Principles of Public Speaking Exam Practice Tests
Course Introduction
Principles of Public Speaking is a foundational course designed to introduce students to the theory and practice of effective oral communication in public settings. Through the study of audience dynamics, speech organization, language use, and nonverbal communication, students develop essential skills for preparing, delivering, and critically evaluating various types of speeches. Emphasis is placed on building confidence, enhancing listening skills, and adapting messages to diverse audiences and contexts. Practice with informative, persuasive, and special occasion speeches prepares students for real-world communication challenges and promotes ethical and responsible public discourse.
Recommended Textbook Stand Up Speak Out The Practice and Ethics of Public Speaking v2.0 by Jason S. Wrench
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Chapter 1: Why Public Speaking Matters Today
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Sample Questions
Q1) Speaking with the purpose of sharing knowledge or information with an audience refers to what type of speaking?
A)informative
B)influence
C)ceremonial
D)after dinner
E)exculpatory
Answer: A
Q2) __________ __________ refers to speaking with the goal of changing or reinforcing an audience's beliefs,values,or behaviors.
Answer: persuasive speaking
Q3) Students taking a public speaking course can fine-tune their __________ and __________ skills.
Answer: verbal and nonverbal
Q4) __________ __________ refers to the use of words to elicit meaning in the mind of a receiver.
Answer: Verbal communication
Q5) Verbal,nonverbal,and mediated are all examples of communication ___________.
Answer: channels
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Chapter 2: Ethics Matters: Understanding the Ethics of
Public Speaking
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Sample Questions
Q1) Freedom of expression,diversity of perspective,and tolerance of dissent are important:
A)because we have a right to our own opinions.
B)if it helps us form counter-arguments against people with whom we disagree.
C)to gaining an understanding of events and issues from many perspectives.
D)to our ability to identify nonconformists.
E)when it supports our most important values and beliefs.
Answer: C
Q2) The use of information or ideas without citing the source is called
Answer: plagiarism
Q3) Codes of ethics are set of laws which,if obeyed,always produce ethical speech.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
Q4) As audience members,we should _______________ to a speaker before making judgments about them or their message.
Answer: listen
Answer: ethical pyramid Page 4
Q5) The concepts of intent,means,and ends are part of the __________
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Chapter 3: Speaking Confidently
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Sample Questions
Q1) Why is memorization a bad idea?
Answer: Memorizing your speech word for word will likely make your apprehension worse rather than better.Instead of remembering three to five main points and subpoints,you will try to commit to memory more than a thousand bits of data.If you forget a point,the only way to get back on track is to start from the beginning.In addition,audiences do not like to listen to "canned," or memorized,material.Audiences appreciate speakers who talk naturally to them rather than recite a written script.
Q2) If you are giving a speech and find yourself suddenly skipping a section,what is the best immediate strategy to proceed forward?
A)pause for a moment to think through what you want to do next.
B)keep going and figure out how to fit that missed content in later.
C)stop speaking,explain the mistake,and go back to where you left out the content.
D)jump back to the missed content and continue.
E)just leave the missing content out of your speech and continue speaking.
Answer: A
Q3) _________________ is a psychological response to evaluation.
Answer: nervousness,anxiety,or communication apprehension
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Chapter 4: The Importance of Listening
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Sample Questions
Q1) Differentiate among the four types of noise and explain how they can impact the public speaking process.
Q2) There are important differences between facts and ______________.
Q3) The people-oriented listener:
A)enjoys being in an audience surrounded by people during a speech.
B)focuses on the influential people mentioned within the speech.
C)is less interested in the message than in the speaker.
D)prefers listening to speeches about people.
E)prepares to listen by reading up on the topic to be addressed by a famous speaker.
Q4) What behaviors are associated with ethical listening?
Q5) What mistakes might we make when we evaluate a message?
Q6) Explain psychological noise and give an example.
Q7) Facts are supported by evidence.
A)True
B)False
Q8) Understanding a message involves paying attention to the speaker's meanings. A)True
B)False
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Q9) ________________________ feedback occurs at the end of a communication event.
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Chapter 5: Audience Analysis
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Sample Questions
Q1) When you prepare an audience analysis,you should try to:
A)find out whether they would be willing to pay to hear your speech.
