Question 1

Allison has written and rewritten the central idea of her speech on "Dog Care." She finally comes up with: "Dog care is very difficult." What is the problem with this central idea?
A)Her central idea is not audience-centered.
B)Her central idea is too confusing.
C)Her central idea is too vague.
D)Her central idea is not a declarative sentence.

Accepted Answer

The central idea, "Dog care is very difficult," is too vague and lacks specificity. It does not provide the audience with a clear understanding of what she will be talking about or why dog care is difficult. A more specific and audience-centered central idea would be more effective.

Question 2

Mabel's central idea is "A liberal arts education benefits the student in two ways." What phrase in this central idea indicates to Mabel that her central idea has logical divisions?
A)"liberal arts"
B)"the student"
C)"education benefits"
D)"two ways"

Accepted Answer

The phrase "two ways" indicates that Mabel's central idea has logical divisions because she is highlighting that there are two specific benefits of a liberal arts education for the student. This implies that the central idea can be organized into two distinct parts, supporting the idea that there are logical divisions.

Question 3

A _______ is a complete declarative sentence that summarizes your speech.
A)general purpose
B)specific purpose
C)central idea
D)blueprint

Accepted Answer

A central idea is a complete declarative sentence that summarizes the main point or claim of your speech, serving as a concise summary of its content.

Question 4

Emily has been asked to speak to a group of her colleagues at work about a new project,but she wonders,"What do these people already know about this project,and are they excited about it?" These questions reflect Emily's
A)lack of self-esteem as a public speaker.
B)consideration for the occasion for which she is speaking.
C)concern about the interests and knowledge of her audience.
D)lack of sophistication in audience analysis techniques.

Accepted Answer

Emily's questions show that she is considering her audience's knowledge and interest in the topic, indicating that she is concerned about delivering a relevant and engaging presentation. This reflects good audience analysis skills.

Question 5

When Elizabeth was asked to be the after-dinner speaker for the senior honors dinner, she responded with great enthusiasm.She viewed this as an opportunity to reflect on her time in college,bring a smile to her fellow seniors' faces,relay the excitement of the event,and help them enjoy themselves.In this situation,Elizabeth would be speaking to
A)inform.
B)persuade.
C)convince.
D)entertain.

Accepted Answer

Elizabeth's goal is to bring a smile to her fellow seniors' faces and help them enjoy themselves, which is the objective of entertainment speeches. Therefore, the correct choice is (D) entertain.

Question 6

What are the three most common general purposes for speeches?
A)to tell,to show,to teach
B)to excite,to engage,to convince
C)to inform,to persuade,to entertain
D)to demonstrate,to manipulate,to coerce

Accepted Answer

The three most common general purposes for speeches are to inform, persuade, and entertain. These purposes are often referred to as the "three Ps" of public speaking. Informative speeches provide factual information and educate the audience on a particular topic. Persuasive speeches aim to convince the audience to adopt a particular viewpoint or take a specific action. Entertaining speeches are intended to engage and amuse the audience, often through the use of humor or storytelling.

Question 7

For his graduation ceremony,Brady decided to give his valedictory address on the topic "opposition to the rising costs of university tuition." What did Brady fail to do?
A)consider the occasion
B)narrow his topic
C)conduct a demographic analysis
D)consider the audience

Accepted Answer

Brady failed to consider the occasion, as a graduation ceremony typically celebrates achievements and future prospects, rather than addressing contentious issues like tuition costs.

Question 8

After his speech teacher assigns an informative speech,Angel begins to worry about what to choose as his topic.That night he takes out a blank sheet of paper and writes down every possible topic idea he can think of.What is Angel doing?
A)topic narrowing
B)brainstorming
C)procrastinating
D)searching

Accepted Answer

Angel is brainstorming ideas for his informative speech by listing down every possible topic he can think of.

Question 9

"At the end of my speech,my audience will be able to list the three different types of Reggae music." This statement is an example of a
A)central idea.
B)general purpose.
C)specific purpose.
D)blueprint.

