Speaking: Speaking for Specific Purposes C1
Delivering Specialized Academic/Technical Presentations
Listen to the scenario audio here.
The C1 Challenge: Bridging the "Knowledge Gap"
A B2 speaker can *present* data. A C1 speaker can *persuade* with it. Your main challenge is not just knowing your topic, but knowing your **audience**. You must bridge the gap between your expert knowledge and their understanding.
Compare the language used for two different audiences:
🗣️ To EXPERTS (Peers)
"The qPCR analysis revealed a statistically significant (p<0.01) upregulation of the *CYP1A1* gene in the cohort exposed to aromatic hydrocarbons."
🗣️ To NON-EXPERTS (Public)
"To put it simply, we found that exposure to common pollutants... [uses analogy] ...acts like a 'switch', turning on a specific gene that tries to clean the 'poison' out of the body."
Your Presentation Toolkit 🛠️ (Click 🔊)
Use these phrases to guide your audience through complex information.
1. Advanced Signposting (Guiding)
Tell your audience where you are going.
- "What I'd like to do now is pivot to the financial implications."
- "This, of course, brings me to my next point: sustainability."
- "Let's briefly touch upon the methodology before we move on."
2. Data Commentary (Explaining Data)
Don't just read the chart. Tell them what it *means*.
- "What's striking here is that..."
- "This spike strongly suggests that..."
- "The key takeaway from this graph is..."
3. Hedging & Precision (Being Accurate)
Be confident, but don't overstate your claims. Use "hedging" language.
- "This seems to indicate that..."
- "One potential implication of this is..."
- "The data is largely consistent with..."
Scenario: The "So What?" Factor 💬
A C1 speaker always answers the audience's unspoken question: "So what?" Notice how Dr. Vanna uses Data Commentary.
Audience: Hospital Board (Non-medical, focused on budget)
Dr. Vanna: "...And if you look at this slide, you'll see a 45% reduction in patient re-admission rates for the test group."
Board Member: "That's a nice number, Doctor, but what does that mean for us, practically?"
Dr. Vanna: "A fair question. What's striking here is that this 45% drop isn't just a number—it directly translates to cost savings. The key takeaway is that by investing $10 in this preventative program, we save an estimated $250 per patient in re-admission costs. This strongly suggests the program will pay for itself within six months."
Fluency Tip
🗣️ Chunking Technical Terms
When you have a long, technical phrase, don't try to say it word-by-word. Group the words into "chunks" and say them as one unit. This signals to your audience that it's a single concept.
Don't say: "We analyzed... the... quantitative... polymerase... chain... reaction... data." (Sounds hesitant)
Do say: "We analyzed the... [pause] ...(quantitative-polymerase-chain-reaction)... [pause] ...data." (Sounds confident)
Practice saying "statistically-significant-difference" or "user-acquisition-cost" as single chunks.
Practice Your C1 Phrasing 🎯
Practice Quiz: "Upgrade" the Sentence
Choose the best C1-level replacement for each basic sentence. Click "Check Answers" when done.
1. B1 Sentence: "Now, I will talk about the results."
C1 Upgrade:
2. B1 Sentence: "Look at the graph. The number went up."
C1 Upgrade:
3. B1 Sentence (to a non-expert): "Our product's high tensile strength is good."
C1 Upgrade:
Key Vocabulary (Click 🔊)
- To Articulate To express an idea or feeling fluently and coherently.
- To Elaborate To add more detail concerning what has already been said.
- Implication The conclusion that can be drawn from something; the consequence.
- Nuance A subtle difference in or shade of meaning, expression, or sound.
- Caveat A warning or specific condition/limitation of a claim.
- To Pivot To change direction or focus (e.g., in a discussion).
- Objective Not influenced by personal feelings; based on facts.
Your Mission: The 3-Minute Expert ⭐
Your mission is to find a complex topic you understand and explain it to two different audiences.
- Choose a technical or academic topic you know well (e.g., blockchain, the chemical process for making palm sugar, a specific marketing strategy).
- Prepare a 3-minute presentation on it.
- Record yourself twice:
- Recording 1 (Expert): Present it as if you are talking to your professor or a colleague. Use all the technical terms you know.
- Recording 2 (Non-Expert): Present the *same topic* as if you are explaining it to a 10-year-old child or your grandmother. Use simple language, analogies, and the "To put it simply..." phrase.
- Listen to both. Notice how your language, signposting, and even your tone change. This is the C1 skill of audience adaptation.