chapter 4

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

competent

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

True

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

Trying to hear the speech through the ears of your audience

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

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

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 -Understand attitudes and interests

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

The occasion

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

-consider the type of historical references to use -identify your audience's values -choose the kind of supporting material you need

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 refused to be influenced negatively by the physical setting -he used the physical situation to his advantage

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

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

Audience adaptation occurs

Before and during the speech

How can speakers ensure they are being audience-centered?

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

Keeping the audience in mind as you prepare your speech includes adjusting what you are saying to make it which of the following?

Clear Appropriate Convincing

Which of the following statements are true about considering race, ethnicity, and cultural background while preparing a speech?

Cultural considerations are more important than ever because we have become a global society Cultural perspectives will affect listeners' attitudes toward a speaker's topic

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

Egocentrism

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

False

Why should a speaker avoid stereotyping the audience?

It can lead to false generalizations.

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

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.

Which of the following statements best explains what speakers should do to avoid stereotyping the audience?

Speakers should recognize that not all members of a group are the same

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

They possess ideas, attitudes, and feelings

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

Use the information in preparing a speech

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

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

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

Your choice of visual aids The formality of your language

For his final speech, James intends to persuade his classmates to volunteer for a few hours a week at a charity of their choice. Part of his argument is based on his personal feeling that all people are obligated to help the less fortunate, but he is not sure if that appeal will work with this audience. What is the best type of question James should use to discover how strongly his audience feels about their obligation to volunteer?

a scale question

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

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

audiences are often religiously diverse

It is important for speakers to keep in mind ______ related to gender and sexual orientation to better reflect the full range of human experience.

fluidity

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

formal

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

it is best to make all listeners feel included

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

millennials

In a classroom setting, the audience will ______ a fellow student speaker.

often have some set of attitudes toward

When speaking before a classroom audience, effective speakers should

regard the audience as seriously as any other audience

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

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

Audience adaptation

An uncomfortable physical setting for a speech

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