Chapter 2: Getting Started 2.1 Multiple Choice 1. Which of the following is an important consideration in selecting and narrowing the subject? a. how you can relate the topic to your listeners b. how well you can outline c. whether there is enough material available in the library d. whether you need to give the speech in an impromptu manner Answer: a. how you can relate the topic to your listeners Rationale: Relating the topic to your listeners is crucial because it helps ensure that your speech is relevant and engaging to your audience. This consideration helps you establish a connection with your audience and makes your speech more effective in conveying your message. 2. It's a good idea to begin by selecting a topic a. that your audience knows. b. about which the speaker is knowledgeable. c. that the speaker is not willing to talk about in front of others. d. that does not relate to the listeners' expectations. e. both a and c. Answer: b. about which the speaker is knowledgeable. Rationale: Starting with a topic about which the speaker is knowledgeable helps ensure that the speech will be well-informed and credible. It also allows the speaker to confidently deliver the speech and engage the audience effectively. 3. What is the first step in successful speaking? a. determining your purposes and central idea b. analyzing the audience and the occasion c. selecting your topic systematically d. gathering your speech materials Answer: c. selecting your topic systematically Rationale: Selecting your topic systematically is the first step in successful speaking because it lays the foundation for the rest of the speech preparation process. It helps you focus your thoughts and ideas and ensures that your speech will be coherent and well-organized. 4. After selecting a topic, the next step the speaker should take is to a. go to the library. b. organize the speech. c. narrow the topic. d. construct the preview. Answer: c. narrow the topic. Rationale: Narrowing the topic helps focus the speech and makes it more manageable. It allows the speaker to delve deeper into a specific aspect of the topic and ensures that the speech remains relevant and engaging to the audience. 5. Brainstorming is especially helpful when you are having trouble a. deciding the specific purpose. b. deciding the general purpose. c. choosing the central idea. d. choosing a speech topic. Answer: d. choosing a speech topic. Rationale: Brainstorming is a creative technique that can help generate ideas and overcome writer's block. It is particularly useful when you are having trouble coming up with a speech topic because it allows you to explore different ideas and perspectives. 6. A specific purpose is a. what the speaker intends to tell the audience. b. a statement of what the speaker wishes to achieve in a particular speech. c. the topic of a persuasive speech. d. how the speaker will be persuasive. Answer: b. a statement of what the speaker wishes to achieve in a particular speech. Rationale: The specific purpose is a statement that conveys the speaker's intended outcome or goal for the speech. It helps guide the speaker's preparation and ensures that the speech remains focused and coherent. 7. The primary reason you will speak in public represents your a. central idea. b. specific purpose. c. audience orientation. d. general purpose. Answer: d. general purpose. Rationale: The general purpose is the primary reason for speaking in public. It broadly defines the overall goal or intent of the speech, such as to inform, persuade, entertain, or inspire. 8. The sentence that identifies what the speaker hopes to accomplish in a speech is the a. preview. b. specific purpose. c. thesis statement. d. general purpose. Answer: b. specific purpose. Rationale: The specific purpose is a concise statement that specifies what the speaker hopes to achieve in a particular speech. It provides a clear focus for the speech and guides the speaker's preparation and delivery. 9. The statement, "to explain to my audience that Tom Sparks is the best candidate for governor," is an example of what type of general purpose? a. to inform b. to entertain c. to persuade d. to actuate Answer: a. to inform Rationale: The statement is focused on providing information to the audience about a specific topic, which aligns with the general purpose of informing. 10. Taking time to carefully determine your specific purpose and the central idea helps you answer the question of a. why you are speaking. b. what you are talking about. c. how you will talk about the subject. d. where you will gather your materials. Answer: a. why you are speaking. Rationale: Determining your specific purpose and central idea helps clarify why you are speaking and what you hope to achieve, which are essential considerations in effective speech preparation. 11. What is the audience response sought from a speech to persuade? a. clear understanding b. enjoyment and comprehension c. gathering information d. acceptance of recommended behavior e. either c or d Answer: d. acceptance of recommended behavior Rationale: The primary goal of a persuasive speech is to persuade the audience to accept or adopt the speaker's viewpoint, position, or recommendation, which is reflected in the choice "acceptance of recommended behavior." 12. A central idea that says, "There are three reasons why we need to change the quality of education in Michigan," suggests that the speaker's general purpose in speaking is to a. inform. b. persuade. c. entertain. d. stimulate. Answer: b. persuade. Rationale: The central idea indicates that the speaker intends to persuade the audience by presenting reasons why a change in the quality of education in Michigan is necessary. 