英语演讲稿分钟(模板6篇)

第页共页最新英语演讲稿分钟(模板6篇)英语演讲稿分钟篇一aftericamebackfromthe“21stcentury-ericssoncup”7thnationalenglishspeakingpetitionwiththeawardofthe“mostpromisingspeaker”,peoplekeptaskingmethesamequestionoverandoveragain.“howdidyoulearnenglish,especiallyasanon-englishmajor?”actuallyibelievethatahundredpeoplewouldhaveahundredofwaystolearnenglishwell.however,iwouldliketosharemypersonalexperienceofenglishlearningwiththosewhohavetheenthusiasmforimprovetheirenglish.sinceihavesetupthreemirrorsinmypreparedspeechinhopingthattheywouldguideouryounggenerationonthewaytoglobalization,iwouldliketomaintainthreemirrorsheretoreflecthowilearnedenglish.thefirstmirror,iassume,shouldreflectasteadyfoundation.thisinvolvesmyfirstfewyearsofenglishlearning,whichiconsiderasthekeyfactorofallmyachievementsintheyearstofollow.atthattimeienteredthemiddleschoolattachedtoxi’anjiaotonuniversity,icouldonlysaymyabcswhileothersinmyclasscouldatleastmunicateinsimpleenglish.allthetalesaboutthefrightfulnessoflearningenglishthenpoppedupinmymindandmademefeelscared.fortunatelymyfirstenglishteacherwasveryexperiencedinenlighteningherstudentsonenglishlearning.shewasakindwomanwithacharmingsmile.butherhomeworkassig____entswerenoteasytask:theyrequiredustoreadafterthetapefor20timesandrecitethewholetext.soitwasquitenaturalthatmostofmyclassmatesonlyrecitedtheshortessaywithinashorttimeandthenwenttoplay.butmyfearofnotbeingabletosayasingleword,mademesitdownandimmersemyselfinwhattheteacherhadaskedmetodo.beforeeveryenglishclasswewouldhaveanondutyreporttoletthestudentssaysomethingaccordingtowhattheyhadlearned.myfirstpresentationinclasswastoreciteadialogue.buttomygreatsurprise,myteacherpraisedmeformypronunciation.ititteredbecauseihadimitatedthereadersinthetapeforatleast20timesuntilfinallyicouldn’tfindanydifferencesbetweenourpronunciations.andididnotrealizethatthislittleprizegivenbymyteacherbegantoinfluencemyenglishlearningmagically.ibelievethefirstthreeyearsofenglishlearningguaranteedthepossibilityofmyfurtherachievementsbecausebymeansofimitationibuiltafoundationofgoodpronunciationandbymeansofrecitingirestoredthebasicelementofenglishlanguage.onthewhole,iwouldliketoshowmysincerethankstomyfirstenglishteachers.yuzhiling,whoisnowstillcaringformygrowth.thesecondmirroriwouldliketomentionherereflectsaneffectivewayofenglishlearning.istillsticktomypointofviewthatdifferentpeoplehavedifferenttechniquestolearnenglishwell.buttherearesomemethodsthatseemtobeobviouslyineffective.let’sfirsthavealookatthefourimportantskillsforstudentstomaster:reading,writing,listeningandspeaking.ihaveplacedtheminorderofdifficulty.readingistheeasiestskill.itisalsothemostwidelyfoundenglishlanguageskillamongstchinesestudent,writingisamoreactiveskillthanreading.howeveritisstillalittleeasierthanspeaking,asthereisplentyoftimetochoosetherightwordslookinthedictionaryforhelp,andmakecorrections.listeningisthethirdmostimportantlanguageskilltolearn.itisfarmoredifficulttolistenandunderstandspokenenglishthantoreadenglishinabookorinaletter.speakingenglishmaybethemostdifficultofthefourlanguageskills.itisanactiveskill,andrequiresthestudenttoputwordstogetherintosentenceswithoutmuchtimetoprepare,andwithnotimeforcorrection,yetitisthemostexcitingskilltohave,asitopensupwonderfulchannelsofmunicationwithpeopleofothersculturesandcountries.butthisisjustwhatwelack.moreoftenthannotifoundsomeofthestudentswhogethighmarksintheirexamsshowedaninabilitytomunicatewithpeopleinenglish.andthisenabledmetounderstanddeeperwhatmyfirstenglishteacherhasalwaysemphasized:listeningandspeakingkeepingahead;readingandwritingfollowingup.ibelievethisistheruleoflearningalanguagebecausewelearnacertainlanguagetomunicate.asweconqueredthemostdifficultparts:listeningandspeaking,wewouldeasilymasterthewritingandreadingskills.thenhowcanwemakeit?ihaveseenlotsofdiligentstudentsintheearlymorningreadingaloudtheirenglishtextswithoutpayinganyattentiontotheirnearlyunacceptablepronunciation.ifeelsorryforthosestudentsbecausetheirhardworkdeservesamuchbetterenglishleveliftheyimprovetheirmethodoflearning.lastbutnotleast,thethirdmirrorreflectstheinterestinenglishlearning.confuciusoncesaid,“knowingitisnotasdelightinginit.”nowhereisthismoretruethanonthematterofenglishlearning.myexperienceinenglishlearninginitiatedquitepassively,butbeforelongmyinterestinitbegantoinspiremetocontinuetheprocess.totestifymyenglishskillsandtostirupevengreaterenthusiasm,iusedtoparticipateinvariouskindsofpetitions.wheniwaspreparingforanation-wideenglishpetitioninhighschool,igottoknowthe“21stcenturycup”englishspeakingpetitionforthefirsttimeasiusedtheirscriptsasmypreparingmaterials.ienviedthosecontestantsinthe“21stcenturycup”verymuch.theirenglishskillsandtheirquickresponsemademefeelswooning.althoughididnotgetagoodrankinthenationwidepetitionforhighschoolstudents,ihadbegunmywildestdreamofparticipatinginthe21stcenturycup.evenafteribecameanengineeringstudentistillheldontomydream,thatitwouldetruesomeday.becauseicanalwaysfindsomethingnewtochallengeme,andsetupthosechallengesasmygoalstoachieve,ineverfindenglishlearningadulljob.ibelieveiwillforevercherishthegloriousmomentwheniwasonthestageofthe“21stcentury-ericssoncup”7thnationalenglishspeakingpetition,andmywonderfulmemoriestherewithoutanydoubtwilladdpassiontomyenglishlearninginthedaystoe.sincethethemeofthisyear’spetitionwas“globalization”,wehaveenjoyedvariousvisionsfromcontestantsonthinkingofwhatweyoungpeopleshoulddotomeetthechallengesandtheopportunitiesposedbyglobalization.butthere’sonethingforsure:goodenglishandmunicationskillsarethegatewaytotheworldarena.ihopesomeofmanandwomaninchinawhohaveconqueredenglishtoholdhandstogethertobuildupthebridgebetweenchinaandtherestoftheworldwiththeworld’smostwidelyusedlanguage!英语演讲稿分钟篇二goodevening,honorablejudges,ladiesandgentlemen.it’smygreatpleasuretostandheretopresentmyspeech—changetheworld,changeourselves.it’snoticablethatwesternholidaysarebeingincreasinglypopulardaybyday,whilechinesetraditionalfestivalsarebeingsomewhatlongbeforeabout10doctorsinbeijinguniversityandqinghuaunversityannouncedthatweshouldrejecttheinvasionofwesternholidays,becausetheyregardwesternholidaysasanchallengeagainstourtraditionalfestivalsandculture.butwhycan’tweabsorbthemeaningfulwesternholidaysandculture.