Preparing to read the poem:

the easiest way is to convert from its current form to your word processor

review the poem and get a sense for its overall emotion and emotional flow

look for places to pause. If the piece is punctuated, it can help. Sometimes, you
need to read it differently from its punctuation.

for poetry, you might change where the lines break to make it more readable.
Sometimes a poem's visual presentation on the page might need to differ from how it is
spoken

mark your pauses. A common way is to use slashes to indicate the pauses

look for emotion. Emotion is in the vowels, punctuated by consonants. Emotion

is in the vowels, punctuated by consonants. Emotion is in the vowels, punctuated
by consonants.

as you read, put yourself into the emotional state of the passage, line or word
and express it physically, fully. For "The Hollow Men" a state of emotional and physical
exhaustion might require deeper, slower breathing, longer pauses as ideas and feelings
are allowed to be absorbed and felt. The result might be less "vocal variety" and greater
vocal accuracy

decide whether to sit, stand, or move around

if you decide to use a lectern, I recommend a full-back music stand, not a tabletop or full-size lectern, so that it increases your visibility. Tilt the reading surface almost
flat to minimize its profile, but comfortable for your height.

is the reading aided by a prop (be very careful here)?

maximize the amount you look at the audience. Read ahead during the pauses,
as much as you can remember, and look at the audience as you finish a line, ideally the
most significant part of the line. Do NOT glance up-down for a split second at the end of
lines. If you do that, you might as well not look at the audience at all.
[As a photographer at galas and conferences, I noticed and learned that some speakers
glanced up for a split second, as if to satisfy some obligation to "look at the audience,"
without actually acknowledging their existence by looking at them long enough to do
so]

After the Toastmaster introduced me, the room lights dimmed. Our room seating was an
open "U". I sat in the middle... unmoving in the darkness... in the silence. The silence
grew until it was noticeable, for some perhaps uncomfortable...
..and then it began...
I
We are the hollow men
We are the stuffed men
Leaning together
Headpiece filled with straw. Alas!
Our dried voices, when
We whisper together
Are quiet and meaningless
As wind in dry grass
Or rats' feet over broken glass
In our dry cellar
Shape without form, shade without colour,
Paralysed force, gesture without motion;
Those who have crossed
With direct eyes, to death's other Kingdom
Remember us-if at all-not as lost
Violent souls, but only
As the hollow men
The stuffed men.

My Ain Fireside
by William H. Hamilton, taken from the book, Dialects for Oral Interpretation
O, I hae seen great anes and sat in great ha's,
'Mang lords and 'mang ladies a' cover'd wi' brawn;
But a sight sae delightful I trow I ne'er spied
As the bonnie blythe blink o' my ain fireside,
My ain fireside, my ain fireside,
O, sweet is the blink o' my ain fireside.
Ance mair, heaven be praised! round my ain heartsome ingle,
Wi' the frien's o' my youth I cordially mingle;
Nae forms to compel me to seem wae or glad,
I may laugh when I'm merry and sigh when I'm sad.
My ain fireside, my ain fireside,
O, sweet is the blink o' my ain fireside.
Nae falsehood to dread, nae malice to fear,
But truth to delight me, and friendship to cheer
O' a' roads to happiness ever were tried.
There's nane half so sure as ane's ain fireside,

My ain fireside, my ain fireside,

O, sweet is the blink o' my ain fireside.
The Cultured Daughter of a Plain Grocer
Author unknown, taken from Dialects for Oral Interpretation.
In September last the daughter of a Towsontown man, who had grown comfortably
well-off in the grocery business, was sent away to a female college, and last week
arrived home for a vacation as her health was not good at school. The father was in
attendance at the depot when the train arrived, with the old horse in a delivery
wagon, to convey his daughter and her trunks to the house. When the train had
stopped, a bewitching array of dry goods and a wide-brimmed hat dashed from the
car and flung itself into the elderly party's arms.
"Why, you superlative pa!" she exclaimed, "I'm so utterly glad to see you."
The old gentleman was somewhat unnerved by the greeting, but he recognized the
sealskin cloak in his grip as the identical piece of property he had paid for with the
bay mare, and he sort of embraced it in his arms and planted a kiss where it would
do most good, with a report that sounded above the noise of the depot. In a brief
space of time the trunk and its accompanying baggage were loaded in the wagon,
which was soon bumping over the road toward home.
"Pa, dear," said the young miss, surveying the team with a critical eye, "do you
consider this quite excessively beyond?"
"Hey?" returned the old man, with a puzzled air; "quite excessively beyond what?
beyond Waverly? I consider it somewhat about a mile beyond Waverly countin' from
the toll-gate, if that's what you mean?"
"Oh! no, pa; you don't understand me," the daughter explained; "I mean this horse
and wagon. Do you think they are soulful? do you think they could be studied apart
in the light of a symphony, or even a simple poem, and appear as intensely utter to
one on returning home as one could wish?"
The father twisted uneasily in his seat, and muttered something about he believed it
used to be used for an express wagon before he bought it to deliver pork in but the
conversation appeared to be traveling in such a lonesome direction that he fetched
the horse a resounding crack on the rotunda, and the severe jolting over the ground
prevented further remarks.
"Oh! there is that lovely and consummated ma!" screamed the returning
collegiatess, as they drove up at the door, and presently she was lost in the
embrace of a motherly woman in spectacles.
"Well, Maria," said the old man at the supper-table, as he nipped a piece of butter
off the lump with his own knife, "and howd'ye like your school?"
"Well, there, pa, now you're shouI mean, I consider it far too beyond," replied the
daughter. "It is unquenchably ineffable. The girls are so sumptuously stunningI
mean grandso exquisiteso intense. And then the parties, the balls, the rides
oh! the past weeks have been one sublime harmony."
"I s'pose soI s'pose so," nervously assented the old gentleman, as he reached for
his third cup, "half fullbut how about your books?readin', writin', grammar, rule
o' threehow about them?"

