Name Date

SPEECH IN THE VIRGINIA CONVENTION COPY MASTER

Vocabulary Study

WORDS IN CONTEXT

A. Directions: As your teacher reads the passage, listen for each boldfaced word and clues

to its meaning. Together discuss possible meanings of the word.

The day dawned perfectly for battle. Each army gathered in the woods beside the open field. The captain gave a stirring martial speech to prepare his soldiers for battle against their foes. “Listen, everyone,” he said. “We have to be vigilant to succeed today, so watch carefully and keep your eyes open. The enemy is sly and full of insidious tricks—don’t let them sneak up on you. We must not allow them

to cross the field. Our side must remain inviolate! Remember, we are patriots and guardians of freedom! No one can defeat us. We are invincible!”

The soldiers nodded, except for Nathaniel, who didn’t like what he’d heard. He began to remonstrate in an aggressive voice. “That may sound good, Captain,” Nathaniel said, “but it does not comport with my experience of the last few

battles. Actually, we were beaten last time. I think what we should retreat and return with a bigger force.”

The captain glared at Nathaniel. “What a cowardly thing to say! I don’t think anything can extenuate what you said. Why don’t you go join the other side? I’ll bet you’d like it if they won, and our good people fell to their subjugation.”

Angered, Nathaniel stood up but, knowing he would be disciplined for open revolt, said nothing. He started to back away but tripped over a tree root and landed face up on the ground. “Ouch!” Nathaniel moaned, as the tension left his body.

“You are a good soldier, Nathaniel, and we need your strength,” said the captain, offering a hand to Nathaniel. “Are you going to lie there supinely, or will you join the fight?”

B. Directions: Write each boldfaced word from Part A beside its definition.


1. protest

2. make less serious

3. warlike

4. lying face up

5. unbeatable


6. treacherous

7. alert

8. agree

9. conquest

10. intact


Resource Manager Unit 1 349

American Literature

Name Date

SPEECH IN THE VIRGINIA CONVENTION COPY MASTER

Vocabulary Practice


comport

insidious


inviolate

remonstrate


supinely

extenuate


invincible

martial


subjugation

vigilant


Directions: Write the word from the box above that correctly completes each sentence.

1. Patrick Henry feared if

British troops were permitted in the U.S.

2. He warned that the U.S. must resist rather

than be caught resting

3. The U.S. needed to be in

defending its liberty, he argued.

4. He didn’t want to the

situation by pretending a peaceful resolution could be found.

5. Henry felt that others’ opinions did not

with reality.

6. His distrust for the British was growing

like an disease in the U.S.

7. Henry used the word to

describe a situation that was “warlike.”

8. He told the delegates that three million

armed citizens would be

9. The delegates decided to

against the tyrannical rule of the British and petition Parliament.

10. Henry felt that in order for liberty and

its privileges to remain an armed response was necessary.

11. Unscramble the boxed letters to complete the sentence: Delegates wouldn’t be forced into