Presentation Basics OpenOffice Impress: Exercise Solutions
How to Use This Page
Read the Samacheer Kalvi textbook chapter first. Then use this page to revise: attempt the textbook questions on your own, then compare with the model answers below. Pay special attention to the Common Mistakes section and the Exam Checklist before your test.
Key Concepts (Quick Recap)
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Presentation | A collection of slides designed to communicate information to an audience |
| Slide | A single page or screen in a presentation that can contain text, images, and other objects |
| Slide Layout | A pre-designed arrangement of placeholders on a slide (e.g. Title Slide, Title and Content) |
| Slide Master | The top-level slide that controls the overall formatting, background, and design for all slides |
| Transition | A visual effect applied when moving from one slide to the next |
| Animation | A visual effect applied to objects on a slide (entrance, exit, emphasis, motion path) |
| Placeholder | A pre-formatted area on a slide layout reserved for specific content like title, text, or images |
| Normal View | The default editing view for creating and modifying individual slides |
| Slide Sorter View | A view that displays thumbnail images of all slides for rearranging and deleting |
| Notes View | A view for adding speaker notes that are visible only to the presenter |
| Handout | A printed version of slides (1, 2, 3, 4, or 6 per page) given to the audience |
| Template | A pre-designed presentation file with formatting, colour scheme, and placeholder content |
| Master Slide | Controls the common elements (logos, headers, footers) that appear on all slides |
I. Choose the Correct Answer (MCQ)
Q1. OpenOffice Impress is used to create _________.
(a) Spreadsheets (b) Documents (c) Presentations ✓ (d) Databases
Q2. The default file extension of an Impress file is _________.
(a) .odt (b) .ods (c) .odp ✓ (d) .odg
Q3. Which view is used to rearrange the order of slides in a presentation?
(a) Normal view (b) Notes view (c) Slide Sorter view ✓ (d) Handout view
Q4. The first slide in a presentation is generally the _________.
(a) Blank slide (b) Title slide ✓ (c) Content slide (d) End slide
Q5. A slide transition is _________.
(a) An effect applied to objects on a slide (b) An effect applied when moving between slides ✓ (c) A type of animation (d) A type of layout
Q6. Which of the following is NOT a slide layout in Impress?
(a) Title Slide (b) Title and Content (c) Blank (d) Formula Bar ✓
Q7. Speaker notes in Impress are visible to _________.
(a) The audience (b) Only the presenter ✓ (c) Everyone (d) Nobody
Q8. The Slide Master controls _________.
(a) Only the first slide (b) Only the last slide (c) The common formatting for all slides ✓ (d) Only images
Q9. Which shortcut key is used to start a presentation from the beginning?
(a) F5 ✓ (b) F7 (c) F9 (d) F11
Q10. A custom animation can be applied to _________.
(a) Only text (b) Only images (c) Any object on a slide ✓ (d) Only the background
II. Very Short Answer Questions (2 Marks)
Q1. What is OpenOffice Impress?
Q2. What is a slide layout?
Q3. What is a slide transition?
Q4. What is the use of the Slide Sorter view?
Q5. What are speaker notes?
Q6. What is a placeholder?
III. Short Answer Questions (3 Marks)
Q1. Explain the different view modes available in OpenOffice Impress.
1. Normal View: This is the default editing view. It shows one slide at a time along with the slide pane (thumbnails on the left) and the tasks pane on the right. You can edit text, insert objects, and apply formatting in this view.
2. Outline View: Displays the text content of all slides in an outline format. This view is useful for organising the structure and flow of the presentation content without worrying about visual design.
3. Notes View: Shows the current slide along with a text area below for adding speaker notes. Notes are visible only to the presenter and help with delivery.
4. Handout View: Displays multiple slides per page for printing handouts. You can choose to print 1, 2, 3, 4, or 6 slides per page. This is useful for distributing copies to the audience.
5. Slide Sorter View: Shows thumbnail images of all slides in a grid. This view is ideal for rearranging slide order, deleting slides, and hiding slides. Content editing is not available in this view.
Q2. Explain how to insert an image into a slide.
1. Using a placeholder: Many slide layouts include an image placeholder. Click on the image icon within the placeholder, then browse and select the image file from your computer.
2. Using the menu: Click Insert > Picture > From File on the menu bar. Browse to the location of the image, select it, and click Open. The image appears on the slide.
3. Using the Insert Image button: Click the Insert Image icon on the Standard toolbar, then browse and select the image file.
After inserting, you can:
- Resize the image by dragging the corner handles (use corner handles to maintain the aspect ratio).
- Move the image by clicking and dragging it to the desired position.
