Final answer:
Attention is selective by nature, focusing cognitive resources on specific stimuli, and it's important for both the speaker and audience to maintain engagement throughout a speech.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement 'attention is inherently selective' is true. Attention involves the focus of cognitive resources on a particular stimulus while ignoring others, which is inherently a selective process. This selectivity is necessary for individuals to function effectively in environments with multiple stimuli. However, attention is not the same as listening, as listening involves the processing and understanding of auditory information. Additionally, the responsibility of maintaining audience attention lies not solely with the speaker, but also with the audience's own willingness to focus. While a planned strategy for engaging the audience's attention is important in the introduction of a speech, it should also be maintained throughout the body to ensure effective communication. Ensuring consistent audience engagement is crucial for delivering a successful speech, including using various rhetorical strategies like anecdotes, humor, or surprising facts, and considering cultural awareness.