国际会议交流英语Unit8PresidingoverMeetings

1、Unit14Presiding over MeetingsTopical HighlightsFeatures of Professional Meetings: exchanging information, displaying achievements, elaborating issues, discussing business, establishing friendship Presiders General Duties: inviting speakers, moderating differences, keeping things in order, controllin

2、g allocated time, enlivening atmosphereGeneral Presiding Procedures: opening a meeting, introducing a speaker, organizing the discussion, thanking the speaker, adjourning or closing the meetingTheme Presentation1. Features of Professional MeetingsA professional meeting is a good occasion to exchange

3、 various kinds of professional information including new ideas, viewpoints, opinions, failures, successful experiences, etc.A professional meeting is a good chance to display or exhibit achievements of the participants by giving speeches, reports, introductions, audio-visual presentations, etc.A pro

4、fessional meeting is a good opportunity to explain, elaborate, expound and discuss issues regarding scientific concepts, theories, ideas, technological considerations, doubts, etc.A professional meeting is a good form to deal with professional business, including the work done in the past, the exist

5、ing problems, the future development, and the forthcoming trends, etc. A professional meeting is a good place to establish contacts and friendship among professionalsnamely a good place for networking.2. Presiders General DutiesPresiders of a conference, including those who serve as chairs in parall

6、el sessions, are usually well-known scholars or celebrities. They are renowned in the specific field, most of them having strong ability of coordination and organization. They should be democratic and impartial, and be able to cope flexibly with the changing situations. Finally, they should have hig

7、h language proficiency. The presiders principal duties and responsibilities can be generalized as: to invite speakers, moderate differences, keep things in order, control allocated time, and enliven atmosphere. 3. General Presiding ProceduresPresiding over meetings forms one of the important parts o

8、f paper presentation activities at international conferences. In this section, we will discuss the ways and skills of how to open a meeting, introduce speakers, organize discussions, thank speakers, and close the meeting, etc.1) Opening a MeetingAs one of the responsibilities, the presider of a meet

9、ing (in most cases a session) should announce the opening of the meeting. The following are four practical and effective ways of opening remarks: , (1) By Self-introductionAt an international conference, especially in a parallel session, the appointed chairperson could rise to the platform and annou

10、nce the opening with a self-introduction. For example:Ex.14-1Ladies and gentlemen,My name is ., from ., and Im going to chair this mornings session. Its a pleasure this morning to welcome you, my colleagues from all over the world, to our conference. Now, I declare the meeting open.Ex. 14-2My name i

11、s . and I will serve as the chairman of this meeting. According to the order of our program today, I will be responsible for this session. I would like to ask for your kind cooperation. I think its time to start.Ex. 14-3With your cooperation, I would like to act as the moderator of this parallel ses

12、sion. My name is . Now Id like to ask Mr. first, please!(2) By Third Partys IntroductionIf a presider is introduced by a third party (usually the chair of the conference) to participants present, the presider will first express his thanks to the introducer and then announce the opening of the sessio

13、n. For example:Ex. 14-4Thank you professor Miller, for your kind introduction. Ladies and gentlemen, it is my great pleasure to have this opportunity to chair this session. Shall we start? First of all, Ill announce the items on the agenda today.Ex. 14-5I feel very honored to have been appointed the

14、 chairman of this meeting. Thank you. Dr. Wang. Dear friends, honorable delegates, on the occasion of the opening of this meeting, I would like to express my best wishes for success to this memorable assembly. I would be very much appreciated for your cooperation and support. Now, shall we start?(3)

15、 By Direct AnnouncementOn most occasions, without self-introduction or introduction of someone else, the presider may directly ask the participants to seat themselves and then announce the opening. For example:Ex. 14-6Friends, colleagues! May I have your attention, please! Its time for us to start.E

16、x. 14-7Attention, please. Shall we get down to business? The program today will be like this .Ex.14-8Its time to begin our speech session. Colleagues and friends, lets start now.Ex. 14-9Ladies and gentlemen, please be seated. Since we are already a bit late, we should begin the present session immed

