Public Speaking Chapter 2

Many speakers have problems with trembling or shaking once they get in front of an audience. This can best be handled by _____. A.adding a purposeful action or gesture to work off some tension B.locking the knees and maintaining a rigid stance C.confessing about it to the audience D.ignoring it and pretending it is not happening

A.adding a purposeful action or gesture to work off some tension

Self-fulfilling prophecies about public speaking, when allowed to build and grow, tend to lead to _____. A.self-defeating behaviors that sabotage the delivery B.highly emotional and dynamic presentations C.confrontational or hostile reactions from audiences D.obsessive reliance on anxiety-reducing techniques

A.self-defeating behaviors that sabotage the delivery

Jerome is done practicing his speech for tomorrow but still feels nervous. He decides to try cognitive restructuring. To do this, Jerome will _____. A.write out a list of his irrational thoughts and replace them with positive ones B.picture himself finishing the speech and the audience applauding C.think about all the reasons why speakers normally get nervous D.identify a particular word or sound that relaxes him and say it over and over

A.write out a list of his irrational thoughts and replace them with positive ones

When you forget about yourself and concentrate on the message you are giving and the listeners who are hearing it, which technique are you using to reduce anxiety? A.visualization B.attitude adjustment C.reality testing D.selective relaxation

B. attitude adjustment

Michael keeps thinking, "I am going to sound so stupid!" When he examines this thought and restructures it, which statement should he use to replace it? A."I just need to keep rehearsing till the speech is perfect." B."I have done my research and I am going to do fine." C."If I run into problems I will just stop talking." D."The truth is I really do not want to give this speech."

B."I have done my research and I am going to do fine."

Which well-known broadcaster said that the best speakers know enough to be scared - and that even though they have butterflies, they learn how to train them? A.Walter Cronkite B.Edward R. Murrow C.Barbara Walters D.Bill O'Reilly

B.Edward R. Murrow

As a final tip, the authors stress that just as you begin to stand up to make your speech, you should _____. A.mentally list all your main points B.act confident even if you do not feel that way C.identify your negative thoughts D.have a drink of water

B.act confident even if you do not feel that way

Many people are anxious about speaking in public, but the best suggestion to reduce discomfort is to _____. A.make sure friends are always in the audience B.allow plenty of preparation time C.use an impromptu delivery style D.avoid addressing people face-to-face

B.allow plenty of preparation time

Why should you never act disappointed with your presentation? A.because those who have been listening will also be disappointed B.because you probably did better than you thought C.because it is not a good idea to evaluate your own performance D.because this can come off as manipulative

B.because you probably did better than you thought

A novice speaker suddenly feels overwhelmed with irrational fear and is afraid he is going to "lose it" in front of the audience. He should _____. A.apologize to his listeners and end the speech B.keep talking and look for friendly faces until it passes C.break away from the presentation and ask if there are any questions D.pause and remain silent until it is over

B.keep talking and look for friendly faces until it passes

One morning in October 2009, President Obama learned that he had won the Nobel Peace Prize and needed to make a speech in a few hours. In viewing the video of his preparation time, it seems that he _____. a.did some reality testing B.visualized his presentation c.used well-known relaxation techniques d.reconstructed his anxious thoughts

B.visualized his presentation

Samuel is suddenly embarrassed when he flubs a line in his speech. What will likely result from Samuel's mistake? A.The listeners will point out his error and ask why it happened. B.The listeners will start laughing. C.The listeners will not even notice it. D.The listeners will expect him to start all over.

C.The listeners will not even notice it.

Mario lists the scary things that he fears may happen during his speech, then steps back and looks at them logically and unemotionally. What technique is Mario using? A.attitude adjustment B.positive thinking C.reality testing D.self-fulfilling prophecy

C.reality testing

Why is "a little bit of nervousness" a good thing for a public speaker? A.It can get the audience to feel sorry for the speaker. B.It can force the speaker to anticipate every possible thing that can go wrong. C.It can force the speaker to memorize the speech. D.It can energize the speaker and enliven the speech.

D.It can energize the speaker and enliven the speech.

Many accomplished athletes experience anxiety right before they are about to compete. To deal with this, they often _____. A.block their feelings B.list their worries C.take shallow breaths D.perform simple rituals

D.perform simple rituals

Once this step-by-step procedure is learned, it can be triggered by merely repeating a cue word, which often provides the same benefits as the full process. What is being described? A.positive thinking B.reality testing C.attitude adjustment D.selective relaxation

D.selective relaxation

Controlling communication anxiety actually takes very little time and very little practice. It is usually resolved after giving the first public speech. True False

False

Positive thinking is very powerful, but so is negative thinking. In fact, negative thoughts running through our heads represent one of the major causes of communication anxiety. True False

True

The idea that taking a public speaking class will cure someone's "stage fright" is a myth. There is no cure for communication anxiety. True False

True

The text compares learning how to speak in public with learning how to ride a bike or swim.- the more you practice, the less you are afraid, and the more confident you become. True False

True