Question

In surveys, Americans consistently rank "Public Speaking" as one of their worst fears. In fact, Americans appear to fear public speaking more than some gruesome methods of death. Part of this fear undoubtedly stems from high school students not being trained in public speaking techniques or not being given enough opportunities to practice public speaking to allay those fears.
Which is the best concluding sentence for this paragraph?
A) Americans also fear having their identity stolen or experiencing a terrorist attack while traveling.
B) I myself don't fear public speaking because I spent a lot of my time in college doing presentations.
C) If you are going to be a good public speaker--or a competent one--then you must practice public speaking as often as possible.
D) Therefore, either public speaking classes should be made a graduation requirement or teachers should integrate oral speeches into their current curriculum.

Answer 1

Answer:

D) Therefore, either public speaking classes should be made a graduation requirement or teachers should integrate oral speeches into their current curriculum.

Explanation:

To find the most adequate conclusion, we must be familiar with the basic ideas mentioned in this paragraph.

First, there is an introduction, where the problem is addressed. This claim is supported by an evidence, which is essential in writing.

Then, a potential cause of the problem is identified - the lack of public speaking training in high schools.

Finally, a conclusion should be written in the form of a suggestion, offering a solution to the identified cause.

Answer A. could be included in text, but it should be in the very beginning, when the author spoke about Americans' fears. It definitely doesn't belong in the conclusion.

Answer B. represents the author's personal experience; it doesn't offer a solution as the conclusion should.

Answer C. could be regarded as acceptable conclusion, but it's not coherent to the previous sentence. It offers a good advice to an individual, but it doesn't solve the problem on school level.

Finally, answer D. offers a solution that could solve the problem since it is pointed directly to the source of the problem - inadequate high school curriculum.

Answer 2

Answer:

D

Explanation:

The best concluding sentence for this paragraph is the following one: Therefore, either public speaking classes should be made a graduation requirement or teachers should integrate oral speeches into their current curriculum. This sentence sums up the main idea of the paragraph accurately and clearly.