Public Speaking Chapter ???

When a speaker does not produce the sounds of letters properly, the problem is ______. When a speaker does not say a word properly, this is a different problem, known as ______.

articulation; mispronunciation

Concerning gestures, speakers need to

avoid wringing their hands together. refrain from playing with rings.

A sense of conviction and a desire to communicate is likely to make your voice

lively and conversational.

The best way to maintain effective eye contact during a speech is to

look briefly at one person, then another, then another.

Which of the following is the most likely to detract from a speaker's credibility and may create negative perceptions about the speaker's intelligence?

vocalized pauses

If a speaker sees listeners leaning forward with strained looks on their faces and their hands cupping their ears, the speaker's first reaction should be to increase which aspect of his or her voice?

volume

In a question-and-answer session, answers to simple questions should be about ______, and answers to more complicated questions should be ______.

30 seconds; 2 to 3 minutes

In which of the following scenarios would you be least likely to use a microphone and therefore need to pay extra attention to the volume of your voice?

A classroom speech

How can a speaker determine how to dress and groom for a speech?

Adapting to both the audience and the occasion

Which of the following situations is most likely to involve impromptu delivery?

Answering questions at a job interview

In her speech, Jacqueline said, "I wanna show you jus' what to do to prepare your kite for flight." Which part of her vocal delivery needs practice?

Articulation

How should you approach public speaking if you want your voice to be lively and expressive?

As an opportunity to share with your listeners ideas that are important to you.

How seriously should a speaker take the question-and-answer session?

As seriously as the speech

A speaker who tells the audience that he or she is "delighted" to be with them will undermine her statement by doing which of the following?

Avoiding eye contact

Michelle would like to add more vocal variety to her speeches. Which aspects of delivery should she work on?

Changes in rate Changes in volume Pitch fluctuation

Which of the following are aspects of conversational speaking that audiences tend to prefer in formal speeches?

Directness Vocal and facial expressiveness

In which of the following scenarios are our vocabularies the most limited, making us more likely to mispronounce or misuse a word?

During spontaneous speech

Which of the following are true of delivery in extemporaneous speeches? Remember that extemporaneous speeches are not the same as impromptu speeches, even if popular usage sometimes uses "extemporaneous" to mean "without preparation."

Extemporaneous speeches have slightly different wording each time they're delivered. Extemporaneous speaking encourages a conversational quality. Extemporaneous speeches rely on brief notes or a speaking outline.

How does good delivery help convey a message?

It doesn't call attention to itself. It is clear and interesting. It doesn't distract an audience.

Aaron is running for a city council position in his home town and is giving a speech to voters on why they should trust him more than his opponent. Which of the following actions would be the most likely to undermine his speech?

Not making eye contact with listeners

Which of the following is not one of the four basic methods of speech delivery?

Playing a recording

Which of the following statements about articulation are true?

Poor articulation can be corrected with effort. Poor articulation is more common than mispronunciation among college students. You can articulate a word clearly and still mispronounce it.

Which of the following are examples of body movements that have been shown to affect listeners' reception of a speech?

Posture Facial expressions Eye contact

What is the best way to ensure that your pitch matches the meaning of your words?

Record and listen to yourself as you practice your speech.

A political leader gives a speech about generating energy. She adds a "u" to the word nuclear so it sounds like "nucular." Which of the following is true?

She has mispronounced the word "nuclear."

During Jessica's question-and-answer session, she listened carefully to a question that she was sure she covered in her presentation. How should she approach her answer?

She should assume that her original explanation was not completely clear and use the time as an opportunity to expand on the point.

Aidan is delivering an extemporaneous speech on diversity in literature. He speaks slowly, makes sure he speaks loudly enough, uses inflections appropriately, and pronounces his words carefully. Despite this, he notices that many of his listeners losing interest. What can Aidan do to improve his delivery?

Speak at a rate that keeps the audience's interest

Which of the following actions are likely to undermine the effectiveness of a speech delivered from memory?

Speaking in a dull, monotone voice as you recite your speech Breaking eye contact to recall what you memorized

Which of the following pitch patterns are likely to distract or bore an audience?

Speaking in monotone Ending all sentences with an upward inflection Ending all sentences with a downward inflection

What characteristics should gestures have in a speech?

