Study Questions for English Public Speaking
Chapter 11 Delivering the speech
True-False Questions 1. Good speech delivery should call attention to itself.
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Good speech delivery conveys a speaker’s ideas without calling attention to
itself.
One of the advantages of speaking from a manuscript is that it frees a speaker from the need to establish eye contact with the audience. Speaking from a manuscript allows for greater spontaneity and directness than does speaking extemporaneously.
Speaking from memory is most effective when a speaker wants to be very responsive to feedback from the audience.
When speaking impromptu, you should do your best to look calm and confident no matter how nervous you may be feeling.
Impromptu speaking gives more precise control over thought and language than does extemporaneous speaking.
Speaking impromptu and speaking extemporaneously are essentially alike. An extemporaneous speech is carefully prepared and practiced in advance. “Conversational quality” in a speech means that the speaker talks the same as she or he would in ordinary conversation.
The “conversational quality” of extemporaneous speaking means that a speech has been well rehearsed yet sounds spontaneous to the audience. No two people have exactly the same vocal characteristics. A speaker always sounds louder to a listener than to the speaker. Pitch is the relative highness or lowness of the speaker’s voice. People in the U.S. usually talk at a rate between 120 and 150 words per minute.
A faster rate of speech is usually called for when a speaker is explaining complex information.
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17. Vocalized pauses are an effective way to increase a speaker’s credibility. 18.
Pauses usually work best in a speech when they are planned in advance.
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Most people recognize and understand about the same number of words in reading as occur in spontaneous speech.
Most people recognize and understand about three times as many words in reading as occur in spontaneous speech.
If you say the “s” in Illinois or the “p” in pneumonia, you are making a mistake in articulation.
When a speaker’s body language is inconsistent with her or his words, listeners often believe the body language rather than the words. Research has shown that the speaker’s personal appearance is an important factor in about 25 percent of speech situations.
Research shows that personal appearance will affect the audience’s perception of the speaker in about half of all speaking situations. Rehearsing how you behave at the beginning and end of your speech is one of the easiest things you can do to improve your image with an audience.
Since most people are nervous about public speaking, it is perfectly acceptable to finish a speech by declaring, “Am I glad that’s over!” As your textbook explains, learning how to gesture is one of the first things a beginning public speaker should concentrate on. Frequent gestures are a sure sign of an effective speaker. The human eyeball expresses an intricate array of emotions.
You should start to establish eye contact with the audience even before you begin to speak.
In the United States, public speakers who establish strong eye contact are usually perceived as more credible than speakers who have weak eye contact.
In the United States, public speakers who establish strong eye contact with listeners are usually perceived as less credible than speakers who have weaker eye contact.
According to your textbook, the first step in rehearsing a speech is to practice in front of a mirror.
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According to your textbook, the first step in practicing your speech delivery is to go through your preparation outline aloud to see how it translates into spoken discourse.
A single practice session of two or three hours is usually the best way to rehearse your speech.
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Multiple Choice Questions (Students are to indicate the best answer for each question by circling the correct letter.) 57. Good speech delivery
a. is accompanied by frequent gestures. b. requires that the speaker have a strong voice. c. sounds conversational even though it has been rehearsed. d. draws the attention of the audience away from the message. e. is best achieved by reading from a manuscript. 58. Good speech delivery
a. has a conversational quality. b. does not call attention to itself. c. requires a strong voice. d. all of the above. e. a and b only. 59. Communication based on a speaker’s body and voice, rather than on the use of words, is called
a. implicit communication. b. nonverbal communication. c. unintentional communication. d. instinctive communication. e. physical communication.
60. In which situation would a speaker be most likely to read from a manuscript? a. a speech accepting an award at a company banquet b. a speech in honor of a retiring employee c. a speech on international policy at the United Nations d. a speech on the activities of a church social committee e. a speech of welcome to new members of the Rotary Club 61. When speaking from a manuscript, you should
a. b. c. d. e.
practice aloud to make sure the speech sounds natural. be certain the final manuscript is legible at a glance. work on establishing eye contact with the audience. all of the above. a and b only.
Study Questions Chapter11
