Chapter 7 Activities

1. Public speaking can be classified into three general speech purposes. List these purposes and give an example of each.
   1. a. To inform: Providing information about volcanoes
   2. b. To persuade: Getting students to start recycling
   3. c. To celebrate or commemorate a special occasion: Giving a toast at a wedding
2. What are some factors to consider when narrowing a topic?
   1. Those aspects of the topic that most interest you
   2. The audience’s interests, knowledge, and needs
   3. The general speech purpose
   4. Time limits
   5. Research constraints
3. What is the difference between a thesis statement and a specific purpose? Give an example of a general purpose, a specific purpose, and a thesis statement.

   A thesis statement is a single statement that expresses the theme or central idea of the speech and serves to connect all the parts of the speech. The specific purpose states in action form what the speaker hopes to accomplish with the speech.

   General purpose: To persuade

   Specific purpose: To move the audience to raise money on behalf of the American Cancer Society

   Thesis: A donation to the American Cancer Society is the best charitable gift you can give.