SLPA Anatomy and Physiology of Speech and Hearing 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the correct sequence of the three ossicles of the middle ear, from the tympanic membrane inward?
- Stapes, incus, malleus
- Malleus, incus, stapes (Correct answer)
- Incus, malleus, stapes
- Malleus, stapes, incus
Correct answer: Malleus, incus, stapes
Sound vibrations travel from the tympanic membrane to the malleus, then the incus, then the stapes, which transmits vibration to the oval window of the cochlea.
Question 2: Which muscle is considered the primary muscle of respiration and provides air pressure support for speech?
- Intercostal muscles
- Sternocleidomastoid
- Diaphragm (Correct answer)
- Trapezius
Correct answer: Diaphragm
The diaphragm is the primary muscle of inspiration, contracting to increase lung volume and generating the air pressure needed to drive speech.
Question 3: The cochlea, responsible for converting sound vibrations into neural signals, is located in which part of the ear?
- Outer ear
- Middle ear
- Inner ear (Correct answer)
- External auditory meatus
Correct answer: Inner ear
The cochlea is a fluid-filled, snail-shaped structure in the inner ear that contains hair cells (organ of Corti) which transduce mechanical vibrations into electrical impulses.
Question 4: Velopharyngeal closure during oral speech production prevents which outcome?
- Aspiration of food into the airway
- Nasal air escape causing hypernasality (Correct answer)
- Tongue thrust during articulation
- Laryngospasm during voicing
Correct answer: Nasal air escape causing hypernasality
Velopharyngeal closure seals the nasopharynx from the oropharynx, preventing air from escaping through the nose and causing hypernasality during oral sound production.
Question 5: The vestibulocochlear nerve (CN VIII) carries which types of sensory information to the brain?
- Motor commands for facial expression
- Auditory and vestibular (balance) information (Correct answer)
- Taste and proprioception from the tongue
- Motor commands for swallowing
Correct answer: Auditory and vestibular (balance) information
CN VIII, the vestibulocochlear nerve, transmits both auditory signals from the cochlea and balance/spatial orientation information from the vestibular system.
Question 6: Which structures are classified as the primary articulators in the speech production system?
- Lungs, trachea, and bronchi
- Tongue, lips, teeth, and palate (Correct answer)
- Larynx, pharynx, and epiglottis
- Cochlea, ossicles, and tympanic membrane
Correct answer: Tongue, lips, teeth, and palate
The primary articulators—tongue, lips, teeth, and palate—shape the vocal tract to produce specific speech sounds through their position and movement.
Question 7: Which structure serves as a shared pathway for both the respiratory and digestive systems, located posterior to the oral and nasal cavities?
- Larynx
- Esophagus
- Pharynx (Correct answer)
- Epiglottis
Correct answer: Pharynx
The pharynx is the muscular tube that serves as a common conduit for air traveling to the larynx/trachea and food/liquid traveling to the esophagus.
SLPA Anatomy and Physiology of Speech and Hearing 2
What is the correct sequence of the three ossicles of the middle ear, from the tympanic membrane inward?