外研社杯一等奖英语演讲稿加专家点评

Hello again, ladies and gentlemen!

Nowadays, we live in a technology-driven society. On the one hand, technology helps us a lot. Like today, our contest uses all kinds of modern technology to help facilitate the process. On the other hand, however, we human beings have the tendency to be addicted to modern technology. No one knows this better than those “hi-tech” parents. And they are actually sending their children to “non-hi–tech” schools. I think the main concerns behind this decision are the following t wo: First, “hi-tech” parents want their children to return to the real human world; and second, they want their children to return to nature.

For the first concern: return to the real human world. Well, when the little boy was so focused on the computer screen, he is actually isolated from the real human world around him. But if we take the computer away from him and let him interact with his peers and play with his peers, he can actually learn how to gain emotional control of his own emotion, and he can have a better understanding of other people’s needs and rights. And that is what we called “EQ”, which is a very important element if you want success in life.

For children to get back to real world, there is another element involved: that is nature. Well, it is true that a child can appreciate a picture of rose from a computer screen, but he will not be able to touch its petal; he will not be able to smell its fragrance. Without a computer, we actually give the child a chance to go back to nature. He can feel the coldness of the running water; he can hear the birds sing; he can hold a flake of snow in the palm of his little hands. Nature is not only the source of joy, it is, actually, more importantly, the source of imagination and inspiration for creativity. For example, the invention of airplane, it’s actually the result of observation of birds in nature.

In conclusion, if I were one of those “hi-tech” parents, I will make the same choice for my child, because after all, modern technology is just a tool. It is our human mind that is responsible for all the creation and all the imagination that we have in this world. Well, Shakespeare never knew how to use a computer in his entire life, but he still wrote the beautiful plays in our world;

Puccini never knew how to use MP3, but he still composed great operas; Da Vinci had never heard of Photoshop, but he still painted the greatest artwork in our world. So you see, sometimes for our children, to take a step back from modern technology is actually a wiser and better choice. Thank you very much!

专家点评

This speaker stands out from the crowd with her remarkable ideas, clear organization, compact reasoning, high language proficiency and vivid delivery. The speech sets off with an appropriate interpretation of the topic, the central idea sorted out and neatly previewed, the two main points laid out in a typical topical order, supported by concrete examples and down-to-earth details. The conclusion, involving a series of pertinent brief examples, not only enhances but further helps drive home the core message.

From the very start, the speaker demonstrates her excellent control of the stage and great thoughtfulness in handling the topic. She justifies the high-tech parents’ choice of sending their kids to non-high-tech schools for two reasons, namely, letting them return to the real human world and to nature. As she endeavors to prove the two-fold reason, she manages with ease the sharp contrast between the virtual world crammed with high tech and the real world free from its restraints. The word pictures she depicts are inviting; the gains and losses in these two worlds, described in exquisite detail, are weighed with deep sincerity and genuine conviction. In short, she skillfully helps the audience to visualize a beautiful s croll of painting in their minds’ eye, thus prevails over herself first, then the audience, to make the same decision. Remember, concrete details and vivid examples always speak louder than abstract ideas and general statements.

The speaker exhibits a wonderful mastery of the English language, which is reflected in her careful diction, flexible sentence patterns, and marvelous spontaneity in prompt response to this topic. It is not unusual to make grammatical mistakes in an impromptu speech, but this young lady gains an edge over her peers with higher accuracy and elegance, without even a slip of the tongue.

This speaker is also remarkable in terms of delivery. She seems quite at ease on the stage, always wearing a contagious smile, facial expressions active and pleasant. What she lacks, however, is appropriate gestures, perfect pronunciation and firm eye contact. She never stops making gestures! Excessive gestures do distract the audience from the message and sometimes can be very annoying! So I suggest that the speaker eliminate those uneasy or rigid gestures, completely rest her hands, arms or body when necessary. Anyway, it is a public speaking contest, right? Also, work on the enunciation of individual vowels and consonants. A few examples are

“l i ve”, “i s olated”, “r u nning” and “p ai nt”. Fi nally, try to look at your audience instead of sweeping through the whole room or looking at the walls or ceiling unless you are seeking “divine inspiration”. Remember, steady and firm eye contact will enormously add to your credibility and persuasiveness.

All in all, keep up the good work and you will become a master speaker!