1 Acquiring the Basic Skills
　　第一章 掌握當眾演講的基本技能
　　I started teaching classes in public speaking in 1912， the year the Titanic went down in the icy waters of the North Atlantic. Since then， millions of people have been graduated from these classes.
　　In the demonstration meetings proceeding the first session of the Dale Carnegie Course， people are given the opportunity of telling why they intend to enroll① and what they hope to gain from this training. Naturally， the phraseology② varies； but the central desire， the basic want in the vast majority of cases， remains surprisingly the same：
　　“When I am called upon to stand up and speak， I become so self-conscious，so frightened，that I can’t think clearly， can’t concentrate， can’t remember what I intended to say. I want to gain self-confidence， poise③， and the ability to think on my feet④. I want to get my thoughts together in logical order， and I want to be able to talk clearly and convincingly before a business or social group.”
　　Doesn’t this sound familiar？ Haven’t you experienced these same feelings of inadequacy？ Wouldn’t you give a small fortune to have the ability to speak convincingly and persuasively in public？ I am sure you would. The very fact that you have begun reading the pages of this book is proof of your interest in acquiring the ability to speak effectively. I know what you are going to say， what you would say if you could talk to me：
　　“But Mr. Carnegie， do you really think I could develop the confidence to get up and face a group of people and address them in a coherent⑤， fluent manner？”
　　I have spent nearly all my life helping people get rid of their fears and develop courage and confidence. I could fill many books with the story of the miracles that have taken place in my classes. It is not， therefore， a question of my thinking. I know you can， if you practice the directions and suggestions that you will find in this book.
　　Is there the faintest shadow of a reason why you should not be able to think as well in a perpendicular⑥ position before an audience as you can sitting down？
　　Is there any reason why you should play host to butterflies in your stomach⑦ and become a victim of the “trembles” when you get up to address an audience？ Surely，you realize that this condition can be remedied， that training and practice will wearaway your audience-fright and give you self-confidence.
　　1912年，也就是“泰坦尼克號”游輪沉入北大西洋冰海之中的那一年，我開始開設課程，教授如何當眾演講。此后，數百萬學員參加該課程的學習后畢業(yè)。
　　在戴爾？卡耐基第一屆培訓班開課前的示范會上，學員們得到機會談談自己有意報名參加培訓的原因，以及期待有何收獲。當然，眾口不一，但是大多數學員的主要愿望與基本需求竟如出一轍：
　　“要是有人叫我站起來講話，我就會很不自在，心里發(fā)慌，思路不清，精力不能集中，記不起自己打算說什么。我想獲得自信，做到沉著冷靜、反應敏捷。我希望自己的想法能有條不紊，無論是談生意還是社交，都能表達清晰，富有說服力�！�
　　這些話聽起來是否耳熟？你是否也有這種力不從心的同感？難道你就不愿花點錢，學習在公眾面前講話時擲地有聲、雄辯有力？我相信你的回答是肯定的。你已經開始閱讀本書，這一點就恰恰證明，你希望獲得高效演講的能力。我知道你打算說什么，如果你能當面跟我交談，你會這樣問：
　　“可是卡耐基先生，你真的認為我能培養(yǎng)信心，站起來當著一群人的面講話既流暢又連貫嗎？”
　　我一生的大部分時間都致力于幫助人們擺脫恐懼，培養(yǎng)勇氣，建立信心。培訓班上發(fā)生的種種奇跡，足以寫出許多本書。因此，這個問題不在于我覺得如何。我知道，只要你根據本書的方法與建議去練習，你就能做到。
　　為什么你站著演講就不能像坐著時那樣輕松地思考？為什么你起身演講時緊張不安、渾身發(fā)抖？這兩種情況的產生有任何原因嗎？當然，你明白這種情況是可以糾正的，通過培訓與練習，你對聽眾的恐懼會慢慢消除，獲得自信。