卡耐基演讲·2.制造悬念

这是鲍威尔·希利先生在费城的宾州运动俱乐部展开讲演的方法：Here is the way Mr. Powell Healy began a talk at the Penn Athletic Club in Philadelphia:

“82年前，大约也是在这个季节，伦敦出版了一本小书，是一段故事，它注定了要永垂不朽。许多人称它为‘世界上最伟大的小书’。它刚出现时，朋友们在史传德街或波莫尔街遇上时，总会彼此相问，‘你读过它了吗？’回答总是一成不变的：‘是的，上帝保佑，我读过了。’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."

“它出版那天卖出了1000本。两星期之内销售量便达到15000本。从那以后，它无数次再版，翻译成各国文字。几年前，J.P.摩根以极高的价格购得原稿。它现在正和许多无价珍宝安憩在J.R.摩根庄严瑰丽的艺术馆中。这本举世闻名的书究竟是什么呢？”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...

你感到有兴趣吗？你是否急于知道更多？你是不是觉得这段开场白已经捉住了你的注意力，并随着他讲话的进展提高了兴趣？这是为什么呢？因为他激起了你的好奇心，以悬念的气氛掌握了你。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！谁能没有？Curiosity! Who is not susceptible to it?

说不定你就在好奇了呢。你会问作者是谁？上面提的是什么书？为了满足你的好奇，就告诉你答案吧：作者是查尔斯·狄更斯，书名是《圣诞欢歌》。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.

制造悬念一定能引起听众的注意。这里还有一例，是我讲《人性的优点——如何停止忧虑开始生活》时，设置悬念的方法。我这样开始：“1871年春天，一位注定要成为闻名全球的医生威廉·奥斯勒，拾到了一本书，仅读了21个字，就对他的将来造成了深远的影响。”Creating 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."

这21个字都是些什么呢？这些字又是如何影响到他的将来的呢？这些都是听众希望得到回答的问题。What were the twenty-one words? And how did these words affect his future? These are the questions your listeners will want answered.