高校外語教學不隻著重語言知識的傳授，還要幫助培養學生的各種英語能力，為適應現代社會作積極的準備。
開設實用性強的各類英語選修課程，如以語言、文學、哲學、文化、外國概況等為內容的素質課，以社會交際、國際禮儀等為內容的社交課，以英語國家生存常識為內容的出國預備課等，通過英語教學有效地培養學生用英語進行工作溝通和學術交流的能力。

《英語公眾講學技巧》對英語講演的開始階段、準備過程，到具體講演技巧逐一做了介紹，以便讀者掌握有關講演的技巧：如何吸引聽眾、如何展開論點、如何導出結論等；並介紹了講演語言的特殊性。《英語公眾講學技巧》可作為高校英語選修課教材，書中配備了相應的練習，供讀者按自身情況選擇使用。

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Part Ⅰ Introduction
1 Overview of Presentation Skills
1.1 Definition of Presentation Skills
1.2 Importance of Presentation Skills
1.3 Essential Qualities of a Good Public Speaker
1.4 Types of Presentations
1.5 Overall Structure of a Presentation

Part Ⅱ Speech Preparation： Getting Started
2 Initial Considerations
2.1 Analyzing the Audience
2.2 Selecting a Topic
2.3 Selecting a Purpose
2.4 Composing a Thesis Statement

3 Gathering Supporting Materials
3.1 Sources of Materials
3.2 Types of Supporting Materials
3.3 Tips for Selecting Materials
3.4 Avoiding Plagiarism

Part Ⅲ Speech Preparation: Outlining and Organizing
4 Outlining
4.1 Preparation Outlines
4.2 Speaking Outlines
4.3 Sentence, Phrase, and Key-word Outlines

5 Developing an Attention-getting Introduction
5.1 Major Types ot7 Attention Getters
5.2 Establishing Credibility
5.3 Providing a Purpose
5.4 Stating Your Thesis
5.5 Previewing Main Points
5.6 Putting the Introduction Together

6 Organizing the Body of the Presentation
6.1 Guidelines for Determining Main Points
6.2 Organizing the Main Points
6.3 Organizing Supporting Materials

7 Developing the Conclusion
7.1 Signaling Your Conclusion
7.2 Repeating the Topic, Purpose and Thesis
7.3 Reviewing the Main Points
7.4 Closing Your Presentation
7.5 Transitioning to Questions
7.6 Putting the Conclusion Together

8 Connectives
8.1 Transitions
8.2 Internal Previews
8.3 Internal Summaries
8.4 Signposts

Part Ⅳ Presenting the Speech
9 Presenting with Effective Language
9.1 Style of the Presentation Language
9.2 Tips for Using Language Effectively

10 Using Visual Aids Effectively
10.1 Advantages of Visual Aids
10.2 Types of Visual Aids
10.3 Tips for Designing PowerPoint Slides
10.4 Tips for Using PowerPoint Slides

11 Delivering a Speech Effectively
11.1 Qualities of Effective Delivery
11.2 Methods of Delivery
11.3 Vocal Elements in Delivery——Making Effective Use of Your Voice
11.4 Physical Elements in Delivery——Making Effective Use of Your Body
11.5 Practicing Delivery
11.6 Overcoming Speech Anxiety

12 Handling Audiences Questions Effectively
12.1 Tips for Handling Questions Effectively
12.2 Summary of the Chapter

Part Ⅴ Major Types of Presentations
13 InformativePresentations
13.1 Types of Informative Presentations
13.2 Tips for Informative Presentations
13.3 Sample Informative Speech with Commentary

14 Persuasive Presentations
14.1 Types of Persuasive Presentations
14.2 Organizational Patterns for Persuasive Presentations
14.3 Methods of Persuasion
14.4 Sample Persuasive Speech with Commentary

15 Presentations on Special Occasions
15.1 Speeches of Introduction
15.2 Speeches of Presentation
15.3 Speeches of Acceptance
15.4 Commemorative Speeches
15.5 After-dinner Speeches
Answers to Exercises
Appendix Ⅰ Sample Complete Presentations and Famous Speeches
Appendix Ⅱ Famous Sayings and Quotations
Appendix Ⅲ A List of Mispronounced Words by Chinese Students
Appendix Ⅳ Detailed Contents
Appendix Ⅴ Bibliography

