Final answer:
True, the circumstances that call for a public response is known as the rhetorical situation, which includes factors such as author, message, audience, purpose, context, and culture, all of which are essential to effective communication.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that the circumstances that call for a public response is known as the rhetorical situation is True. A rhetorical situation occurs whenever communication is happening, and it involves several elements such as the author, message, audience, purpose, means, context, and culture. Each of these components plays a crucial role in shaping the rhetoric -- the art of effective or persuasive communication.
When engaged in a rhetorical situation, individuals or groups respond to a particular context using rhetoric to convey their message effectively to a specified audience. Depending on this context, the genre or medium of communication, purpose, and audience's expectations, the language and strategies used may vary. For instance, the way you discuss an issue on social media may differ from how you communicate the same message in an academic essay or in person due to differences in rhetorical situations.