Just as there are organizations devoted to public speaking, so there is a major group devoted to the study of listening. It's called the International Listening Association, and you can visit its Web site at www.listen.org.

Do you wish you could listen to the words of historical figures such as Amelia Earhart, Winston Churchill, Mohandas Gandhi, and Malcolm X? You can by logging on to The History Channel: Great Speeches (www.historychannel.com/speeches/index.html).