"Pa, don't," exclaimed the daughter, reproachfully; "the rule of three! grammar! it is
French, and music, and painting, and the divine in art, that have made my school
life the bossI mean rendered it one unbroken flow of rhythmatic bliss
incomparably and exquisitely all but."
The groceryman and his wife looked helplessly at each other across the table. After
a lonesome pause the old lady said:
"How do you like the biscuits, Mary?"
"They are too utter for anything," gushed the young lady, "and this plum preserve is
simply a poem in itself."
The old gentleman abruptly arose from the table and went out of the room, rubbing
his head in a dazed manner, and the mass convention was dissolved. That night he
and his wife sat alone by the stove until a late hour, and at the breakfast table next
morning he rapped smartly on his plate with the handle of his knife, and remarked:
"Maria, me an' your mother have been talkin' the thing over, an' we've come to the
conclusion that this boardin'-school business is too utterly all but too much
nonsense. Me an' her considered that we haven't lived forty odd consummate years
for the purpose of raisin' a curiosity, an' there's goin' to be a stop put to this
unquenchable foolishness. Now, after you have finished eatin' that poem of fried
sausage, and that symphony of twisted doughnut, you take an' dust upstairs in
less'n two seconds, an' peel that fancy gown an' put on a calliker, an' then come
down and help your mother wash dishes. I want it distinctly understood that there
aint goin' to be no more rhythmic foolishness in this house so long's your
superlative pa an' your lovely an' consummate ma's runnin' the ranch. You hear me,
Maria?'
Maria was listening.
Steady Nerves in a Crisis
by George Bernard Shaw, From G.B.S., A Full Length Portrait.
In moments of crisis my nerves act in the most extraordinary way. When utter
disaster seems imminent my whole being is instantaneously braced to avoid it: I
size up the situation in a flash, set my teeth, contract my muscles, take a firm grip
of myself, and, without a tremor, always do the wrong thing...
I learned to drive in 1908 on a car that had its accelerator pedal between the clutch
and the brake. That arrangement became automatic for me; and when I changed to
cars with the accelerator to the right of the brake I became a deadly dangerous
driver in an emergency when I had not my trusty chauffeur next me to turn off the
spark when I mistook the pedals. He was unfortunately not with me in South Africa.
Well, we were on our way to Port Elizabeth from a pleasant seaside place called
Wilderness. I was at the wheel and had done a long drive over mountain passes,
negotiating tracks and gorges in a masterly manner, when we came upon what
looked like a half mile of straight safe smooth road; and I let the car rip. Suddenly
she twisted violently to the left over a bump and made for the edge of the road. I
was more than equal to the occasion: not for an instant did I lose my head: my body
was rigid; my nerves were of steel. I turned the car's head the other way, and
pressed down the wrong pedal as far as it would go. The car responded nobly; she
dashed across the road, charged and cleared a bank, taking a barbed wire fence
with her, and started off across the veldt. On we went, gathering speed, my foot
hard on the accelerator, jerking and crashing over the uneven ground, plunging

down a ravine and up the other side, and I should have been bumping over the
veldt to this day if Commander Newton, who was in charge of me, hadn't said
sternly, "Will you take your foot off the accelerator and put it on the brake." Well, I
am always open to reason. I did as he suggested and brought the car to a standstill,
the last strand of barbed wire still holding, though drawn out for miles. I was unhurt,
but my wife had been rolled about with the luggage in the back seat and was
seriously wounded.
Father William
by Lewis Carroll
"You are old, Father William," the young man said,
"And your hair has become very white;
And yet you incessantly stand on your head
Do you think, at your age, it is right?"
"In my youth," Father William replied to his son,
"I feared it might injure the brain;
But, now that I'm perfectly sure I have none,
Why, I do it again and again."
"You are old," said the youth, "as I mentioned before,
And have grown most uncommonly fat;
Yet you turned a back-somersault in at the door
Pray, what is the reason of that?"
"In my youth," said the sage, as he shook his grey locks,
"I kept all my limbs very supple
By the use of this ointmentone shilling the box
Allow me to sell you a couple?"
"You are old," said the youth, "and your jaws are too weak
For anything tougher that suet;
Yet you finished the goose, with the bones and the beak
Pray, how did you manage to do it?"
"In my youth," said his father, "I took to the law,
And argued each case with my wife;
And the muscular strength which it gave to my jaw
Has lasted the rest of my life."
"You are old," said the youth, "one would hardly suppose
That your eye was as steady as ever;
Yet you balanced an eel on the end of your nose
What made you so awfully clever?"
"I have answered three questions, and that is enough,"
Said his father. "Don't give yourself airs!
Do you think I can listen all day to such stuff?
Be off, or I'll kick you down-stairs!"