17、iately.Ex.14-l0Since most of the presenters of this session are present, I would like to call the meeting to order.(4) By Creating Speech AtmosphereTo announce a meeting open by creating speech atmosphere is also a way of starting a session. For example:Ex.14-11Ladies and gentlemen, We shall now sta

18、rt out our main business. Today we should like, first of all, to discuss the problem of. All are urged to exchange their ideas very frankly regarding the problems we now face.Ex. 14-12Good morning! Everyone,We sincerely hope that all who participate in this conference will report fully on the result

19、s of their continuing research and thus contribute to the conference of. Lets discuss all our problems frankly and clearly, and work towards a solution.Ex. 14-13We sincerely hope that all present here will feel free to express their ideas and exchange various opinions so as to make this conference a

20、 real success.2) Introducing a SpeakerAfter announcing the meeting open, the chairperson will introduce speakers. The following are some ways and expressions usually adopted according to different situations.(1) By Direct IntroductionDirect introduction means to directly provide information about th

21、e speakers name, title, or just announce the title of the paper to be presented. For example:Ex. 14-14I have great pleasure of introducing professor . (Professor . comes from .)Ex. 14-15Ladies and gentlemen, our first speaker is Dr. Wade. Dr. Wade is a Swedish .Ex.14-16We are greatly privileged to h

22、ave professor H with us today. He has kindly agreed to address us on the subject of.Ex.14-17Mr. Cart is a distinguished professor from the United States. He is going to talk about the industrial application of laser of various types, and he will touch on some of the theoretical aspects as well. Well

23、, now, Ill hand the chair to our speaker. Ex. 14-18Our next speaker is Dr. Freeman, a senior lecturer in the Chemical Physics Department of Oxford University. Hell speak on .(2) By Appreciative IntroductionIn this type of introduction, the chairperson usually expresses appreciation of the speakers w

24、ork. Ex. 14-19Although my acquaintance with Dr. Zen Yi has been of short duration, his publications and editorials are not unfamiliar to me. I believe that he is a capable exponent2 in the field of Science of Science. Dr. Zen. will give us a talk on System Analysis on the Motivation of Creativity in

25、 Scientists and Engineers.Ex. 14-20 Ladies and gentlemen,All of us are very much interested in the progressive advances in master development. Dr. J. Nelson, president of the Japanese Radio Atmospheric Science Center, has worked in this important field for a number of years. We now call on him to sh

26、are his new findings with us today.Ex. 14-21Dr. Bench is a figure who is being closely watched by academic circles because of the success of his research. In fact, his achievements are highly esteemed in the world. He will deliver his opening address to the General Assembly. Now, Dr. Bench, please.(

27、3) By Background IntroductionAn introduction to the speakers background by the chairperson could create a relaxed and friendly air for the forthcoming presentation or discussion.Ex. 14-22Now I have the pleasure of introducing Dr. Cart. Dr. Cart is from! . Last year I visited his institute and partic

28、ularly his national key laboratory, and was impressed by his excellent work. Today he will share his new findings with us. Dr. Cart, please! Ex. 14-23Our next speaker is Professor Leech. He was interviewed this morning by a group of local reporters because of the encouraging results obtained in his

29、recent experiment. We are lucky to have him here today. Now Ill hand the chair to our speaker.(4) By Transitional Introduction Transitional introduction means that the presider will introduce the forthcoming speaker by connecting the would-be presentation with the previous speech. This type of intro

30、duction can strategically function to introduce the speaker, to satisfy the audience and to complement the previous speaker.Ex. 14-24Ladies and gentlemen,From Dr. Ys talk, I believe that every one of us has gained a much better insight into.in the United States. But what about its application in the

31、 development of.? Now, I should like to call upon professor Wade, who would like to make a presentation on his recent survey. Now, Professor Wade please! Ex. 14-25Ladies and gentlemen, I have great pleasure in introducing professor Zhang Weimin, who is well-known for his numerous articles in the fie

