Woman: Welcome to 'Mid Afternoon,' Dr Carter.
卡特博士，欢迎您来到《Mid Afternoon》节目做客。
Now, I imagine you're here in Birmingham to promote your recently published book 'The Art of Giving Presentations'.
现在，我猜您来伯明翰是为了宣传您最新出版的《演讲的艺术》一书。
Is that right?
对吗？
Man: Well, not really, no!
嗯，不是！
In fact the book isn't really recent at all - it came out at the beginning of last year.
实际上，这本书根本不是新出版的--它是在去年年初出版的。
I'm actually here this week to give a series of talks outlining some ideas I've had since then.
我这周来到这里是为了做一系列座谈，简述一下在那之后的萌发的一些新观点。
Woman: So are these ideas the basis for your next book?
这些观点是您下一本书的基础吗？
Man: Well, it's really too early to talk about that!
谈这个就太早了！
Woman: I see. Now tell me, how did you become involved in this particular area of communication skills?
我知道了。现在说说，您是如何参与沟通技巧这一特定领域研究的呢？
Man: Well, many years ago, as a young sales executive, I had to give presentations, but I felt I wasn't doing them very well.
许多年前，我还是一名年轻的销售员，我要作演讲，但我感觉我不是做得很好。
My boss never actually criticised me, and my colleagues weren't doing any better than me,
我的老板从不真正批评我，而且我的同事做得不比我好，
but the point was that I didn't feel satisfied with my performance.
但重点是，我对自己的表现不满意。
You see, if I'm doing something, I have to do it well.
你知道的，如果我在做一件事，我就必须要把它做好。
Woman: So you decided to do something about improving your performance.
所以您决定改进您的表现。
Man: That's right.
是的。
I tried to find some books to help me but there weren't really any available in those days ...
我试着找一些书来提供帮助，但在当时，我没法买到这种书……
so I eventually decided on a totally practical approach:
所以我最后决定用一个绝对实用的方法：
I tried to find out what my problem was by studying the way the best speakers gave presentations,
通过学习最出色的演讲家做演讲的方法，我试着找出自己的问题所在，
by talking to them, even watching them prepare.
我还与他们对话，甚至观看他们是如何做准备的。
Then I compared their performance with mine.
然后我将他们的表现与我自己的表现进行对比。