卡耐基演講·2.制造懸念

這是鮑威爾·希利先生在費城的賓州運動俱樂部展開講演的方法：Here is the way Mr. Powell Healy began a talk at the Penn Athletic Club in Philadelphia:

“82年前，大約也是在這個季節(jié)，倫敦出版了一本小書，是一段故事，它注定了要永垂不朽。許多人稱它為‘世界上最偉大的小書’。它剛出現(xiàn)時，朋友們在史傳德街或波莫爾街遇上時，總會彼此相問，‘你讀過它了嗎？’回答總是一成不變的：‘是的，上帝保佑，我讀過了。’Eighty-two years ago, there was published in London a little volume, a story, which was destined to become immortal. Many people have called it "the greatest little book in the world." When it first appeared, friends meeting one another on the Strand or Pall Mall asked the question, "Have you read it?" The answer invariably was: "Yes, God bless him, I have."

“它出版那天賣出了1000本。兩星期之內(nèi)銷售量便達(dá)到15000本。從那以后，它無數(shù)次再版，翻譯成各國文字。幾年前，J.P.摩根以極高的價格購得原稿。它現(xiàn)在正和許多無價珍寶安憩在J.R.摩根莊嚴(yán)瑰麗的藝術(shù)館中。這本舉世聞名的書究竟是什么呢？”The day it was published a thousand copies were sold. Within a fortnight the demand had consumed fifteen thousand. Since then it has run into countless thousands of editions and has been translated into every language under heaven. A few years ago, J. P. Morgan purchased the original manuscript for a fabulous sum and it now reposes among the priceless treasures in his magnificent art gallery. What is this world famous book? It is...

你感到有興趣嗎？你是否急于知道更多？你是不是覺得這段開場白已經(jīng)捉住了你的注意力，并隨著他講話的進展提高了興趣？這是為什么呢？因為他激起了你的好奇心，以懸念的氣氛掌握了你。Are you interested? Are you eager to know more? Has the speaker captured the favorable attention of his listeners? Do you feel this opening has held your attention, heightened your interest as it progressed? Why? Because it aroused your curiosity and held you in suspense.

好奇！誰能沒有？Curiosity! Who is not susceptible to it?

說不定你就在好奇了呢。你會問作者是誰？上面提的是什么書？為了滿足你的好奇，就告訴你答案吧：作者是查爾斯·狄更斯，書名是《圣誕歡歌》。Perhaps you, too! You are asking just who is the author and what is the book mentioned above? To satisfy your curiosity, here is the answer:The author:Charles Dickens; the book: A Christmas Carol.

制造懸念一定能引起聽眾的注意。這里還有一例，是我講《人性的優(yōu)點——如何停止憂慮開始生活》時，設(shè)置懸念的方法。我這樣開始：“1871年春天，一位注定要成為聞名全球的醫(yī)生威廉·奧斯勒，拾到了一本書，僅讀了21個字，就對他的將來造成了深遠(yuǎn)的影響?！盋reating suspense is a surefire method of getting your listeners interested. Here is how I try to arouse suspense in my lecture on "How to Stop Worrying and Start Living." I begin like this: "In the spring of 1871, a young man who was destined to become a world-famous physician, William Osler, picked up a book and read twenty-one words that had a profound effect upon his future."

這21個字都是些什么呢？這些字又是如何影響到他的將來的呢？這些都是聽眾希望得到回答的問題。What were the twenty-one words? And how did these words affect his future? These are the questions your listeners will want answered.