COMM200 Final Exam Questions
According to Aristotle, there are three sources of persuasion: ethos, pathos, and logos. Identify the best example of "pathos" in the following excerpt from Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from a Birmingham Jail." "You deplore the demonstrations taking place in Birmingham. But your statement, I am sorry to say, fails to express a similar concern for the conditions that brought about the demonstrations. I am sure that none of you would want to rest content with the superficial kind of social analysis that deals merely with effects and does not grapple with underlying causes. It is unfortunate that demonstrations are taking place in Birmingham, but it is even more unfortunate that the city's white power structure left the Negro community with no alternative. In any nonviolent campaign there are four basic steps: collection of the facts to determine whether injustices exist; negotiation; self purification; and direct action. We have gone through all these steps in Birmingham. There can be no gainsaying the fact that racial injustice engulfs this community. Birmingham is probably the most thoroughly segregated city in the United States. Its ugly record of brutality is widely known. Negroes have experienced grossly unjust treatment in the courts. There have been more unsolved bombings of Negro homes and churches in Birmingham than in any other city in the nation. These are the hard, brutal facts of the case. On the basis of these conditions, Negro leaders sought to negotiate with the city fathers. But the latter consistently refused to engage in good faith negotiation."
"Its ugly record of brutality is widely known. Negroes have experienced grossly unjust treatment in the courts. There have been more unsolved bombings of Negro homes and churches in Birmingham than in any other city in the nation."
According to Aristotle, there are three sources of persuasion: ethos, pathos, and logos. Identify the best example of "logos" in the following excerpt from Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from a Birmingham Jail." "Then, last September, came the opportunity to talk with leaders of Birmingham's economic community. In the course of the negotiations, certain promises were made by the merchants--for example, to remove the stores' humiliating racial signs. On the basis of these promises, the Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth and the leaders of the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights agreed to a moratorium on all demonstrations. As the weeks and months went by, we realized that we were the victims of a broken promise. A few signs, briefly removed, returned; the others remained. As in so many past experiences, our hopes had been blasted, and the shadow of deep disappointment settled upon us. We had no alternative except to prepare for direct action, whereby we would present our very bodies as a means of laying our case before the conscience of the local and the national community. Mindful of the difficulties involved, we decided to undertake a process of self purification. We began a series of workshops on nonviolence, and we repeatedly asked ourselves: "Are you able to accept blows without retaliating?" "Are you able to endure the ordeal of jail?" We decided to schedule our direct action program for the Easter season, realizing that except for Christmas, this is the main shopping period of the year. Knowing that a strong economic-withdrawal program would be the by product of direct action, we felt that this would be the best time to bring pressure to bear on the merchants for the needed change."
"Knowing that a strong economic-withdrawal program would be the by product of direct action, we felt that this would be the best time to bring pressure to bear on the merchants for the needed change."
According to Aristotle, there are three sources of persuasion: ethos, pathos, and logos. Identify the best example of "ethos" in the following excerpt from Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from a Birmingham Jail." "But more basically, I am in Birmingham because injustice is here. Just as the prophets of the eighth century B.C. left their villages and carried their "thus saith the Lord" far beyond the boundaries of their home towns, and just as the Apostle Paul left his village of Tarsus and carried the gospel of Jesus Christ to the far corners of the Greco Roman world, so am I compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my own home town. Like Paul, I must constantly respond to the Macedonian call for aid. Moreover, I am cognizant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states. I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. Never again can we afford to live with the narrow, provincial "outside agitator" idea. Anyone who lives inside the United States can never be considered an outsider anywhere within its bounds."
"Like Paul, I must constantly respond to the Macedonian call for aid"
You are sitting in class on a day where there was no quiz about the reading. Dr. Styer asks about a specific portion of the reading, but you have not done the reading for that day. You look intently at your laptop, but you realize everyone else in the class is also unable to answer the question. What type of argument are you making about the reading?
A Non-linguistic emotional (or viceral) argument.
Which statement about abstracting is not true?
Abstractions allow us to focus our attention on significant differences.
