Here are Fifty Oral Skills Revision Questions with Answers
1. Mention any three functions of greetings?
Greetings are used to:
• Establish
rapport.
• Set
the mood for talk/ conversation/presentation.
• Break
stranger belief.
2. What is the Role of voice manipulation:
• Voice
projection –To be heard; for audibility.
• Tone/
voice variation- To break the monotony and create interest.
3. Mention the various Body languages used in Oral Communication:
The various body languages used in oral communication are:
• Nodding
• Smiling
• Sitting
posture (upright or leaning forward).
• Dancing
• Clapping/
applauding
• Laughing
• Frowning
• Waving
• Stamping feet.
4. Give any Five Verbal skills/ devices/ cues that are used in Verbal Communication and explain their use:
Some of the verbal cues used in verbal communication include:
• Voice
projection; to be audible.
• Tonal
variation; to break monotony & create interest.
• Stress;
to emphasize certain issues.
• Intonation;
to express different feelings/ moods and meanings.
• Proper articulation (pronunciation)
5. Mention any Five Non-verbal cues/ devices/ paralinguistic; extra-linguistic features used in oral communication and explain their use:
Some of the common non-verbal cues include:
• Use
of gestures (gesticulation); stretching hands, waving, swinging, pointing,
clapping, thumbing, raising a hand, spreading hands, shaking hands, etc
• Facial
expression; frowning, putting up a delighted face, blinking, widening eyes, eye
contact, winking, etc
• Body
movement; bending, stretching one’s body, enlarging stomach, curtsying, bowing,
shaking one’s body, etc
• Dramatization/ dramatic aspects; acting out scenes like jumping etcPregnant pauses; significant/ meaningful pauses (breaks) - to achieve certain effects such as suspense.
6. What are Oral devices in Verbal Communication?
Oral Devices are devices (signals that
support verbal communication) cues used during an oral presentation/
performance to achieve a meaningful and effective presentation: NOTE: One must
mention the exact cues and how they are applied contextually, providing
specific details.
• Verbal
cues.
• Non-verbal cues.
7. Mention Various Body languages that show alertness on the part of the audience:
Body languages that show alertness on the part of the audience include:
• Nodding
• Smiling
• Clapping
• Applauding
• Laughing
• Sitting
upright
• Leaning forward
8. Give Five Ways in which the audience can contribute to the successful delivery of a narrative:
The audience can contribute to the delivery of a narrative through-
• Joining
in choral parts (singing).
• Clapping/
applauding.
• Cheering.
• Telling
parts of the story.
• Nodding in agreement.
9. Give
any nine conventional ways of attracting attention before an oral presentation
One can attract attention through:
• Telling
a relevant proverb
• Giving
an appropriate, summarizing riddle.
• Using
an appropriate opening phrase/ introductory statement: “I have a story/ take a
story/ story story”
• Challenging
them with a tongue-twister.
• Posing/
asking a surprising question.
• Ringing
a bell or drum
• Whistling
• Clearing
throat
• Clapping
10. Give any Five indicators of poor reading skills:
Indicators of poor reading skills include
• Pointing
at words
• Vocalizing
– Sounding words on lips
• Sub-vocalizing-
Sounding words in the throat.
• Regressing-
going back to what you had read.
• Moving
your head when reading.
11. What are some of the problems that are likely to be encountered by the narrator on stage during a presentation?
Problems encountered during a presentation include-
• Stagefright.
• Inaudibility.
• Inability
to fully capture the audience's attention.
• Illogical
flow of ideas.
• Challenge of maintaining eye contact.
12. What are some of the Signs of fright/ nervousness/ anxiety on the part of the presenter/speaker/ interviewee?
Signs of stage fright include:
• Shaking
• Sweating
• Hands
held on the chest or mouth.
• Shuffling
of feet on the floor.
• Leaning
forward on the seat.
• Inability
to speak clearly.
13. Give any three Causes of fright/ nervousness/ anxiety/ uneasiness on the part of the speaker/ presenter:
The causes of stage fright are-
• Unpreparedness
• Lack
of confidence.
• Intimidation
from the audience.
14. Suggest any five Ways of managing/ overcoming stage fright:
One can manage stage fright by-
• Take a deep breath between stanzas or lines to gather courage anew/ afresh.
