MARKET LEADER Network Website Lessons
31 July 2003
U P P E R I N T E R M E D I A T E I N T E R M E D I A T E
I N T E R M E D I A T E
UNIT 7 E-Commerce UNIT 7 Innovation
Before you read
Have you ever had to make a presentation to an audience that you did not know? Tell your partner about
it  what was the presentation about? Did you prepare for it?
Based on your experience of presentations and talks (either giving them or watching them), what advice
would you give to someone doing this for the first time?
Check these words / expressions in a dictionary:
slides
a script
presumptuous
a one -liner
an analogy
Reading Comprehension 1
Read the article quickly and see if any of the points you discussed are mentioned. (Some of the
sentences have been removed, but ignore them for now.)
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31 July 2003
U P P E R I N T E R M E D I A T E I N T E R M E D I A T E
I N T E R M E D I A T E
UNIT 7 E-Commerce UNIT 7 Innovation
Unaccustomed as I am&
software like PowerPoint. Instead, unprepared. There are a couple of
FT Correspondent just use the things around you: pick areas you can concentrate on.
up something in the room or (6)_______________. If you
For many, the fear of public speaking something you found on the way start well and finish well, everybody
is second only to the terror of having there to illustrate your main point. will assume that the middle bit was
to This will be more fun for the excellent, too. It is amazing how far
undress in front of an audience. audience and encourage you to think you can get on a good introduction. It
People practise very hard for their of new ideas. does not hurt to end on a high note,
speeches and surround themselves (3)________________. Isn't it a either.
with all kinds of aids. But actually, bit presumptuous to think anybody (7)______________. Dig up a
the best way to succeed is to do as will listen to you make two? single good one-liner, an excellent
little as possible. You don t believe (4)________________. If it's a analogy or example, and perhaps one
me? Let me show you how to do small group, ask them questions or striking piece of information. If you
public speaking the lazy way. start a discussion. If it's a large group, must have slides, create just one
(1)_________________. If invite them to participate in a silent useful one rather than 20 useless
you're going to write a script, it has to way - for instance, to visualise their ones.
sound like a real person talking. This favourite place, or the best meal (8)______________. How
is fine if you re a top Hollywood they've ever had, or something else. many people will there be? What do
scriptwriter, but most people lose the If they don't do what you ask first they know? What do they expect of
ability to sound natural as soon as time, all you have to do is ask them you? What will they laugh at? What
they put pen to paper. If you want to again. Audiences love this and it's won't they laugh at? The lazy speaker
sound like a real person talking, then less work for you. knows full well that if you do this last
just talk! (5)________________.When one right, you can comfortably forget
(2)_________________. We all was the last time a speaker left you the rest.
know that it is important to give the wanting more?
audience something interesting to By now you can see that too
look at and maybe you fancy yourself much preparation simply creates
as an artist. But unless you really are trouble for speaker and audience
a Piet Mondrian, you don't stand alike. But it would be irresponsible of
much chance of creating anything me to suggest that you step out in
worth looking at with a piece of front of an audience completely From the Financial Times
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31 July 2003
U P P E R I N T E R M E D I A T E I N T E R M E D I A T E
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UNIT 7 E-Commerce UNIT 7 Innovation
Reading Comprehension 2
The sentences below have been taken out of the article. Try to put them back in the right place.
1 Prepare the first five seconds and the last five seconds.
2 Make only one point.
3 Don't write a script.
4 Produce quality not quantity.
5 Be brief.
6 Don't forget to find out who your audience is.
7 Get the audience to do the work.
8 Don t create any slides.
Reading Comprehension 3
True or false?
1 For a lot of people, public speaking is the most frightening thing they can imagine.
2 Most people cannot write a script that sounds natural.
3 If you want to use slides, it s best to get help from a professional designer.
4 It is difficult to get the audience to take an active role in the presentation.
5 If you are confident, it is best not to do any preparation.
6 People don t pay as much attention to the middle section of a talk.
Reading Comprehension 4
Example:
For many, the fear of public speaking is second only to the terror of having to
undress in front of an audience
Many = many people.
a Pick up something in the room or something you found on the way there to illustrate your main point
(para 3)
b Audiences love this and it's less work for you. (para 5)
c Be brief. When was the last time a speaker left you wanting more? (para 6)
d & if you do this last one right , you can comfortably forget the rest. (para 10)
Vocabulary
Find words or expressions that mean the same as the following:
a take part (para 5)
b imagine (para 5)
c problems (para 7)
d part / section (para 8)
e find (para 9)
f interesting / impressive (para 9)
g understand completely (para 10)
Discussion
What do you think of the advice given? Would it work for you?
Try to picture the writer of the article  what do you imagine he is like as a pers on?
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MARKET LEADER Network Website Lessons
31 July 2003
U P P E R I N T E R M E D I A T E I N T E R M E D I A T E
I N T E R M E D I A T E
UNIT 7 E-Commerce UNIT 7 Innovation
KEY
Reading Comprehension 2
1 c
2 h
3 b
4 g
5 e
6 a
7 d
8 f
Reading Comprehension 3
a False  it is not as frightening as undressing in front of an audience
b True
c False  it s better not to use slides at all
d False
e False   it would be irresponsible of me to suggest that you step out in front of an audience
completely unprepared
f True
Reading Comprehension 4
a  on the way there means  while you were travelling to the place where you are giving the talk.
b  this means  being asked to take part
c  wanting more means  wanting a speaker to continue talking
d  if you do this last one right means  if you do manage to make them laugh ;
e  forget the rest , means you don t need to worry about the other pieces of advice that the writer has
given, eg, about being brief, making only one point, etc.
Vocabulary
a participate
b visualise
c trouble
d bit
e dig out
f striking
g know full well
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