PROJECT: EFFECTIVE ORAL READING A good way to sharpen your speaking skills is to read an experienced speaker's work aloud.

Here is your goal for this assignment:

Read an oratory passage aloud

The following portion of a speech is by Daniel Webster, who was imagining that he was John Adams arguing for the Declaration of Independence. As you read, imagine that you are that great orator. Practice putting power, impressiveness, and deliberation into the reading. Try to use effective pauses.

When you feel that you can express it well, have your teacher listen to your reading, and comment about your voice quality.

Sink or swim, live or die, survive or perish, I give my hand and my heart to this vote. It is true, indeed, that in the beginning we aimed not at independence. But there is a divinity which shapes our ends. The injustice of England has driven us to arms; and blinded to her own interest for our good, she has obstinately persisted till independence is now within our grasp. We have but to reach forth to it, and it is ours. Why, then, should we defer the Declaration? Is any man so weak as now to hope for a reconciliation with England which shall leave either safety to the country and its liberties, or safety to his own life and his own honor? Are you not, sir, who sit in that chair; is not he, our venerable colleague, near you; are you not both already the proscribed objects of punishment and of vengeance? Cut off from all hope of royal clemency, what are, what can you be, while the power of England remains, but outlaws? If we postpone independence, do we mean to carry on, or to give up the war? Do we mean to submit to the measures of Parliament, Boston Port bill, and all? Do we mean to submit, and consent that we ourselves shall be ground to powder and our country and its rights trodden down in the dust? I know we do not mean to submit. We never shall submit. Do we intend to violate that most solemn obligation ever entered into by men, that plighting, before God, of our sacred honor to Washington, when, putting him forth to incur the dangers of war, as well as the political hazards of the times, we promised to adhere to him in every extremity with our fortunes and our lives? I know there is not a man here who would not rather see a general conflagration sweep over the land, or an earthquake sink it, than one jot or tittle of that plighted faith fall to the ground. For myself, having twelve months ago, in this place, moved you that George Washington be appointed commander of the forces raised, or to be raised, for defense of American liberty, may my right hand forget her cunning, and my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I hesitate or waver in the support I give him.