When your textbook describes public speaking as a form of empowerment, it means that public speaking is:

A) a way to demonstrate how clever we are.

B) a way to make bad ideas seem good.

C) a way to make a difference in something we care about.

D) a way to manipulate people.

E) a way to make everyone see things through our frame of reference.

Answer: C) a way to make a difference in something we care about.

Explanation:

Empowerment is giving someone authority or motivation to act. It is a way to enable people to achieve independence or self determination thereby building self-confidence. When we speak about what we care about publicly, we empower people who need authority and motivate those who have the power to put effective changes in place. The strength of public speaking is that it reaches a wide range of audience.

Empowerment does not mean manipulation, showing off or confusing people.