Test Bank Answers Ch4 Listening Critically

Chapter 4 Listening Critically

Multiple Choice

1. In what way does listening differ from hearing?

a. Hearing processes sounds; listening interprets the sounds’ meaning.

b. Hearing is sensory and listening is nonsense.

c. Listening is used for speeches; hearing is used for conversations.

d. Listening is physiological; hearing is psychological.

Learning Objective: 4.1 Distinguish between hearing and listening, and explain why listening skills are important to speakers.

Topic: Are You Really Listening?

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Understand the Concepts

2. Audience members provide verbal and nonverbal responses to a speaker. These messages from the audience to the speaker are referred to as __________.

a. listener distractions

b. situational distractions

c. audience feedback

d. listening cues

Learning Objective: 4.1 Distinguish between hearing and listening, and explain why listening skills are important to speakers.

Topic: Are You Really Listening?

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Understand the Concepts

3. Trevor listened carefully to the political speaker and realized that his claims weren’t all true because Trevor’s taxes had gone up dramatically in the past six months. In this situation, listening allowed Trevor to__________.

a. establish eye contact

b. evaluate the message

c. assess the speaker’s pathos

d. create common ground

Learning Objective: 4.1 Distinguish between hearing and listening, and explain why listening skills are important to speakers.

Topic: Are You Really Listening?

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

4. The audience clapped enthusiastically at the conclusion of Meesha’s speech. Their clapping is a form of __________.

a. verbal confirmation

b. enunciation

c. ethnocentrism

d. feedback

Learning Objective: 4.1 Distinguish between hearing and listening, and explain why listening skills are important to speakers.

Topic: Are You Really Listening?

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

5. As Carlos listened to Brynn’s speech advocating closing U.S. borders to immigrants, he became upset at her stereotypical view of Latin American immigrants. He sat back in his chair, frowned, and looked angrily at the speaker. Carlos was involved in the communication process of __________.

a. rhetorical criticism

b. feedback

c. careful listening

d. conversation

Learning Objective: 4.1 Distinguish between hearing and listening, and explain why listening skills are important to speakers.

Topic: Are You Really Listening?

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

6. While Bobby was listening to a speech about energy conservation, he heard the speaker discuss oil as a nonrenewable resource. This prompted him to think that it was time to change the oil in his car, and he began to plan a trip to his mechanic’s garage. To which listening problem has Bobby fallen prey?

a. limited attention span

b. listener distraction

c. jumping to conclusions

d. common ground

Learning Objective: 4.2 Identify obstacles to effective listening.

Topic: Why Listening Is Difficult

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

7. The professor reminded the students to be in the moment and focus on what their classmates were saying and not think about what kind of pizza they were ordering for dinner or who was sending them a text message. The professor is advocating for __________.

a. mapping

b. mindfulness

c. reflection

d. feedback

Learning Objective: 4.2 Identify obstacles to effective listening.

Topic: Why Listening Is Difficult

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

8. The speaker can help combat listener distractions by __________.

a. staying flexible and adapting to the situation

b. talking louder and faster

c. using audience analysis to analyze listeners’ preconceptions

d. making the speech as short as possible

Learning Objective: 4.2 Identify obstacles to effective listening.

Topic: Why Listening Is Difficult

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Understand the Concepts

9. In consideration of listeners’ attention spans, a speaker may want to plan a speech that is __________.

a. long

b. primarily visual

c. primarily entertaining

d. short and uncomplicated

Learning Objective: 4.2 Identify obstacles to effective listening.

Topic: Why Listening Is Difficult

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Understand the Concepts

10. One way a speaker can combat the problem of an audience’s limited attention span is by __________.

a. using lots of sound bites

b. employing a minimum of supporting material

c. dividing the speech into small segments

d. oversimplifying the message

Learning Objective: 4.2 Identify obstacles to effective listening.

Topic: Why Listening Is Difficult

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Understand the Concepts

11. When Natalie’s audience heard a car security alarm through the open window, many turned their attention to the window and failed to hear what she was saying. Which obstacle has occurred to prevent effective listening?

a. jumping to conclusions

b. situational distraction

c. mindfulness

d. limited attention span

Learning Objective: 4.2 Identify obstacles to effective listening.

