A fear worse than death It may surprise you a lot，but it's a recent scientific finding—the biggest fear for most people is the fear of making a speech in public.More than a fear of spiders or death，public speaking is something that often causes people to break out into a cold sweat，start shaking uncontrollably，and even feel as though they are about to die.The sensation of stage fright（怯場(chǎng)） is bad enough，but what's worse is the damage it can do to your self-esteem（自尊心）.If you let it stop you，your sense of self gets smaller and your stage fright gets bigger and more powerful.Many jobs，classes，and social events require a person to be able to deliver a good public speech.Fortunately，the hardest part of overcoming（克服）a fear is getting started.Once a person decides to go for it，it can be surprising how quickly fear can melt away.What can help us in the face of fear and be willing to take some risks？
    Sufficient（充足的） practice of a speech can make a big difference to overcoming stage fright.Most people are amazed at how comfortable they are giving a public speech once they have properly prepared and practiced.Practicing a speech many times reduces the fear of coming across as unprepared.Some speakers stand in front of a mirror to practice their speech，but others prefer to have a video recording made，either by a friend or colleague.The benefits of this type visual practice are many.Speakers can watch the video again and again，focusing on a different aspect of the speech each time.Aspects such as speed，body language，content，and other areas of concern can get the attention that they need.The result of sufficient practice is a more confident speaker and a more effective speech.
    Can you draw power from our audience when speaking？The answer is positive.Speakers need to remember a very important thing：no one wants to see them fail in front of a group.The audience members have probably given speeches themselves，so they know how terrifying it can be.In addition，a poorly given speech is not only uncomfortable for the speaker，but it is also uncomfortable for the audience.They want to see the speaker succeed because it is a more enjoyable experience for everyone involved.So why not take advantage of the positive energy from the audience？Speakers can look at the faces of the audience and search for that small nod of agreement or the slight smile，which is often enough to make even the most fearful speakers relax.People sometimes forget that speech-giving is actually a two-way street.By giving and receiving positive thoughts and energy，both the speaker and the audience will have a positive experience.
    There is no question that public speaking can be frightening.However，there is also no question that it is an extremely valuable skill to have.Whether giving the commencement speech at a graduation or a simple toast at a wedding，with proper practice and audience empathy（同理心），it is possible to overcome the fear of public speaking and deliver a successful speech.Just as Nelson Mandela said，"The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid，but he who conquers（戰(zhàn)勝） that fear".It's important to realize that in everything we do，there's always a chance that we'll succeed.Facing that chance，and embracing it，is not only courageous-it also gives us a fuller，more rewarding life.

（1）According to the writer，can stage fright be overcome？What suggestions has he offered？

Yes，stage fright can be overcome.He suggests practicing properly and taking advantage of the positive energy from the audience.

Yes，stage fright can be overcome.He suggests practicing properly and taking advantage of the positive energy from the audience.

（2）Nelson Mandala said，"The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid，but he who conquers that fear".Do you agree with him？Why or why not？Can you share your personal experience to support your idea？

Yes，I agree with him.Because it is hard to avoid setbacks on the way to growth.Don't be afraid of it when you meet it，and try to overcome it.For example，I was afraid to raise my hand to answer questions in class，so I kept telling myself that I can do it!After a lot of practice，I was finally not afraid to raise my hand.

Yes，I agree with him.Because it is hard to avoid setbacks on the way to growth.Don't be afraid of it when you meet it，and try to overcome it.For example，I was afraid to raise my hand to answer questions in class，so I kept telling myself that I can do it!After a lot of practice，I was finally not afraid to raise my hand.