Speech Drill
Please get ready to make a self-introduction speech in class.
竞选演说属于说服性演讲的范畴，需要演讲者提出符合听众需求的观点，综合运用清晰的语言、生动的声音、丰富的表情以及真诚的心说服听众相信自己，鼓动听众支持自己。从某种程度上说，竞选演说就是在“自我推销”。在社团、学生会、班级、社区、村镇、公司、甚至国家层面等都有竞选演说。在竞争激烈的现代社会，掌握竞选演说的写作和演讲技巧能够帮助人们在关键时刻战胜对手，赢得更多机会。美国总统奥巴马抑扬顿挫、慷慨激昂的竞选演说让他两次成功夺得总统职位，他出色的演讲技能也助他在政界崭露头角，为他赢得众多“粉丝”。
竞选演说的目的很明确，就是要让选民印象深刻，俘获人心，帮助演讲者竞选成功，这是竞聘演讲区别于其它演讲的主要特征。撰写一篇好的竞选演说需要根据竞选岗位的不同进行大量的演讲前准备和演说技巧的积累。以下是成功竞选演说的主要特点：
1. 观点“一针见血”To the point
所谓一针见血是指演讲者能够准确把握听众的需求和关注点，据此表明自己的立场和观点，并提出解决方案。这就需要候选人在演讲前做大量的准备工作，譬如：
（1） 调查听众，分析听众，了解听众需求，倾听听众愿望。
（2） 研究如何采取可行并有效的措施，达成需求和愿望。即便问题很难解决，也可以分析相关的原因，提出解决问题的建议。
（3） 将内容逻辑严谨，语言准确地体现在演讲稿中。
例1. Good morning. Election Day is around the corner, and one of the biggest issues at stake in this campaign is your taxes. Here is my philosophy: I believe that our economy grows and the American Dream reaches more citizens when you keep more of what you earn. With more money in your pocket, it is easier for families to afford a good education, it is easier foryoung people to afford the down payment on a home of their own, and it’s easier for small business owners to go out and invest and create jobs. (George W. Bush,Radio Address, Oct 28, 2006)
2006年美国总统乔治·布什（Bush）曾经在中期选举日前发表电台讲话，讲话一开始就抓住了全国民众都关注的税收和收入问题。并以此为切入点提出“减税”的改革措施。
例2. All of us know what those challenges are today: a war with no end, a dependence on oil that threatens our future, schools where too many children aren’t learning, and families struggling paycheck to paycheck despite working as hard as they can. We know the challenges. We’ve heard them. We’ve talked about them for years.
What’s stopped us from meeting these challenges is not the absence of sound policies and sensible plans. What’s stopped us is the failure of leadership, the smallness — the smallness of our politics — the ease with which we’re distracted by the petty and trivial, our chronic avoidance of tough decisions, our preference for scoring cheap political points instead of rolling up our sleeves and building a working consensus to tackle the big problems of America. (Barack Obama, Official Announcement of Candidacy for USPresident, 2007)
2007年2月，奥巴马正式宣布竞选总统，在他的竞选演说中，也用概括排比的方式提出了一系列人们所密切关注的问题：战争、能源、教育、经济等。继而找出这些问题出现的根源在于：领导人执政重心的偏移，缺少干大事的魄力和能力。
例3. That is why this campaign can’t only be about me. It must be about us — it must be about what we can do together. This campaign must bethe occasion, the vehicle, of your hopes, and your dreams. It will take yourtime, your energy, and your advice — to push us forward when we’re doing right, and to let us know when we’re not. (Barack Obama, Official Announcement of Candidacy for USPresident, 2007)
此外，为了让听众觉得演讲者是站在听众的立场发现和解决问题，在演讲时，建议演讲者多使用第一人称的复数形式we, us。如上文，奥巴马在竞选演讲中强调了“我们”（we）的立场，以赢得人心。
2. 切忌“假、大、空”Avoidfalse information
竞选演说中免不了要展示自己的资历、能力、优势及未来的规划。然而，竞选者应该确保其内容必须是真实、准确的，保证所提出的计划和方案是切实可行的。不能胡编乱造、夸夸其谈，充满着“假话、大话、空话”。听众的眼睛是雪亮的，演讲者天花乱坠地吹捧自己，听众一般是不买账的，反而产生逆反心理。
竞选者最易犯的错误就是“随意承诺”。每位听众心里都有一杆秤，他们一边听你的演讲，边在“掂量”你的承诺是否能实现，一旦你失去了他们的信任，竞选一定是失败的。只有发自肺腑、讲实际的措施才是听众最欢迎的。
例1. We’ve made some progress already. I was proud to helplead the fight in Congress that led to the most sweeping ethics reform sinceWatergate.
