Public speaking and critical thinking
What is critical thinking ? to a certain degree ,it’s a matter of logic （逻辑）—of being able to spot weaknesses in other people ‘s argument and to avoid them in your own ,it also includes related skills such as distinguishing fact from opinion and assessing the soundness of evidence .
In the broad sense ,critical thinking is focused ,organized thinking –the ability to see clearly
their lationships among ideas. 1 the greatest thinkers ,scientists ,and inventors have often taken information that was readily available and put it together differently to produce new ideas.that,too,is critical thinking.
2 As the class goes on, for example, you will probably spend a good deal of time organizing your speeches. While this may seem like a purely mechanical（机械的）exercise, it is closely connected with critical thinking. If the structure of your speech is loose and confused, chances are that your thinking. If the stucture of your speech is loose and confused, chances are that your thinking is also discovered and confused. If, on the other hand ,the stucture is clear, there is a good chance your thinking is too. Organizing a speech is not a matter of arraging the ideas your already have. 3
What is true of organization is true of many aspects of public speaking. 4 As you work on expressing your ideas in clear, accurate language, you will Improve your ability to think clearly and accutately. 5 As you learn to listen critically to speeches in class. You will be better able to assess the ideas of speakers in a variety of situations.
If you take full advantage of your speech class, you will be able to develop your skills as critical thinker in many circumstances. This is one reason public speaking has been regarded as a vital part of education since the days of ancient Greece.
| A．Rather, it is an important part of shaping the ideas themselves |
| B．This may seem like a lot of time, but the rewards are well worth it. |
| C．It may also help you to know that there is no such thing as a perfect speech |
| D．It has often been said that there are few new ideas in the world, only reorganized ideas. |
E. If you are wondering what this has to do with your public speaking class, the answer is quite a lot.
F. The skills you learn in your speech class can help you become a more effective thinker in a number of ways
G. As you study the role of evidence and reasoning in speech making ,you will see how they can be used in other forms of communication as well.
根据对话内容，从对话后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。
A: Hello, this is Lucy speaking. Is that Li Wei?
B: Hi, Lucy! We are expecting your coming.
A: Thank you! My plane leaves Beijing this afternoon.
B:
A: It’s CA1409.
B: OK, CA1409.
A: At 3:30 in the afternoon.
B: Leaves at 3: 30, and arrives …
A: It arrives at 6:10, and I will have to wait some time for my luggage（行李）.
B: All right.
A: Thanks a lot.
B: I’ve ordered a room for you in the centre of the city near my home.
A: Wonderful! See you then!
B: See you!
| A．When does it take off? |
| B．How about my hotel? |
| C．When does it arrive? |
| D．What’s your flight number? |
E. Li Wei speaking.
F. Who will meet you?
G. I’ll wait for you at the gate at 6:30.
Over the last 25 years, British society has changed a great deal – or at least many parts of it have. . Ideas about social class – whether a person is “working - class” or “middle - class” – are one area in which changes have been extremely slow.
In the past, the working-class tended to be paid less than middle-class people. The typical working man would collect his wages on Friday evening and then, it was widely believed, having given his wife her "housekeeping", would go out and squander the rest on beer and betting.
The old style of what a middle-class man did with his money was perhaps nearer the truth. He was-and still is - inclined to take a longer-term view. Not only did he regard buying a house as a most important thing, but he also considered the education of his children as extremely important. . Only in very few cases did workers have the opportunity （or the education and training） to make such long-term plans.
In a large number of cases factory workers earn as much as their middle – class supervisors (管理者). Social security and laws to improve century, have made it less necessary than before to worry about "tomorrow". Working-class people seem slowly to be losing the feeling of inferiority(自卑感). In fact there has been a growing tendency in the past few years for the middle-classes to feel slightly ashamed of their position.
.They generally tend to share very similar tastes in music and clothes, they spend their money in having a good time, and save for holidays or longer-term plans when necessary. There seems to be much less difference than in precious generations.
