Speech and Theater Arts Study Flashcards
Speech Arts and Communication Foundations
Concepts of Speech and Communication
Speech: The human act of producing articulated sounds to encode meaning.
Communication: The broader social process by which people exchange information, ideas, emotions, and intentions using language (spoken or written), paralinguistic signals, and nonverbal behavior.
Relationship: Speech is one channel within the larger communication system. Modern treatments stress that communication is purposeful and context-sensitive: speakers choose forms to fulfill goals (informing, persuading, enacting social roles) and listeners interpret signals against background knowledge and situational cues.
Levels of Context of Communication
Context shapes meaning at multiple nested levels. A widely used framework from systemic-functional linguistics ("context of situation") distinguishes three interlinked contextual variables:
Field (what is happening): The subject matter or activity (e.g., a medical consultation vs. a classroom lecture).
Tenor (who is taking part): Roles, relative status, and interpersonal relations among participants (e.g., doctor-patient, teacher-student).
Mode (what role language performs): Channel and genre (e.g., spoken conversation, written report, phone call).
Modes of Communication
Verbal (oral): Spoken language; primary for face-to-face interaction.
Written: Inscriptions and print enable permanence and complex organization.
Nonverbal: Facial expression, gesture, posture, and eye-contact.
Paralinguistic / Vocalics: Voice quality, prosody, and hesitations.
Visual (multimodal): Images, layout, slides, and body language; increasingly important in digital contexts.
Models of the Communication Process
Transmission Models (Shannon & Weaver): Treat communication as sending a coded signal through a channel, with noise and possible distortion; useful for analyzing media and technical transmission.
SMCR / Berlo Model: Emphasizes the Source, Message, Channel, and Receiver, highlighting intervening variables (skills, attitudes, culture) that shape encoding and decoding.
Transactional Models: Stress simultaneous sending/receiving and continuous feedback loops in real-time interaction.
Suprasegmentals, Delivery, and Public Speaking
Suprasegmentals as Tools for Speech and Theater
Definition: Suprasegmentals (also known as prosody) represent the "melody and rhythm" of speech: stress, intonation (pitch contour), rhythm, tempo, loudness, pausing, and voice quality. Unlike segmental phonemes (consonants and vowels), suprasegmentals operate over syllables, words, and phrases, carrying a heavy communicative load.
Stress: Signals lexical contrasts and focus (e.g.,
CONTRastvs.conTRASTas noun/verb pairs) and highlights new or important information at the discourse level.Intonation / Pitch: Marks sentence types (questions vs. statements), speaker attitude (certainty vs. surprise), and discourse structure (continuation vs. completion).
Tempo (Rate) and Pausing: Manages cognitive processing. Well-timed pauses emphasize points and give listeners processing time; rapid speech may connote excitement or nervousness.
Volume and Voice Quality (Timbre): Projects emotion, authority, or intimacy.
Enunciation (Articulation Clarity): Ensures segmental intelligibility. In performance settings, exaggerated articulation aids comprehension over long distances.
Public Speaking Fundamentals
Combines rhetorical planning, content organization, audience analysis, delivery (voice and body), and feedback management. Instruction is treated as skill training: short, scaffolded speaking tasks, immediate feedback, and deliberate practice of voice modulation increase competence and reduce anxiety.
Structure: Clear opening (hook), body (well-signposted points), and conclusion (call to action or summary). Frameworks such as Monroe's Motivated Sequence are widely used for persuasive speeches.
Audience-Centeredness: Adapting style, register, and examples to listeners' knowledge, needs, and values.
Delivery: Integrating suprasegmental control (pitch variation, pacing, pausing), strong enunciation, and appropriate physical gestures.
Assessment and Training: Empirical work shows that frequent low-stakes presentations with targeted feedback (e.g., 1-minute talks, peer ratings) effectively build public-speaking skills.
Classroom Practical Activities
Prosody Drill: Students read a short paragraph with three different intentions (inform, persuade, console) and reflect on vocal changes.
Model + Imitate: Play a short TED excerpt and have learners mark stress and intonation; then rehearse and present.
Context Swap: Provide a single sentence and ask students to rephrase it for different fields, tenors, and modes (e.g., text message vs. formal report).
Micro-Speeches: 1-minute presentations with immediate numeric feedback to practice clarity, voice, and audience engagement.
