To me March 28th was a lucky day.It was on that particularevening that I found myself at central stage, in thespotlight.Winning the 21st Century·Ericon Cup SeventhNational English Speaking Competition is a memory that I shalltreasure and one that will surely stay.More important than winning the Cup is the friendship that hasbeen established and developed among the contestants, and thechance to communicate offstage in addition to competingonstage.Also the competition helps boost public speaking inChina, a skill hitherto undervalued.For me, though, the competition is a more personal experience.Habitually shy, I had been reluctant to take part in any suchactivities.Encouraged by my friends, however, I made alast-minute decision to give it a try.In the course ofpreparation I somehow rediscovered myself, a truer me.
I found that, after all, I like communicating with otherpeople; that exchanging views can be so much fun—and so muchrewarding, both emotionally and intellectually; that publicspeaking is most effective when you are least guarded; andthat it is eential to succe in every walk of life.At a more practical level, I realized knowing what you aregoing to say and how you are going to say it are equallyimportant.To take the original ideas out of your head andtransplant them, so to speak, to that of others, you need tohave an organized mind.This ability improves with training.Yet there should not be any lo or addition or distortion inthe proce.Those ideas that finally find their way intoanother head need to be recognizably yours.Language is ameans to transmit information, not a means to obstructcommunication.It should be lucid to be penetrating.In China, certain public speaking ski
lls have been undulyemphasized.Will it really help, we are compelled to ask, tobang at the podium or yell at the top of your lungs, if youhave come with a poorly organized speech, a muddled mind, andunwillingne to truly share your views?Above all, the single most important thing I learnt was thatas a public speaker, you need to pay attention, first andforemost, to the content of your speech.And second, thestructure of your speech: how one idea relates and progreesto another.Only after these come delivery and non-verbal communication:speed control, platform manner, and so on.pronunciation isimportant, yet of greater importance is this: Is your languagecompetent enough to expre your ideas exactly the way youintend them to be understood?I was informed afterwards that I was chosen to be the winnerfor my app
ropriately worded speech, excellent presence andquick-witted response.In so remarking, the judges clearlyshowed their preference: they come to listen for meaningfulideas, not for loose judgments, nor easy laughters.Some contestants failed to addre their questions head on.Some were able to, but did not know where to stop—the draggingon betrayed their lack of confidence.The root cause was thatthey did not listen attentively to the questions.Or they werethinking of what they had prepared.As I said in my speech, It is vitally important that we youngpeople do more serious thinking ...to take them [iues likeglobalization] on and give them honest thinking is the firststep to be prepared for both opportunities and challengescoming our way.We need to respond honestly.A competition like this draws talented students from all overthe country.And of course, I learnt more things than just
; about public speaking.Since in th
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