Comms 101 Midterm - University of Idaho

Lamont's professor encouraged students to use concrete language in their speeches. To satisfy this guideline, which of the following should Lamont avoid using in his speech? a. "intimidation" b. "Mayor Carter" c. "election" d. "precinct"

a. "intimidation"

What is a good guideline to follow when using statistics in a speech? a. A little goes a long way. b. Stack the deck with numbers. c. You can never have enough. d. The more the better.

a. A little goes a long way.

How can you lose your audience in the introduction to a speech? a. By not stating the core topic of the speech b. By listing the main points at the beginning c. By giving only a short time to the introduction d. By not asking an engaging rhetorical question

a. By not stating the core topic of the speech

As a public information officer for the city planner's office, Marcus often gives presentations on large construction projects to residents of affected neighborhoods. Marcus takes time to clearly explain complex issues and uses visual aids to ensure that residents understand how a project may impact them. Which of the following terms best describes Marcus's approach to giving speeches? a. Considerate b. Uncluttered c. Listenable d. Inclusive

a. Considerate

Emily is scheduled to deliver her standard talk about succeeding in college to a group of foreign exchange students. How should Emily alter her delivery to enhance the students' understanding of her speech? a. Decrease the rate b. Increase the volume c. Limit the pauses d. Maintain the pitch

a. Decrease the rate

What is the best resource for someone who wants to use language accurately in a speech? a. Dictionary b. Wikipedia c. Friends d. Thesaurus

a. Dictionary

Personal experience is not a source you should use in doing research on your speech topic. a. False b. True

a. False

Which of the following statements would be an example of gender-inclusive language? a. If a student is late to class, he or she will get detention. b. Every student should always proofread his work. c. The automobile is man's greatest invention. d. A lawyer gets paid more if he has to work overtime on a case.

a. If a student is late to class, he or she will get detention.

The statement "The jury included three Asian-American women and five men" is an example of which of the following? a. Spotlighting b. Political correctness c. Inclusive language d. Cultural sensitivity

a. Spotlighting

A paraphrase is a summary of someone's testimony in their own words. a. True b. False

a. True

According to the guidelines for gender-inclusive language, the following sentence is problematic: "To properly staff the project, a foreman needs to employ appropriately trained personnel." a. True b. False

a. True

Delivered effectively, speeches about events can be like history lessons for the audience. a. True b. False

a. True

Offering a preview of your main points in the speech introduction further confirms your competence to the audience. a. True b. False

a. True

One suggested strategy for dealing with audience members who are uninterested in your speech is to make the introduction and first main point compelling and innovative. a. True b. False

a. True

People who attend a speech expect it to be more clear and intelligible than when they talk with friends at a coffee shop. a. True b. False

a. True

For his speech about the impacts of space travel on the human body, Taye wants to include some peer testimony. Which of the following will suit Taye's needs? a. a paraphrase from an astronaut who traveled to the moon b. a report excerpt from a respected aeronautics researcher c. a quote from a blog written by an esteemed science reporter d. a description of his own experiences at the NASA museum

a. a paraphrase from an astronaut who traveled to the moon

In his speech, Tomas needs to inform the audience about a complex environmental topic and encourage them to take immediate action. What is the most important thing Tomas should do in the introduction to his speech? a. establish his credibility b. use the primacy principle c. tell a riveting narrative d. clarify his speech topic

a. establish his credibility

What is the most important thing to do when interviewing a source to gather information for a speech? a. listen b. record c. probe d. explain

a. listen

The phrase "evil reared its ugly head" is an example of ________. a. personification b. simile c. metaphor d. alliteration

a. personification

Which of the following supporting materials will be most effective for a speaker who wants to create a strong sense of immediacy to a speech? a. real example b. peer testimony c. hypothetical example d. expert testimony

a. real example

On Memorial Day, you would be least likely to hear which type of informative speech? a. speeches about a process b. speeches about a concept c. speeches about a person d. speeches about an event

a. speeches about a process

The connotative definition of a word or phrase is __________. a. the definition as you would find it in the dictionary b. the definition as you think your audience will understand it c. the definition that is morally and ethically acceptable to use d. the definition based on personal experiences and beliefs

a. the definition as you would find it in the dictionary

A trained listener can process _____________ words per minute. a. 125 to 175 b. 350 to 450 c. 200 to 300 d. 90 to 100

b. 350 to 450

Which of the following should be included in the introduction to every speech? a. A quotation b. A preview c. A story d. A demo

b. A preview

Terrell knows that good speakers make a connection with the audience. But he tends to get nervous and just stare at his notes whenever he gives a speech. What should Terrell do to modify his behavior and connect with his audience? a. Break his outline into key words. b. Add delivery cues to his outline. c. Commit the speech to memory. d. Increase his use of visual aids.

b. Add delivery cues to his outline.