The Dane-Geld A.D. 980-1016

by Rudyard Kipling
It is always a temptation to an armed and agile nation
To call upon a neighbour and to say:
"We invaded you last nightwe are quite prepared to fight,
Unless you pay us cash to go away."
And that is called asking for Dane-geld,
And the people who ask it explain
That you've only to pay 'em the Dane-geld
And then you'll get rid of the Dane!
It is always a temptation to a rich and lazy nation,
To puff and look important and to say:
"Though we know we should defeat you, we have not the time to meet you.
We will therefore pay you cash to go away."
And that is called paying the Dane-geld;
But we've proved it again and again,
That if once you have paid him the Dane-geld
You never get rid of the Dane.
It is wrong to put temptation in the path of any nation,
For fear they should succumb and go astray;
So when you are requested to pay up or be molested,
You will find it better policy to say:
"We never pay any-one Dane-geld,
Nor matter how trifling the cost;
For the end of that game is oppression and shame,
And the nation that plays it is lost!"

Norman and Saxon A.D. 1100

by Rudyard Kipling
"My son," said the Norman Baron,
"I am dying, and you will be heir
To all the broad acres in England
that William gave me for my share
When we conquered the Saxon at Hastings,
and a nice little handful it is.
But before you go over to rule it
I want you to understand this:
"The Saxon is not like us Normans.
His manners are not so polite.
But he never means anything serious
till he talks about justice and right.
When he stands like an ox in the furrow
with his sullen set eyes on your own,
And grumbles, 'This isn't fair dealing,'
my son, leave the Saxon alone.
"You can horsewhip your Gascony archers,
or torture your Picardy spears;
But don't try that game on the Saxon;
you'll have the whole brood round your ears.
From the richest old Thane in the country
to the poorest chained serf in the field,
They'll be at you and on you like hornets,
and, if you are wise, you will yield.
"But first you must master their language,
their dialect, proverbs and songs.
Don't trust any clerk to interpret
when they come with the tale of their wrongs.
Let them know that you know what they're saying;
let them feel that you know what to say.
Yes, even when you want to go hunting,
hear 'em out if it takes you all day.
"They'll drink every hour of the daylight
and poach every hour of the dark.
It's the sport, not the rabbits, they're after
(we've plenty of game in the park).
Don't hang them or cut off their fingers.
That's wasteful as well as unkind,
For a hard-bitten, South-country poacher
makes the best man-at-arms you can find.
"Appear with your wife and the children
at their weddings and funerals and feasts.
Be polite but not friendly to Bishops;

be good to all poor parish priests.

Say 'we', 'us' and 'ours' when you're talking,
instead of 'you fellows' and 'I.'
Dont ride over seeds; keep your temper;
and never you tell 'em a lie.

The Legend of Bandung Bondowoso

Once upon a time, there was a vicious king by the name of King Baka, who liked to sacrifice
and eat young men everyday. This behavior caused the people to panic, but they could not
do anything because the king was so powerful. So everyday he sent his soldiers to find
people suitable to be killed. These soldiers looked as vicious as their master. But the
soldiers were also afraid of King Baka, because if they failed to find the victim, they became
the victims instead.
So, many people fled to find safety away from the vicious King. Fortunately, a neighboring
kingdom was headed by a very wise king named King Pengging. King Pengging always took
care of his people and protected them against any threat. He heard about the vicious king,
and he tried to find ways to kill King Baka. He knew that one day the vicious King Baka
might attack his Kingdom. The wise King had a son named Prince Bandung Bondowoso, his
only son whom he loved so much. Prince Bandung grew up to be a young man whom his
father expected to take over the kingdom at a later time. One day Prince Bandung asked his
fathers permission to live and meditate in a faraway place to gain spiritual strength. His
father was very pleased with his son's idea. After many years, Prince Bandung came back
as a powerful young man, invulnerable to injury because of his powerful spiritual strength
and magical skills. All the people were very happy to see Prince Bandung return home,
especially his father. The people of King Penggings kingdom expected Prince Bandung now
to be able to kill the neighboring vicious King Baka. King Pengging told the prince to prepare
for battle with King Baka.
The next morning, Prince Bandung and his soldiers marched to King Baka's Palace. And a
battle ensued for more than 10 days. But in time the younger Prince Bandung was able to
defeat King Bakas men. Finally with his last blow, Prince Bandung killed King Baka. The
victorious Prince Bandung went through every part of the palace, and found King Bakas
beautiful daughter, Princes Lorojonggrang. He was stunned and surprised that the vicious
King Baka had such a beautiful daughter. In his heart Prince Bandung admired the princess'
beauty. If he had known that King Baka had a beautiful daughter, he would not have killed
the king. Prince Bandung felt pity for Lorojonggrang but he could not undo the killing of her
father.
So, Prince Bandung approached Princess Lorojonggrang saying that he did not know that
King Baka had a beautiful daughter. She moved away frightened. She asked Prince
Bandung if he was the one who killed her father. The Prince answered, yes. Prince
Bandung appeared strong and well built but had an ugly face. Gently he approached her
and whispered: "If you marry me, I will give anything you want". He added, "Don't think
what has happened. If your father were alive, I would extend my proposal to him. But
things have been done and the gods have decided our fate." The princess remained silent.
She wanted to stay alive but did not want anger Prince Bandung. She decided that she
would not marry an ugly man, whoever he was. And so she devised a strategy.

