Debate 2: Effectiveness of central banks

Compare the lectures of B.Bernanke and Brian S.Wesbury on the effectiveness of FED's measures taken to evade economic collapse. You can also find and add information to this topic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrFSO62p0jk

Hold a debate:
Conducting Debate

The chairperson opens the debate by introducing and summarizing the moot (the topic to be debated). Then the affirmative team present their arguments, followed by a member of the negative team. This pattern is repeated for the second and the third speakers in each team. Finally, each team gets an opportunity for rebutting the arguments of the opponent.

Speakers should speak clearly, audibly to an audience using some appropriate eye contact, variation of voice and body language.

Speakers should find specific, relevant examples, statistics and evidence to support a given case. They should incorporate this information into their speech as part of a debate in a relevant and appropriate way, use a range of speaking skills to present a case during a debate. They should do so in an appropriate manner, demonstrating an understanding of the rules of formal debate.

The sequence for debate is as follows:

·                                A 2- minute constructive speech from each speaker of both teams.

(the second and the third speakers of both sides presenting further arguments, identifying further areas of conflict should answer the questions that may have been raised by the previous affirmative/negative  speakers).

·                                A 3-minute recess to prepare for rebuttals

·                                5-minute rebuttals from each side turn by turn. (At this stage you may either incorporate your questions in your speech during the first round or frame clear-cut counter arguments at the very beginning of the rebuttal stage)

·                                A 3-minute concluding speech from each side

·                                Questions from the audience (the audience can address questions to both sides after the debate.

·                                The chairperson`s conclusive statements.

NOTE: While referring to peers` or competitors` words/thoughts/ideas try to forget the       verbs "say" & "tell". Instead use the following:                 assert     state     admit     explain     mention     point    out     prove    reply     assure     convince        inform     notify    remind    warn    promise      claim             argue          confirm that         attack    raise the question      dwell upon      emphasize that     stress the importance                  add        '  retort (' резко возражать)     deny

Signposting

May I begin by filling you in on the…/making a few observations about the events leading to that collapse/giving   you an overview of/ bringing you up- to-date on …

Then I `ll go on to highlight/throw some light on/talk you through/discuss in more depth/state

I look at it this way

The first thing I should say is/concerns…

It has often been said that…

You may be temped at first to suppose that…

I put it to you (=suggest)

In the course of his speech Mr Y mentioned/referred to…

In his very able speech Mr X quoted statistics about..

First of all                                I`d like to explain

Secondly                  }              Let`s consider

Lastly                                       I must add that

Last but not least                      Let`s not forget

I now want to draw your attention to another fact

On the other hand, some of us feel very strongly about…

To begin with, I...................

In the first line, I.............

   Other useful phrases for debates

 - What can you say instead of "I think" 

I would say/think

§                     In my opinion

§                     To my mind

§                     I am of the opinion that

§                     I hold the opinion that

§                     I suppose/assume/feel

- When you want to stress your "personal opinion":

§                     Personally I think

§                     As far as I am concerned

§                     As for me

§                     As I take it

§                     As far as I can see

- When you "agree" or when you "don't agree":

§                     I entirely/quite agree with you.

§                     I agree to (with) her plan.

§                     I am of the same opinion.

§                     I should like to take up the argument of

§                     I must contradict the ridiculous arguments of the previous speaker

§                     I differ from/with you entirely.

§                     I disagree with you: I am sure you're mistaken.

§                     I stick to my opinion.

§                     Let's agree to differ!

- When you want to say the "opposite" of what someone else said:

§                     on the contrary! quite the contrary! just the opposite!

§                     That is the very opposite of what I said.

§                     That is quite the contrary to what I said.

§                     I maintain the contrary.

§                     In contrast to what you said, I maintain that...........

- When you are "quite sure" of something:

§                     of course!

§                     That goes without saying (It goes without saying  that......)

§                     I contend/maintain that................

§                     It's my conviction that..................

 - When you want to "ask a question":

§                     May I interrupt you?

§                     There arises the question/point whether/if......

§                     This question raises the whole issue

- When you "haven't understood":

§                     I beg your pardon. / Pardon?

§                     Could you repeat what you've just said? But slower, please./

§                     Could you slow down a bit?

 - If you should want to "correct a mistake":

§                     Excuse me (for interrupting) you should have said:"....."

- When you want to "distinguish" (make a distinction between) two aspects of a question, when you     want to distinguish one aspect from the other:

§                     on the one hand; on the other hand

§                     in general; in particular

§                     generally speaking

§                     on the whole

§                     taken as a whole

§                     at first sight; on second thoughts

- When you want to "add" something:

§                     In addition,.........................

§                     Moreover,....................

§                     Furthermore,........................

§                     Finally,

§                     On top of that...........................

- When you want to "emphasize" something:

§                     I would like to lay (put) emphasis (stress) on the fact  that..

§                     I just want to point out that................

- When you want to "say the truth":

§                     To be frank (with you),...................

§                     Frankly (speaking),.........................

§                     To tell the truth,

§                     To be perfectly frank,........................

§                     And if you are "not sure":

§                     I don't know exactly.

§                     I don't know for certain.

-  General phrases:

§                   in other words; in this respect

§                   to a certain degree/extent; It depends on your point of view

in brief/short.......... view; in a nutshell                 To be brief,..................

To cut a long story short,...... Let me put it this way:....

§                   I don't know. - I don't know either. Nor/Neither do I.

Possible conclusions

§                     To conclude, we must emphasise our motion of…., hence the opposition’s point of view can no longer be supported.

§                     To sum up, our motion must stand, simply because during the debate we have shown….

§                     This debate has made obvious that the opposition’s motion cannot stand since…..

§                     The simple truth is…

§                     The proposed arguments lead us to the irrefutable conclusion that…

§                     To draw a line under this debate, …

§              After careful consideration, we must conclude that…