Spontaneous in appearance Suited to the occasion

Before beginning a presentation, a speaker should do which of the following?

Stand quietly while waiting for the audience's attention Take time to get set Appear calm

How can pauses contribute to effective speech delivery?

They can give time for an idea to sink in. They can signal the end of a thought. They can make a statement more dramatic.

Which of the following statements about audience question-and-answer sessions is true?

They can make or break a presentation.

Ellen is preparing to give an important speech at a company conference in which several senior managers will be present. To make sure she avoids embarrassing mistakes or oversights, Ellen had decided to read her script from a manuscript. Which of the following are methods Ellen should use to prepare for her speech?

Work on establishing eye contact with the audience. Practice aloud to make sure the speech sounds natural.

The use of "um" and "uh" instead of brief silence is referred to as

a vocalized pause.

In the United States, speakers may be seen as dishonest if they fail to make adequate

eye contact.

True or false: The amount and form of eye contact considered appropriate in everyday conversation is the same across cultures.

false

True or false: The world's most famous orators have all been blessed with golden voices that were naturally pleasing to their listeners.

false

The type of vocal variation that gives a speaker vitality and helps indicate meaning and emotion is referred to as

inflection.

Having good command over extemporaneous speeches is signified by which of the following?

A conversational quality Control over ideas Ease of establishing eye contact

A manuscript delivery of a speech would be most appropriate in which of the following situations?

A governor's address to the legislature

Carol grew up in Boston and has a strong New England accent, though she has learned to deemphasize it and take on a more neutral dialect when necessary. In which of the following scenarios should Carol feel most comfortable using a heavy New England dialect?

A speech at her high school reunion

In which situation is a speech most likely to be memorized?

A toast to a new couple

Concerning movement, a speaker should remember which of the following?

Fidgety movement makes the speaker appear nervous. Distracting motions will negatively affect listeners.

Drew showed up for his classroom speech with his normal torn jeans and a sweatshirt with the word "crazy" written across the front in giant letters. If this was not a costume illustrating his topic, which of the following statements apply to Drew's situation?

He should not have worn torn jeans. He should have chosen a different shirt.

During his question-and-answer session, Don is confused by a question. What actions should he take?

He should rephrase the question to make sure he understands it. He should ask the audience member to repeat the question.

Which of the following are basic methods of speech delivery?

Impromptu Read from a manuscript From memory Extemporaneous

Susan gave a speech to incoming college student about their rights and responsibilities, followed by a question-and-answer session in which students asked a lot of questions that Susan found boring. Although the reception to the speech was largely positive, after the question-and-answer session, many audience members appeared disappointed and frustrated. Which of the following would be a likely explanation?

Susan evaded questions or appeared annoyed.

When responding to a previous speaker in an impromptu speech, you can prepare by doing which of the following?

Taking notes Thinking of your points while listening

Mark Twain once said, "The right word may be effective, but no word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause." Which of the following was Twain likely referring to?

The ability of a well-timed pause to provide dramatic impact.

May Ellen is from a small town in Georgia. She is attending college in the state of Oregon, and most of her classmates are from the Pacific Northwest. How would her classmates most likely react if May Ellen's speech makes heavy use of her dialect?

They would make negative judgments about her intelligence and competence.

Derek just finished giving a speech to his class, and asked for his classmates' feedback. The class thought Derek was well prepared and found the subject matter informative and easy to follow, but they noted that at certain points they felt as if Derek was shouting at them. Which aspect of the speech should Derek work on?

Speaker's voice

When practicing your speech, it helps to do which of the following?

Read through your preparation outline to check the initial length Work on the wording of quotations and examples Get feedback from other people once you have learned the speech

Sonya delivered a speech to her managers about some new technologies that she thought could make her team more efficient. After she finished her speech, she was out of breath and realized that she hadn't even paused to take a real breath when she was speaking. Nevertheless, she felt that she did a good job following her speech outline. Although they were paying close attention during the speech, the managers seemed confused about how the ideas she presented fit into the company's business model, and asked Sonya several questions. Which of the following would be a factor most likely to have been the problem with Sonya's speech?

She spoke too quickly.

Which of the following are acceptable when managing a question-and-answer session?

Stop a questioner's extended monologue. Admit that you do not know the answer to a question. Offer to get the answer for a question to which you do not know the answer.