Hillary Clinton's Speech on Hosting Exchange Students
Hillary Clinton's speech on "Hosting exchange students" delivered in September 2012 emphasizes the significance and advantages of student exchange programs. The speech is structured into six parts, each presenting compelling arguments for young people to participate in these programs.
Clinton employs various stylistic devices to make her arguments more effective and engaging. She begins with a generalization about the prevalence of student exchanges worldwide, using alliteration to emphasize key points. For example, she states, "Each year, thousands of [...] young people from all around the world travel to the [...]" (lines 1-2).
Highlight: Clinton uses alliteration throughout her speech to draw attention to important concepts, such as "homes and hearts" (line 4), "people-to-people" (lines 5-6), and "last a lifetime" (line 6).
The speech repeatedly uses the keyword "exchange (student)" (lines 4, 7, 11, 16) to reinforce the central theme. Clinton's choice of words is sophisticated, as demonstrated in the enumeration "goodwill, generosity and mutual understanding" (line 7). She also employs positive adjectives combined with advanced vocabulary, such as "positive impressions" (line 11) and "great enthusiasm" (line 13), to create an optimistic tone.
Vocabulary: Enumeration - A list or catalog of items in a speech or writing, often used for emphasis or clarity.
Clinton concludes her speech by using "we" (lines 19-20) in parallel phrases to express solidarity and emphasize unity among people, encouraging them to look beyond stereotypes and misconceptions.
Quote: "When we open our homes and hearts to exchange students, we learn to see the world through their eyes."
The speech effectively uses various stylistic devices and a communicative strategy to capture the audience's attention and interest. Clinton's clear structure and supportive arguments aim to motivate listeners to participate in student exchange programs.
Highlight: What are the advantages and disadvantages of being an exchange student? While Clinton focuses on the advantages, such as gaining new perspectives and forming lifelong connections, she does not address potential challenges in her speech.
Example: What are the benefits of youth exchange? Clinton highlights benefits such as fostering goodwill, promoting mutual understanding, and creating positive impressions of different cultures.
Definition: What is the outcome of student exchange program? According to Clinton's speech, the outcomes include increased cultural understanding, personal growth, and the development of lasting international relationships.
