Students,
Besides completing the proverb presentations and doing the Listening Exam (CNN 5-16-06), next week each s
tudent will present a sales pitch for product.
This will involve,
1. Knowing the product (either by reading a manual or researching the product);
2. Building a vocabulary related to the product;
3. Comparing with other (usually unnamed products);
4. Listing the benefits of the product (cost, health, fashion, ease of use, etc.).
5. Understanding your audience and applying that understanding to persuade;
6. Understanding your purpose: to sell by arousing interest in, or desire for, your product;
7. Building your sales pitch effectively, using the commonplaces (comparison, division, definition, reasons, testimony [what others say], examples, etc.).
Good luck. Hope you can make a sale next week.
Besides completing the proverb presentations and doing the Listening Exam (CNN 5-16-06), next week each s
tudent will present a sales pitch for product.
This will involve,
1. Knowing the product (either by reading a manual or researching the product);
2. Building a vocabulary related to the product;
3. Comparing with other (usually unnamed products);
4. Listing the benefits of the product (cost, health, fashion, ease of use, etc.).
5. Understanding your audience and applying that understanding to persuade;
6. Understanding your purpose: to sell by arousing interest in, or desire for, your product;
7. Building your sales pitch effectively, using the commonplaces (comparison, division, definition, reasons, testimony [what others say], examples, etc.).
Good luck. Hope you can make a sale next week.
Students,
For next week, pretend you're a weather announcer. Write a short report on the weather.
This will be a two-level exercise.
1. Writing. Find an interesting group of facts and details to report the weather. Introduce, organize, conclude. Find colorful language.
Here's a sample I made up:
"Here's Nancy Chen with the upcoming local weather forecast."
"Thank you, Bob. Get out your umbrellas: The forecast is for rain, rain, and more rain, lasting at least through tomorrow morning and early afternoon. In fact, it's not likely to clear until tomorrow evening. So for those with children, why not try staying indoors this weekend and enjoy your favorite television programs instead. Wait until the sun comes out: then you can hit the beaches again! Now back to Bob."
2. Speaking. After you're written your little presentation, you'll have to practice it for speaking in class. Consider the following:
1. Intonation. Find a proper melody to fit the words.
2. Pronunciation. Be sure you know how to pronounce the words you use.
3. Articulation. Speak clearly.
4. Accent. Use the right stress and secondary stress on each word (many should not have problems with this).
5. Volume. Project your voice (let your voice carry, so even people far back can hear you).
6. Fluency. Your speaking should flow, not stop and start: "Um, it will, ah, snow and, ah, um, it will get, ah, colder."
7. Memory. Remember, memory is divided into 3 parts:
a. You should remember your content, though not necessarily the exact words. If necessary, use cue cards. These are small index cards that may have a few words written on them, which can then be shuffled for the next card, etc.
b. Your memory should also be a storehouse. This will not be necessary for this first speech, but in the long term the more that is stored in your memory, the more it will help you write/deliver speeches.
c. Remember the memory of your listeners--the audience. Make your speech vivid, clear, simple, and complete. Big words are not as good as the right words. Short sentences are better than longer sentences with many subordinate clauses! Those are great for novels, but not for public speaking.
8. Gesture. This includes physical poise, eye contact, and vocal variation (changes of pace, drama, and volume).
Good luck.
Obviously, you should tune in on several weather reports to practice your presentation. You may wish to tape some of these and listen repeatedly.
THE BALLAD OF THE HARP-WEAVER
(1922)
Next week, at the regular time, we'll have a speech examination. This will be your best opportunity to use everything you have learned this semester, including,
1. poise,
2. articulation,
3. diction (choice of words),
4. coherence (organization),
5. gesture (body movement, vocal variation),
6. vocal production (volume),
7. tone (intonation),
8. pronunication.
And of course he has the whip and the paralyzing fear of snakes // and that catchy John Williams theme song that will surely nod your brains for hours afterwards. //
Yes Steven Spielberg's Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull dives head first into the icongraphy of the franchise, which will bring a smile to your face and warm you with nostalgia, if only briefly.
It's admittedly a pleasure to see Harrison Ford back in the role. At 65 he's grizzled and lined but certainly up for the challenge.
Once we get past the initial re-introduction though, it's obvious that this fourth film in the Indie series really has no idea where to go.
The fear that the fan boys have long held is justified. That technology that was unavailable during the first three Indie movies, would make this one look slick and fake.
That's especially true during the film's protracted messy climax. Shia LeBeouf holds his own though as Indie's young sidekick // and Karen Allen returns from Raiders of the Lost Ark as Indie's long-lost love.
Cate Blanchett and John Hurt and Ray Winstone meanwhile totally go to waste in one-note roles.
Till next time, from Los Angeles, I'm Christy Lameer, AP movie critic.
In terms of content, note Hanks' self-mocking humor, using cause-effect (he's an "official celebrity" and therefore expects his fans to vote for whom he votes).
Then he uses cause-effect (he wants Barack Obama to be president because). He goes into detail about his reasons (division). Then he compares Obama to other presidents (note he includes a Republican [Reagan] to reach a wider audience of sympathy for his plea.
