第二节劝说性演讲

第二节　劝说性演讲Persuasive Speeches

第一部分　理论学习（Theory Introduction）

劝说（persuasion）是影响听众的价值观、信念、态度和行为的过程。日常生活中，我们经常会劝说别人或被别人所说服。政治家的竞选演讲或集会上的鼓动性演讲、律师的法庭辩论、推销员的产品推销、公司职员的晋升述职、慈善机构的募捐都属于劝说性演讲。特别要强调的是，劝说性演讲要向听众传达充分、翔实、可靠的信息，增强演讲的可信度，说服听众自觉、自愿接受演讲者的观点。信息性演讲与劝说性演讲相交叉，互相包涵。例如，通过具体的事例来说明和支撑一个观点就是典型的陈述。劝说性演讲目的分两种:说服性和激励性。但无论是哪种演讲，都要目的明确、主题鲜明、材料充实、结构严谨。说服听众转变观念和改变主意并不是简单的形容词，而是要靠事实说话，只有有了充分的事实根据，才能顺理成章地得出结论，达到成功演讲的目的。劝说性演讲多用于问题解决型（Problem-solution Pattern）和鼓动序列（Motivated Sequence）演讲。

一、劝说性演讲的类别（Types of persuasive speeches）

（一）劝服性演讲（Speeches to convince） :劝服性演讲的目的是通过影响听众的信念或态度，使听众转变或者改正原有的态度和观念。在这类演讲中，演讲者只需要听众接受其观点。使听众建立信念，因而无须采取行动。诸如

To convince the audience that air travel is safer than ground travel.

To convince the audience that Violence on TV is a major cause of violent behavior in society.

To convince the audience that environment protection is important to everyone.

例1:

Specific purpose:To convince the audience that successfully completing a course in public speaking will enhance their chances of getting a good job.

Central idea: A public speaking course gives a person’ s skills in research, organizing ideas, and delivering messages effectively, which are valued by employers.

I. Skill learned in the public speaking class is valued.

A. Several surveys of directors of personnel indicate that public speaking skills are valuable.

B. Several surveys of chief executive officers of Fortune 500 companies indicate that public speaking skills are valuable.

II. Skills learned in the public speaking class have direct application to many careers.

A. Research skills are important for careers in which gathering and using information is critical.

B. Organizational skills are important for careers in which managing large amounts of information occurs.

C. Delivery skills are important to any career in which an individual presents ideas to others.

例2:

Shortly after this terrible earthquake, it was our PLA men, once again, first appeared in the quake-torn areas, saving people’ s lives and giving help and hope to the victims. And the majority of them are post-80s, who fought bravely and selflessly on the battlefield of the Earthquake. And from the media, we saw several special weddings being held after the Earthquake. On the wedding, there’ s no groom but only bride because the groom was at the quake-affected area doing relief work. And the wedding touchingly turned into a donating drive in the end. Meanwhile, thousands of volunteers went to the quake-torn areas and give their helps; many of them are college students. They are giving their help in a way that they themselves might never think of before.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is what our generation is like now. Yes, we are changing; or, more exactly, we have changed the way of how we are seen by others, and by ourselves. And this is because of the Earthquake. And I can say here today that we are generation of hope for China and for the world.

（二）劝动性演讲（Speeches to actuate） :在这类演讲中，演讲者的劝说需要听众接受演讲者的观点，并且根据演讲者的目的采取行动。诸如:To move the audience to start a regular exercise program. To move the audience to support the Hope Project.

To move the audience to sign a petition for longer library hours.

例1:

Ladies and gentlemen, now is the time for even more changes. Let the volunteer spirit dominate, and let us be more ready in lending our hands to those people who need it, the orphans, the miserable drop-outs or anyone in need. We need to do something to get things changed. We also need to keep this volunteer spirit booming so as to make our entire planet a better place, a place for your great love.