Psycholinguistics and the Speech Mechanism
Overview of the Speech Mechanism
Refers to the integrated system of anatomical, physiological, and neurological processes enabling humans to produce spoken language. Speech production is a complex coordination of respiration, phonation, articulation, and resonance, governed by cognitive planning and motor control.
Models by Levelt (1989) and Dell (2013) demonstrate that speech is produced through overlapping stages transforming thoughts into linguistic forms and acoustic signals.
Cognitive and Linguistic Stages of Speech Production
Conceptualization Stage: Idea-generation stage where a speaker forms an intention or communicative goal. The mind plans what to say before choosing how to say it. Involves two processes: (a) message planning and (b) preverbal message formulation. Example: before saying "I'm thirsty," the brain recognizes the internal state of thirst and the intention to request water.
Formulation Stage: Converts the preverbal idea into a linguistic structure. Activates Broca's area (left inferior frontal gyrus), which organizes linguistic structure and prepares motor sequences for articulation. Involves two interrelated processes:
Grammatical Encoding: Selection of words (lexical items) appropriate for meaning, organization of syntactic structure (subject, verb, object order), and assignment of morphological markers (tense, number, agreement).
Phonological Encoding: Translation of words into sound patterns (phonemes and syllables), planning of intonation, stress, and rhythm, and retrieval of phonetic representations from memory.
Articulation Stage: Motor execution phase where the brain's speech plan is sent to the speech organs for physical realization. The motor cortex and cerebellum coordinate fine muscle movements (Guenther, 2006). The brain signals the respiratory system, larynx, tongue, lips, and palate:
Respiration: Supplies airflow (energy source).
Phonation: Produces voiced or voiceless sounds via vocal fold vibration.
Articulation: Shapes airflow into distinct phonemes using tongue, lips, teeth, and palate.
Resonation: Modifies sound quality via nasal and oral cavities.
Physiological Systems of the Speech Mechanism
Respiratory System:
Function: Provides airflow and breath support for speech; controls loudness and length.
Major Organs Involved: Lungs, diaphragm, trachea.
Phonatory System:
Function: Converts airflow into sound waves via vocal fold vibration.
Major Organs Involved: Larynx, vocal cords, glottis.
Articulatory System:
Function: Shapes sound into speech by modifying airflow.
Major Organs Involved: Tongue, lips, teeth, palate.
Resonatory System:
Function: Amplifies and filters sound, giving each voice its unique timbre.
Major Organs Involved: Nasal cavity, oral cavity, pharynx.
Speech Production as a Feedback Process
Continuous monitoring and self-correction relies on auditory feedback loops processed by the superior temporal gyrus and Wernicke's area:
Internal Feedback: The speaker mentally hears or anticipates words before uttering them.
External Feedback: The speaker listens to their own voice through auditory channels and corrects errors in real time.
Rhetoric, Oral Interpretation, and Creative Speech
The Five Canons of Rhetoric
Classical framework originating with Roman orators such as Cicero for composing and delivering persuasive discourse:
Invention (Inventio): Generating ideas and arguments relevant to the speaker's purpose and audience; discovering core ideas, evidence, and appeals (ethos, logos, pathos).
Arrangement (Dispositio): Organizing material into an effective structure (introduction, statement of facts, division, proof/arguments, refutation, conclusion, transitions).
Style (Elocutio): Choice of language and rhetorical devices (diction, figures of speech, sentence structure, metaphor, rhythm, imagery) shaping voice and tone.
Memory (Memoria): Internalizing content and structure so delivery appears natural, confident, and adaptable.
Delivery (Pronuntiatio): Physical performance including voice (volume, pitch, pace), articulation, pausing, gesture, posture, eye-contact, facial expression, and use of space.
Types of Speech Delivery
Impromptu Speaking: Delivering a speech spontaneously with little to no preparation; highlights cognitive agility, rhetorical organization, and composure. Requires a general idea on the topic beforehand.
Extemporaneous Speaking: Combines structure with flexibility using brief notes or outlines rather than a full manuscript; preferred academic and professional mode.
Memorized Speaking: Fully rehearsed and memorized speech; precise, but risks sounding mechanical without natural inflection.
Manuscript Speaking: Pre-written speech read verbatim from text; common in formal, diplomatic, or broadcast settings.
Argumentation, Debate, and Special Occasions
Argumentation: Reasoned discourse aiming to persuade through logic and evidence.