Monroe's Motivated Sequence is built around the principles of Cognitive Dissonance Theory. How does CDT work as a means of persuasion?
Cognitive dissonance causes the listener discomfort with the way something is, making it easier to persuade someone to change.
According to Bitzer's theory, how does Evelyn's video change the world?
Her story changes the viewer's attitude or belief, which, in turn, changes their actions.
Why do we need more categories for argumentation that the logical?
Humans use all tools available to use when communicating.
Which of the following examples does not follow the best practices for thesis statements?
I want to talk about the impact of politics on American sport culture, and how the patterns of President Trump's twitter use, congressional oversight of youth sports, and the "big money" culture of entertainment forces athletes into political action.
Cognitive dissonance causes the listener discomfort with the way something is, making it easier to persuade someone to change.
Inherency
What does Gilbert say you should do with the idea of "kisceral" argument if you do not believe in God/spirits/kissmet/mystical forces/greater forces outside the physical world?
Much of the world believes these things so they are sources of argument no matter the researcher's perspective.
Which of the following statements best demonstrates a rhetorical perspective on making arguments?
My audience already believes that this is a problem, so they can understand the importance of this data
When speaking at campaign rallies, President Trump often uses an informal style that his supporters often describe as "saying it like it is," talking "like me," and "not being politically correct." This rhetorical language style is associated with what goal?
President Trump is identifying with his audience
Which of the 7 Ps is most important to Bitzer's conception of rhetoric?
Problem-solving
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Select all of the policy claims from the options below.
The University of Maryland must enact transportation rules that protect the climate, Commuter students at the University of Maryland should use public transportation to help protect the planet, UMD should have parking policies that help to better protect the planet.
Which of the following arguments would be the best thesis for a speech on a question of Value?
We must recognize that Bigfoot's existence is the prefect opportunity for Americans to practice our beliefs in equality and individual liberty.
Which of the following arguments would be the best thesis for a speech on a question of fact?
While many discount the belief, there is both scientific data and a large body of individual to support the idea that bigfoot exists.
Which of these, according to Brockriede & Ehninger, constitute data?
a current event, a historical event, statistics, artistic proofs, citing an authority
What type of agreement does Jedidah Isler seek?
a mixture of reality and preferable
Match the statement to the part of argument: (A: Awareness can start with celebrities like Logic.) (B: So many public figures have spoken out about their own experiences with depression, anxiety, panic attacks and more). (C: It's hard not to feel empowered when thinking about the recoveries of Demi Lovato, Britney Spears or Kid Cudi.)
a: claim, b: data, c: warrant
Match the statement to the part of argument: Logic's song shows the profound impact celebrities can have, especially when destigmatizing mental illness. When (A: a resource like the Suicide Lifeline is publicized), (B: it is normalized as a step to recovery); consequently, (C: young people are more likely to use that resource.)
a: data, b: warrant, c: claim
A good introduction should do all of the following except:
adapt the data to make a point the audience will already agree with
If a comm 200 student watched the "Daisy" campaign ad (below) and argued that it was a moving reminder of the fear and anxiety Americans faced in the 1960s and a way for students today to virtually experience the true horror of potential nuclear war, the student would be using what criteria of evaluation
aesthetic
If a local reporter gives IT a glowing review based on Bill Skarsgård brilliant acting, he/she is likely evaluating the movie based on ________ standards.
aesthetic
In the article above (question 5), what is the author's evidence?
all of these (historical information, facts about the weather, an interview with an expert)
Evaluating the context of a rhetorical act is important because:
all of these statements explain why context is important (critics evaluate rhetorical acts based on what has come before, every act is a part of the context in which it occurs, we make meaning of the event based on its context.)