13. If George decided to give a speech to convince his associates to travel to London, he would be using the general purpose to a. demonstrate. b. inform. c. entertain. d. persuade. Answer: d. persuade. Rationale: The general purpose of persuading involves convincing the audience to adopt a particular viewpoint or take a specific action, such as traveling to London in this case. 14. Which of the following is NOT an example of a speech to persuade? a. Urging the audience members to write a letter to their Congress person. b. Describing typical weather patterns in the Northeastern part of the U.S. c. Swaying a group of students to sign a petition. d. Convincing a friend to go shopping. Answer: d. Convincing a friend to go shopping Rationale: Convincing a friend to go shopping is not an example of a persuasive speech because it does not involve influencing the audience to adopt a specific viewpoint or take a particular action that is relevant to a broader audience. 15. What audience response is sought from a speech to entertain? a. clear understanding b. enjoyment and comprehension c. acceptance of ideas d. acceptance of recommended behaviors Answer: b. enjoyment and comprehension Rationale: The primary goal of a speech to entertain is to engage the audience, provide enjoyment, and ensure that they understand and appreciate the content presented. 16. The phrase, "to explain to my audience about rifles," is an example of the a. general purpose of the speech. b. specific purpose of the speech. c. central idea of the speech. d. subject of the speech. Answer: b. specific purpose of the speech. Rationale: The specific purpose statement specifies what the speaker intends to achieve in the speech, which in this case is to explain information about rifles to the audience. 17. The phrase, "to help my audience understand the need for recycling," is an example of a(n) a. specific purpose. b. general purpose. c. central idea. d. speech subject. Answer: a. specific purpose. Rationale: This statement specifies the specific outcome the speaker hopes to achieve, which is to help the audience understand the importance of recycling. 18. What is the term used to describe the sentence that expresses the specific purpose of your speech? a. central idea b. specific purpose c. general purpose d. subject Answer: b. specific purpose Rationale: The specific purpose statement articulates the specific goal or outcome the speaker hopes to achieve in the speech. 19. The statement that guides the thoughts you wish to communicate represents your a. specific purpose. b. audience orientation. c. central idea. d. general purpose. Answer: c. central idea. Rationale: The central idea serves as the main point or thesis of the speech, guiding the thoughts and ideas the speaker wishes to communicate to the audience. 20. The statement, "The tobacco industry should come under the control of the Food and Drug Administration," is an example of a(n) a. general purpose. b. specific purpose. c. central idea. d. speech subject. Answer: c. central idea. Rationale: This statement presents the main idea or argument of the speech, advocating for the tobacco industry to be regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. 21. The wording of a central idea determines a. the main points of your speech. b. the data and information you will need to find. c. the organization of your speech. d. all of the above. e. both a and c. Answer: d. all of the above. Rationale: The central idea serves as the foundation for the speech, determining the main points, the data and information needed to support those points, and the overall organization of the speech. 22. When your purpose is to help your listeners understand an idea, concept, or process, your objective is to __________. a. actuate b. entertain c. persuade d. inform Answer: d. inform Rationale: When the purpose is to help listeners understand, the objective is to inform them about the idea, concept, or process, rather than persuade them to take a specific action or entertain them. 23. Putting yourself in your listeners' shoes is what researchers call __________ orientation. a. empathic b. egalitarian c. imaginative d. audience Answer: d. audience Rationale: Audience orientation involves understanding the perspective, needs, and expectations of the audience, which includes putting yourself in their shoes to tailor your message effectively. 24. Audience orientation is a. understanding what brings the people together. b. understanding the listener's point of view. c. gathering research material for the audience. d. gathering demographic information about the audience. Answer: b. understanding the listener's point of view. Rationale: Audience orientation involves considering the audience's perspective, interests, and knowledge to ensure that the message is relevant and meaningful to them. 25. What is the third step in speech preparation? a. selecting and narrowing a topic b. determining the purpose c. gathering the material d. analyzing the audience and occasion Answer: d. analyzing the audience and occasion Rationale: Analyzing the audience and occasion is the third step in speech preparation because it helps tailor the message to the specific audience and situation. 26. Natalie is invited to address her community about the youth programs at the local recreation center. One of her first tasks in planning her talk ought to be a. making an outline. b. gathering information about the audience. c. practicing her speech. d. practicing relaxation techniques to help her deliver the talk. Answer: b. gathering information about the audience. Rationale: Before planning her talk, Natalie should gather information about the audience to understand their interests, knowledge, and expectations regarding the youth programs. 