COM 210 Midterm
The following is an example of a well-written thesis statement:
A hot air balloon ride will increase your enjoyment of life.
According to Deborah Tannen, which expression is an example of how language makes our culture an "argument culture"?
All of the above
Which speech is most likely to be a report?
Educational Vouchers: Pros and Cons
Which of the following students needs help in topic selection?
Eliyahu decides to give the same speech on "Cooking Israeli Food" he gave his anthropology class.
Each new generation of an organization must create its own myths, symbols, and ceremonies, because we dispose of these relics from former generations.
False
Ethnicity includes skin color and facial features.
False
Farewell speeches are not necessary or helpful when saying good-bye to highly unpopular individuals.
False
Having trouble understanding a speaker because they use big words you have never heard before is an example of a cultural barrier to listening.
False
Heckling is common in political gatherings, but university audiences are too sophisticated and open-minded to shout down a speaker.
False
If I accidentally forget to cite someone, it isn't plagiarism.
False
If someone hears you, they are also listening to you.
False
If you engage in a mental debate with a speaker instead of following the communication line, you are going off on a tangent.
False
If you properly cite your sources in the speech itself, you do not need to list your references at the end.
False
Impromptu delivery is more useful for formal ceremonial talks.
False
In content outlines, you should use an A. for your first point, an a. for your first subpoint, and an (a) for your second subpoint.
False
In rhetoric, your "style" is the way you walk, talk, dress, and present yourself.
False
Individuals and groups tend to agree on theories, concepts, and abstract ideas.
False
It is best to maintain eye contact with one engaged individual in the center of the room to make the presentation feel more conversational.
False
It's considered cheating to use research for one class as speech material for another, even if the material is adapted to the new audience.
False
Let your gestures happen naturally—your delivery will look forced if you practice using gestures to emphasize points.
False
Maggie thinks she can do her speech in sweatpants because it is a classroom speech and how you dress doesn't really much matter.
False
Memorizing the introduction of your speech is particularly effective because you are most nervous at the beginning.
False
Memorizing your speech takes the risk out of speechmaking
False
Most of our beliefs are based on study or investigation of a subject.
False
Mr. Garcia is listening to an investment planner talking about mutual funds; Garcia really believes in investing in such funds and the planner is enthusiastically promoting them. In such a case, Mr. Garcia should confidently accept the planner's ideas without much critical evaluation.
False
One important reason that manuscript delivery is not as effective in the classroom is that it does not engage the audience as much as other delivery methods do.
True
One way to disrupt a presentation and silence a speaker is by whispering to a friend during the speech.
True
Principles in the canon of invention help you gather the materials you need, analyze the audience and situation, and select a purpose for your speech.
True
Pro-con organization generally works well for investigative reports.
True
Race is more of a social category than it is a physical category.
True
Reports answer the question, "What have we learned about this subject?"
True
Rhetoric includes the art of persuasive public speaking.
True
Rhetorically sensitive people are those who can adapt their communication behaviors and perform reasonably well in a variety of social settings
True
Shawna needs seven sources in her speech; she only has five, so she makes up citations from Time, the New York Times, and the Boston Globe. This unethical behavior is called fabrication.
True
State or paraphrase your thesis statement in your speech--usually in the introduction.
True
Teachers do much of their speaking in order to transmit important cultural elements to the next generation.
True
Tears escaped from Norma's eyes during the eulogy she delivered, but the audience responded well, because given the circumstance, she behaved appropriately.
True
Terez organized her speech on "destiny" by first providing the denotative meaning and then giving connotative meanings for the word. This was an effective pattern.
True
The Internet has made plagiarism easier and more common.
True
The dominant United States communication style includes a problem orientation.
True
The general purpose of a how-to speech is to inform.
True
The principle of narrowing a topic to fit within a designated time frame applies across all speaking contexts such as projects, farewell speeches, and sales presentations.
True
The purpose of commemorative speeches is to inspire and reinforce beliefs and values.
True
The room you speak in and the weather outside are two aspects of the environment you should consider in your speech preparation.
True
To visualize your alternative pattern speech, it may be helpful first to sketch out a diagram of the pattern you've chosen.
