One of the most effective ways to arouse interest in your presentation involves

A) beginning with humor.
B) apologizing about the shortcomings of the venue.
C) uniting the audience around a common goal.
D) dwelling on your personal feelings and idiosyncrasies.
E) asking the audience questions at the beginning of the presentation.

Uniting the audience around a common goal can help create a sense of belonging and engagement. Starting with a shared purpose can make the audience more invested in your presentation and much more likely to pay attention. Humor and personal anecdotes can also be effective, but they may not work equally well with all audiences. Apologizing or dwelling on your shortcomings can make the audience perceive you as unprofessional and unreliable. Asking questions at the beginning can work, but it may not be the best option for every type of presentation.