第一节信息性演讲

第一节　信息性演讲Informative Speeches

第一部分　理论学习（Theory Introduction）

日常生活中的演讲以信息性演讲居多。介绍人物、介绍事物、事件发展和介绍概念等都属信息性演讲。信息性演讲中最重要的就是要做到内容清晰、条理分明，这样才能有助于听众从演讲中获取更多重要的信息。

一、信息性演讲的类别（Types of informative speeches）

信息性演讲类型:信息性演讲是向听众传递某个主题的新信息，以提高听众对该信息的理解和运用程度。日常生活中的事物介绍、学术交流中的主题发言、新闻发言人的陈述、商务活动中的产品业绩汇报等当属信息型演讲。和劝说性演讲不同，信息性演讲需说服听众接受演讲者的观点，但要告知听众掌握并运用这些信息会对他们的生活有什么重要意义，会带来什么结果。

在日常的演讲实践中，信息性演讲中也可能有劝说性演讲的成分或者是需要使用劝说性演讲的展开手段展开演讲，反之亦然。学术交流中的主题发言就是典型的例子，虽然以陈述科研和学术成果为主，但必要时，肯定需要以有力的事实、统计数据、实验结果等劝说听众接受其观点。信息性演讲主要有以下几种类型:

（一）介绍人物。人物介绍分为自我介绍和介绍他人。而就介绍的内容而言，有时是一般性的介绍，有时则是有重点的专题人物介绍，必须根据要求而定。

1.自我介绍:作为英语公众演讲课的第一项课堂实践活动，自我介绍可以达到两个目的:学生在初次运用演讲进行交流时起到了打破僵局的作用；与此同时，学生可以在轻松、积极的氛围中初步接触、了解成功演讲的技巧。自我介绍能使学生之间、学生和教师之间互相了解，创造良好的课堂气氛，缓解学生对演讲产生的恐惧心理。专题性人物介绍除了一般性介绍的内容之外，必须比较详细地介绍自己的成长环境、家庭背景、业余爱好，以及促进和影响本人成长与进步的人和事等。自我介绍应遵循以下原则:

To describe to the audience your basic information;

To describe to the audience your major experience of work and education;

To describe to the audience your most representative achievements.

例1:

My name is Su Yuting. I was born in Hezuo. Now I am a student of Music at Yunnan University. I like travel and taking pictures….

例2:

Good morning. Thank for giving me an opportunity to give a brief introduction to myself. My name is Yang Yong. I was born and grew up in Kunming. Ten years ago, I went to Shanghai to study economics in Fudan University. After my 4-year undergraduate study, I went to Nanjing University study for an MBA. In 1998, I obtained my MBA and got a position as director of General Manager’ s Office with FUN in Quanzhou. There I aided my boss, Mr Zhang in such respects as personnel management,development of company management regulations,and English-language training for the administrative staff. I enjoyed my work tremendously and won respect and admiration from my colleagues and trust and appreciation from my boss. I’ m a person of many interests. In my spare time, I go in for sports, and tennis is my favorite. I am fond of books. I read a lot in the areas of history, geography, culture and arts, which,I believe,are beneficial to my personal and professional development.

I am amiable, friendly and outgoing. I believe I can outdo most young people my age in understanding people. I am at ease in handling interpersonal relationship and social interactions. The reason I left the company is not that I was not happy there. It was because I wanted to pursue a higher degree in business. I wish to be into your Ph.D. program and get a Doctor’ s Degree in International Business Law. Then I will be better qualified and stand a greater chance of success as a businessperson. I hope the first part of my wish comes true at your university. Thank you.

2.介绍他人:介绍他人有两种:一种是一般性的介绍，如会议的主持人为介绍下一位演讲者而发表的简短讲话；另一种是重点的专题人物介绍。

会议主持人介绍发言人的主要目的是在发言人和听众之间架起沟通的桥梁，以提高发言人的可信度，同时也激发听众的好奇心，使听众产生了解演讲内容的兴趣和愿望。和自我介绍一样，介绍他人主要以被介绍人的基本情况如教育、工作、生活等方面的主要经历、主要业绩和成就为主。介绍他人的发言人要注意:主持人首先要了解发言人和其发言主题，介绍时简明扼要，切忌夸大其词，要介绍发言人的成就而不是品德。专题人物介绍可以是名人、伟人，也可以是你身边的普通人。这种介绍要注意的是不需要面面俱到，像报流水账一样，介绍人（演讲者）需要就被介绍人的一两个方面加以发挥，这样听众才能记住信息。总之，进行人物介绍时要做到信息准确、条理清楚、重点突出。专题介绍可以采用时间顺序型或主题型的模式。介绍他人应遵循以下原则:

To inform the audience his/her qualifications.

