Speech
Persuasion and Rhetoric
Chapter 10
NAME___________________________________________________________
Study Guide
As you read, answer the following questions:
1. What is persuasion?
2. What are the three types of persuasive speeches?
3. What kinds of things can serve as evidence or proof of an argument in a persuasive speech?
4. What are some tips for using cause-effect reasoning in a persuasive speech?
5. What are the five steps in the method of structuring a persuasive argument called Monroe’s
Motivated Sequence?
Critical Thinking
1. How do you think developing good persuasive skills can help you in your future career?
2. Why do you think that dressing appropriately for the occasion is important when giving a
persuasive speech?
3. What persuasive arguments that use faulty reasoning can you recall?
4. Do you think it’s wrong to try to persuade others to change their views about something?
Multiple Choice Test
Read each description and write the letter of the correct term on the line.
1. In a persuasive speech, the speaker’s main goal is to _____.
a. give clear and precise information on a topic
b. change the audience or strengthen its commitment to something
c. oppose the majority views of the audience
d. understand the background of the listeners
2. A speech against the death penalty involves _____.
a. a question of fact
b. a question of value
c. a question of policy
d. both b and c
3. To engage audience emotions during a speech, you must _____.
a. know their views about your topic
b. avoid moving your body during your speech
c. speak only to a positive or neutral audience
d. identify the social needs of the audience
4. How shouldn’t you begin a persuasive speech?
a. introduce yourself
b. make sure your stance is confident
c. maintain eye contact
d. focus on your notes
5. Use _____ with a hostile or suspicious audience.
a. an inductive approach
b. a deductive approach
c. logical fallacies
d. propaganda techniques
6. To explain events leading up to World War II, a persuasive speech might best use _____.
a. ethos
b. comparison and contrast
c. cause-effect reasoning
d. qualitative evaluation
7. The statement “girls should play with dolls” is an example of _____.
a. a non sequitur
b. card-stacking
c. begging the question
d. a false generalization
8. The propaganda technique called transfer _____.
a. makes an illogical connection between unrelated things
b. suggests that something is true because others think that it is
c. uses language that evokes strong emotions
d. says people must choose between two options
9. In the “need” step of Monroe’s Motivated Sequence, you try to _____.
a. help listeners visualize a future without a certain problem
b. attract and focus the attention of the audience
c. show listeners the problem is theirs
d. outline your solution to the problem
10. _____ is NOT a role of an effective evaluator of a persuasive speech.
a. Keeping a positive attitude
b. Giving the speaker constructive criticism
c. Making notes during the speech
d. Taking sides on an issue
Essay Question
Do you think the advertising industry uses persuasive techniques in a positive or negative way?
Vocabulary
Find the best answer for each item. Then circle that answer.
1. What is the focus of the persuasive argument called a question of value?
a. an issue that is not taken seriously
b. a matter that can be viewed as true or false
c. a problem, issue, or matter proposing a new plan of action
d. a problem, issue, or matter involving a strong opinion or attitude
2. What did Aristotle mean by the term “situation”?
a. the rationale for a position in a persuasive speech
b. the place, time, circumstances, and audience for a speech
c. the topic or theme of a persuasive speech
d. the policy that the speaker wants to change
3. What quality in listeners does pathos attempt to address?
a. emotions
b. rationality
c. comprehension
d. intelligence
4. What is an apathetic audience?
a. an audience that supports your position
b. an audience that disagrees with your position
c. an audience that has no interest in your topic because its members may not see how it affects
them
d. an audience that is hostile
5. According to Aristotle, which mode of persuasion appeals most to the listeners’ rationality?
a. ethos
b. logos
c. pathos
d. inductive reasoning
6. What do you call the rationale for a position in a persuasive speech?
a. argument
b. evidence
c. speculation
d. sequential format
7. What is inductive reasoning?
a. a thought process that moves from a general statement and then uses specific examples to
support it
b. a thought process that uses specific instances or examples to reach a general conclusion
c. a mode of persuasion based on credibility
d. a mode of persuasion that appeals to the listeners’ rationality
8. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs concerns
a. what listeners need
b. what speakers need
c. how to avoid faulty reasoning
d. all of the above
9. How do speakers using a sequential format present their topics?
a. they relate the topics to listeners’ emotions
b. they focus on similarities and differences
c. they use subheads as an organizing strategy
d. they list topics in the order in which events occur
10. What is involved in a qualitative evaluation?
a. assessing the type of audience
b. examining the comfort level of the speaker
c. making judgments of and observations about a speech
d. none of the above