CHAPTER 21
How To Give Powerful English
Presentations
I was standing at the side of a stage, waiting to give my first public
speech to a group of thirty people. My heart was beating quickly. My
breathing was tight and shallow. My entire body felt jittery. I looked down
at my hands and they were shaking. I tried to control the shaking, but failed.
I thought to myself, “What if I forget everything and freeze?”
Suddenly, I heard my name as I was introduced to the audience. I walked
onto the stage. The audience applauded but I couldn’t hear them. I glanced
up and viewed them through tunnel vision. My sight was narrowed and my
peripheral vision had turned black.
As I started to speak, I felt my throat tighten. My voice sounded strange
— high pitched and weak. I fixed my gaze on the wall at the back of the
room and rapidly gave my presentation. My only goal was to finish as fast
as possible and get off that stage. Though the speech was only three minutes
long, it felt like hours.
When I finished, I rushed quickly off the stage and sat down. My hands
were still shaking uncontrollably.
Few activities are as terrifying as public speaking. Speeches are
continually ranked as one of the most feared and stressful life experiences
— dreaded by nearly all people. This nerve-wracking experience is made
even more difficult when English is not your native language.
When you feel fear, you have both a mental and a physical reaction. It is
the physical reactions that are particularly difficult to handle. When
terrified, your body produces an adrenaline response. The adrenal glands
release adrenaline into your blood, preparing you for “fight or flight.”