英语演讲稿分钟篇三hello,everyone!mynameissteven.im10yearsold,todaymytopicismyfamily.ihaveahappyfamily.therearethreemembers:myfather,mymotherandme.myparentslovemeverymuch.mymotherischineseteacher.sheisverytallandthin.herfacelookssmallandhereresareverybeautiful.mymotherisveryetimesequalgeniusinitsresults.thereareonlytespartofourlife,ifeapoeincontactmitteeformarcopolostudiesinengland.inthispicture,thisisjames,andthisismeandthedragonsmouth.hekeptthetoothforthenext65years,butthefeelingofguiltathavingstolenite.sbehonestpeopleofgoodmoralcharacter.英语演讲稿分钟篇四idliketosharewithyouadiscoverythatimadeafewmonthsagowhilewritinganarticleforitalianwired.ialwayskeepmythesaurushandywheneverimwritinganything,butidalreadyfinishededitingthepiece,andirealizedthatihadneveronceinmylifelookeduptheword"disabled"toseewhatidfind.youknow,ofcourse,thisismyraggedyoldthesaurussoimthinkingthismustbeanancientprintdate,right?but,infact,theprintdatewastheearly1980s,wheniwouldhavebeenstartingprimaryschoolandforminganunderstandingofmyselfoutsidethefamilyunitandasrelatedtotheotherkidsandtheworldaroundme.and,needlesstosay,thankgodiwasntusingathesaurusbackthen.imean,fromthisentry,itwouldseemthatiwasbornintoaworldthatperceivedsomeonelikemetohavenothingpositivewhatsoevergoingforthem,wheninfact,todayimcelebratedfortheopportunitiesandadventuresmylifehasprocured.so,iimmediatelywenttolookuptheonlineedition,epectingtofindarevisionworthnoting.herestheupdatedversionofthisentry.unfortunately,itsnotmuchbetter.ifindthelasttwowordsunder"nearantonyms,"particularlyunsettling:"whole"and"wholesome."so,itsnotjustaboutthewords.itswhatwebelieveaboutpeoplewhenwenamethemwiththesewords.itsaboutthevaluesbehindthewords,andhowweconstructthosevalues.ourlanguageaffectsourthinkingandhowweviewtheworldandhowweviewotherpeople.infact,manyancientsocieties,includingthegreeksandtheromans,believedthattoutteracurseverballywassopowerful,becausetosaythethingoutloudbroughtitintoeistence.so,whatrealitydowewanttocallintoeistence:apersonwhoislimited,orapersonwhosempowered?bycasuallydoingsomethingassimpleasnamingaperson,achild,wemightbeputtinglidsandcastingshadowsontheirpower.wouldntwewanttoopendoorsfortheminstead?onesuchpersonwhoopeneddoorsformewasmychildhooddoctoratthea.i.dupontinstituteinwilmington,delaware.hisnamewasdr.pizzutillo,anitalianamerican,whosename,apparently,wastoodifficultformostamericanstopronounce,sohewentbydr.p.anddr.palwaysworereallycolorfulbowtiesandhadtheveryperfectdispositiontoworkwithchildren.ilovedalmosteverythingaboutmytimespentatthishospital,withtheeceptionofmyphysicaltherapysessions.ihadtodowhatseemedlikeinnumerablerepetitionsofeerciseswiththesethick,elasticbands--differentcolors,youknow--tohelpbuildupmylegmuscles,andihatedthesebandsmorethananything--ihatedthem,hadnamesforthem.ihatedthem.and,youknow,iwasalreadybargaining,asafiveyear-oldchild,withdr.ptotrytogetoutofdoingtheseeercises,unsuccessfully,ofcourse.and,oneday,hecameintomysession--ehaustiveandunforgiving,thesesessions--andhesaidtome,"wow.aimee,youaresuchastrongandpowerfullittlegirl,ithinkyouregoingtobreakoneofthosebands.whenyoudobreakit,imgoingtogiveyouahundredbucks."now,ofcourse,thiswasasimpleployondr.psparttogetmetodotheeercisesididntwanttodobeforetheprospectofbeingtherichestfive-year-oldinthesecondfloorward,butwhatheeffectivelydidformewasreshapeanawfuldailyoccurrenceintoanewandpromisingeperienceforme.andihavetowondertodaytowhatetenthisvisionandhisdeclarationofmeasastrongandpowerfullittlegirlshapedmyownviewofmyselfasaninherentlystrong,powerfulandathleticpersonwellintothefuture.thisisaneleofhowadultsinpositionsofpowercanignitethepowerofachild.but,inthepreviousinstancesofthosethesaurusentries,ourlanguageisntallowingustoevolveintotherealitythatwewouldallwant,thepossibilityofaninpidualtoseethemselvesascapable.ourlanguagehasntcaughtupwiththechangesinoursociety,manyofwhichhavebeenbroughtaboutbytechnology.certainly,fromamedicalstandpoint,mylegs,lasersurgeryforvisionimpairment,titaniumkneesandhipreplacementsforagingbodiesthatareallowingpeopletomorefullyengagewiththeirabilities,andmovebeyondthelimitsthatnaturehasimposedonthem--nottomentionsocialworkingplatformsallowpeopletoself-identify,toclaimtheirowndescriptionsofthemselves,sotheycangoalignwithglobalgroupsoftheirownchoosing.so,perhapstechnologyisrevealingmoreclearlytousnowwhathasalwaysbeenatruth:thateveryonehassomethingrareandpowerfultoofferoursociety,andthatthehumanabilitytoadaptisourgreatestasset.thereisadversityandchallengeinlife,anditsallveryrealandrelativetoeverysingleperson,butthequestionisntwhetherornotyouregoingtomeetadversity,buthowyouregoingtomeetit.so,ourresponsibilityisnotsimplyshieldingthosewecareforfromadversity,butpreparingthemtomeetitwell.andwedoadisservicetoourkidswhenwemakethemfeelthattheyrenotequippedtoadapt.theresanimportantdifferenceanddistinctionbetweentheobjectivemedicalfactofmybeinganuteeandthesubjectivesocietalopinionofwhetherornotimdisabled.and,truthfully,theonlyrealandconsistentdisabilityivehadtoconfrontistheworldeverthinkingthaticouldbedescribedbythosedefinitions.inourdesiretoprotectthosewecareaboutbygivingthemthecold,hardtruthabouttheirmedicalprognosis,or,indeed,aprognosisontheepectedqualityoftheirlife,wehavetomakesurethatwedontputthefirstbrickinawallthatwillactuallydisablesomeone.perhapstheeistingmodelofonlylookingatwhatisbrokeninyouandhowdowefiit,servestobemoredisablingtotheinpidualthanthepathologyitself.bynottreatingthewholenessofaperson,bynotacknowledgingtheirpotency,wearecreatinganotherillontopofwhatevernaturalstruggletheymighthave.weareeffectivelygradingsomeonesworthtoourmunity.soweneedtoseethroughthepathologyandintotherangeofhumancapability.and,mostimportantly,theresapartnershipbetweenthoseperceiveddeficienciesandourgreatestcreativeability.soitsnotaboutdevaluing,ornegating,thesemoretryingtimesassomethingwewanttoavoidorsweepundertherug,butinsteadtofindthoseopportunitieswrappedintheadversity.somaybetheideaiwanttoputoutthereisnotsomuchoveringadversityasitisopeningourselvesuptoit,embracingit,grapplingwithit,touseawrestlingterm,maybeevendancingwithit.and,perhaps,ifweseeadversityasnatural,consistentanduseful,werelessburdenedbythepresenceofit.thisyearwecelebratethe200thbirthdayofcharlesdarwin,anditwas150yearsago,whenwritingaboutevolution,thatdarwinillustrated,ithink,atruthaboutthehumancharacter.toparaphrase:itsnotthestrongestofthespeciesthatsurvives,norisitthemostintelligentthatsurvives;itistheonethatismostadaptabletochange.conflictisthegenesisofcreation.fromdarwinswork,amongstothers,wecanrecognizethatthehumanabilitytosurviveandflourishisdrivenbythestruggleofthehumanspiritthroughconflictintotransformation.so,again,transformation,adaptation,isourgreatesthumanskill.and,perhaps,untilweretested,wedontknowwhatweremadeof.maybethatswhatadversitygivesus:asenseofself,asenseofourownpower.so,wecangiveourselvesagift.wecanre-imagineadversityassomethingmorethanjusttoughtimes.maybewecanseeitaschange.adversityisjustchangethatwehaventadaptedourselvestoyet.ithinkthegreatestadversitythatwevecreatedforourselvesisthisideaofnormalcy.now,whosnormal?theresnonormal.theresmon,therestypical.theresnonormal,andwouldyouwanttomeetthatpoor,beigepersoniftheyeisted?(laughter)idontthinkso.ifwecanchangethisparadigmfromoneofachievingnormalcytooneofpossibilityorpotency,tobeevenalittlebitmoredangerous--wecanreleasethepowerofsomanymorechildren,andinvitethemtoengagetheirrareandvaluableabilitieswiththemunity.anthropologiststellusthattheonethingweashumanshavealwaysrequiredofourmunitymembersistobeofuse,tobeabletocontribute.theresevidencethatneanderthals,60,000yearsago,carriedtheirelderlyandthosewithseriousphysicalinjury,andperhapsitsbecausethelifeeperienceofsurvivalofthesepeopleprovedofvaluetothemunity.theydidntviewthesepeopleasbrokenanduseless;theywereseenasrareandvaluable.afewyearsago,iwasinafoodmarketinthetownwhereigrewupinthatredzoneinnortheasternpennsylvania,andiwasstandingoverabusheloftomatoes.itwassummertime:ihadshortson.ihearthisguy,hisvoicebehindmesay,"well,ifitisntaimeemullins."anditurnaround,anditsthisolderman.ihavenoideawhoheis.andisaid,"imsorry,sir,havewemet?idontremembermeetingyou."hesaid,"well,youwouldntremembermeetingme.imean,whenwemetiwasdeliveringyoufromyourmotherswomb."(laughter)oh,thatguy.and,butofcourse,actually,itdidclick.thismanwasdr.kean,amanthatihadonlyknownaboutthroughmymothersstoriesofthatday,because,ofcourse,typicalfashion,iarrivedlateformybirthdaybytwoweeks.andsomymothersprenatalphysicianhadgoneonvacation,sothemanwhodeliveredmewasapletestrangertomyparents.and,becauseiwasbornwithoutthefibulabones,andhadfeetturnedin,andafewtoesinthisfootandafewtoesinthat,hehadtobethebearer--thisstrangerhadtobethebearerofbadnews.theetraordinarythingisthathesaidhehadsavednewspaperclippingsthroughoutmywholechildhood,whetherwinningasecondgradespellingbee,marchingwiththegirlscouts,youknow,thehalloweenparade,winningmycollegescholarship,oranyofmysportsvictories,andhewasusingit,andintegratingitintoteachingresidentstudents,medstudentsfromhahnemannmedicalschoolandhersheymedicalschool.andhecalledthispartofthecoursethefactor,thepotentialofthehumanwill.noprognosiscanaccountforhowpowerfulthiscouldbeasadeterminantinthequalityofsomeoneslife.anddr.keanwentontotellme,hesaid,"inmyeperience,unlessrepeatedlytoldotherwise,andevenifgivenamodicumofsupport,iflefttotheirowndevices,achildwillachieve."see,dr.keanmadethatshiftinthinking.heunderstoodthattheresadifferencebetweenthemedicalconditionandwhatsomeonemightdowithit.andtheresbeenashiftinmythinkingovertime,inthat,ifyouhadaskedmeat15yearsold,ifiwouldhavetradedprostheticsforflesh-and-bonelegs,iwouldnthavehesitatedforasecond.iaspiredtothatkindofnormalcybackthen.butifyouaskmetoday,imnotsosure.anditsbecauseoftheeperiencesivehadwiththem,notinspiteoftheeperiencesivehadwiththem.andperhapsthisshiftinmehashappenedbecauseivebeeneposedtomorepeoplewhohaveopeneddoorsformethanthosewhohaveputlidsandcastshadowsonme.see,allyoureallyneedisonepersontoshowyoutheepiphanyofyourownpower,andyoureoff.ifyoucanhandsomebodythekeytotheirownpower--thehumanspiritissoreceptive--ifyoucandothatandopenadoorforsomeoneatacrucialmoment,youareeducatingtheminthebestsense.youreteachingthemtoopendoorsforthemselves.infact,theeactmeaningoftheword"educate"esfromtherootword"educe."itmeans"tobringforthwhatiswithin,tobringoutpotential."soagain,whichpotentialdowewanttobringout?so,ithinkthattheonlytruedisabilityisacrushedspirit,aspiritthatsbeencrusheddoesnthavehope,itdoesntseebeauty,itnolongerhasournatural,childlikecuriosityandourinnateabilitytoimagine.ifinstead,wecanbolsterahumanspirittokeephope,toseebeautyinthemselvesandothers,tobecuriousandimaginative,thenwearetrulyusingourpowerwell.whenaspirithasthosequalities,weareabletocreatenewrealitiesandnewwaysofbeing.thankyou.(applause)英语演讲稿分钟篇五mysubjecttodayislearning.andinthatspirit,iwanttospringonyouallapopquiz.ready?whendoeslearningbegin?nowasyouponderthatquestion,maybeyourethinkingaboutthefirstdayofpreschoolorkindergarten,thefirsttimethatkidsareinaclassroomwithateacher.ormaybeyouvecalledtomindthetoddlerphasewhenchildrenarelearninghowtowalkandtalkanduseafork.maybeyouveencounteredthezero-to-threemovement,whichassertsthatthemostimportantyearsforlearningaretheearliestones.andsoyouranswertomyquestionwouldbe:learningbeginsatbirth.whenweholdourbabiesforthefirsttime,wemightimaginethattheyrecleanslates,u____arkedbylife,wheninfact,theyvealreadybeenshapedbyusandbytheparticularworldwelivein.todayiwanttosharewithyousomeoftheamazingthingsthatscientistsarediscoveringaboutwhatfetuseslearnwhiletheyrestillintheirmothersbellies.firstofall,theylearnthesoundoftheirmothersvoices.becausesoundsfromtheoutsideworldhavetotravelthroughthemothersabdominaltissueandthroughtheamnioticfluidthatsurroundsthefetus,thevoicesfetuseshear,startingaroundthefourthmonthofgestation,aremutedandmuffled.oneresearchersaysthattheyprobablysoundalotlikethethevoiceofcharliebrownsteacherintheold"peanuts"cartoon.butthepregnantwomansownvoicereverberatesthroughherbody,reachingthefetusmuchmorereadily.andbecausethefetusiswithherallthetime,ithearshervoicealot.oncethebabysborn,itrecognizeshervoiceanditpreferslisteningtohervoiceoveranyoneelses.howcanweknowthis?newbornbabiescantdomuch,butonethingtheyrereallygoodatissucking.researcherstakeadvantageofthisfactbyrigginguptworubbernipples,sothatifababysucksonone,ithearsarecordingofitsmothersvoiceonapairofheadphones,andifitsucksontheothernipple,ithearsarecordingofafemalestrangersvoice.babiesquicklyshowtheirpreferencebychoosingthefirstone.scientistsalsotakeadvantageofthefactthatbabieswillslowdowntheirsuckingwhensomethingintereststhemandresumetheirfastsuckingwhentheygetbored.thisishowresearchersdiscoveredthat,afterwomenrepeatedlyreadaloudasectionofdr.seuss"thecatinthehat"whiletheywerepregnant,theirnewbornbabiesrecognizedthatpassagewhentheyhearitoutsidethewomb.myfavoriteexperimentofthiskindistheonethatshowedthatthebabiesofwomenwhowatchedacertainsoapoperaeverydayduringpregnancyrecognizedthethemesongofthatshowoncetheywereborn.sofetusesareevenlearningabouttheparticularlanguagethatsspokenintheworldthattheyllbeborninto.butitsnotjustsoundsthatfetusesarelearningaboutinutero.itsalsotastesandsmells.bysevenmonthsofgestation,thefetustastebudsarefullydeveloped,anditsolfactoryreceptors,whichallowittosmell,arefunctioning.theflavorsofthefoodapregnantwomaneatsfindtheirwayintotheamnioticfluid,whichiscontinuouslyswallowedbythefetus.babiesseemtorememberandpreferthesetastesoncetheyreoutintheworld.inoneexperiment,agroupofpregnantwomenwasaskedtodrinkalotofcarrotjuiceduringtheirthirdtrimesterofpregnancy,whileanothergroupofpregnantwomendrankonlywater.sixmonthslater,thewomensinfantswereofferedcerealmixedwithcarrotjuice,andtheirfacialexpressionswereobservedwhiletheyateit.theoffspringofthecarrotjuicedrinkingwomenatemorecarrot-flavoredcereal,andfromthelooksofit,theyseemedtoenjoyitmore.asortoffrenchversionofthisexperimentwascarriedoutindijon,francewhereresearchersfoundthatmotherswhoconsumedfoodanddrinkflavoredwithlicorice-flavoredaniseduringpregnancyshowedapreferenceforaniseontheirfirstdayoflife,andagain,whentheyweretestedlater,ontheirfourthdayoflife.babieswhosemothersdidnoteataniseduringpregnancyshowedareactionthattranslatedroughlyas"yuck."whatthismeansisthatfetusesareeffectivelybeingtaughtbytheirmothersaboutwhatissafeandgoodtoeat.fetusesarealsobeingtaughtabouttheparticularculturethattheyllbejoiningthroughoneofculturesmostpowerfulexpressions,whichisfood.theyrebeingintroducedtothecharacteristicflavorsandspicesoftheirculturescuisineevenbeforebirth.nowitturnsoutthatfetusesarelearningevenbiggerlessons.butbeforeigettothat,iwanttoaddresssomethingthatyoumaybewonderingabout.thenotionoffetallearningmayconjureupforyouattemptstoenrichthefetus--likeplayingmozartthroughheadphonesplacedonapregnantbelly.butactually,thenine-month-longprocessofmoldingandshapingthatgoesoninthewombisalotmorevisceralandconsequentialthanthat.muchofwhatapregnantwomanencountersinherdailylife--theairshebreathes,thefoodanddrinksheconsumes,thechemicalsshesexposedto,eventheemotionsshefeels--aresharedinsomefashionwithherfetus.theymakeupamixofinfluencesasinpidualandidiosyncraticasthewomanherself.thefetusincorporatestheseofferingsintoitsownbody,makesthempartofitsfleshandblood.andoftenitdoessomethingmore.ittreatsthesematernalcontributionsasinformation,aswhatiliketocallbiologicalpostcardsfromtheworldoutside.sowhatafetusislearningaboutinuteroisnotmozarts"magicflute"butanswerstoquestionsmuchmorecriticaltoitssurvival.willitbebornintoaworldofabundanceorscarcity?willitbesafeandprotected,orwillitfaceconstantdangersandthreats?willitlivealong,fruitfullifeorashort,harriedone?thepregnantwomansdietandstresslevelinparticularprovideimportantcluestoprevailingconditionslikeafingerliftedtothewind.theresultingtuningandtweakingofafetusbrainandotherorgansarepartofwhatgiveushumansourenormousflexibility,ourabilitytothriveinahugevarietyofenviro____ents,fromthecountrytothecity,fromthetundratothedesert.the"hungerwinter,"asitcametobeknown,killedsome10,000peopleandweakenedthousandsmore.buttherewasanotherpopulationthatwasaffected--the40,000fetusesinuteroduringthesiege.someoftheeffectsofmalnutritionduringpregnancywereimmediatelyapparentinhigherratesofstillbirths,birthdefects