Then Hanks uses definition, defining what a president must be ("to embody the America I have been waiting for"). That is, the president should belong to the class of people who embody the best political values.
Comparison is used again when Hanks compares the upcoming election with the one in 1797.
Hanks then uses specific examples about the candidates' showy behavior and mistakes. (He's obviously referring to the Reverentd Wright, Mr. Clinton, and other well-known events during the campaign, which American citizens would recognize.)
Notice the use of "we," linking him, though a special celebrity, with the "ordinary" folk he's speaking to. This is an example of the Communication Triangle.
He uses the same technique in the next paragraph, referring to "I" (reading history), then linking himself with other Americans. At the same time he assures Americans he's not just an actor, but an intelligent citizen who read "history for pleasure." He also reminds viewers of his acting career ("and sometimes get paid to recreate it"). So he has it both ways: he's both ordinary (like us) but special (we don't get paid to star in historical films).
In referring to John Adams, Hanks uses an historical example, but also cause-effect (because of that historic election in 1797, new democratic values were established).
He defines this as a "seismic shift" in political history and argues another one is now needed. This is a comparison: the November election of 2008 will be as important as the election of 1797.
He then combines definition and cause-effect: the American Republic must be "redefined," he argues, and this will happen when Obama is elected president (cause-effect).
Cause-effect continues when Hanks argues that America will "live up" to her historical "promise." (Note the emphais Hanks places on the particle, "up," which is usually not stressed.)
The "promise" is defined as the "grand American idea," and America therefore becomes the example of Hanks' ideals.
Cause-effect follows when Hanks says, "That's why I'm supporting Barack Obama." But note the Communication Triangle again, when Hank begins his sentence with the self-effacing phrase, "For what it's worth," which makes him sound humble, not arrogant in a way that might offend viewers.
The Communication Triangle has been at work throughout this speech:
First Hanks presents good reasons why Obama should be the next president (text).
Second, he is always amiable, modest, and links himself with ordinary people, and even makes funs of himself at times, especially at the end when he says, "I wrote and approved this message and I'm now going to turn off the camera." In other words, Hanks does not belong to a powerful Hollywood system; he's just "ordinary folk," like you and me, with his small camera, which he uses to record his opinion, "for what it's worth."
Third, Hanks forces the American listener/viewer to link themselves to a long American history, which they value as much as Hanks says he does. He forces the viewer to believe that if he or she votes for Obama, that vote will be vindicated by the best of American history. The Obama voter will belong to the great American tradition of Washington, Adams, Roosevelt, Kennedy, and Reagan (even Republicans are included in Hanks' audience).
Hanks' delivery is varied throughout: fast-paced phrases, some of which are almost "thrown away" as if they didn't matter; more deliberate (slower) phrasing; clear diction; and stress when required. Note how well Hanks handles a long sentence, which begins, "This November. . . ." He handles it in the way I suggest in class: like a stepladder, on the steps of which he pauses to catch his breath and allow his audience to digest what he is saying. I don't hear much variety of vocal resonance (timbre). I have marked a few of them in green.
Hello. // I'm Tom Hanks and I want Barach Obama to be the next president of our country. As official celebrity, I know my endorsement has just made your mind up for you.
History with a capital H is going to be made this November no matter who the president-elect is. I want Barack Obama to be president of this country: a country that once said that people of his skin color were only 3/5 of a human being.
My support for Obama isn't just about breaking boundaries. // It's because of his character / and vision / and the high road he has taken during this campaign. He has the integrity and the inspiration to unify us, // as did FDR and Harry Truman and John F. Kennedy, and even Ronald Reagan when they ran for the job.
I want the president of my country to embody the America I have been waiting for. One where leaders address challenges with candor // and truth is their basis for policy.
We now have watched for months as the candidates have pretended to eat cheese steak sandwiches and go bowling. Each has committed gaffes // and each candidate / has had to distance themselves from supporters or relatives / who have gone off half cock.-Still, I support Barack Obama.
I read history for pleasure and sometimes I get paid to recreate it. This November / we have a chance to witness another moment like in 1797, / when George Washington transferred power to president-elect John Adams // and / for the first time / in recorded human history, / leadership of a great nation was passed from one man / to a non-relative / without death, / rebellion, / or violence being the cause. It was a seismic shift in the political and social fabric of the eighteenth century and here in the third millennium we need another / seismic shift.
In November / Americans will have redefined our republic / when President George W. Bush watches president-elect Barach Obama swear on the Holy Bible to preserve, / protect, / and defend our constitution.
Around the world, / to friend and foe alike, / our nation will live up to the great promise once shaped by our Founding Fathers when they came up / with the grand American idea.
For what it's worth that's why I'm supporting Barack Obama as president in 2008. Be sure to vote. I'm Tom Hanks. I wrote and approved this message and I'm now going to turn off the camera.
PREPARE FOR the coming weeks a roughly three-minute speech advising an audience of what not to do, giving reasons, examples, etc.
