Q&A Hero

Q: T F The first main point in a persuasive speech on a question of value should usually be devoted to establishing the standards on which you base your judgment.

Q: T F Once you go beyond arguing right or wrong to arguing that something should or should not be done, you are moving from a question of opinion to a question of value.

Q: T F Persuasive speeches on questions of value are almost always arranged in topical order.

Q: T F Comparative-advantages order is used most often in organizing persuasive speeches on questions of value.

Q: T F To persuade my audience that genetically altered crops pose hazards to human health is a specific purpose statement for a persuasive speech on a question of fact.

Q: T F To persuade my audience to support the construction of a new convention center is a specific purpose statement for a persuasive speech on a question of fact.

Q: T F To persuade my audience that Jack the Ripper was really Prince Albert Victor, the son of Queen Victoria is a specific purpose statement for a persuasive speech on a question of fact.

Q: T F To persuade my audience that a cyberattack on U.S. electric utilities is likely to happen within the next 10 years is a specific purpose statement for a persuasive speech on a question of fact.

Q: T F Questions of fact deal only with events that have already happened.

Q: T F Questions of fact usually include the word should.

Q: T F Persuasive speeches on questions of fact are usually organized in topical order.

Q: T F Persuasive speeches on questions of fact are usually organized in problem-solution order.

Q: T F When speaking to persuade, you should try to anticipate places where the audience might object and then answer the objections in your speech.

Q: T F When trying to persuade listeners who are skeptical about your position, you need to deal directly with the reasons for their skepticism.

Q: T F When trying to persuade a hostile audience, you should usually be wary of even mentioning the audiences objections to your point of view.

Q: T F The target audience is that portion of the whole audience that the speaker most wants to persuade.

Q: T F Concentrating on a target audience means that a persuasive speaker can ignore the rest of her or his listeners.

Q: T F A question of fact is a question about the truth or falsity of an assertion.

Q: T F A persuasive speech on a question of fact is essentially the same as an informative speech.

Q: T F Questions of fact are easy subjects for persuasive speeches because they almost always have clear-cut answers.

Q: T F Your success in a persuasive speech will usually depend on how well you adapt to the attitudes, beliefs, and values of your audience.

Q: T F Persuasion is a psychological process in which listeners engage in a mental dialogue with the speaker.

Q: T F Research indicates that audiences often engage in a mental give-and-take with the speaker as they listen to a persuasive speech.

Q: T F When speaking to persuade, you need to think of your speech as a kind of mental dialogue with your audience.

Q: T F Audience analysis and adaptation are usually more demanding in persuasive speaking than in speaking to inform.

Q: T F Audience analysis and adaptation are usually less challenging in persuasive speaking than in speaking to inform.

Q: Excerpt 1 Most multicellular organisms contain stem cells that reinvigorate themselves through the process of mitotic cellular division. Stem cells in early embryos represent basic units of life in higher organisms, while adult stem cells in somatic tissues represent cellular stores capable of regenerating tissue and maintaining organ functions. Both are characterized by properties that permit accurate in vivo cell copying. Excerpt 2 According to the National Institutes of Health, stem cells are general cells that have the potential to develop into any of the more than 200 kinds of cells in the human body. Basically, they turn into a cell that has a specific job to do. For example, stem cells might become muscle cells that help rebuild damaged tissue. They might become red blood cells that help deliver oxygen to different tissues. Or they might become brain cells that help the nervous system function. No matter what type of cells need assistance, stem cells can come to the rescue and replenish the cells our bodies need. The Genetics Learning Center at the University of Utah explains it like this: Stem cells are like actors waiting for a casting call. Just as an actor waits to find out his or her next role, stem cells wait for signals from the body that tell them what to become. Once they get those signals, they begin to change into specific cells with specific jobs to do.

Q: T F As your textbook explains, persuasion takes place only if the audience is strongly in favor of the speakers position by the end of the speech.

Q: T F As your textbook explains, when faced with an audience that strongly opposes your point of view, you can consider your persuasive speech a success if it leads even a few listeners to reexamine their views.

Q: Excerpt 1 Options for cryogenic suspension include freezing the subjects head or complete body. In either case, the process entails complex scientific procedures that, for maximum functionality, must be implemented immediately upon the cessation of biological functioning. Measures must be taken to minimize tissue decomposition so as to ensure that the subject can be successfully resuscitated at some undetermined future period. Excerpt 2 Currently, when a person who has signed up to be cryonically suspended dies, a specific procedure, which was outlined in the book Cryonics: Reaching for Tomorrow, must be carried out. First, before death, an individual must decide whether to have his or her entire body frozen or just the head. If the whole body is to be frozen, it must be preserved upon death. Immediately after deathideally within a matter of minutesthe patient is connected to a heart-lung machine, and chemicals such as glucose and heparin are circulated with the oxygenated blood to help minimize the freezing damage. At the same time, the patients internal temperature is reduced as quickly as possible using cold packs. If only the head will be frozen, a slightly different procedure must be carried out. The head must be surgically detached from the rest of the body and preserved in a separate container. You may be wondering, Why would I preserve only my head? The answer is, with some diseases the body is in a very poor condition. If this is the case and you choose to preserve your head only, you do so with the belief that medical science will be able to create a healthy new body for you in the future.

