Difficulty: Medium

Average Score: 55%

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.

What is the main idea presented in this paragraph?

Rationale

Women are perceived as less appealing political candidates due to their shriller voices.

The paragraph discusses how harsh voice qualities, particularly in women, can lead to negative perceptions, especially in public speaking roles. It highlights the correlation between higher-pitched, shrill voices and the discomfort they may cause in listeners, ultimately suggesting that this affects women's appeal as political candidates.

A (Some men possess harsh voices.) YOUR ANSWER

This statement is too specific and lacks supporting detail from the paragraph. The text does not focus on men’s voices or make any claims about their qualities; instead, it emphasizes the effects of harshness and tension in voices, primarily in women.

B (Harsh voices are often associated with relaxed individuals.) YOUR ANSWER

This choice is contradictory to the content of the paragraph, which clearly states that harsh voice qualities arise from tension in the throat and jaw. Relaxed individuals would typically exhibit more pleasant voice qualities, rather than harshness, making this option incorrect.

C (Women are perceived as less appealing political candidates due to their shriller voices.) CORRECT

This option accurately reflects the main idea of the paragraph, which indicates that women’s tendency to have shriller voices can negatively impact their public perception, particularly in political contexts. The connection between voice quality and appeal is central to the discussion.

D (Not everyone is bothered by a harsh voice.) YOUR ANSWER

While this statement may be true in a general sense, the paragraph does not support it. Instead, it focuses on the negative effects of harsh voices and does not provide any evidence that some individuals are unaffected or indifferent to these voice qualities.

Conclusion

The paragraph conveys that harsh voice qualities, especially in women, can lead to unfavorable perceptions in public speaking scenarios. By linking shrillness to tension and the resultant discomfort it causes listeners, the text underscores how these vocal traits can diminish a woman’s appeal as a political candidate. This highlights the importance of voice quality in shaping public opinion and personal interactions.

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