Speech craft

How to use rhetorical devices to spice up your speech?


1. Attention getters like anecdotes /quotations/shocking fact/statistic/rhetorical question


2. anaphora - same word repeated at beginning of successive sentences

epistrophe-same word repeated at the end of successive sentences

3. Key theme words repeated throughout the speech

4. use alliteration - He had a hidden horror in his hands - germs. -he/had/hidden/horror/hands
use consonance - how/now/cow/
use onomatopoeia - the whoosh of the water, the mooing of the cow lulled him

5. sentence inversion . We are part of earth and the earth is part of us.
cumulative effects (place the punchline /unexpected idea at the end of a series
of sentences to build up suspense.

eg.- She had the appetite of a horse.Everyday she gobbled up stacks of pancakes,munched on bags of crisps and slurpped gallons of juice.She was the last person on earth you would think was suffering from malnutrition.

6. metaphor
personification

Attention to all architecture 2 students, below is the format of a sample letter. It might be useful during the exams hence mr. derrick gave me this nevertheless. The reason I share it out in the blog is because I’m kinda lazy to photocopy it and I don’t think I can give it out to everyone in time. Hence, if you read this please tell the others to check it out ok.

Gerwin Institute of Mental Health

University of Townsland ( address of sender)

Brisdale, Queensland 24938

(leave a line)

14 SEPTEMBER 2008(date line)

(leave a line)

Thames Bookshop

358, Main Street(address of recipient)

Acacia, Queensland 39842


Dear Sir/Madam,/ Mr. Lim,/Editor(salutation)

Quotation for Textbooks (subject :optional)

Use block style( No indentation of first line)




Leave a line between paragraphs




Thank you.


Yours sincerely,/faithfully,

Signature

Mr./Miss (full name)

H.P. no. :

E-mail :

Too much of a good thing (HEADLINE)


(Deckline)
The dangers of excessive food consumption

By Sharon Lee Hua Ying (byline)


Ist para- attention getter -use shocking facts/statistic


2nd para - interview doctors, parents to get their personal viewpoints

3rd para - relate personal anecdote -interview a former patient and the health benefits of being fitter

4th para -evidence supported by research done by universities/medical professionals

5th para- wrap up with a rhetorical question/quotation(don't use finally,to conclude)

You may use colloquial language,idioms, conversational language in a feature article.


Speech

When making a speech,remember to address the audience

Good afternoon Mr Jones,the principal of Hudson College,fellow students and members of the PTA,---------etc

End a speech by thanking your listeners-Thank you for listening to my speech/.Lastly thank you for spending some time to listen to my speech and I wish everyone here all the best in the coming exams

SECTION B

Extended synthesis

Essay format is needed
Both the reading text and viewing text(cartoon/graph/pic) must be referred to.
This is not writing an essay to the question posed but a clear expression of your opinion,stance,viewpoint on an issue and using specific "lines,sentences,phrases" from the reading text to back up your writing.You should also comment on,criticize and analyze the ideas expressed in the text,the tone of the text and etc. A critical analysis is needed and not a summary or paraphrase of the reading text.

Useful phrases to introduce references to the text

-with reference to text 4,it is evident that..........
-As stated in text 4,....
-The text provided invaluable insights into.....
-It is also mentioned in the text that........
-He expresses the idea that.........
-He focuses on.......
-He elaborates on....
-The writer implies that....
Examples given include........
Text 4 depicts/illustrates/demonstrates that...
The writer mentions in text 3 that"......"

Reference must be made to the central ideas in both the reading text and the visual text.Don't simply copy the phrases and sentences without putting them in context of your argument/thesis.I repeat DO NOT BE A COPYCAT .

Example of response from essay of student from the science class.The question was well analysed and balanced in viewpoint-however he lapses in his register informal,colloquial instead of the written,academic one.So stick to the academic register.

How have relationships been influenced by increased use of the online environment as suggested in texts 4 and 5?

Relationships have been tremendously influenced by the increased use of the online environment.Just like what the author said( As mentioned by the writer) in Text 4 "I believe what is more interesting here is a transformation or redefinition of relationships.Indeed,relationships are undergoing an evolution as we speak,but for good or for bad,we are still unsure.

The online environment,especially,social networks such as Facebook and Twitter have been a stepping stone in making people to be more open,to interact with other people or to put it simply,(in other words )to reconnect with the world.The author of Text 4 has the same point of view.He stated that "For some people including people who might have difficulty forming relationships such as those with social phobias or autism)-the online environment is the perfect means by which they can.......express who they are).Social networking also benefits those who work mostly at home-why is it so?In the real world,when two people meet face to face,both would like to give the other a good impression so that they can get along.They will constantly wonder what the other is thinking about him,and this will intensify even further when we're with someone who(m) we care about a lot.Actually,this is a type of fear,a fear that people would misread you or see your bad side.And this fear is the key antagonist (factor/element) in propelling more and more people to distance themselves from society,to evade judgments.The online environment has provided an alternative route,to let them interact without facing people and slowly build up their confidence.

On the other hand,the very same benefit could lead to disadvantages.If people were to remain hidding (spelling error) behind the computer,(or)remain in a place that they feel is safe,it promotes an unhealthy lifestyle and it will dull or disrupt existing relationships with the surrounding people.This case happened to (the male) in the picture in Text 5 which depicts a man claiming that romance is not dead by downloading presents onto his girlfriend;s PC.This will certainly give rise to problems in their relationship.This man,in fact,is creating a barrier between him and his girlfriend.There is no more"deep,ongoing,personal,and face to face relationship"as stated by the writer of Text 4 when he used this sentence to refute the commentator's implications.

In conclusion,online environment,particularly social networks,possess the power to build and also to destroy a relationship.If we were to subside(wrong word) /rely/depend on social networks to form relationships,we will be giving social networks the power to do just that.


Ms. Chan


The writer ( a male ) is aware of the pitfalls and the advantages of networking sites and particularly sensitive to the fact that women are not impressed by mere tokens of love but the focus is on the quality of the relationship.