- Format the image by right-clicking and selecting options for borders, alignment, and positioning.
- Crop the image using the Crop option in the Format menu.
Q3. What is the difference between a transition and an animation?
| Feature | Transition | Animation |
|---|---|---|
| Applied to | The movement between two slides | Individual objects on a slide |
| Scope | Affects the entire slide | Affects specific elements (text, image, shape) |
| Types | Fade, Dissolve, Push, Wipe, etc. | Entrance, Exit, Emphasis, Motion Path |
| When it occurs | When navigating from one slide to the next | When an object appears, disappears, or moves on the current slide |
| Purpose | Makes slide changes smooth and professional | Draws attention to specific content, reveals information progressively |
| Setting | Applied via Slide Show > Slide Transition | Applied via Slide Show > Custom Animation |
Transitions control the visual effect of changing slides, while animations control how individual elements appear and behave within a slide.
Q4. Describe the steps to apply a slide transition.
1. Select the slide(s) to which you want to apply the transition (in Normal view or Slide Sorter view). 2. Open the Slide Transition pane by clicking Slide Show > Slide Transition from the menu, or by clicking the Transition tab in the Tasks pane. 3. Choose the transition effect from the list (e.g., Fade, Dissolve, Push, Wipe, Random). 4. Set the transition speed: Slow, Medium, or Fast. 5. Choose the sound effect if desired (optional). 6. Set the advance option:
7. Click "Apply to All Slides" if you want the same transition for every slide, or leave it applied only to the selected slide.
- On mouse click — the presenter clicks to move to the next slide.
- Automatically after — the slide advances after a specified time duration.
Q5. What are the common slide layouts available in Impress?
1. Title Slide: Contains a title placeholder and a subtitle placeholder. Used for the opening slide. 2. Title and Content: Contains a title placeholder and a single content area for text, images, or other objects. 3. Title and Two Content: Contains a title and two content areas side by side for comparison or dual content. 4. Title Only: Contains only a title placeholder. Useful when you want full control over the slide layout. 5. Blank: No placeholders at all. Used for fully custom slide designs. 6. Content with Caption: Contains a content area with a caption below, suitable for labelled images or diagrams. 7. Section Header: Used to introduce a new section of the presentation with a title and subtitle.
Choosing the appropriate layout ensures consistent design and efficient content placement.
IV. Long Answer Questions (5 Marks)
Q1. Explain the features of OpenOffice Impress in detail.
1. Slide Creation and Management: Impress allows you to create, insert, delete, duplicate, and rearrange slides. You can have as many slides as needed. Slides can be organised using the Slide Sorter view.
2. Slide Layouts: Pre-designed layouts (Title Slide, Title and Content, Blank, etc.) provide structured placeholder arrangements for quick content placement.
3. Slide Master: The Slide Master controls the overall design of all slides — background, fonts, colours, logos, and footer information. Changes to the Master automatically reflect on all slides.
4. Templates: Impress provides built-in templates for different themes and presentation types. You can also create and save custom templates for reuse.
5. Text Formatting: Rich text formatting options include font type, size, colour, bold, italic, underline, alignment, bullet points, and numbered lists.
6. Graphic Objects: Insert images, shapes, lines, arrows, charts, and organisation charts. Objects can be resized, rotated, grouped, and layered.
7. Transitions: A variety of slide transition effects (fade, dissolve, push, wipe) can be applied to make slide changes smooth and professional.
8. Custom Animation: Objects on a slide can be animated with entrance, exit, emphasis, and motion path effects. Animation timing, order, and triggers can be customised.
9. Multimedia Support: Insert audio and video clips into slides for interactive presentations. Media files play during the slide show.
10. Charts and Tables: Insert charts (bar, pie, line) and tables directly into slides to present data visually.
11. Speaker Notes: Add private notes to each slide that are visible only to the presenter, helping with delivery and timing.
12. Export Options: Presentations can be exported to PDF, HTML, Flash (SWF), and various image formats. They can also be printed as handouts with multiple slides per page.
Q2. Explain the steps to create a presentation from scratch.
Step 1: Start Impress Launch OpenOffice Impress. The Presentation Wizard appears offering options to create a presentation from a template or an empty presentation. Choose "Empty Presentation" and click Create.
Step 2: Choose a Slide Layout The first slide is created with the Title Slide layout by default. Click the title placeholder and type your presentation title. Click the subtitle placeholder and type your name or subtitle.
Step 3: Add New Slides Click Insert > Slide from the menu bar, or press Ctrl+M. A new slide appears with the Title and Content layout. Choose a different layout from the Tasks pane if needed. Type your content into the placeholders.