Debate: Structured performance of argumentation in opposition. Develops logical reasoning, ethical persuasion, active listening, critical evaluation of sources, and respect for diversity of opinion.
Speeches for Special Occasion: Ceremonial forms designed for events (weddings, graduations, tributes, inaugurations, memorials) to honor individuals, celebrate milestones, or inspire while maintaining sincerity.
Oral Interpretation Forms and Techniques
Expressive vocal performance of literary texts to reveal meaning, emotion, and rhythm through voice rather than full dramatization.
Poetry Interpretation: Focuses on rhythm, imagery, and sound. Core skill: Prosody and emotion. Performance technique: Vocal modulation and rhythm control.
Prose Interpretation: Focuses on prose narration and character. Core skill: Narration and pacing. Performance technique: Voice contrast and controlled movement.
Dramatic Interpretation: Focuses on dialogue and action. Core skill: Emotional realism. Performance technique: Character embodiment and tone variation.
Duo Interpretation: Focuses on paired text. Core skill: Coordination. Performance technique: Vocal harmony and timing.
Group Interpretation: Focuses on choral expression. Core skill: Collaboration. Performance technique: Synchronized rhythm and gesture, unified emotion.
Reader's Theater: Focuses on script reading. Core skill: Fluency and comprehension. Performance technique: Expressive voice with minimal movement.
Chamber Theater: Focuses on narrative dramatization. Core skill: Literary analysis. Performance technique: Combined narration and performance, minimal props.
Related Creative Speech Forms
Storytelling: Artful narration of factual or fictional events using words, tone, and gesture to communicate meaning, emotion, and moral insight.
Interpretative Reading: Expressive reading aloud of literary texts to convey meaning, rhythm, and emotional nuance through controlled vocal delivery (adjusting pitch, tone, volume, and stress).
Declamation: Memorized reenactment of a historically or rhetorically significant speech performed with passion and persuasive intensity, free from histrionics.
Monologue: Solo performance or extended speech expressing personal thoughts, emotions, or experiences.
Internal Monologue (Interior Monologue / Stream of Consciousness): Presents a character's inner thoughts, emotions, and reflections without being spoken aloud.
External Monologue: Spoken address directed to another character or an audience as outward communication.
Soliloquy: Special form of internal monologue spoken aloud when a character is alone on stage, revealing inner thoughts to the audience without being heard by other characters.
Theater Arts Overview and Creative Drama
Origins and History of Drama
Originates from Greek dran, meaning "to do" or "to act." Evolved from ritualistic religious ceremonies in ancient Greece into artistic storytelling through dialogue, song, and movement. Expanded globally into forms such as Japanese Noh and Kabuki, Chinese Opera, and Medieval Mystery Plays.
Six Essential Elements of Drama:
Plot: Most essential element; sequence of events or actions.
Character: Individuals who enact the story or drama.
Dialogue: Spoken words expressing thought and conflict.
Theme: Central idea or message conveyed to the audience.
Music and Sound: Creates rhythm and atmosphere.
Spectacle: Visual aspects including sets, costumes, and movement.
Role and Pedagogical Function of Drama and Theater
Mirrors human behavior, expresses collective emotions, and challenges social norms. Encourages empathy by enabling participants to experience diverse perspectives.
Combines literature, music, dance, and visual design while requiring collaboration among actors, directors, designers, and audience.
Serves as an experiential learning method in education: improves oral communication, self-confidence, and intercultural awareness while transforming abstract concepts into embodied experience.
Applied and Creative Drama Techniques
Creative Drama: Improvised, process-oriented activities emphasizing exploration over formal performance.
Role Playing: Assuming characters/roles to explore real-life situations, decisions, and empathy in a safe setting.
Improvisation: Unscripted performance creating dialogue and action spontaneously around a theme.
Pantomime: Conveying meaning through gesture, movement, and facial expression without spoken language.
Puppetry: Visual and oral storytelling using animated figures manipulated by a performer.
Mask Making: Transforms performers into symbolic figures or archetypes, emphasizing gesture over identity.
Stage Spaces, Acting Systems, and Play Production
The Theatrical Process
Selection of script or concept.
Interpretation and analysis (establishing artistic vision, historical context, and tone).
Design phase (creating sets, costumes, lighting, sound, and props).