Which technique focuses on sounds to enhance rhythm in a speech? a. Mnemonics b. Alliteration c. Parallelism d. Repetition

b. Alliteration

From a public speaking perspective, what is the most important reason to use culturally inclusive and gender-inclusive language during a speech? a. Clarity b. Connection c. Fairness d. Ethics

b. Connection

Rehearsing a speech more than a few times often leads a speaker to sound stilted and unnatural. a. True b. False

b. False

Speakers often use outliers in a speech because they are powerful tools to illustrate complex concepts. a. True b. False

b. False

To avoid confusing the audience, a speaker should maintain the same delivery style until the speech is concluded. a. True b. False

b. False

To ensure that your audience views you as credible, you should cite every claim that you make in a speech. a. True b. False

b. False

To ensure the audience recognizes what's most important in a speech, you should use a signpost before each of the main ideas. a. True b. False

b. False

Using color in visual aids can be useful in supporting a message because the audience draws upon universal meanings associated with specific colors. a. True b. False

b. False

When you use a causal pattern for a speech, you inform the audience about a specific set of problems and offer a solution. a. True b. False

b. False

Regina is giving an informative speech about a historical fire that took place in her hometown. She refers to the people who fought the fire as firefighters rather than firemen. This is an example of what? a. Politically correct language b. Gender-inclusive language c. Spotlighting language d. Culturally sensitive language

b. Gender-inclusive language

A process speech answers which of the following questions? a. What...? b. How...? c. When...? d. Why...?

b. How...?

Which of the following examples will be most useful to support a speaker's claim about a decline in childhood physical activity? a. The local sporting goods store stopped carrying children's outdoor play sets. b. In a large housing development, no children are outside on summer mornings. c. More children know video game character names than pro football player names. d. Local pediatricians are seeing higher numbers of children who are overweight.

b. In a large housing development, no children are outside on summer mornings.

Which of the following online resources would be most likely to offer information that lacks credibility on a particular topic? a. the New York Times website b. Miguel's Many Musings blog c. Iowa Online State Archives d. Library of Congress website

b. Miguel's Many Musings blog

Which of the following would most impact the credibility of a speaker? a. Frequent inflection b. Mispronounced words c. Periodic pauses d. Shifting rates

b. Mispronounced words

In his 2004 speech to the Democratic convention, Barack Obama used the phrase "if you feel the same energy that I do, if you feel the same urgency that I do, if you feel the same passion that I do, if you feel the same hopefulness that I do, if we do what we must do..." Which term best describes the technique he used to help the audience remember his speech? a. Personification b. Parallelism c. Repetition d. Alliteration

b. Parallelism

The saying "less is more" is most relevant to which of the following listener-interference problems? a. Visual aids b. Verbal clutter c. Slang d. Spotlighting

b. Verbal clutter

For which of the following speech situations is the use of visual aids likely unnecessary? a. soliciting charity donations b. accepting an award c. explaining an historic era d. describing an experiment

b. accepting an award

When conducting research for a speech, what is a primary concern regarding the information found on the internet? a. clarity b. accuracy c. volume d. access

b. accuracy

Jackson is preparing to give a speech explaining how the layout of the town has changed significantly from the time of the first settlers to the present day. What combination of organizational patterns would be most effective for Jackson's speech? a. spatial and causal b. chronological and spatial c. topical and chronological d. causal and topical

b. chronological and spatial

When preparing to deliver a speech, it is helpful to remember that articulation is focused on ________ and pronunciation is focused on ________. a. correctness; clarity b. clarity; correctness c. culture; location d. location; culture

b. clarity; correctness

Whether using projected slides, models, or demonstrations, the rationale for including visual aids in a speech should include all of the following except ________. a. organizing the ideas b. impressing the audience c. enhancing the message d. clarifying the argument

b. impressing the audience

One main point in Fatima's speech is how the prevalence of smoking among high school students has changed during the past thirty years. Which of the following will help the audience understand Fatima's point? a. pie graph b. line graph c. picture graph d. flow chart

b. line graph

Which of the following accurately reflects a match between a visual aid and its primary focus or function? a. line graph → proportion b. list → itemization c. flow chart → structure d. pie graph → trends

b. list → itemization

In Ogden and Richards's semantic triangle of meaning, the object, concept, or event a symbol represents is known as the ________. a. thought b. referent c. language d. idiom