. As long as this gap exists, there will always be a possibility that new conflicts and jealousies will emerge, or rather that the old conflicts will re-appear, but between different groups.
| A．Nowadays, a great deal has changed |
| B．Both of these provided him and his family with security |
| C．As a result, differences in life – styles and attitudes came into existence |
| D．However, we still have a wide gap between the well – paid and the low - paid |
E．In recent years, the working – class people have begun to design long – term plans
F．In some ways, however, very little has changed, particularly where attitudes are concerned
G．The changes in both life – styles and attitudes are probably most easily seen amongst younger people
Criticism can be divided into two types. _____ This is the type of criticism that can be the most hurtful. Parents might express their disapproval of your choice in career, friends or lifestyle. People may criticize how you dress or the way you act. It can be terribly unpleasant to tolerate it.
The second type of criticism involves pointing out your weaknesses and mistakes. No one is perfect, yet many imperfect people seem to find it extremely easy to “let us know” when we mess up. _____And the fact that they are telling us what we already know makes it much more annoying.
When people express their disapproval of some area of your life you first need to consider how you feel about it. You need to be secure in who you are and the decisions that you make.____
Remember that there is a difference between being firm in your choices and being stubborn. Don’t be stubborn. Be mature enough to truly hear what they are saying, even if you don’t agree with it at first. _____If not, just let it go and trust that they meant well, but what they were saying is not for you. Don’t be mad at them.
_____ Improving yourself works best if you can see yourself from different angles. Other people have different views on what you are doing and can help you. If you are one of those people who just want to learn the hard way, try listening to some advice for a change. It might do you some good.
| A．In many cases, we already know a lot of what people are saying to us. |
| B．You may come to realize that they have a good view of things and are right. |
| C．There is no need for you to care about others’ criticism. |
| D．The first type is when someone expresses their disapproval. |
E.Bear in mind that you should never criticize others.
F.If your decisions are solid and you firmly believe in them, you won’t allow anyone to change your mind.
G.If someone is pointing out your mistakes, use it to your advantage.
How to Make Friends
Friendship is a very important human relationship and everyone needs good friends. Good friendship has many benefits. It offers companionship, improves self-worth and promotes good health. There are times in our lives such as when we have recently moved into a new town, or changed our jobs or schools. Such changes often leave us without a friend. ___
1. Associate with others.
The first step to making friends is associating with other people. You can go to public places to meet new people. Besides, you will need to make yourself known by becoming an active member of such places.
2. Start a conversation
Starting a conversation is the second most important step in making new friends.___
3.
Choosing friends with common interests is important in building friendship as these interests would always bring you and your friend together, Hanging out will always be a pleasant experience.
Let it grow.
It is a good thing to stay in touch. However, try not to press your new friend with calls, messages or visits as this would likely wear him or her out and finally you may lose your friend.
Enjoy your friendship
The best way to enjoy your friendship is to allow your friends to be themselves. ___
| A．Be cheerful. |
| B．Do things together. |
| C．Do not wait to be spoken to. |
| D．Try not to find fault with your friends. |
E. Making new friends comes easy for some people.
F. For a friendship to develop you need to stay in touch.
G. So you will need to give your friend time to react to you.
Public Speaking Training
Get a coach, so get help. Since there are about a billion companies out there all ready to offer you public speaking training and courses, here are some things to look for when deciding the training that’s right for you.
Focus on positives
Any training you do to become more effective at public speaking should always focus on the positive aspects of what you already do well. Nothing can hurt confidence more than being told that you aren’t doing well. , so good public speaking training should develop those instead of telling you what you shouldn’t do.
If you find a public speaking course that looks as though it’s going to give you lots of dos and don’ts, walk away! Your brain is so full of what you’re going to be talking about.. As far as we’re concerned, there are basically no hard and fast rules about public speaking. Your audience can be your friends.
You are a special person not a clone.
Most importantly, good public speaking training should treat you as a special one, with your own personal habits. . Your training course should help you bring out your personality, not try to turn you into someone you’re not.
| A．You aren’t like anybody else |
| B．You already do lots of things well |
| C．Turn your back on too many rules |
| D．Check the rules about dos and don’ts |
E.Whatever the presentation, public speaking is tough
F.The one thing you don’t want is for them to fall asleep
G.So trying to force a whole set of rules into it will just make things worse