Cary Academy Novice Tournament
2021 — Online, VA/US
Impromptu
Event Description:
Tournament Topics:
Technology
Education
Environmental
Identity
Purpose of Contest: To encourage students to combine clear thinking, good speaking skills, and interesting presentation in responding quickly to one of three topics with a clear, specific point in a well-developed speech.
Contest Regulations:
1. Impromptu topics will include proverbs, ordinary objects, events, quotations, and famous people. All students, in each section, will draw from the same list of topics. A different subject area will be used for each round.
2. Students will be assigned to a room with an adjudicator present. When the student is asked to speak, he/she will be given three topics and asked to choose one.
3. The contestant shall prepare a speech without consultation and without reference to prepared notes or research materials. The student may make limited notes on both sides of one note card not exceeding 4” x 6” in size. Visual aids and/or props are prohibited
4. There is NO minimum time requirement, but the contestant must cover the subject adequately. The maximum time for preparation and speaking is seven minutes. Time begins immediately after the three topics are drawn. The student may divide this time in any way he/she sees fit.
Any contestant who exceeds the established time limit by more than 30 seconds may not rank first or score highest in the round. The adjudicator is expected to provide the student with oral time signals, indicating the amount of time elapsed at one minute, two minutes, etc. until the student begins speaking.
The adjudicator should then provide the student with visual hand signals showing the progression of each minute, again at 6:30, and at the end of the seventh minute, indicate that time has expired. It is essential that a judge be consistent with start times and time signals, both oral and visual.
5. A student may not leave the impromptu round until all students have finished speaking.