Public Speaking and Rhetoric Flashcards

In classical rhetoric, what does 'kairos' refer to?

Answer: The right or opportune moment to speak

Kairos is the Greek concept of seizing the right moment or timing one's speech for maximum effectiveness.

Which vocal technique involves deliberately slowing speech to emphasize a critical point?

Answer: Pace variation

Pace variation — specifically slowing down — draws audience attention to key ideas and signals importance.

A speaker uses a story about a single refugee to illustrate a broader immigration crisis. This is an example of:

Answer: The identifiable victim effect

The identifiable victim effect is the psychological tendency for people to respond more strongly to one named individual than to abstract statistics.

What is the purpose of a 'signpost' in a speech?

Answer: To signal transitions and guide the audience through structure

Signposts are transitional phrases that orient listeners within the speech's structure, such as 'Moving on to my second point...'

Which rhetorical device repeats a word or phrase at the END of successive clauses?

Answer: Epistrophe

Epistrophe (also called epiphora) places repeated words at the clause's end, as in Lincoln's 'of the people, by the people, for the people.'

In LAMDA public speaking assessments, 'sustained engagement' primarily refers to:

Answer: Keeping the audience's attention and involvement throughout the performance

Sustained engagement means the speaker continuously connects with and holds the audience's interest through varied technique and genuine communication.

When preparing for an impromptu speech, the PREP structure stands for:

Answer: Point, Reason, Example, Point

PREP (Point, Reason, Example, Point) is a framework for quickly structuring impromptu responses by stating a view, justifying it, illustrating it, and restating it.