COMM CHAPTER 3-6

An audience will be most likely to accept a speaker's message if they perceive the speaker as

competent.

The kind of listening used to understand the message of a speaker is called ______ listening.

comprehensive

If you listen too hard to a speaker, you are likely to

confuse the facts.

Suspending judgment while listening involves

considering the worth of an idea you do not agree with.

True or false: An audience's characteristic group membership is important because it can give clues about listeners' attitudes and interests.

True

What type of question should Jessie use to discover why her classmates would not donate money to the local children's hospital?

Open-ended question

Mark, an Army veteran who was stationed in Iraq, decides to give an informative speech about that country. What is he basing his choice of a topic on?

Personal experience

The key-word outline method of note taking

focuses on main points and supporting evidence.

Juwan goes to a jiu-jitsu seminar and is shocked to see that the instructor is only five feet tall. Even though the instructor is known as a prodigy, Juwan doubts her techniques because he cannot picture someone who is so small possibly knowing anything about winning a fight. Juwan has exhibited poor listening by

focusing on appearance rather than content.

The four main causes of poor listening include

focusing on delivery and personal appearance. failing to concentrate. listening too hard. jumping to conclusions.

In general, the larger your audience is, the more ______ your presentation must be.

formal

All speeches are influenced by the ______ of audience members.

frame of reference

As Professor Yarberry speaks about mitosis, Garth finds himself thinking about fishing. This type of poor listening results from

lack of concentration.

Suspending judgment means a listener should

listen to and assess a speaker before passing judgment.

Evan is following a cooking demonstration. He carefully notes everything from the types of mixing bowls and utensils used to the brands of the ingredients that the chef is promoting. When he tries to replicate the recipe at home, he finds that he didn't record the ingredients. This is an example of Multiple choice question.

listening too hard.

One recommended way to stay engaged in a speech is to

mentally review what has been said.

When beginning a speech about a controversial issue, it is best to start with a

noncommittal position.

As Trent listens to a lecture, he begins drawing a tree. After a few minutes, he realizes he has drawn an entire landscape, but has no idea what the lecturer has said in the past ten minutes. Trent's poor listening was caused by

not concentrating.

Flora finds that she can process words much more quickly than her classmates can speak. This leads Flora to have poor listening caused by

not concentrating.

Good listening skills come from

practice and self-discipline.

Reggie was going to tell his employee, Maddie, that he wants her to apply for a higher-paying job. He tells her that he wants to discuss her performance, and she says, "I know I've been slacking and I am willing to work for less to make up for it." Maddie has jumped to a conclusion by

putting words into Reggie's mouth.

What should you remember about brainstorming for a speech topic?

It can be done in different ways.

The concept of active listening is demonstrated by

Shawna, who waits until the speaker is finished to pass judgment.

What is your general purpose when you speak as a teacher or lecturer?

To inform

What you expect to say in a speech is called the

central idea

Listening for main points and technique are methods used to

focus listening.

Gertrude, a returning student in her sixties, gave a speech to her classmates, who were traditional college freshmen. She focused on the qualities to look for when purchasing a fur coat. Partway through, she realized that most of the audience was not paying attention. What principal demographic trait did she fail to consider fully when preparing her speech?

Age

Kenton decided to persuade his classmates to start savings plans for their retirement. What is the most important demographic trait that Kenton should consider when preparing his speech?

Age

Which of the following would be the most likely cause of distraction for listeners of Stephen Hawking or Abraham Lincoln?

Appearance

Keeping the audience in mind as you prepare your speech includes adjusting what you are saying to make it which of the following? (Select all that apply.)

Appropriate Clear Convincing

What is the process of using what you learned during audience analysis called?

Audience adaptation

Which of the following demonstrate jumping to conclusions when listening?

Deciding that a speech will be boring based on its title Assuming that the speaker's views are misguided because of political-party affiliation Deciding that a speaker's topic is not worth listening to

True or false: The larger your audience, the less formal your presentation should be.

False

Shelley is speaking at a hospital about volunteer opportunities. Which demographic trait should she focus on primarily?

Group membership

When Tomas gave his speech, the heating system was not working correctly. Knowing that his audience felt hot and cranky, Tomas began his speech by saying, "I know we are all very uncomfortable from the temperature. But I want you all to close your eyes and imagine the heat coming from the sun while you are lying in the sand listening to the waves at one of my favorite vacation spots, Siesta Key Beach in Sarasota, Florida!" The class became energized, and Tomas was able to keep his audience's attention. Why?

He used the physical situation to his advantage. He refused to be influenced negatively by the physical setting.

Effective listening requires that you ask questions about a speaker's evidence. Which of these questions is not necessary to ask about evidence?

Is it delivered smoothly?

Jin was assigned to give an informative speech to his classmates. He decided that his specific purpose was to inform his audience about different types of domesticated fruit trees. In giving his speech, he described differences between orange, apple, and lemon trees. Which key question did Jin most likely forget to ask himself about his specific purpose?

