You might say that Barack Obama was elected President of the US because he knows how to give a speech. In 2004, the little-known Obama gave a speech at the Democratic National Convention (民主党全国会议). It was a great speech — poetic, and inspiring. The people who heard it would remember it for a long time.
Since 2004, Obama has written and delivered thousands of speeches. There are usually praised for two reasons: he treats the audiences like intelligent adults, and he is able to express complicated ideas in a straightforward, natural way.
Before becoming President, Obama was a lawyer, a college professor, and a successful writer – his two memoirs (回忆录) have become best sellers. The skills he needed to succeed in his previous jobs have also contributed to his success as a speechmaker.
As a lawyer, Obama learned how to make strong, convincing arguments. As a professor, he learned how to explain complex subjects in ways that helped students understand without boring them. As a writer, he learned how to use languages to have a powerful influence on his audience. A famous American musician even turned one of Obama’s early speeches into a song during the election campaign.
Secret weapons of Obama
Writing team: Obama has a team of people who write his speeches. The writers chat with Obama for hours about what he wants to say. Then listen to recordings of past presidential addresses and seek advice from advisers. Obama usually edits and rewrites the drafts several times.
Make fun of the guests: Obama starts his speech by gently making fun of his guests. His opening lines attract the audience’s attention while giving them an opportunity to relax and laugh at themselves and each other.
Make fun of himself: Obama laughs at his past mistakes and is never afraid of showing them to the public.
Obama delivers speeches to audiences large and small. He can make his audiences laugh or cry. His speeches are always thoughtful, well written and just right for each occasion.
小题1:The third and fourth paragraph mainly talk about _______.
A．why Obama’s speeches are praised
B．how Obama acquired his speaking ability
C．what subjects Obama’s speeches are about
D．Obama’s success as a writer and a lawyer小题2:What do we know about Obama’s writing team according to the passage?
A．They always seek advice from the ordinary people.
B．They analyze the speeches given by former US Presidents.
C．They usually have to finish writing a speech in a short time.
D．They try not to mention Obama’s past mistakes in the speeches.小题3:When delivering a speech, Obama __________.
A．usually starts with some famous saying
B．sometimes turns his speech into a song
C．sometimes shares a joke with the audience
D．is very strict most of the time小题4:What’s the author’s attitude towards Obama’s speeches?
A．negative
B．indifferent(漠不关心的)
C．positive
D．doubtful
小题1:B
小题2:B
小题3:C
小题4:C
题目分析:
小题1:推理题，由第三、四段的主要意思“奥巴马在没有成为总统以前，他做过律师、大学教授、成功的作家，这为他以后成为总统做精彩的演讲奠定了基础”，所以选B
小题2:细节题，由倒数第四段最后一句Then listen to recordings of past presidential addresses and seek advice from advisers. Obama usually edits and rewrites the drafts several times.可以知道答案，因此，答案为 B。
小题3:细节题，由倒数第三段第一句Obama starts his speech by gently making fun of his guests. 可以知道答案，所以选C
小题4:推理题，由奥巴马的秘密武器：Writing team、Make fun of the guests、Make fun of himself可以推出作者对奥巴马的演讲持肯定态度，所以选C
点评：本文记叙了奥巴马很会做演讲的秘密武器。对于文章中的细节题，要注意文章中的细节的理解。推断题测试考生在阅读基础上的逻辑推理能力，要求考生根据文章所述事件的逻辑关系，对未说明的趋势或结局作出合理的推断；或根据作者所阐述的观点理论，对文章未涉及的现象、事例给以解释。考生首先要仔细阅读短文，完整了解信息，准确把握作者观点。