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2010年ESL之商务英语 26 Giving a Successful Presentation

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26 Giving a Successful Presentation

GLOSSARY1

packed house – a very large audience that fills every seat in an auditorium2 orstadium; an event with very high attendance where every ticket has been sold orevery seat has been taken* Musicians enjoy playing for a packed house because they can feel the energyof the large audience.

hit – something that is very successful and popular; something that did exactlywhat it was supposed to and is well-liked by everyone or almost everyone* The singer had a major hit back in 1997, but she hasn’t recorded any goodsongs since then.

to clamor – to ask for something in a very loud way; to make a lot of noise whiledemanding something or insisting on having something* All the kids were clamoring for more ice cream.

reception – the way something or someone is received; the way people react tosomeone or something* As the host, it’s my responsibility to give my guests a warm, inviting3 reception.

on the edge of (one’s) seat – very interested and eager to hear or seesomething; filled with anticipation4 to know what will happen or what will be saidnext* That movie was so exciting! We were on the edge of our seats for the entiretwo hours.

to gain traction5 – to have more success; to get better or faster; to begin toreceive greater acceptance* After writing several journal articles, their ideas are finally beginning to gaintraction among other researchers.

hooked – addicted6; liking7 something and needing and wanting more of it* Which TV shows are you hooked on?

could have heard a pin drop – a phrase used to describe a situation whereeveryone is very quiet, usually because everyone is very interested in somethingand wants to hear what will happen next* In the moment before the award recipient8 was announced, everyone becamevery quiet and you could have heard a pin drop.

main point – one of the most important things in a speech or written text* His essay was so disorganized that it was hard to identify the main points.

undoubtedly9 – without a doubt; clearly; obviously* Helen undoubtedly remembers that moment as the most embarrassing day ofher life.

highlight – the best part of something; the most interesting, beautiful orimportant part of something* Philippe didn’t have time to read the book for class, so he asked his classmatesto tell him about the highlights.

in shock – very surprised by something, often unable to fully10 understand oraccept it* After the president’s unexpected death, many people were in shock for days.

to tweak (something) – to make minor11 revisions; to make small changes tosomething while leaving most of it the same* I have a few ideas for how we can tweak this design to make it even better.

Q&A – question and answer; the part of a presentation where the audiencemembers are allowed to ask questions and the speaker tries to answer them* The speaker allotted12 20 minutes for Q&A after her presentation, but it wasn’tenough time to answer everyone’s questions.

adoring public – an audience that likes and admires someone or somethingvery much* Do you ever wonder what it would feel like to be famous and have an adoringpublic?

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1. What does the event organizer mean when she says, “It’s a packed house”?

a) There aren’t enough seats in the room.

b) The organizers are packing up to move.

c) The audience is very large.

2. Why were the audience members on the edge of their seats?

a) Because they were very interested in what the speaker was saying.

b) Because they wanted to leave as quickly as possible.

c) Because their seats were very uncomfortable.

______________

WHAT ELSE DOES IT MEAN?

hit

The word “hit,” in this podcast, describes something that is very successful,popular, and well-liked by almost everyone: “Is it unusual for an author’s firstbook to be an international hit?” When talking about computers and the Internet,a “hit” happens whenever someone visits a website: “On average, how many hitsdoes your website get each week?” A “hit list” is a list of the names of peoplewhom a person or organization wants to harm or kill: “What would you do if youfound your name on a violent organization’s hit list?” Finally, a “hit man” is aperson who is hired to kill someone: “Nobody could believe that she had hired ahit man to murder her own husband.”

hooked

In this podcast, the word “hooked” means addicted, or liking something andneeding and wanting more of it: “Hermann is hooked on diet soda13 and barbequepotato chips.” Or, “Their research found that kids who grow up hooked on TV aremore likely to be overweight as adults.” A “hooked nose” is a nose that curvesup and comes to a sharp point: “Most drawings of witches include a hooked noseand several warts14.” The phrase “to ring off the hook” is used to describe thesituation when one is receiving many phone calls: “After the news story waspublished, the company’s phones were ringing off the hook.” Finally, the phrase“to let (someone) off the hook” means to let someone get out of trouble and notsuffer the consequences for his or her actions: “I can’t believe your parents letyou off the hook that easily and didn’t punish you at all!”

CULTURE NOTE

Most presentations only “attract” (interest and bring) a small group of people,such as the people who are “affiliated with” (connected to) a particular university,or the people who work in a particular organization or industry. However, peoplein the professional “speakers circuit” (all the people who travel around thecountry and the world making presentations to earn money) can attract hundredsor thousands of listeners each time they speak, earning thousands of dollars fortheir presentations.