例2:

So, what is the Olympic spirit？ As a volunteer, I have learned that striving against the odds, to do your best——for yourself, for others and for your country——is the true essence of the Olympic spirit. So long as you are doing your best, then you are a superman. And you deserve and you earn the respect of everyone else. I firmly believe this spirit acts upon every one of us, even you and me. Everyone right here right now, even the people watching the TV show right now, there is a superman hidden somewhere in your heart. Why don’ t we let them out and grasp it？

（三）激励性演讲（Speeches to inspire） :激励性演讲需要激励听众，促使他们转变思想和情绪，从而采取实际行动。例如:

To inspire the audience to donate blood through the Red Cross.

To inspire the audience to take a course in public speaking.

To inspire the audience to give best efforts to all college courses they take.

例1:

The Chinese people used to think that volunteers were only the small number of people who applied to be. They are usually the great, the noble, or even the “saint” . It is just the Earthquake that changed people’ s idea totally. Because to be a volunteer, you do not need to be that noble-minded; a warm heart can just help you to be a successful volunteer. No matter where you come from, how old you are, what you do, so long as you have your love and want to show it to the world, you can surely be a great volunteer.

例2:

Ladies and gentlemen, always get ready to change. Please remember that every one of us has enough talent, wisdom and strength to change for the better. Countless great people in the history have fully demonstrated that. Ladies and gentlemen, what we need most today is children’ s imaginative thinking, Newton’ s creative thinking and somebody else’ s challenging thinking. Therefore, 1+1 equals progressive thinking!

二、劝说性演讲的指导原则Principles of persuasive speeches

（一）吸引听众的注意（Gain attention） 。这是获得演讲成功的第一步。运用提出问题、讲述经历或讲述故事、讲一个笑话等方式告诉听众演讲的主题。使用可视手段或者激励型的谚语表明主题的重要性等都不失为吸引听众注意力的有效方法。

例1:

How do you feel when you have to wait for something really, really want？ What if it was something you couldn’ t live without？ Well, my cousin was five years old when he found out he needed a new kidney. He went on the organ waiting list right away. He was called twice during a six-month span that they had a kidney available only to find out that the kidney wasn’ t a good match. He had to wait again. The third time was a charm. A small adult was in an accident and his kidney was a good match. This story had a happy ending but so many do not.

例2:

In my early years, I did not see the value of education. I left school when I was twelve. From then on, I worked hard to become a successful businessman.

One day I realized the importance of the English language in the business world and began taking night classes. I was able to communicate with foreign customers after two years of English learning. But I began to feel that having a limited knowledge of English was not enough to make my business successful in long run. I knew that only a well-rounded education could guarantee my success in the future.

（二）满足听众的情感需要（Satisfy the needs of mood） 。代表听众的需要、提出听众的问题、重视听众的存在等方式是劝说性演讲的重要因素。这种方式通常是以结论开头，所提出的结论与听众息息相关。如果觉得是与自己需要的相关的主题，必须得了解演讲内容、需要去做，听众自然会竭尽全力去听。生动的语言和令人信服的主题会使听众展开想象，使听众认为如果采纳演讲者的策略将会大大改善目前的现状。而且，在演讲中若能够具体展示解决问题的计划、方案，并且能进一步证实计划的科学性、可行性，演讲将会收到更好的效果。

例1:

For years, women have been considered too weak and unable to handle the complicated tasks of space flight. However, scientific findings have shown that “Yes, we can! ”Jill Richardson, from Britain’ s National Space Center, says women have advantages over men in space, as“they’re smarter, lighter, require fewer calories and are less prone to heart attacks brought on by the space flight” . Professor William Rowe from Medical College of Ohio says women are better suited for long-distance space travel than men, and he wants future missions to Mars to be“womanned” , not manned.

Whether in the university or in the universe, I believe women can do as well as men. Can we have the equal place in the universe？ Yes, we can!

例2:

As a girl born after the 1980s and the only child in my family, I always believe as I was told that we are a blessed generation. We are the first generation in China growing up with TV and enjoying unshared love from family members. We are living a very happy material life, or even get spoiled as many people believed. They use “confident” , “smart” ,“lazy” ,“self-centered” ,“rebellious” , or“lacking social responsibility”to describe us.

But if you spare a second to hear about what people are talking about us after the Wenchuan Earthquake, you’ ll find completely different stories about post-1980s, why？ Because to some extent, the Earthquake changed us and changed how people see us.