Princess Lorojonggrang agreed to marry Prince Bandung on one condition. She said, I will
marry you if you can build me 1000 temples in one night. The Prince was surprised at the
condition she proposed. He said, "Why must I build so many temples for you?" Princess
Lorojonggrang answered, "I love temples. They beautify the gardens in our kingdom. They
will be nice for our future children to play in." The Prince was stunned for awhile, but his
love to Lorojonggrang and his magical skills made him decide to build the 1000 temples as
proposed.
Before sunset, he meditated and asked help from all the spirits to help him build the 1000
temples. Then the work started. With the Prince helped by all the spirits and demons, the
work ran so fast that it worried Lorojonggrang. She prayed to all the deities, saying that it
was unfair for her to marry an ugly man like Prince Bandung. The deities whispered to her
what she must do. Very early in the morning, before the roosters started crowing, she went
out from the Palace heading toward the village. There she ordered all the villagers, mostly
women, to beat the bamboo drums, creating a loud noise as a signal that sunrise was
approaching. Suddenly, the roosters started crowing more, and louder until all roosters in
the village were crowing together. Everyone came out from the houses carrying their farm
tools to work in the fields. The spirits and demons now hear the drumming and believe the
morning sun will come out soon. The spirits were afraid of seeing people and so they fled
and the working on the temples stopped. The princess had found a way to trick Prince
Bandung away from his work.
Prince Bandung was surprised. Why had the work stopped? He counted the number of
temples that were finished. In all, there were 999 temples. One more temple and he would
be able to marry Lorojonggrang. He looked around trying to find what had stopped the
work. Then he saw Lorojonggrang still banging on the bamboo drum, accompanied by the
village women.
Prince Bandung realized that it was Lorojonggrang who caused the work to stop. Prince
Bandung shouted at her angrily, "Lorojonggrang, now I know that you are a very treacherous
woman, a liar, a vicious woman. I almost finished making the 1000 temples, why did you
interrupt my work. One more temple and you will become my wife." "Calm down my dear
Prince." replied Lorojonggrang. "It seems that the gods did not permit us to be husband and
wife" continued Lorojonggrang. Prince Bandung's anger was no longer under control. "You
are not worthy to live, may God curse you" yelled the Prince. "Since I need one more temple
to finish the 1000, I will make you the statue of Lorojonggrang to complete my 1000
temples" shouted the Prince, roaring like an angry tiger. At that moment the world stood
still, and the beautiful Princess Lorojonggrang became a stone statue. The Prince was
silent. He was amazed yet regretful that the Princess had really changed into a beautiful yet
cold statue.
It is said that among the statues in Lorojonggrang Temple in Prambanan, there is one statue
that looks lonely. The story of Prince Bandung is a tale reminding people, that excessive
power can mislead one's wisdom, and when one is unable to control his anger, his action will
bring tragedy upon him.

The Raven (shortened version) by Edgar Allan Poe

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping (tapping),
As of some one gently rapping (tapping), rapping at my chamber door.
"'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door

Only this, and nothing more."

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow; vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow sorrow for the lost Lenore
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels named Lenore
Nameless here for evermore.
And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating
"'Tis some visitor entreating (tapping) entrance at my chamber door
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door;
This it is, and nothing more,"
Presently my heart grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
"Sir," said I, "or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you" -- here I opened wide the door;
Darkness there, and nothing more.
Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream to dream before;
But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, "Lenore!"
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back "Lenore!"
Merely this and nothing more.
Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
"Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou," I said, "art sure no craven.
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the Nightly shore
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!"
Quoth the raven, "Nevermore."
But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing further then he uttered not a feather then he fluttered
Till I scarcely more than muttered "Other friends have flown before
On the morrow will he leave me, as my hopes have flown before."
Then the bird said, "Nevermore."
Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
"Doubtless," said I, "what it utters is its only stock and store,
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore
Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore
Of 'Never-nevermore.'"
But the Raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling,

Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird and bust and door;
Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore
What this grim, ungainly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore
Meant in croaking "Nevermore."
This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion's velvet violet lining that the lamp-light gloated o'er,
But whose velvet violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o'er,
She shall press, ah, nevermore!
"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil! prophet still, if bird or devil!
Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted
On this home by Horror haunted tell me truly, I implore
Is there is there balm in Gilead? tell me tell me, I implore!"
Quoth the raven, "Nevermore."
"Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!" I shrieked upstarting
"Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken! quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!"
Quoth the raven, "Nevermore."
And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted nevermore.

