Content: Materials based on The Art of Public Speaking, Eighth Edition by Stephen E. Lucas. © 2004 by the McGraw-Hill Companies. Copyright ©2001 The McGraw-Hill Companies,Inc. All rights reserved. Any use subject to the Terms of Use are observed as materials are only for student use in conjunction with the Lucas’ textbook and later editions. Privacy Policy McGraw-Hill Higher Education : The McGraw-Hill Companies. https://www.mhhe.com/catalogs/work/permissions.mhtml
Multiple Choice Questions (Students are to indicate the best answer for each
question by circling the correct letter.)
33. People spend more time than in any other communication activity.
a. speaking
b. writing
c. reading
* d. listening
e. discussing
34. Even when we are listening carefully, we usually grasp only about percent of what we hear.
a. 20
b. 30
c. 40
* d. 50
e. 60
35. When business managers are asked to list the communication skills most crucial to their job, they usually rank number one.
a. conversation
b. critical thinking
* c. listening
d. public speaking
e. writing
36. Sarah is listening to her roommate to provide emotional support in a time of distress. According to your textbook, Sarah is engaged in listening.
a. critical
b. appreciative
* c. empathic
d. personal
e. comprehensive
37. Nuzhat is listening to provide emotional support to her friend Sousan, who is talking about the health of her aging parents. According to your textbook, Nuzhat is engaged in listening.
a. critical
b. appreciative
* c. empathic
d. intimate
e. comprehensive
38. Fletcher is listening for pleasure as a friend discusses her trip to Australia. According to your textbook, Fletcher is engaged in listening.
* a. appreciative
b. receptive
c. personal
d. comprehensive
e. empathic
39. Max is smiling and nodding his head as he listens to a toast at a friend’s wedding. According to your textbook, Max is engaged in listening.
a. critical
* b. appreciative
c. comprehensive
d. empathic
e. personal
40. Mary Garcia is listening to her meteorology professor explain how to interpret images from Doppler radar. Because Mary’s goal is to understand the information being presented, she is engaged in listening.
a. attentive
* b. comprehensive
c. appreciative
d. empathic
e. critical
41. 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
b. reflective
c. evaluative
d. empathic
e. comprehensive
42. Lance is enjoying Chris Rock’s stand-up comedy routine at the Civic Center. According to your textbook, Lance is engaged in listening.
a. critical
* b. appreciative
c. comprehensive
d. empathic
e. intimate
43. 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
b. appreciative
c. comprehensive
d. empathic
e. intimate
44. 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
b. appreciative
c. comprehensive
d. empathic
e. intimate
45. Leon is listening to his chemistry instructor review the steps for this week’s lab assignment. Because Leon has to understand and follow these directions carefully, your textbook would say he is engaged in listening.
a. assertive
b. empathic
* c. comprehensive
d. appreciative
e. engaged
46. Brian’s fraternity is deciding whether to become alcohol free. On the evening of the vote, speakers present arguments on both sides of the issue. Because Brian has to decide whether to accept or reject the proposed policy, he is engaged in
listening.
a. emphatic
b. appreciative
c. comprehensive
* d. critical
e. intimate
47. Kristen is listening to a political candidate’s speech for purposes of deciding whether to accept or reject the speaker’s message. According to your textbook, Kristen is engaged in listening.
a. comprehensive
b. judgmental
* c. critical
d. empathic
e. conclusive
48. Devon Williams, president of the Minority Student Organization, is listening to the Dean of Students present her plan for a new multicultural center so he can decide whether or not to support the plan. According to your textbook, Devon is engaged in listening.
a. reflective
b. personal
c. empathic
* d. critical
e. receptive
49. Sun-Wan is listening to a classroom lecture to understand the message of the speaker. According to your textbook, Sun-Wan is engaged in listening.
* a. comprehensive
b. judgmental
c. critical
d. empathic
e. appreciative
50. A new class registration system has been established on campus. Tonight, a representative from the Registrar’s office will speak about how to use the new system. You will be listening to the speaker in hopes of understanding the steps involved in registering for classes next semester. As explained in your textbook, you will be engaged in listening.
a. intimate
b. critical
c. empathic
* d. comprehensive
e. appreciative
51. Giving excessive attention to the details of a speech is an example of
* a. listening too hard.
b. giving in to distractions.
c. listening for technique.
d. jumping to conclusions.
e. focusing on delivery.
52. Brad Falk is listening to a speaker explain how a new computer program works so Brad can use it in his business. According to your textbook, Brad is engaged in
listening.
a. passive
b. appreciative
c. active
* d. comprehensive
e. empathic
53. Which of the following is one of the four major causes of poor listening discussed in your textbook?
* a. focusing on a speaker’s appearance or delivery
b. taking key-word notes during a speech
c. suspending judgment about a speaker’s ideas
d. concentrating on a speaker’s evidence and reasoning
e. listening empathically rather than critically
54. Which of the following is included among the four major causes of poor listening discussed in your textbook?
a. trying to remember everything the speaker says
b. jumping to conclusions about the speaker’s ideas
c. taking written notes while the speech is in progress
d. all of the above
* e. a and b only
55. Margaret is passionately committed to animal rights. At an evening lecture required for her biology class, she learned that the title of the speaker’s talk was “The Importance of Animal Experimentation to Medical Advances.” Offended and sure that the speaker had nothing ethical or interesting to say, Margaret paid no attention at all during the lecture. According to your textbook, the primary cause of Margaret’s poor listening was
a. poor concentration.
b. focusing on the speaker’s topic.
c. being distracted by external interference.
