Southern New Hampshire University
COM-212 Public Speaking
EXAM 12 questions and answers
Samuel, a well-known rock climber, has recently joined Live and Learn Outside, an
organization that provides outdoor education for low-income children. Although he has
little experience in public speaking, Samuel gives a fundraising speech at an elite
training camp in Palm Beach, Florida. The conclusion to Samuel’s speech is below:
“I love pushing my myself beyond what I think I can do every time I climb. I compete
with myself and with other climbers in order to prove that with hard work and dedication,
I can overcome any obstacle. I want other children to learn how to scale peaks, which is
why I am honored to be working with L&LO. Thank you all for listening today.”
Unfortunately, only one audience member donated money after the speech.
All of the following are reasons why Samuel’s speech failed to motivate the audience to
donate money, EXCEPT:
● His language was too personal, and therefore highlighted his lack of credibility.
Samuel’s first speech prompted the organization to hire a professional speech writer
named Matt. He meets with Samuel to help him write his next speech, which will be
given at a conference of physical education professionals. Matt urges Samuel to take a
direct approach.
“The most valuable part of my education took place outside of the classroom, which is
why I believe in the importance of outdoor opportunities for all children. When I started
working with Live and Learn Outdoors, the first camping trip convinced me how
important it is for kids to expand their horizons. One boy named David spent the whole
first day complaining about his clothes getting dirty. Once the sun set and the stars
came out, though, he stopped complaining and became interested.
I am going to tell you about the work that this great organization does and how it helps
kids like David get the education that I did. I hope that you will join in our efforts so that
all children have the same opportunities as the students you teach.”
Select the suggestion Matt could give Samuel that will increase directness and clarity.
● Samuel should ask and answer the question “Why should you give your time,
money, or expertise to help Live and Learn Outside?”
While drinking coffee during their first meeting, Matt asks Samuel about a life-changing
climb he completed and what he learned from his experiences. Then, Matt writes a topic
outline and asks Samuel to fill it in with excerpts from his story.
Which of the following statements is abstract?
● Outdoor education creates confident children who can become future leaders.
Samuel wants to include stories about his own experiences in his speeches, but Matt
reminds him to be objective. Samuel must make sure to present evidence and facts to
support his organization’s message.
“When I climbed Lunatic Fringe in Yosemite for the first time, I was only 15 years old.
My father brought me on a camping and climbing trip and we did a few easier climbs
around the park before he decided that I was ready to tackle that epic climb. That climb
changed my life and I want to change the lives of other teens who will never have
someone to take them camping, hiking, rafting, or climbing. Our programs help
teenagers experience adventure in a controlled and healthy environment. 70% of our
program’s graduates have never been outside an urban area before their trip with us
and over 80% graduate high school compared to just 45% of those who don’t participate
in the program. Half of our funding comes from private donors and the other half comes
from organizations and academic institutions that partner to run programming with Live
and Learn Outside. Our model has been externally evaluated and we have 10 years’
worth of data to say that what we do helps these kids have a better shot at life.”
Which of the following statements is objective?
● 70% of our program’s graduates have never been outside an urban area.
Samuel’s strength as a spokesperson is his subjectivity, but credibility is important for
Matt. He pours through Live and Learn Outside’s annual reports, evaluations, and
participant data to improve the accuracy of Samuel’s speeches.
“Because of participant feedback and questionnaires from all the young people, we
know that 90% of young people who experience outdoor education stay in school longer
than their peers who do not experience outdoor education.”
Which replacement for the underlined phrase is the best way for Matt to improve the
accuracy of Samuel’s claim?
● "...The Center for Teen Health, an outside research organization, obtained
program data and conducted interviews for us..."
Samuel must give a speech to wealthy parents who run a foundation that helps poor
children in their city. Matt wants to make sure that the speech is vivid and descriptive.
“We are all aware of the neighborhoods a few miles from where we stand where
children are living in poverty and don’t have the same opportunities as your wealthy
children. We are also aware based on many studies that these children will have
difficulty achieving success in life. When I was a teenager, I spent many days clinging to
a thin shred of hope, scared and unsure if anyone was looking out for me. You have the
chance to help teenagers in low-income housing developments thrive.”
Given that the goal is to be vivid and descriptive, which phrase is the MOST effective for
Samuel’s audience?
● "Clinging to a thin shred of hope” because it is a vivid metaphor for coping with a
difficult situation.
Matt includes Samuel in the speechwriting process to ensure that his voice is authentic
and personal. Samuel does a good job of adding descriptive language to the speech,
but some places still require further revision.
Which of the following statements uses a weasel phrase?
● "It could be argued that outdoor education is more important than traditional,
classroom-based education."
Matt and Samuel are struggling with writing a fundraising speech aimed at wealthy
foundations across the country. They know that delivering persuasive speeches to
diverse audiences can pose a challenge in balancing your own identity and authenticity
with being inclusive.
Select the example that does NOT show Samuel being both inclusive and personal
according to best practices of public speaking.
● Samuel says, "Now, imagine what it is like to be a young man who has never
experienced the great outdoors."
Once Matt and Samuel draft five speeches together, Matt highlights sections of each
speech for Samuel to update and make relevant to different audiences in the future. At
this point, Samuel tells Matt that he has no idea how to do research because he
“skipped that class in college,” so Matt gives him a few tips for online research.
What is the best way for Matt to avoid plagiarism if a few staff members of L&LO have
provided Matt with their speeches and reports to use in his work, but the source section
is missing in one?
● Jot down keywords only and do not include full sentences.
“I don’t see how I can persuade rich people to give money to poor kids so they can play
outside! I have no idea what I’m talking about!” yells Samuel. He’s realizing that public
speaking can be a more challenging venture than rock climbing. Matt knows that he isn’t
quite finished with providing advice.
In which of the following ways could Samuel use Robert Cialdini's "weapon of
influence," reciprocity, in his speech?
●Matt says, "Just remind the audience of all they have been given in life and that it
is time to pass it on to others."