B)ignore responses that don't make sense or are irrelevant to your topic.
C)learn what the audience already knows or believes about your topic.
D)make sure all survey questions are neutral and non-threatening.
E)quote something from the responses at least once during your speech.
Q2) Controversial topics:
A)are inappropriate topics because there is no universal agreement.
B)are inappropriate topics because they are too boring.
C)are too dangerous and difficult for student speeches.
D)often confront people's fundamental beliefs and values.
E)should be left to the experts.
Q3) Explain how surveys can help a researcher learn about her or his potential audience.
Q4) What does the physical setting of a speech have to do with your preparation?
Q5) Provide a specific example of how an audience analysis could help a speaker make adjustments to a speech as they are giving it?
Q6) A person's _____________________ is influenced by her or his unique life experiences.
Q7) What do we mean when we say that speakers jointly create meaning with audiences?
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Chapter 6: Finding a Purpose and Selecting a Topic
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Sample Questions
Q1) Can constraints become so cumbersome that they prevent a speaker from ethically delivering an appropriate speech?
Q2) If you use a media outlet as a source of information,you must:
A)accurately paraphrase the complicated concepts.
B)be able to repeat accurately the facts presented in it.
C)cite the topic by title,network,station,and date aired.
D)give an honest evaluation of the specific episode.
E)use your insight to identify its underlying meanings.
Q3) Speaker,audience,text,and context are four circumstances that should be examined when determining the rhetorical situation of a speech.
A)True
B)False
Q4) ___________ ___________ are among the most common constraints for students in a public speaking course.
Q5) What is a needs analysis?
Q6) Write a specific purpose for a speech you either have given or plan on giving.How was that specific purpose impacted by the five basic questions of specific purposes?
Q7) What's the difference between a speech to inform and a speech to persuade?
Page 10
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Chapter 7: Researching Your Speech
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Sample Questions
Q1) A student must avoid plagiarism under all circumstances.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Practicing your speech:
A)can be done by just going over the speech in your mind.
B)is best accomplished by memorizing the full speech text.
C)makes the delivery compensate for logical weaknesses.
D)means standing up and rehearsing the speech out loud.
E)should not be necessary if the speech is well prepared.
Q3) When citing your sources during a speech,you:
A)can refer to an already-cited source by citing "the same source."
B)have the right to rely on a single resource for all your information.
C)may tell the audience that you got your ideas from various sources.
D)must clearly differentiate between your voice and that of the source.
E)should only give direct quotations in order to maintain accuracy.
Q4) Using the words and ideas of others without giving credit is called _________.
Q5) If you do too much work on your own,it interferes with the librarian's ability to help.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 8: Supporting Ideas and Building Arguments
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Sample Questions
Q1) Differentiate among informative,persuasive,and entertaining narratives.
Q2) You should use a variety of support types in your speech.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Narratives are stories that have a clear arc: a beginning,a middle,and an end.
A)True
B)False
Q4) A reverse outline of a speech can be used to test the adequacy of support for the claims.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Name three of the six types of supportive examples and briefly explain how they are used.
Q6) Name and explain two types of testimony.
Q7) A setup is:
A)a carefully prepared sequence of evidence and reasoning.
B)an explanation of the meaning of data or statistical support.
C)an explanation of where the supporting information comes from.
D)use of information that leads to only one possible conclusion.
E)the use of a vivid quotation used to set the tone of the speech.
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Chapter 9: Introductions Matter: How to Begin a Speech
Effectively
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Sample Questions
Q1) Name and explain each of the four factors that must be considered in choosing a specific attention-getting device.
Q2) What is a preview,and what does it do?
Q3) A(n)_________ question calls for a show of hands.
Q4) Used as an attention-getting device,an anecdote:
A)is a brief but interesting or humorous story.
B)challenges the audience to think in new ways.
C)emphasizes the experiences of the speaker.
D)offers a solution to a problem the speaker presents.
E)sets the tone for a serious treatment of the topic.
Q5) An introduction concludes with a ____________ of the major points to be covered in the speech.
Q6) One of the basic functions of a thesis statement is:
A)defining the specific meanings of the terms you will use.
B)getting attention so you won't have to repeat anything.
C)identifying hostile and disruptive members of the audience.
D)letting the audience know what you will be talking about.
