Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi

COMM 1315

Multiple Choice Questions

1)When your textbook describes public speaking as a form of empowerment, it means that public speaking is

1. 1. a way to manipulate people.

 b.        a way to make a difference in something we care about.

3. a way to make everyone see things through our frame of reference.
4. a way to demonstrate how clever we are.
5. a way to support ethnocentrism.

2. How much time does the average adult spend in conversation?
   1. about 50 percent of waking hours
   2. about 10 percent of waking hours
   3. about 20 percent of waking hours

 d.        about 30 percent of waking hours

e.      about 40 percent of waking hours

3. Many of the skills used in public speaking are the same as those used in everyday conversation. These skills include
   1. organizing your thoughts logically.
   2. tailoring your message to your audience.
   3. adapting to listener feedback.

 d.        all of the above.

e.      b and c only.

4. When you experience stage fright, your body is producing extra                                    , a hormone that is released into the bloodstream in response to physical or mental stress.

 a.         adrenaline

2. serotonin
3. potassium
4. glauconite
5. cortisone

5. According to your textbook, rather than trying to eliminate every trace of stage fright, you should aim at transforming it into
   1. general anxiety.
   2. visualized adrenaline.
   3. professional stage fright.

 d.        positive nervousness.

e.      confident apprehension.

6.            Because speechmaking is a form of power, we must always be sure to speak

1. concisely.
2. persuasively.

 c.         ethically.

4. forcefully.
5. consistently.

7. According to your textbook, the branch of philosophy that deals with human issues of right and wrong is termed
   1. morality.
   2. rationalism.

 c.         ethics.

4. legality.
5. existentialism.

8. As a public speaker, you face ethical issues when
   1. selecting the topic for your speech.
   2. researching your speech.
   3. organizing your speech.
   4. a and b.

 e.        all of the above.

9. In public speaking, sound ethical decisions involve weighing a potential course of action against
   1. the frame of reference of the audience.

 b.        a set of ethical guidelines or standards.

3. the speaker’s strategic objectives.
4. a socially accepted code of legal rules.
5. the personal opinions of the speaker.

10. In public speaking, sound ethical decisions involve weighing a potential course of action against
    1. the persuasive goals of the speaker.
    2. an interpretation of the U.S. Constitution.
    3. the frame of reference of the audience.

 d.        a set of ethical guidelines or standards.

e.      the majority views of public opinion.

11. All of the following are presented in your textbook as guidelines for ethical speechmaking except
    1. be honest in what you say.
    2. avoid name calling and other forms of abusive language.
    3. be fully prepared for each speech.
    4. make sure your goals are ethically sound.

 e.        explain your credibility on the speech topic.

12. Fletcher is listening for pleasure as a friend discusses her trip to Australia. According to your textbook, Fletcher is engaged in                                                     listening.

 a.         appreciative

2. receptive
3. personal
4. comprehensive
5. empathic

13. According to your textbook, when you listen to evaluate a speaker’s message for purposes of accepting it or rejecting it, what kind of listening is involved?

 a.         critical

2. reflective
3. evaluative
4. empathic
5. comprehensive

14. Lance is enjoying Chris Rock’s stand-up comedy routine at the Civic Center. According to your textbook, Lance is engaged in                                      listening.
    1. critical

 b.        appreciative

3. comprehensive
4. empathic
5. intimate

15. Natasha and Ramone are listening to a realtor who is encouraging them to buy a house they looked at earlier in the day. As they listen, they are trying to decide whether or not to purchase the house. According to your textbook, Natahsa and Ramone are engaged in                                                            listening.

 a.         critical

2. appreciative
3. comprehensive
4. empathic
5. intimate

16. Tara’s campus organization has invited several travel agents to speak to the group about their best deals on trips for spring break. As Tara listens, she is deciding which

travel package is the best one for her. During the presentations, she is engaged in which form of listening?

 a.         critical

2. appreciative
3. comprehensive
4. empathic
5. intimate

17. The fact that audiences are egocentric means that
    1. listeners believe their cultural group is superior to all other groups.

 b.        listeners are concerned above all with how a speech will affect them.

3. listeners interpret the speech through the speaker’s frame of reference.
4. all of the above.
5. a and b only.

18. What are the two types of audience analysis discussed in your textbook?

 a.         demographic and situational

2. personal and impersonal
3. occupational and educational
4. psychological and sociological
5. descriptive and analytical

19. One of the ways speakers analyze audiences is by looking at traits such as age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, group membership, and racial, ethnic and cultural background. According to your textbook, what is this called?

 a.         demographic audience analysis

2. psychological audience analysis
3. background audience analysis
4. situational audience analysis
5. descriptive audience analysis

20. Which of the following is a demographic characteristic of a speech audience?

 a.         age

2. interest
3. size
4. attitude
5. knowledge

21. Which of the following is a demographic characteristic of a speech audience?
    1. interest
    2. attitude
    3. size

 d.        gender

e.      knowledge

22. According to your textbook, when is it appropriate to cite an abstract of a magazine or journal article in your speech rather than locating and reading the full article?

 a.         never

2. when the article is more than five years old
3. when the article is not available on a computerized database
4. when the only copy of the article is on the book shelves
5. when the article is short enough to be summarized in one paragraph

23. The two kinds of Internet search aids discussed in your chapter are

 a.         search engines and virtual libraries.