In his testimony before the jury, the defendant attempted to explain how his actions were not, as the prosecutors argued, premeditated. He claimed he was acting in self-defense. The purpose of his testimony is best explained by which rhetorical purpose?
altering perception
Dr. Hawhee explains Burke's "parlor" of conversation as a metaphor for life and a model for deliberation. However, most of us don't have parlors. Considering Hawhee's explanation of what Burke's parlor is, which of these is a more contemporary metaphor for the same idea?
an internet message board
Imagine you wanted to analyze the following image of Justin Bieber in The Hollywood Reporter publication. You want to make an argument about how the technical aspects of the imply a specific relationship between the image viewer and the subject. What element of technical analysis will you use?
angle
Which of these is not one of the stages of criticism?
blame
The following statement from Philip Bump of the Washington Post is an argument for this position on which stock topic. "Studies both before and after the election showed that Trump's attitudes on race helped his candidacy rather than hurt it. In March 2016, The Post found (Links to an external site.) that racial anxiety was helping to fuel Trump's primary bid. Racial attitudes were a "major factor" in why less-well-educated whites backed his candidacy so strongly, another report (Links to an external site.) conducted after the election found. Exit polling showed that voters most worried about the economy more heavily favored (Links to an external site.) Hillary Clinton. Trump's voters were twice as likely to say that whites face a lot of discrimination (Links to an external site.) as they were to say that black people did. In short: Trump's candidacy emerged at a moment in which racial tension was high, and he, far more than his competitors in the primary or general election, embraced and championed that tension. As president, he's repeatedly championed the needs of his base, and a continued embrace of racial politics — as seen in his taking sides against the NFL protests — fits that pattern neatly."
cause
As a rhetorical strategy, description is effective because it can do all of the following except:
combines large groups of people
Match each of the following statements from the Trump administrationm's recent expansion of its visa restrictions program commonly called the "travel ban" with the policy "stock topic" it serves.
consequences, cause, cure, ill
Perelman discusses universal and particular audience. Match the characteristic to the type of audience.
consists of all reasonable people; universal audience are persuaded; particular audience hold some theses and methods to be unassailable and true; particular audience "those whom the speaker wants to influence with his/her arguments"; particular audience are convinced; universal audience holds some premises as acceptable; universal audience
In the article above (question 5), what kind of purpose does the author have?
consummatory
The textbook says that it aims to teach you to engage in "the careful analysis and evaluation by an experienced student of rhetoric who has heard and read many rhetorical acts, pondered many critical analyses, studied available theories, and read many experimental studies" -- in other words, to be a _____.
critic
In his "Letter from a Birmingham Jail," Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. addresses an audience of White Southern clergy and urges them to offer their immediate support the "sit-iners" fighting segregation in Birmingham. Based on its appeal to an audience for action in the present, King's letter is an example of which genre Aristotle identifies?
deliberative
Gilbert says that scholars of argumentation need to do what when discussing modes of argumentation?
describe
Campbel and Huhxman reference the following image of OJ Simpson at the beginning of their chapter. The image on the left is Simpson's picture from LAPD, the picture on the right is the image of Simpson featured on the cover of Time Magazine. This image comparison highlights what problem that rhetorical critics must grapple with?
digital manipulation
If we evaluate Michael Moore's movie Sicko based on the number of people actively working to help all citizens of the United States get health insurance, we are evaluating the movie based on ________ standards.
effects
If we judge a rhetorical act solely on its ability to produce a change in behavior, we are using which standard?
effects
The standard for judging rhetorical acts that is based on the practical nature of rhetoric is known as the ________ standard.
effects
Remember: It's okay to breach touchy subjects like mental health, as long as we do it gently and with an open mind. Starting a conversation makes the subject less touchy, which is what public figures are aiming to do. By being mindful and taking the lead from those who have spoken out about mental health, we can help each other maintain our cognitive and emotional well-being. This is an example of which kind of argument?
ethical
When we look at opposing viewpoints and the consequences of the ideas proposed as a way to evaluate a rhetorical act, we are judging the act based on which standard?
ethics
When we look at the ability of a rhetorical act to do the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of people, we are judging it based on ________ standards.
ethics
St Peter's Basilica in Rome is an example of what function of visual rhetoric.
evidence of the power of the Catholic Church
Evelyn's discomfort with presenting herself as competent and successful is an example of:
exigence
When you are organizing a speech, you should choose a type of sequence structure if you want to do which of the following?
