In preparing her argument on the drawbacks of this country’s reliance on fossil fuels, Lucinda uncovers a statistic that supports her position but is also so startling she has trouble believing it. What factors should influence her decision on whether or not to use the evidence?
What will be an ideal response?
Use of the statistic should be driven by the speaker’s confidence in its reliability. Lucinda
should do additional research to confirm the accuracy of the evidence. She should use the
evidence if she believes it would not harm her credibility and be aware that if she had trouble
believing it she might expect a similar reaction from the audience. Finally, she should weigh the
advantages of using unique and dramatic support against the liabilities of such evidence (i.e., it
could be rejected as exaggerated).
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After traveling to Tibet last summer, Jason believed that Tibet should no longer be
subject to Chinese rule. He carefully constructed a speech for class on the topic using careful, credible research and his own experiences, and he practiced several times to improve his delivery. In spite of his preparation, discussion with classmates after his presentation revealed that they recalled little he had said and had no real position on Tibet. What else might Jason have done to persuade his audience of the need for a free Tibet? A) Cited some teachings from the Dalai Lama, noting the legitimacy of a free Tibet B) Emphasized, more strongly, how his trip to Tibet enabled his understanding C) Shown how Tibetans' desire for freedoms mirrors his audience's desires D) Displayed map images of where he traveled in Tibet, to bolster his credibility
According to the text, the most obvious purpose of a speech conclusion is to
a. capture the audience's attention. b. provide closure. c. introduce the speech subject. d. enhance the speaker's credibility.
Explain how the circumplex model of family interaction can be used to describe the dynamics
of functional and dysfunctional families. What will be an ideal response?
Which of these is true about F. W. Murnau's Nosferatu?
a. Dracula is very good looking. b. Dracula lives in Paris. c. Dracula is a kind of man-rat. d. Dracula drinks blood in his bath.