（三）演讲者的可信度（Credibility of the speaker） 。演讲者通过诠释对于演讲主题的了解程度和研究程度、演讲者对于听众的尊敬和与听众相同的价值观，以及通过自身流利、传情和生动的演讲呈现来提高听众对演讲者和演讲内容的可信度。

例1:

In recent years, a new system called “blog”has been introduced, which allows Internet users to post messages and personal opinions and to discuss current events on the net. Anyone can be a blogger as long as he or she has access to the Internet. Its popularity is massive and still growing. The number of the estimated Chinese bloggers, for instance, has shot up to 600,000.

例2:

The bus is generally less expensive than the car. During the bus strike last year, I was forced to drive car to school; I calculated the cost. It costs me roughly $ 3.50 a day to drive and that was when gasoline was$ 1.00 a gallon. Today the cost would be even higher. For $ 22.00 a month, I can buy a bus pass that allows me to use the bus for the entire month. In terms of coming to school, the bus is much cheaper than my car. If I didn’ t need my car for an occasional weekend trip, I might even consider selling it and using the bus for all my transportation needs.

（四）充分的论据（Full Evidence of the speaker） 。演讲者能否使听众信服的关键是能否取得令人心服口服的论据。在第二章中已经提到过，论据包括举例、数据、证词等。劝说性演讲的论据必须言之有物、言之有据、言之有理。在演讲过程中，演讲者应该把最强有力的论据放在前面，这样才能真正说服持不同意见的听众。

例1:

Let’ s move on from the example of the two great leaders to an example of my personal experience. Back in August of this year, I was in Beijing serving as an Olympic volunteer-training English teacher. Such teachers and their students worked together as a team to spread the great Olympic spirit to many people throughout the world. So, if members of the team or the group can have this kind of spirit, it will be a wonderful thing. Because this team will easily get twice as much done with only half the effort. This well illustrates that one plus one, or individuals coming together, can result in something greater than two!

例2:

And the third point is, rather than consider it as a kind of burden for the students, I think it is a perfect way and it’ s a high quality enrichment of the spare time of all the younger generation, because you know, nowadays the younger generation——can I call myself younger generation？—We all spent a lot of time surfing on the Internet or doing something just as a way to kill our time. And I think most parents pay for their children to apply for the piano classes, the singing and dance classes, so why not let them study the Chinese Peking Opera, because I think that is where a condensed art comes from. It concludes all this singing and dances. And rather than a kind of burden, I think it trains different aspects, the abilities of the students. So I think I firmly support this kind of pilot program to promote this kind of Peking Opera among all the younger generation, because I think it would provide a better for our younger generation to know something more about that.

第二部分　案例阅读（Case Study）

No.1 The Future is Now——Make every Day Count

Good morning, Ladies and Gentlemen.

Today my topic is: The Future is Now——Make Every Day Counts.

Did you ever get confused and frustrated when you found that after many years your dream still seem so far away？ Did you ever get lost when you look back to the pastor forward into the future？ Well, I did. When I came to the point where I have to make some very important decisions in my life, I always got extremely anxious. I kept asking myself,“What is going on in my life？ Am I on the right track？ What is the future？”Unfortunately, I never knew. I still remember the first question my teacher asked me the first day I went to school: “what do you want to be when you grow up？ ” “To be a scientist! ”was the naive but somewhat determined reply from eight-year-old boy. Since then, I have many more dreams. Both my parents and teachers praised me a lot, because at that time, I was considered to be a very promising student, since I was full of dreams.

However, as I gradually grew up, I began to realize that some d my dreams were so fragile in the face of reality. I couldn’ t help asking myself again, “Why？”Finally, I found the answer. It was my wrong attitude toward life that had led me nowhere. What if I had been more down to earth？ What if I had been more serious with every opportunity I was given？ What if I had spent less time day-dreaming？ I was still too naive, I think. Any little achievement was enough to make me feel proud and lose myself. I think the biggest difference between a winner and a loser is that a winner always treasures today and a loser depends more on tomorrow. And that is exactly the point where I failed.