Topic: Why Listening Is Difficult

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

12. Instant acceptance or instant rejection of a speaker’s message occurs because of __________.

a. listener distractions

b. situational distractions

c. short attention spans

d. jumping to conclusions

Learning Objective: 4.2 Identify obstacles to effective listening.

Topic: Why Listening Is Difficult

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Understand the Concepts

13. As Milo is concluding his speech, Bob enters the room. What kind of listening problem could Bob’s late arrival create for the audience?

a. situational distraction

b. listener distraction

c. assimilation

d. rhetorical disturbance

Learning Objective: 4.2 Identify obstacles to effective listening.

Topic: Why Listening Is Difficult

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

14. Audience members who assume two similar messages are identical are guilty of __________.

a. amplification

b. accommodation

c. admission

d. assimilation

Learning Objective: 4.2 Identify obstacles to effective listening.

Topic: Why Listening Is Difficult

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Understand the Concepts

15. Julia knows her listeners might be distracted by their own thoughts during her speech. What is one thing Julia can do to minimize this obstacle to effective listening?

a. repeat points

b. speak to a small segment of the audience

c. use more presentation aids

d. create persuasion

Learning Objective: 4.2 Identify obstacles to effective listening.

Topic: Why Listening Is Difficult

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

16. Maura tends to think faster than she can listen. To help her be a more mindful listener, she should __________.

a. be aware of all distractions

b. take notes during the speech

c. conduct an audience analysis

d. listen to only longer speeches

Learning Objective: 4.2 Identify obstacles to effective listening.

Topic: Why Listening Is Difficult

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

17. Mindful listeners focus on __________.

a. the thesis and main ideas

b. the interesting stories in a speech

c. the speaker’s delivery

d. the introduction and conclusion

Learning Objective: 4.3 Listen mindfully by mapping the central ideas of a speech and by taking notes.

Topic: Strategies for Mindful Listening

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Understand the Concepts

18. Two techniques that can help you become a mindful listener are __________.

a. selection and retention

b. criticism and assimilation

c. mapping and note taking

d. identification and description

Learning Objective: 4.3 Listen mindfully by mapping the central ideas of a speech and by taking notes.

Topic: Strategies for Mindful Listening

Difficulty Level: Easy

Skill Level: Remember the Facts

19. The mapping process is used to show the relationship between the thesis of the speech and the __________.

a. conclusion

b. introduction

c. outline

d. main ideas

Learning Objective: 4.3 Listen mindfully by mapping the central ideas of a speech and by taking notes.

Topic: Strategies for Mindful Listening

Difficulty Level: Easy

Skill Level: Remember the Facts

20. The first step in the mapping process is __________.

a. identifying the main ideas

b. assessing the main ideas

c. identifying the thesis

d. deciding whether the main ideas support the thesis

Learning Objective: 4.3 Listen mindfully by mapping the central ideas of a speech and by taking notes.

Topic: Strategies for Mindful Listening

Difficulty Level: Easy

Skill Level: Remember the Facts

21. Miles’s speech is organized around the following thesis: “We should take steps to prevent illegal recruiting of college athletes.” As you listen, you map out the following main points. Which point is least relevant to the thesis?

a. Coaches are offering payments as inducements to high school athletes.

b. More restrictions should be placed on contacts with recruits.

c. College basketball authorities need to investigate athletes’ finances more carefully.

d. Some college athletes have classwork done for them by their tutors.

Learning Objective: 4.3 Listen mindfully by mapping the central ideas of a speech and by taking notes.

Topic: Strategies for Mindful Listening

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

22. During the presentation, Audrey was able to identify the speaker’s thesis and three main points. She wrote these down and put a plus sign next to the points she felt were well established by the speaker. What process is Audrey using?

a. mapping

b. assimilation

c. identification

d. outlining

Learning Objective: 4.3 Listen mindfully by mapping the central ideas of a speech and by taking notes.

