Final answer:
A captive audience is obligated to be present and may not attend a presentation willingly, unlike a voluntary audience, which chooses to attend and often has an interest in the topic.
Step-by-step explanation:
In differentiating between a captive and voluntary audience, to understand a captive audience one must remember that this type of audience is typically obligated to be present. Unlike a voluntary audience, a captive audience does not attend the presentation willingly and therefore may not have a strong interest in the topic. They are more difficult to engage as they do not have the option to leave or disengage easily. In contrast, voluntary audiences are comprised of individuals who choose to attend a presentation or event, which generally suggests they have an interest in the topic or speaker.
Understanding whether your audience is captive or voluntary is important because it can significantly influence how you approach delivering your speech or presentation. For a captive audience, you may need to put in more effort to build common ground and keep them engaged since their presence is not by choice. This is in contrast to a voluntary audience that may already be receptive and interested in what you have to say.