Read the following newspaper article and then answer questions 1-7. Indicate the letter, A, B, C or D of each question. Give only one answer to each question.

     You could be one of those lucky people who seem to be naturally good at public speaking. It is unlikely that you were born with this ability. Great speakers are instinctive and inspired. They also prepare well, learn performance technique and draw heavily on experience to develop their skills.

     What passes for a natural ease and rapport with an audience is often down to technique – the speaker using learned skills so well that we can’t see the ‘seams’.

     Body language

     You can learn to speak effectively in public by going on courses and reading manuals. But there is no substitute for getting out and doing it. If you dislike speaking in public, then take every opportunity to do so – even if you only start off by asking questions at the PTA meeting.

     When you speak in public, almost all the aspects that make up your total image come under scrutiny. Your posture, body language, facial expression, use of voice and appearance all matter.

     The situation is often stressful, because the speaker is being observed and judged by others. Small quirks, like speaking too quietly or wriggling, which are not particularly noticeable in everyday communication, become intrusive and exaggerated in front of an audience.

     Stereotypes

     It is hardly surprising, then, that some of us feel it is easier to pretend to be somebody else when we are speaking in public. We assume a ‘public speaking image’ that has nothing to do with our real selves.

     We sense that speaking in public is connected to acting and so we portray stereotypical roles like ‘the super-smooth sales person’, ‘the successful superwoman’. Unfortunately, if we don’t really feel like these types, then we will look as though we are striving for effect.

     For instance, you could decide that you want to play the life and soul of the party when you speak, although, in actuality, you are a rather quiet person who rarely uses humor. You read that humor works well in public speaking so you decide to tell a few jokes.

     You look ill at ease when you do so and your timing leaves a lot to be desired. Your talk misfires badly. You will not have been true to yourself and your audience will have been reluctant to trust you. You need to find your own style.

     The most skilled actors use their own feelings and experiences to help them inhabit character. As a public speaker, you have more scope than most actors – you have your own script, direction and interpretation to follow. You can even rearrange the set and choose the costume if you like.

     The most successful speakers are obviously projecting an image but one that rings true. They project the best aspects of themselves – ‘edited highlight’. The serious quiet person will project serenity and consideration for others. The outrageous extrovert will use humour and shock tactics. Speaking in public is a performance and one in which you present a heightened version of your personality.

     To speak well, there needs to be a balance of impact between speaker, message and audience. If one of these elements overpowers the other two, say if the speaker is over-concerned to project personality, or the message is rammed home without due regard for the type of audience, or the speaker allows him or herself to be thrown by a noisy crowd – then the performance will suffer.

     Image

     Your image helps maintain this balance. If you get up to speak dressed like a Christmas tree, then your appearance will be overpowering. Delivering your message in an overdressed and, therefore, over-significant tone of voice, will encourage your audience to switch off. When you start to speak, if your body language and facial expression remind the audience of a frightened rabbit, then you won’t gain its confidence.

     The biggest block to effective public speaking is attitude. If you think you can’t and you never will be able to, you won’t. Speaking in public is something anyone can learn to do. Be positive and accept setbacks as part of the learning process.

Read the sentences below and decide which answer A, B, C or D best fits each blank.

Read and answer the questions, choose from the people (A-D).

Which person(s):

likes the building better than what it contains?

can’t pick a single favourite?

originally visited it only because it was famous?

implies that his/her favourite could change?

likes a building that is no longer in use?

mentions a building designed using a novel tool?

does not mention who designed the building?

describes a special place to see a movie?

seems to value personal freedom of expression?

mentions the incorporation of a natural feature into a building?

talks about a place with limited public access?

would like to visit the building again for a specific reason?

A

There is no contest! The Taj Mahal in India, definitely! I visited it while travelling recently, not because I knew anything about it, just because it's considered one of the seven wonders of the world, you know. But it was completely breathtaking. The great white domes of the mausoleum, standing out against the sky, and mirrored in the reflecting pool. I've never seen anything like it. It's decorated very simply, with geometric shapes, following what the Islamic religion believes is appropriate for places of burial.

It’s an amazingly romantic building. It was built by the grief-sticken emperor, Shah Jahan, after the death of his third wife, as an expression of his sorrow. I would love to get married there one day; I can't think of a better place for a wedding, although I suspect it would be very very costly. Oh well, it doesn't hurt to dream.

B

My favourite building, this year at least, is the Experience Music Project Museum in Seattle. It was designed by Canadian architect Frank Gehry and his client was Paul Allen of Microsoft fame. Gehry was the first person to use a computer modelling system called CATIA – which was used in the aerospace industry. As he said, “we did a building by computer for a computer guy”!

The building is formed from 400 tons of steel. It is covered by 21,000 aluminium and stainless steel shingles. At the heart of the structure is the Sky Church – a high-tech cinema with a 70 ft high ceiling and the world's largest LED screen. It is an amazing place.

I think this is truly a design where art and architecture merge. It is challenging, the colours are amazing and the wow factor is high! I'll admit I had mixed views about the exhibits that were inside the building – but that doesn’t take away from the building itself!

C

My favourite building? Anything designed by the Austrian architect, Hundertwasser! I can’t choose just one. He was a real character and his buildings are all so creative and progressive; they stand out wherever they are located and make an impression on everyone.

To give you an idea about what he believed in, he proposed something called the "Window Right". He said a person in a rented apartment must be able to lean out of his window and scrape off the masonry within arm's reach. And he must be allowed to take a long brush and paint everything outside within arm's reach, so that it will be visible from afar to everyone in the street that someone lives there who is different from the imprisoned, enslaved, standardised man who lives next door.

Hundertwasser condemned the sterile grid system of conventional architecture. He rejected rationalism, the straight line and functional architecture, and demanded instead creative freedom of building, and the right to create individual structures. His designs included forested roofs, the spiral house, the eye-slit house, the high-rise meadow house and even an inaudible Green Motorway.

D

First of all, I have many favourite outdoor places here in the UK; Golitha Falls on Bodmin Moor – a very special one; in fact, most of Bodmin Moor is very special. I love being outdoors in a natural environment at any time of day or night.

A favourite building? That’s more difficult; there is a tiny chapel on top of St Ives Island that used to be used by fishermen. I have spent many nights walking round St Ives Island and always wanted to look inside this little building that was kept closed to the public.

One day I was lucky to find a cleaner working there, giving the place a clean, so I couldn’t resist. I asked him nicely if [ could have a look inside, he didn’t seem to mind. There was nothing in there but a huge Bible and a window looking out to sea. It had a rather mysterious, rather sad atmosphere. I have been back there many times but, as usual, the place is always locked up. I'm so pleased I managed to go inside and look around at least once.