Final answer:
Eye contact during a presentation helps establish the speaker's credibility, maintains the audience's attention, and allows the speaker to receive nonverbal feedback. It should be used effectively to engage the audience without being excessive. option c is the correct answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
Maintaining eye contact during a presentation provides several benefits for the speaker. It establishes a connection with the audience, showcasing the speaker's credibility and engagement with the audience. When a speaker looks directly at their audience, it conveys confidence and interest, which can, in turn, captivate and maintain the audience's focus on the presentation.
Furthermore, eye contact allows the speaker to receive nonverbal feedback from the audience, which can be essential in adjusting the pace, tone, or direction of the presentation to better suit the audience's reactions.
Eye contact should not be constant as it may become intimidating; instead, it needs to be natural and varied. Practicing in front of a mirror or recording oneself can help the speaker monitor and improve their nonverbal communication, including eye contact. The golden rule for eye contact is finding a balance that feels comfortable and conveys the right amount of engagement without being overbearing.
To directly answer the question: Maintaining eye contact during a presentation allows the speaker to get nonverbal feedback from the audience, which is option (c).