When speakers appeal to one"s sense of emotion, they are using pathos. "Why should I care about what you have to say?" This is the kind of question on an audience"s mind when listening to a speech or reading a persuasive text. You can find the same semantic root of pathos in similar, related words such as "sympathy" or "pathetic". Rhetorical questions, emotive language and sensationalism appeal to our sense of pathos.