What is the best use of hands during a speech?

• A. To distract the audience
• B. To emphasize meaning and points
• C. To appear natural while standing still
• D. To hold cue cards

Answer: (B)

Using hands to emphasize meaning and points during a speech is crucial for effective delivery. Gestures can enhance the speaker’s message by adding visual interest and helping to convey emotions or highlight important ideas. For example, using hand motions to illustrate a concept or to indicate size or direction can make the content clearer and more engaging for the audience. This active use of gestures not only captures attention but also aids in audience retention of information, making the speech more impactful.

In contrast, the other options do not serve the same purpose: distracting the audience can detract from the message, appearing natural while standing still may create a sense of stiffness, and holding cue cards, while sometimes necessary, does not actively contribute to reinforcing the speech's points. Thus, emphasizing meaning through hand gestures is the most effective way to communicate and connect with the audience during a speech.