Rehearsals (refining timing, movement, and delivery).
Technical run-throughs and previews (integrating cues, transitions, and audience response).
Types of Theater Stage Spaces
Proscenium Theater: Traditional form featuring a framed stage ("picture frame") separating performers from audience; emphasizes illusion and visual spectacle.
Thrust Stage: Stage extends into audience on three sides; encourages intimacy and multi-angle viewing.
Arena Theater: Audience completely surrounds the stage; demands flexible blocking and minimal scenery.
Black Box Theater: Flexible, minimalist space allowing experimental staging and audience arrangement.
Environmental Theater: Staged in non-traditional spaces (parks, streets, museums) to immerse audience in context.
Production Disciplines
Playwriting: Crafting action blueprints and scripts using narrative structure, dialogue, character development, and dramatic tension.
Dramaturgy: Defined by Szatkowski (2010) as the "interpretive bridge between text and performance." Supports playwrights and directors with historical research, thematic analysis, and contextual coherence.
Scene Design: Creates visual environment, spatial composition, mood, and symbolism.
Acting: Transforming text into living emotion through voice, movement, and psychological embodiment.
Major Acting Systems
Stanislavski's System (Psychological Realism): Developed by Konstantin Stanislavski in early 20th century. Emphasizes emotional truth and naturalistic behavior.
Emotional Memory: Recalling personal experiences to evoke genuine emotion.
The Magic If: Imagining "What would I do if I were in this situation?"
Objectives and Super-Objectives: Identifying character goals in each moment and overall.
Theatre of the Oppressed: Created by Augusto Boal (1970s, Brazil). Transforms passive spectators into active "spect-actors" who participate in shaping outcomes for social empowerment.
Theatre of Poverty (Poor Theatre): Developed by Jerzy Grotowski (1960s, Poland). Strips theater of excess spectacle (sets, costumes, technology) to focus on pure actor-audience interaction.
Actor-Audience Relationship: Considered the heart of theater.
Physical Training: Rigorous exercises to unify body and emotion.
Elimination of Extraneous Elements: Removing scenery and props.
Epic Theatre: Developed by Bertolt Brecht (1920s–30s, Germany). Awakens critical awareness rather than emotional immersion.
Verfremdungseffekt (Alienation Effect): Direct address, visible stage changes, and songs to remind audience performance is constructed.
Gestus: Combination of gesture and social attitude revealing political or class position.
Method Acting: Evolving from Stanislavski, developed by Lee Strasberg, Stella Adler, and Sanford Meisner in mid-20th century U.S.
Affective Memory: Reliving emotional experiences from personal life.
Sense Memory: Recreating sensory details (smells, sounds, textures).
Improvisation: Exploring spontaneity within scripted scenes.
Theatre of Cruelty: Antonin Artaud envisioned theater as a sensory, visceral experience that shocks audiences out of complacency through movement, light, sound, and symbolic violence over dialogue.
Direction and Stage Production Framework
Direction: Creative leadership unifying text, performance, design, and technical aspects into a coherent whole.
Production: Organizational and logistical framework (budgeting, scheduling, marketing, stage management).
Stages of Theater Production:
Pre-production: Script selection, casting, rehearsals. Teacher's role: Coach language delivery and comprehension.
Production: Live performance execution. Teacher's role: Facilitate stage direction, expression, timing.
Post-production: Reflection and critique. Teacher's role: Guide evaluation and peer feedback.
Academic References
Boal, A. (2002). Theatre of the oppressed. Pluto Press.
Brecht, B. (1964). Brecht on theatre: The development of an aesthetic (J. Willett, Ed.).
Courtney, R. (1990). Drama and intelligence: A cognitive theory. McGill-Queen's University Press.
Dell, G. S. (2013). A spreading-activation theory of retrieval in sentence production. Psychological Review, 93(3), 283–321.
Eddington, S. (2019). Integrating performance and speech arts in language learning. Journal of Communication and Education, 14(2), 101–120.
Guenther, F. H. (2006). Cortical interactions underlying the production of speech sounds. Journal of Communication Disorders, 39(5), 350–365.
Heddon, D., & Milling, J. (2015). Devising performance: A critical history. Palgrave Macmillan.
Hickok, G., & Poeppel, D. (2007). The cortical organization of speech processing. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 8(5), 393–402.
