4．Public Speaking and Critical Thinking
What is critical thinking？To a certain degree，it's a matter of logic（邏輯）-of being able to spot weaknesses in other people's arguments and to avoid them in your own．It also includes related skills such as distinguishing fact from opinion and assessing the soundness of evidence．
In the broad sense，critical thinking is focused，organized thinking-the ability to see clearly the relationships among ideas．（16）DThe greatest thinkers，scientists，and inventors have often taken information that was readily available and put it together differently to produce new ideas．That，too，is critical thinking．
（17）EAs the class goes on，for example，you will probably spend a good deal of time organizing your speeches．While this may seem like a purely mechanical（機械的）exercise，it is closely connected with critical thinking．If the structure of your speech is loose and confused，chances are that your thinking is also disordered and confused．If，on the other hand，the structure is clear，there is a good chance your thinking is too．Organizing a speech is not just a matter of arranging the ideas you already have．（18）A
What is true of organization is true of many aspects of public speaking．（19）F As you work on expressing your ideas in clear，accurate language，you will approve your ability to think clearly and accurately．（20）GAs you learn to listen critically to speeches in class，you will be better able to assess the ideas of speakers in a variety of situations．
If you take full advantage of your speech class，you will be able to develop your skills as a critical thinker in many circumstances．This is one reason public speaking has been regarded as a vital part of education since the days of ancient Greece．
A．Rather，it is an important part of shaping the ideas themselves．
B．This may seem like a lot of time，but the rewards are well worth it．
C．It may also help you to know that there is no such thing as a perfect speech．
D．It has often been said that there are few new ideas in the world，only reorganized ideas．
E．If you are wondering what this has to do with your public speaking class，the answer is quite a lot．
F．The skills you learn in your speech class can help you become a more effective thinker in a number of ways．
G．As you study the role of evidence and reasoning in speech making，you will see how they can be used in other forms of communication as well．
分析 本文介紹了辯證思考，在某種程度上，辯證思考是一種邏輯思維，即我們能通過分析別人的論點來駁倒他．同時，辯證思考還需要一些相關技能，如從觀點中分析事實，評估證據的真實性．
解答 16．D 考查句意理解和上下文．根據前面"In the broad sense，critical thinking is focused，organized thinking 有組織的思考"可知，D項"It has often been said that there are few new ideas in the world，only reorganized ideas"符合語境，故選D．
17．E 考查句意理解和上下文．根據空后"As the class goes on for example…"和"speaking class"有關，E項"If you are wondering what this has to do with your public speaking class，the answer is quite a lot"中的課堂演講符合語境，故選E．
18．A 考查句意理解和上下文．根據關鍵句子"Organizing a speech is not just a matter of arranging the ideas you already have"可知，應該選擇"organizing a speech"的另一個重要性，A項中"Rather it is an important part of shaping the ideas themselves"與前句是轉折關系符合語境，故選A．
19．F 考查句意理解和上下文．根據關鍵句子"What is true of organization is true of many aspects of public speaking"提到公眾演講，而F項中"The skills you learn in your speech class can help you become a more effective thinker in a number of ways"在演講班學到的技能能幫助你在很多方面成為有效的思考者．故選F．
20．G 考查句意理解和上下文．根據關鍵句子"As you work on…"及"As you learn to listen critically to speeches in class…"可知，應該選擇動作順承的選項，故選G．
點評 考查學生的細節(jié)理解和推理判斷能力．做細節(jié)理解題時一定要找到文章中的原句，和題干進行比較，再做出正確選擇．在做推理判斷題時不要以個人的主觀想象代替文章的事實，要根據文章事實進行合乎邏輯的推理判斷．
