Time to fit it all in
I gave my second speech at the IEM Toastmasters meeting last week. Oh my God. It was a lot tougher than I expected!
The topic, which I had chosen myself, was simple: I was to talk about this column – how it came about, why I decided to do it and things like that.
(In fact, this is how the Toastmasters programme works. Newbies are eased into talking in public by picking easy subjects, like ourselves.)
Since I knew the subject like the back of my hand, I thought I could just go in there and just talk. I was wrong.
Everything went wrong.
First of all, I was late to the meeting. Second, I did not have a prepared speech. I just jotted a few things at the back of a Komuter ticket as a guide.
When my name was called, I tried to act cool but my throat was suddenly dry. I stood in front of everyone rooted to one place (my first mistake). Somehow the audience looked scary.
When I began to talk, I even forgot the name of this column. Can you believe that?
Along the way, I managed to crack a joke about a guy who doesn’t watch TV and premarital sex but I was convinced that the audience laughed only out of politeness. And finally, I ended my speech by telling everyone I already knew how I was going to break my TV fast – by watching TV. Duh. It was the worst performance of that night.
So imagine my surprise when my evaluator Suresh said that I passed, that I achieved my objective.
| TRENDS |
Apple CEO Steve Jobs was once asked how he led the computer maker through one of the most astonishing turnarounds in the history of business.
He said, “You have to say ‘no’ to a thousand things so that you can say ‘yes’ to the few that really matter.”
These days, Jobs divides his time between just three things: his family, Apple and Pixar where he is also a CEO.
| The writer is on a three month abstinence from watching TV. He is in his 12th week. One more week to go. |
Source: Life and Times, New Straits Time, Wednesday, March 19, 2008, page 5
1. The article “Time to fit it all in” is taken from the Life &Times section of the NST newspaper. What is the column about? Why is it called Living outside the idiot box?
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2. Would you say that the writer was confident initially?
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3. What went wrong for the writer that day?
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4. In the ‘Organize Your Speech’ project, what are the three items which should be included in your speech?
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5. Why do you think the writer ended his column with this sentence “Someday I hope to trim my list to just three”? Explain in your own words.
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Word Whiz
In the text above, what do the words in bold mean?
the Idiot box: ________________________________________________________________________
Newbies: ___________________________________________________________________________
like the back of my hand: ______________________________________________________________
fast: _______________________________________________________________________________
crack a joke: ________________________________________________________________________
Syahir Najid Bin Sulaiman
ReplyDeleteEC09114
The column is about to setle up all thing in a hurry. It is called living outside the idiot box because he tried to kept away himself from making any fool of himself in front of the audience.
I dont think so that the writer was confident at initially because he not prepared well for the speech.
The thing that went wrong for the writer that day is he late to the meeting and did not have a prepared speech.
The three items which should be included in speech are your speech should incude a clear intro, body and closing.
The sentence "Someday I hope to trimmy list to just three" mean that he just focusing on three main thing that are very important to him but for the rest just do it so-so. We can't achieved all those thing that we planned in the same time. But it is not imposible to done it with full of commitment and patient.
the idiot box - making fool of yourself
newbies - new user
like the back of my hand - easy
fast - hurry
crake the joke - try to make funny
Nursabrini Binti Mohd Ali
ReplyDeleteEC09118
This column is about 'how it came about,why the writer to do it and things like that'. It is called living outside the idiot box bacause the writer think when he choose this column that he knew about so,he decided to just go and talk with no preparation and spends more time with television on his mind compared to jobs.
No. I dont think the writer was confident initially because he can't do well to present his speech. When his name was called he just rooted to one place and when he began to talk, he even forgot the name of this column.
I think the writer don't prepared his speech and late to the meeting.
The three items should be include is clear intro, body and closing.
The writer ended his column with this sentence "someday i hope to trim my list to just three" because he have way more things on his mind compared to jobs like family writing,cartooning,...So he hope that he will just focus only three things to make his life easier.
