Final answer:
Listeners spend varying amounts of time gazing at a speaker during a speech or presentation, with the average attention span being around 20 minutes for adult audiences. Speakers should focus on engaging their audience within this limited timeframe.
Step-by-step explanation:
Listeners spend varying amounts of time gazing at a speaker during a speech or presentation. According to research, the attention span of listeners can be quite limited. For example, live adult audiences typically pay attention for about 20-minute increments before their minds start to wander. This time can be even shorter for young audiences. It is important for speakers to craft their messages effectively and engage the audience within this limited timeframe.