One of the most popular “seminar” (workshop; presentation) presenters15 is TonyRobbins. He is a “self-help author” (someone who writes books to teach peoplehow they can help themselves) and a “coach” (someone who provides adviceand guidance) for individuals and businesses that want to be more successful. Inhis books, he tries to teach people how to find and use their own ability tobecome successful in whatever area of their life is most important to them.

Some of his presentations are just short speeches, but others are four-dayseminars. In one of the seminars, he asks participants to walk “barefoot” (withoutsocks or shoes) over “hot coals” (a black mineral that glows red when burning) toprove that people can do anything they “set their mind to” (are determined16 to do).

Robbins has met with many famous people, giving advice to well-knownpoliticians, such as former President Bill Clinton, Mikhail Gorbachev, PrincessDiana, and Nelson Mandela. He has also coached many athletes, includingtennis star Andre Agassi and Serena Williams, among others. However, almostanyone can participate in his seminars if they have enough money to pay forthem.

______________Comprehension Questions Correct Answers: 1 – c; 2 – a

COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT17

Welcome to English as a Second Language Podcast number 644: Giving aSuccessful Presentation.

This is English as a Second Language Podcast episode 644. I’m your host, Dr.

Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center for Educational Development inbeautiful Los Angeles, California.

Our website is eslpod.com. You know what to do – go there and download aLearning Guide for this episode.

This episode is called “Giving a Successful Presentation.” It contains lots ofvocabulary related to giving a speech or presentation, so let’s get started.

[start of dialogue]

Event organizer: Do you hear that? It’s a packed house and your presentationwas a hit. People are clamoring for more.

Herman: I can’t believe it. I wasn’t expecting that kind of reception. Theaudience really seemed to like it.

Event organizer: Like it? They were on the edge of their seats.

Herman: The presentation actually started slowly, but it seemed to gain tractionin the middle.

Event organizer: You had the audience hooked from the start. You could haveheard a pin drop in there when you were going over your main points. Yourpresentation is undoubtedly the highlight of the conference.

Herman: Thanks. I’m still in shock. Maybe if I tweaked it a little, I could give thispresentation at the national conference.

Event organizer: You’ll have time later to think about that. Right now, you needto get out there for the Q&A. They’re waiting for you.

Herman: But I don’t have anything else to say.

Event organizer: Just get out there. Your adoring public is waiting for you!

[end of dialogue]

Our dialogue begins with the event organizer, the person who is in charge of orwho is running this particular event where the presentation is going to be made,she says to Herman, the person who is going to give the presentation – thepresenter, “Did you hear that? It’s a packed house and your presentation was ahit.” A “packed (packed) house” is when you have a very large audience, lots ofpeople who come and they take up every seat in the place where the event isbeing held. Sometimes we say there’s “standing room only,” meaning there areno more places to sit because there are so many people there. That’s a packedhouse. It doesn’t mean that it’s a house that you live in. The word “house” herejust refers to the place – the auditorium or stadium where the event is takingplace.

The event organizer says that Herman’s presentation was a hit. To saysomething is “a hit” means that it is very successful; it was very popular. We talkabout hit songs or hit movies; these are songs and movies that are very popular.

“Hit” has a number of other definitions; take a look at our Learning Guide forthose. Finally the event organizer says, “People are clamoring for more.” “Toclamor” (clamor) means to ask for something but in a very loud way, to make alot of noise demanding or insisting that something happen. The people areclamoring for more, they’re wanting Herman to do more of his presentation or tomake the presentation longer – to continue it.

Herman says, “I can’t believe it. I wasn’t expecting that kind (or that type) ofreception.” “Reception” comes from the verb “to receive.” It’s a noun meaningthe way or the manner in which something is received, the way people react tosomething or react to someone. The presentation got a good reception; it was“well received” we might also say.

“The audience,” Herman says, the people who were listening, “seemed to like it.”

The event organizer says, “Like it? They were on the edge of their seats.” Shesays “like it” meaning they didn’t just like it, they loved it. “They were on the edge(edge) of their seats.” The “seat” is where you sit in an auditorium or a stadium.