Accepted Answer

The statement "At the end of my speech,my audience will be able to list the three different types of Reggae music" is an example of a specific purpose, which is a clear and concise statement of what the speaker intends to achieve with their speech. A central idea is the main point or message of the speech, while the general purpose is the broad goal or intention of the speech. A blueprint is a detailed outline or plan for the speech.

Question 10

When you discover the listener's needs,interests,and expectations prior to selecting a topic,you are fulfilling which guideline for selecting a topic?
A)consider yourself
B)consider the occasion
C)consider the audience
D)consider the topic

Accepted Answer

When you discover the listener's needs, interests, and expectations before selecting a topic, you are fulfilling the guideline of considering the audience. It is important to choose a topic that is relevant and valuable to your audience in order to keep their attention and engage with them effectively.

Question 11

When you make a list of your own interests,and just begin writing as many topics related to these as you can think of without stopping to consider them,you are using a technique
Known as
A)topic building.
B)brainstorming.
C)natural topic selection.
D)webbing.

Accepted Answer

The technique described involves generating a large number of ideas without filtering or analyzing them, which is the hallmark of brainstorming. Option A describes a more deliberate process of selecting and organizing topics. Option C is not a recognized technique, and D typically involves visual mapping rather than the rapid generation of ideas.

Question 12

In a speech about the importance of establishing a daily exercise routine,Bart summarized his goal for the speech in the following statement: "At the end of my speech,the audience will initiate a daily exercise routine." This statement is a
A)general purpose.
B)specific purpose.
C)concluding statement.
D)summary statement.

Accepted Answer

The statement is a clear and specific purpose, as it outlines the intended outcome of the speech in terms of the audience's behavior.

Question 13

In his speech outline,Barnett included the sentence: "Censorship of the music industry violates our First Amendment right to free speech." This statement is
A)a general purpose statement.
B)a specific purpose statement.
C)a central idea or thesis.
D)an inflammatory statement.

Accepted Answer

The statement "Censorship of the music industry violates our First Amendment right to free speech" is the central idea or thesis of the speech outline. It conveys the main point or argument that the speech will focus on.

Question 14

When searching for a speech topic,Web directories,such as Yahoo!,are helpful because
A)they generate a list of topics divided into categories and subcategories.
B)they present material in many different ways.
C)the information provided in Web directories is always accurate.
D)Web directories will have better ideas for topics than you will.

Accepted Answer

Web directories such as Yahoo! generate a list of topics divided into categories and subcategories. This makes it easier for the speaker to locate a topic that is relevant to their interest and expertise. However, it is important to note that the information provided in web directories may not always be accurate, therefore the speaker should always check their sources.

Question 15

During your speech you ask your audience to sign a petition to increase student parking areas.Your general goal is to
A)inform.
B)notify.
C)entertain.
D)persuade.

Accepted Answer

Asking the audience to sign a petition implies that the speaker is persuading them to take action and support a particular cause, in this case increasing student parking areas. Therefore, the general goal of the speech is to persuade the audience.

Question 16

Searching for logical divisions in a subject is a strategy for determining your
A)general purpose.
B)specific purpose.
C)preview statement.
D)main ideas.

Accepted Answer

Searching for logical divisions in a subject is a strategy for determining the main ideas of a presentation or essay.

Question 17

Is it appropriate to develop a speech topic based on something you heard on a television talk show?
A)No; using televised information for a speech topic is a form of plagiarism.
B)No; most topics discussed on talk shows are inappropriate speech material.
C)Yes,but you have to address the topic the same way the talk show did.
D)Yes; brainstorming ideas from a television program is a good way to develop a topic.

Accepted Answer

Brainstorming ideas from various sources, including television programs, is a legitimate way to develop a speech topic. It's important to ensure that the speech is not a direct copy of what was said on the talk show and that any information used is properly cited. However, using televised information as a starting point is acceptable.