b. referent

Cherelle wants to make sure that the speech she gives at the youth conference brings her topic to life. As a guideline, she should remember to use information that is ________. a. straightforward and ethical b. relevant and engaging c. compelling and newsworthy d. brief and enlightening

b. relevant and engaging

Which of the following should be written at the top of your preparation outline for a speech? a. the general purpose, specific purpose, and main points b. the title, specific purpose, and thesis statement c. the thesis statement, main points, and subpoints d. the title, general purpose, and thesis statement

b. the title, specific purpose, and thesis statement

Sandeep knows that being audience-centered is a key aspect of delivering an effective speech about outdoor recreation options. When developing his speech, Sandeep should focus on offering listeners which of the following? a. experiences b. value c. perspective d. knowledge

b. value

Which of the following statements should Darla avoid using in the introduction to her speech on education equity for children? a. "Students in some South Side elementary schools have to share a desk!" b. "Tonight, children are sleeping in homes with not one book to read!" c. "The lack of adequate funding for inner city schools is a damn shame!" d. "Computers in the Fox School student lab are still running Windows 95!"

c. "The lack of adequate funding for inner city schools is a damn shame!"

For a ten-minute speech, what is the maximum recommended length for the conclusion? a. 2 minutes b. 90 seconds c. 1 minute d. 30 seconds

c. 1 minute

What is the maximum number of items you should include in a list being used as a visual aid? a. 7 b. 4 c. 6 d. 5

c. 6

How much of the meaning in human conversation can be derived from nonverbal signals? a. 24 percent b. 37 percent c. 68 percent d. 52 percent

c. 68 percent

How can you encourage active listening by the audience in the introduction to your speech? a. Be brief and to the point. b. Recite lines of classic poetry. c. Ask a compelling question. d. Use long, dramatic pauses.

c. Ask a compelling question.

Using a mixed metaphor during a speech will likely do which of the following? a. Enhance the meaning b. Sharpen the imagery c. Confuse the audience d. Improve the rhythm

c. Confuse the audience

Which of the following concepts offers the least value for a speaker when considering how to introduce a speech? a. Trust b. Credibility c. Creativity d. Knowledge

c. Creativity

At the city council meeting, the members announced a plan to address the budget deficit by closing youth centers. Hearing this, Charmaine felt that she had to stand up and explain how valuable the centers are to the community. Which term describes Charmaine's statement to the council and meeting attendees? a. Memorized speech b. Extemporaneous speech c. Impromptu speech d. Manuscript speech

c. Impromptu speech

Which type of speech requires the use of the most detailed documentation during delivery? a. Memorized speech b. Impromptu speech c. Manuscript speech d. Extemporaneous speech

c. Manuscript speech

Zach is preparing a speech on the risks and benefits of large solar power arrays. Which of the following websites should Zach avoid using as research due to possible bias? a. ArizonaPower.gov b. EnergyAlternatives.org c. SunPowerLife.com d. CornellUniversity.edu

c. SunPowerLife.com

Despite having strong supporting evidence for her main points, Yelena still restated her thesis when concluding her speech. Was Yelena correct in doing this? a. No, it tends to confuse people. b. Yes, it builds up her credibility. c. Yes, it strengthens her claims. d. No, it wastes the audience's time.

c. Yes, it strengthens her claims.

After developing a long list of main points for her speech, Maya needs to narrow them down. What should be Maya's rationale for retaining a particular main point to use in her speech? a. because it came from an expert source b. because it is an interesting concept c. because it supports her main argument d. because it fits her outline structure

c. because it supports her main argument

Which of the following best describes the application of main points, subpoints, and sub-subpoints in a preparation outline? a. specific to general b. beginning to end c. broad to detail d. cause to effect

c. broad to detail

Which of the following four steps is the adaptation of Toulmin's map of reasoning recommended by the text? a. claim, backing, warrant, solution b. warrant, reasoning, idea, solution c. claim, grounds, warrant, backing d. purpose, solution, reasoning, warrant

c. claim, grounds, warrant, backing

The African American practice of signifying can best be described as ________ language. a. discriminatory b. concrete c. connotative d. denotative

c. connotative

The information gathered during audience analysis must be considered when developing a speech introduction because __________. a. it determines your delivery style b. demographics prove your credibility c. early audience connection is critical d. some audiences prefer narratives

c. early audience connection is critical

Miguel is thinking about which technology-based visual aid best fits his speech and delivery style. To help him decide, Miguel should consider that Prezi uses a more ________ approach while PowerPoint uses a more ________ approach. a. muted; colorful b. linear; freeform c. freeform; linear d. colorful; muted

