Which of the following would be most appropriate for a speech attempting to persuade listeners that the school day should be lengthened?

The problem-solution pattern is particularly effective in a persuasive speech, especially one focused on advocating for a change, such as lengthening the school day. This format allows the speaker to first outline a specific problem that the current school schedule presents—like insufficient time for learning or extracurricular activities. After establishing the problem, the speaker can offer a well-reasoned solution, which in this case would be the proposal to lengthen the school day. This structure effectively engages the audience by creating an awareness of an issue and presenting a compelling solution, making it more likely to persuade listeners to support the proposed change.

In contrast, while a question-answer order could be engaging, it may not provide a clear framework for persuading the audience about a specific policy change. The motivated sequence focuses on guiding the audience through a series of steps, which can also be persuasive but may be more complex for this particular straightforward argument. The temporal pattern, which organizes information chronologically, might not highlight the persuasive aspects as effectively as addressing a problem and its solution. Hence, the problem-solution pattern is the most suitable choice for this scenario.