Q: What are the two types of informative speeches about processes? Give an example of a specific purpose statement for each type.

Q: Explain each of the following guidelines for effective informative speaking: a. Dont overestimate what the audience knows. b. Relate the subject directly to the audience. c. Dont be too technical. d. Avoid abstractions. e. Personalize your ideas. f. Be creative.

Q: Explain why informative speakers should be wary of overestimating their audiences knowledge about the topic. What steps should a speaker take when preparing an informative speech to make sure the speech does not go over the heads of the audience?

Q: When preparing an informative speech for a general audience, why is it important to keep in mind that nothing interests people more than themselves?

Q: What does it mean to say an informative speaker should personalize her or his ideas? According to your textbook, what are two major steps a speaker can take to express her or his ideas in personal terms?

Q: What does it mean to say that an informative speaker should avoid abstractions? Identify and explain two techniques presented in your textbook for avoiding abstractions in a speech.

Q: Why is it important to avoid technical language when giving an informative speech to a general audience? Provide a brief example illustrating how the use of technical language could reduce the effectiveness of an informative speech.

Q: List the six guidelines given in your textbook for effective informative speaking. a. b. c. d. e. f.

Q: What are the four types of informative speeches discussed in your textbook? Give an example of an effective specific purpose statement for each type.

Q: Informative speeches can be classified into four types: speeches about objects, speeches about processes, speeches about events, and speeches about concepts. Into which category would you place each of the following? Explain your answer in each case. a. A speech recounting the steps in the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II b. A speech describing the Japanese-American National Museum in Los Angeles c. A speech discussing legal theories justifying the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II d. A speech explaining the steps political activists took to gain reparations for Japanese Americans who were interned during World War II

Q: To inform my audience about the different sections of an ancient Egyptian pyramid is a specific purpose statement for an informative speech about a(n) _______________; To inform my audience how the ancient Egyptian pyramids were built is a specific purpose statement for an informative speech about a(n) _______________ .

Q: There are many ways to organize informative speeches about events. If your goal is to recount the history of an event, you would most likely arrange the speech in _______________ order.

Q: If you were giving an informative speech describing the different regions of Ireland, you would probably arrange the speech in _______________ order.

Q: Informative speeches about processes are usually arranged in either _______________ or _______________ order.

Q: Informative speeches about concepts are usually arranged in _______________ order.

Q: To inform my audience how to prepare for a triathlon is a specific purpose statement for an informative speech about a(n) _______________ . To inform my audience about the history of Hawaiis Ironman World Championship Triathlon is a specific purpose statement for an informative speech about a(n) _______________ .

Q: To inform my audience about the different sections of a medieval cathedral is a specific purpose statement for an informative speech about a(n) _____________ , while To inform my audience about the beliefs of major Christian sects during the Middle Ages is a specific purpose statement for an informative speech about a(n) ______________ .

Q: To inform my audience how to arrange flowers like a professional florist is a specific purpose statement for an informative speech about a(n) _______________ .

Q: Which of the following is discussed in your textbook as a guideline for effective informative speaking? a. Avoid talking about your personal experience. b. Use chronological organization whenever possible. c. Relate to the audience by speaking in technical terms. d. Use abstract language to clarify complex ideas. e. Dont overestimate what the audience knows.

Q: Which of the following is discussed in your textbook as a guideline for effective informative speaking? a. Be creative. b. Use technical language. c. Avoid using statistics. d. all of the above e. a and b only

Q: As explained in your textbook, when giving an informative speech, you should take special care to a. translate technical information into everyday language. b. state your ideas in abstract terms. c. generate goodwill with the audience in your conclusion. d. avoid speaking about complex topics. e. prepare your introduction before the body of your speech.

Q: As your textbook explains, when giving an informative speech to a general audience, you should take special care to a. state your ideas in abstract terms. b. organize the speech in chronological order. c. avoid being too technical. d. all of the above. e. b and c only.

Q: Which of the following are among the methods recommended in your textbook for avoiding too many abstractions in an informative speech? a. Use statistics and testimony. b. Use transitions and summaries. c. Use testimony and examples. d. Use comparison and contrast. e. Use data and technical language.

Q: Your textbook recommends using __________ in your informative speeches as a way to keep your ideas from being overly abstract. a. contrast b. description c. comparison d. all of the above e. a and c only

Q: What does your textbook mean when it recommends that you personalize your ideas in an informative speech? a. Use dramatic statistics for a personal effect. b. Focus on yourself during most of the speech. c. Present your ideas in human terms that relate to the experience of the audience. d. Avoid concrete language because it makes ideas vague and impersonal. e. Give the speech a personal tone with slang and jargon.