Question 18

Almost all speeches have an overall goal to inform,to persuade,or to entertain.This goal for your speech is known as its
A)general purpose.
B)specific purpose.
C)central idea.
D)blueprint.

Accepted Answer

The overall goal of a speech, whether it is to inform, persuade, or entertain, is known as its general purpose. The specific purpose is a more specific goal that the speaker wants to achieve within the context of the general purpose. The central idea is the main point or message that the speaker wants to convey to the audience. Blueprint is not a commonly used term in relation to speech goals.

Question 19

It's the end of the semester,your brain is fried,and you just can't come up with a creative topic for your persuasive speech.As a last resort,you pick up the daily newspaper and
Decide on a topic by looking at one of the headlines.Is this advisable?
A)No; it is a form of plagiarism when you get speech topics from a newspaper.
B)No; newspapers offer boring material which do not make for a good topic.
C)Yes,but topics generated from newspapers take much longer to develop than others.
D)Yes; scanning newspaper headlines may be an effective strategy to find a speech topic.

Accepted Answer

Scanning newspaper headlines can be an effective strategy to find a speech topic because it can provide current and relevant issues that may be of interest to the audience. However, it is important to ensure that the topic is properly cited and researched to avoid plagiarism or presenting inaccurate information.

Question 20

The ______ is decided solely by the speaker since it depends on the behavioral change the speaker expects from the audience at the end of the speech.
A)general purpose
B)specific purpose
C)central idea
D)functional purpose

Accepted Answer

The specific purpose of a speech is the intended outcome or behavioral change that the speaker hopes to achieve in the audience. It is decided solely by the speaker based on the goal of their speech. The general purpose of a speech is to inform, persuade or entertain, and the central idea is the main point or theme of the speech. The functional purpose is not a commonly used term in public speaking.

Quiz 7: Developing Your Speech

Allison has written and rewritten the central idea of her speech on "Dog Care." She finally comes up with: "Dog care is very difficult." What is the problem with this central idea?

Mabel's central idea is "A liberal arts education benefits the student in two ways." What phrase in this central idea indicates to Mabel that her central idea has logical divisions?

A _______ is a complete declarative sentence that summarizes your speech.

Emily has been asked to speak to a group of her colleagues at work about a new project,but she wonders,"What do these people already know about this project,and are they excited about it?" These questions reflect Emily's

What are the three most common general purposes for speeches?

For his graduation ceremony,Brady decided to give his valedictory address on the topic "opposition to the rising costs of university tuition." What did Brady fail to do?

After his speech teacher assigns an informative speech,Angel begins to worry about what to choose as his topic.That night he takes out a blank sheet of paper and writes down every possible topic idea he can think of.What is Angel doing?

"At the end of my speech,my audience will be able to list the three different types of Reggae music." This statement is an example of a

When you discover the listener's needs,interests,and expectations prior to selecting a topic,you are fulfilling which guideline for selecting a topic?

When you make a list of your own interests,and just begin writing as many topics related to these as you can think of without stopping to consider them,you are using a technique Known as

In a speech about the importance of establishing a daily exercise routine,Bart summarized his goal for the speech in the following statement: "At the end of my speech,the audience will initiate a daily exercise routine." This statement is a

In his speech outline,Barnett included the sentence: "Censorship of the music industry violates our First Amendment right to free speech." This statement is

When searching for a speech topic,Web directories,such as Yahoo!,are helpful because

During your speech you ask your audience to sign a petition to increase student parking areas.Your general goal is to

Searching for logical divisions in a subject is a strategy for determining your

Is it appropriate to develop a speech topic based on something you heard on a television talk show?

Almost all speeches have an overall goal to inform,to persuade,or to entertain.This goal for your speech is known as its

It's the end of the semester,your brain is fried,and you just can't come up with a creative topic for your persuasive speech.As a last resort,you pick up the daily newspaper and Decide on a topic by looking at one of the headlines.Is this advisable?

The ______ is decided solely by the speaker since it depends on the behavioral change the speaker expects from the audience at the end of the speech.