True
Using the body language of powerful people while rehearsing and delivering a speech may help increase self-confidence and reduce anxiety.
True
Values are our underlying evaluations of what is important, significant, moral, or right.
True
When you download a picture from the Internet onto a PowerPoint slide, if you don't include on the slide the URL of the website where you got the picture, you are plagiarizing
True
When you inform with the purpose of countering misunderstandings, you'll probably get more emotional reactions than when you update information.
True
When you present an award, it's a good idea to talk about the award itself.
True
Your schema for a wedding toast enables you to predict the types of things a speaker will typically say when your friends marry.
True
Your schema for a wedding toast enables you to predict the types of things a speaker will typically say when your friends marry.
True
Your speech purpose is determined by the response you want from your audience
True
The roast the other department members gave Jim at the moment of his retirement was appropriate because it focused on humorous stories.
True
Thinking of your audience according to the cultural populations they represent is ________
demographic analysis
The three elements of the D-R-E Method of feedback are ________
describe, respond, evaluate.
Alliterating main points is one way to create ________
discourse consistency.
Kim has great ideas, but she doesn't know how to order them so that they flow well. She needs to learn the principles in the canon of ________
disposition.
Which of these is NOT a cultural resource as defined in the text?
diversity
Expressive cultures
encourage their members to speak their minds and let their feelings show.
A major challenge with manuscript delivery is ________
engaging the audience.
You're listening to a speaker who's giving false information, playing on emotions, and otherwise manipulating listeners. You think you should say something, but you don't want to embarrass the speaker or make a scene. This is a(n) ________
ethical dilemma
For which type of special occasion speech is the wave pattern most appropriate?
eulogies
For which types of special occasion speeches is it most appropriate to express sadness and appreciation?
eulogies and farewells
The mode of delivery most commonly used in the classroom is ___________ .
extemporaneous
A cell phone ringing and distracting your listeners from your speech is an example of which kind of noise?
external
People in collectivist cultures ________
feel more comfortable being honored for achievements as a group.
What are the democratic principles that guide ethical speaking?
habits of research, honesty, fairness, and civility
After she finished the course, Judy was much more confident. She gave several speeches and the negative outcomes she expected weren't so bad after all. What process does Judy's experience exemplify?
habituation
An environmental activist who is addressing a group of loggers and developers is most likely facing a(n) ________ audience.
hostile
Which option does NOT describe the U.S. style of communication as identified in the text?
impersonal
Tonya, who on the spur of the moment tells an amusing story at a farewell dinner, is using ________ delivery.
impromptu
Although Yumiko's classmates did not know anything about her expertise beforehand, her speech was so thoroughly researched that everyone agreed she really knew what she was talking about. In this situation, Yumiko established ________ credibility.
intrinsic
The canons of rhetoric are _________
invention, disposition, style, and memory, and delivery.
Two students quoted word-for-word the same example about killer bees; neither credited the source, and they worked on their speeches separately. What is this situation an example of?
plagiarism
A speaker who is ________ should prepare for emotional responses which are often negative.
prepare for emotional responses, often negative.
Newscaster Brian Williams brings speaker credibility with him because of who he is and the job he has. This is ________
prior credibility
Which pattern of organization is especially good for tributes?
statement of reasons
Which outlining principle involves formatting putting supporting information below the main points it supports?
subordination
Before he speaks, Rajin's heart races, he begins to perspire, and his stomach has "butterflies." He is experiencing ________
the "fight or flight" mechanism.
Public speaking varies across cultures in all these ways EXCEPT ________
the amount of expressiveness that's encouraged.
Jim has a great topic for his speech, has organized it flawlessly, but forgets to make eye contact with his audience and sways from side to side. Jim needs to improve his skills in ________
the canon of delivery
Which is NOT an environmental factor relating to public speaking?
the clothing you select on your speech day
People who use public speaking to argue for a social cause are using public speaking to ________ culture. Selected Answer: a. transform
transform
Speaking notes use full sentences in only two places:
transition statements and direct quotations.
Which gesture is a nervous gesture that should be avoided?
twirling a pen
In The Magic of Dialogue, Daniel Yankelovich defines empathy as ________
understanding other perspectives and identifying emotionally.
