Why is Paine's use of aphorisms effective for his purpose and audience? A. His readers had heard his aphorisms before in documents like the
Declaration of Independence.
B. His readers were accustomed to abiding by short statements of
truth from books like Poor Richard's Almanack.
C. Paine's readers were easily swayed by the repetition of similar
phrases and sentence structures.
D. Using similar ideas to stand in for familiar concepts was novel and
engaging for Paine's readers, so it kept their interest.

each year on this day, i make it a point to listen to dr. martin luther king jr.’s great “i have a dream” speech. it’s electrifying every single time.

the content of dr. king’s speech, his inspiring presence, and the moment in history all came together to make the iconic “i have a dream” speech the defining moment of the american civil rights movement. but there are several other reasons why this speech, delivered over 50 years ago, remains an example of one of the best speeches in american history.

since part of my job is to people become better presenters, i’ve noticed several techniques that we can all learn from and be inspired by in this magnificent speech.

it’s anchored in a powerful related location

in most cases, you can’t handpick the spot to give a presentation, as mlk did for supreme symbolic effect when he stood on the steps of the lincoln memorial and echoed the opening words of the gettysburg address (“five score years ago . . ). but you absolutely can amplify your message by adapting it to your setting and location.