Step 4: Insert Content
- Text: Click in a text placeholder and type. Use the Formatting toolbar to change font, size, colour, and alignment.
- Images: Click Insert > Picture > From File, or use an image placeholder.
- Tables: Click Insert > Table, specify rows and columns, and fill in the data.
- Charts: Click Insert > Chart and configure the data.
Step 5: Apply Design
- Background: Right-click a slide > Slide > Page > Background tab. Choose a colour, gradient, or image.
- Slide Master: View > Master > Slide Master to set fonts, colours, and logos that apply to all slides.
Step 6: Add Transitions Select a slide. Click Slide Show > Slide Transition. Choose an effect, speed, and advance method. Apply to selected slides or all slides.
Step 7: Add Animations Select an object on a slide. Click Slide Show > Custom Animation. Click Add and choose an effect (entrance, exit, emphasis, motion path). Set the trigger, speed, and order.
Step 8: Preview and Run Press F5 to run the slide show from the beginning. Navigate with mouse clicks, arrow keys, or spacebar. Press Esc to exit the show.
Step 9: Save the Presentation Click File > Save (Ctrl+S). Name the file and choose the location. The file is saved with the .odp extension. You can also use File > Export to save as PDF.
Q3. Explain custom animation in Impress with examples.
Types of Animations:
1. Entrance Effects: Control how an object appears on the slide.
- Examples: Appear, Fly In, Fade In, Zoom In, Spiral In
- Use case: Revealing bullet points one at a time so the audience focuses on the current point.
2. Emphasis Effects: Draw attention to an object that is already visible.
- Examples: Bold Flash, Grow, Spin, Change Font Colour
- Use case: Highlighting a key number or making a title pulse to draw attention.
3. Exit Effects: Control how an object leaves the slide.
- Examples: Fly Out, Fade Out, Shrink, Spiral Out
- Use case: Removing a previous point before showing the next one.
4. Motion Path Effects: Move an object along a defined path on the slide.
- Examples: Line, Curve, Arc, Bounce
- Use case: Moving an icon from one side of the slide to another.
Steps to Apply Custom Animation:
1. Select the object (text box, image, shape) on the slide. 2. Click Slide Show > Custom Animation from the menu. 3. Click the Add button in the Custom Animation pane. 4. Choose the category (Entrance, Emphasis, Exit, Motion Paths) and select the specific effect. 5. Configure the animation properties:
6. Adjust the order of animations using the Move Up and Move Down arrows if multiple animations are applied. 7. Preview the animation using the Play button.
- Start: On click, With previous, or After previous
- Direction: Choose the direction of the effect (e.g., from left, from bottom)
- Speed: Slow, Medium, or Fast
Example: For a slide with three bullet points:
- Select the first bullet point text box and add "Fly In From Left" entrance effect with "On Click."
- Select the second bullet point text box and add "Fly In From Left" with "After Previous."
- Select the third bullet point text box and add "Fly In From Left" with "After Previous."
- During the presentation, each point appears one at a time, creating a progressive reveal effect.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Confusing Impress (presentation software) with Writer (word processor) or Calc (spreadsheet).
- Using too many different transition effects — stick to one or two consistent transitions for a professional look.
- Overloading slides with text — each slide should convey one key idea with brief bullet points.
- Forgetting to check the slide show in Slide Show view before presenting — animations and transitions may not look the same in edit view.
- Applying animations to every object on every slide — use animations sparingly to highlight key points.
- Not using the Slide Master for consistent formatting — manually formatting each slide wastes time and creates inconsistency.
- Ignoring speaker notes — they are valuable for remembering what to say during each slide.
- Choosing fonts that are too small — use at least 24pt for body text and 36pt for titles for readability.
- Forgetting to save the presentation before running the slide show.
- Using low-resolution images that appear pixelated when projected.
Exam Checklist
- [ ] Can define presentation, slide, slide layout, and slide master
- [ ] Know the five view modes and their purposes (Normal, Outline, Notes, Handout, Slide Sorter)
- [ ] Can explain the difference between transitions and animations
- [ ] Can list and describe the types of custom animations (entrance, exit, emphasis, motion path)
- [ ] Know the default file extension of Impress (.odp)
- [ ] Can describe the steps to create a presentation from scratch
- [ ] Understand how to insert images, tables, and charts into slides
- [ ] Can explain the use of the Slide Master for consistent design
- [ ] Know the shortcut key to start a presentation (F5)
- [ ] Can explain speaker notes and their purpose
- [ ] Understand how to apply transitions and set advance options
- [ ] Can list common slide layouts and their uses