Breathe in/out.
• Maintain
eye contact with the audience.
• Be
confident in yourself.
• Move
freely on the stage; from one point to another.
• Reassure/
encourage yourself that your audience is harmless; human like you.
• Crack
a joke that will divert your thoughts which are probably the source of fear/
fright hence gathering courage once again.
15. What are the indicators of active participation of the audience in performance:
The indicators of active participation of the audience are-
• Nodding
the heads in agreement.
• Clapping
their hands.
• Joining
in singing/ chanting.
• Completing
statements.
• Putting
interjections/ utterances; (shouting).
• Stamping their feet.
16. Give any three Reasons for keeping eye contact while presenting an oral item:
We maintain eye contact while presenting an oral item-
• To
get feedback from the audience/ know how they are reacting to your
presentation.
• To
give the audience a positive impression about yourself.
• To impress their moods.
17. What are the Functions of pauses during presentation/ performance?
The functions of pauses during the presentation are-
• To
draw the attention of the audience.
• To
allow the audience to think, internalize what you have said.
• To achieve suspense.
18. Give any five reasons why the speaker/ narrator can begin a conversation/ story with a surprising question:
A narrator can begin a story with a surprising question-
• To
create a rapport with the audience.
• To
create a sense of suspense and curiosity.
• To
introduce a comic story; create a sense of humour.
• To
place the story within a given time frame; lengthen the time.
• To tickle the minds of the audience.
19. Give any four aspects of oral performance in an oral poem and explain their effectiveness:
The aspects of oral performance in an oral poem are-• Repetition:
For emphasis and memorability.
• Ideophones:
Makes performance interesting.
• Conversational
style/ direct address: ‘You’- Makes the poem immediate and effective.
• Use of short and simple stanzas: Makes it easy for the audience to participate in the performance by joining.
20. What aspects of speech does the speaker need to consider for effective communication?
A speaker needs to consider-
• Age
of the audience.
• The
relationship between the speaker and the audience.
• Topic
of discussion.
• The language of the audience.
21. What does one need to consider/ mule over when collecting certain information from the audience (also part of the speaker)?
When collecting certain information from the audience, one needs to-
• Take
short notes on important/ significant points.
• Pay
attention to the non-verbal cues used by the speaker; facial expression,
gestures, etc
• Pay
keen interest in signposting; discourse markers/ fillers & pauses.
• Consider
the use of pause to suggest hesitation on the part of the speaker.
• Consider the use of intonations to show finality as the speaker makes statements.
22. What are the Features of effective directions?
The features of effective directions are-
• Precise
and clear
• Correct
• Systematic/
logical; follows systematic order.
• Presence
of landmarks.
• Presence
approximate distances.
• Sensible/
reasonable.
• Sufficient.
• Lacks ambiguity/ Lacks multiple interpretations.
23. What are the features of effective instructions?
The features of effective instructions are-
• Precise
and clear.
• Correct.
• Systematic/
logical.
• Sensible/
reasonable.
• Sufficient.
• Lacks ambiguity.
24. What are the indicators of the inattentiveness of the audience?
The indicators of the inattentive audience are-
• Blank/uncomprehending
stare at the narrator.
• Whispering
to each other.
• Dozing
off.
• Fidgeting
• In
deep meditation/ thought.
25. What are the causes of restlessness on the part of the audience?
The causes of restlessness in the audience are-
• Boredom
• Hunger
• Technicality
of the speaker.
• The
speaker may have taken too long.
• The
speaker may be repetitive in his ideas.
• The
audience is tired.
•The audience is pressed and so wants to relieve themselves.
26. What are the Causes of interruption by the audience during a presentation?
The audience can interrupt because of-
• Vulgarity/
use of unfamiliar language.
• Falsehood.
• Inconsistency
• Timidity;
fearful and hesitant.
• Use
of abusive language.
• Fidgeting;
behaving nervously and restlessly.
• Presentation of known facts wrongly.
27. Give any six ways of attracting the attention of the audience:
One can attract the audience through-
• Greet
the audience to create rapport.
• Maintain
eye contact with listeners.
• Begin
with a surprising question.
• Adopt
an appropriate posture.