To inform the audience his/her major experience of work and education.

To inform the audience his/her most representative achievements.

例1:

Today we gave with us one of the most outstanding doctors in our community, Dr. Jerry Wilson. Dr. Wilson has practiced medicine in Riverdale for fourteen years. He has a special interest in nutrition and he volunteers at a drop-in center for teenagers. He is here to discuss with us the problems of starvation diets——a problem that is increasing among young people. It is with a great deal of pleasure that I present to you Dr. Jerry Wilson.

例2:

Qian Xuesen, In him at heart, the country is heavy, the family is light, the science is heaviest, the fame and fortune is lightest. 5 years repatriate the road, 10 year two balls become. Founds the motherland astronautics, he is the advance person. He divides Jing Zhanji, forges wisdom the steps and ladders and leave followers. He is the treasure of knowledge, the scientific flag, and the intellectual’ s model of China.（2007感动中国人物颁奖词:钱学森，在他心里，国为重，家为轻，科学最重，名利最轻。 5年归国路，10年两弹成。开创祖国航天，他是先行人，劈荆斩棘，把智慧锻造成阶梯，留给后来的攀登者。他是知识的宝藏，是科学的旗帜，是中华民族知识分子的典范。）

例3:

Fang Yonggang, A genuine soldier, he could also find own direction in peace age. He is a loyal soldier, he will not forget that his mission in his critically ill. He is the theoretician who filled with the fervor, the practitioner who dared to offer the life. In the belief battlefield, he maintains at the life the charge posture. （2007感动中国人物颁奖词:方永刚，一个真正的战士，在和平年代也能找到自己的方向，一个忠诚的战士，在垂危的时候，不会忘记自己的使命，他是一位满怀激情的理论家，更是敢于奉献生命的实践者。在信仰的战场上，他把生命保持在冲锋的姿态。）

（二）介绍事物:介绍事物的演讲是指对任何可见的、真实的事物加以描述。例如:

Coffee；

The Great Wall of China；

Cameras；

Subways；

演讲的主题对听众来讲可以是已知或未知的，但内容一定要新颖、独特，否则就无法激起听众的兴趣，达到传递新信息的目的。因为演讲时间有限，介绍事物的演讲不可能面面俱到。所以，只能就事物的某个方面加以描述，这就需要把重点放在具体目标上。介绍事物的演讲一般采用主题型结构。诸如:

To inform the audience about the origins of coffee.

To inform the audience about the glories of the Great Wall of China.

To inform the audience steps of taking subway.

例1:

Specific purpose: To inform the listeners how to avoid being struck by lightening

Main points:

I. It is a misconception to think that if you are outdoors during the thunderstorm, you are guaranteed safety by climbing in or on a vehicle with rubber tires, such as a car, motorcycle, or bicycle.

II. It is a misconception to think that if you are inside a house during a thunderstorm, you are safe.

III. It is a misconception to think that if a thunderstorm is not overhead, you are safe.

例2:

Good afternoon, ladies and gentleman!Welcome to our company. I’ m the Assistant Sales Manager of this company. Allow me to give you a brief introduction to our company.

Our company was started in 1981. Over the past 30 years, our company has acquired the experience, resources and expertise required to supply and stall marble products of any size and shapes, and has been called upon to handle the marble requirements of numerous local projects, including several landmark structures. Today, it enjoys an international reputation for innovation and reliability, and is gaining recognition as a global leader in the marble industry.