27. The specific purpose of a speech is determined by all of the following EXCEPT a. the occasion. b. the audience's attitude. c. the audience's response. d. the incompatibility between the audience and the speaker. Answer: d. the incompatibility between the audience and the speaker. Rationale: The specific purpose of a speech is primarily determined by the occasion, the audience's attitude, and the desired audience response, rather than the incompatibility between the audience and the speaker. 28. If you were to ask questions such as "What brings these people together?" or "What do they expect to hear?" you would be showing concern for a. audience analysis. b. occasion analysis. c. purpose analysis. d. idea analysis. Answer: b. occasion analysis. Rationale: Questions about what brings the audience together and their expectations pertain to the occasion, indicating a focus on occasion analysis. 29. Once the outline is completed, the next step in speech preparation is a. researching. b. writing the specific purpose statement. c. narrowing the topic. d. practicing the speech. Answer: d. practicing the speech. Rationale: Once the outline is completed, the speaker should practice delivering the speech to ensure fluency and effectiveness in presentation. 2.2 True/False 1. The easiest task for many speakers is to choose a subject. Answer: False Rationale: Choosing a subject can often be challenging for speakers because it requires finding a topic that is interesting, relevant, and appropriate for the audience. 2. When selecting a topic for a speech, it is a good idea to begin with researching the topic. Answer: False Rationale: When selecting a topic for a speech, it is generally a good idea to begin with brainstorming and considering personal interests and knowledge before moving on to research. 3. You will probably be more successful if you do NOT base your talk on personal knowledge. Answer: False Rationale: Basing your talk on personal knowledge can often lead to a more authentic and engaging presentation, as long as the information is accurate and relevant to the audience. 4. Determining the purpose of the speech is the first step to a successful speech. Answer: False Rationale: The first step to a successful speech is often considered to be selecting a topic systematically, which involves considering the audience, occasion, and speaker's interests and expertise. 5. The three general purposes of a speech are to inform, to persuade, and to entertain. Answer: True Rationale: These are the three primary general purposes of a speech, each serving a different intent and goal for the speaker. 6. A specific purpose reflects the primary reason you will speak in public. Answer: False Rationale: A specific purpose reflects the specific outcome or goal the speaker hopes to achieve in a particular speech, rather than the primary reason for speaking in public. 7. When you try to widen the range of your audience's knowledge, your general purpose is to inform. Answer: True Rationale: The general purpose of informing is to increase the audience's understanding or knowledge about a topic. 8. Not only must a persuasive speech provide facts, it must seek to influence listeners' beliefs and actions. Answer: True Rationale: A persuasive speech aims to not only provide information but also to persuade the audience to adopt or change their beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors. 9. The specific purpose combines the central idea with the topic of the speech. Answer: False Rationale: The specific purpose is a statement that specifies what the speaker wishes to achieve in a particular speech, while the central idea is the main point or thesis of the speech. 10. An after-dinner speech is an example of a speech with a general purpose to persuade. Answer: False Rationale: An after-dinner speech is typically more focused on entertaining the audience and providing enjoyment, rather than persuading them to adopt a particular viewpoint or take a specific action. 11. The specific purpose statement should include several goals for the speech. Answer: False Rationale: The specific purpose statement should be focused and concise, specifying only one main goal or outcome for the speech. 12. One of the outcomes of a carefully phrased specific purpose is that it helps you determine the range of effects you want to have on your audience. Answer: True Rationale: A well-phrased specific purpose statement helps clarify the intended impact or effect the speaker wishes to have on the audience, guiding the development of the speech content and delivery. 13. The central idea is also called the specific purpose. Answer: False Rationale: The central idea and the specific purpose are distinct elements of speech preparation. The specific purpose is a statement that specifies the outcome or goal of the speech, while the central idea is the main point or thesis of the speech. 14. The precise phrasing of your central idea is very important because it conveys the essence of your subject matter, usually in a single sentence. Answer: True Rationale: The central idea is a concise statement that conveys the main point or thesis of the speech. Its precise phrasing is crucial because it encapsulates the essence of the subject matter and guides the development of the speech. 15. Audience orientation refers to the speaker's ability to understand the listener's point of view. Answer: True Rationale: Audience orientation involves considering the perspective, interests, and expectations of the audience to tailor the message effectively and engage the audience. 