在新课程标准背景下，作为影响外语学习的重要因素，情感因素越来越受到教育学家和语言学者的重视。除了学习者的动机和态度外，焦虑对语言学习尤其是口语能力的提高也有着深远的影响。伴随着相关研究的不断发展，申克拉提出的情感过滤假说以及霍维茨设计的外语课堂焦虑量表等都为实证研究提供坚实的理论基础。本研究旨在了解高中生口语焦虑的现状及潜在原因。在必要的问卷调查和统计分析的基础上，调查结果显示高中生在学习过程中伴随着不同程度的口语焦虑。并且口语焦虑程度与口语水平呈显著的负相关。研究还发现，可能引起口语焦虑的原因包括语言能力、课堂环境、交际恐惧、对同伴负评价评价的恐惧和教师行为。其中，语言能力被认为是产生口语焦虑的主要原因。事实上，口语焦虑在不断阻碍学生口语水平的提高。因此，本文认为教师应更多地关注学生的心理变化和课堂气氛的调节，帮助学生缓解口语焦虑提高口语水平。希望本文能为口语焦虑的实证研究做出贡献。

Under the new curriculum, as an important influencing factor in language learning process, affective factors have been increasingly emphasized. Except for learners’ motivation and attitude, anxiety also has a great impact on the success of language learning, especially in speaking English competence. With the development of relevant studies, Affective Filter Hypothesis (Krashen, 1982) and FLCAS (Horwitz, 1986) provide theory foundation for empirical researches. This study aims to identify the present status and potential causes of high school students’ speaking anxiety. Based on necessary questionnaires and statistical analysis, the feedbacks represent that high school students are troubled with various degrees of speaking anxiety. There exists a negative correlation between speaking anxiety and oral proficiency. It also found that the probable causes come in many different forms including language competence, classroom environment, communicative apprehension, fear of peers’ negative evaluation and teachers’ behaviors. Among them, language competence is identified as the biggest cause of speaking anxiety. Speaking anxiety actually interferes students’ speaking competence. Therefore, the review proposes that teachers should pay attention to students’ psychological change and the whole classroom atmosphere. It is hoped that this paper can serve as a resource to contribute to empirical researches on speaking anxiety.