…

（三）介绍地点:介绍地点的演讲是为了让听众认识这个新地点、新场所和新地方，通过信息延伸来拓展对于这个地点、场所、地方的熟悉和了解。介绍地点的演讲主题可涉及具体的地点，例如历史遗迹、国家公园等。主题还可以是虚构的地点。这类演讲对于演讲者在用词的生动活泼方面具有挑战性。介绍地点的演讲可以采用空间顺序型、时间顺序型和主题型等模式。比如要介绍我国的母亲河黄河，就以介绍其上游、中游和下游的空间顺序型来展开；要介绍我们的学校就得从学校发展的历史轨迹来讲述；要介绍国家体育中心鸟巢，就应该讨论它的建筑风格。下面是一位导游带领游客参观故宫博物院时的解说类演讲范例。

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Liu Yan. I am very pleased to be your tour guide today. First, we will visit the Palace Museum. The Palace Museum, which is also known as the Purple Forbidden City and the Former Imperial Palace, was built during the Ming Dynasty and it was the official residence of each of the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties.

The word “purple” in the name of the city was symbolically associated with the North Star and was used to show that the imperial residence was the cosmic center.

The Forbidden City covers an area of 175 acres and is surrounded by a moat and a wall with a watch-tower on each corner.

This is the Wumen Gate of the Meridian Gate. It is the largest gate in the Palace and also the main entrance leading into the inner court. It was here that the emperor would preside at celebrations of military victories.

The Forbidden City is divided into two sections. The front part has three large halls, where the emperor dealt with the state affairs and conducted important ceremonies.

The roofs of all the buildings in the Forbidden City have yellow tiles. Yellow was the color reserved for the emperor. Using yellow tiles outside the Palace would mean offence to the Son of Heaven, another name for the emperor.

This is the Hall of Supreme Harmony. It is the tallest and the most magnificent of the palace buildings. It was used by the emperor on some special occasions, such as his birthday, coronation, as well as on the winter solstice and New Year.

In the middle of the Hall, on a platform six feet high, stands the emperor’ s throne, which is surrounded by precious screens and cloisonné incense burners.

Outside the Hall to its west, stands a miniature temple, where a grain measure used to be kept; and to its east, there was a sundial. These two objects symbolized imperial justice and rectitude.

This is the Hall of Central Harmony. It was used by the emperor for a rest before he entered the Hall of Supreme Harmony. It was also the place where the emperor performed such ceremonies as examining seeds for the New Year’ s planting.

This is the Hall of Preserving Harmony. It was built in 1420 and it served as the site for the “Palace Examinations” . Here the successful candidates sat for the final test given by the emperor himself.

We are now at the rear of the Forbidden City. Here is the Imperial Garden. The pines and cypresses growing here are several hundred years old and the garden is adorned with rocks, pebble walkways, pavilions and an artificial hill with a cave and a waterfall.

（四）介绍事件:介绍事件的演讲指对于所发生的重要或者有趣的事件的介绍，例如:

the Civil Movement

the Spring Festival in China

the sinking of the Titanic

在进行这类演讲时，要尽量缩小演讲内容的范围，选择自己能力可及的特别目标来进行一个简短的演讲，例如:

To inform the audience about the history of the May 4th Movement.

To inform the audience why so many lives lost when Wenchuan earthquake happened.

To inform the audience about the traditional activities at the Spring Festival Celebration in China.

范例如下:

Good afternoon, ladies and gentleman.

May 12, 2008, 2:28 pm. It was the moment that changed the surface of our world. And to many people, it was the moment that changed everything.

…

But for some people, what has changed can never be made up for. Those who lost a brother, a sister, those who lost a spouse, a child, and six months after the Earthquake they are still crying at night. The sixyear-old girl asks her mother repeatedly, “Mommy, mommy, why did dad die？”A question that no one can answer, the scar of the Earthquake will remain in their hearts forever.

…

（五）介绍过程:介绍过程的演讲是指解释或演示做某件事的一系列过程。演讲者向听众讲解做某件事的具体步骤以及它们之间的相互关系，达到让听众了解信息的目的；演讲者也可以在解释的过程中向听众演示过程或步骤，使听众能融入双向交流中，达到掌握信息、运用知识的目的。介绍过程的演讲一定要借助于直观演示法才能达到演示的目的。有时，演讲者还要亲身演示，如怎样练瑜伽、怎样急救或者教授学生如何上网查找有关资料等。例如:

To inform the audience how to write an effective personal resume.