E)making sure the audience will be receptive to your message.
Q7) A strong,clear ________ will prepare your audience effectively for the points of your speech. Page 13
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Chapter 10: Creating the Body of a Speech
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Sample Questions
Q1) Thinking strategically about the body of your speech means:
A)creating persuasive strategies in order to get audience agreement.
B)creating psychological strategies to maintain audience attention.
C)determining what is essential and important to its purpose.
D)making sure all claims are fully supported by authoritative citations.
E)using multiple approaches in order to make all the points clear.
Q2) In selecting an organizational pattern for a speech:
A)choose the pattern and then decide on your topic.
B)determine which pattern is the most appealing.
C)outline first,then superimpose the best pattern.
D)rewrite your thesis statement to match the pattern.
E)select one that is best for your topic and purpose.
Q3) What does "parallel structure" refer to?
Q4) Some transition phrases help to clarify the difference between two ideas or things.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Using a developed example,explain the psychological speech pattern.
Q6) Using an example,explain the psychological speech pattern.
Q7) What is a specific purpose? How should it be stated?
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Chapter 11: Concluding With Power
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Sample Questions
Q1) The goal of ______________ is to stir the audience emotionally.
Q2) When you conclude your speech with a question:
A)the audience will spontaneously respond out loud.
B)you force the audience to contemplate the answer.
C)you have another chance to drive home a main point.
D)listeners will become confused if you don't answer it.
E)you will pique audience expectation for an answer.
Q3) A review of main point shows that you have not drifted off topic.
A)True
B)False
Q4) What are the three parts of an effective conclusion? Explain each.
Q5) A good conclusion helps listeners remember the speech.
A)True
B)False
Q6) The position near the beginning of a speech is referred to as
Q7) Differentiate between primacy and recency,and explain why they are important in public speaking.
Q9) Explain how audiences are likely to respond to a weak conclusion. Page 16
Q8) Hermann Ebbinghaus proposed what he called the _______________ position effect.
Q10) The position near the end of a speech is referred to as ________________.
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Chapter 12: Outlining
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Q1) ______________ allows you to check for inconsistencies and self-contradictory statements.
Q2) What is the purpose of having your evidence lined up in a full-sentence outline?
Q3) The ______________ outline lays out the basic structure of your speech.
Q4) A working outline:
A)explores a number of ideas before deciding on a thesis statement.
B)includes a general and specific purpose,thesis statement,and preview.
C)is the only kind of an outline appropriate for persuasive messages.
D)is a preliminary worksheet to help you form an opinion about the topic.
E)is a template only,and should be free of any verifiable information.
Q5) What is logical integrity?
Q6) Create a sentence outline for a persuasive speech on fundraising for your favorite on-campus group.
Q7) A ______________ outline is the full plan of everything you intend to say.
Q8) You can test the scope of your content by comparing each main point to the thesis statement.
A)True
B)False
Q10) Why should you write your thesis statement carefully? Page 18
Q9) All main points must be related directly to the ______________.
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Chapter 13: The Importance of Language
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Sample Questions
Q1) Most misunderstandings occur because of connotative meanings.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Why do your textbook authors recommend using economy in a speech?
Q3) Speakers should try to know:
A)how their audiences could interpret words used in their speeches.
B)how to give an extended definition of a conceptual term.
C)the exact dictionary definitions of all the terms they plan to use.
D)the technical definitions of all the terms they plan to use.
E)which words have multiple dictionary definitions.
Q4) What do we mean when we refer to inclusive language?
Q5) What are connotative meanings? Give an example showing a variety of ways in which a single word can be understood.
Q6) A metaphor is used to:
A)analyze a relationship between two ideas or things.
B)clarify the meaning of a complicated term.
C)define the various meanings of a single term.
D)emphasize specific differences between two things.
E)suggest a resemblance between two different things.
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Q7) What is obscure language? What can public speakers do about it? Give an example.
Chapter 14: Delivering the Speech
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Sample Questions
Q1) A lectern allows a speaker to use both hands for gestures.
A)True
B)False
Q2) When preparing your notecards:
A)continue a sentence on the next card.
B)make the writing large and dark.
C)number the cards on both sides.
D)use complete sentences only.
E)write small so that you can write more.