If the audience has never before heard about the rare medical condition known as progeria, the speaker should do all these things EXCEPT ________
use jargon frequently to establish credibility.
Mr. Garcia is listening to an investment planner talking about mutual funds; Garcia really believes in investing in such funds and the planner is enthusiastically promoting them. In such a case, Mr. Garcia should confidently accept the planner's ideas without much critical evaluation.
False
Note cards have many advantages over a speaking outline, so you should use speaking notes whenever possible.
False
Once your speech is over, you can sit down relieved in knowing that your credibility is firmly established and cannot be changed.
False
People in individualistic cultures are very focused on in-groups to which they are very loyal.
False
People who respond to diversity by assimilating may create alternative institutions.
False
Plagiarism involves making up information.
False
Research shows that loud and fast speakers are perceived as being competitive, enthusiastic, and benevolent.
False
Revealing something unusual about yourself shouldn't be done in a classroom speech.
False
Rules of plagiarism require you to document results of experiments you personally conduct.
False
Salience is defined as the audience's perception of the speaker.
False
Seth will probably experience his greatest anxiety during the adaptation milestone near the end of his speeches when he suddenly realizes everyone is looking at him.
False
Speech connectives are the emotional high points of the speech, designed to increase the audience's emotional responses by relating to their lives.
False
Students in online public speaking courses typically do not learn anxiety-reducing strategies.
False
Students in online public speaking courses typically do not learn anxiety-reducing strategies.
False
The U.S. rules against plagiarism are applicable in every culture globally.
False
The best way to decide on a speech topic is to look to current events.
False
The confident speaking style is more effective than the conversational style.
False
The first step in planning a demonstration speech is to plan the visual support that's needed.
False
The five canons of rhetoric include invention, disposition, audience, memory, and delivery.
False
The general purpose of a tribute is to entertain.
False
The goal of investigative reports is persuasion.
False
The great advantage of speaking extemporaneously is that it is spontaneous and spur-of-the-moment, and you don't really have much time to get nervous.
False
The major function of a speech introduction is to give your audience as much background information about your topic as they need
False
The sender-receiver of a message focuses on encoding the message rather than considering the audience.
False
The study of listening is often prioritized above other skills needed for effective communication in college courses
False
The time of day you give your speech really has no bearing on how you give your speech.
False
The transactional model does not take nonverbal communication into account.
False
Thinking about the audience's religious commitments is important only when the topic is religious in nature.
False
Topics such as current events are considered taboo in most cultures.
False
Visualization is a popular technique, and is successful for musicians and athletes, but it does not seem to lessen anxiety related to public speaking.
False
We should evaluate the public speaking traditions from other cultures by our own culture's standards.
False
When using an alternative pattern, it is more important than ever to use indentation and numbering to stay organized.
False
When you do a demographic analysis of the audience, you survey their beliefs, attitudes, and values regarding a topic.
False
When you see someone of the male sex, you should assume he is of the masculine gender.
False
When you work in international organizations, it's a good general rule to give awards to individuals who achieve more than their peers.
False
When your listeners need to refresh their memories, your narrowed purpose will be to counter their misunderstandings.
False
Worries about an upcoming interview or concerns about a sick family member are examples of physical factors that hinder listening.
False
You won't need to practice your speech if you create effective speaking notes.
False
A rhetorical triangle has three sides: audience, speaker, and message.
False
Taking notes should be avoided during comprehensive listening because it can distract you from the speaker's message.
False
Odell's audience knows quite a bit about entertainer George Clinton; what general strategy should Odell use in a speech about him?
Find novel information about one aspect of his life.
Which of the following options is NOT a typical strategy for commemorative speeches?
Focus on a proverb or quotation.
The following is an example of a well-written preview statement:
I will describe the following benefits of hot air ballooning: it's relaxing; you meet new friends; and you fulfill your need for adventure.
Audiences commonly complain that informative speeches are boring.
True
Audiences like to listen to speakers who are enthusiastic about their topics.
True
Behnke and Sawyer found that anxiety decreases as speakers go from one segment of their speeches to the next
True
Brianna marches in a protest against the World Trade Organization; she's encountering diversity with resistance.