Tips on Extemp Speaking

Here is a 6 step process for doing extemporaneous speaking

(taken from Breaking Down Barriers: How to do Individual
Events):
1. CHOOSE YOUR TOPIC:
Usually, you go to an extemp prep room where topics are
posted on the wall. Bring your research materials (your
extemp tub) to the room. Find out what speaker you are and
then listen for the announcement of your speech. For each
speaker, usually three topics are posted. These topics are
almost always questions about national political, economic,
and social issues. You usually do have thirty minutes to
prepare for your speech but you should choose the topic you
feel most confident about shortly--within five to ten minutes.
Pick a topic that you know you have materials on, that you like
to talk about, and that will interest your judge and demonstrate

your expertise. That will make preparing the speech much

easier.

2. MAKE A THESIS STATEMENT:

This is simple! Think about the topic youve chosen. Now,
answer the topic question. Was Clinton a good president?
What do you think? Yes or no? Write your answer down on a
sheet of paper or notecard to tell you what to do.

3. CREATE POINTS THAT SUPPORT YOUR THESIS:

Take a moment and think up what would support your thesis. I
suggest that at most you make three points--you only have a
very short time to speak. Write the points down on a sheet of
paper, leaving room after each one so that you can add
supports for them.

COMMON ORGANIZATION FOR AN EXTEMPORANEOUS SPEECH

The key to your organization is to provide points

that directly support your answer to the question.

For a policy question (e.g. What should the U.S.

terrorism policy be?)
1. Problem, 2. Current policy isnt solving/causes this
problem, 3. This policy would solve the problem

For a fact question (e.g. Will Al Gore run in 2004?)

List out 2 to 4 reasons why your answer is correct.

For an update on events type question (e.g. What

is going on in Pakistan?)
List out the key events that are taking place.

Make sure you have covered the topic thoroughly

4. NOW, DEVELOP SUPPORT FOR YOUR THESIS
Now, write down supports for your points. Look in your extemp
tub and write down short quotations, summaries of key points
in your articles, stories and other key points of analysis that
you have for your points. Have at least two supports for each
point if you possibly can and most extempers are expected to
cite at least six sources during their speeches. Write down the
supports.

5. WRITE YOUR INTRODUCTION AND CONCLUSION.

Write down ideas for an introduction. Give a quick attention
getter, state the thesis, tell why it is important to you and your
audience. Write down a conclusion. Tie the speech together,
build to a higher point and give it a sense of conclusion.

The Introduction.
1. Start with an attention getter. Use a story, analogy or
joke to captivate your audience. Avoid starting a speech
with a quotation if your topic is a quotation, this may
confuse your judge.
2. In your introduction, state the question exactly as it is
worded.
3. State your answer to the question; your thesis. Even if
you dont have a clear cut yes or no answer to the
question--state why you say yes but . . . or no but . . .
(dont leave it vague with sometimes yes and sometimes
no; you can leave it hanging but with a clear direction
the answer is yes but there is a critical exception which I
will explain in my third point.)
4. why is this topic important to the audience?
5. why are you an expert on this topic?
6. Preview your main points.

The Conclusion.
1. Restate the question and your answer to it.

2. Summarize briefly how your points and supports

demonstrate that your answer is correct.
3. Close by referring back to your introduction.

6. DELIVER THE SPEECH

Your preparation of the key points in your speech should take
20 or less minutes. In the last 10 minutes, you should walk to
where you will present. Along the way, take time to practice
the speech. Go through the intro, the main points, the
conclusion. Think about what you are saying, make corrections.
If you arrive at your room early before other you are to speak,
then take advantage of the chance to practice in the hallway or
an empty room (although keep close to the room so that when
they announce you are up next, you hear it). When the judge
calls you, enter the room and deliver away with your speech.
DEVELOP YOUR EXTEMP TUBS
Use a system that works for you, but here is a good way to organize the many
extemp articles you should have:
Have a foreign issues box: try to organize it by regions of the world (Middle East,
Africa, Southeast Asia, etc) and then alphabetically by country within each regional
section. Topics will cross borders often, but thats why you have the option in extemp
of pulling out TWO files instead of just ONE!
Have a domestic issues box: again, organize by major general topics, and then
alphabetically within each general topic. Domestic issues will be tougher to fit
entirely under general topics, so dont force things that dont fit because you will lose
them. Instead, stick to simple generalizations (like sticking all politicians in a single
general category, arranged alphabetically) and try to avoid filing things in ways that
might obscure them later.

