Signposts:
* Signposts act like road signs. They guide you through the speech by indicating transitions, sections, and key points. Think of them as the "turns" and "landmarks" in a journey.
* Common signposts include:
* Phrases: "Firstly," "Secondly," "In addition," "However," "On the other hand," "Finally," "To summarize," etc.
* Words: "Next," "Now," "Therefore," "Because," "As a result," etc.
* Repetition: Repeating a keyword or phrase to emphasize its importance.
* Visual aids: Using slides, charts, or images to mark transitions and highlight key information.
* How they help: Signposts make it easy to follow the speaker's train of thought. They help you identify the different sections of the speech and anticipate what the speaker will cover next.
Keywords:
* Keywords are the building blocks of the speech's main idea. They are words or phrases that are repeated throughout the speech and are central to the speaker's message.
* Common keywords include:
* The central topic: e.g., "climate change," "education reform," "artificial intelligence."
* The speaker's argument: e.g., "solutions," "challenges," "benefits," "implications."
* The speaker's call to action: e.g., "vote," "donate," "act now," "spread awareness."
* How they help: Keywords help you understand the speaker's core message. They provide clues about the speaker's purpose, perspective, and what they want the audience to remember.
Putting it all together:
* Pay attention to the signposts and keywords throughout the speech.
* Look for patterns and connections between them.
* Try to summarize the main idea using the signposts and keywords as a framework.
By understanding the role of signposts and keywords, you can effectively analyze a speech and determine its main idea.