Reading from Manuscript
As the name suggests, reading from manuscript means reading from fullyprepared written text, word by word. This method is often used in situationswhere absolute accuracy is essential. Politicians and business leaders find thismethod more helpful because it can help them avoid being misquoted or misinterpreted.They want to communicate exact information.
However, it can be boring to listen to a speaker who reads word by wordfrom a manuscript. Reading restricts eye contact and body movement, and maylimit expressiveness in vocal variety, too. Consequently, the quality and effectivenessof the speech delivery can also be limited.
To overcome the disadvantages and increase your expressiveness, you shouldpractice reading the manuscript often and become familiar with it before the delivery.Reciting from Memory
By this method, the speech is delivered entirely from memory. Since itsneither customary nor necessary to memorize an entire speech in real life, thismethod is rarely used except for some special or brief speeches such as speechcontests, short toasts, congratulatory remarks, introductions, etc. Besides,reciting from memory can be boring if the speaker keeps gazing at the ceiling,trying to recall what he/she has memorized, rather than concentrates oncommunicating with the audience and conveying enthusiasm and directness.

21世紀要求學校培養的人纔既要有知識又要有能力，高校畢業生不僅要具有扎實的基礎知識，而且還要有寬廣的知識面，文理結合，全面發展。這一要求對高校的外語教學也提出了新的任務。高校外語教學不隻著重語言知識的傳授，還要幫助培養學生的各種英語能力，為適應現代社會做積極的準備。新頒布的《大學英語課程教學要求》和新修訂的《非英語專業碩士／博士學位研究生英語教學基本要求（試行）》也明確地反映了這一點。《大學英語課程教學要求》指出：大學英語課程不僅是一門語言基礎課程，也是拓寬知識、了解世界文化的素質教育課程，兼有工具性和人文性。因此，設計大學英語課程時也應當充分考慮對學生的文化素質培養和國際文化知識的傳授。《非英語專業碩士／博士學位研究生英語教學基本要求（試行）》也指出：各個院校和科研機構可以根據需要和可能，為學生開設實用性強的各類英語選修課程，如以語言、文學、哲學、文化、外國概況等為內容的素質課，以社會交往、國際禮儀等為內容的社交課，以英語國家生存常識為內容的出國預備課等。博士研究生英語的教學目的以培養學生用英語進行工作和研究的能力為重點，通過英語教學有效地培養學生用英語進行工作溝通和學術交流的能力。
在大綱的指導下，近年來，許多綜合性重點高校都在積極進行英語課程結構的改革。除傳統的基礎英語課程外，許多高校都開設了各種門類的英語選修課，以幫助提高畢業生的英語綜合應用能力，增強自主學習能力，培養綜合文化素養，適應我國社會發展和國際交流的需要。
高校英語選修課門類現在雖然很多，但歸納起來，主要有三類，即“語言實際知識與技能類”、“語言應用類”和“語言與文化類”。“語言實際知識與技能類”主要涉及閱讀、口語、寫作、聽力、翻譯技能的進一步培養，如中高級口譯、翻譯理論與實踐、演講與辯論等；“語言應用類”包括商務英語、傳媒英語、科技英語、英語學術論文寫作、應用文寫作等；“語言與文化類”涉及英美社會與文化、西方文學選讀、影視欣賞、英美報刊選讀等。針對這些選修課，有些高校也編寫了相應的教材，但總體上，教材的門類不全，有些課程老師就是選不到一本對教、學雙方都適用的教材，有的甚至找不到任何教材，造成某些課程都是老師自編講義，或每個地方湊一點拿來作為課堂教學使用，因而在教學內容的繫統性、延續性和規範性方面都存在較大的隨意性，也不方便學生自主學習。加上中國老師和學生都不太適應零散的教學資料，所以有些選修課感覺就是結構松散、不太正規。