14. read the passage. excerpt from "what to the slave is the fourth of july? " by frederick douglass what, then, remains to be argued? is it that slavery is not divine; that god did not establish it; that our doctors of divinity are mistaken? there is blasphemy in the thought. that which is inhuman, cannot be divine! who can reason on such a proposition? they that can, may; i cannot. the time for such argument is passed. at a time like this, scorching irony, not convincing argument, is needed. o! had i the ability, and could i reach the nation’s ear, i would, to-day, pour out a fiery stream of biting ridicule, blasting reproach, withering sarcasm, and stern rebuke. for it is not light that is needed, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. we need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake. the feeling of the nation must be quickened; the conscience of the nation must be roused; the propriety of the nation must be startled; the hypocrisy of the nation must be exposed; and its crimes against god and man must be proclaimed and denounced. what, to the american slave, is your 4th of july? i a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. to him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your denunciations of tyrants, brass fronted impudence; your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and , with all your religious parade, and solemnity, are, to him, mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy—a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages. there is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices, more shocking and bloody, than are the people of these united states, at this very hour. reread this example of rhetoric from the passage. what, then, remains to be argued? is it that slavery is not divine; that god did not establish it; that our doctors of divinity are mistaken? there is blasphemy in the thought. that which is inhuman, cannot be divine! who can reason on such a proposition? they that can, may; i cannot. the time for such argument is passed. which statement best describes how this type of rhetoric affects the speech?
a. the speaker’s use of passionate language makes him sound knowledgeable.
b. the speaker’s use of forceful language explains the purpose of the speech.
c. by raising questions, the speaker expresses his viewpoint.
d. by repeating words, the speaker adds emotional appeal.