美国总统奥巴马于2009年11月16日首次访华，第一站来到了中国的经济中心及金融之都上海。在他风趣幽默的讲话中，我们时时发现他的遣词造句就像是在回答一道道雅思口语的问题，在谈笑之间把很多看似艰深的考题一一挥斥，并不断激起听者的共鸣。现聊举数例，以供各位“烤鸭”在玩味中学习。
【雅思考题一】 What aspect of your hometown has changed a lot in recent years?
【奥巴马答曰】 Here in Shanghai, we see the growth that has caught the attention of the world – the soaring skyscrapers, the bustling streets and entrepreneurial activity.
【点评】 由于中国的大部分城市都在迅猛发展，因此就算你的家乡不是上海也一点儿没关系，只要很方便的把Shanghai改成你任意指定的家乡就是了。该回答最后的entrepreneurial是一个高难单词，可简单地替换成business或commercial，基本不影响原意。
【雅思考题二】 What do you think of American people?
【奥巴马答曰】 This is a common American impulse – the desire to reach for new horizons, and to forge new partnerships that are mutually beneficial.
【点评】 建议把开头部分改成：I think most Americans have this impulse …，这样更能切题回答。如果觉得forge new partnerships比较难的话，你完全可以说build new relationships，也是非常地道的讲法。
【雅思考题三】 Do you think China has undergone great transformations? In what ways?
【奥巴马答曰】 China has lifted hundreds of millions of people out of poverty – an accomplishment unparalleled in human history – while playing a larger role in global events.
【点评】 如果能在该回答的前面加上：Yes, of course. Within six decades, … 那就锦上添花了，把新中国建国60年来的伟大成就以奥巴马式的口吻描绘出来。雅思考官一听保管大跌眼镜！
【雅思考题四】 What should be done about climate change and global warming?
【奥巴马答曰】 The United States and China are the world’s two largest emitters of greenhouse gases, of carbon that is causing the planet to warm. So unless both countries are willing to take critical steps in dealing with this issue, we will not be able to resolve it.
【点评】 最好能在这一回答的开始部分加入一个引子，来说明climate change and global warming与greenhouse gases的关系。你可以说：Well, as we all know, greenhouse gas emissions are largely responsible for climate change and global warming, and …，如此巧妙的过渡使奥巴马的话语成为我们攻克雅思口语的利器。
另外，在他的讲话中充斥的外交辞令，如果能被我们学到一二，便足以和雅思考官进行周旋了。我列出几条，供大家参考：
1. It is a great honor for me to be here …
2. I am looking forward to this chance to have a dialogue.
3. I believe that each country must chart its own course.
4. And I’m absolutely confident that …
5. So let me give you a specific example, and that is the issue we were just discussing …
6. Now, what is also true is that each country in this interconnected world has its own culture and its own history and its own traditions.