Topic: Strategies for Mindful Listening

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

23. What is an important thing to do when taking notes during a speech?

a. focus on the preview in the introduction

b. do not replace words with symbols

c. write in complete sentences

d. organize the notes as a rough outline

Learning Objective: 4.3 Listen mindfully by mapping the central ideas of a speech and by taking notes.

Topic: Strategies for Mindful Listening

Difficulty Level: Easy

Skill Level: Remember the Facts

24. Critical thinking is not “negative, hostile, or adversarial.” It is defined as the ability to __________.

a. consider differences between speaker and listeners

b. form and defend one’s own judgments

c. plan an action to achieve a challenge

d. critique each of a speaker’s main ideas

Learning Objective: 4.4 Explain how critical thinking is applied in the speaking situation.

Topic: Listening Critically

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Understand the Concepts

25. What is a characteristic of critical thinkers?

a. They distinguish between facts and opinions.

b. They take the speaker’s claims at face value.

c. They look at each new idea as acceptable.

d. They accept assertions on faith.

Learning Objective: 4.4 Explain how critical thinking is applied in the speaking situation.

Topic: Listening Critically

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Understand the Concepts

26. When a critical thinker assesses a speaker’s main points and asks, “What have you got to go on?” he or she is exercising which characteristic of critical thought?

a. reluctance to accept assertions on faith

b. desire to uncover assumptions

c. openness to new ideas

d. comparison of new ideas to what is already known

Learning Objective: 4.4 Explain how critical thinking is applied in the speaking situation.

Topic: Listening Critically

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Understand the Concepts

27. Which question is a critical thinker likely to ask about a speaker’s assertions?

a. Do I like these ideas?

b. Are they well supported?

c. How is the audience responding to them?

d. Does the speaker really believe them?

Learning Objective: 4.4 Explain how critical thinking is applied in the speaking situation.

Topic: Listening Critically

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Understand the Concepts

28. To start her speech, Megan said, “The Center for Disease Control states that 35% of children under the age of 5 have not been properly vaccinated.” What is Megan using to support her claim?

a. local opinion

b. mapping

c. a fact

d. assimilation

Learning Objective: 4.4 Explain how critical thinking is applied in the speaking situation.

Topic: Listening Critically

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

29. The strength of an opinion as supporting material rests on the __________.

a. ethos of the person who holds it

b. factual support that verifies it

c. intelligence of the listener who accepts it

d. importance of the issue addressed by it

Learning Objective: 4.4 Explain how critical thinking is applied in the speaking situation.

Topic: Listening Critically

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Understand the Concepts

30. Opinions are viewed as __________ in a speech.

a. verifiable statements

b. reflective values

c. subjective judgments

d. unstated assumptions

Learning Objective: 4.4 Explain how critical thinking is applied in the speaking situation.

Topic: Listening Critically

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Understand the Concepts

31. Most of the audience for John’s speech on buying a home didn’t listen. They took for granted that the economy would continue to decline and home prices would be out of their reach. What caused these listeners to fail to listen critically?

a. opinions

b. values

c. facts

d. assumptions

Learning Objective: 4.4 Explain how critical thinking is applied in the speaking situation.

Topic: Listening Critically

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

32. Critical listening begins with mapping and is aided by note taking, but it adds the step of __________ before judgment.

a. assimilation

b. hearing

c. criticism

d. reflection

Learning Objective: 4.4 Explain how critical thinking is applied in the speaking situation.

Topic: Listening Critically

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Understand the Concepts

33. Critical listening leads to an understanding of a speech as well as an interpretation and assessment of it. This allows the listener to draw conclusions based on __________.

a. reflective judgment

b. unstated assumptions

c. critical opinions

d. uncritical analysis

Learning Objective: 4.4 Explain how critical thinking is applied in the speaking situation.

Topic: Listening Critically

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Understand the Concepts

34. What occurs when critical listeners elaborate the message presented by the speaker?

a. They take notes during the speech to provide feedback to the speaker.

b. They listen to the speech with no preconceived ideas.

c. They compare their assumptions with others in the audience.

d. They think actively about what they hear and how it might be answered.

Learning Objective: 4.4 Explain how critical thinking is applied in the speaking situation.