To inform the audience how to perform Yoga exercises.

To inform the audience how to applying first aid for choking.

介绍过程的演讲一般采用时间顺序型组织结构，也就是说严格按照实际发生的步骤展开演讲。比如To inform the audience how to create their own Web pages这个题目，我们的介绍步骤就会是:

I.The first step is deciding on the content of your Web pages.

II. The second step is designing your web page.

III. The third step is formatting your Web page.

IV. The fourth step is uploading your web page onto the Internet.

下面是一篇关于How to Succeed in a Job Interview的范例:

Besides written documents like resumes and recommendation letters, an employer needs some first-hand information about the applicant, such as his appearance and response. So, a job interview often comes after one’ s application has been accepted. As the employer will base his final decision on the performance of the candidate in the interview, job interviews are of great importance to any applicant. To some extent, to succeed in a job interview is to succeed in acquiring the job.

If you are going to have a job interview, please pay attention to the following things. First of all, be sure to arrive on or ahead of time. You should first make sure you know where and when you have to report for the interview t avoid being late. If you are late, even if only one minute, your chance of getting the job will be grim. Secondly, be careful about your appearance. Your dress should be neat, formal and proper for the occasion. Now it is not the time to experiment with the punk look or for girls, to wear low-cut dresses or miniskirts. The appropriate dressing could indicate your sound judgment. Thirdly, you should demonstrate your personal and professional qualities at all times. You should pay attention to your manner of speaking.The manner of speaking suggests your friendliness and competence. Further more, you must make a positive impression which the interviewer will remember while he interviews other applicants.

A job interview is both a challenge and an opportunity for you. Bear the above stated points in mind to demonstrate your positive characteristics. With just a little luck, you will certainly succeed in the interview.

（六）介绍概念:介绍概念包括理论、信仰、思想、原理等，这类演讲要比介绍事物或过程抽象得多。在阐述概念时，演讲者必须用实例、比较或对比等方法来阐释概念，把抽象变具体，以便于听众接受。这类演讲常用主题型演讲。例如:

To inform the audience about the models of second language acquisition.

To inform the audience about the understanding of diet.

To inform the audience about the argument of sex education.

下面是一篇关于The Development of Tourism and Environment Protection的范例:

In recent years, tourism has developed rapidly in China. At the same time, environment pollution has become heavier and heavier. We can’ t say that the development of tourism will lead to environmental pollution, but it has done some harm. We should, therefore, pay more attention to protecting our environment while furthering the development of tourism.

The damage of tourism to the environment has mainly expressed itself in two ways. One is the process of exploiting a new scenic spot. This process usually breaks the ecological balance of the area. For example, a few years ago, there was a beautiful forest near a desert. Some people found that it would be very profitable if they cut down the trees and used them to build hotels for others to see and explore the beauty of the desert. However, the desert finally swallowed up the buildings and the forest was replaced by desert. Another way the development of tourism has damaged the environment occurs when tourists go to scenic spots. Some tourists don’ t have the awareness to protect the environment, and ignorantly throw their garbage here and there. Some people even kill the local wildlife to eat, which badly damages the balance of the natural environment.

Fortunately,our government has realized the importance of environmental protection and is taking great efforts to protect the environment while developing tourism. More and more people have also become ware of the relationship between the development of tourism and environment protection. We should be confident that one day the two can become harmonious parts in the development of our economy.

二、信息性演讲的指导原则(Principles for informative speeches)

信息性演讲并不是只要将原本准备传递给听众的信息全部交代给听众就行了。要想把本来简单枯燥的信息成功地传达给听众，必须同时注意以下几个方面:

（一）信息性演讲的目的是传达信息，不是说服听众。尤其是一些具有争议性的话题，听众已经对此有自己的看法。因此，不要试图去改变听众的观点，你的目的只是让听众增加这方面的知识。例如:

Let me give you two examples. Newton, who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth hardly had any experiences of encountering falls in his life. But with the constant drive of the pursuit of knowledge, he ended up being the icon of physics. Qian Zhongshu, the one was called“walking dictionary,”was actually the translator of this Chinese proverb “吃一堑，长一智”into the English saying. He was born in a distinguished family. He had hardly any chance of encountering his fall in his life either. He even enrolled his university with a zero in his math test, but you cannot call him lack of wisdom. Falls don’ t necessarily serve as a component of increasing wisdom, because those who fall so heavily may not even have the courage to stand back, review the points, review the mistakes and the past, thus gaining experiences and not to mention increasing wisdom. Those babies, they fall a lot more than any of us here, but you call them wisdom？ Full of wisdom cannot be defined in falls.

