RHETORIC 9 – PASSAGE SET
On January 28, 1986, the space shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds
into its flight, killing all seven crew members. Many Americans were watching
the launch live on television as on board the shuttle was Christa McAuliffe,
who was to be the first teacher in space. President Reagan delivered this
speech the day of the tragedy.
1. Nineteen years ago, almost to the day, we lost three astronauts in a terrible
accident on the ground. But, we've never lost an astronaut in flight; we've
never had a tragedy like this. And perhaps we've forgotten the courage it took
for the crew of the shuttle; but they, the Challenger Seven, were aware of the
dangers, but overcame them and did their jobs brilliantly. We mourn seven
heroes: Michael Smith, Dick Scobee, Judith Resnik, Ronald McNair, Ellison
Onizuka, Gregory Jarvis, and Christa McAuliffe. We mourn their loss as a
nation together.
2. For the families of the seven, we cannot bear, as you do, the full impact of this
tragedy. But we feel the loss, and we're thinking about you so very much.
Your loved ones were daring and brave, and they had that special grace, that
special spirit that says, "Give me a challenge and I'll meet it with joy." They
had a hunger to explore the universe and discover its truths. They wished to
serve, and they did. They served all of us.
3. We've grown used to wonders in this century. It's hard to dazzle us. But for 25
years the United States space program has been doing just that. We've grown
used to the idea of space, and perhaps we forget that we've only just begun.
We're still pioneers. They, the members of the Challenger crew, were
pioneers.
4. And I want to say something to the schoolchildren of America who were
watching the live coverage of the shuttle's takeoff. I know it is hard to
understand, but sometimes painful things like this happen. It's all part of the
process of exploration and discovery. It's all part of taking a chance and
expanding man's horizons. The future doesn't belong to the fainthearted; it
belongs to the brave. The Challenger crew was pulling us into the future, and
we'll continue to follow them.
Passage 1: Speech on the
Challenger Disaster
by Ronald Reagan
5. There's a coincidence today. On this day 390 years ago, the great explorer Sir
Francis Drake died aboard ship off the coast of Panama. In his lifetime the
great frontiers were the oceans, and a historian later said, "He lived by the sea,
died on it, and was buried in it." Well, today we can say of the Challenger
crew: Their dedication was, like Drake's, complete.
6. The crew of the space shuttle Challenger honored us by the manner in which
they lived their lives. We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw
them, this morning, as they prepared for the journey and waved goodbye and
"slipped the surly bonds of earth" to "touch the face of God."
1
1
“slipped the surly bonds of earth” “touch the face of God”: quotations from “High Flight,” a poem by John
Gillespie Magee, Jr.
Passage 2:
Remarks by the President on
the Loss of Space Shuttle
Columbia
by George W. Bush
On February 1, 2003, the space shuttle Columbia disintegrated over the
southern United States as it re-entered Earth’s atmosphere, killing all seven
crew members. President Bush delivered this speech the afternoon of the
tragedy.
7. My fellow Americans, this day has brought terrible news and great sadness to
our country. At 9:00 a.m. this morning, Mission Control in Houston lost
contact with our Space Shuttle Columbia. A short time later, debris was seen
falling from the skies above Texas. The Columbia is lost; there are no
survivors.
8. On board was a crew of seven: Colonel Rick Husband; Lt. Colonel Michael
Anderson; Commander Laurel Clark; Captain David Brown; Commander
William McCool; Dr. Kalpana Chawla; and Ilan Ramon, a Colonel in the
Israeli Air Force. These men and women assumed great risk in the service to
all humanity.
9. In an age when space flight has come to seem almost routine, it is easy to
overlook the dangers of travel by rocket, and the difficulties of navigating the
fierce outer atmosphere of the Earth. These astronauts knew the dangers, and
they faced them willingly, knowing they had a high and noble purpose in life.
Because of their courage and daring and idealism, we will miss them all the
more.
10. All Americans today are thinking, as well, of the families of these men and
women who have been given this sudden shock and grief. You're not alone.
Our entire nation grieves with you. And those you loved will always have the
respect and gratitude of this country.
11. The cause in which they died will continue. Mankind is led into the darkness
beyond our world by the inspiration of discovery and the longing to
understand. Our journey into space will go on.
12. In the skies today we saw destruction and tragedy. Yet farther than we can see
there is comfort and hope. In the words of the prophet Isaiah, "Lift your eyes
and look to the heavens. Who created all these? He who brings out the starry
hosts one by one and calls them each by name. Because of His great power
and mighty strength, not one of them is missing."
13. The same Creator who names the stars also knows the names of the seven
souls we mourn today. The crew of the shuttle Columbia did not return safely
to Earth; yet we can pray that all are safely home.
14. May God bless the grieving families, and may God continue to bless America.
TASK
The authors of these passages address very related themes and concepts despite
their speeches having different occasions. Write a response in which you make
and support a claim about whether Reagan’s or Bush’s argument was more
effective. Your response must be based on ideas and information that can be found
in the “Rhetoric 9” passage set.
Manage your time carefully so that you can
• read the passages;
• plan your response;
• write your response; and
• revise and edit your response.
Be sure to
• use evidence from multiple sources; and
• avoid overly relying on one source.
Your response should be in the form of a multiparagraph essay.