Topic: Listening Critically

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Understand the Concepts

35. Evaluation standards for assessing the quality of a speech should be based on an understanding of __________.

a. the rhetorical situation and the speaker’s purpose

b. audience predispositions and audience feedback

c. speaker’s style and speaker’s ethos

d. the speech situation and the speech timeframe

Learning Objective: 4.5 Evaluate speeches as a result of critical listening.

Topic: Evaluating Speeches Critically

Difficulty Level: Easy

Skill Level: Remember the Facts

36. When evaluating a speech, one should consider two sets of constraints imposed on the speaker by the __________.

a. title and the thesis of the speech

b. immediate audience and the instructor

c. rhetorical situation and the speaker’s purpose

d. thesis and the main ideas

Learning Objective: 4.5 Evaluate speeches as a result of critical listening.

Topic: Evaluating Speeches Critically

Difficulty Level: Easy

Skill Level: Remember the Facts

37. What is an accurate description of the standards that should be used to critically evaluate speeches?

a. the expediency standard is important and the artistic standard is not

b. the artistic standard is important and the expediency standard is not

c. the rhetorical standard is the only important standard

d. both the artistic and expediency standards require careful attention

Learning Objective: 4.5 Evaluate speeches as a result of critical listening.

Topic: Evaluating Speeches Critically

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Understand the Concepts

38. Even though Marta didn’t convince her audience to give up their current cell phone carriers, she had done the best she could and was ethical in her speech. Which standard does this evaluation address?

a. redundancy

b. artistic

c. outline

d. expediency

Learning Objective: 4.5 Evaluate speeches as a result of critical listening.

Topic: Evaluating Speeches Critically

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Apply What You Know

39. When applying the expediency standard to a speech, you are evaluating __________.

a. whether the speech accomplishes its stated purpose

b. whether the speaker was ethical

c. whether the speaker addressed the situation artfully

d. whether the speaker supported each point with evidence

Learning Objective: 4.5 Evaluate speeches as a result of critical listening.

Topic: Evaluating Speeches Critically

Difficulty Level: Easy

Skill Level: Remember the Facts

40. How can rhetorical criticism benefit a speaker?

a. It helps minimize enunciation and pronunciation errors.

b. It can minimize outside distractions during a presentation.

c. It shows how other speakers apply the principles of public speaking.

d. It can enhance pathos between speaker and audience.

Learning Objective: 4.5 Evaluate speeches as a result of critical listening.

Topic: Evaluating Speeches Critically

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Understand the Concepts

Essay Questions

41. Why is it important to study listening in a public speaking class? How important is this topic relative to the others in the text?

• It is important to check the accuracy of what you have heard.
• Effective listening enables you to provide effective feedback.
• Everyone spends far more time listening than they do speaking, so it is important to do it well.
• Listening carefully to others helps you improve your own speaking skills.
• If you do not listen carefully, you will not know how to evaluate or respond to what you have heard.
• This topic is important because listening leads to the ability to engage in rhetorical criticism, which makes a better speaker. (Students might also compare the amount of time spent listening to the amount of time spent speaking.)

Learning Objective: 4.1 Distinguish between hearing and listening, and explain why listening skills are important to speakers.

Topic: Are You Really Listening?

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Skill Level: Analyze It

42. Discuss feedback and the role it plays in the public speaking process.

• Feedback includes the verbal and nonverbal audience response to a speech.
• Feedback should be taken seriously by the speaker and incorporated into the speech whenever possible.
• Nonverbal feedback includes applause, head nodding, or a bored look.
• Feedback provides indication to the speaker that the audience is interested, distracted, or concerned.
• Feedback following the speech helps the listener remember and think about the speaker’s ideas.

Learning Objective: 4.1 Distinguish between hearing and listening, and explain why listening skills are important to speakers.

Topic: Are You Really Listening?

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Understand the Concepts

43. Discuss how social media has affected the listener’s attention span.

• The trend to make message short and simple has become even more common with the advent of social media.
• Television viewers were accustomed to changing the channel and not paying attention for long. When social media came into play, this trend became even more predominant.
• Frequent exposure to short messages, such as emails and texts, weakens the listener’s ability to process and evaluate longer messages.
• Speakers need to be aware of this cultural change.