Q: A(n) _______________ is a systematic series of actions that leads to a specific result or product.

Q: Informative speeches about concepts are usually arranged in __________ order. a. narrative b. topical c. spatial d. causal e. illustrative

Q: Which of the following is mentioned in your textbook as a guideline for effective informative speaking? a. Relate the subject directly to the audience. b. Dont be too technical. c. Personalize your ideas. d. all of the above e. a and b only

Q: Which of the following is discussed in your textbook as a guideline for effective informative speaking? a. Relate the subject directly to the audience. b. Use at least one visual aid with each main point. c. Dont overestimate what the audience knows. d. all of the above e. a and c only

Q: Which of the following is discussed in your textbook as one of the six major guidelines for effective informative speaking? a. Rely primarily on abstract language. b. Relate the subject directly to the audience. c. Use presentation technology for your visual aids. d. Leave time for questions after the speech. e. Be highly technical in your discussion.

Q: Which of the following is discussed in your textbook as a guideline for effective informative speaking? a. Use technical language to enhance your credibility. b. Avoid personal words such as I, we, you, and our. c. Relate the topic directly to the audience. d. all of the above e. a and c only

Q: If your specific purpose were To inform my audience how hurricanes develop, you would probably organize your speech in __________ order. a. spatial b. elemental c. comparative d. chronological e. informative

Q: If your specific purpose were To inform my audience of the steps involved in making diamond jewelry, you would probably organize your speech in __________ order. a. comparative b. spatial c. chronological d. causal e. illustrative

Q: If you were giving an informative speech describing the different parts of the Forbidden City in China, you would probably arrange the speech in __________ order. a. causal b. chronological c. architectural d. geographical e. spatial

Q: If your specific purpose statement were To inform my audience about the different layers of the atmosphere, you would probably organize your speech in __________ order. a. topical b. chronological c. spatial d. descriptive e. causal

Q: If your specific purpose statement were To inform my audience about the different regions of Spain, you would probably organize your speech in __________ order. a. spatial b. comparative c. geographical d. narrative e. chronological

Q: If your specific purpose statement were To inform my audience about the three major types of sleep disorders, you would probably organize your speech in __________ order. a. topical b. chronological c. spatial d. comparative e. causal

Q: If your specific purpose statement were To inform my audience about the major kinds of dog breeds, you would probably organize your speech in __________ order. a. chronological b. spatial c. descriptive d. topical e. causal

Q: If your specific purpose statement were To inform my audience about the major features of four American quilt patterns, you would probably organize your speech in __________ order. a. causal b. patchwork c. spatial d. descriptive e. topical

Q: If your specific purpose were To inform my audience how baseballs are made, you would probably organize your speech in __________ order. a. topical or causal b. functional or descriptive c. narrative or analogical d. chronological or spatial e. scientific or illustrative

Q: If your specific purpose statement were To inform my audience about the differences among steel, aluminum, and carbon bicycle frames, you would probably organize your speech in __________ order. a. descriptive b. topical c. causal d. chronological e. functional

Q: If your specific purpose statement were To inform my audience about major archaeological sites in Central America, you would probably organize your speech in __________ order. a. topical or causal b. spatial or comparative c. comparative or chronological d. descriptive or causal e. spatial or topical

Q: If your specific purpose were To inform my audience of the major steps in an effective job interview, you would probably organize your speech in __________ order. a. comparative b. spatial c. chronological d. causal e. illustrative

Q: To inform my audience about the Manhattan Project, which produced the first atomic bomb is a specific purpose statement for an informative speech about a(n) a. object. b. concept. c. operation. d. event. e. narrative.

Q: To inform my audience about the history of Halloween observances is a specific purpose statement for an informative speech about a(n) a. object. b. event. c. process. d. concept. e. situation.

Q: To inform my audience about the removal of the Cherokee from their native lands is an example of a specific purpose statement for a speech about a(n) a. function. b. event. c. condition. d. object. e. concept.

Q: Speeches about __________ are often more complex than other types of informative speeches. a. objects b. events c. processes d. functions e. concepts

Q: To inform my audience about the different theories of intellectual property in Eastern and Western cultures is an example of a specific purpose statement for an informative speech about a(n) a. object. b. event. c. concept. d. operation. e. process.

Q: To inform my audience about the major theories explaining the extinction of the dinosaurs is a specific purpose statement for a speech about a(n) a. concept. b. object. c. function. d. theory. e. comparison.

Q: To inform my audience of recent theories about the functions of sleep is a specific purpose statement for a speech about a(n) a. event. b. theory. c. concept. d. object. e. hypothesis.