Created By: A Solution
Test Bank for The Art of Public Speaking, 13th
Edition by Stephen Lucas A+
True-False Questions
1. TF Communication skills, including public speaking, are often more important to
employers than a job candidate’s undergraduate major.
2. TF In specialized fields, technical knowledge is more important to employers than
communication skills when deciding whom to hire and promote.
3. TF As your textbook states, texting, tweeting, and other forms of electronic
communication have significantly reduced the need for public speaking.
4. TF As your textbook states, public speaking is a form of empowerment because it
gives speakers the ability to manipulate people.
5. TF The teaching and study of public speaking began more than 4,000 years ago.
6. TF Both public speaking and conversation involve adapting to listener feedback.
7. T F Public speaking requires the same method of delivery as ordinary conversation.
8. TF Public speaking usually requires more formal language than everyday
conversation.
9. TF Public speaking is more highly structured than everyday conversation.
10. TF When you adjust to the situation of a public speech, you are doing on a larger
scale what you do every day in conversation.
11. TF As a speaker, you can usually assume that an audience will be interested in what
you have to say.
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12. TF Fortunately, stage fright only affects inexperienced speakers.
13. TF Most successful speakers are nervous before taking the floor.
14. TF Some nervousness before you speak is usually beneficial.
15. TF Many of the symptoms of stage fright are due to adrenaline, a hormone released
into the bloodstream in response to physical or mental stress.
16. TF Thinking of stage fright as “stage excitement” or “stage enthusiasm” can help you
get focused and energized for a speech.
17. TF For most beginning speakers, the biggest part of stage fright is fear of the
unknown.
18. TF It has been estimated that being fully prepared for a speech can reduce stage
fright by up to 75 percent.
19. TF Thinking positively about your ability to give a speech is one way to control your
anxiety about speaking.
20. TF Research has shown that for most speakers, anxiety decreases significantly after
the first 30 to 60 seconds of a speech.
21. TF Using the power of visualization to control stage fright means that you should
approach your speech as a performance in which the audience is looking for perfection.
22. TF As your textbook explains, visualization involves creating a mental picture of
yourself succeeding at your speech.
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23. TF Speakers who think positively about themselves and the speech experience are
more likely to overcome their stage fright than are speakers who think negatively.
24. TF Researchers suggest that you counter every negative thought you have about your
speeches with at least five positive ones.
25. TF Listeners usually realize how tense a speaker is.
26. TF Most of the nervousness public speakers feel internally is not visible to their
listeners.
27. TF As your textbook explains, the best way to approach public speaking is to view it
as an act of communication, rather than as a performance.
28. TF Audiences are usually critical of speakers for making minor mistakes.
29. TF You will do the best in your speeches if you expect perfection every time.
30. TF It is usually a bad idea to make eye contact with individual members of your
audience.
31. T F In many aspects of public speaking, you will employ the skills of critical thinking.
32. TF Organizing ideas for presentation in a speech is an important aspect of critical
thinking.
33. TF Critical thinking is a way of thinking negatively about everything you hear in a
speech.
34. TF Practicing speech delivery is one of the most important ways in which public
speaking helps develop your skills as a critical thinker.
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35. If you were seeking to persuade an audience to volunteer for a project, which of
the following would be effective ways to establish your credibility?
36.
37. a. Talking about your personal experience volunteering for the project
38. b. Sharing that you care about the audience members
39. c. Demonstrating your sincerity through the delivery of your speech
40. d. Emphasizing how you are different from your audience
41. a. Talking about your personal experience volunteering for the project
42. b. Sharing that you care about the audience members
43. c. Demonstrating your sincerity through the delivery of your speech
44. Explaining your own competence is a way to enhance your ______ as a speaker.
45.
46. A. trustworthiness
47. B. character
48. C. credibility
49. D. sincerity
50. C. credibility
51. The audience's perception of the speaker's qualification to speak on a topic is
called
52.
