SECTION D NOTE-TAKING AND GAP-FILLING

　　Good morning. Today I’d like to discuss with you the secrets of good conversation, that is, how to talk to anyone, anytime, anywhere.
　　When someone tells you that you have to give a speech, your response maybe ”I’ve got to do what? But it’s important to remember that speeches are like anything else in life there’s always a “first time”. People, even those who are wonderful talkers in a conversational setting, are often terrified over the prospect of giving their first speech. Some are scared about it no matter how many speeches they have given before. I suspect you may have the same experience, or have seen others in similar situations. I give speeches many times a year to groups of every possible description. My secret is simply that I think of public speaking as no different from any other form of talk. It’s a way of sharing my though t with other people. You know, in one sense, it’s actually easier than social conversation because you are in complete control of where the talk is going. At the same time you have to have something to say, of course. This leads us to the first key of being a successful public speaker: Talk about something you know about.
　　The second key to being a good speaker is to follow the motto of the Boy Sc outs-Be well prepared. Never go to a speech without some prior work on it. If you are talking about a subject you know well, as I’ve just advised, preparing the speech itself should not be too difficult. If you let the audience know where you’re going at the beginning, they will follow you more easily through the body of your speech. At the end of your speech, try to summarize your most important points in slightly different words from the ones you used in your opening.
　　Here are some other key tips based on my own speaking experience and what I’ve noticed in other good speakers. Look at your audience. I’ve already said ho w important it is to make eye contact. First, be sure to look up from you text o r notes. Second, don’t talk to the wall in the back, or to the window or to the side. They are not your audience. Each time you look up from your text, look at a different part of the audience, so the whole group feels they’re being address ed. Note the pacing and inflection you want to use in speech. Some speakers, if they’re reading from a complete text, underline the words they want to emphasize . If you are using an outline or notes, highlight ideas or phrases you should stress in your speech with different-colored pen or something. This accomplishes t wo things: It guarantees that your emphasis will be where you intended it to be, and it assures your audience that you won’t be speaking in a dull monotone that will put them to sleep, especially if you’re talking after a heavy meal. Stand up straight. I don’ t mean that you have to assume a parade ground posture, but stand in a comfortable, natural way rather than hunching over the lectern. Hunching constricts your breathing, and it makes you look bad as well. If there’s a microphone in front of you, adjust it to the right height rather than forcing yourself to stoop during the speech. If you can, check this out before it’s your t urn to speak. Talk normally into the microphone. If you speak at a high volume in to it, you will actually be harder to hear. And be careful to keep your mouth in the range of the mike; don’t wave around or turn away to answer a question fro m the side.
　　Last but not the least, a speaker has to keep in mind the value of brevity. It’s not easy to be brief, especially on a topic you know a lot about. But in any kind of communication, it’s always worth taking the time to boil your message down to its essentials. That emphasis on brevity applies even more when you are delivering a speech. The show business expression “know when to get off” come s into play again. And the best public speakers always know when. Some of the longest speeches ever inflicted on the American public have been the inaugural addresses of their presidents. However one of the shortest inaugural addresses is also one of the best remembered and most often quoted. It was delivered on January 20,1960 by John F. Kennedy. Kennedy spoke for less than 15 minutes. We can learn from these speakers, whose ability to talk effectively was central to their suc cess, as is the case with so many successful people in every profession. Brevity is the first thing we can learn from them. If people like Kennedy are willing t o keep it short to maximize their effectiveness as speakers, we should be smart enough to do the same thing.
　　To sum up, I’ve mentioned several key points in becoming a successful pub l ic speaker, such as good preparation, audience awareness, brevity, etc. I hope y ou find them very useful in making your speeches effective. Thank you.