But Washington has a long way to go. And it won’t be easy. That’s why we’ll have to set priorities. We’ll have to make hard choices. And although governmentwill play a crucial role in bringing about the changes we need, more money andprograms alone will not get us where we need to go. Each of us, in our ownlives, will have to accept responsibility —for instilling an ethic of achievement in our children, for adapting to a morecompetitive economy, for strengthening our communities, and sharing somemeasure of sacrifice. So let us begin. Let us begin this hard work together.Let us transform this nation. (Barack Obama, Official Announcement of Candidacy for US President, 2007)
奥巴马在以上竞选演说中简单地提到了自己过去的成绩，却也承认了存在不足，并将大量的文字描述当前的问题，以及今后的措施。让听众觉得他是一个值得信任的候选人。
3. 顾己不薄彼Don’tknock down your opponents
在竞选演说中，听众会在候选人之间进行比较，因此竞聘演讲并不忌讳适当地展示自身优势，尽最大可能显出“人无我有”，“人有我强”竞争力。竞聘者不宜过分谦虚，或者不好意思展示自己，否则就无法战胜对手。
但在展示自己时，候选人不能恶意地贬低对手。打击和贬低对手，特别是在背后中伤对手的行为会降低自己的声誉和可信度，让听众觉得你过分看重个人利益，没有一颗宽容大度的心，不适合担当大任。
然而，这一点在美国的总统大选演说中却是特例，因为在大选演讲中随处可见攻击对手的言论。究其原因，一方面演讲者所抨击的单位一般是政党，而非个人；第二，一般演讲者所攻击的是对方政党的施政漏洞，不直接涉及个人的道德品质问题。
例1. All thesesigns point to one conclusion: cutting your taxes worked. Unfortunately, the Democrats are still determined to raise your taxes, and if they gain control of the Congress, they can do so without lifting a finger …Take just oneexample: if Democrats have their way, the child tax credit will be cut in half — from $1,000 per child to just $500per child. And think of what that means for your family. Next time you’re having dinner at home, look around the table and multiply the number of children you have by $500. That’s how much more you will be sending to Washington in taxes if Democrats take control of the Congress. If you have two children, that is an extra $1,000 the Democrats will add to your tax bill everyyear. If you have three children, that’s an extra $1,500. If you have four children, that’s an extra $2,000. That may not seem like a lot to Democrats in Washington, but for working families across America, that is real money. (George W. Bush, Radio address, Oct 28, 2006)
2006年，布什在中期选举日前发表电台演讲中，就毫不留情地攻击和贬低对手的施政计划。认为民主党依旧决意增加选民的税收，若当选则会不费吹灰之力地达到他们的目的。他还用了大量的数据佐证自己的观点，让听众对此深信不疑。
竞选演说的一般结构 Structure of a Campaign Speech
Beginning: Greeting+Thanks+Self-introduction+Aim问候+感谢+自我介绍+竞聘职务
Body:
Mainpoint 1: Reasons for running +qualifications竞聘的缘由+竞聘条件（相关经历、经验、工作能力等）
Mainpoint 2: If elected假设自己任职后的具体详实，切实可行的施政措施
Ending: Call forsupport/vote表明决心，请求支持
Useful Expressions
Greeting+Self-introduction+Aim
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.
Thank you for coming to this election campaign today.
I am delighted to announce that I am running for chairman of the Student Union.
It is an honor for me to speak to you here today.
Self-introduction+Aim
Today I am very glad to have the chance to run for President of the Student Union.
I am a senior in the Power Department.
My aim is to be chairman of the student union.
I possess strong determination to take firmsteps toward achieving my team’s objectives.
In addition, my working experience with the StudentUnion in the past two years will be extremely helpful to my future work here ifelected.
Ifelected
If I am elected, I believe I have the capability to lead the Union to advance in the rightdirection.
I will cooperate wellwith my fellow members of the Union and take innovative measures, to make the Union a true assistance to students’ study and life here as well as a bridge of communication between teachers and students.
If I am the Chairman of the Student Union, be assured that I will spare no effort for our school’s students. For example, I will listen to all students’ advice for ourschool, and I will try my best to solve their problems.
If I become thepresident, I will try my best to make the Student Union relevant to you by organizing different activities for you. I will do meet your demands.
As chairman of the StudentUnion, I will do more good things for our students. Things like inviting somefamous persons to our college to give lectures and activities that promotestudent bonding.
Call for support/vote
Actions speak louderthan words.
Please support my election to the position of the Student Union president. Believe me, I can doit.
I sincerely hope youwill give me a chance to show you that I will be a good president. Thank you.
I hope you willsupport me. I will not let you down. Thank you.
以上摘自： 章莉. 《英语演讲实训教程》， 清华大学出版社，2015.11.