To practice the communication triangle (Speaker, Text, Audience) choose your own audience as well as your own topIc.
For example, you can choose to speak to fifth-grade students about being careful how they cross the street.
You can talk to convalescent patients (perhaps recuperating from heart surgery) on what not to do, what foods not to eat, etc.
You can talk to your teenage child about dating.
You can be a teacher advising Freshman students what not to do.
Or you can be (as we showed in class) an elder student advising newly admitted Freshman students what not to do at college.
There are countless other examples, such as speaking to a group of prisoners about to be released from jail; or a church group about to live abroad (like the Mormon missionaries).
The point of this practice exercise is to focus on the audience as much as on the text. For your text will change with a change in your audience. Obviously you will not use the same vocabulary, tone of voice, pace, etc. if you're speaking to fifth-graders than if you were speaking to young juvenile delinquents. You will use different words; different examples, different cause-effect, etc.
You will also have to make clear your focus/purpose: what is your purpose in speaking? What is your aim/goal?
So all points of the communication triangle go together; a change in one point changes the two others too. You may speak in baby talk to a two-year-old child, "Tommy mustn't go there," but differently to a juvenile delinquent on probation, if you're the probation officer: "Listen, Tommy: keep away from gambling houses. You don't want to go into those places. One thing leads to another and before you know it people start taking guns out and you'll be back in here before you know. And next time you'll be facing five years in prison instead of ten days in the jail house. Are you listening to what I'm telling you? I hope so. Because you may not get another chance."
Next Tuesday we'll go over these issues in more detail in class.
For next week, pretend you're a weather announcer. Write a short report on the weather.
This will be a two-level exercise.
1. Writing. Find an interesting group of facts and details to report the weather. Introduce, organize, conclude. Find colorful language.
Here's a sample I made up:
"Here's Nancy Chen with the upcoming local weather forecast."
"Thank you, Bob. Get out your umbrellas: The forecast is for rain, rain, and more rain, lasting at least through tomorrow morning and early afternoon. In fact, it's not likely to clear until tomorrow evening. So for those with children, why not try staying indoors this weekend and enjoy your favorite television programs instead. Wait until the sun comes out: then you can hit the beaches again! Now back to Bob."
2. Speaking. After you're written your little presentation, you'll have to practice it for speaking in class. Consider the following:
1. Intonation. Find a proper melody to fit the words.
2. Pronunciation. Be sure you know how to pronounce the words you use.
3. Articulation. Speak clearly.
4. Accent. Use the right stress and secondary stress on each word (many should not have problems with this).
5. Volume. Project your voice (let your voice carry, so even people far back can hear you).
6. Fluency. Your speaking should flow, not stop and start: "Um, it will, ah, snow and, ah, um, it will get, ah, colder."
7. Memory. Remember, memory is divided into 3 parts:
a. You should remember your content, though not necessarily the exact words. If necessary, use cue cards. These are small index cards that may have a few words written on them, which can then be shuffled for the next card, etc.
b. Your memory should also be a storehouse. This will not be necessary for this first speech, but in the long term the more that is stored in your memory, the more it will help you write/deliver speeches.
c. Remember the memory of your listeners--the audience. Make your speech vivid, clear, simple, and complete. Big words are not as good as the right words. Short sentences are better than longer sentences with many subordinate clauses! Those are great for novels, but not for public speaking.
8. Gesture. This includes physical poise, eye contact, and vocal variation (changes of pace, drama, and volume).
Good luck.
Obviously, you should tune in on several weather reports to practice your presentation. You may wish to tape some of these and listen repeatedly.
Students,
Here are some ideas for your next speech:
You are to broadcast an "on-the-scene" event, whether tragic or of social interest, such as the following:
1. A movie premiere.
2. A train/plane/car accident (the car accident will have to be major, of course, involving many automobiles).
3. A political protest (against some social policy or law).
4. A national or celebrity wedding.
5. A major fire.
6. A natural disaster (earthquake, typhoon, volcanic eruption, etc.).
7. An awards ceremony (MTV, Oscars, Emmy awards, etc.).
8. A major criminal act (a bank robbery, etc.)
Or any other idea you come up, similar to the above.
The report should include:
1. A point of view about the event;
2. Interesting details (the dress of the stars, the design of model of the plane, the political cause, the cause of the vehicular accident, the deaths involved in such an event as a fire, the guests invited to the celebrity wedding and obviously the celebrities involved, the nominees at the awards ceremony, the description of suspects in a robbery, the amount stolent, the clues, etc. Other details of course include the location, time, identity of the speaker, and so on.
Here are some ideas for your next speech:
You are to broadcast an "on-the-scene" event, whether tragic or of social interest, such as the following:
1. A movie premiere.
2. A train/plane/car accident (the car accident will have to be major, of course, involving many automobiles).
3. A political protest (against some social policy or law).
4. A national or celebrity wedding.
5. A major fire.
6. A natural disaster (earthquake, typhoon, volcanic eruption, etc.).
7. An awards ceremony (MTV, Oscars, Emmy awards, etc.).
8. A major criminal act (a bank robbery, etc.)
Or any other idea you come up, similar to the above.
