演讲不管在我们普通老百姓的日常生活中还是世界各国总统的竞选中，都是普遍存在的，我们先来了解一下什么是演讲，演讲又叫讲演或演说，是指在公众场所，以有声语言为主要手段，以体态语言为辅助手段，针对某个具体问题，鲜明、完整地发表自己的见解和主张，阐明事理或抒发情感，进行宣传鼓动的一种语言交际活动。那么，演讲稿的好坏直接决定了演讲的成功与失败。演讲稿像议论文一样论点鲜明、逻辑性强，但它又不是一般的议论文。它是一种带有宣传性和鼓动性的应用文体，经常使用各种修辞手法和艺术手法，具有较强的感染力。演讲未必都使用演讲稿，不少著名的演讲都是即兴之作，由别人经过记录流传开来的。但重要的演讲最好还是事先准备好演讲稿，因为演讲稿至少有两个方面的作用：其一，通过对思路的精心梳理，对材料的精心组织，使演讲内容更加深刻和富有条理。其二，可帮助演讲者消除临场紧张、恐惧的心理，增强演讲者的自信心。
我们来看看下面这段主持人的演讲开场白。
Good afternoon, Everybody！welcome to the third English Speaking Competition. The topic of this competition is “The Second Start Line”.
We are very happy to gather here hold an English Speaking Competition. I am happy to stand here and have this opportunity to share something with
you guys.Okay, firstly, I'd like to introduce you the adjudicators of this Contest, since they've been working so hard during when then competition's going on. They are...Then， let me introduce the rules of this competition. There is 2 parts in today’s competition.1st is prepared Speech, you will introduce yourself. And each of contests has 5 minutes to present prepared speech.There are all together 10 contestants to compete in today’s English speaking contest.Now please welcome contestant N0.1...contestant no.2
please get ready.We hope it will be a good opportunity to the participants to display their talent of language and we also hope that you , the audience will enjoy this exciting competition and benefit from what you hear.