explain how a certain event developed
All non-linguistic arguments are inherently in the emotional mode.
false
If someone makes an argument--in any mode--that is a logical fallacy, it discredits the fact of its argumentative nature?
false
Most arguments are purely in one mode only.
false
Visuals present the viewer with a more honest and accurate understanding of the truth in any given situation than would a linguistic symbolic representation.
false
Birdsell and Groark identify five ways that visuals can be used are arguments. Which way best describes the image below? (That is, what would be the primary defining category)
flag
Match each choice with the argument strategy:
focusing on blazars; presence listing the characteristics of a blazar; definition differentiating blazars from other black holes; division explaining a diagram of a blazar; grounded in structure of reality commenting that blazars are some of the universe's most efficient particle accelerator; measures predicting the importance of studying blazars; creating structure of reality
Toulmin works through many examples of "impossibilities" of various sorts, then concludes that, in designating impossibilities, the ______ is field-independent, but the _______ is field-dependent.
force; criteria
You have decided to give a speech about how local communities should respond to climate change to a group of conservative religious and political leaders from your home town. You know that many of these leaders deny either the reality of climate change, the scientific consensus supporting it, or the role of humans in causing it. What is the first audience-related challenge you must overcome?
gaining their attention
If you are anxious about a public speaking rhetorical event, what is the best way to manage fears about how the audience will react to your speech?
get to know your audience. learn as much as you can about who you will speak to.
Which common focus of constitution does Evelyn's narrative engage in?
identity
A controversy in this week's national discourse has been athletes, especially NFL players, kneeling, sitting, or otherwise abstaining from participating in the National Anthem at the beginning of every game. Three major parts of this conversation have since been debating each other. -President Trump used a campaign speech in Alabama and then multiple tweets to accuse the players "disrespecting our flag." -The players argued that they were peacefully protesting police brutality against people of color, especially black men and boys. -Many of President Trump's critics argued that his furry demonstrated his racism. These three individuals/groups are debating what stock topic?
ill
The following quote from the Washington Post summarizes an objection to the Trump administration's new policy. "Critics of the administration have argued that the travel bans are an unconstitutional attempt to deliver on Trump's campaign promise of 'a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States.'" Anthony Romero of the ACLU said, "President Trump's original sin of targeting Muslims, cannot be cured by throwing other countries onto his enemies list." This criticism counters what stock topic from President Trump's argument?
ill and cause
One problem facing AIDS/HIV educators in the past and today involves the reluctance of people to practice safer sex by wearing condoms. Since they had not used condoms before, they are hesitant to start now. Educators seeking to motivate safer-sex practices need to overcome what audience-related problem?
inertia
According to Brockriede & Ehninger, which of these is a strength of Toulmin's model of argument over traditional (formal) logic?
it can deal with the establishment of claims which are no more than probable
One type of sequential structure is narrative, which differs from spatial and chronological because:
it encourages audience participation and transcends cultural barriers
Which of the following is not true of Evelyn's narrative?
it meets the requirements of formal logic. (This narrative is not "directly or indirectly verifiable, or certifiable by formal rules of logic" (Fisher, pg. 6), so it does not meet the requirements of formal logic.)
What is Toulmin's main focus in the essay?
justificatory arguments brought forward in support of assertions
Audience-related challenges often affect a rhetor's ability to effectively deliver a message. After a large meal at her mother-in-law's, a Schwann's salesperson asks Ms. Harris to subscribe to their weekly food delivery program. The most likely audience-related challenge that the salesperson needs to overcome is:
lack of motivation
Words such as AIDS, feminism, homosexuality, and drug abuse are all examples of:
loaded language
Cognitive Dissonance Theory is most relevant to which organizational form?
logical
magine that you are going to your family Thanksgiving with the goal of getting some extra spending money from your dad. You have outlined three major premises and three corresponding minor premises that each demonstrate the conclusion that you will do best for the rest of the semester with extra money in your pocket. What kind of argument are you making to your father?
