public speaking chapter 6

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

Group membership

Speakers who consider different sexual orientations in their audience analysis and speech preparation do so because

effective speakers try to make language choices that make all people feel included.

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

false

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

formal

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

identify traits of the audience

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

noncommittal position.

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

If your audience knows very little about the topic of your speech, you should

talk at a basic level.

Although there are exceptions, people tend to be interested in

what they know about.

Fellow students should be seen as a(n) _____ audience

authentic

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

Audience adaptation

How can speakers ensure they are being audience-centered?

By opening the speech with a noncommittal position By considering the audience's backgrounds, interests, knowledge, and attitudes By making their ideas clear, interesting, and persuasive to the audience

When preparing speeches, speakers are advised to analyze group characteristics in order to do which of the following?

Choose appropriate language Choose appropriate talking points and support material Help create goodwill during the speech

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

Choose the kind of supporting material you need Identify your audience's values Consider the type of historical references to use

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.)

Clear Appropriate Convincing

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.

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.

Why should a speaker avoid stereotyping the audience?

It can lead to false generalizations.

Which of the following statements are true of a situational audience analysis?

It considers the physical setting. It considers the size of the audience. It should be used in conjunction with demographic analysis.

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 of the following motivate people to listen to a speech?

Messages that address their own beliefs Messages that touch on their own values Messages that affect their own well-being

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

Millennials

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

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

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.

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?

Searching the food bank's Web site for information about its past donors 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

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.

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

The formality of your language Your choice of visual aids

When giving a speech for a school rally, what is the most important factor to consider for audience analysis?

The occasion

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

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

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

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

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

Use the information in preparing a speech

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

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

Julie is a new 28-year-old manager at Bowers Envelope Company. Her first job is to give a "safety-first" speech to the press-production crew, most of whom have been with the company for 25 years or more. Other than gender, what is the most crucial demographic characteristic that Julie should consider when preparing her remarks?

age

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.

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

competent.

There is often a direct link between a person's ______ a topic and his or her knowledge about it.

interest in

What approaches can you use to develop your audience's interest in your speech topic?

Display visual aids Provide provocative supporting materials Present an engaging introduction

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.

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.

When speaking before a classroom audience, effective speakers should

regard the audience as seriously as any other audience.

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

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

What are the benefits of opening a controversial speech with a noncommittal position?

It is less likely to alienate members of the audience. It is a good way to ease into the subject.

Audience adaptation occurs

before and during a speech.

Sheri has chosen to speak about the Japanese practice of bonsai and the success she has had cultivating a small, potted tree. To prepare for her speech, she wants to determine her audience's _____ toward the topic by considering the audience interest in bonsai, knowledge about it, and attitudes toward it.

disposition

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

diversity or prejudice

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

risks losing the support and interest of the audience through role stereotyping.