Extemporaneous Speaking

In a prep room, the students will draw three topics of current interest; the student must pick one to prepare for a presentation.  In the prep room, the students will have a 30-minute preparation period during which evidence may be used to put together the presentation. After the preparation period, the student should deliver a speech to be evaluated for content and delivery.  The topic slip must be presented to the judge in the round. No visual aids are allowed and no notes are allowed in VX.  Students must cite facts and analysis from source material accurately and in keeping with the author’s intent.
Time: 7 minute maximum (30 second grace); no minimum

​In Novice Extemp only, a single note-card with no more than 50 written words is permitted. If a note-card is to be used, the judge must review it prior to the presentation. Any note-card violation should be brought to the attention of the prep room coordinator prior to the speech; or, the student may choose to proceed without the use of the note-card.

Ballot

---

Cross-Ex in Varsity finals

In the final round of Varsity Extemporaneous Speaking, a 3-minute cross-examination period will follow each speech. This will not occur in Novice Extemporaneous Speaking.
Each speaker will be cross examined by the speaker who spoke before them in the round, with the first speaker being cross examined by the student scheduled to speak last in the round. As a student speaks, the student who will ask them questions will watch. Immediately following the speech, the questioner will engage the speaker in cross-examination for a three-minute period.

The judge or timer should keep time and give time signals to both speakers during cross examination; at the close of the 3 minute period no further questions may be asked, but a speaker may finish the answer to a question past the 3 minute period.

The purpose of cross-examination is to expand upon important points in a speaker's speech and test their full knowledge of the subject.  Cross-examination periods should be cordial and concentrate solely on the topic of the speech. Speakers should not talk over each other, nor should they monopolize the time; they must permit one another time to answer or ask questions. Judges should consider each speaker's answers and the questions they ask in their final ranking of the round.

Neither student may refer to notes during the cross-examination period.

The cross-examination should begin within 1 minute of the time that the speaker finishes speaking.  This should be sufficient time for the student who will be cross-examining to put his/her notes down, move to the front of the room and begin.

Questions for Practice

These are the questions used at tournaments throughout the season.  We post them so that your team will have questions of the type generally asked at tournaments to use for practice.  

Date of Tournament

2017-2018
1.6.18
12.16.17
10.14.17

Download Questions for Practice


Newton South
Holly Festival
Novice Tournament

---