Common public speaking problems
1.The use of “I feel”, “I think” and “maybe”
In the question-and –answer session of the speaking competition, many contestants began their answers with uncertain expressions like “I feel”, “I hear”, “maybe” and “perhaps”. These words show that the person is only speaking from his or her point of view.1.
Work on keeping your answers brief and to the point. Also work on delivering them with calmness and confidence. Instead of the empty-sounding “I guess”, using facts, together with a clear conclusion based on those facts, is far more likely to be popular with an audience.
2. 2.
Don't stick to the same tone. It can be boring. Try to mix it up. For example, when they spoke about their dreams, some sounded romantic. Others used humor. Very few used several different styles tighter. 3., rather than just sticking with the same one.
3. Irresponsible answers
4. . you're responsible for your words. Even though you want to answer quickly, you don't want to sound foolish. So you should think twice before you talk. Don't be like the student who, when asked about his opinion on book piracy(盗版), started by saying he supported it.
4. Talking around the topic rather than directly answering it
You should focus on one point and give a clear solution.5.. is it asking you to discuss a certain topic or to present your own point of view?
Use one or two arguments together and give a strong conclusion. Remember that judges are not judging you on whether they agree, but on your ability to say what you think clearly.
A. Try mixing more than one style.
B. Improving your communication skill.
C. Using only one speaking style
D. It's important to involve your audience.
E. Public speaking is different from personal conversations.
F. The key is to work out what question is being asked
G. To the judges and audience, this lacks the support of facts and seems not to be reliable.
If Confucius(孔子) were still alive today and could celebrate his September 28 birthday with a big cake, there would be a lot of candles. He’d need a fan or a strong wind to help him put them out.
While many people in China will remember Confucius on his special day, few people in the United States will give him a passing thought. It’s nothing personal. Most Americans don’t even remember the birthdays of their own national heroes.
But this doesn’t mean that Americans don’t care about Confucius. In many ways he has become a bridge that foreigners must cross if they want to reach a deeper understanding of China.
In the past two decades, the Chinese studies programs have gained huge popularity in Western universities. More recently, the Chinese government has set up Confucius Institutes in more than 80 countries. These schools teach both Chinese language and culture. The main courses of Chinese culture usually include Chinese art, history and philosophy(哲学). Some social scientists suggest that Westerners should take advantage of the ancient Chinese wisdom to make up for the drawbacks(缺点) of Western philosophy. Students in the United States, at the same time, are racing to learn Chinese. So they will be ready for life in a world where China is an equal power with the United States. Businessmen who hope to make money in China are reading books about Confucius to understand their Chinese customers.
So the old thinker’s ideas are still alive and well.
Today China attracts the West more than ever, and it will need more teachers to introduce Confucius and Chinese culture to the West.
As for the old thinker, he will not soon be forgotten by people in the West, even if his birthday is.
1.The opening paragraph is mainly intended to ________.
A. provide some key facts about Confucius 
B. attract the readers’ interest in the subject
C. show great respect for the ancient thinker
D. prove the popularity of modern birthday celebrations
2.We can learn from Paragraph 4 that American students ________.
A. have a great interest in studying Chinese
B. take an active part in Chinese competitions
C. try to get high scores in Chinese exams
D. fight for a chance to learn Chinese
3.What is the best title for the passage?
A. Forgotten Wisdom in America
B. Huge Fans of the Chinese Language
C. Old Thinker with a Big Future
D. Chinese Culture for Westerners
4.The passage is likely to appear in ________.
A. a newspaper 
B. a history paper
C. a biography D. a philosophy textbook
“Birds” and “airports” are two words that, paired together, don’t normally paint the most harmonious picture. So it really raises some eyebrows when China announces plans to build an airport that’s for birds.
Described as the world's first-ever bird airport, the proposed Lingang Bird Sanctuary(保护区) in the northern coastal city of Tianjin is，of course，not an actual airport. Rather, it’s a wetland preserve specifically designed to accommodate hundreds — even thousands — of daily takeoffs and landings by birds traveling along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. Over 50 species of migratory (迁徙的）water birds, some endangered, will stop and feed at the protected sanctuary before continuing their long journey along the flyway.
Located on a former landfill site, the 61-hectare (150-acre) airport is also open to human travelers. (Half a million visitors are expected annually.) However, instead of duty-free shopping, the main attraction for non-egg-laying creatures at Tianjin’s newest airport will be a green-roofed education and research center, a series of raised “observation platforms” and a network of scenic walking and cycling paths and trails totaling over 4 miles.
The proposed Bird Airport will be a globally significant sanctuary for endangered migratory bird species, while providing new green lungs for the city of Tianjin,” Adrian McGregor of Australian landscape architecture firm McGregor Coxall explained of .the design. Frequently blanketed in smog so thick that it has shut down real airports, Tianjin is a city — China’s fourth most populous — that would certainly benefit from a new pair of healthy green lungs.
1.The underlined phrase 4 “non-egg-laying creatures” in Paragraph 3 refers to _______?
A. endangered water birds B. planes
C. visitors 
D. designers
2.What do we know about the airport according to the passage?
A. It is located on a landfill site.
B. People cannot watch birds up close here.
C. It provides migratory birds with food and shelter.
D. It functions as an actual airport and a wetland preserve at the same time.
3.What is this passage mainly about?