RESEARCH!!!
You need to stay up on the latest news events and policy issues. Whats the latest in
the war on terrorism? What are the arguments for and against expanding social
programs? Who is likely to win the next election? Suggestions for doing this:
1. Purchase the West Coast E-News Package. This is an amazing resource with
hundreds of pages of great background information as well as the very latest news.
2. Research on the web using West Coasts extemp resources page:
3. Listen to the news each evening
4. Read the newspaper each day; Read a news magazine or two each week
5. Discuss news issues with friends, family, and teammates
6. Work with your coach to setup assignments so a variety of issues get researched

7. Do Checks! Have other people ask you news questions and then see if your tubs
have the material you need. If they dont, then do research to fill in the gaps!

inferno yawn
rise and shine deflect common sense while white dilapidated guts spawn oppossing
beats an treats that are not so daring as uncommon feats and relativity clings to gravity
and in spite of everything nothingness has texture while tasting peripheral anxiety and
a habit with no friendly reputation thats ever the same while changing the channels of
worn out waves and pick me ups spinning invisible collisions and whose glancing
judgements color lessons and love songs and frustration taken aback with the same
acceleration as calm sighs and backgrounds and colorful harmonies whose chances of
fate dare speculative rhythmic pixilations that lack for words that were not easy in
context but preferable and the memorized bass of an unhappy day can't mold guilt nor
regretful smiles shyly content for the moment and it will pass like it or not they stay the
course and take a chance and listen to a suggestion and you just never know hard work
and disappointment can color statements and tug judgement and the sum of comfort
quake like a landslide with hypnotic flashes of sensory recognition that cannot relax nor
take the intangible paying attention and in between today's brazen and challenging
statements that smile and feel it all like a whisper of a happy hurt while sensory breezes
determination and hopeful wonder turning while crashing sequential harmonic miracles
and so what's said after the dead is opening floodgates of fear and hunting for beauty
while recognition hints of a champion like disposition and lawless sensibilities cater to
the masses and aligning nuances making way for challenging statements faded purple
cheap and reasonable hesitation and coming apart innocence begging impractical
indifference and action of supreme suspicion and four legged masters of intention rest
with eyes open and the irrelevant and irresistible bite of life's stories in a world of their
own lie listening and not caring and running as if someone cared about beaming
perspectives and suspicion and weeping roots whose branches wither and stay together
but not too close and space and grace grant appreciation for one but not the other and
treasures replicas of misguided history not for greater good nor for lack of trying or
understanding because we're not here to rest but to learn about meaning of one
another meanwhile they're on fire and frozen and fill a void and take space while
providing sustenance for the human race each point of light perfect with purpose and
hell bent to reach upward and downward and inward calming everything and coming
together like magic the lines with hooks whose feet are endless and beyond we've no
chance with exceptional unknowns and impossible tradition and all the while unknown
intergalactic artists reign from the beginning to an end and a stand alone comedic front
stand upright and proud with purpose and clever combinations so old by day and night
and search out to not destroy but to achieve inner light and what she gives we take and
after all is done and nothing said with what's lost over and over while unintentional uturns provide opportunity to learn and beauty's contemplation cause awareness of
inhalation and meaning and planning circumstantial tangible truths by listening to a
voice no matter why the sickening fact that we like to capture pain as an entertaining
nutrition and not know when or how to end it while seeking noise and who needs who
anyway does not matter having something to say that is known to all beings to just
keep from dying and without so much guessing not even close to answering uninformed
questions and most accurately known as an interpretive stone whirring and blurring and
ringing forbidden where uncertainty is a dead king and she is a beauty queen and
opposites don't attract they simply react to an eternal dance so let's start over again in
love's inferno yawn -

Splendour Comparative
Twins, entrapped in purity of essence,
The woman and the vista;
She, for all the world, is real,
The other cast interpretive.
Models of implicit quintessence,
The painting and the sister;
She, to be so bold, can feel,
The other felt intuitive.
Beauty slaved in delicate pairing,
The female and the prospect;
She, embodying existence,
The other forced reflective.
Each a fundamental bearing,
Yet singular in aspect;
Apart, yet close in distance,
Duet, the splendour comparative.

Duterte pushing 3-child policy

Family planning part of economic growth agenda, incoming
NEDA chief says
by Reuters
May 24, 2016 (updated)
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Incoming president Rodrigo Duterte said he will defy the Roman Catholic Church and seek to impose a
three-child policy, putting him on a new collision course with the bishops a day after he called them
sons of whores.
The Davao City mayor has yet to be declared the May 9 poll winner, but an unofficial vote count by an
election commission-accredited watchdog showed him ahead over his four rivals, three of whom
conceded defeat. Duterte assumes office on June 30.
Dutertes often outrageous comments have won him huge support and his tirades about killing
criminals and a joke about a murdered rape victim do not appear to have dented his popularity in the
largely Catholic country.
I only want three children for every family, Duterte said on Sunday in Davao City. Im a Christian,
but Im a realist so we have to do something with our overpopulation. I will defy the opinion or the
belief of the Church.
About 80 percent of the Philippines 100 million population are Catholics, the largest concentration of
any Asian country, who oppose abortion and contraception.
Last Saturday, he criticized the Church as the most hypocritical institution, meddling in government
policies and said some bishops were enriching themselves at the expense of the poor.

