Rhetorical devices from "Career Express" C1 unit 5

I Listen to the beginning of a presentation to the board by 24-Seven's Marketing Director, Melissa Murray, and answer these questions.

1. Which theme will the presentation follow?
2. What is the purpose of the presentation?
3. How does the speaker evoke interest in her presentation?

 

 

II Now listen to the next part of Melissa Murray's presentation and answer the questions below.

1. What did 24-Seven's brand image use to be founded on?
2. What difficulties has 24-Seven run into?
3. How does Melissa Murray show that the concept of convenience doesn't appeal to the modern shopper any longer?
4. What expectations are evoked regarding the new marketing strategy?

 

 

III Below is a list of rhetorical devices which are often used by powerful speakers. Listen to both parts of the presentation again and note down examples from Melissa Murray’s presentation.

• The power of three

Three elements are better understood and remembered, and are also emotionally more evocative than two or four elements. These can be single items, structures or even full sentences

• Rhetorical questions

Such questions involve the audience, help emphasise central points and focus the audience’s attention on important issues.

• Creating rapport

Creating rapport with your audience right from the start is important. Do this by using words like we (all), (all of) us and our as often as possible.

Another successful technique is to remind your listeners of experience you share.

• Repetition

Repetition is one of the most powerful tools to keep your audience focused and interested. A common strategy is to repeat the same word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses.

• Leveraging

Quicken the pace to give the presentation a feeling of urgency by deliberately omitting conjunctions such as and, but and or between successive words or clauses.

• Telling story

Tell a – short! – story if you want …