WATCH AND LISTEN
A. Write T (true) or F (false).
1 It is better to stick only to the facts in a presentation and not tell stories, as they may divert listeners’ attention.
2 It is better to read your slides to make sure you get your information correct.
3 If you are reading from a presentation, do not look at the screen the whole time. It can be distracting.
4 It is best to put complete sentences and paragraphs on the screen to ensure you present all needed information.
5 It is best to use a large dark font on a light background so that everyone can read your slides.
6 Hand out any notes and presentation materials before you begin your talk so that people can follow along.
B. Who does each action while giving their presentation? Write M for the man or W for the woman.
___ 1 uses storytelling to present information
___ 2 reads the presentation word for word
___ 3 talks in a conversational manner
___ 4 watches the slides during the presentation
___ 5 does not use bullet points
___ 6 does not put everything on the slides
___ 7 uses a small font
___ 8 does not give a handout until after the presentation ends
C. Write the letter of the correct phrase to complete each sentence.
a use bullet points
b try to tell a story
c post slide points one at a time
d watch the presenter
e look at the screen the whole time
f talk as if you were having a conversation
g give handouts at the end of the presentation
h use a large, dark font on a light background
1 The audience will find it more interesting if you ____.
2 No one wants to hear you read, so ____.
3 You take the focus off yourself if you ____.
4 A successful presentation is when people ____.
5 Because paragraphs on slides are hard to read, you need to ____.
6 People who sit in the back will be able to read if you ____.
7 The audience will get ahead of you if you don’t ____.
8 To encourage people to pay attention and not write while you are speaking, ____.
D. Choose the correct expressions to complete the statements according to the information in the video.
1 Poor slideshows / Boring subjects are the reason audiences dread watching presentations.
2 It is tedious for people to sit there while someone talks as if having a conversation / reads exactly what is on the screen.
3 A common problem during presentations is looking only at the screen / talking too long about a subject.
4 It is not necessary to look at your slides at all / put your entire speech on the screen.
5 In choosing to write the text for the slides, you should include no more than three words / only the key words.
6 It is a good idea to view your slides from the back of the room to check if everyone can see you / your font is too small.
7 Letting people know they will get a copy of the presentation discourages them from taking their own notes / reading ahead on the slides.
Answers
A
1 F 2 F 3 T 4 F 5 T 6 F
B
1 W 2 M 3 W 4 M 5 M 6 W 7 M 8 W
C
1 b 2 f 3 e 4 d 5 a 6 h 7 c 8 g
D
1 Poor slideshows
2 reads exactly what is on the screen
3 looking only at the screen
4 put your entire speech on the screen
5 only the key words
6 your font is too small
7 taking their own notes
Audioscripts
Prof. Lundgren: Over the years, a lot of presentations in my classroom have been aided by slideshows. Unfortunately, plenty of time has been spent watching poor slideshows as well. Here is some of the best advice you’ll ever get on how to create good slides and give better presentations. Audiences are filled with dread every time someone uses a slideshow because plenty of presentations are incredibly boring.
Tyler: To begin, I’ll talk about how the universe was formed 13 billion years ago. Next, I’m going to talk about how our solar system was being developed when the universe was cooling 9 billion years later. In conclusion, I’ll talk about how the sun will be transformed into a red giant.
Prof. Lundgren: To keep it interesting, some people try to tell a story.
Laura: It’s believed that 13.7 billion years ago, our universe was started with the Big Bang.
Prof. Lundgren: Don’t read your slides. No one wants to hear a presentation read word for word.
Tyler: Some scientists believe that all matter is going to be pulled back together in the Big Crunch.
Prof. Lundgren: Instead, talk about the subject as if you were having a conversation.
Laura: Fractions of a second later, the universe was being pushed apart by superforces.
Prof. Lundgren: Most people make the mistake of looking at the screen the whole time.
Tyler: In addition, a majority of scientists believe galaxies are still being propelled apart, perhaps by a force called dark energy.
Prof. Lundgren: Remember: You’re the star of your presentation, not your slides. You’re succeeding if everyone wants to watch you, not your slides.
Laura: 4.6 billion years ago, the sun and our solar system were born from something called a molecular cloud.
Prof. Lundgren: When it comes to text, less is more. Don’ t use paragraphs, and definitely don’ t put everything you want to say on the screen.
Tyler: The universe is filled with billions of galaxies. Each galaxy may be made up of millions to trillions of stars.
Prof. Lundgren: Instead, keep it light. Each slide needs only a few words, and every word counts. Remember: Bullet points are read more easily than paragraphs.
Laura: 3.6 billion years ago, the earliest forms of life were developing.
Prof. Lundgren: Your text must be read by everyone in the room. If your font is too small, it won’ t be recognized by anyone who sits at the back.
Tyler: Our own galaxy, the Milky Way, was shaped into a large spiral.
Prof. Lundgren: Dark text on a light background is the best.
Laura: Likewise, we often wonder, could life have formed on any other planets?
Prof. Lundgren: Points to be covered should be posted one at a time. Otherwise, your later points will be read by the audience while you’re still talking about the earlier ones, and they’ll get ahead of you.
In conclusion, if you have a handout, it should be handed out at the end so your audience won’ t read ahead while you’re talking. If you let your audience know at the start that you’ll hand out the presentation at the end, anyone who wants to take notes won’t feel they have to write during the whole presentation.
Laura: To sum it up, I just wanted to say thanks for listening.
Prof. Lundgren: And that’ s it. Now, I expect to be presented with some really good slideshows this semester. See you in class.
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