A. China is to open the first Bird Airport. B. Airports turn into green lungs.
C. Birds are no longer enemies to airports. D. Airports shut down and open up.
A survey has shown that what you do on a plane can be determined by which nationality is listed on your passport.
According to the results of an international passenger survey, Australians are the biggest drinkers on board with36 percent choosing to down the hatch, compared to 35 percent of Americans and 33 percent of Brits.
The Airline Passenger Experience Association(APEX) spoke to around 1,500 people, aged 18 and older, who have travelled by plane at least once during the last three months and were living in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, China, Singapore, Australia and Brazil.
The results found Chinese travelers are most likely to nod off once the seat-belt sign switches off. They are also the first to take out their credit card for some in-flight shopping and the biggest fans of gaming. Americans on the other hand like to use their time in the air more productively—when not drinking—choosing to work while flying at 35,000 feet.
Meanwhile, Brits and Germans are the best at making chat with random strangers—spending 50 percent more time than any other nationality. Comparatively, Brazilians conduct their conversations online via email, messaging apps or social media.
Despite plane food having a bad reputation, seven out of ten interviewees said they were happy to eat up on the selection of in-flight snacks and meals. In-flight magazines were also popular with four out of five passengers.
The international flyers did however express their desire for better in-flight entertainment. “The industry has greatly improved the comfort, entertainment and on board service, and passengers are accepting those improvements” said Russell Lemieux, APEX executive director. “At the same time, passengers are demanding more from their air travel experiences which will drive more improvements touching all aspects of the journey. ” he added.
1.What can you probably see in the flight according to the passage?
A. Brazilians choose to drink. B. The Chinese switch off the seat-belt sign.
C. Germans chat to kill the time. D. Americans do in-flight shopping.
2.When on board the plane, ______.
A. passengers from one nation have little in common
B. most passengers like to read in-flight magazines
C. more than half of the passengers don’t enjoy plane food
D. most people tend to use in-flight time to have a good sleep.
3.What can we learn from the last paragraph?
A. Flyers care little about entertainment.
B. Flyers are not satisfied with the improvements.
C. Flyers are expecting better flight experiences. 
D. Flyers have more and more demands from airlines.
4.What's the purpose of the passage?
A. To entertain readers with interesting stories.
B. To encourage people to behave well in public.
C. To criticize impolite behaviors on the plane.
D. To inform readers of the results of a survey.
Queensland is one of the most amazing states in Australia. It has some of the most beautiful natural scenery on the planet, with the Great Barrier Reef, rainforests and impressive beaches.
The Great Barrier Reef
It is one of the world’s largest natural features. It stretches more than 2,300 km along the north eastern coast of Australia from the northern tip of Queensland to just north of Bundaberg. The things that most surprise visitors to the reef are the colors.
Without doubt, the best way to see the Great Barrier Reef is by diving. If you have a little extra money and you are feeling a bit lazy, you can fly over the reef in a plane.
Fraser Island
Another area of natural beauty is Fraser Island. This is the world’s largest sand island. It’s best visited from Hervey Bay on the mainland, where there are a number of places offering trips around the island. To fully appreciate Fraser Island you should go for three or four days. Attractions include some beautiful fresh-water lakes, particularly Lake Wabby and Lake Mckenzie. You can walk around these on white sands untouched by human footprints. Indian Head also has some beautiful views. Braver travelers can go and watch sharks circling the water hundreds of meters below.
The Whitsunday Islands
It would be a pity to travel around Queensland without taking a trip around the Whitsunday Islands. They were named by Captain Cook in 1770, after the day on which he arrived. Here are some of the great things you can do there.
●Cruise around them on a relaxing trip.
●Take a sailing course.
●Look at the aboriginal (土著的) paintings in caves on Hook Island.
●Have fun in the water doing lots of water sports.
So, will you be going to Queensland?
1.The best way to admire the beauty of the Great Barrier Reef is .
A. driving B. taking a boat
C. flying in a plane D. diving in the sea
2.What can we infer from Fraser Island?
A. Lake Wabby and Lake Mckenzie are rarely visited places.
B. Only brave ones can watch sharks in the deep ocean.
C. Few places on the mainland can offer trips around the island.
D. One should have at least 2 days to fully explore Fraser Island.
3.If you want to learn sailing, you can go to .
A. Hook Island B. The Whitsunday Islands 
C. Fraser Island D. the Great Barrier Reef
4.The purpose of writing this passage is .
A. to call on people to protect Queensland 
B. to inform the latest news
C. to adverse for Queensland D. to break a world record
假如你是长春市某高中生李华，最近你们班对本市开展的“绿色出行”（Green Transport）计划展开了讨论，该计划倡导市民骑自行车，并且提供了大批量公共自行车。
支持者观点：
1. 目前汽车带来的空气污染和交通堵塞问题；
2. 骑自行车的益处，如节能环保、有益健康等。
反对者观点：
1. 骑自行车上学，上班浪费时间，而且不安全；
2. 现在空气污染严重，骑自行车可能有害健康。
请根据以上信息写一篇议论文，并发表你自己的观点。
词数：1.词数100字左右；
2.开头已给出,不计入总词数。
Recently, our city begins an activity called Green Transport, which calls on the public to ride bicycles to work or to study.______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