• Good
grooming and appearance to avoid distracting the audience.
• Be precise, clear, and audience.
28. What are the causes of fidgeting on the part of the audience?
The causes of fidgeting by the audience are-
• Boredom
• Agitation
• Nervousness
• Abuse
• Vulgarity;
use of unfamiliar/ technical language.
• Inaudibility.
29. How can the audience improve their attention?
The audience can improve their attention by-
• Avoid
distractions; audio or visual.
• Maintain
upright posture/ sit upright.
• Maintain
eye contact with the speaker.
• Lay
attention to the use of connectors/ gestures in speech.
• Lean
forward.
• Raise
your head.
• Take
notes.
• Sit strategically near the speaker.
30. Give any five ways of effectively listening to a speech:
One can effectively listen to a speech by-
• Maintaining
eye contact with the speaker.
• Listening
actively by taking notes, nodding, or clapping.
• Avoiding
distractive mannerisms or dressing; daydreaming or over-concentration on the
speakers.
• Observing
the speaker’s use of the facial expression, tonal variation, gestures, pregnant/
significant pauses, and body movements.
• Paying attention to discourse markers that alert the audience on the direction the speaker is taking e.g in conclusion, however, etc
31. What are the Features of effective discussion?
An effective discussion involves-
• Turn-taking.
• Active
participation by all members.
• Use
of courteous/ respectful language.
• Participants
interrupting and disagreeing politely.
• Respect
for personal space.
• Extensive
research on the topic of discussion.
• Avoidance of distractions.
32. Give eight features of negotiation/ Negotiation principles:
The features of an effective negotiation include-
• Use
of giving and take approach; one party surrenders the contentious item another
takes.
• Goodwill;
having the willingness to negotiate and chart a way forward.
• Win-win
approach; both share the controversial item/ benefit equally.
• Readiness
of meeting halfway.
• Exercising
patience; both parties should wait patiently for the outcome.
• Both
parties should have mutual respect and trust.
• Flexibility
for both parties.
• All conflicting members of each party maintain a pleasant and kind talk/ tone.
33. What is the Procedure to be followed in the negotiation process?
The procedure followed in the negotiation process involves-
• Greetings
to establish rapport, set the stage, and break the feeling that you are
strangers.
• Introduce
yourself and offer to be of help.
• Wait for the visitor to explain their mission.
34. Give any six aspects of an oral performance:
The aspects of oral performance are-
• Use
of costume
• Intonation
• Soundtrack; recorded music accompanying performance.
• Gestures
• Movements
• Props/ décor; anything portable/ moveable on stage.
35. What are some of the conventional rules of conversation?
The conventional rules of conversation include-
• Appropriate
turn-taking.
• Good
listening
• Respect
personal space
• Acknowledge the good contribution of others: ‘fair enough, but...”
• Focus
on the point to make relevant contributions.
• Speak
audibly and nicely.
• Interrupt
politely; ‘sorry for interrupting’
• Use respectful/ courteous language.
36. Give any eight Cues/ signals/signposts that indicate turn-taking:
Signals that indicate turn-taking are-
• Long
pauses
• Speaker’s
predictable completion points.
• Speaker’s
body language that shows that the speaker is ready to switch roles to other
people; nodding the head, looking at you.
• Tonal
variation – rising and falling to show that the speaker has come to an end of
their statement.
• Speaker’s
fillers: ‘You know, you see…’
• Utterance
of a concluding sentence.
• Selection
of a person by name within the group; by the speaker.
• Speaker’s question to the general group.
37. What is the appropriate conduct for an interviewee during an interview?
An interviewee should-
• Keep
time.
• Wait
to be invited into the room.
• Dress
decently and smartly.
• Embrace
appropriate etiquette; thanks, sorry, etc
• Be
brief/ precise in your answers.
• Be
audible.
• Maintain
eye contact.
• Respond
to questions promptly.
• Maintain
confidence.
• Ask
questions honestly.
• Say ‘thank you at the end.
38. Give any eight Listening skills for effective listening:
The effective skills for listening are-
• Pay
attention to discourse/speech markers; ‘you see’ ‘You know’ ‘well…’
• Seek
clarification where necessary.
• Listen
carefully and attentively.
• Lean
forward to adopt a good listening posture.
