Speech Topics Have a Life of Their Own

question 18

Multiple Choice

Speech topics have a life of their own. Some topics endure for decades while others fade fast. Which topic below is likely to have a brief life span?

• A) relationships among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the U.S. government
• B) how to care for individuals who are poor, unhealthy, and unrepresented in our society
• C) which film will win the most prizes this year for quality and popularity
• D) how to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and those who are mentally ill

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Definitions:

Conservative

Pertains to a political and social philosophy that emphasizes tradition, established institutions, and prefers gradual development to abrupt change.

Reinhold Niebuhr

An American theologian, ethicist, and commentator on politics and public affairs, known for his influence on political thought, particularly regarding American and Christian realist philosophy.

Fordlandia

A failed industrial town and rubber plantation established by Henry Ford in the Brazilian Amazon during the 1920s, intended to secure a rubber supply for Ford Motor Company.

Fundamentalism

Anti-modernist Protestant movement started in the early twentieth century that proclaimed the literal truth of the Bible; the name came from The Fundamentals, published by conservative leaders.