Difficulty: Medium

Average Score: 50%

What effect does your voice have on others? Does it persuade or irritate, attract or repel? One of
the worst qualities is harshness. If you ever get the feeling that people are uncomfortable when you speak, it may be that your harsh tones are jarring their eardrums. Your voice will sound
unpleasant if it is shrill, grating, hard, piercing, brassy, to loud, or too nasal. Harsh voice qualities usually come from too much tension in the throat and jaw. Tension tightens muscles and blocks the relaxed voice tones essential to a pleasing impression. Because tension occurs in higher pitched voices, women tend to have shriller voices than men, which usually makes them
less desirable public speakers, newscasters, or political candidates.

The information presented is

Rationale

The information presented is slanted against people with piercing voices.

The text discusses how harsh voice qualities, including those that are described as "piercing," can create discomfort for listeners, suggesting a negative perception of such voice characteristics. This focus on the unpleasantness associated with certain vocal qualities indicates a bias against voices that are deemed harsh or shrill.

A (Slanted in favor of newscasters) YOUR ANSWER

The passage does not express any positive bias towards newscasters. Instead, it mentions that higher pitched voices, which often belong to women, may be less desirable for roles like public speaking or newscasting, implying a disadvantage rather than support for newscasters.

B (Slanted against people with deep voices) YOUR ANSWER

The text does not critique deep voices; it primarily focuses on the negative aspects of harsh or high-pitched voices. Therefore, it does not show any bias against individuals with deeper vocal qualities, which are not mentioned in a negative context.

C (Slanted against people with piercing voices) CORRECT

The passage explicitly states that harsh tones, including "piercing" qualities, can make listeners uncomfortable. This directly indicates a bias against such voice characteristics, aligning with the idea that these qualities are undesirable.

D (Balanced in its approach) YOUR ANSWER

The information presented is not balanced, as it specifically highlights negative aspects associated with harsh and piercing voices without acknowledging any potential positive attributes of these vocal qualities. This one-sided focus suggests a lack of balance in the discussion.

Conclusion

The passage demonstrates a clear bias against individuals with harsh or piercing voice qualities, as it emphasizes how these characteristics can create discomfort for listeners. By highlighting the negative impacts of such voices while neglecting to mention any redeeming features, the information leans toward a critical view of piercing vocal traits, particularly in contexts like public speaking.

Related Questions

View all