In the following question, out of the four alternatives, select the alternative which is the best one word substitute for the given expression. Excessively lengthy speech that uses far too many words.

Introduction / Context:
This vocabulary question asks for a one word substitute that captures the idea of an excessively lengthy speech. Such questions test not only your knowledge of dictionary meanings but also your sensitivity to connotation, that is, whether a word carries a positive, neutral, or negative shade of meaning in real usage.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The phrase provided is: excessively lengthy speech.
• Four alternatives are given: Concision, Verbiage, Curt, Succinct.
• Only one option should match the idea of unnecessary wordiness.
• The context is general English vocabulary used in exams.

Concept / Approach:
To answer this, you must know which word specifically refers to the use of too many words, often in a negative sense. The term that describes speech or writing that contains an overabundance of words, especially unnecessary ones, is "verbiage." It refers to excessive or meaningless wordiness. The other options suggest brevity or shortness, which is the opposite of what is described in the phrase.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the key idea in the phrase: "excessively lengthy" means too long and wordy. Step 2: Recall that "verbiage" means excessive use of words or a lot of unnecessary wording. Step 3: Check whether "verbiage" applies to speech. It does; it can describe both speech and writing. Step 4: Compare the remaining words and see that they all indicate brevity, not lengthiness. Step 5: Conclude that "Verbiage" is the only option that matches the given phrase.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify the meaning of "verbiage" by remembering common exam collocations such as "legal verbiage" or "needless verbiage," which point to long, complicated, and wordy language. In contrast, exam questions describing short or concise speech would use words like "succinct" or "curt." Therefore, there is no real competitor to "verbiage" among the options.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Concision: This means brevity or the quality of expressing much in few words, which is the opposite of an excessively lengthy speech.
• Curt: This means rudely brief or abrupt in speech, again indicating shortness, not length.
• Succinct: This means clearly and briefly expressed, concise and to the point, which also opposes the idea of excessive length.

Common Pitfalls:
Some learners confuse "verbiage" with "verbal" or "verbatim" because all three begin with "verb." However, "verbiage" is specifically about wordy language. Another mistake is to pick "curt" due to a vague association with bad manners in speech, but that word describes very few words, not many. Always focus on whether the word suggests length or brevity.

Final Answer:
The best one word substitute for "excessively lengthy speech" is Verbiage.