True
Caitlin goes away to college where she decides to reject or surrender her longtime political beliefs. Her response is an example of assimilation.
True
Caitlin goes away to college where she decides to reject or surrender her longtime political beliefs. Her response is an example of assimilation.
True
Co-cultures are groups who share many aspects of the dominant culture but diverge from it in some way.
True
Creating a questionnaire to determine beliefs and attitudes toward a topic is a good way to assess the audience's psychological approach to a topic.
True
Cultural factors can influence how comfortable you feel speaking in public.
True
Cultural factors can influence how comfortable you feel speaking in public.
True
Delivery is the way you perform your speech.
True
Details and vivid language in speeches about events allow listeners to mentally place themselves at the event.
True
Following the organizational pattern of a speech can improve comprehensive listening.
True
Generally, chronological, topical, or narrative patterns best fit a biographical report.
True
Getting information from your audience by talking to focus groups is part of the direct method.
True
Having a speech-thought differential means that you think about 350 words per minute faster than the average speaker talks.
True
If the Saturday Night Live comic Andy Samberg were to visit your campus, he'd have extrinsic credibility to talk about life as a comedian.
True
In a random audience, participants are initially involved in another activity, but decide to pause and listen if the subject matter attracts their attention.
True
In a random audience, participants are initially involved in another activity, but decide to pause and listen if the subject matter attracts their attention.
True
In oral cultures, people must store all their knowledge in their memories.
True
In order to decrease nervous tension before a speech, you should limit your sugar and caffeine intake on speech day if those substances make you feel wired.
True
In order to decrease nervous tension before a speech, you should limit your sugar and caffeine intake on speech day if those substances make you feel wired.
True
In several Asian cultures, listeners see themselves equally responsible with the speaker for making communication successful.
True
In the United States, eye contact communicates friendliness, honesty, and approachability.
True
International topics are usually appropriate for classroom speeches, because most students are interested in world events if they are linked to the audience.
True
Introductions function to integrate newcomers into a group.
True
It is important in the conclusion to provide closure and give the audience something to take away from the speech.
True
Jargon is a major hazard for informative speakers.
True
Listeners often understand new information more easily when there are points of comparison to something they already know about.
True
Many African cultures highly value verbally skilled people
True
Nominations are short persuasive speeches.
True
Audience demographics include age, sexual orientation, and religion.
True
Which statement below belongs in the evaluation portion of the D-R-E method?
"The statistics you chose were very convincing, but your visual aids were unclear."
Depending on your purpose, your thesis statement may be written in the form of one or more questions or declarative sentences.
False
Kevin made up a survey he used on his speech about texting and driving. This is called ________.
Fabrication
"Rightsabilities" means we can do whatever is within our rights.
False
"To inform my audience about important facts about the life of Chief Joseph" is an example of a central idea.
False
"To inform my audience about important facts about the life of Chief Joseph" is an example of a central idea.
False
"To persuade my classmates to purchase only products that have the Fair Trade certification label" is a general purpose.
False
"Your examples made me want to do something to help children with AIDs in Africa" is an example of an evaluation in the D-R-E Method of feedback.
False
A listener being distracted from a speaker's message due to sleepiness is an example of cultural noise.
False
A loaded question, by definition, invites the speaker to provide a longer, more detailed answer.
False
A multivocal society is one that permits only certain voices to be heard.
False
A politician should give the same speech in Denver, Miami, Boston, and Seattle, because the culture in the U.S. is so similar throughout.
False
A thesis statement is exactly the same as the preview—a short summary of your major points.
False
According to Amitai Etzioni, it's important to deal with every issue when you engage in dialogue with others who have major disagreements with you. This prevents you from sweeping less important matters under the rug.
False
All you have to do to avoid plagiarism when you cut and paste material from the Internet is to change a few words here and there and cite the Internet source in your references at the end of your outline.
False
An information imbalance means that the speaker presents one-sided information about a subject.
False
Another term for thesis statement is general purpose.
False
Attitudes are our mental acceptance of something as being true or false
False
By definition, public speaking occurs when one person prepares and delivers a presentation to a group that may or may not listen to the speaker but does not interrupt the flow of ideas.