Is my purpose relevant to my audience?

What are the questions to ask about your specific purpose statement?

Is the purpose relevant to my audience? Can I accomplish my assignment in the time allotted? Does my purpose meet the assignment?

What do experts think about generating speech topics through brainstorming?

It can be very effective.

Why should a speaker avoid stereotyping the audience?

It can lead to false generalizations.

Why is "to inform the audience about psychotherapy" an ineffective specific purpose?

It does not state precisely what the speaker hopes to accomplish.

Which of the following statements are true about an effective specific purpose statement?

It focuses on one specific aspect of the broader topic. It states what the speaker wants the audience to know. It includes the general purpose (for example, "to inform").

Which statement describes a central speech idea?

It is a concise statement of what you expect to say in a speech.

Which of the following statements is true about a classroom audience?

It is a real audience because each classmate is person with real ideas, attitudes, and feelings.

Which of the following are true of the central idea of a speech?

It is expressed as a declarative sentence.

Assessing how audience members will receive the opinions or information you are going to present in your speech is important. What is this type of situational audience analysis measuring?

Listener attitude

Which generation is the most racially and ethnically diverse in U.S. history?

Millennials

At an Academy Awards ceremony, an award recipient took her Oscar, briefly thanked those who helped her earn it, and then made one statement in support of a particular presidential candidate. What was the biggest mistake she made?

She violated audience expectations about the purpose of the occasion.

While creating a persuasive argument supporting Planned Parenthood, Kate decided to deal with any audience objections by first discovering their religious affiliations. Why?

She wanted to anticipate emotionally charged and passionate reactions.

Who of the following people gives Aaron the best advice about the way to become a better listener?

Someone who tells him to be serious about listening.

What should you always do, regardless the brainstorming technique you use to prepare for a speech?

Start early

Useful tips for focusing your listening are to listen for which of the following?

Technique Evidence Main points

The topics of speeches outside the classroom are usually determined by which of the following?

The audience The speaker's qualifications The occasion

Listening is made more difficult because

The brain can process words faster than people can talk.

What is the relationship between a specific and a general purpose statement?

The specific purpose narrows the focus of the general purpose.

Which of the following statements is true concerning personal inventory, clustering, reference, and Internet searches for speech topics?

They are methods of brainstorming

What are characteristics of focused, effective listeners?

They can detect a speaker's main points. They can identify a speaker's supporting evidence.

For which of the following reasons should astute public speakers be aware of language choices with regard to sexual orientation?

They otherwise might make some audience members feel excluded. They might offend members of the audience unintentionally by using inappropriate language. They need to avoid stereotyping members of LGBTQ communities.

What are typical characteristics of the members of a classroom audience?

They possess ideas, attitudes, and feelings.

David constantly notices the cigarette butts littering the sidewalks on campus around the "No Smoking" signs. David cannot ignore this litter, as others seem to do, because he is very concerned about his peers' lack of respect and the administration's inability to enforce the smoking ban. Would enforcement of the smoking policy be a good topic for David's persuasive speech?

Yes, because it is a topic that he has a strong interest in.

Spencer is taking a biology class. He found the discussion on birds, especially crows, fascinating. Would a speech on crows be appropriate for his public speaking class?

Yes, because it is something he wants to know more about

In a traditional classroom, which of the following are the recommended ways to find out about audience characteristics?

You should distribute a questionnaire. You should get to know your classmates by conversing with and observing them.

The size of your audience may affect which of the following?

Your choice of visual aids The formality of your language

During speech preparation, a speaker who analyzes the size of the audience and the attitude of the audience toward the subject, speaker, and occasion is said to be doing ______ audience analysis.

a situational

Whenever Peter listens to a speaker, he attempts to understand the speaker's point of view and makes an effort to not become distracted. This is an example of

active listening.

Identifying and improving your weaknesses as a listener demonstrates that you

are serious about listening.

In general, a good speaker will consider an audience's religious affiliations during speech preparation because

audiences are often religiously diverse.

An uncomfortable physical setting for a speech

can impair an audience's willingness to listen to or accept a speaker's ideas.

In the classroom, good listening skills

correlate with good grades.

According to a Brookings Institution report, racial _____may be "the most defining and impactful characteristic of the millennial generation.

diversity

In addition to factoring in the audience size and physical setting of a speech, a(n) audience analysis also considers how the audience feels about the speech topic.

situational

Poor listening often occurs because the brain has

spare time to think about other things.

The most useful way to take notes for most students is

the key-word outline.

True or false: An audience's characteristic group membership is important because it can give clues about listeners' attitudes and interests.

true

Resisting distractions while listening is difficult because

we think much faster than a speaker can talk.

Overwhelmingly, people who have great listening ability

worked to acquire it.

A classroom audience usually expects the speaker to do which of the following?