Q3) Extemporaneous speaking is the rote recitation of a memorized written message.
A)True
B)False
Q4) A vocal cue is:
A)the apparent effort or energy given to a presentation.
B)an emphasis given to a particular word or phrase.
C)the fluency with which a speaker presents a speech.
D)a meaningful variation in pitch,tone,volume,or pace.
E)most likely to appear in a manuscript presentation.
Q5) The presentation of a short message without advance preparation is called ________ speaking.
Page 21
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Chapter 15: Presentation Aids: Design and Usage
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Q1) What do you think are the five most important guidelines an individual should use when preparing PowerPoint slides? Explain why.
Q2) Presentation aids help listeners with retention and recall when:
A)components of the presentation aid are carefully labeled.
B)the presentation aids are unique and impressively elaborate. C)each presentation is displayed at least twice in a speech.
D)visual and oral components of a speech are skillfully combined. E)you display the presentation aid long enough to create an impact.
Q3) What steps must you take if you're using a video clip in your speech? Give an example with each step.
Q4) Having a backup plan when things go wrong means rescheduling your speech.
A)True B)False
Q5) You should use the widest variety of presentation aids you possibly can. A)True
B)False
Q6) You gain credibility when you use a photograph to dress up your speech. A)True
B)False
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Q7) The presentation aid that requires the most management is ____________.
Chapter 16: Informative Speaking
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Sample Questions
Q1) Differentiate among the three goals of public speaking.
Q2) Roy is giving a speech on the Columbia Space Shuttle disaster.What type of informative speech is Roy giving?
A)concepts
B)events
C)objects
D)people
E)process
Q3) During the middle of a speech,the speaker says that "this community is highly discriminatory." The word "discriminatory" in this context is considered what?
A)abstract
B)behavioral
C)concrete
D)intangible
E)physical
Q4) A speech about the life cycle of a fruit fly is an example of a(n)___________ informative speech.
Q5) Why should speakers make information memorable?
Q6) Why should speakers avoid unnecessary jargon?
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Chapter 17: Persuasive Speaking
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Q1) "Censorship of books in public schools is a good idea" is an example of a factual claim.
A)True
B)False
Q2) In the visualization step in Monroe's motivated sequence,the ____________ method of visualization occurs when a speaker shows how not adopting the proposal will lead to a worse future.
Q3) "Dissent in organizations should never be allowed" is an example of a definitional claim.
A)True
B)False
Q4) The ____________ step in Monroe's motivated sequence occurs when a speaker establishes that there is a specific need or problem.
Q5) All persuasive claims call for immediate action.
A)True
B)False
Q6) Differentiate between core and dispositional beliefs.
Q7) Explain the two goals of policy claims.
Q8) Explain and give an example of a factual claim.
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Chapter 18: Speaking to Entertain
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Q1) Melissa cannot tell a joke to save her life.She just cannot verbally or nonverbally deliver a joke effectively.Melissa has problems with what?
A)comic timing
B)comic delivery
C)exhilaratibility
D)humor delivery
E)humor timing
Q2) Of the ten types of verbal humor,which do you think is the most difficult to pull-off effectively? Why? Which do you think is the easiest to pull-off effectively? Why?
Q3) A __________ __________ is an agency that represents celebrity and professional speakers.
Q4) Which of the following is not a typical context for an entertaining speech?
A)award banquet
B)convention
C)graduation
D)political rally
E)wedding
Q5) What is an entertainment speech?
Q6) What are the main points of an introduction speech?
Page 25
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Chapter 19: Your First Speech
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Sample Questions
Q1) The ______________ is commonly thought of as a structure that guides people in a specific direction toward greatness.
Q2) Experts do not need to do research when preparing their speeches.
A)True
B)False
Q3) The goal of a general review is to find general information that can help point you in a specific direction.
A)True
B)False
Q4) The key to extemporaneous speaking is to:
A)be comfortable speaking from a complete transcript of your speech.
B)be comfortable speaking with only a set of notes.
C)be comfortable improvising a speech.
D)be comfortable engaging in question-and-answer sessions with audiences.
E)be comfortable persuading audience members of a view you hold.
Q5) Two important aspects related to practicing a speech are verbal and visual delivery.
A)True
B)False
Q6) Describe the basic outline of a speech.
26
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