The idiot box - spends more time with television compared to jobs.
newbies - new to something
like the back of my hand - already know
fast - hurry / quick
crake the joke - make funny
MOHD NURFAUZI BIN MAZLAN
ReplyDeleteEC09126
He choose the topic by himself, he want to tell what is the this column about and what is the purpose. Living outside idiot box mean he wat to make sure he didn't do anything stupid during his presentation.
He confident that he will give a well presentation, but his wrong because what he do bring disaster to him.
During the meeting he was late, then he just write a simple note at the back of Komuter Ticket as a preparation for his speech, then because of thristy he rooted in one place so he make the audience scare with him.
In this speech,mus have the clear intro, body and closing.
He mean his should focus for his activity maximum is three. It is because, he want to follow Apple CEO, Steve Jobs that he only concerntrate in the things his family, Apple and Pixar. So thats why he said he want to limit his activity just three.
idiot box - he dont want people look him so stupid during presentation
Newbies - as a person who are new in certain organisation.
like the back of my hand - he's thought he is already know about what he want to talk
fast - he want to hurry
crack a joke - he want to do some joke that could attract the audience
IMRAN BIN RAMLI
ReplyDeleteEC09129
- The column is about the person who is the writer, that over confident and not prepared very well in his presentation but lucky he pass. It called "Living outside the idiot box" because the writer regreat watch TV that make him almost fail to his presentation..
- Yes. Because he overconfident he do not want to prepared but just go in there and talk.
- He late come to the meeting for his presentation.Then he not prepared well to the speach.
- clear intro, body and closing.
- The writer want to be like Apple CEO Steve Jobs.
THE IDIOT BOX : TV
NEWBIES : new comers
LIKE THE BACK OF MY HAND: easy
FAST : abstinence
CRACK A JOKE : tell/make a joke
This column about one of the experience writer as a presenter. Living outside idiot box mean he want to make sure he didn't do anything can fooling himself and try to covered it during his presentation.
ReplyDeleteNo because he tries to make the cool before start his presentation because he didn’t prepared well for his speech. Even he forgets the column’s name.
He comes late to the meeting for his presentation. Then he did not prepared well to his speech and tried to act cool but his throat was suddenly dry. He stood in front of everyone rooted to one place and makes the audience looked scary for a moment.
The three items which should be included in speech include a clear intro, body and closing.
I think the writer said he hope can manage his life trimly like Apple CEO Steve Jobs. Also maybe his think he should focus just three activities so he can concentrate his family and Apple.
Word Whiz
The Idiot box: making some stupid always watch tv
Newbies: new comers, new users
Like the back of my hand: easy
Fast: hurry
Crack a joke: do some funny
Muhammad Izzuddin
ReplyDeleteEC09133
1. The column is about to do something in a some of time period. Living outside idiot box mean that he will not do anything stupid during his presentation.
2. No. I dont think the writer was confident initially because the the article tell that he wasnt prepared well for the presentation.
3. He was late to the meeting, Second, he did not have a prepared speech, he just jotted a few things at the back of a Komuter ticket as a guide.
4. Clear intro, body and closing.
5. “Someday I hope to trim my list to just three” mean that the writer want to be like Apple CEO Steve Jobs.
He want to focus just three activities so he will become more concentrate.
the Idiot box: make some stupid of yourself
Newbies: new person / new comers
like the back of my hand: simple thing
fast: hurry
crack a joke: make a joke
A AWWAB BIN MOHD ZULKIFLI
ReplyDeleteEC09132
1.The column is about the presenter,he is afraid to make any mistake in front the others or look fools on that day.
2.No he doesn't,because in the article clearly state that the he was not prepared.
3.The writer arrived late for the meeting and he not well prepared for the presentation.
4.The three item should be in is clear intro, body and closing.
5.I think the writer really admire Apple CEO Steve Jobs.He want to focus on three thing so he will become more focus.
6.-the idiot box :make fools of yourself
-newbies :inexperience
-like the back of my hand:easy thing
-fast :in hurry/urgent
-carck a joke :make a funny thing