It is an important lesson in my life. Since then, I have completely changed. Now if I really want to achieve something, I would dedicate myself to make it happen. Otherwise, I wouldn’ t be able to stand here today with confidence and gratitude. It is true that I have lost many chances in the past. But maybe you can’ t deny my possession of the most precious gin that anyone else could ever possibly get and that is today.

Yesterday is a history,

Tomorrow is a mystery,

Only today is what we have,

And that's why it's been called the present.

Now when I look into the future, I no longer get lost. I know very well what to do and how to do it well. I hope everybody can benefit from my speech today. And if so, that will be a special prize for me.

Life is good. Life is great. Life is unbelievable. Seize the day. Make every day count. The future is now.

Thank you.

No.2 The Future is Now

Dear Judges, ladies and Gentlemen, good morning.

My topic is: My Future Is Now.

China now stands tail in the world arena. We won the right to host 2008

Olympic Games;we successfully launched Shenzhou Vman’ s spacecraft, earning respect of all nations. We Chinese have a bright future, and shall certainly exert ourselves to build a better and more prosperous life.

Of all things in the world, I think the present is the most precious and also the most easily lost. Why is the present so precious？ A quotation from a philosopher Emerson provides the best answer:“Make use of time if you love eternity.”Yesterday cannot be recalled; tomorrow cannot be ensured; only today is yours. One today is worth two tomorrows. The present is precious not because it may allow us to idle bed in the midst of comfort and pleasure, but because it offers us an opportunity to strive to create our future and realize our dreams.

When I was a little girl, I dream of being a teacher .I often imagines that I would one day stand on the platform, facing lovely students and teaching them English. Today I’ m much closer to my dream. After major in English at a normal university, my friends advised me to work as an interpreter, or work in a China－foreign joint venture, because that makes more money and a better life. I hesitated at first, and then I thought it over, and finally I determined to follow my dream and become a teacher. A teacher is a gardener. A teacher is an engineer of human spirit. A teachers like a candle, burning it, but illuminating others. Being a good teacher is no easy job, but I try my best. My future depends on what I'm doing now. I take up to every week and moment to enrich myself knowledge. This includes taking MA courses, spending long hours in libraries and bookstores and consulting my professors for guidance. I seize every chance to challenge myself including the speaking contest. All my efforts are aimed at the qualities naturally for being a good teacher in the future. With these endeavors, I’ m sure the future I dreamt of is near at hand.

No.3 The Future is Now

Good afternoon, ladies and Gentlemen.

When my friends and classmates hear about the news that I am to participate in this contest, they are very surprised and perplexed. You have been already awarded in a lot of competitions, why are you doing it again？ For that moment, I just smiled and didn’ t give them any reply. Please forgive me, my dear friends, now I will put forward the answer immediately.

Well, I still remember the very famous novelist Mark Twain said,“There are two different kinds of speakers: those who are liars and those who are nervous. To be frank, I don’ t want to be the first one, so I have to, and prefer to be the latter one. Till now the first reason has been very obvious: to eliminate the scariness. When making a speech, standing on this stage facing so many familiar and strange faces, I can’ t imagine if someday my boss ask me to give a presentation to the public. What should be the reaction that the audience realized？ They will face an idiot. Of course, I’ m not an idiot, but a little bit clever and foresighted. I know very clearly that if I want to exert and fulfill myself in the future when I join in work, I have to cultivate self-confidence from now on.

Recently, my uncle studying in Binghua University called me from time to time, emphasizing the importance of English and the fierce competition in Beijing. His purpose is just to encourage me to prepare for the post-graduate entrance examination. And I think all the judges and audience here can realize what a key role the spirit of persistence will play in the preparation course. So the other two reasons have come out: to improve my oral English and to practise the spirit of persistence.

Last but not least, as we are in this global information and transformational age, we’ ll boost the economic growth in every opportunity on base of new ideas. What we have to do today is just to learn knowledge as much as possible not only from books, but also from personal experience. The best I can say is describing my future as a three latches door, and the three latches are confidence, persistence, the practical and theoretical knowledge from college life. If anyone of them is shorter than the other, this door is gonna tip over.

