Events
These are better explanations offered by Leland S&Ders. Click the event title to view the official event description.
Do you like to act? Can you do voices? Are you really dramatic? Do you like giving other people’s speeches? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions then interps are for you! There are five different interpretive events:
Humorous Interpretation (called HI for short: “aich-eye” Ex. “Each eye will help you see that you need practice!”)
If you can manipulate your voice into sounding different and imitate cartoon characters, then this is for you. In HI, you take a published selection from literature, shorten it to 8-10 minutes, and act it out. Your final product should make your audience laugh.
Dramatic Interpretation (called DI for short: “dee-eye” Ex. “Haha! On the test, he got a ‘D.’ I did too. Darn.”)
This is for you future Oscar-winning actors and actresses! In DI, you also take a published selection, shorten it to 8-10 min. and act it out. Your final product, however, is more likely to make people cry or touch them emotionally.
Thematic Interpretation (called TI for short: “tee-eye” Ex. “Would you like some tea?” “I would, thank you.”)
What? You can do it all? Then TI is for you! In TI, you combine three selections that develop a theme and act them out in 8-10 minutes. Your three selections can be any combination of dramatic and humorous. You need an introduction and transitions to tie everything together. TI’ers hold a binder containing the three selections during the performance.
SAMPLE THEMES: War, Time, Dogs, Jealousy, Mothers, etc.
Oratorical Interpretation (called OI for short: “oh-eye” Ex. “Oh I just know I’m going to do OI!”)
Can’t suppress the Martin Luther King Jr., Kennedy, and Lincoln in you? Try venting your frustrations in OI. In OI, you deliver someone else’s speech in 8-10 minutes. Look for speeches in anthologies, on the web, and in Vital Speeches of the Day.
Duo Interpretation (called Duo for short: “doo-oh” Ex. “What should I do? Oh, practice…Okay! Hooray!”)
Like to act but want someone with you? In Duo, you and a partner act out a 8-10 minute version of a published selection. You and your partner cannot touch or look at each other during the performance. Duos can be dramatic or humorous.
Are you good at thinking on your feet? Do you know a lot about current events and a little about everything else? If you do, try a spontaneous event.
Extemporaneous (called Extemp for short: “ecks-temp” Ex. “If Neil is at x temperature, how hot is he?”)
Do you keep up with current events? Can you put ideas together in your head well? In Extemp, you have 30 minutes to prepare a 7-minute speech on current events topic. There are two categories of Extemp: National (issues in the US) and Foreign (issues in other countries). Topics are taken from newsweeklies; you’ll work with your fellow extempers to keep a running file of articles to use during your preparation time.
Impromptu (no nickname, but still a groovy event Ex. Uhh…yeah…groovy…)
Are you good on the fly? Can you talk about anything, anytime, to anyone? In Impromptu, you have two minutes to prepare a five-minute speech on one of the three topics you draw at random. Topics can be quotations, current events, and one word abstracts.
Student Congress !!!
Are you interested in politics? Would you like to be a Senator when you grow up? Are you persuasive and good on your feet? If so, then Congress is for you! In Congress, you are given a set of bills (suggested pieces of legislation) in advance that you research before you go to the tournament. You are in a House or Senate with twenty or so other people, and you take turns making pro or con speeches on the bills and asking other speakers questions.
Do you like to argue about anything and everything? Are you persuasive and good on your feet? Do you like to research? If so, then try debate! There are two different kinds of debate:
Team Debate (Team: “teem”, Ox: “ahcks” [short for Oxford], Policy: “pahl-ih-see”, and CX: “see-ecks” [short for Cross-Examination] are all nicknames for Team Debate Ex. Too many…go make one up yourself! Work as a Team!)
In Team, you and a partner debate the pros and cons of the national debate topic. Debate rounds last about 90 minutes. The debate centers on a policy question: one side will present a plan and explain why it will work, the other side will say why it won’t and may present a counter plan. Team debate takes preparation time, research, and working with evidence.
Lincoln-Douglas Debate (called LD for short: “ell-dee” Ex. “Gosh, I love the letter ‘L.’ ‘D’ is just as nifty though!”)
In LD, you fly solo. California students debate one topic first semester; another is debated the second semester. Debate rounds last about 45 minutes. The debate centers on value questions: is something good or bad? Is it ethical to do this or not? LD also requires preparation, research, and evidence, but more emphasis is placed on thinking on your feet in the round, persuasiveness, and speaking style.
Parliamentary Debate (the newest event) (called Parli: “par-lee”)
Parli follows rules derived from the British parliamentary procedure. You and your partner are either the “government” or the “opposition” group. For each round, your team debates on a different resolution about current issues or philosophy that may be phrased literally or metaphorically. You make up your cases in the round and any evidence that you use must already be in your head! (meaning that you will have no access to dictionaries, magazines, books, and other sources!)