16. The audience should NOT be a consideration when a person prepares a speech. Answer: False Rationale: The audience is a crucial consideration when preparing a speech, as tailoring the message to the audience enhances its relevance and effectiveness. 17. Audience analysis is so important that answers to questions about the audience and the occasion could affect how you deliver the speech. Answer: True Rationale: Audience analysis helps the speaker understand the audience's needs, interests, and expectations, which can influence the content, delivery, and overall effectiveness of the speech. 18. Unlike the "real" world, your listeners' expectations and the reasons they are present in the classroom have little to do with your choice of topic or the focus of your speech. Answer: False Rationale: Understanding the audience's expectations and reasons for being present is important in selecting a topic and focusing the speech to ensure it is relevant and engaging to the audience. 19. Nearly always, you will find that what you already know is enough to prepare the speech. Answer: False Rationale: While personal knowledge and experience can be valuable in preparing a speech, additional research and information gathering are often necessary to ensure the speech is well-informed and credible. 20. Late in your preparation, you should make a rough sketch of the points you wish to include in your speech. Answer: False Rationale: It is important to outline and organize the speech early in the preparation process to ensure a clear and logical structure. Making a rough sketch of the points late in the preparation may lead to a disorganized and less effective speech. 21. The speaker should construct a complete outline of the speech before doing the necessary research. Answer: False Rationale: It is generally more effective to conduct research first to gather the necessary information and then construct an outline based on the research findings. 22. A useful outline includes the subordinate ideas that are necessary to explain or prove the main points. Answer: True Rationale: A comprehensive outline includes not only the main points of the speech but also the subordinate ideas that support and elaborate on those main points. 23. When gathering materials for your speech, the first thing you should do is go to the library. Answer: False Rationale: The first step in gathering materials for a speech is to identify and evaluate various sources of information, which may include libraries, online resources, interviews, and personal experiences. 24. Practicing your speech aloud is one way to refine your speech. Answer: True Rationale: Practicing the speech aloud allows the speaker to refine their delivery, timing, and emphasis, as well as to identify areas that may need further clarification or improvement. 25. Usually, the speaker needs to practice the presentation only once to ensure the proper ordering and easy flow of words. Answer: False Rationale: Effective speech delivery often requires multiple practice sessions to ensure that the speech flows smoothly, the timing is appropriate, and the delivery is confident and engaging. 26. One practical way to communicate confidently is to realize that tension and nervousness are normal. Answer: True Rationale: Understanding that feeling nervous is normal can help alleviate anxiety and increase confidence in delivering the speech. 27. Focusing on your ideas, looking at the listeners, and relaxing your body are practical ways to communicate confidently. Answer: True Rationale: These techniques can help the speaker appear more confident and engaging to the audience, leading to a more effective speech delivery. 28. One of the techniques that can help you manage your nervousness while delivering a speech is to make eye contact with your audience. Answer: True Rationale: Making eye contact with the audience can help the speaker feel more connected to the audience and reduce feelings of nervousness. 29. There are two kinds of speech anxiety, state apprehension and straight apprehension. Answer: False Rationale: The two types of speech anxiety are state anxiety, which is temporary and specific to a particular situation, and trait anxiety, which is a more general and enduring personality characteristic. 2.3 Short Answer 1. A student in your class has decided to give a speech on the history of women in sports. Explain how this might be an inappropriate topic for your class. Answer: While it may be that the topic is of interest to the speaker, is it necessarily of interest to the class? What interests and expectations do the members in the class have that affect the desirability of this topic? In addition, the history of women in sports may far exceed the time limits of a speech in a classroom. 2. What is the goal in a speech that is given for the purpose of persuading? Answer: The goal in a speech to persuade is to influence listeners' beliefs and actions. 3. What is the specific purpose of a speech? Answer: The specific purpose of a speech combines the general purpose for speaking with the topic of the speech. 4. Generate a specific purpose for a persuasive talk about your college's or university's grading system, then state that purpose as a central idea. Answer: The answer will include a statement of the specific purpose and then an expression of the purpose as a well-phrased central idea stating the actual goal the student purposes in relation to the college's or university's grading system (e.g. using the plus and minus system for letter grades or putting more courses on a pass/fail basis). A central idea on this issue might be phrased as, "The college/university should institute a plus and minus system for letter grades." Another example is, "The college/university should institute a system of pass/fail for any course taken outside of one's major." 