evaluating the content of a speech, which of the following should be considered?

Back 31

c. Appropriateness of visual aids

The appropriate use and inclusion of visual aids is a consideration when evaluating speech content. Visual aids should provide useful information about a subject and improve the effectiveness of a speech.

Front 32

A skeptical audience is more likely to be persuaded by which of the following?

Back 32

a. Documented information from several, objective sources

Evidence is viewed as credible if it is documented and objective. Skeptical audiences are more likely to change their minds if evidence is provided from multiple sources instead of only one.

Front 33

Criticism of a speech should be based on which of the following?

Back 33

b. Accepted standards

The basis of any type of criticism should be accepted standards. All effective speeches should include certain aspects related to organization, style, delivery, and ethics.

Front 34

In his inaugural address, John F. Kennedy said, "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." This statement is an example of which of the following?

Back 34

b. Antithesis

The statement is an example of antithesis. Antithesis is a rhetorical contrast of ideas through parallelism.

Front 35

In an informative speech, which of the following states what the speaker hopes the audience will learn?

Back 35

c. Thesis

The thesis of a speech is the central idea that a speaker wants an audience to retain. With an informative speech, it is what the audience should learn; with a persuasive speech, it is what the audience should believe.

Front 36

With which of the following communication activities do people spend the most time?

Back 36

d. Listening

People spend more time listening than any other communication activity. Listening is an active and vital part of daily life.

Front 37

Which of the following types of speech arrangements would be most appropriate for topics such as "the evolution of the modern automobile" or "the steps toward home ownership"?

Back 37

a. Temporal

The temporal pattern, which is also known as chronological, calls for organizing material from past to present or from the future to the past. Temporal is typically used for historical topics or for informative speeches where the order of events is important.