Presenting a Speech 如何发表演说

Of all human creations, language may be the most remarkable. Through language we share experiences, formulate values, exchange ideas, transmit knowledge, and sustain culture. Indeed, language is vital to thinking itself. Contrary to popular belief, language does not simply mirror reality but also helps to create our sense of reality by giving meaning to events.

在人类创造的万物中，语言可能是最卓越的一项创造。通过语言，我们可以分享经验、阐明价值观念、交流思想、传播知识、传承文化。确实，语言对于思想本身至关重要。和流行的信仰不同的是：语言并不是简单地反映事实，而是通过对事件意义的思考来帮助人们感悟现实。

Good speakers have respect for language and know how it works. Words are the tools of a speaker’s craft. They have special uses, just like the tools of any other profession. As a speaker, you should be aware of the meanings of words and know how to use language accurately, clearly, vividly, and appropriately.

优秀的演说者尊重语言并懂得如何驾驭语言。语言是演说者展示才能的工具，对于他们来说，如同其他职业的工具一样,语言也有特殊的功用。作为一名演说者，你应该意识到话语的意义，并懂得如何准确无误地使用语言，使其表达清楚，趣味横生，恰如其分。

Using language accurately is as vital to a speaker as using numbers accurately is to an accountant. Never use a word unless you are sure of its meaning. If you are not sure, look up the word in a dictionary. As you prepare your speeches, ask yourself constantly, “What do I really want to say? What do I really mean?”Choose words that are precise and accurate.

如同数字对于会计的重要性一样，准确地使用语言对于演说者至关重要。在没有确切知道一个词语的意思之前，千万不要盲目使用。碰到没有把握的词语，一定要查词典追根究底。当你准备演讲之前，一定要不断地问自己：“我究竟想说些什么？我究竟想表达什么样的意思？”因此，对于一篇演讲稿的用词来说，必须准确无误。

Using language clearly allows listeners to grasp your meaning immediately. You can ensure this by using familiar words that are known to the average person and require no specialized background; by choosing concrete words in preference to more abstract ones, and by eliminating 消除 verbal clutter杂乱.

如果语言表达清楚无误，听众就能很快抓住你的意思。鉴于此，演说者应该使用那些对于大多数人来说非常熟悉的词语，这些词语不需要任何专业背景就能够理解；演说者应该使用那些表达具体而不是相对抽象的词语；并且千万不要乱堆砌辞藻，哗众取宠。

Using language vividly helps bring your speech to life. One way to make your language more vivid is through imagery, or the creation of word pictures. You can develop imagery by using concrete language, simile, and metaphor. Simile is an explicit comparison between things that are essentially different yet have something in common; it always contains the words “like” or “as.” Metaphor is an implicit comparison between things that are different yet have something in common; it does not contain the words “like” or “as.”

准确生动地使用语言能够使你的演说贴近生活。有一种方法可以使你的语言更加生动形象，那就是通过展开联想或创造语言图示。通过使用表达具体的词语、明喻或者暗喻等手法可以展开想像。明喻是对本质上不同却含有一些相同之处的事物进行明确的比喻：它们总是包含“像??一样”或者“如同??一样”这样的连词。暗喻是一种隐性的比喻，它能够把两个形式不同但是有一些相通之处的事物联系在一起，暗喻不包含“像??一样”或者“如同??一样”这样的连词。

Another way to make your speeches vivid is by exploiting利用；开发the rhythm of language. Four devices for creating rhythm are parallelism, repetition, alliteration, and antithesis. Parallelism is the similar arrangement of a pair or series of related words, phrases, or sentences. Repetition is the use of the same word or set of words at the beginning or end of successive 连续的 clauses 分句，短语or sentences. Alliteration comes from repeating the initial consonant 辅音 sounds of close or adjoining words. Antithesis is the juxtaposition of contrasting ideas, usually in parallel structure.

另一种让你的演说生动形象的方法是注重语言的节奏感。有四种修辞格可以让你的语言富有节奏感：排比、重复、头韵和对比。排比是将一组或一系列具有相似结构的词语、短语或者句子排列在一起；重复是在一系列短句或者长句的开头或者结尾使用相同的一句话或者一组词语；头韵是指邻近或者相邻的几个句子中的首个词语的辅音字母相同；对比是将一些意思相反的词语或句子并列在一起，通常使用排比结构。

Using language appropriately means adapting to the particular occasion, audience, and topic at hand. It also means developing your own language style instead of trying to copy someone

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else’s. If your language is appropriate in all respects, your speech is much more likely to succeed.

恰当地使用语言是指语言的运用要符合特定的场合、特定的观众和特定的主题。同时，恰当地使用语言还意味着演说者要有自己的语言风格，而不是模仿他人的口吻。如果演说者的语言在各个方面都能够做到恰如其分，那么这篇演说成功的机率就会大大提高。

Good speeches are not composed of hot air and unfounded assertions. They need strong supporting materials to bolster the speaker’s point of view. In fact, the skillful use of supporting materials often makes the difference between a good speech and a poor one. The three basic types of supporting materials are examples, statistics and testimony.