The report should include:
1. A point of view about the event;
2. Interesting details (the dress of the stars, the design of model of the plane, the political cause, the cause of the vehicular accident, the deaths involved in such an event as a fire, the guests invited to the celebrity wedding and obviously the celebrities involved, the nominees at the awards ceremony, the description of suspects in a robbery, the amount stolent, the clues, etc. Other details of course include the location, time, identity of the speaker, and so on.
THE BALLAD OF THE HARP-WEAVER
(1922)
Edna St. Vincent Millay
"Son," said my mother,
When I was knee-high,
"You've need of clothes to cover you,
And not a rag have I.
"There's nothing in the house
To make a boy breeches,
Nor shears to cut a cloth with
Nor thread to take stitches.
"There's nothing in the house
But a loaf-end of rye,
And a harp with a woman's head
Nobody will buy,"
And she began to cry.
That was in the early fall.
When came the late fall,
"Son," she said, "the sight of you
Makes your mother's blood crawl,–
"Little skinny shoulder-blades
Sticking through your clothes!
And where you'll get a jacket from
God above knows.
"It's lucky for me, lad,
Your daddy's in the ground,
And can't see the way I let
His son go around!"
And she made a queer sound.
That was in the late fall.
When the winter came,
I'd not a pair of breeches
Nor a shirt to my name.
I couldn't go to school,
Or out of doors to play.
And all the other little boys
Passed our way.
"Son," said my mother,
"Come, climb into my lap,
And I'll chafe your little bones
While you take a nap."
And, oh, but we were silly
For half an hour or more,
Me with my long legs
Dragging on the floor,
A-rock-rock-rocking
To a mother-goose rhyme!
Oh, but we were happy
For half an hour's time!
But there was I, a great boy,
And what would folks say
To hear my mother singing me
To sleep all day,
In such a daft way?
Men say the winter
Was bad that year;
Fuel was scarce,
And food was dear.
A wind with a wolf's head
Howled about our door,
And we burned up the chairs
And sat upon the floor.
All that was left us
Was a chair we couldn't break,
And the harp with a woman's head
Nobody would take,
For song or pity's sake.
The night before Christmas
I cried with the cold,
I cried myself to sleep
Like a two-year-old.
And in the deep night
I felt my mother rise,
And stare down upon me
With love in her eyes.
I saw my mother sitting
On the one good chair,
A light falling on her
From I couldn't tell where,
Looking nineteen,
And not a day older,
And the harp with a woman's head
Leaned against her shoulder.
Her thin fingers, moving
In the thin, tall strings,
Were weav-weav-weaving
Wonderful things.
Many bright threads,
From where I couldn't see,
Were running through the harp-strings
Rapidly,
And gold threads whistling
Through my mother's hand.
I saw the web grow,
And the pattern expand.
She wove a child's jacket,
And when it was done
She laid it on the floor
And wove another one.
She wove a red cloak
So regal to see,
"She's made it for a king's son,"
I said, "and not for me."
But I knew it was for me.
She wove a pair of breeches
Quicker than that!
She wove a pair of boots
And a little cocked hat.
She wove a pair of mittens,
She wove a little blouse,
She wove all night
In the still, cold house.
She sang as she worked,
And the harp-strings spoke;
Her voice never faltered,
And the thread never broke.
And when I awoke,–
There sat my mother
With the harp against her shoulder
Looking nineteen
And not a day older,
A smile about her lips,
And a light about her head,
And her hands in the harp-strings
Frozen dead.
And piled up beside her
And toppling to the skies,
Were the clothes of a king's son,
Just my size.
Speech Examination: Guidelines and Directions
Next week, at the regular time, we'll have a speech examination. This will be your best opportunity to use everything you have learned this semester, including,
1. poise,
2. articulation,
3. diction (choice of words),
4. coherence (organization),
5. gesture (body movement, vocal variation),
6. vocal production (volume),
7. tone (intonation),
8. pronunication.
Assignment
The assignment, to be performed either in the classroom or in my office, will be in two parts. Two students at a time will take turns playing the parts of interviewer and interviewee (the interviewer and the person being interviewed).
The employment opportunity is a part-time instructor at our university. Students will be evaluated based on the criteria above as well as the content of the interview, whether as interviewer or interviewee.
To give you reasonable guidelines I refer you to this website that will help you prepare for the exam. For a quick checklist from that page, see box, left. This of course is only a checklist (you cannot rely on it entirely), but will give you some ideas of the direction to go. Obviously you must find a proper point-of-view or context, too. For example, you may wish to omit the question about pressure (#10), but at least sensibly contextualize it (justify it). Take a McDonald's job interview, for example: "As you know, during rush hours, the demand for burgers is very high. Do you think you're able to work under that kind of pressure?"
Remember, each student will play both roles, as interviewer and interviewee (this means the same two students). Obviously judgment will be different for each role.
The interviewer will be judged on the basis of the questions asked, followup questions, etc. The interviewee will be judged on the basis of the best responses to those questions. The interviewee is not responsible if the interviewer performs poorly; the interviewee is only responsible for the best responses allowed.
