Presentation as a Special Communicative Genre

Ex. 12. In small groups, discuss the following questions and then share your ideas with the whole class.

1. How often have you been listening to oral presentations that dealt with interesting science while you nevertheless had difficulty to pay attention till the end?

2. How often did you lose your interest before the speaker had even come halfway?

3. Was it because of the subject of the talk or was it the way the speaker presented it?

4. What was the most successful lecture you have listened to? What were the keys to its success?

Ex. 13. Watch the video “Killer Presentations” and see if the ideas you discussed in the previous exercise agree with what the speaker says. Also, note down what advice the speaker gives about the following:

Vocabulary:

1. Seinfeld – Сайнфельд (имя психолога)

2. funeral – похороны

3. eulogy – надгробная речь

4. vase – (иносказат.) гроб

5. impart – сообщать

6. bladder – мочевой пузырь

7. restroom – WC

8. veracity – правдивость, истинность

9. to-do motion – суетливое движение

10. turret – орудийная башенка

11. bore – утомить, вогнать в скуку

1. ways to make the audience feel comfortable

2. using eye contact

3. use of pauses

4. elements of body language

5. using gestures

6. using the podium

7. ways to deliver content effectively

Does the speaker concentrate on the content of the presentation or the way of delivery?

What have you personally liked and disliked about the speaker?

What things make it this presentation effective?

Ex. 14. Before learning about the specific requirements to an oral presentation, do the following quiz. Sometimes several answers may be possible.

1. Preparing a presentation means

1. memorising every fact and figure.

2. writing a full text of your presentation.

3. putting together facts and figures as you see fit, regardless of how much your audience might know about the subject.

4. putting together facts and figures so that your presentation is logically structured and easy to follow.

2. Thinking about the audience, which statement is NOT correct? 'When you are applying for a job,

1. presentations are not very important'.

2. how well you present is very important'.

3. what you say is important'.

4. it's important to make sure your audience understands what you're talking about, so don't get too involved even if you're talking about a favourite subject'.

3. The beginning of a presentation is…

1. like chapter headings, but with more detail.

2. its summary.

3. an introduction of the subject and a brief idea of what's to come.

4. what the audience will remember most easily.

4. When you're making a presentation,

1. speak softly.

2. don't swallow any words.

3. make lots of small movements.

4. be aware of your hands.

5. Speaking of eye contact, which of these statements is true?

1. Don't look up - it's important to focus on what you're saying rather than the audience.

2. Making eye contact is easier when you're sitting rather than standing up.

3. Eye contact isn't important during presentations.

4. around, so everyone feels you're speaking to them personally.

6. Which of these statements is true?

1. A presentation is like a conversation: two-way.

2. Unlike a conversation, a presentation is one-way.

3. A presentation doesn't allow you to say what you want before someone else interrupts you.

4. A presentation is for you to ask the audience questions.

Ex. 15. Read the following information about the essence of Presentation as a special speech genre and comment on the video you have watched in the Exercise 13 with the help of recommendations given below.