Impromptu Prompts

Ethos 3

Gush About Something You Don’t Love: Practice speaking enthusiastically about a mundane object, using voice, emphasis, and body language to convey excitement.
Where Did That Name Come From?: Pick an item and tell a story about how it got its name, practicing storytelling skills and developing interesting narratives from any subject.
Tell a Photo Story: Develop narratives by presenting a story about an interesting photo, discussing the backstory, characters, and motivations.
Make Up a Definition: Choose an unknown word and authoritatively explain its meaning, focusing on using your voice and intonations to appear more authoritative.
Q&A With an Expert: Have a friend interview you on an unfamiliar topic, answering questions as if you are an expert to improve delivery and authority.
One Minute Off-the-Cuff: Give a one-minute impromptu speech on any topic without preparation to improve comfort and reduce anxiety in unscripted situations.
30 Seconds Filler-Free: Give a 30-second talk without using filler words, restarting each time you use one, and complete ten filler-free attempts.

Ekphrasis: Choose one of the paintings from the MFA – recreate for us the viewing experience.
Enargia: Recall a particularly vivid and unique sensation from your experience. Recreate it for us, and associate it with some concept.
Epitome: Tell us of a place that epitomizes your hometown, or another city you are familiar with.
Hyperbole: Argue that X is the greatest piece of music of all time. A list of submissions will be available ahead of time as a Spotify/iTunes/8tracks playlist.
Paradiastole: Consider one of your friend’s weaknesses. Redescribe it as a virtue or a reason to like this person to someone who hasn’t met them before.