The “edge” is at the very end or border, if you will, of the seat. It’s where yourbody is just barely on the seat. The expression “to be on the edge of your seat”

means that you are so interested, you’re so eager to hear or see something thatyou may be sitting up in your seat, almost like you’re about to stand up. That’s tobe on the edge of one’s seat. Herman says, “The presentation actually startedslowly, but it seemed to gain traction in the middle.” The expression “to gaintraction” (traction) means to have more success, to get better. To begin to bemore well received, that’s to gain traction.

The event organizer says, “You had the audience hooked from the start.” “To behooked” (hooked) means to like something and need something, you want moreof it; you like it and you want even more. This could be true in, for example,someone who is using certain drugs. They may be hooked on – notice thepreposition we use, “on” – hooked on a certain drug. The other words herewould be “addicted,” especially if you are talking about drugs. However, to be“hooked” or “hooked on (something)” is an expression we can use for just aboutanything. In this case, Herman had the audience hooked; in other words, theaudience was very interested. They needed and wanted more from the start –from the very beginning of his presentation. She says, “You could have heard apin drop in there.” The expression “you could have heard a pin drop” means thatit is a situation where everyone is quiet because they are interested insomething; they want to hear what will happen next. When someone makes anannouncement in front of a group of people that is very important, everyone willbe quiet and listen. That’s where you could hear a pin drop. Well, this is the pasttense, so the event organizer says, “You could have heard a pin drop,” it was thatquiet. It was so quiet you could hear a pin dropping on the floor. A “pin,” I shouldmention is a small piece of usually metal that you put into something – you stickinto something, usually to keep something in place. For example, you may havean announcement – a piece of paper, and you take a kind of pin called a “pushpin,” and you put into the wood or you put it into the board so that theannouncement – the piece of paper stays. Well that’s a pin; it’s a small, sharppiece of metal that goes into something.

You could have heard a pin drop when Herman was “going over,” or talkingabout, his “main points,” the main or most important things in the speech. Shesays to Herman, “Your presentation is undoubtedly the highlight of theconference.” “Undoubtedly” means clearly, without a doubt, obviously. A“highlight” is the best part of something, the most interesting or beautiful orimportant part of something. You could say, “I went to Rome, and the highlight ofmy trip was to see Michelangelo’s Pietà,” that’s the highlight, that was the bestpart.

Herman says, “Thanks. I’m still in shock.” “To be in shock” means to be verysurprised by something, unable to fully understand it and sometimes accept it.

You can be in shock over a good thing; you can be in shock over a bad thing.

This is definitely a good thing. Herman says, “Maybe if I tweaked it a little, Icould give this presentation at the national conference.” This may be aconference or a meeting for a given city or state, but Herman thinks if he“tweaked” his presentation, meaning if he improved it, if he made some small changes while leaving most of it the same, but making small changes to improveit, then he could go on to a bigger conference.

The organizer says, “You’ll have time later to think about that. Right now, youneed to get out there for the Q&A.” “Q” stands for question; “A” stands foranswer. The “Q&A” is something that happens at the end of many presentations,where the people who are listening to you – your audience – gets a chance toask you questions about your topic.

Herman says, “But I don’t have anything else to say.” The event organizer says,“Just get out there (meaning go out back in front of the people). Your adoringpublic is waiting for you!” “To adore” means to like or admire someone orsomething. Here, it’s used modify “public,” which are the people – the peoplewho listen to you or who watch you. So, your “adoring public” are the peoplewho adore you, who love you, who want to see more of you.

Now let’s listen to the dialogue, this time at a normal speed.

[start of dialogue]

Event organizer: Do you hear that? It’s a packed house and your presentationwas a hit. People are clamoring for more.

Herman: I can’t believe it. I wasn’t expecting that kind of reception. Theaudience really seemed to like it.

Event organizer: Like it? They were on the edge of their seats.

Herman: The presentation actually started slowly, but it seemed to gain tractionin the middle.

Event organizer: You had the audience hooked from the start. You could haveheard a pin drop in there when you were going over your main points. Yourpresentation is undoubtedly the highlight of the conference.

Herman: Thanks. I’m still in shock. Maybe if I tweaked it a little, I could give thispresentation at the national conference.

Event organizer: You’ll have time later to think about that. Right now, you needto get out there for the Q&A. They’re waiting for you.

Herman: But I don’t have anything else to say.

Event organizer: Just get out there. Your adoring public is waiting for you!

[end of dialogue]

The highlight of all our podcasts is the script written by Dr. Lucy Tse.

From Los Angeles, California, I’m Jeff McQuillan. Thank you for listening. Comeback and listen to us next time on ESL Podcast.

