A little straight talk among friends Advanced shadowing lesson
This is the opening of the remarks Gerald R. Ford made right after he was sworn in as President of the United States in August 1974, after Richard Nixon resigned. Ford speaks as if to friends, with short sentences and repeated patterns like "Not an inaugural address, not a fireside chat". It is a historic speech and good practice for advanced learners working on pauses and stress in formal speech.
- Advanced
- Audio
- 2:31
- 18 sentences
Free, no account needed. The app plays one sentence and waits for you to say it.
The sentences
Mr. Chief Justice, my dear friends,
my fellow Americans, the oath that I have taken is the same oath that was taken by George Washington and by every president under the Constitution.
But I assume the presidency under extraordinary circumstances never before experienced by Americans.
This is an hour of history that troubles our minds and hurts our hearts.
Therefore I feel it is my first duty to make an unprecedented compact with my countrymen.
Not an inaugural address, not a fireside chat.
Not a campaign speech, just a little straight talk among friends, and I intend it to be the first of many.
I am acutely aware that you have not elected me as your president by your ballots.
And so I ask you to confirm me as your president with your prayers.
And I hope that such prayers will also be the first of many.
If you have not chosen me by secret ballot, neither have I gained office by any secret promises.
I have not campaigned either for the presidency or the vice presidency.
I have not subscribed to any partisan platform.
I am indebted to no man, and only to one woman, my dear wife, as I begin this very difficult job.
I have not sought this enormous responsibility, but I will not shirk it.
Those who nominated me and confirmed me as vice president were my friends and are my friends.
They were of both parties, elected by all the people and acting under the Constitution in their name.
It is only fitting, then, that I should pledge to them and to you that I will be the president of all the people.
Words and phrases
- oath
- a formal promise
- extraordinary circumstances
- a very unusual situation
- unprecedented
- never done or seen before
- straight talk
- honest, direct words
- ballots
- votes, often written on paper
- indebted to
- owing someone something, such as thanks
- shirk
- avoid a duty
- pledge
- make a serious promise
How to practise this clip
Listen for how Ford pauses in the repeated patterns, such as "Not an inaugural address, not a fireside chat", and how he stresses contrasting words like ballots and prayers.
- Listen for the rhythm: which words are strong and where the speaker breathes.
- Say each sentence at the speaker's speed, as one smooth phrase.
- Score your tries to see which words did not come through, then practise those sentences again.
Source
Gerald R. Ford on being sworn in as President, 1974 (Ford Library), public domain