53. A. credibility.
54. B. goodwill.
55. C. competence.
56. D. logos.
A+ Page 4
Test Bank for The Art of Public Speaking, 13th
Edition by Stephen Lucas A+
True-False Questions
1. TF Communication skills, including public speaking, are often more important to
employers than a job candidate’s undergraduate major.
2. TF In specialized fields, technical knowledge is more important to employers than
communication skills when deciding whom to hire and promote.
3. TF As your textbook states, texting, tweeting, and other forms of electronic
communication have significantly reduced the need for public speaking.
4. TF As your textbook states, public speaking is a form of empowerment because it
gives speakers the ability to manipulate people.
5. TF The teaching and study of public speaking began more than 4,000 years ago.
6. TF Both public speaking and conversation involve adapting to listener feedback.
7. T F Public speaking requires the same method of delivery as ordinary conversation.
8. TF Public speaking usually requires more formal language than everyday
conversation.
9. TF Public speaking is more highly structured than everyday conversation.
10. TF When you adjust to the situation of a public speech, you are doing on a larger
scale what you do every day in conversation.
11. TF As a speaker, you can usually assume that an audience will be interested in what
you have to say.
A+ Page 1
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12. TF Fortunately, stage fright only affects inexperienced speakers.
13. TF Most successful speakers are nervous before taking the floor.
14. TF Some nervousness before you speak is usually beneficial.
15. TF Many of the symptoms of stage fright are due to adrenaline, a hormone released
into the bloodstream in response to physical or mental stress.
16. TF Thinking of stage fright as “stage excitement” or “stage enthusiasm” can help you
get focused and energized for a speech.
17. TF For most beginning speakers, the biggest part of stage fright is fear of the
unknown.
18. TF It has been estimated that being fully prepared for a speech can reduce stage
fright by up to 75 percent.
19. TF Thinking positively about your ability to give a speech is one way to control your
anxiety about speaking.
20. TF Research has shown that for most speakers, anxiety decreases significantly after
the first 30 to 60 seconds of a speech.
21. TF Using the power of visualization to control stage fright means that you should
approach your speech as a performance in which the audience is looking for perfection.
22. TF As your textbook explains, visualization involves creating a mental picture of
yourself succeeding at your speech.
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23. TF Speakers who think positively about themselves and the speech experience are
more likely to overcome their stage fright than are speakers who think negatively.
24. TF Researchers suggest that you counter every negative thought you have about your
speeches with at least five positive ones.
25. TF Listeners usually realize how tense a speaker is.
26. TF Most of the nervousness public speakers feel internally is not visible to their
listeners.
27. TF As your textbook explains, the best way to approach public speaking is to view it
as an act of communication, rather than as a performance.
28. TF Audiences are usually critical of speakers for making minor mistakes.
29. TF You will do the best in your speeches if you expect perfection every time.
30. TF It is usually a bad idea to make eye contact with individual members of your
audience.
31. T F In many aspects of public speaking, you will employ the skills of critical thinking.
32. TF Organizing ideas for presentation in a speech is an important aspect of critical
thinking.
33. TF Critical thinking is a way of thinking negatively about everything you hear in a
speech.
34. TF Practicing speech delivery is one of the most important ways in which public
speaking helps develop your skills as a critical thinker.
A+ Page 3
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35. If you were seeking to persuade an audience to volunteer for a project, which of
the following would be effective ways to establish your credibility?
36.
37. a. Talking about your personal experience volunteering for the project
38. b. Sharing that you care about the audience members
39. c. Demonstrating your sincerity through the delivery of your speech
40. d. Emphasizing how you are different from your audience
41. a. Talking about your personal experience volunteering for the project
42. b. Sharing that you care about the audience members
43. c. Demonstrating your sincerity through the delivery of your speech
44. Explaining your own competence is a way to enhance your ______ as a speaker.
45.
46. A. trustworthiness
47. B. character
48. C. credibility
49. D. sincerity
50. C. credibility
51. The audience's perception of the speaker's qualification to speak on a topic is
called
52.
53. A. credibility.
54. B. goodwill.
55. C. competence.
56. D. logos.
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