32、ld of environment. As we all know, this is an interdisciplinary conference,5 and it takes a genuine effort for a person in one discipline to listen to something else which may be totally unfamiliar to him. The work of others may help us delineate6 our own work more clearly and may give us ideas for

33、future work which we would not otherwise be able to obtain. I should now like to call upon professor Zhang, whose subject today is Health, Pollution, and Environment, Professor Zhang!3) Organizing the DiscussionSuccessful organization of discussions constitutes the central point of the chairpersons

34、work and specifically demonstrates the effectiveness of his efforts. The following are some situations in which the presiders duties should be well performed.(1) Calling on Participants There are times, especially at the beginning of a discussion, when people hesitate to speak out. Therefore, when p

35、articipants are not active or few of them raise questions, it is the responsibility of the chairperson to say something to encourage them to participate in the discussion. Ex. 14-26 Ladies and gentlemen. Dr. A has now finished his speech. Are there any questions about his talk?Ex.14-27- Ladies and g

36、entlemen, as we have a few minutes in hand, may I ask if there are any questions for the speaker?Ex. 14-28You are requested to put forward your frank opinions and views concerning Mr. Ws speech.Ex. 14-29Mr. L, you appear to have some questions to ask regarding this matter, could you please tell us w

37、hat you think about it?Ex. 14-30Is there anyone else who wants to say something regarding Dr. Cs delivery?Ex.14-31. Has anyone got anything to add to Mr. Ys presentation?Ex. 14-32Mr. P, since you have worked for years in the same field in which Dr. M is engaged, could you please tell us, what you th

38、ink regarding Dr. Ms opinion?Ex.14-33What does everyone think of the presentation just now? We also would like to hear from the non-member participants present here.Ex. 14-34Any more questions? No? But I have a question.(2) Reminding the SpeakersWhen a speakers speech diverges too far from the topic

39、s on the agenda or goes astray in the discussion, the chairperson should remind, guide and lead the presentation in the desired direction.Ex.14-35Could you please make your point more clearly? Ex. 14-36It seems to me that what you have just said falls a bit beyond the range of our present topic. Let

40、s go back to the main theme.Ex. 14-37Im afraid what you said is not to the point. It seems to me there is no connection between what you said and the topic presently being discussed. Ex. 14-38Well, Im afraid that we have gone too far from our main theme. Lets come back.(3) Moderating the DisputesIt

41、is quite natural to have divergent opinions at an academic discussion. As the chairperson of the session, he should moderate the dispute and keep the balance, either by solving the problem immediately, or by shifting disputes temporarily and waiting for the proper occasion to settle them.Ex.14-39Im

42、afraid the above misunderstanding was due to the pronunciation. I also often have the same difficulties at a conference like this. Sometimes I have the feeling that they are speaking a foreign language, even though I know that theyre using English.Ex. 14-40 What do others think regarding the points

43、debated by Mr. A and Mr. B?Ex. 14-41Since we do not seem to be able to resolve this difference now, could we move on to the next point?Ex.14-42As to the result of this discussion, I would say, lets think it over for two or three minutes.Ex.14-43Due to the time limitation, I would suggest that we dis

44、cuss todays problem again in our next session.(4) Generalizing Main Points Sometimes opinions and ideas are too divergent and cannot focus on a particular point. On such occasions, the chairperson should guide, conclude, and summarize the discussion.Ex. 14-44So far we have discussed the following th

45、ree points: one .;. two .; and three . Can we concentrate on these three points?Ex.14-45To summarize the results of our discussion, we find that we are left with the two main positions. They are . Any objections?Ex. 14-46Since this is an especially important problem, let us concentrate a bit and dis

46、cuss it more deeply.Ex. 14-47The opinions presented so far may be summarized as follows .(5) Keeping the Allocated Time The chairperson of an academic discussion (or a parallel session) also takes the responsibility for keeping the allocated time. He should remind the speaker shortly before time is