You sons of whores, arent you ashamed? You ask so many favors, even from me, Duterte said in an
interview broadcast by TV station GMA.
Monsignor Oliver Mendoza, spokesman for the Archdiocese of Lingayen, whose head is the president of
the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, said the Church respected Dutertes opinion but
that it would continue to speak against government policies that are contrary to Church teaching.
Because if we fail to do that, if we close our eyes, if we close our lips, we close our ears, what will be
the role of the Church? he said.
Political analysts said they were not surprised at Dutertes statements because some bishops spoke
out against him during the election campaign.
Like most liberal, secular politicians, Duterte is a deist, said Joselito Zulueta of the University of
Santo Tomas. This in itself is a self-serving position conceived out of human conceit. He will do as he
pleases except when hes stopped by public criticism.
He said Dutertes government was expected to clash more with the Catholic Church not only on
population issues, but on the restoration of death penalty, legalization of divorce and planned
distribution of contraceptives.
Ernesto Pernia, the incoming chief of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said
Duterte will aggressively implement the countrys family planning law to push his economic growth
agenda.
In December, 2012, Congress passed a law despite opposition from church leaders, allowing public
health centers to hand out contraceptives such as condoms and pills and teach sex education in
schools.
Duterte is pushing for rapid and sustained implementation of the Responsible Parenthood and
Reproductive Health Act, said Pernia.
The past six years saw the Philippine economys average annual economic growth topping 6 percent,
but critics say the improvement has not translated into jobs or better livelihoods for millions of poor.
About a quarter of the countrys population of around 101 million remains poor, official data show.
If you enable families to limit and phase their children to what they can afford and what they can
provide for, then thats going to have an effect on poverty and inequality, Pernia said in an interview
with ABS-CBN News Channel.
Pernia, a former university lecturer and economist at the Asian Development Bank, will form part of an
economic team headed by Carlos Dominguez, who has been named Finance secretary.
Pernias comments followed Dutertes remarks in Davao City on Sunday saying he would defy the
Catholic Churchs opinion on family planning.

Read more at http://www.mb.com.ph/duterte-pushing-3-child-policy/#OO0dsd7XuB0Ydc0Z.99

Speech of Vice President Leni Robredo delivered by Aika

Robredo for the World Population Day 2016, Ninoy Aquino
Stadium, Rizal Memorial Sports Complex | July 11, 2016
There are three people on earth I value most. Just like you, they are
young girls. They are silly and funny and protective and sweet.

I learn a lot from them, like how to use charot in a sentence and
how to wear my clothes right. I also learn a lot about kindness,
authenticity, and depth from these three girls.
They had a hard time at first when I was faced with the decision to
run for the second-highest position in the land.
But once they understood, they gave their full support. They call it
buwis-buhay; I call it love and sacrifice.
They are my three daughters Aika, Tricia, and Jillian.
Young girls have a power all their own. There is much potential in
each one of you! As they say, you save a girl and you save a
generation.
And in our nation today, the numbers show that the youthall of
youwill become a major social and economic force in the next 45
years. This is called the demographic dividend.
As majority of our population enters the ages of 15 to 24 years old,
and they become effective workers more than effective
consumers, the number of people who are employed and earn
more income overtake the number of people who are dependent on
them.
In other words, mas maraming kabataan ang kumikita sa trabaho
kesa umaasa sa kita ng iba.
This phenomenon, called the demographic dividend is the one thing
that is expected to propel our country into becoming the 17th
biggest economy in the world by 2050, leapfrogging over 27
countries. Imagine that, dear young ones.
Are you ready to see that happening in our country?
But there are conditions. The youth must be gainfully employed
(may maayos na trabaho). And for that to happen, the youth,
especially young girls, must be well-educated and healthy.
Education is key. Do not underestimate the power of a good
education. Going to school every day with your big books, dealing
with the pressure of homework and projects, faced with the
emotional ups and downs of seeing (and not seeing) your crushes,
can sometimes feel like the worst years of your life.
But remember this, my dear young ones: these years are the best
time to expand your minds and prepare you for the rest of your life.
Every knowledge stored in your mental hard drive will help you
become a cooler version of yourself. Study hard. Listen to your
teachers well. Strive for excellence in all that you do. Make this time
count!
Speaking of crushes, I remember how Jesse was so protective of his
sisters when they were in that stage of being courted by boys.
Once, his sister was entertaining a guy at home. Jesse was clearly a
stickler for rules, so when the clock hit ten o clock and his sisters
suitor hasnt left yet, you know what he did? He got
the banig out, tapos naglatag sya sa sala.
There is a time and place for romantic love. Finding your truest love
is one of the most important aspects of a life well-lived. But it is
important to find yourself first, before you give yourself to
somebody else.