2. browsers and cyberguides.
3. electronic catalogues and graphical interfaces.
4. Google and Internet Explorer.
5. metasearch engines and Web crawlers.

24. As your textbook explains, virtual libraries are valuable for speech research because they
    1. contain higher quality information than do traditional search engines.
    2. access the “invisible Web” that is not indexed by traditional search engines.
    3. allow a researcher to locate more sources than do traditional search engines.
    4. all of the above.

 e.        a and b only.

25. The search aid that makes it easy to find high-quality Web resources by combining Internet technology with traditional library methods of cataloguing and assessing data is known as a(n)
    1. abstract index.

 b.        virtual library.

3. periodical database.
4. digital reference.
5. electronic catalogue.

26. A                                            is a search aid that combines Internet technology with traditional library methods of cataloguing and assessing data.
    1. cyber catalogue
    2. metasearch engine

 c.         virtual library

4. reference locator
5. Web crawler

27. As your textbook explains, the best kind of search aid for locating reliable, high quality information on the Internet is a(n)

1. 1. search engine.
   2. electronic catalogue.
   3. metasearch engine.
   4. research pilot.

 e.        virtual library.

28. According to your textbook, the three criteria for judging the reliability of research documents located on the Internet are authorship, sponsorship, and
    1. interest.
    2. formality.
    3. interactivity.

 d.        recency.

e.      graphics.

29. According to your textbook, an imaginary story that makes a general point is called a(n)
    1. mythical example.
    2. artificial example.
    3. spurious example.

 d.        hypothetical example.

e.      synthetic example.

30. According to your textbook, an imaginary story that makes a general point is called a(n)
    1. anecdote.
    2. simulated example.

 c.         hypothetical example.

4. narrative.
5. illustration.

31. Accomplished speakers consider                                            “the very life of the speech.”
    1. statistics
    2. causal reasoning
    3. testimony

 d.        examples

e.      emotional appeals

32. In a speech about valley fever, a potentially deadly disease that has reached serious proportions in several southwestern states, a speaker said:

After being plagued by asthma attacks in Hawaii for six years, Lori Crown hoped to find relief by moving  to the dryer climate in Bakersfield, California. A few months after arriving in Bakersfield, Crown was suffering from severe headaches, swollen feet, painful bumps on her hands and legs, and a prolonged fever. The diagnosis

—valley fever.

To combat the disease, Crown has to take fluconazole, an antifungal drug that costs $685 for a one-month supply of pills. Although the

drug helps, Crown still gets painful headaches, frequent fevers, and debilitating fatigue. “It’s so frustrating,” Crown says. “One day I’ll feel fine, then I’ll be in bed for the next three.” Most days she wishes she had stayed in Hawaii.

According to your textbook, what kind of supporting material is used in this statement?

1. 1. scientific example

 b.        extended example

3. hypothetical example
4. illustrative example
5. expert example

33. Ryan began his speech by saying:

Imagine that you are on a deserted island—palm trees sway in the breeze, the warm sun is on your face, and the smell of tropical flowers is in the air. Suddenly, the sound of distant drums breaks your euphoria. What do you do—panic? What would you do if you found yourself in such a situation?

What kind of supporting material did Ryan use in his introduction?

1. 1. peer testimony
   2. extended metaphor
   3. synthetic example
   4. artificial simile

 e.        hypothetical example

34. According to your textbook, what is the most important reason for limiting the number of main points in a speech?
    1. It is hard to maintain parallel wording if there are too many main points.
    2. It is hard to phrase the central idea if a speech has too many main points.
    3. It is hard to organize supporting materials if there are too many main points.
    4. It is hard to deliver a speech extemporaneously if it has too many main points.

 e.        It is hard for the audience to keep track of too many main points.

35. The most effective order of main points in a speech depends above all on your topic, purpose, and

 a.         audience.

2. research.
3. visual aids.
4. credibility.
5. delivery.

36. Which organizational pattern would probably be most effective for arranging the main points of a speech with the specific purpose “To inform my audience how to start an online business”?
    1. spatial
    2. technical
    3. causal
    4. comparative-advantages

 e.        chronological

37. What organizational pattern would probably be most effective for arranging the main points of a speech with the specific purpose “To inform my audience about three major ways to block junk mail from their e-mail system”?

 a.         topical

2. logistical
3. chronological
4. technical
5. causal

38. When the main points of a speech follow a time pattern, they are organized in
    1. problem-solution order.
    2. spatial order.
    3. topical order.
    4. causal order.

 e.        chronological order.

39. When preparing a speech introduction, you should usually
    1. reveal the topic of the speech.
    2. support the central idea with evidence.
    3. preview the main points of the speech.
    4. all of the above.

 e.        a and c only.

40. Which of the following would you be most likely to find in a speech introduction?
    1. a visual aid

 b.        a preview statement

3. an internal summary
4. a research citation
5. a quotation

41. Which of the following is recommended in your textbook as a way to reinforce the central idea in a speech conclusion?
    1. end with a quotation
    2. make a dramatic statement
    3. refer to the introduction