Students will be chosen by lot. The first student will interview student 2, who will interview student 3, etc. until student 11 interviews student 1, to complete the chain.
Each interview will last about ten minutes. Time, of course, is a factor in both real-life situations (where the interviewer has numerous applicants to interview in a single morning) and in our classroom situation (where we only have 2 hours). Therefore, an important part of your rehearsal will involve crisp questions and quick replies. In this regard, both parties should exercise control, but the interviewee should especially consider a balance between not responding in a too involved manner while at the same time responding in an adequate manner. In the same way, the interviewer must not cut the interviewee off but insure that the interview remains in her/his control when the response is too vague or meandering (not to the point).
Students will be graded in both their interviewer and interviewee roles. Do NOT feel too much pressure; your performance all semester is equally important. At the same time, this is an important show of what you've learned.
ALL students must appear. Makeups are NOT allowed except in case of documented emergency.
Good luck!
The employment opportunity is a part-time instructor at our university. Students will be evaluated based on the criteria above as well as the content of the interview, whether as interviewer or interviewee.
To give you reasonable guidelines I refer you to this website that will help you prepare for the exam. For a quick checklist from that page, see box, left. This of course is only a checklist (you cannot rely on it entirely), but will give you some ideas of the direction to go. Obviously you must find a proper point-of-view or context, too. For example, you may wish to omit the question about pressure (#10), but at least sensibly contextualize it (justify it). Take a McDonald's job interview, for example: "As you know, during rush hours, the demand for burgers is very high. Do you think you're able to work under that kind of pressure?"
Remember, each student will play both roles, as interviewer and interviewee (this means the same two students). Obviously judgment will be different for each role.
The interviewer will be judged on the basis of the questions asked, followup questions, etc. The interviewee will be judged on the basis of the best responses to those questions. The interviewee is not responsible if the interviewer performs poorly; the interviewee is only responsible for the best responses allowed.
Students will be chosen by lot. The first student will interview student 2, who will interview student 3, etc. until student 11 interviews student 1, to complete the chain.
Each interview will last about ten minutes. Time, of course, is a factor in both real-life situations (where the interviewer has numerous applicants to interview in a single morning) and in our classroom situation (where we only have 2 hours). Therefore, an important part of your rehearsal will involve crisp questions and quick replies. In this regard, both parties should exercise control, but the interviewee should especially consider a balance between not responding in a too involved manner while at the same time responding in an adequate manner. In the same way, the interviewer must not cut the interviewee off but insure that the interview remains in her/his control when the response is too vague or meandering (not to the point).
Students will be graded in both their interviewer and interviewee roles. Do NOT feel too much pressure; your performance all semester is equally important. At the same time, this is an important show of what you've learned.
ALL students must appear. Makeups are NOT allowed except in case of documented emergency.
Good luck!
Indiana Jones Film Review Sample
SPEAKING KEY: underlined=emphasis; smaller font=quicker pace; //= long pause.
CONTENT ANALYSIS: The writer uses cataphora (she does not define the "hero" (Indiana Jones), "that famous fedora" (hat), "whip," or the theme song (by John Williams) until later. But she's already summed up the basic ingredients (elements) that make up an Indiana Jones film. Here she's being general compared to her specific review. "Iconography" creates coherence by referring back to the ingredients I mentioned above (hat, whip, etc.). Then she uses cause-effect for both film (Spielberg dives head first into the conventions) and response ("it will warm you with nostalgia, if only briefly"). Already she has evaluation: whatever nostalgia one feels will be brief.
An antithesis ("it's admittedly a pleasure") sums up Harrison Ford's role as well as Ford himself at 65.
Another antithesis concludes that despite Ford, the film "has no idea where to go."
Reference (to "fan boys") follows, then more cause-effect (new technology ruined the film, making it "slick and fake").
A lower level of specificity tells when the film is "especially" slick and fake ("the messy climax").
Vague critical approval ("LeBeouf holds his own") follows (the critic avoids telling why LeBeouf is good, just that he holds his own); and the reference to Karen Allen is even vaguer (she "returns" to the series is enough for the writer). But this would work as a reference for those who already know the series (remember the Communiction Triangle: the writer assumes her audience knows the series; and, if not, will take her word on faith).
Defintion and evaluation follow: "one-note roles" that "waste" the actors.
This is not a deep review, but it's acceptable for TV broadcast: It names the film; the main stars; their success in the film; the genre (Indiana Jones genre or series); the musical score (John Williams); the director, the costumes (hat, whip). A more serious review would include editing, cinematography, and some evaluation of the main star, Harrison Ford (the writer says only that it's a "pleasure" to see Ford again, with no serious evaluation of his performance.
Here's the link to the review; a transcript is below and a sound file attached for easy listening practice.
FOR NEXT WEEK: Do a similar review of Some Like It Hot (Billy Wilder, 1959). This is the last week and there's not time for an in-depth review. Besides, you should imitate the style of the model: find a few salient points to make (remember the "rule of three") and link them coherently.
