原文写于2010.2.26(ScienceNet精选20100226)

  美国农业部农业研究中心的Toastmaster俱乐部要举办一个Speachcraft培训班，导师强烈要求我体验一下。于是报了名，还交了50美刀。ToastmasterInternational^®是源于美国的一个语言培训教育机构，主要目的是提高受训者的公众演说能力，简单地讲，就像登台唱歌，不仅要唱得好听，还得让自己的台风耐看。估计有很多技巧吧！

  以前连正式的中文演讲都没有参加过，这次突然要参加英文演讲，让人觉得还没学会爬，便开始上路跑开了。第一次演讲被称作“IcebreakerSpeach”，自由选题，4-6分钟。我花了几乎一天的时间构思并写好了演讲稿，导师Joan兴致勃勃地帮我从头到尾改了一遍，还要我到她的办公室预演，纠正了不少发音。心想，导师比我还卖力！惭愧！

  距离我上台的时间越来越近，我的心很是紧张。老害怕忘词，之前的“节目”根本沉不下心来去听，一直像背课文似地在底下临阵磨枪，忽然又感觉像06年准备研究生课程《自然辩证法》的考试，怎么记都记不住！主持人开始叫我的名字了，算了，既然记不住就无需再记，上吧！我用冰冷而又颤抖的右手与主持人“过招”之后，放下手中的材料便开始了。总共用了4分50秒，终于结束了。一演说起来反而不怯场了！神奇！难道我真得有天赋？！还是“为祖国争光，为华人争脸”的高调心理在作怪？！哈哈！！但与地道的美国学生比起来，我毕竟差得很远。不在一个数量级上面，主要是我的发音太水、动作因此也大打折扣。

  当我在掌声中与主持人再次握手、退场，感觉说不出的轻松。

  演讲期间有专职人员负责用绿、黄、红三种颜色的小灯泡向演讲者提示时间，还会一一公布每个人用了多久。我们每个人都配有专业的一对一的指导老师（Mentor），他们系统地负责学员的演讲，填写每一次的演讲评价和意见表，还要上台对每一次的演讲作针对性发言，mentor们的发言也将作为他们个人表演的一部分被所有在场人评价。每一期活动都要评出最佳演讲人，最佳演讲评论人，并颁奖。此外，还有专业老师指出每一个人的语法错误和其他评分等。一小时之后，是中场休息时间，大家可以自由交流，会有一些自助小吃和饮品，感觉虽然是短短的两小时，安排地极为精致、饱满。这样儿的club亚克西！！

  中场时间，收到了好些俱乐部老师和同学用纸条传过来的评语。大多是溢美之词，我心里明白，其实以演讲的标准来讲，我做得远远不够。和我一同参加培训的还有两位国内的好朋友，我觉得我们三个中国人能够面对公众说下来已经很“牺牲”了，要求不高，第一次嘛！但愿下回做得更好一些。

  我突然觉得，以前的研究生学习好像缺了点什么。每天就是实验、文章的，没有一丝生气，可为了学业，为了将来的工作，生活，也就那么过来了。KFC的炸鸡块吃上去不错，但有多少人知道，那只鸡生前在鸡笼里面曾经过着多么‘好’吃‘好’喝好无聊的单调生活。鸡笼就那么大，吃喝拉撒全在里面，背上和肚皮上的衣服‘缝’了又‘补’，还要忍受鸡舍里面的各种超标气体，最后好不容易出舍见一下阳光，还被很快地放血、开膛、退毛、分割，不到一天功夫便消失在茫茫鸡海！

附1：在USDA/BARC Toastmaster Club 上的演讲稿 （写得不好，讲得更烂，当个纪念吧！）

      Life is a river          

Hongbo Chen

Icebreaker Speech in speachcraft class on 02/24/2010

   What’s life?

  If I take thisquestion by surprise, you may say : ” Hongbo, are you crazy? Don’t be kidding!You are not Aristoteles! ” Yeah, It’s true that I am not aphilosopher, but it’s also true that it seems we don’t care of thequestion at all in our daily life. We don’t care, because we don’t feel inthe mood for this. We are busy in devising scientific ideas, designing plans,we have many paper works, and a lot of experiments, we might even think about abetter statistical method during our coffee time!

   Huh , we may have to try to answer this question in thenight with stars in the sky! If your girlfriend or boyfriend sit together withyou under the sky, you may get answer from her or him. Of course, lonelysingles have to ask themselves.  

   When I was young, at least in the year 1985 (ShowPICTURE 1), at my 3 years old, I could not give the answer. I even didn’tknow how to write the word , “life”. What only I cared were delicious foods,warm clothes , safe guards. I used the words “Mum! Dad! Brother! Sister! ”everyday! I spent most of my time in playing with my littlefriends. (PICTURE 2) This pretty little girl is one of my best friends atthat time. Now, she has got married with another more handsome man and hada lovely daughter.

   20 years later, I met my real girlfriend------myintended wife (PICTURE 3). It was really good golden times to staytogether with her. She brought me a lot of happiness. Though we can nottough each other now, we keep talking at each night through theinternet. Especially when I go back to the photo of my family that takenin 2008(PICTURE 4), I realize that I am not whom I was in 1985. But In theprocess of my growing up, there are always all kinds of love. They are:lovefrom my family, my friends, and my intended wife.

   There is no necessary that must we become philosophers.Memories of life can give the answer: Life is a river, we are just the drops ofwater in the river. It is love that make us go forward. Never mind where willwe flow, just enjoy the space rocks, enjoy the love, cherish everyday!•

附2：图片

现场                                        

课堂内容安排

匿名投票及评价卡片


                                                                                              2010.02.26 

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