2023 TMA OMA COHORT 9

Question ONE [18 marks]

Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.

Someone once said, with regard to the preparation of a speech, “Look for a good
beginning, a good ending and work out the shortest possible route between them.”
This is good advice to follow if ever you are in the position of having to deliver a
speech, of no matter what type; but, of course, the beginner in this art requires to
ponder a few points of detail. Never begin, as so many do, by saying,
“Unaccustomed as I am to public speaking ….,” and then launch forth into a lengthy
soliloquy which is sure to be greeted by yawns, snores and glassy stares from your
listeners. Remember that a speech is made to an audience and their feelings and
susceptibilities are usually to be considered. If you feel that a funny anecdote would
be appropriate as a preface to your remarks, then it is essential that you remember
the end of it and tell it amusingly, otherwise the point of the story will be lost and you
will be flustered.

Never fall into the trap of using too many figures of speech. This seems to be a
failing of politicians who have been known to say, “Putting our best foot forward, we
will stem the rising tide and nip it in the bud with our noses to the grindstone, our
shoulders to the wheel and our backs to the wall in a last ditch stand before resting
on our laurels.” Only contortionists could perform all these actions at the one time, so
– do not mix metaphors in too potent a draught.

1. What three key elements of communication are being promoted in the advice
regarding the preparation of a speech? [3] clarity, conciseness, consistency,
conviction and compulsion
2. How would you qualify the communication skills of people who “launch forth
into a lengthy soliloquy”? Explain your reasoning. [4] poor
communicators, coz they can’t hook and engage the audience and are
inconsiderate of their feelings and susceptibilities, do not project warmth and
confidence
3. The writer asks us to “remember that a speech is made to an audience and
their feelings and susceptibilities are usually to be considered.” Which two
elements of interpersonal skills do we have to consider here? Charisma and
empathy [2]
4. Why are we advised to use a “funny anecdote as a preface to our
remarks”?[2] it breaks the ice and for ease of entry
5. What undue claims do politicians as mentioned in the passage make? [3] they
claim they can do so many actions at one time
6. Based on the advice given in the passage, write down four attributes you
would consider important in a good speaker. [4] charisma, conviction, good
oral communication with fluency and eloquence, engaging the audience,
connecting with the audience ,minding their susceptibilities and feelings,
projects warmth and confidence

Question TWO [10 marks]

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Rewrite these sentences to state their meaning in fewer words, omitting the
redundant words.

1. Although he is famous, yet he is humble.

2. He mentioned about his experiences in India at the interview.
3. She was in a depressed and sad state of mind. .
4. The boss is not in; she has gone for shopping.
5. In his speech he stressed on the importance of self-discipline.
6. He explained me the beauty of the scenery she saw in her travels.
7. The old man advised him not to seek for wealth and fame only.
8. The learner requested for more time to complete the project.
9. You are invited to come to my farewell party.
10. I am honestly trying to think hard and concentrate on my studies.

Question THREE [10 marks]

Rearrange these sentences below to form a cohesive paragraph.
One of the sentences is a topic sentence; another is a closing sentence, while
four are supporting sentences.
One sentence is an off-topic sentence that does not go with the paragraph. It’s
your job to arrange the sentences in order and weed the off-topic sentence
out.

1. Within a few years, almost everybody gets the new kind of flu and develops
antibodies against it – whereupon a different flu virus pops up.
2. The influenza virus is the most striking example.
3. Each type of flu requires a separate antibody.
4. The outbreak of the war between Russia and Ukraine will accentuate the
spread of diseases.
5. A few kinds of germs have learned to evade our antibody defences.
6. When this happens, an influenza pandemic sweeps the world.
7. Every few years a type of flu virus comes along, and it is is unaffected by the
common flu antibodies

Question FOUR [12 marks]

The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right place,
but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at tempting moment. It requires sensitivity

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to the stage of a relationship, the context of the conversation and the comfort
level of the person you are talking to.
There are 4 levels of conversation based on the degree and amount of
personal disclosure.

(i) Name them and briefly explain what happens in each stage. [8]
 Small talk
o This is commonly referred to as the ‘exchange of pleasantries’ stage. In
this level, you talk only about generic topics, subjects that almost
everyone is comfortable discussing. These subjects include the weather,
the location you’re both in and current events.

o The small talk stage establishes rapport; it makes a person feel at ease
with you. It’s also a safe and neutral avenue for people to subtly ‘size up’
one another, and explore if it’s a conversation or relationship that they’d
want to invest in.

 Fact disclosure

o In this stage, you tell the other person some facts about you such as
your job, your area of residence, and your interests.
o This is a ‘getting-to-know’ stage, and it aims to see if you have
something in common with the other person. It’s also a signal that you
are opening up a little bit to the other person while still staying on
neutral topics.

 Points of view or opinion

o In this stage of the conversation, you can offer what you think about
various topics like politics, the new business model ---or even the latest
blockbuster. It helps then to read and be curious about many things,
from politics to entertainment to current events.
o Sharing viewpoints and opinions require the ‘buffering effect’ of the first
two stages for two reasons:

o First, a person needs rapport with another before they can discuss potentially
contentious statements, even if they’re having a healthy debate.

o Second, sharing viewpoints and opinions opens a person to the scrutiny of another,
and this requires that there is some level of safety and trust in a relationship.

The controversial, and therefore potentially offensive, nature of an opinion exists in a range;
make sure that you remain within the ‘safe’ zone in the early stages of your relationship.

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  Personal feelings
o The fourth stage is disclosure and acknowledgment of personal feelings.
For instance you can share about your excitement for the new project,
or your worry about your son’s upcoming piano recital. Depending on
the context and the level of the friendship, you can disclose more
personal subjects. This stage requires trust, rapport, and even a genuine
friendship, because of the intimate nature of the subject.
o Different people have different comfort levels when it comes to
disclosing feelings, and there are cases when you’d need several
conversations before they would trust enough to open themselves. In
some cases, you never get to this stage. Just make sure to be sensitive
and test the other person’s readiness before opening an intimate topic.
o Listening is vital in all stages of the conversation but especially so in this
fourth stage. Listen with empathy and understanding to acknowledge
that you heard the feeling that they have shared.

(ii) Give an example for each of them. [4]