Since this is the last week, you don't have time to do much research on the film, so here's a few hints.
Don't worry about plagiarism when it comes to FACTS, only if you're taking phrases from somehwere. So here are the FACTS:
Marilyn Monroe played Sugar Kane (pun on sugar cane). Monroe remains probably the most discussed star of the 20th century, known as a sexpot.
Jack Lemmon played Jerry and Daphne. He won two Oscars (Supporting Actor and main Actor) and was adept at both serious and comic roles, though he first made his mark in comedy roles.
Tony Curtis played Joe (Josephine) and courted Sugar Kane in the film.
Monroe sang some standards (old songs from the 1920s/30s).
The movie is called a "black comedy," because it makes fun of serious matters, like killing.
Tony Curtis' imitation of the millionaire of Shell Oil was an imitation of the era's leading romantic star, Cary Grant (hence the funny line that Jack Lemon speaks about Curtis' accent: "Nobody talks like that!" Audiences laugh at that line because that's exactly how Cary Grant talked in movies!
So go to IMDB and cook up a review. Speakers should not only learn how to deliver a speech of subtance, but also (and just as useful) a speech of little substance but mainly style. So many of life's situations in fact require this: weddings, funerals, panegyrics (praise of others), etc. So students should learn how to "cook up" a speech quickly the way a good mother knows how to cook up a reasonably healthy and appetizing meal quickly ("nothing fancy").
Find a topic. Define your point of view. Gather the facts (examples, illustrations, names, etc.). Organize them. Come up with a strong opening and a strong conclusion. That's it. Good luck. About the length of the model speech (without the film clips).
CONTENT ANALYSIS: The writer uses cataphora (she does not define the "hero" (Indiana Jones), "that famous fedora" (hat), "whip," or the theme song (by John Williams) until later. But she's already summed up the basic ingredients (elements) that make up an Indiana Jones film. Here she's being general compared to her specific review. "Iconography" creates coherence by referring back to the ingredients I mentioned above (hat, whip, etc.). Then she uses cause-effect for both film (Spielberg dives head first into the conventions) and response ("it will warm you with nostalgia, if only briefly"). Already she has evaluation: whatever nostalgia one feels will be brief.
An antithesis ("it's admittedly a pleasure") sums up Harrison Ford's role as well as Ford himself at 65.
Another antithesis concludes that despite Ford, the film "has no idea where to go."
Reference (to "fan boys") follows, then more cause-effect (new technology ruined the film, making it "slick and fake").
A lower level of specificity tells when the film is "especially" slick and fake ("the messy climax").
Vague critical approval ("LeBeouf holds his own") follows (the critic avoids telling why LeBeouf is good, just that he holds his own); and the reference to Karen Allen is even vaguer (she "returns" to the series is enough for the writer). But this would work as a reference for those who already know the series (remember the Communiction Triangle: the writer assumes her audience knows the series; and, if not, will take her word on faith).
Defintion and evaluation follow: "one-note roles" that "waste" the actors.
This is not a deep review, but it's acceptable for TV broadcast: It names the film; the main stars; their success in the film; the genre (Indiana Jones genre or series); the musical score (John Williams); the director, the costumes (hat, whip). A more serious review would include editing, cinematography, and some evaluation of the main star, Harrison Ford (the writer says only that it's a "pleasure" to see Ford again, with no serious evaluation of his performance.
Here's the link to the review; a transcript is below and a sound file attached for easy listening practice.
FOR NEXT WEEK: Do a similar review of Some Like It Hot (Billy Wilder, 1959). This is the last week and there's not time for an in-depth review. Besides, you should imitate the style of the model: find a few salient points to make (remember the "rule of three") and link them coherently.
Since this is the last week, you don't have time to do much research on the film, so here's a few hints.
Don't worry about plagiarism when it comes to FACTS, only if you're taking phrases from somehwere. So here are the FACTS:
Marilyn Monroe played Sugar Kane (pun on sugar cane). Monroe remains probably the most discussed star of the 20th century, known as a sexpot.
Jack Lemmon played Jerry and Daphne. He won two Oscars (Supporting Actor and main Actor) and was adept at both serious and comic roles, though he first made his mark in comedy roles.
Tony Curtis played Joe (Josephine) and courted Sugar Kane in the film.
Monroe sang some standards (old songs from the 1920s/30s).
The movie is called a "black comedy," because it makes fun of serious matters, like killing.
Tony Curtis' imitation of the millionaire of Shell Oil was an imitation of the era's leading romantic star, Cary Grant (hence the funny line that Jack Lemon speaks about Curtis' accent: "Nobody talks like that!" Audiences laugh at that line because that's exactly how Cary Grant talked in movies!
So go to IMDB and cook up a review. Speakers should not only learn how to deliver a speech of subtance, but also (and just as useful) a speech of little substance but mainly style. So many of life's situations in fact require this: weddings, funerals, panegyrics (praise of others), etc. So students should learn how to "cook up" a speech quickly the way a good mother knows how to cook up a reasonably healthy and appetizing meal quickly ("nothing fancy").