（二）演讲的主题要本着以听众为中心的原则，具有相关性、实用性，不可太专业化。要使听众对你的演讲主题感兴趣，首先要陈述你自己为什么对该主题感兴趣，这样才能使演讲者、听众和演讲主题与听众相融合在一起。例如:

I’ m going t tell you a interesting story first. When I was just a little girl, once I went to the beach with my mother and I insisted on carrying home some stones and sand so that I could play with them. My mother finally agreed and gave me a container and said,“Ok, but only if you can put them all into one container.”I first poured in a lot of sand, and then tried to put in all those beautiful stones, but I failed. My mother came up to me and said, “How about putting stones in first, and then filling the extra space with sand？”I tried, and it did work. The container actually had enough space to hold the stones and the sand.

The container represents our life. Stones are the important things and sand the daily trifles. Can you imagine the tremendous difference your selection of priorities can make？ In real life, choosing what goes first is critical. In other words, in our real life, when adding up“one”and“one”in order to get“two” , we need to select the first“one”carefully.

（三）内容涵盖面不可太广，一般只就主题的一两个方面进行阐述，也就是突出主题而不是追求信息的面宽、量多。例如:

There are thousands of smells in the world. The smell of coffee reminds you of the leisure time spent with your friends, of the lovely chats you spent with your girlfriend. And the smell of flowers reminds you of the lovely childhood, of the time you climbed trees with other kids at the backyard.

But to me, the smell that means most to me is not the smell of either kind; it is the smell of the sunshine. Yes, the smell of sunshine. When I was little, my mother used to put the quilt in the sunshine. At the very night, when I went to sleep, the smell of sunshine would accompany me into the dream. It is the smell of the warmth of the soul. When I entered high school, I was submerged in the ocean of knowledge, and every now and then I would go to the balcony of my house, sitting comfortably in the chair, and smell of sunshine would make me feel comfortable with the company of the books. Nowadays, when I remembered the smell of the sunshine, it reminds me of the time I spent with one I loved. It reminds me of my girlfriend. On every sunny day, we will walk together hand in hand, along the riverside, on the mountains, or in the park. Now the smell of sunshine actually reminds me of the lovely conversations that went on between us, and the every step of progress of our love.

（四）如的确有必要同时说明几个方面的不同信息时，要特别注意信息安排的条理性和逻辑性。例如:

This question sounds too big and too difficult. But I do know where to start to approach the answer. Let’ s just take a look at ourselves. Why are we made into what we are like today？ We are given a pairs of hands, which mean that we should take tools and work, so we can produce what is indispensable for our survival. We are given the language abilities, which mean that we should get engaged in communication so we can become more efficient in exchanging ideas and solving problems. Ultimately we are given the powerful mind, which means that we should dig the potential of our memory, intelligence, and creativity, so we can truly know ourselves and thus, the universe.

（五）演讲内容要生动、有趣。在陈述抽象概念时，要用事例、数据、证词、比喻、直观教具等方法使演讲变抽象为形象。下面的例子就是用具体事例来说明“spirit”这个抽象概念的:

My dear friends, have you ever asked yourselves the question:“What is the spirit of the age in which we are now living？”If you think about the question, and look back on the past, you will quickly see that a new spirit has arisen in recent time——a spirit not seen in the lives of our fathers. What is this spirit？ Competition.

Yes, it is Competition that has brought about amazing changes in China over the past 15 years. It is Competition that now enables the Chinese people to lead more abundant lives than in the past. It is Competition that is bringing a surge of prosperity to this vast land——a land without the poverty, hungry and backwardness of the past. Who—within China or in the world——can ignore the sweeping, and often surprising changes which have taken place in China in the past 15 years？Who can deny the facts that characterize this period？ ——15 years of successful reform; 15 years of rapid development; 15 years of irrepressible, striding advancement.