• Respond
appropriately.
• Sit
upright.
• Take
notes on main/important points (ideas).
• Observe the speaker's use of non-verbal cues; gestures, etc
39. How would you prepare before presenting an oral report?
Before presenting an oral report, I would-
• Rehearse
before the mock/ imaginary audience
• Carry
out research on the topic of presentation.
• Prepare
an outline for your report –arrange the materials in a logical order.
• Write
short notes to act as reminders.
• Prepare
appropriate visual aids.
• Choose
the most appropriate non-verbal cues to use/ employ to attract the
attention of the audience.
• Consult
an expert for advice.
• Consider
the audience.
• Consider
the length of time.
• Plan an interesting introduction and conclusion.
40. How would you prepare before an oral performance?
Before an oral performance, I would-
• Prior
recitation before the day of the performance to master the content.
• Have prior information about the audience.
• Prepare
appropriate costumes and accompaniments.
• Stage
a mock recitation before an imaginary audience to boost confidence.
• Choose
conventional/ standard ways of attracting the attention of the audience;
clapping of hands, clearing throat, etc.
• Practice
the use of facial expressions, tonal variation, and gestures.
• Know
the time when you are to perform.
• Groom well.
41. How would you deliver an oral report?
When delivering an oral report, I would-
• You
should be relaxed and natural.
• Maintain
eye contact.
• Speak
audibly –appropriate voice projection.
• Tonal
variation.
• Be
expressive – use gestures etc.
• Articulate words clearly.
42. What are some of the problems encountered during the collection of oral literature materials?
The problems encountered during the correction of oral literature material are-
• Language
barrier.
• Transport
problems.
• Unreliable
informants.
• Religious
prejudice.
• Distortion of information.
43. Give the guidelines on preparation before a debate:
Before the debate, one should-
• Research
thoroughly/ extensively on the topic of discussion for adequate content.
• Make
short notes on important points you will raise.
• Rehearse
before your friends to master content appropriately etc.
• Time
yourself.
• Identify
appropriate verbal and non-verbal cues you will use.
• Consult
experts for technical advice.
• Dress smartly for the occasion to build confidence.
44. Give the guidelines on preparation during a debate:
During the debate, one should-
• Breathe
in or out to gain confidence.
• Maintain
eye contact with the audience.
• Stand
straight.
• Be
brief but concise; short/precise but effective.
• Project
your voice in order heard clearly by the audience.
• Maintain a logical flow of ideas by glancing at your notes.
45. How would you address officials with courtesy?
I would address officials using the following titles-
• President
– Your Excellency
• Mayor - Your Worship
• Queen - Your Majesty
• Judge - Your Lordship
• Pope - Your Holiness
• MP - Honourable MP
46. What are the aspects of etiquette used in conversation, dialogue, debate, or negotiation:
The aspects of etiquette used in conversation, debate or negotiation are-
• Sorry
• Thank
you
• Please
• Excuse
me
• Can
I help you?
• Would
you mind…?
• Pardon
me
• Kindly…
• Humbly…
47. Define the term register as used in communication skills:
Register is-
• This is the specialized vocabulary or grammar used by speakers in social or professional circumstances e.g medical register, legal register, linguistics register, etc.
48. What to do if called upon to give an impromptu (unrehearsed/ unprepared/ unplanned)speech:
If called upon to give an impromptu speech, I would-
• Take a deep breath between stanzas or lines to gather courage anew/ afresh.
Breathe in/out.
• Maintain
eye contact with the audience.
• Be
confident in yourself.
• Move
freely on the stage; from one point to another.
• Reassure/
encourage yourself that your audience is harmless; human like you.
• Crack a joke that will divert your thoughts which are probably the source of fear/ fright hence gathering courage once again.
49. Define Bowing and give any two situations where it is used:
Bowing is an act of displaying respect that
is done by men by bending their body forward from the waist while standing
upright with both hands on the side. This is done:
• After
a performance on stage
• While greeting dignitaries/elders
50. Define curtsying and give any two situations where it is used:
Curtsying is an act of displaying respect
that is done by women by bending their body forward from the knees while
standing upright with both hands on the side and one leg slightly behind the
other. This is done
• After
a performance on stage
• While greeting dignitaries/elders