Find a topic. Define your point of view. Gather the facts (examples, illustrations, names, etc.). Organize them. Come up with a strong opening and a strong conclusion. That's it. Good luck. About the length of the model speech (without the film clips).
GOOD TO SEE 'INDIE,' BUT 'SKULL' IS A MESS
You see the hat before the hero: that famous fedora, the one that stays put through every tricky situation or physically at arm's length for a hasty getaway. And of course he has the whip and the paralyzing fear of snakes // and that catchy John Williams theme song that will surely nod your brains for hours afterwards. //
Yes Steven Spielberg's Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull dives head first into the icongraphy of the franchise, which will bring a smile to your face and warm you with nostalgia, if only briefly.
It's admittedly a pleasure to see Harrison Ford back in the role. At 65 he's grizzled and lined but certainly up for the challenge.
Once we get past the initial re-introduction though, it's obvious that this fourth film in the Indie series really has no idea where to go.
The fear that the fan boys have long held is justified. That technology that was unavailable during the first three Indie movies, would make this one look slick and fake.
That's especially true during the film's protracted messy climax. Shia LeBeouf holds his own though as Indie's young sidekick // and Karen Allen returns from Raiders of the Lost Ark as Indie's long-lost love.
Cate Blanchett and John Hurt and Ray Winstone meanwhile totally go to waste in one-note roles.
Till next time, from Los Angeles, I'm Christy Lameer, AP movie critic.
Future Assignment
FOR YOUR NEXT assignment (after the job interview) you'll give a public announcement modeled on the one given by Tom Hanks supporting Barack Obama for president (click on image to view). Of course Taiwan elections are over. But you can pretend they're not and support one of the candidates in the last election. Or, you can support a local candidate (mayor, legislator, etc.). If you're from another country, you can support a candidate from your country. The main goal is to model your content and delivery on the Tom Hanks speech. Below is a vocal analysis of Hanks' delivery, with the following key: slower pace, faster pace, / =short pause, //=longer pause, emphasis and (in one instance) -=no pause, where one would expect a pause. In terms of content, note Hanks' self-mocking humor, using cause-effect (he's an "official celebrity" and therefore expects his fans to vote for whom he votes).
Then he uses cause-effect (he wants Barack Obama to be president because). He goes into detail about his reasons (division). Then he compares Obama to other presidents (note he includes a Republican [Reagan] to reach a wider audience of sympathy for his plea.
Then Hanks uses definition, defining what a president must be ("to embody the America I have been waiting for"). That is, the president should belong to the class of people who embody the best political values.
Comparison is used again when Hanks compares the upcoming election with the one in 1797.
Hanks then uses specific examples about the candidates' showy behavior and mistakes. (He's obviously referring to the Reverentd Wright, Mr. Clinton, and other well-known events during the campaign, which American citizens would recognize.)
Notice the use of "we," linking him, though a special celebrity, with the "ordinary" folk he's speaking to. This is an example of the Communication Triangle.
He uses the same technique in the next paragraph, referring to "I" (reading history), then linking himself with other Americans. At the same time he assures Americans he's not just an actor, but an intelligent citizen who read "history for pleasure." He also reminds viewers of his acting career ("and sometimes get paid to recreate it"). So he has it both ways: he's both ordinary (like us) but special (we don't get paid to star in historical films).
In referring to John Adams, Hanks uses an historical example, but also cause-effect (because of that historic election in 1797, new democratic values were established).
He defines this as a "seismic shift" in political history and argues another one is now needed. This is a comparison: the November election of 2008 will be as important as the election of 1797.
He then combines definition and cause-effect: the American Republic must be "redefined," he argues, and this will happen when Obama is elected president (cause-effect).
Cause-effect continues when Hanks argues that America will "live up" to her historical "promise." (Note the emphais Hanks places on the particle, "up," which is usually not stressed.)
The "promise" is defined as the "grand American idea," and America therefore becomes the example of Hanks' ideals.
Cause-effect follows when Hanks says, "That's why I'm supporting Barack Obama." But note the Communication Triangle again, when Hank begins his sentence with the self-effacing phrase, "For what it's worth," which makes him sound humble, not arrogant in a way that might offend viewers.
The Communication Triangle has been at work throughout this speech:
First Hanks presents good reasons why Obama should be the next president (text).
Second, he is always amiable, modest, and links himself with ordinary people, and even makes funs of himself at times, especially at the end when he says, "I wrote and approved this message and I'm now going to turn off the camera." In other words, Hanks does not belong to a powerful Hollywood system; he's just "ordinary folk," like you and me, with his small camera, which he uses to record his opinion, "for what it's worth."
Third, Hanks forces the American listener/viewer to link themselves to a long American history, which they value as much as Hanks says he does. He forces the viewer to believe that if he or she votes for Obama, that vote will be vindicated by the best of American history. The Obama voter will belong to the great American tradition of Washington, Adams, Roosevelt, Kennedy, and Reagan (even Republicans are included in Hanks' audience).