（六）语言要平实、准确、易懂，不要过多使用专业词汇和术语。如果是演讲者自己也要借助词典才弄懂的词汇，那就不能出现在演讲中。如“dyslexia, schizophrenia, amnesia”等术语，若改成“word blindness, split personality, memory loss”，听众就更能理解、接受。下面是一位演讲者对“命运”交响乐感受的描述:

Ladies and gentleman, have you ever listened to Beethoven’ s famous symphony The Fate？ What makes it so encouraging and moving？ Just the dedicate piano plus the skillful play？ More than that, it is the musician’ s heart and soul—the “plus” —that makes it so inspiring and powerful.

第二部分　案例阅读（Case Study）

No.1 Olympian and Paralympian, Man and Superman

My childhood idol, like that of many boys, was Superman. And for so many years, I’ ve always considered the form closest to Supermen to be the Olympic athletes, because they are the fastest, strongest and most coordinative individuals on this planet. However, this Year’ s Paralympic Games have made me reconsider the meaning of Supermen.

At the opening ceremony, Hou Bin, a Chinese high-jumper, pulled himself up along a hanging rope to light the Paralympics cauldron. He can’ t fly like superman; in fact, he finds it difficult to keep balance even on the ground, because he has only one leg. But as he climbs the 40-meter long rope with his bare hands, he is flying in the eyes of most spectators. Because with every inch that he ascends, he is rising above the limitations and challenges that would easily intimidate an ordinary person.

In the sailing games, Nick Scandone, an American champion sailor, struggled to control his boat with nothing but his weak hands. He suffered from a disease that had paralyzed nearly all of his muscles. Compared to the muscular Superman, he’ s just another extreme in terms of strength. While Superman is strong enough to direct a meteor away from hitting the Earth, Nick can now only direct his boat toward his destination, but more importantly, direct his life toward his dreams.

The Paralympians can’ t fight evil forces and rescue people from disasters like Superman, but they can give us the courage and inspiration to fight our inner fear and doubts about ourselves, and rescue us from the pessimism that constantly threatens our lives. Just as Superman is the symbol of hope, the Paralympians share with us the hope that we are equal and free to dream and achieve.

So, I would like to say to them, right here, right now: you are my Supermen..

Thank you!

No.2 Olympian and Paralympian, Man and Superman——The Power of the Soul

When I was five, my cousin accidentally stabbed a tree branch into my left eye, leaving a permanent scar in my pupil. For a while I had to wear an eye patch and the other kids called me“blindo,” “squinty-eye,”“pirate,”and even “Cyclops,”which added insult to injury. I refused to go back to school, convinced that I was an ugly, blind freak with no future. My vision never returned.

Everything changed when I watched the 1992 Barcelona Paralympies. I was suddenly inspired to fight for a better life. Our society often judges people harshly by the standards it defines as “normal”and isolates those who appear different. As a result, “others”－be they short, dark, overweight, or disabled －suffer cruel discrimination. It’ s easy for us to forget that everyone is unique, with something special to offer. The power of the soul is infinite. We should not let it go to waste; instead, we should make most of it and use it to build a society full of tolerance and equality.

The Olympians showed us strength but the Paralympians are the real super heroes, overcoming obstacles, and teaching us a profound lesson about what is truly important in our life. Their contribution even restored the power of my soul. Now, when naive kids ask me, “What’ s that white stuff in your eye？”I can answer confidently，that’ s a shooting star that fell into my eye when I was five.

Thank you!

No.3 Knowing Our Place in the Universe——Inspiration from the Choice of a Teacher

Individual to the society is like planet to the infinite universe. As each planet moves on its own orbit, I believe there is a certain place for each individual within this society. For most college students, the pressure of finding a suitable job has become a nightmare. How can we and our inch？ I believe the choice from Mr.Chen will pose some light on this dilemma.

Mr.Chen was a young teacher I met this summer when I served as a volunteer. We both taught English in an extremely shabby middle school and he had been teaching there for five years. At first, I was attracted by his excellent teaching skills and wonderful spoken English. Later on, I was shocked to discover that he was a graduate from my school, a famous university in southern part of China.