False
Cognitive modification is a method that focuses on your message and your audience, but not on your skills or sense of self-worth.
False
Communication apprehension (CA) is identical to public speaking anxiety (PSA
False
Critical listening is based on this idea: "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."
False
Cultural allusions are pretty much the same the world over.
False
Culture affects public speaking, but public speaking does not affect culture.
False
Culture affects public speaking, but public speaking does not affect culture.
False
Darrell is planning to be an engineer; he is right to think that his oral communication skills won't much matter in his career.
False
All of the options below are good reasons to study public speaking EXCEPT:
It will almost guarantee that you will get a good job.
Which statement below gives good advice about eye contact during delivery of a speech?
Make eye contact with various people in each segment of the room.
Attitudes are our tendencies to like or dislike something.
True
________ is saying the same thing more than once; ________ is saying the same thing, but a different way each time.
Repetition; redundancy
Michelle uses these nonverbal behaviors while listening. Which makes her a less competent listener?
She taps her pen and shuffles her papers.
Antoine's speech, "How to Make a Peanut Butter Sandwich," presented familiar, predictable information. What principle for choosing a topic or purpose should he have considered?
Take a novel approach.
What do speaking notes and speaking outlines have in common?
They both are used while a presenter is delivering a speech.
Antoine's speech, "How to Make a Peanut Butter Sandwich," presented familiar, predictable information. What principle for choosing a topic or purpose should he have considered?
To take a novel approach.
"During your speech, you said 'OK' seven times" would be classified as a description in the D-R-E Method of giving feedback.
True
A content outline shows both the speech's structural and logical elements.
True
A good way to avoid plagiarism is to cite your sources within your speech.
True
A heading provides a brief overview of your entire speech.
True
A skeleton is a good metaphor for a content outline.
True
A speaker's effectiveness is linked to his or her sensitivity to each audience at every step of preparation.
True
A speech demonstrating a common procedure like how to make coffee in a conventional way wastes listener's time.
True
Accommodating groups allow themselves to rethink ideas and hear diverse ideas from a variety of perspectives.
True
According to Deborah Tannen, the U.S. is an "argument culture" partly because we often use war metaphors in our public discourse.
True
According to the text, effective communication skills are vital in most higher-paying jobs and positions.
True
Although listeners at a sports banquet may differ in age, sex, religious affiliation, and ethnicity, their mutual interest in the sport is probably more salient than their other characteristics in this context.
True
An explanation of a complex concept can be thought of as a translation.
True
An explanation of a complex concept can be thought of as a translation.
True
Attentive listeners can help a speaker become more interesting.
True
Attitudes are our tendencies to like or dislike something.
True
Which question does an explanation speech answer?
What's the theory behind that?
According to the text, what is a major reason to develop a habit of research?
You owe it to your audience to know what you're talking about.
A mental acceptance that something is true or false, correct or incorrect, valid or invalid is ________
a belief.
"Female professors are so much better than male professors at explaining the listening process!" is an example of ________
a stereotype that hinders listening.
A history professor downloaded a map from the Internet onto a PowerPoint slide, not realizing that she needed to put the URL of the source on her slide. This is an example of ________
accidental plagiarism.
Manuel responds to diversity by acknowledging real differences between himself and members of other cultural groups, but he shows a willingness to listen to their ideas and evaluate them fairly. His response is called _________
accommodation
The defense lawyer tries to humanize her client, who is on trial for murder, so that the jury sees him as a normal human being, not a monster. Her specific purpose is mostly ________.
affective
What should be considered when preparing a speech?
all of the above
Which outlining principle involves using a consistent pattern that varies between numbers and letters?
alternation
Mary Ann will use the principles in the canon of invention when she ________
analyzes her audience and researches her topic.
Alternative outlines ________
are carefully prepared.
Your concern with ethics should begin ________
as soon as you get the speech assignment.