Indefrey, P., & Levelt, W. J. M. (2004). The spatial and temporal signatures of word production components. Cognition, 92(1–2), 101–144.
Kent, R. D. (2000). Research on speech motor control and its disorders: A review and prospective. Journal of Communication Disorders, 33(5), 391–428.
Levelt, W. J. M. (1989). Speaking: From intention to articulation. MIT Press.
Lodge, D. (2011). The art of fiction. Vintage International.
Merlin, B. (2018). Acting: The basics (3rd ed.). Routledge.
Neelands, J. (2009). Acting together: Ensemble as a democratic process in art and life. Research in Drama Education, 14(2), 173–189.
Parkinson, D., & Thomas, M. (2017). Creative speaking in education: Integrating performance in communication skills. Language and Communication Review, 22(3), 45–63.
Pavis, P. (2014). Dictionary of the theatre: Terms, concepts, and analysis. University of Toronto Press.
Shafirova, L. (2021). Oral interpretation as a method for developing speaking fluency in EFL contexts. Asian EFL Journal, 25(6), 1–18.
Strasberg, L. (1987). A dream of passion: The development of the method. Little, Brown.
Trofimovich, P., & Baker, W. (2006). Learning second-language suprasegmentals: Effect of experience on prosody and fluency. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 28(1), 1–30.
Varpio, L., Bidlake, E., Casimiro, L., et al. (2018). Using rhetorical appeals to credibility, logic, and emotions to advance health professions education research. Medical Education, 52(1), 5–7.
Walton, University of Arkansas Business Communication Lab. (n.d.). The Five Canons of Rhetoric.
Review Questions and Detailed Explanations
Question 1: Within Levelt's speech-production model, what occurs during formulation?
Options:
A. Selection of communicative intention
B. Encoding of phonological and syntactic plans
C. Execution of articulatory movements
D. Monitoring of produced output
Correct Answer: B. Encoding of phonological and syntactic plans
Explanation: During the formulation stage, the preverbal message is translated into linguistic form: first grammatical/syntactic encoding (building abstract lemmas/syntactic structures) and then phonological encoding (retrieving sound forms, syllabification, prosody) prior to articulatory execution.
Question 2: If the resonatory system is impaired, what vocal feature is most affected?
Options:
A. Inability to generate subglottal pressure for phonation
B. Loss of pitch control (fundamental frequency) entirely
C. Timbre changes and nasalization affecting voice quality and intelligibility
D. Complete absence of articulatory contacts
Correct Answer: C. Timbre changes and nasalization affecting voice quality and intelligibility
Explanation: The resonatory system (nasal, oral, and pharyngeal cavities) acts as an acoustic filter that modifies sound waves produced at the glottis. Disruption in resonance produces altered timbre, abnormal nasality, and reduced speech clarity.
Question 3: Which type of stage best promotes intimacy and multi-angle visibility between actors and audience?
Options:
A. Proscenium arch stage
B. Thrust stage
C. Arena stage
D. Black box stage
Correct Answer: B. Thrust stage
Explanation: A thrust stage extends into the audience on three sides, creating enhanced intimacy while providing multi-angle visibility.
Question 4: Which of the following relationship is considered as the heart of theater?
Options:
A. Actor-audience relationship
B. Actor-director relationship
C. Actor-actor relationship
D. Audience-director relationship
Correct Answer: A. Actor-audience relationship
Explanation: The live, reciprocal exchange between performers and spectators defines theater as a distinct art form. Meaning is co-created in real time through audience response and participation.
Question 5: In adapting prose to Chamber Theater, what is the dramaturg's central task?
Options:
A. Revising lighting designs for stage cues.
B. Translating prose into episodic dramatic structure.
C. Supervising costume and makeup arrangements.
D. Coordinating ticketing and front-of-house logistics.
Correct Answer: B. Translating prose into episodic dramatic structure.
Explanation: Chamber Theater adapts prose literature into live performance combining narration and dramatization. The dramaturg acts as an interpretive bridge to structure the narrative effectively for performance.
Question 6: Which acting theory prevents audience emotional immersion to promote critical reflection?
Options:
A. Stanislavski's System
B. Brecht's Epic Theatre
C. Grotowski's Poor Theatre
D. Strasberg's Method Acting
Correct Answer: B. Brecht's Epic Theatre
Explanation: Bertolt Brecht's Epic Theatre uses the alienation effect (Verfremdungseffekt) to disrupt emotional immersion, encouraging the audience to critically reflect on political and social structures.