* d. jumping to conclusions.
e. spare “brain time.”
56. Ted is listening to the introduction of Janine’s speech when he thinks to himself, “Man, this is really going to be boring.” What aspect of poor listening identified in your textbook is Ted exhibiting in this example?
a. listening too hard
* b. jumping to conclusions
c. rejecting the speaker’s frame of reference
d. giving in to distractions
e. not listening comprehensively
57. Matt’s political science professor announces that next week there will be a guest lecture by peace activist Rachel Phelps entitled “The History of War, the Prospects for Peace.” Matt decides to skip class that day, saying to himself, “What can a peace activist possibly tell me about war?” What aspect of poor listening identified in your textbook is Matt exhibiting in this example?
a. failing to concentrate
* b. jumping to conclusions
c. rejecting the speaker’s frame of reference
d. giving in to distractions
e. suspending judgment
58. As Jenell listened to her classmate’s speech explaining the differences between collision insurance and comprehensive insurance, it reminded her that she needed to pay her insurance bill before the end of the day. Then, rather than listening to the speaker, she started thinking about all the other things she had to do that day. According to your textbook, the primary cause of Jenell’s poor listening is
* a. not concentrating.
b. focusing on the speaker’s topic.
c. being distracted by external interference.
d. personalizing the topic.
e. listening too hard.
59. What does your textbook say is the first step to improving your listening skills?
a. resist distractions during a speech
b. focus on the speaker’s message
* c. take listening seriously
d. suspend judgment until the end of the speech
e. learn to empathize with the speaker
60. Although most people speak at a rate of 120 to 150 words a minute, the brain can process words at a rate of
a. 100 to 200 words a minute.
b. 200 to 400 words a minute.
* c. 400 to 800 words a minute.
d. 600 to 900 words a minute.
e. 1000 to 1200 words a minute.
61. According to your textbook, skilled listeners do not try to absorb a speaker’s every word. Rather, they focus on three major aspects of a speech. Those aspects include
a. main points.
b. evidence.
c. technique.
* d. all of the above.
e. a and b only.
62. When listening for a speaker’s evidence, you should keep an ear out for its
a. sufficiency.
b. accuracy.
c. objectivity.
d. relevance.
* e. all of the above.
63. According to your textbook, one way to focus your listening is to
a. concentrate on what the speaker is wearing.
b. try to remember every word the speaker utters.
c. engage in mental arguments with the speaker.
d. pay attention to feedback from other listeners.
* e. listen for the speaker’s main points.
64. Your textbook recommends as the most effective method of note taking for listening to a speech.
a. writing down a speaker’s most interesting ideas
b. making a full-sentence outline
c. using the Harvard listening system
d. trying to write down everything a speaker says
* e. creating a key-word outline
65. Mark is listening to a speaker’s evidence during a persuasive speech on nuclear power. According to your textbook, Mark should be asking:
a. Is the evidence sufficient to support the speaker’s claims?
b. Is the evidence taken from objective sources?
c. Is the evidence relevant to the speaker’s claims?
d. a and c only.
* e. all of the above.
66. Alena is listening to a speaker’s evidence during a speech on genetically modified foods. According to your textbook, Alena should be asking:
a. Is the evidence from objective sources?
b. Is the evidence consistent with the speaker’s delivery?
c. Is the evidence relevant to the speaker’s claims?
d. all of the above.
* e. a and c only
67. Natasha is taking notes on a speech about teaching Intelligent Design in high-school biology. If she were to follow the recommendation of your textbook, she would
* a. create a key-word outline.
b. use the Harvard listening system.
c. write down everything the speaker says.
d. all of the above.
e. a and b only.
68. Which of the following is recommended by your textbook as a way to improve your listening?
a. Try to remember everything the speaker says.
b. Pay close attention to feedback from other listeners.
c. Concentrate solely on the speaker’s gestures and eye contact.
* d. Suspend judgment until you hear all the speaker has to say.
e. Do not take written notes as the speech is in progress.
69. Andrew went to hear a speech by a community leader he very much admired. He took a notebook and pen and, during the speech, wrote down everything he could from the speech. When he got home later, he reviewed his notes and could barely make sense out of them. What went wrong?
a. Andrew should have simply listened to the speech rather than taking notes.
b. Andrew should have taken notes by making a full-sentence outline of the speech.
c. Andrew should have paid more attention to the speaker’s delivery rather than focusing on the words of the speech.
d. Andrew should have resisted distractions and concentrated more effectively on the speech.
* e. Andrew should have made a key-word outline of the speech instead of trying to write down everything.