Follow standards for taste and decorum Conform to the assignment Conform to time parameters

Daniel watched the 95-year-old actor Kirk Douglas present the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 2011. Daniel became frustrated and stopped listening to the presentation because of Mr. Douglas's inability to form his words accurately. The live audience, however, appeared to understand and enjoy Mr. Douglas's remarks. How could Daniel have been a better listener? Multiple choice question.

Daniel should have focused on the message and not on the way it was delivered.

What is the tendency of people to be concerned primarily with their own values, beliefs, and well-being?

Egocentrism

What does being audience-centered involve?

Gaining the desired response from the audience

During his speech on gay rights, Peter avoided calling on anyone with a question in the audience who was wearing a hijab. Why?

He wrongly assumed that all Muslim women condemn homosexuality.

When preparing a speech, considering the general age of an audience can help you do which of the following?

Identify your audience's values Choose the kind of supporting material you need Consider the type of historical references to use

What best describes the process of topic selection for student speakers?

It is often difficult.

Why is "to make people realize the new taxes are killing us" a poor specific purpose statement?

It uses figurative language.

Unfortunately, focusing on a person's unique accent or manner of speaking can cause a listener to do which of the following?

Judge the speaker's intellect Judge the speaker's message unfairly Lose the point of the message

Olaf finds golf boring, has never played cricket but thinks it would be interesting to learn about, loves playing lacrosse, and thinks basketball is a waste of time. Of these sports, which two would be the best potential speech topics for Olaf?

Lacrosse Cricket

Daryl is going to give a speech in which he tells his audience about the Endangered Species Act. He hopes that by the end of his speech his listeners will be able to define the act. Which of the following is the general purpose of Daryl's speech?

To inform

Adapting to an audience before the speech means that speakers should do which of the following?

Try to determine questions the audience might have. Anticipate how listeners might respond. Understand the beliefs and attitudes of the audience.

Which of the following is recommended practice when preparing your speech?

Trying to hear the speech through the ears of your audience

Which of the following are part of suspending judgment when listening?

Trying to understand the speaker's ideas Examining the speaker's evidence Assessing the speaker's reasoning

After completing an audience analysis, what should a speaker do with what he or she has learned?

Use the information in preparing a speech

Jumping to conclusions by putting words in a speaker's mouth is most likely to happen when we

have a close relationship with the speaker.

The purpose of demographic audience analysis is to ______ to create a better speech.

identify traits of the audience

For their public speaking class, John and Mia are required to attend a speech given by a visiting lecturer on campus. The lecture topic is "Improving Your Study Habits." Since John and Mia are both seniors about to graduate, they roll their eyes and grudgingly attend the presentation. As potential listeners, John and Mia are guilty of

prematurely rejecting the topic as lacking value.

Which of the following is a well-worded central idea?

A negotiation can be broken down into three basic steps: the preparation, the discussion, and the closing.

A news anchor at a city television station was asked by a rural food bank to speak at its annual fund-raiser. Even though the fund-raiser was being held in a distant town, she agreed and began trying to find out all she could about her audience. What are ways that she can discover her the specific characteristics of her audience?

Attending a meeting of the food bank's board of directors Asking for more information from the person who invited her Talking to the speaker from the previous year's event Searching the food bank's Web site for information about its past donors

Daniel watched the 95-year-old actor Kirk Douglas present the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 2011. Daniel became frustrated and stopped listening to the presentation because of Mr. Douglas's inability to form his words accurately. The live audience, however, appeared to understand and enjoy Mr. Douglas's remarks. How could Daniel have been a better listener?

Daniel should have focused on the message and not on the way it was delivered.

True or false: To capture your audience's attention, you should phrase your central idea as a question.

False

Simon gave a speech about the benefits of working for the postal service. He mentioned that three of his relatives were mailmen and suggested that the audience members should consider becoming postmen. What mistakes did Simon make?

He was being exclusive rather than inclusive by using gender-specific labels. He was not being mindful of current gender attitudes and practices.

Suppose there are two speakers giving a speech about potty training. One speaker, Molly, has three school-age children and a lot of real-world examples. The other, Lola, has no children but is knowledgeable about all of the top potty training methods. Which speaker is the audience more likely to accept advice from?

Molly

Which of the following is an example of an effective central idea?

Obesity threatens the health of individuals, can lead to an early death, and has serious financial consequences.

Rachel was the only person in her speech class who was a member of a sorority. For her demonstration speech, Rachel showed her class how to make a sorority paddle (a wooden decoration containing the name of a sorority). Although Rachel's speech was clear and thorough, it was met with glazed stares. What should Rachel have done differently?

Rachel should have thought about her listeners' experiences.

Analyzing your audience's disposition toward your speech topic means considering which of the following?

Their knowledge about the issue Their attitude toward the topic Their interest in the subject

While preparing an audience analysis, a speaker who classifies women as caring about issues regarding children and men as caring about issues of national security

stereotyping