Lakshmi came from India, became a Christian, married a man from Montana, and never again spoke her native language. Her response to diversity is called ________.
assimilation
Austin has a negative opinion about politicians and a positive view of Disneyland; these are just two of his ________
attitudes
Our preferences or tendencies to have positive or negative opinions about people, places, objects, and situations are our ________
attitudes
Considering the audience at every stage of speechmaking and discovering ways that you can most effectively communicate with this particular group is called ________
audience analysis
According to research, anxiety is highest ________
before the speech.
A speech that ends by asking listeners to fill out cards to become organ donors seeks which response?
behavioral
If, at the end of your speech calling for a protest march, your audience charges out the door and begins to make placards to carry, that response is best called ________.
behavioral
Which social virtue is grounded in courtesy and involves choosing to understand and work with others?
civility
"Could you explain again how you came to this conclusion?" is a(n) ________ question.
clarification
The Amish are a group whose worldview or belief system sets them apart from the dominant culture. They are a(n) ________
co-cultural group.
Brittany wants her audience to believe that eliminating beer commercials on TV would lessen underage drinking. The main response she wants from her audience is ________.
cognitive
If you are afraid of speaking out because you worry that people will think you're stupid or you might get a bad grade, you are suffering from ________
communication apprehension.
If you tell yourself your topic is interesting and people want to hear you speak, you are ________
controlling your internal monologue.
Engaging in physical exercise, such as brisk walking, running, or lifting weights helps to
counteract nervous tension.
A speaker referring to David Hume, assuming her audience knows that he was an influential philosopher, is an example of which barrier to listening?
cultural allusion
Dan borrowed a speech his roommate gave the previous semester and presented it as his own. This type of plagiarism is called ________
deliberate fraud.
A mind map is especially useful for _______
narrowing a topic.
The next step after topic selection is ________
narrowing the topic to a manageable size.
After a fight with your significant other, you focus on the disagreement during class and tune out a classmate's speech. In the transactional model of communication shown in the text, this is an example of ________
noise or static
A hypothetical example is ________
often useful when dealing with sensitive issues.
"What do you think our candidate should do to increase her credibility with voters?" is an example of which type of question?
open
Public performers in cultures without print are like a "walking library;" these public performers store the group's knowledge in their minds; theirs is a(n) ________ culture.
oral
Aristotle discussed which three important vocal variations?
rate, pitch, and volume
Which is NOT a linguistic factor that hinders listening?
receiver apprehension
Inspirational speakers who urge donors to continue supporting charities speak with the intention to ________ their actions.
reinforce
When President W. Bush went to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, his purpose was to __________ the city's culture.
restore
Which option is NOT an essential part of an outline's heading?
the speaker's name
Rhetoric is ________
the study of persuasion in its various forms
About an hour before his class, Jon finds a quiet place and thinks through all the aspects of his speech. He "sees" himself beforehand; then he "observes" himself going to the podium, setting up his visual aids, and giving his speech. Finally, he mentally thinks through the question and answer period and "watches" himself returning to his seat. He's rehearsing ________
through visualization
About an hour before his class, Jon finds a quiet place and thinks through all the aspects of his speech. He "sees" himself beforehand; then he "observes" himself going to the podium, setting up his visual aids, and giving his speech. Finally, he mentally thinks through the question and answer period and "watches" himself returning to his seat. He's rehearsing ________
through visualization.
At the recent 10 year anniversary of 9/11, speaker after speaker gave addresses about those who had fallen that day. What were the general purposes of those speeches?
to commemorate
A comedian who does stand-up monologues in a nightclub probably has which general purpose?
to entertain
Professor Barram is a popular and entertaining lecturer in the business department on my campus; his major purpose for his lectures is ________
to inform
The general speech purposes identified in the text are ________
to inform, to persuade, to entertain, to commemorate.
Joe emphasizes hard work as he argues for his ideas. He's appealing to a core U.S. ________
value.
According to psychologist Rainer Martens, what does stress stem from?
your uncertainty about an outcome and the importance of that outcome
Which statement provides good advice for giving a toast?
Be brief and end with sincere best wishes.
Which question below should critical listeners ask themselves while listening to a presentation?
How trustworthy is this speaker?
Content outlines should have all these elements EXCEPT ________
major ideas expressed in key words.
Exemplum speeches are built around ________
quotations or proverbs
Speakers often use ratios when ________
the percentage is very small.