Activities

Suggested answers:

1. It has increased human computer interaction and has generated a new different world of commerce.
2. It is in Great Britain.
3. According to the text, 39 % of large businesses (with 1,000 or more employees) sold over the Internet in 2005.
4. It has been noticed among smaller businesses.
5. It rose from 7 per cent to 15 per cent.

Suggested answers:

1. a) They dread speaking in public because they are afraid of looking foolish or stupid / b) They dread speaking in public because they are afraid that their mind will go blank or that their lack of speaking skills will lower the opinion others have of them.
2. It is the art and science of public speaking.
3. A glossophobic person can experience two types of symptoms: physical and verbal.
4. Preparation eases public speaking because you won’t get lost during the presentation.
5. He advises to avoid bullets because your material should be the focal point of the talk.
6. They visualise a positive outcome and use deep belly breathing.
7. Interaction reduces boredom.

Transcription:

Do you dread speaking in public? People are sometimes afraid of speaking in public. The primary reason is that they are afraid of looking foolish or stupid in front of many of their peers and important people. They are afraid that their mind would go blank or that their lack of speaking skills will lower the opinion others have of them.

The art and science of public speaking is known as forensics and the fear of public speaking is called glossophobia. A glossophobic person quite often tries to evade public events, especially those where he or she is required to speak. People who suffer from glossophobia tend to freeze in front of any audience and the physical symptoms of their disease, also known as ‘speech anxiety’, include increased blood pressure, heart beats, increased sweating tendency, stiffening of neck and upper back muscles and dry mouth. The verbal symptoms include a quivering voice and repetition of ‘uhms’ and ‘ers’. In order to overcome glossophobia, some organisations offer help to reduce this fear.

Darrell Zahorsky, in his article ‘Master the Art of Public Speaking, suggests seven tips to master the art of public speaking. The first one is to start small: you should begin by speaking to smaller groups and build up from there. The second one is: prepare. He states that the ability to connect with your audience comes from having the confidence you won’t get lost during your delivery. You should rehearse several times before the big talk and time your presentation. His third tip is: don’t memorize. Mastering the art of public speaking comes not from memorizing word for word during the entire speech, he says. The real pros know their material by remembering key points and prompts on sub topics and examples to cover. Another tip is to avoid bullets: the majority of business presentations and speeches are boring monologues filled with endless PowerPoint slides and bullet points. He advises to trash the PowerPoint presentations and make your material the focal point of the talk. A fifth tip is to reduce stress: he reckons that the most fearful moment of any presentation is the one minute before stage entrance. He advises to use the tactic of elite athletes, which is visualising a positive outcome and using deep belly breathing to reduce stress and build confidence. The next tip is to find a friend: pride your public speaking on stage, introduce yourself to a few members of the audience in the front row so that during your talk you can look at these people in the eyes to ease your nerves and connect with your audience. His last tip is to engage the audience. He suggests you make your talk a two-way interaction with questions and participation to reduce boredom and speak with ease. In addition, having the group involved also gives you time to reorganise your thoughts if things are going off track.

Remember: public speaking is a skill so anyone can learn to do it. Why don’t you have a try? This is your chance.

Conversation 1

Bank clerk: “Good morning, how can I help you?”
Customer: “I’d like to open an account”
Bank clerk: “Will it be a joint or individual account?”
Customer: “An individual account”
Bank clerk: “Shall I give you debit or credit card?”
Customer: “A credit card, please.”
Bank clerk: “Ok, a credit card. You’ll need a pin number to dispense cash. Here, in this sealed envelope you have your pin number. Do not share that number or let anyone else see it.”
Customer: “Ok, thank you. Goodbye”

Conversation 2

Bank clerk: “Good morning, how can I help you?”
Customer: “We’d like to apply for a mortgage.”
Bank clerk: “Have you found a property you’re interested in?”
Customer: “Yes, we have. It’s a cosy house by the sea.”
Bank clerk: “How much would you like to borrow?”
Customer: “Well, the property is 200,000 euros, but we have a deposit of 75,000.”
Bank clerk: “So you need 125,000 euros loan. Do you have account in this bank?”
Customer: “Yes, I’ve had my account for over ten years.”
Bank clerk: “How much do you earn?”
Customer: “I earn 25,000 euros a year and my husband 23,000.”
Bank clerk: “That’s fine. Now would you like to complete this form?”

Suggested answers:

(1) Larson & Sons. Hello!
(2) I’m afraid he’s not in his office now.
(3) In two weeks.
(4) Can I take a message?
(5) Sorry. Could you repeat that, please?
(6) Oh, yes, he is.
(7) Yes, I’ll put you through.
(8) Bye.

1. went
2. was/were
3. had
4. did
5. spoke
6. bought
7. thought
8. found
9. broke
10. saw
11. heard
12. put