16.-Speaking-in-Competitions

SpeakinginCompetitionsCompetitionsasCommunication•Manypeoplethinkofcompetitionsasartificialspeakingsituations.•Speechesatacompetitionarenotpartofanegotiation,aconference,orapubliccommemoration.•Theyarecreatedspecificallyforthecompetition,andtheyarepresentedinaccordwithstrictrulesofeligibility,conduct,andjudging.•Nobusinessdeals,noeducationalprogramsnoenvironmentalpolicies,nopromotionsrideontheoutcome.•Theultimatemeasureofsuccessorfailureisthedecisionofthejudges,nottheapprovalofthelargeraudience.•Mostsuccessfulspeakersarethosewhocommunicatemosteffectivelywiththeirlisteners.•ThewinnersneedaveryhighlevelofEnglishproficiency.Theyshouldexhibitastrongvocabulary,excellentpronunciation,andcorrectarticulation.•TheyarejudgedontheirabilitytouseEnglishasaworkinglanguageinformulatingandcommunicatingtheirideas.TwoPrimaryAudiences•Oneisthegeneralgroupofpeopleassembledtohearthespeeches.•Theotheriscomposedofjudges.Theyhavedesignatedcriteriaforassessingthespeakers,butlikethelargeraudience,theyalsomakeanoverallassessmentbasedonthespeaker’sabilitytothinkclearlyandtocommunicateeffectively.PreparedSpeech•Itisthefirsteventinmostspeechcompetitions.•Itmaynotbeworththehighestnumberofpoints,butitisthefoundationforeverythingthatfollows.•Astrongpreparedspeechisvitaltogettingstartedontherightfoot.•Itcreatesafavorablefirstimpressionswiththejudgesandbuildsthespeaker’sconfidencefortherestofthecompetition.PreparationandPresentation•Alltheprinciplesdiscussedinpreviouschaptersapplytothepreparedspeech.•Mostpreparedspeecheshaveanassignedtopic,youustdecidehowtodevelopthetopicmosteffectivelywithinthetimelimit.•Youmustfocusonalimitednumberofmainpointsandbackthemupwithhigh-qualitysupportingmaterials.•Clearorganizationisimperative.•Yourintroductionshouldgainattentionandgettheaudienceinvolvedinthespeech.•Yourmainpointsshouldfollownaturallyfromonetothenext.•Yourconclusionshouldcreateamemorablefinalimpression.•Yourlanguageshouldbeaccurate,clear,vivid,andappropriate.Creativity•Beyondthebasicprinciples,themostimportantelementofasuccessfulpreparedspeechiscreativity.•Ittranscendsalltheaspectsofpublicspeakingwehavediscussedsofar,anditusuallymakesthedifferencebetweenanordinaryspeechandasuperbone.•Thetopspeakersbringtheirideastolifewithcreativity.•Makeyourspeechstandoutpositivelyinthejudges’minds.•Micro-creativity:creativityinaparticularpassageorsectionofaspeech.Itisusuallymanifestedinapowerfulinsight,acompellingexample,amemorableturnofphrase,orapoignantemotionalappeal.•Macro-creativity:runsthroughanentirespeech,frombeginningtoend.Itusuallyinvolvesseveralmajorelementsofthespeech–content,language,organization,delivery,orsomecombinationthereof.ImpromptuSpeech•Theimpromptuspeechfollowsthepreparedspeech.•Isglobalizationwideningthegapbetweentherichandthepoor?•Whichishappier,toloveortobeloved?•Shouldstudentsbeprovidedwithmorerigoroustrainingincharacterdevelopment?•AreforeignfilmsapositiveornegativeinfluenceonthedevelopmentofChina’sfilmindustry?PreparationandPresentation•Themostimportantelementsinaneffectiveimpromptuspeechareprecisethoughtandclearorganization.•Inacompetition,impromptuspeechesusuallyrunonetotwominutesinlength.•Settleontwoorthreemajorpointsthatyouwanttocover,anddiscusseachpointclearlyandconcisely.•Supportyourpointsasnecessarywithexamples,statistics,ortestimony.•Feelfreetodrawuponyourownexperiencesinthespeech.Avoidthetemptationtorambleortorepeatyourself.•Trytolookcalmandassuredregardlessofhownervousyoumightbe.•Maintaineyecontactwiththeaudienceandavoidvocalizedpauses.•Thelessyoustumblearoundsearchingforwords,themorepolishedandconfidentyouwillappear.•Talkataclear,deliberatepaceandmaintainyourcomposurethroughoutthespeech,DevelopingaFundofKnowledge•Beinganeffectiveimpromptuspeakerismorethanamatteroftechniqueanddelivery.•Youmusthavesomethingtosay.•Thisrequiresaninquiringmindandafundofknowledgeabouttopicsrangingfromcurrentevents,economics,science,philosophy,andeducationtoliterature,popularculture,history,andenvironment.•Theaimistoknowasmuchasyoucanincomparisonwithyourpeers.Question-and-answerSession•Speakersareusuallyqueriedbyapanelofquestionmasters,commentators,orchallengersaftereitherthepreparedspeechortheimpromptuspeech.•Examples:•Tomovefrom“MadeinChina”to“CreatedinChina,”whatstepsdoyousuggestChineseenterprisestaketomoveupthevaluechainandcreatesustainableproducelinesoftheirown?•Whatdoyouthinkasocietywilllooklikeifdivorceisdisallowed?PreparationandPresentation•MustpracticetheQ&Asessionbeforeyougettothecompetition.•Lookoveryourpreparedspeechandanticipatepossiblequestionsaboutit.•Whenyoupracticethespeechinfrontofotherpeople,invitethemtoaskyouquestions.•Makealistofthequestionsyoucomeupwith,aswellasthoseaskedbythepeople.•Practiceansweringquestions.Debate•Debatesbetweenindividualsandapanelofthreechallengers.•Thedebatetakesplaceimmediatelyaftereachstudent’simpromptuspeech.•Studentsmustdefendthepositiontakenintheimpromptuspeechagainstthechallengers’queriesandcounterarguments.•Criteriaforjudgingincludesubstanceofresponse,useofsupportingmaterials,commandofgrammaran