ESL Podcast 612 - Introducing a Speaker
may I have your attention - a formal phrase used when speaking to a large, noisy audience, asking them to be quiet and listen to what one has to say
May I have your attention, please? It's time for the best man to make a toast to the bride and groom.
honor - something that is a pleasure and makes one feel proud and respected
It is a great honor to accept this award. Thank you so much.
to introduce - to present; to tell someone or a group of people about another person whom they are meeting for the first time
Let me introduce you to my wife.
guest speaker - a person who is invited specifically to speak at an event or conference
How were you able to get such a famous celebrity to be a guest speaker at your conference?
to need no introduction - to be very well known by other people, so that everyone already knows one's profession, background, interests, and more
Madonna's music is familiar to millions of people, so the performer needs no introduction.
innovator - an inventor; someone who is very creative and willing to take risks, and becomes the first person to find new ways of doing things
Google is an innovator that has changed the way things are done on the Internet.
revolutionary thinker - a person who has many new ideas that are shocking at first, but change the way other people think and the way things are done
Galileo was a revolutionary thinker who taught others that the Earth was not the center of the universe.
to strive - to try to do something that is very difficult and/or uncommon
Their organization strives to reduce poverty and eliminate hunger worldwide.
to bring attention to - to raise awareness of; to make many people think about something that they would normally ignore or be unaware of
Researchers are bringing attention to the education benefits of filling a child's home with books.
advanced degree - a master's or doctorate degree; any academic degree higher than a bachelor's degree, such as an MS, MA, MFA, MBA, Ph.D., MD, or JD
Henry is preparing to take the entrance test because he wants to earn an advanced degree in law.
honorary doctorate - a doctorate of philosophy (Ph.D.) degree that a university gives to an individual to recognize his or her outstanding contributions in a particular field, even if he or she has never studied at that university
Even though he never went to college, he has had so much success in business that he holds three honorary doctorates from some of the best universities in the country.
much-anticipated - something that people have been waiting for and looking forward to for a long time
The president is expected to make a much-anticipated announcement about foreign policy today.
speech - a period of time when one person speaks on a particular topic, usually in front of a large group of people
Lucille is going to give a speech about the new particle accelerator in her physics laboratory.
to address - to speak about or discuss a particular topic
This proposal addresses three different ways we could try to cut costs by 10% in the next year.
without further ado - a formal phrase meaning that one is going to do something right away, without delaying or hesitating any longer
I've been talking for too long already, so without further ado, let me give you
what you've been waiting for - the names of our award winners.
to join (someone) in welcoming (someone) - to begin clapping along with the speaker so that another person can come to the stage or take the microphone and begin speaking
Please join me in welcoming our newest board member, Kathy Willis.