c. freeform; linear

A good public speaker will consider their audience when developing a research inventory for a speech. Which of the following is least likely to be factored into a speaker's research inventory? a. sources the audience will trust b. a basic description of the audience c. how the audience will be seated d. what the audience wants to hear

c. how the audience will be seated

Political figures who insist on delivering a speech from a high platform to instill a sense of power over the audience are applying the science of ________. a. inflection b. relativity c. proxemics d. linguistics

c. proxemics

In a speech about a process, the main points will likely follow what type of order? a. provisional b. hierarchical c. sequential d. topical

c. sequential

Citing that 4 out of 5 dentists recommend a certain toothpaste is an example of a(n) ________. a. testimony b. narrative c. statistic d. definition

c. statistic

Which of the following situations is most likely to cause a speaker to lose credibility with the audience? a. dropping a model during a demo b. smudging text on a whiteboard c. using incorrect data in a chart d. using too many colors on a slide

c. using incorrect data in a chart

How does long-term audience recall of information for a speech without visual aids compare to recall for a speech that includes visual aids? a. Audience recall with visual aids is two times less than without aids. b. Audience recall with visual aids is three times more than without aids. c. Audience recall with visual aids is four times less than without aids. d. Audience recall with visual aids is six times more than without aids.

d. Audience recall with visual aids is six times more than without aids.

What type of word would likely present the most difficulty in terms of using language accurately in a speech? a. Thing b. Person c. Place d. Concept

d. Concept

Tamika is preparing a speech about recent precedents in voter identification laws across the United States. Which of the following will likely be the most valuable resource for Tamika's speech? a. NewsBank b. InfoTrac c. DataTimes d. LEXIS/NEXIS

d. LEXIS/NEXIS

A listener who wants to suspend judgment when listening to a speech should do which of the following? a. Hold their rebuttals until the speech is over b. Be attentive, but use a defensive physical stance c. Passively accept the speaker's arguments d. Listen openly, then evaluate the arguments

d. Listen openly, then evaluate the arguments

Who was most likely given the most challenging speech assignment this week? a. Ramzi, who has to speak about former President Nixon b. Trey, who has to speak about how impeachment works c. Ellen, who has to speak about the Watergate break-in d. Lorraine, who has to speak about professional integrity

d. Lorraine, who has to speak about professional integrity

Marlena is researching a speech on planning an "Autumn in New York" weekend, and has gathered a list of online articles as sources. Which of the following resources should Marlena reject as being irrelevant to her speech topic? a. Hidden Parks and Gardens of Manhattan b. How to Score Last-Minute Broadway Tickets c. What's Hot on the Brooklyn Foodie Scene d. Skin Care Tips to Look Fabulous After Flying

d. Skin Care Tips to Look Fabulous After Flying

Which font should you use to label items on a colorful map to be shown during a speech? a. Lucida sans b. Zapf Chancery c. Palatino bold d. Univers bold

d. Univers bold

By looking at the hierarchical structure of points in her preparation outline, Maria can check whether her speech is ________. a. listenable b. credible c. accurate d. balanced

d. balanced

When including testimony in a speech, what two factors must always be considered by a speaker? a. timeliness and veracity b. connection and length c. vividness and emotion d. bias and credibility

d. bias and credibility

Class assignments in which students select a topic, organize the information, prepare note cards, and deliver a presentation to an audience are known as ________ speeches. a. impromptu b. manuscript c. memorized d. extemporaneous

d. extemporaneous

With smartphones and the internet and traditional media, we can easily take in more things than our minds can readily process - a situation Alvin Toffler called ________. a. resource traffic b. data gridlock c. message saturation d. information overload

d. information overload

The process of giving thoughtful attention to another person's words is known as ________. a. confirming b. inferring c. hearing d. listening

d. listening

In her speech to expectant mothers on the importance of prenatal care, Joan wants her last point to be that taking folic acid during pregnancy can protect their babies from serious birth defects - and costs only a few pennies a day. What organizational strategy is Joan using to impact her audience? a. last in, first out method b. first in, last out method c. principle of primacy d. principle of recency

d. principle of recency

Ethical speakers present informative speeches that are based on ________. a. ideas b. processes c. opinion d. research

d. research

What type of speeches are you most likely to hear at a consumer electronics sales convention? a. speeches about places b. speeches about concepts c. speeches about people d. speeches about objects

d. speeches about objects

A phrase that indicates a speaker is finished with one point and moving on to a new one is a(n) ________. a. internal preview b. signpost c. internal summary d. transition

d. transition