What is a "call to action" in a persuasive speech?

A "call to action" in a persuasive speech serves as a crucial element that explicitly encourages the audience to take a specific action after listening. This action could range from signing a petition, changing a behavior, supporting a cause, or any other action the speaker believes would be beneficial or necessary. The effectiveness of a persuasive speech often hinges on how well this call to action resonates with the audience, compelling them to engage in the desired behavior.

In this context, the call to action distills the purpose of the speech into a clear, actionable statement, making it easier for the audience to understand what the speaker desires them to do. By directly addressing the audience and proposing a concrete next step, the speaker enhances the likelihood of fostering change or prompting active engagement from the listeners.

The other options, while important aspects of speech crafting, do not fulfill the role of a call to action. Summaries of key points provide an overview of arguments but do not direct behavior, rhetorical questions aim to stimulate thought but do not instruct action, and formal conclusions serve to wrap up the speech rather than to provoke further action. Thus, the essence of a call to action is its directive nature, making option A the correct understanding in the context of persuasive speech.