一言之辩重于九鼎之宝;三寸之舌强于百万雄师。一场优秀的演说能产生巨大的效应。可是，这其中有个最大的前提就是要战胜自己，做到收放自如，轻松脱口而出。
Speaking of the Devil
Why do smart, articulate, and self-confident people often become terrified in front of a group? How could death rank just seventh in a national survey of the top ten experiences Americans dread most, and public speaking first? Think about it: We’d rather kick the bucket than address an audience①!
It starts in elementary school when a teacher singles us out to “speak up”. Remember the panic of producing the wrong answer? Our palms sweated, we might have been short of breath， and filled with trembling knees, nausea, a stomachache, and a rapid heartbeat. We felt awkward and dumb.
As adults, we’re still afraid we’ll make fools of ourselves. We worry that listeners will think we are lightweights. And we should worry.
Public speaking isn’t just a sweet skill to have. Being a first-rate orator can lead to job promotions and personal advancement, while being a lousy one is a disadvantage.
One way to feel more comfortable on the stage is by checking out the room in advance, observing the set-up, and testing any equipment you’ll be using.
Some speaking specialists suggest opening with a provocative question, or a recent news event that relates to your topic. Other coaches think adding a little tasteful humor can liven up the talk if the subject is suitable.
As important as the words is the delivery. A study of audience reaction to speeches revealed that listeners remember just 7 percent of what is said, 38% of how it is said，and 55% of the speaker’s body language.
And speaking of anxiety, some people like to get up in front of a group, but most don’t As Mark Twain once said, “There are two kinds of speakers: those that are nervous and those that are liars.”
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行文点评
本文本身就是一篇很好的演说稿。文章语言生动,很贴近听众,如文中出现的kick the bucket 这样的俚语。文章以问句形式开始, 首句用一个why提出疑问：我们为什么害怕在众人面前发言？从而吸引读者继续聆听克服演讲恐惧的建议。
第二、三段就此问题谈了对公众演讲惧怕的原因。作者按照时间顺序，首先在第二段描写了小时候产生恐慌的具体表现和原因，很容易让听众联想到自己的亲身经历。接着在下一段说明惧怕公众演讲的原因和消极影响。作者非常自然地在第四、五段提出了几点克服演讲恐惧的建议。其中One way to..., Some suggest... Other think... 这样的句型把作者的几点建议自然分开，使文章内容连贯紧凑。第六段首句用一个as...as...句型引出与演讲内容同样重要的内容传递方式。最后文章以马克·吐温的话作结尾，发人深省。
好文妙译
大众演讲经验谈
为什么聪明绝顶、伶牙俐齿、充满自信的人站在人群面前发言时会忐忑不安呢？为什么死亡在美国人最害怕的十件事的全国调查中只名列第七而公众演讲却名列榜首呢？想想看:我们宁愿一死也不愿在人前发言！
在小学时，老师把我们挑出来“发言”,此时这种恐惧就产生了。还记得答错问题时的恐慌吗？我们的手心会出汗,我们可能还会呼吸困难、两膝发软、恶心、肚子痛、心跳加快。我们感到尴尬，好像失去了知觉。
长大后，我们仍担心出丑。我们担心听众会认为我们思想浅薄,我们当然会有这种担心。
公众演讲不仅仅是一种招人喜欢的技能。一个出色的演说者能获得升迁和个人更好的发展机会，而嘴笨却成了一个不利条件。
要想在演讲台上觉得更舒适，其中的一个办法是预先看一下场地，看一下布置，测试一下你要用的设备。
有些演讲专家建议演讲的开头可以提一些发人深省的问题或讲一些与你的演讲主题有关的新闻。还有一些培训专家认为只要内容合适,添加一些有意思的小幽默可以活跃气氛。
与演讲内容同样重要的是传递内容的方式。一项关于听众对演讲反应的研究表明，听众对一次演讲能够记住的7%是演讲内容，演讲方式占38%，而演讲者的肢体语言占55%。
说起焦虑,有些人愿意在人前炫耀，而多数人不愿意这样做。正如马克·吐温所说的那样：“演讲者有两种：紧张的和撒谎的。”
词汇斟酌
devil n.①魔鬼，恶魔②家伙，人
elementary a.①基本的②初级的，基础的，小学的
single sb. out 把某人挑出来
panic n. 惊恐，恐慌
palm n.手掌，掌状物
trembling a.发抖的, 担心的, 战栗的
nausea n.反胃, 晕船, 恶心, 作呕, 极度的不快
awkward a.尴尬的，棘手的
dumb a.①哑的②(因惊恐等)说不出话的，沉默的
lightweight n.轻量级选手, 不能胜任者
orator n.演说者, 演讲者, 雄辩家
provocation n.激怒, 刺激, 挑衅, 挑拨
reveal vt.①揭露，泄露②展现，显示
佳句临摹
①【注释】kick the bucket <俚> 死；翘辫子
【临摹】The small child hopes all the evil in the cartoon kick the bucket.这个小孩希望动画片里所有的魔鬼都翘辫子。
思如泉涌
Every man is his own worst enemy. 一个人最大的敌人就是他自己。
A flow of words is no proof of wisdom. 口若悬河不能作为才智的证明。
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