Chapter 18 Activities

  1. If speakers have inadequate control over their voices, they may lose their audiences’ attention. Speakers can learn to control vocal delivery by practicing seven different elements. Identify and discuss each of these elements.
    • Volume: The relative loudness of a speaker’s voice while giving a speech
    • Pitch: The range of sounds from high to low (or vice versa)
    • Rate: The pace at which you convey speech; it should vary during a speech depending on the mood or emotion the speaker wants to convey
    • Pauses: Strategic elements of a speech that enhance meaning by providing a type of punctuation, emphasizing a point, drawing attention to a key thought, or just giving listeners a moment to contemplate what is being said
    • Vocal variety: The varied use of multiple vocal cues to achieve effective delivery
    • Pronunciation: The correct formation of word sounds
    • Articulation: Clarity or forcefulness in saying words so that they are individually audible and discernible
  2. Provide an example of each of the elements of vocal delivery. Think of examples you have been exposed to or have seen in the media.