I once asked him what made him stay and teach in such a remote and poor village. He simply answered, “I love teaching English. The students here really want to learn. They need me and I feel this is where I belong to.”The calmness of Mr.Chen had reminded me of the uneasiness of my fellow students back in Guangzhou. Some of them struggled really hard, hoping to find a job which holds the promises of a decent income or respectable social status.

Mr.Chen had made his wise choice. He shows us a suitable job is not necessarily the one which provides us a good paycheck or a comfortable working environment. It should be the one which enables us to develop our talents and abilities. It should be the one which will challenge ourselves to the fullest and reward us with maximum satisfaction when the job is nicely done.

Once we and our particular spot in this universe, we will shine, though not as bright as the sun and all those splendid stars. But I believe we wi11have our own sparkle which seems so unique and beautiful.

No.4 Knowing Our Place in the Universe

Ladies and gentlemen,

Who am I, and where am I from？ This depends on how to consider my position in the universe. I can say I am from HeBei I can also say I am from China. Maybe one day, I will say I am from the planet Earth!

Centuries ago, when it took people several months to travel from Xi’ an to Beijing by horse and cart, people might have never imagined that one day travelers would be able to fly from one country to mother in a few hours. Our world is becoming smaller and smaller with the development of science and technology. Then I can boldly imagine that one day the Earth may become a station in the universe, and we may find a second or even a third“Earth.”To realize this dream, any universe exploration is crucial.

Coming after Shenzhou V, China successfully launched Shenzhou VI and VII, and made walking in space a reality. Some people doubt whether it is worthwhile to spend billions of RMB to explore the outer space. Well, I would like to answer their doubts in this way. When people created the silicon chip ,it was beyond their wildest imagination that one day those chips could be widely used in computers which would change the world greatly. Also we may not be sure of exactly what our space exp1orations will result in, but they probably will be the first steps of finding a new“Earth,”a new perspective and a new position in the universe. And I think that is the significance of what we are doing right now and mowing our position in the universe.

Thank you!

第三部分　课后练习（Practice）

思考与讨论（Thinking and discussion）

1. How many types when introducing in informative speeches？

Key Points:

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2. Discuss about the principles in delivering informative speech？

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3. Is it very often to introduce information in everyday life？

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应用演练（Application exercises）

Prepare speeches: 1. Honesty

　　　　　　　　　2. Mountain Climbing

Example 1:

Honesty

Honesty refers to the quality of a person who tells the truth and works wit out deception.Honesty is a virtue admired everywhere,while dishonesty is generally despised and condemned. As the proverb goes,“Honesty is the best policy.”If you want to win the trust and respect from others, you have to be honest. People are ready to help and make friends with honest people whereas a liar is not believed, even when he speaks the truth. If you want to succeed in your studies and in work, the first qualification is honesty. Therefore, whatever your am is, you must work honestly to achieve it.

Many people, however, try various dishonest means in order to get what they want. Some academic works are full of plagiarism. Some students cheat in exams instead of making honest efforts.Money-oriented salespeople cheat consumers by advertising fake products. However, such people will be punished sooner or later, even though they benefit from their dishonest behavior for the time being.

Example 2:

Mountain Climbing

Have you ever been excited？ I think most of us have been excited at least once in our lives. I have experienced a lot of exciting moments. However, the most unforgettable moment was the mountain climbing I did with my classmates twelve months ago.

It was a day towards the end of August last year. About twenty of us went for a picnic on a mountain. The drizzle that was falling did not prevent us from going; we were not discouraged by such a trifling obstacle. We went along a straight narrow lane. There were cottages on either side. We could hear nothing except the pattering of the rain and the sound of our footsteps. No sooner had we reached our destination than it began to pour in torrents that made us all scatter in every direction.

When we had climbed to the top of the mountain, we found that there was a white, modern-styled villa overlooking the road below. The owner invited us inside, where we had a rest and heard the radio broadcasting that a typhoon was approaching from the east coast of Han Jiang.

As we plodded our weary way home, we sang songs which echoed through the hills and overwhelmed the patter of the rain. It was nearly dark by the time we got home.