优秀的演说并不是空穴来风、缺乏论据的决断。演说者必须找到强有力的论据来支持其观点。实际上，熟练地使用论据经常是区别一篇优秀演说词和一篇空洞演说词的关键所在。一般来说，通常有三种论据材料：事例、统计数据和证词。

In the course of a speech you may use brief examples — specific instances referred to in passing — and sometimes you may want to give several brief examples in a row to create a stronger impression. Extended examples — often called illustrations, narratives, or anecdotes — are longer and more detailed. Hypothetical examples describe imaginary situations and can be quite effective for relating ideas to the audience. All three kinds of examples help to clarify ideas, to reinforce ideas, or to personalize ideas. To be more effective, though, they should be vivid and richly textured.

在演说过程中，你可以使用一些简明扼要的例子——即附带地提及几个具体的例子——有时候，你可以罗列好几个简明的例子，借此增强听众的印象。扩展性的例子——也叫例证、叙述或者奇闻轶事——通常长一些，但更具体。假设的例子描述想像中的情形，这种例子能够将相关的想法有效地传达给听众。这三种例子都能够帮助演说者理清思绪、加强印象或者使演说更加娓娓动听。为了使表达更加富有效果，例子应该生动活泼，丰富多彩。

Statistics can be extremely helpful in conveying your message, as long as you use them sparingly节约地 and explain them so they are meaningful to your audience. Above all, you should understand your statistics and use them fairly. Numbers can easily be manipulated and distorted. Make sure that your figures are representative of what they claim to measure, that you use statistical measures correctly, and that you take statistics only from reliable sources.

只要演说者对于统计数据用之得当并且加以解释，这些数据将有助于有效地传达信息，听众也能从统计数据中获益匪浅。最重要的是：演说者应该对统计数据了如指掌，并且运用得恰如其分。由于数据很容易操纵和捏造，因此，对于演说者来说，一定要确保图表没有张冠李戴，并且要确保统计方法正确，数据来源可靠。

Testimony is especially helpful for student speakers, because they are seldom recognized as experts on their speech topics. Citing the views of people who are experts is a good way to make your ideas more credible. When you include testimony in a speech, you can either quote someone verbatim逐字 or paraphrase释义 their words. As with statistics, there are guidelines for using testimony. Be sure to quote or paraphrase accurately and to cite qualified unbiased sources. If the source is not generally known to your audience, be certain to establish his or her credentials.

证词对于那些学生演说者来说特别重要，因为他们都不是演讲主题方面的专家，所以引用那些权威的观点对于增加演说者观点的可信度来说是一种好方法。演说者在演讲中引用证词，可以一字不差地引用别人的话，或者对他们的话进行解释说明。和统计数据一样，证词的使用也需要遵循一定的程式。例如，一定要确保引用或者解释别人的话准确无误，并且确保引文来源可靠公正。如果听众对你的引文不太熟悉，请一定要确立引文作者的可信度。

The impact of a speech is strongly affected by how the speech is delivered. You cannot make a good speech without having something to say. But having something to say is not enough. You must also know how to say it. Good delivery does not call attention to itself. It conveys the speaker’s ideas clearly, interestingly, and without distracting the audience.

演说的方式也会极大影响其质量。如果一篇演说言之无物当然无人喝彩，但是只有内容是远远不够的，你还必须懂得如何演说。良好的演说方式虽然不能增添更多的信息量，但是它能够帮助演说者清晰地表达思想，使演说妙趣横生，让观众全神贯注。

There are four basic methods of delivering a speech: reading verbatim from a manuscript, reciting a memorized text, speaking with PowerPoint, and speaking extemporaneously, or impromptu. The last of these － speaking extemporaneously － is the method you probably will use for classroom speeches and for most speeches outside the classroom. When speaking extemporaneously, you will have only a brief set of notes or a speaking outline. Speaking with PowerPoint is widely used now and very effective indeed.

演说的表达方式基本上有四种：通读手稿中的段落、复述背诵过的一段文章、幻灯片辅助的演说以及即兴发挥或即席演说。最后一种方法在课堂讲座经常会用到，大部分课外讲座

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也会采用这种即席演说的方式。当你即席演说时，你只需要准备一小段简短的提要或者一个演讲大纲即可。幻灯片辅助演说的方式现在运用得很广泛，事实证明这种方式也非常有效。

Certainly there are other factors you should consider, such as personal appearance, bodily action, gestures, eye contact, volume, pauses and so on. By paying enough attention to what is mentioned above, you may present an effective speech.

当然，还有其他的因素你需要考虑，如个人的外表、肢体语、手势、目光接触、讲话的声调、停顿等。总之，如果你能够留心上述的方法，相信你的演讲一定会妙语连珠，赢得满堂喝彩。

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