Question 7: Which directive best reflects Brecht's use of gestus?
Options:
A. "Express inner emotion through subtle realism."
B. "Demonstrate social attitude through clear gesture."
C. "Conceal emotion to maintain realism."
D. "Eliminate all movement and facial expression."
Correct Answer: B. "Demonstrate social attitude through clear gesture."
Explanation: Gestus combines physical gesture with social attitude, making a character's class, political standing, or ideological context visible to the audience.
Question 8: Which community-based theater form transforms viewers into active participants in the play's outcome?
Options:
A. Declamation contests
B. Forum Theatre
C. Readers' Theater
D. Radio drama
Correct Answer: B. Forum Theatre
Explanation: Part of Augusto Boal's Theatre of the Oppressed, Forum Theatre transforms passive audience members into "spect-actors" who intervene directly in the dramatic action to change outcomes.
Question 9: What primarily distinguishes Readers' Theater from a playlet?
Options:
A. Use of elaborate sets and lighting.
B. Emphasis on expressive reading over staging
C. Dependence on costumes and choreography
D. Requirement for complex blocking patterns
Correct Answer: B. Emphasis on expressive reading over staging
Explanation: Readers' Theater relies on script reading and vocal expressiveness with minimal movement and props, whereas a playlet is a fully staged and memorized production.
Question 10: Which task violates professional dramaturgical ethics?
Options:
A. Conducting historical research for adaptation
B. Unilaterally rewriting the playwright's script
C. Providing thematic notes to the director
D. Ensuring textual fidelity in staging
Correct Answer: B. Unilaterally rewriting the playwright's script
Explanation: Dramaturgs act as contextual researchers, advisors, and interpretive bridges; altering or rewriting a playwright's script without authorization violates professional ethics.
Question 11: Which classroom activity best develops nonverbal communicative competence?
Options:
A. Choral reading sessions.
B. Pantomime and mask exercises.
C. Memorized manuscript delivery.
D. Analytical speech critique writing.
Correct Answer: B. Pantomime and mask exercises.
Explanation: Pantomime and mask work strip away vocal dialogue, forcing learners to convey emotion and narrative purely through posture, facial expression, and gesture.
Question 12: Which feature best evidence discourse competence in oral interpretation?
Options:
A. Clear articulation of consonant clusters.
B. Logical sequencing and cohesive transitions.
C. Accurate recitation of memorized lines.
D. Controlled breathing for sustained phrasing.
Correct Answer: B. Logical sequencing and cohesive transitions.
Explanation: Discourse competence concerns organizing language into structured, unified, and cohesive stretches beyond individual words or isolated sentences.
Question 13: Which pedagogical goal is most consistent with creative drama activities in the classroom?
Options:
A. Achieving polished public performances for large audiences.
B. Encouraging spontaneous exploration and cooperative imagination.
C. Memorizing classical monologues through repetition drills.
D. Practicing silent reading strategies for comprehension tests.
Correct Answer: B. Encouraging spontaneous exploration and cooperative imagination.
Explanation: Creative drama emphasizes process over product, prioritizing spontaneous exploration, collaboration, and personal development over formal public staging.
Question 14: Which component of effective vocal delivery primarily conveys emotional nuance and prevents monotony in speech performance?
Options:
A. Controlled breathing and proper posture.
B. Clear articulation and consonant precision.
C. Variation in pitch, rate, and volume (paralanguage).
D. Accurate pronunciation of multisyllabic words.
Correct Answer: C. Variation in pitch, rate, and volume (paralanguage).
Explanation: Paralinguistic variation (pitch inflection, tempo adjustments, and dynamic volume control) gives speech emotional expression and avoids visual/auditory monotony.
Question 15: Which of the following best demonstrates the principle of enunciation in speech performance?
Options:
A. Maintaining vocal projection across a large auditorium.
B. Pronouncing each syllable distinctly with correct stress and rhythm.
C. Sustaining a low, steady pitch throughout the presentation.
D. Memorizing the entire script word-for-word before delivery.
Correct Answer: B. Pronouncing each syllable distinctly with correct stress and rhythm.
Explanation: Enunciation refers to articulation clarity—ensuring each sound and syllable is produced distinctly with proper stress and rhythmic timing.