Learning Objective: 4.2 Identify obstacles to effective listening.

Topic: Why Listening Is Difficult

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Understand the Concepts

44. What are the four barriers to effective listening, and what are the causes of these barriers? What can a speaker do to limit the effect of poor listening?

• Thinking faster than we can listen, caused by our minds wandering
• Situational distractions, caused by outside interference or noise
• Limited attention span, caused by exposure to short, simple messages
• Jumping to conclusions, caused by assumptions and assimilation
• According to the text, “the best defense against all obstacles to effective listening is your awareness that listening is difficult.”

Learning Objective: 4.2 Identify obstacles to effective listening.

Topic: Why Listening Is Difficult

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Understand the Concepts

45. Identify and explain the four steps of mapping. Explain why each is important and highlight the differences between them.

• Identify the thesis: the listener should be able to recognize the point of the speech.
• Identify the main ideas: the listener should know how the main ideas fit together.
• Assess the adequacy of the main ideas: the ideas should have adequate support.
• Decide whether the main ideas support the thesis: the main ideas should prove the thesis.
• These steps progress; for example, one must know the thesis to know the main points and be able to assess the main ideas before making decisions about them.

Learning Objective: 4.3 Listen mindfully by mapping the central ideas of a speech and by taking notes.

Topic: Strategies for Mindful Listening

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Skill Level: Analyze It

46. Identify suggestions for disciplined note taking.

• Focus on the thesis and the main ideas.
• Take notes quietly on paper or on a silent electronic device.
• Use key words rather than sentences.
• Organize the notes as a rough outline.
• Abbreviate and use symbols when possible.
• Make notes to help you evaluate the speech.

Learning Objective: 4.3 Listen mindfully by mapping the central ideas of a speech and by taking notes.

Topic: Strategies for Mindful Listening

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Understand the Concepts

47. List the four basic skills that are necessary for critical thinking.

• Question and challenge your own ideas and those of others.
• Recognize differences between ideas, facts, opinions, claims, and assumptions.
• Form opinions and supporting claims to state and evaluate the ideas.
• Put ideas into a broader context by seeing how they relate to what you know and understanding what they imply.

Learning Objective: 4.4 Explain how critical thinking is applied in the speaking situation.

Topic: Listening Critically

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Understand the Concepts

48. How does a listener apply critical thinking to the speech situation? What should a speaker do to satisfy the critical listener?

• Identify the main points: the speaker should make them clear.
• Assess the links between ideas: the speaker should organize points and use effective transitions.
• Examine support for ideas: the speaker should use relevant and sufficient supporting material.
• Relate the speaker’s position to other beliefs: the speaker should use audience analysis to link the thesis to listeners’ other beliefs. Consider how accepting or rejecting the thesis affects the listeners’ other beliefs.

Learning Objective: 4.4 Explain how critical thinking is applied in the speaking situation.

Topic: Listening Critically

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Skill Level: Understand the Concepts

49. Compare and contrast the expediency standard and the artistic standard used in evaluating a speech.

• The expediency standard evaluates the speech based on the effects it produced.
• Based on expediency, anyone is a good speaker who is effective in achieving his or her purpose, without consideration of ethical or moral standards.
• The artistic standard takes into account the ethical executive of the principles of public speaking and has no regard for the effects of the speech.

Learning Objective: 4.5 Evaluate speeches as a result of critical listening.

Topic: Evaluating Speeches Critically

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Understand the Concepts

50. Evaluating classroom speeches is an important learning experience for the speaker and the listener/evaluator. What aspects of the speech should the evaluator focus on, and what guidelines should he or she follow in providing a critique to the speaker?

• Focus on the aspects of the speech most closely related to the purpose of the assignment.
• Provide an evaluation of a few significant features of the speech.
• Organize your remarks.
• Keep a constructive attitude but be willing to discuss weaknesses of the speech.

Learning Objective: 4.5 Evaluate speeches as a result of critical listening.

Topic: Evaluating Speeches Critically

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Skill Level: Understand the Concepts