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People are curious. One way to draw You can have it for years and never know
them into your speech is with a series of until it kills you. Some 73 million
statements that progressively whet their Americans have this disease, and 300,000
curiosity about the subject of the speech. will die from it before the year is out.
Odds are that five of us in this class have
it. What am I talking about? Not cancer.
Not AIDS. Not heart disease. I am talking
about hypertension—high blood
pressure.
Asking questions the audience a. How would you respond if a loved one
Asking a rhetorical question is another was the victim of terrorism? What
way to get your listeners thinking about would you think if you went to the
your speech. Sometimes a single question doctor because you were ill and she told
will do. you to watch Modern Family as part of
your treatment?
When using this technique, be sure to b. Have you ever spent a sleepless night
pause for just a moment after each studying for an exam? Can you
question. This adds dramatic impact and remember rushing to finish a term
gives the question time to sink in. The paper because you waited too long to
audience, of course, will answer start writing it? Do you often feel
mentally—not out loud. overwhelmed by all the things you have
to get done at school? At work? At
home? If so, you may be the victim of
poor time management. Fortunately,
there are proven strategies you can
follow to use your time more effectively
and to keep control of your life.
Beginning with a quotation “It is a moment I will never forget. I
Another way to arouse the interest of glimpsed a flash of color in the thicket,
your audience is to start with an attention and then I saw it—a Bachman’s Warbler,
getting quotation. You need not use a one of the rarest birds in all of America. I
famous quotation. was so excited I could barely keep my
binoculars from shaking.” This statement
One thing to remember is that opening was made by my father. He is just one of
your speech with a lengthy quotation is a the millions of people who have
sure way to set your audience yawning. discovered the joys of bird-watching.
Public Speaking | 37