English as a Second Language Podcast is written and produced by Dr. Lucy Tse,hosted by Dr. Jeff McQuillan, copyright 2010 by the Center for EducationalDevelopment.


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 glossary of7xy     
n.注释词表;术语汇编
参考例句:
  • The text is supplemented by an adequate glossary.正文附有一个详细的词汇表。
  • For convenience,we have also provided a glossary in an appendix.为了方便,我们在附录中也提供了术语表。
2 auditorium HO6yK     
n.观众席,听众席;会堂,礼堂
参考例句:
  • The teacher gathered all the pupils in the auditorium.老师把全体同学集合在礼堂内。
  • The stage is thrust forward into the auditorium.舞台向前突出,伸入观众席。
3 inviting CqIzNp     
adj.诱人的,引人注目的
参考例句:
  • An inviting smell of coffee wafted into the room.一股诱人的咖啡香味飘进了房间。
  • The kitchen smelled warm and inviting and blessedly familiar.这间厨房的味道温暖诱人,使人感到亲切温馨。
4 anticipation iMTyh     
n.预期,预料,期望
参考例句:
  • We waited at the station in anticipation of her arrival.我们在车站等着,期待她的到来。
  • The animals grew restless as if in anticipation of an earthquake.各种动物都变得焦躁不安,像是感到了地震即将发生。
5 traction kJXz3     
n.牵引;附着摩擦力
参考例句:
  • I'll show you how the traction is applied.我会让你看如何做这种牵引。
  • She's injured her back and is in traction for a month.她背部受伤,正在作一个月的牵引治疗。
6 addicted dzizmY     
adj.沉溺于....的,对...上瘾的
参考例句:
  • He was addicted to heroin at the age of 17.他17岁的时候对海洛因上了瘾。
  • She's become addicted to love stories.她迷上了爱情小说。
7 liking mpXzQ5     
n.爱好;嗜好;喜欢
参考例句:
  • The word palate also means taste or liking.Palate这个词也有“口味”或“嗜好”的意思。
  • I must admit I have no liking for exaggeration.我必须承认我不喜欢夸大其词。
8 recipient QA8zF     
a.接受的,感受性强的 n.接受者,感受者,容器
参考例句:
  • Please check that you have a valid email certificate for each recipient. 请检查是否对每个接收者都有有效的电子邮件证书。
  • Colombia is the biggest U . S aid recipient in Latin America. 哥伦比亚是美国在拉丁美洲最大的援助对象。
9 undoubtedly Mfjz6l     
adv.确实地,无疑地
参考例句:
  • It is undoubtedly she who has said that.这话明明是她说的。
  • He is undoubtedly the pride of China.毫无疑问他是中国的骄傲。
10 fully Gfuzd     
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地
参考例句:
  • The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气,然后全部呼出。
  • They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。
11 minor e7fzR     
adj.较小(少)的,较次要的;n.辅修学科;vi.辅修
参考例句:
  • The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
  • I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。
12 allotted 5653ecda52c7b978bd6890054bd1f75f     
分配,拨给,摊派( allot的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • I completed the test within the time allotted . 我在限定的时间内完成了试验。
  • Each passenger slept on the berth allotted to him. 每个旅客都睡在分配给他的铺位上。
13 soda cr3ye     
n.苏打水;汽水
参考例句:
  • She doesn't enjoy drinking chocolate soda.她不喜欢喝巧克力汽水。
  • I will freshen your drink with more soda and ice cubes.我给你的饮料重加一些苏打水和冰块。
14 warts b5d5eab9e823b8f3769fad05f1f2d423     
n.疣( wart的名词复数 );肉赘;树瘤;缺点
参考例句:
  • You agreed to marry me, warts and all! 是你同意和我结婚的,我又没掩饰缺陷。 来自辞典例句
  • Talk about trying to cure warts with spunk-water such a blame fool way as that! 用那样糊涂蛋的方法还谈什么仙水治疣子! 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险
15 presenters ef0c9d839d1b89c7a5042cf2bfba92e0     
n.节目主持人,演播员( presenter的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Each week presenters would put the case for their favourite candidate. 每个星期主持人推出他们最喜欢的候选人。 来自互联网
  • Karaoke was set up to allowed presenters to sing on the stage. 宴会设有歌唱舞台,可让出席者大演唱功。 来自互联网
16 determined duszmP     
adj.坚定的;有决心的
参考例句:
  • I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
  • He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。
17 transcript JgpzUp     
n.抄本,誊本,副本,肄业证书
参考例句:
  • A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
  • They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。
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