单选题
Among the many ways in which people communicate through speech, public speaking has probably received more study and attracted more attention than any other. Politicians campaigning for public office, salespeople presenting products, and preachers delivering sermons all depend upon this form of public communication. Even people who do not make speaking a part of their daily work are often asked to make public speeches: students at graduation, for instance, or members of churches, clubs, or other organizations. Nearly, everyone speaks in public at some time or other, and those who perform the task well often become leaders.
There are many reasons for speaking in public. A public speaker may hope to teach an audience about new ideas, for example, or provide information about some topic. Creating a good feeling or entertaining an audience may be another purpose. Public speakers, however, most often seek to persuade an audience to adopt new opinions, to take certain actions, or to see the world in a new way.
Public speakers usually know well in advance when they are scheduled to make an address. Consequently, they are able to prepare their message before they deliver it. Sometimes, though, speakers must deliver the message unprepared, or off the cuff, such as when they are asked to offer a toast at a wedding reception or to participate in a televised debate or interview.
When they do not have to speak unpreparedly, most speakers write their own speeches. Politicians and business executives sometimes employ professional writers who prepare their for them. These professional writers may work alone or in small teams. Although the speaker may have some input into the contents of the speech, the writers sometimes have a great influence over the opinions expressed by their employers. Regardless of how a speech is prepared, the person who delivers it is given credit for its effect upon its hearers.
单选题
Public speaking is well known to the average people because ______.
单选题
Which of the following is rarely the purpose of public speaking?
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[解析] 细节判断题。注意题干中的“rarely”表示否定。根据题干关键词the purpose of public speaking定位到原文第二段。第二段第二句中的to teach an audience about new ideas与选项A对应，第二段尾句中的to persuade all audience to adopt new opinions与选项C对应，第二段第三句中的Creating a good feeling or entertaining an audience与选项D对应。只有选项B(为了享受自己演讲的满足感)并没有表述。故答案为B。
单选题
In Paragraph 3, the expression "deliver the message off the cuff" means ______.
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】[解析] 语义题。原文第三段中off the cuff前有一相近词unprepared(无准备的)，以及第三段尾句中的...offer a toast at a wedding reception or to participate in a televised debate or interview，在婚宴上祝酒、参加电视辩论赛或采访，故D项(即兴演讲)符合题意。故答案为D。
单选题
Often the speech prepared by a professional writer for a boss ______.
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】[解析] 细节事实题。根据题干关键同a professional writer定位到原文尾段第四句。尾段第四句提到演讲稿不仅有执笔者而且还有雇主的想法在里面。故答案为D。
单选题
No matter who writes a speech, the audience ______.
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[解析] 细节推理题。根据题干关键词No matter who writes定位到原文尾段尾句。尾段尾句中的it is given credit for its effect upon its hearers与选项B对应，不管演讲稿是如何准备的，演讲者要保证听众效果的信誉，说明听众对演讲者的了解很深，故才有信誉。故答案为B。