logical
In the video, Evelyn runs slowly, with an asthma inhaler in her hand, and later says "I am pretending that I am actually competent... that I don't mind how slow or lost I feel." This is evidence of what in her narrative?
material coherence
Brockriede & Ehninger describe argument as "(1) from accepted (2), through a (3), to a (4)." Put the terms in order below.
movement; data; warrant; claim
Which does Perelman argue is most important?
neither (subject matter, argument) is important, its the truth that matters
Should you try to write a full manuscript for your speech and memorize it if you are dealing with speech anxiety?
no
What type of structure does Evelyn From The Internets use in her narrative?
open (see Jasinski page 391)
What is the primary function of Evelyn's narrative?
organization (see Jasinski 392)
Strong supporting evidence may do all of the following except:
oversimplify concepts
For the remainder of the questions, please refer to the following article. AUGUST 14, 2017 / 12:22 PM Bladerunners: UK lawnmowers in 12-hour endurance race Writing by Mark Hanrahan in London; Editing by Mark Trevelyan FIVE OAKS, England (Reuters) - Drivers donned their suits and climbed into their cockpits at the weekend for a 12-hour endurance race with a difference: they weren't driving rallying cars, but lawnmowers. The annual race in Five Oaks, a hamlet in West Sussex, England, started at 8 p.m. on Saturday and saw 51 three-driver teams take to the 1.4 km (0.87 mile) circuit, with the winning team completing 363 laps. The lawnmowers can reach speeds approaching 50 mph but a week of rain preceding the race left the surface of the dirt track soft and difficult to navigate. "This track will find out any weak points on a mower," previous winner Andy Rostron told Reuters. For the fifth year in a row the race was won by the Northerners Kick Grass team. Lawnmower racing came out of a meeting of motor-sport fans in a pub in 1973 who wanted to create an inexpensive class of racing. Teams are forbidden from accepting sponsorship or modifying engines. In the article above, what is the author's persona?
reporter
Leticia explains to her class that 50 percent of all students at the university will not graduate on time. She creates an imaginary line down the middle of the classroom and says, "That means everyone on this side of room will be here for more than four years." Leticia effectively used a statistic because:
she relates the statistic to her audience
In the article above (question 5), using a surprising fact for the opening sentence is an example of:
structure
The connotative meaning of words like "love" "trust" "family" is:
subjective and contextual
After winning the state of South Carolina in the 2015 presidential primary, Hillary Clinton gave a speech to her supporters. Because the speech was created for her supporters, they are considered a(n) ________ audience.
target
Your Campbell and Huxman textbook along with other class readings this semester have identified several different types of audiences to whom a speaker may address a message. Which sort of audience is Perelman's definition most concerned with?
target
When Toulmin wants to develop procedures for rational assessment, to what does he turn as a model?
the law
The following speech outline is missing what important component of a public speech rhetorical act listed below? Introduction hook orienting information thesis Body point one evidence evidence evidence Point two evidence evidence evidence Point three evidence evidence evidence Conclusion Summary/Review Clincher
transitions
Factcheck.com serves an important function because it assesses public discourse using a(n) ________ standard.
truth
When a Washington Post editorial writer evaluates President Trump's speech based on its factual errors, he/she is judging the rhetorical act based on ________ standards.
truth
"A dictionary is a ship that crosses the sea of words. People travel on it and gather the small points of light floating on the dark surface of the waves. They do this in order to tell someone their thoughts accurately, using the best possible words. Without dictionaries, all any of us could do is linger before the vastness of the deep." (The Great Passage, Shion Miura, p. 20.) Which part of this description best fits the textbook's explanation of "rhetoric"?
using the best possible words
The incredible impact of Logic's song, "1-800-273-8255," which is also the number to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, reveals this reality. On the song's release date, the lifeline had the second-highest call volume in its history, its director told CNN. The question "How much impact did Logic's song have?" is an example of a question of_______ , and therefore requires a(n)________.
value; evaluative
A female student at NYU carried her dorm room mattress around campus with her to protest the school's inaction against a fellow student she alleged had forcibly raped her. Her actions are an example of what mode of argumentation.
visceral