47、up, or give a warning sign to the speaker.Ex. 14-48According to my watch, we are scheduled to finish our discussion in about three minutes. Is there a final comment?Ex.14-49We are running about 20 minutes behind the schedule. There will be no discussion after Mr. Ls talk.Ex. 14-50Excuse me, sirs, si

48、nce the times quite limited, could you continue your discussion after this session?Ex. 14-51Since you have already used up our agreed-upon time, I have to ask you to stop here. I think, we may have another chance to deal with the topic.(6) Monitoring the Discussion The chairperson should take the in

49、itiative to manage, control and maintain the orderly development of the discussion session.Ex. 14-52!If you have any questions and comments on the subjects brought up so far, please put them down on the sheet distributed among you for the purpose. The sheets will be collected during the recess for a

50、nswers later on.Ex. 14-53I will read the question, as it is written on the sheet. Mr. Chen Dongming, would you like toput the question yourself? Please come to the microphone.Ex.14-54 Mr. Smith, Im afraid we cant hear you. Would you please speak louder or make use of one of the microphones standing

51、near the center of the lecture hall?Ex.14-54 Mr. Smith, Im afraid we cant hear you. Would you please speak louder or make use of one of the microphones standing near the center of the lecture hall?Ex.14-55Well, just now some of the audiences have suggested that smoking be prohibited here. Ladies and

52、 gentlemen, the room is indeed very crowded and smoking seriously disturbs a great many people. If you want to smoke, please go to the lobby or one of the lounges.Ex. 14-56May we hear now from some of the participants who havent expressed their opinions yet?Ex.14-57No more questions? No? Well, so mu

53、ch for that. I thought Id now like to turn your attention to our next speaker .4) Thanking the SpeakerAs a rule, after the speaker has presented his paper and finished the discussion, the chairperson of the session should briefly comment on the speaker, expressing thanks to dm, while the speaker tak

54、es this time to go back to his own seat.Ex.14-58No more questions? No? Well, so much for that, I would like to thank our speaker Mr. Armstrong for his informative talk. (To Mr. Armstrong) Thank you.Ex. 14-59Thank you, professor Cheng. I am sure all the colleagues present here will agree with me when

55、 I say that we have learned a great deal from both your experience and your presentation.Ex.14-60We have gained, through your presentation, a much better insight into the superconductor developed in the United States. Thank you, Mr. M.Ex. 14-61We have listened to a very interesting speech delivered

56、by Dr. E. Now lets turn our attention to our next speaker Mr. T.Ex. 14-62Well, Dr. L, we thank you very much for your enlightening opinions. I now have the pleasure of introducing to you the last distinguished speaker Mr. Z. Ex. 14-63 Thank you, professor F, Im sure that my colleagues join me in tha

57、nking you for an extremely lucid presentation of the main problems confronting us, and for the persuasive way in which you put your case. Now, as we have a few moments in hand, may I ask if there are any questions for the speaker?5) Adjourning or Closing the MeetingOn completing the planned items on

58、 the agenda, the chairperson should adjourn or close the meeting with the following expressions. (Note: The speech in Ex. 14-70 is quite formal and is typical in closing a conference at a plenary session.)Ex.14-64That is all for today. Our next meeting will be on Thursday morning, at the same time a

59、nd place.Ex. 14-65Well, ladies and gentlemen, I think that covers everything on todays agenda. Lets call it a day.Ex. 14-66I wish we could have more time to continue our interesting discussion. But, since we have already used up our agreed-upon time, we would like to close this meeting now. Thank yo

60、u very much for your worthwhile and informative talks.Ex. 14-67I thought Id now summarize briefly what has been said so far. Our time is up. So let us cut .off our discussion at this point for the time being.Ex. 14-68Ladies and gentlemen, the meeting is now adjourned. Thank you all for your kind coo