Hanks' delivery is varied throughout: fast-paced phrases, some of which are almost "thrown away" as if they didn't matter; more deliberate (slower) phrasing; clear diction; and stress when required. Note how well Hanks handles a long sentence, which begins, "This November. . . ." He handles it in the way I suggest in class: like a stepladder, on the steps of which he pauses to catch his breath and allow his audience to digest what he is saying. I don't hear much variety of vocal resonance (timbre). I have marked a few of them in green.
Hello. // I'm Tom Hanks and I want Barach Obama to be the next president of our country. As official celebrity, I know my endorsement has just made your mind up for you.
History with a capital H is going to be made this November no matter who the president-elect is. I want Barack Obama to be president of this country: a country that once said that people of his skin color were only 3/5 of a human being.
My support for Obama isn't just about breaking boundaries. // It's because of his character / and vision / and the high road he has taken during this campaign. He has the integrity and the inspiration to unify us, // as did FDR and Harry Truman and John F. Kennedy, and even Ronald Reagan when they ran for the job.
I want the president of my country to embody the America I have been waiting for. One where leaders address challenges with candor // and truth is their basis for policy.
We now have watched for months as the candidates have pretended to eat cheese steak sandwiches and go bowling. Each has committed gaffes // and each candidate / has had to distance themselves from supporters or relatives / who have gone off half cock.-Still, I support Barack Obama.
I read history for pleasure and sometimes I get paid to recreate it. This November / we have a chance to witness another moment like in 1797, / when George Washington transferred power to president-elect John Adams // and / for the first time / in recorded human history, / leadership of a great nation was passed from one man / to a non-relative / without death, / rebellion, / or violence being the cause. It was a seismic shift in the political and social fabric of the eighteenth century and here in the third millennium we need another / seismic shift.
In November / Americans will have redefined our republic / when President George W. Bush watches president-elect Barach Obama swear on the Holy Bible to preserve, / protect, / and defend our constitution.
Around the world, / to friend and foe alike, / our nation will live up to the great promise once shaped by our Founding Fathers when they came up / with the grand American idea.
For what it's worth that's why I'm supporting Barack Obama as president in 2008. Be sure to vote. I'm Tom Hanks. I wrote and approved this message and I'm now going to turn off the camera.
from Edgar Allan Poe's
"The Pit and the Pendulum"
Sample reading and vocal analysis
The analysis is keyed to the following symbols: /=pause; //=longer pause;
small font=quicker pace; underline=stress.
Very suddenly there came back to my soul / motion and sound--a tumultuous motion of the heart, and, in my ears, the sound of its beating. // So far, I had not opened my eyes. // I felt that I lay upon my back, // unbound. I reached out my hand, / and it fell heavily upon something damp and hard. There I suffered it to remain for many minutes, / while I strove to imagine where and what I could be. I longed, yet dared not to employ my vision. I dreaded the first glance at objects around me. It was not that I feared to look upon things horrible, but that I grew aghast / lest there should be / nothing to see. At length, with a wild desperation at heart, I quickly unclosed my eyes. // My worst thoughts, then, were confirmed. The blackness of eternal night encompassed me. I struggled for breath. The intensity of the darkness seemed to oppress and stifle me. The atmosphere / was intolerably close. I still lay quietly, // and made effort to exercise / my reason. "The Pit and the Pendulum"
Sample reading and vocal analysis
The analysis is keyed to the following symbols: /=pause; //=longer pause;
small font=quicker pace; underline=stress.
ADVISORY SPEECH
Students, PREPARE FOR the coming weeks a roughly three-minute speech advising an audience of what not to do, giving reasons, examples, etc.
To practice the communication triangle (Speaker, Text, Audience) choose your own audience as well as your own topIc.
For example, you can choose to speak to fifth-grade students about being careful how they cross the street.
You can talk to convalescent patients (perhaps recuperating from heart surgery) on what not to do, what foods not to eat, etc.
You can talk to your teenage child about dating.
You can be a teacher advising Freshman students what not to do.
Or you can be (as we showed in class) an elder student advising newly admitted Freshman students what not to do at college.
There are countless other examples, such as speaking to a group of prisoners about to be released from jail; or a church group about to live abroad (like the Mormon missionaries).
The point of this practice exercise is to focus on the audience as much as on the text. For your text will change with a change in your audience. Obviously you will not use the same vocabulary, tone of voice, pace, etc. if you're speaking to fifth-graders than if you were speaking to young juvenile delinquents. You will use different words; different examples, different cause-effect, etc.
You will also have to make clear your focus/purpose: what is your purpose in speaking? What is your aim/goal?
So all points of the communication triangle go together; a change in one point changes the two others too. You may speak in baby talk to a two-year-old child, "Tommy mustn't go there," but differently to a juvenile delinquent on probation, if you're the probation officer: "Listen, Tommy: keep away from gambling houses. You don't want to go into those places. One thing leads to another and before you know it people start taking guns out and you'll be back in here before you know. And next time you'll be facing five years in prison instead of ten days in the jail house. Are you listening to what I'm telling you? I hope so. Because you may not get another chance."
Next Tuesday we'll go over these issues in more detail in class.
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