5. What is the central idea? Answer: The central idea is a statement (thesis statement) that captures the essence of the information or concept that the speaker wishes to communicate to an audience. 6. Why is it important that the central idea be phrased precisely? Answer: Precise phrasing of the central idea conveys the essence of the subject matter, setting up audience expectations. 7. List at least two questions that you should ask about the appropriateness of your specific purpose for your audience. Answer: (1) How would I feel about the topic if I were in their place? (2) How can I adapt this material to their interests and habits, especially if their experiences or understanding are different from mine? 8. Why is an analysis of the audience an important part of the speech preparation process? Answer: Analysis of the audience is an important part of the speech preparation process because communication is a two-way street. The speech must be constructed from the listener's point of view. 9. Why is an analysis of the occasion an important part of the speech preparation process? Answer: By assessing what it is that brings the audience together, the speaker can often determine the audience's expectations. These expectations can lead to adjustments in content or presentation. 10. Identify the various ways in which a speaker can gather material for his/her speech. Answer: The speaker can examine his/her own knowledge and experience, search print materials in the form of newspapers and magazines, or electronic materials in the form of radio, television, and electronic databases. Materials may also be gathered through interviews and conversations with knowledgeable people. 11. What nonprint sources might a speaker wish to consult in gathering information for a speech? Answer: A speaker can gather information from interviews, radio and television programs, and conversations. 12. What is an outline? Answer: An outline is a way to arrange your ideas with principal points together with subordinate ideas that directly relates to your specific purpose. 13. What are the seven basic steps involved in effective speech preparation? Answer: (1) Selecting and narrowing the subject, (2) Determining the purpose, (3) Analyzing the audience and the occasion, (4) Gathering the material, (5) Making an outline, (6) Practicing aloud, and (7) Delivering the speech. 14. What are the six practical ways to communicate confidently? Answer: (1) Realize that tension and nervousness are normal, (2) Focus on your ideas, (3) Look at your listeners, (4) Remember to breathe, (5) Relax your body, and (6) Speak in public as often as you can. 15. What is the difference between trait apprehension and state apprehension? Answer: Trait apprehension refers to your level of anxiety as you face any communication situation while state apprehension refers to the anxiety you feel in particular settings or situations. 2.4 Essay Questions 1. Explain the process of selecting and narrowing your topic. Answer: The process of choosing and narrowing your topic includes: selecting a topic by listing topics that you already know something about; keep the purpose of the speech in mind; consider the audience to whom you are speaking and the occasion; consider the possible subtopics and choose those that fit the time limit and that go together naturally. 2. Explain the differences between entertaining and persuading as general speech purposes. Answer: While both speeches provide information, their purposes are different. The general purpose of a speech to entertain is to amuse and divert the listeners so that they relax and enjoy themselves. The general purpose of a speech to persuade is to influence the listeners' beliefs and actions. 3. Why is practice such an important part of the speech-making process? Answer: This question allows the student to draw from the previous chapter as well as this one. The student should connect the process of practice with developing a confident delivery and with increased credibility. Practice allows the speaker to express each idea clearly and smoothly. Practice allows the speaker to anticipate the manner in which the speech will be presented and the effects it might have on the audience. Practice reduces the anxiety that one can experience while speaking. Another area of effects focuses on ethos. The previous chapter points out that skill in presenting a speech is a factor in the audience's perception of the speaker's expertise. This in turn affects the speaker's perceived credibility. A polished performance enhances credibility and, therefore, the effects on the audience. 4. List and explain the three guidelines for practicing your speeches. Answer: (1) Keep the practice sessions brief. It is better to practice the speech at small intervals over time rather than go through it repeatedly for two hours the day before it is due. This will help to reduce the stress level. (2) Practice the speech in different settings; this encourages flexibility. (3) After you start your speech, finish it without stopping to correct errors or to restart. You will not deliver the speech the same way each time you give it, so expect changes in the delivery and phrasing. 5. What are some ways you can help reduce and manage speech anxiety so you can communicate confidently? Answer: The answer should relate the six guidelines offered in the text and provide a brief explanation of how he/she can help reduce anxiety and increase confidence. Test Bank for Principles of Public Speaking Kathleen M. German, Bruce E. Gronbeck, Douglas Ehninger, Alan H. Monroe 9780205857548, 9780205843893
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