Public Speaking - Chapter 1

Discovering what you want to say in a speech is best described by which of the Roman philosophers' five arts of public speaking?

invention

Audiences respond favorably to speakers who take a conversational approach in their conversation.

True

Malachi's speech is not going well. He is almost done giving the speech and his audience just looks confused. It was about a complicated concept, and he realizes that he should have started with several definitions. He ends the speech by explaining a few basic points, thinking to himself, "at least it's better late than never." Malachi's current problem is based primarily in which of the Roman philosophers' five arts of public speaking?

arrangement

Even in professions such as accounting, very good oral communication skills are ranked as an important professional skill set for college graduates to have.

true

In ancient times, public speaking was known as rhetoric.

true

Taking a public speaking course makes you a better listener.

true

At the end of the semester, you're surprised to find that this public speaking class has helped you to become a better listener, which you demonstrate by:

understanding better what a friend has to say.

The least interactive sphere of communication is:

mass media

Emily has decided to give her informative speech on snakes. She has raised them since she was a young girl. When she learns that a classmate has a severe fear of snakes, she decides not to use any visual aids or to bring a snake to class. What has most influenced Emily's decision?

audience-centered

One of the many transferable life skills gained from a public speaking course is adapting to different audiences. You gain this through:

increasing competence and dynamism when speaking

Anne is giving a speech about children's nutrition to a group of parents. The speech is well-organized and well-written, but her audience is having a hard time connecting with her because the room they are in is strewn with children's toys, and the kids are loudly playing in the next room. Which element of the public speaking model is working against Anne in this situation?

environment

Esteban has been a fan of Neil deGrasse Tyson since he was a small child. When he goes to college he decides to major in astrophysics to follow in Tyson's footsteps. When asked why he made this choice by a classmate, Esteban responds that Neil deGrasse Tyson is his hero and he wants to give back to his own culture through spreading scientific knowledge, just like Tyson did. Tyson's effect on Esteban and his life could be best described by which of Aristotle's four proofs?

ethos

One of the many transferable life skills gained from a public speaking course is being more confident and managing anxiety. You gain this through:

habituation

When all participants in any social situation listen to one another with open minds and full attention, this is called:

listening reciprocally

Brandon is giving a persuasive speech on how the 1969 moon landing wasn't a fake. He knows there are students in his classroom who believe that the moon landing wasn't real. Brandon decides to include a detailed analysis of the moon landing photographs, that was offered by a graphics card maker, confirming the photographs must be real. Brandon's choice to use this information could best be described by which of Aristotle's four proofs?

logos

Usama is running for political office in Colorado, a very healthy, active state. While on a hike one day, he ran into the famous Loki the wolf dog. He found that he was better able to connect to his audience when he began including this story in his stump speech. This connection could be best described by which of Aristotle's four proofs?

mythos

A distraction that gets in the way of a speaker's message effectively reaching the audience is which element of the public speaking model?

noise

Amani loves sports. She particularly loves inspirational sports movies, although she finds herself crying every time she watches one. It's just so moving to see the true stories of athletes who overcame big obstacles to achieve their dreams. This effect on Amani could be best described by which of Aristotle's four proofs?

pathos

There were two speeches in a public speaking class on how fireworks work. While both had good information, one used language that offered incredibly vivid descriptions of fireworks technology while the other was more a list of facts. Which of the Roman philosophers' five arts of public speaking best explains why the speech with the vivid descriptions will likely receive a better grade?

style

Jean is an older student returning to school this fall to finally finish her degree after 30 years of being out of school. She has never spent much time working with computers, smartphones, or tablets. She is concerned about her grade if she can't perform as well in class as younger students who have been using these devices since they were children. Jean is feeling the effects of:

the digital divide.