My dear fellow student, every experience is a new challenge and opportunity. Every experience is a single step towards our dreams. Every experience is a cornerstone for tomorrow’ s edifice. The construction of tomorrow will be a product of today’ s efforts. The future is mine, just under my feet. The future is yours, just in your hands. The future is now. please catch it, and don’ t let it away.

Thank you.

No.4 Shaping Tomorrow’ s World

Hello, ladies and Gentlemen, today I am highly privileged b be here and have some sharing with you on the topic－the future is now, shaping tomorrow’ s world.

We all know that time is divided into the past, the present and the future. And now is the time in the middle. It is like a bridge from the past to the future and it is the fruit of yesterday and the seed of tomorrow. Very often we complain about now and look desperately into the future. But have a second thought!What is the cause of now？ And what will be the antecedent of the future？ We see the farmers sow the seeds, and when the time is full, they reap the harvest.

If we are so wise to observe this, why should we just idle away the time in our hand without anything being accomplished？ We cannot make China a developed country at its 100th anniversary without the hard work of our people right now!And Beijing will not be a desired city 20 years later if we don’ t take measures to deal with environmental problems we face!And all our students will not be able to expect a bright future if we indulge ourselves to amusements and pleasures all the time in college.

And now the world is full of conflicts and blood-shed. The terrorists are fighting everywhere in the world to destroy the innocent people. Our fellow citizens of the globe in Africa are starving, and the people of Palestine and Israel are under constant attacks. We witness such a tragedy today, but are we going to put up with it tomorrow？ Surely not. Now is the time, the time to work for the common good of our human race, the time to fight against to the threats hovering over our heads and the time to take the road of peace and development.

Last but not least, I have my exhortations for all my fellow students. The time we can really be hold is the time we have in hand. And we should always reap the fruits of our today’ s deeds. So I encourage you, my friends, work for the future now and the future is right there in your hand. And with this, I shall close my speech. Thank you, very much.

第三部分　课后练习（Practice）

思考与讨论（Thinking and discussion）

1. State out the different types of persuasive speeches.

Key Points:

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2. What principles should be followed in delivering persuasive speeches？

Key Points:

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3. What the difference between informative speeches and persuasive speeches in general？

Key Points:

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应用演练（Application exercises）

Prepare speeches: 1. Smoking is Harmful to People’ s Health

　　　　　　　　　2. On Examinations

Example 1:

Smoking is Harmful to People’ s Health

It is generally believed that smoking is a bad habit. Smoking can lead to heart disease, lung cancer, and various respiratory illnesses. The World Health Organization declared that diseases linked to smoking kill at least 2,500,000 people each year. Researchers say that pregnant women who smoke run the risk of giving birth to babies with birth defects. Even passive smoking does a lot of ham to health. Passive smokers commonly feel sick and get headaches.

Additionally, smoking is a waste of money. Smokers spend a lot of money on cigarettes. Students without my income have to ask their parents for help. This is a heavy burden for families of ordinary income. The money spent on cigarettes every year is enough to establish many schools.

Finally, smoking has a negative impact on the smokers’mind. Some lose self-confidence and self-respect. What’ s more, few women are willing to marry heavy smokers.

Smokers should be convinced of the harm and trouble brought by smoking, and should not hesitate to drop the habit right away.

Example 2:

On Examinations

There are different arguments about the advantages and disadvantages of examinations. Some people believe that examination is the only way to test how well examinees have done in their studies and it is the only objective way for examiners to decide who is qualified and who is not. On the other hand, some don’ t think that examination can properly measure students’knowledge and abilities. Rather, they only bring students burden and anxiety.

I think examinations can show how well students have done in their studies. They can also show how well teachers have taught. According to the results of examinations, both students and teachers can find out what they should do to improve their work. Those who fail the exams may be aware of what is wrong with their studies and decide that they should continue to study. Exams may enable them to discover their problems.

In summary, the examination does more good than harm for both examinees and examiners. We should take a positive attitude toward it. We should take full advantage of it and avoid its disadvantages.