<p>oh my gosh.. never have i been so nervous for a school assignment! i've got a classic book debate on monday in AP English and i'm a wreck. the fact that i have to improvise on the spot and say intelligent things in front of my class of 30 (and intimidating teacher...) is scaring the crap out of me. ha</p>
<p>i read into the wild, and i know the book pretty well.. but we have to debate it stylistically/rhetorically and i'm horrible at that. </p>
<p>and we have to prepare arguments for both pro and con. we don't know which side we are arguing until 10 minutes before the debate...</p>
<p>any advice??? either for the debate or just being more comfortable?? i'm going to be shaking uncontrollably. :/</p>
<p>Just make a flashcard of important info you want to include in the debate.</p>
<p>maybe it would be easier if you broke the whole issue down and dealt with one thing at a time. You might find that it is not as intimidating as you think. First of all you have to get past being so nervous. You are the only one that is all wrapped up in what you will be saying in front of the class. The teacher will be looking for you to satisfy certain point or criteria for the grade. The other students will have a million things on their minds besides what you are talking about. If you relax, and don’t worry about your own version of failure, it will be much nicer.</p>
<p>The flash cards are a good idea. Just the act of writing things down you will have a much better chance of remembering at all. Give yourself a list of questions that ask about both the style and the rhetoric of the book. Then one by one answer all of those questions. Focus on a few in specifics from either viewpoint so that if you get confused in the debate you can go back to that.</p>
<p>It would not hurt to go over the book with some post it notes, just a super quick skim of each chapter, and put points down in each section. That will help you to deal with remembering each part of the book and debate about it more smoothly.</p>
<p>Ignore that anyone’s there. Just latch on to an inner monologue in the vein of conversation, and say out loud what that monologue is saying in your head. Polish the grammar and censor any information not supporting your argument.</p>
<p>Also, care about what you’re discussing. It has to matter to you enough that your opponent’s statements get under your skin, and you’re itching to make retorts the whole time they’re speaking. This part is the most important. Be sure, however, not to show that you’re angry or annoyed, just passionate. It gives your voice and your gestures an organic tint of authenticity.</p>