And when you do, your SO (significant other) must love you enough
to give you space to help you keep on redefining yourself and letting
you reach your truest potential.
I myself married young. After I graduated from college, I met Jesse
and within a couple of months, he was already asking for my hand in
marriage.
But even after I had my first daughter, he supported me in my
desire to become a lawyer. He supported me in all my activities as
alternative lawyer to the masses. He gave me space to be excellent
in what I do. We were a great team.
Remember what our youth need to be, so that we can harvest this
demographic dividend. You need to be educated well, get a good
job, and marry at the right time.
Each one of you matters. Each of your decision counts. And when all
of you together achieve this status, weas a countrywill be able
to harvest this demographic dividend.
That window of demographic dividend will not be open to us forever.
Its opening is fleeting, said the United Nations. We must hit the right
ratio of youth who are gainfully employed and well educated versus
those who arent, for us to actualize the dream of being the 17th
biggest economy in the world by 2050.
Will you be a force for good in our country? Please say yes. Your
individual choices become our national future. Your daily acts that
show you are willing to work hard, study hard, act responsibly, strive
hard to claim that awesome futureput all togetheris the stuff
that will make our country proud and strong.
More than any heroic action, your integrity makes you future nation
builders and leaders of this country. I believe your generation is
ready to take the reins of leadership in the Philippines.
During my term in Congress, I am proud to say that we took a huge
step toward enabling your generation to be a part of governance.
We made youth participation in the government a reality by
instituting the Sangunian Kabataan Law. The law gives the youth a
voice in policy making in their respective localities and gives them
an avenue to air out concerns. This law also promoted inclusivity
when it allowed people 15 years old to 30 years old to vote and 18
years old to 24 years old to run.
Youth participation, however, does not end in the realm of politics.
We were able to institute the Government Internship Program
wherein our adolescent need not run to be a part of government.
In the program, you will experience what it is like to work in
government and see how the government works. This program
promotes both participation and education for those who will
eventually take over.
We also fully supported the K-12 law and program of the Department
of Education. As a mother with a daughter undergoing the program,
I can personally see how it will benefit Jillian in the future. When she
graduates, Jill will have sufficient skills and specialties which will
help her succeed in later life.

Aside from enriching the minds of our youth, we must also give
attention to their health. It is alarming that our countrys unwanted
and teenage pregnancies have been increasing in previous years.
To address this issue, we must ensure that the proper knowledge is
given to our adolescents. The recently passed RH Law give us
includes reproductive health in each schools curriculum.
Education is the silver bullet. I repeat: make these years count.
Study hard. There is no limit to excellencenot age, not gender.
Embrace the soft power of your femininity. There is strength in being
a girl. You are the hope for our nations transformation. Make us
proud!

Read more: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/795492/full-text-lenirobredos-speech-for-world-population-day-2016#ixzz4ELPvS14p

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DepEd aims to feed 2-M wasted school kids
THE DEPARTMENT of Education (DepEd) has approved starting this
month the implementation of the school-based feeding program
(SBFP) which aims to benefit nearly 2 million malnourished and
underfed school children this year.
The number of program beneficiaries, particularly wasted and
severely wasted Kindergarten to Grade 6 students, increased this
year compared to last years figure of approximately 1.1 million
children.
Last years SBFP targeted 532,752 severely wasted and 627,403
wasted students in public schools nationwide.
Wasting is described by the United Nations Childrens Fund (Unicef)
as low weight for height resulting from acute significant food
shortage or disease.
According to a June 29 DepEd order, this years SBFP aims to nourish
and inculcate positive health values and habits on 533,425 severely
wasted and 1,385,039 wasted Kindergarten to Grade 6 pupils in all
public schools nationwide.
The SBFP should start this month, but in case of delay, schools can
begin the feeding program not later than September.
Gulayan sa Paaralan
Based on the order, the program primarily aims to improve the
nutritional status of the beneficiaries by at least 70 percent at the
end of 120 feeding days.
It aims to increase school attendance by 85 percent.
It directs all schools to set up and maintain the Gulayan sa Paaralan
(School Vegetable Garden) Program as a source of ingredients for
the SBFP. It also tasks them to encourage the families of the

beneficiaries to have their own home gardens so that nutritional

improvement is maintained at home.
For the nationwide implementation of the SBFP this year, the DepEd
has set aside over P4.1 billion, with around P2,160 allocated for the
feeding and operational expenses of each beneficiary in a period of
120 days. This amounts to P18 a day for each beneficiary.
The Southern Tagalog region, including the provinces of Cavite,
Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon, has the most number of
severely wasted and wasted public school pupils at 352,993
followed by the Western Visayas with 193,875 and Central Luzon
with 169,910.
The National Capital Region has 48,742 severely wasted and
105,678 wasted school kids.
Citing a 2015 impact study by the Philippine Institute of
Developmental Studies, the DepEd said that in the past six years
since the SBFP was implemented, 73 percent of the undernourished
student beneficiaries had normal nutrition by the end of 120 feeding
days or four months.
School attendance was also noted to have improved and is
averaging 98 percent. The children were observed to have better
class participation and exhibited positive health habits such as
washing of hands before and after eating, toothbrushing and general
good grooming behavior, the DepEd said.
The DepEd further observed that the SBFP worked best with school
health programs such as deworming, the GPP and water, sanitation
and hygiene.

Read more: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/793982/deped-aims-to-feed2-m-wasted-school-kids#ixzz4ELQK3w3E

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