Dragon Training Scripts

Dragon Training Scripts

Below is a list of Dragon NaturallySpeaking training scripts. The scripts appear in a Word document in the same format the students will encounter when they actually perform the training. During the training, please do not correct the children’s pronunciation of certain words, because when they are dictating they may not remember the correct pronunciation and the computer will not recognize the words.

1. VocaLinks Teaching Tips for Educators (Reading for Educators)

We at VocaLinks would like to share with you
a short explanation of how certain support strategies
can increase the effectiveness and accuracy of this writing tool.
VocaLinks is a Canadian Assistive Technology company
which specializes in teaching people of all ages
to use speech-to text tools such as Dragon NaturallySpeaking.
As a result, our instructors have guided a large number
of students and educators within their unique learning settings
through the process of successfully writing out their thoughts by voice.
To learn more about this process and about VocaLinks,
please feel free to search for vocalinks.com on the Internet.
There you will find descriptions on our instructional services.
The process of learning to use Dragon NaturallySpeaking
begins with the new user developing a voice file.
A voice file is created by reading a brief passage or story
and it is what you are doing right now.
The reading of this story allows the software
to have its first opportunity to learn what the new user sounds like.
It is very important that the story is read fluently by the user in a natural voice.
One example of this natural voice may be the tone and pace you use
when you have a clear, casual conversation with another person.
Sometimes individuals who have reading difficulties benefit from reading a simpler story.
VocaLinks has provided some easy-to-read stories based on fairy tales
to simplify this part of the learning process.
A new user can look for and choose these stories from the list of story options.
Reading the story aloud is just the first step in teaching Dragon NaturallySpeaking what you sound like.
When you begin dictating with Dragon NaturallySpeaking,
you may discover that it makes more mistakes or recognition errors that you expected.
In other words, it writes words or phrases that you feel are not even close to what you said.
This is because you have not yet corrected any recognition errors by completing the correction process.
It may be helpful to think about learning to use this software
as similar to learning how to play a musical instrument.
You wouldn’t expect to pick up a violin for the first time and begin by playing a complicated symphony.
Instead, you would expect to begin by learning how to play musical notes.
When you then practiced your violin
and unintentionally played the notes inaccurately,
you would have the opportunity to correct yourself
and to learn the appropriate sound for each note.
This is similar to the way in which Dragon NaturallySpeaking learns how you say certain words.
If it makes a recognition error or writes out something you don’t think you said,
then the correction tools can be used to play a recording of what you originally said.
The appropriate corrections can then be selected from a list of suggestions
or spelled out in a Spell Window.
Again, sometimes individuals with spelling difficulties may benefit from having
support from someone with strong spelling skills
as they perform the correction process until their voice file becomes very accurate.
Every time a recognition error is corrected and the voice file is saved, the accuracy improves.
The correction process can also be used to help Dragon NaturallySpeaking
adapt to everyday changes in your voice.
It is also helpful to understand that Dragon NaturallySpeaking
figures out the words that you say based on the context of the sentence.
Therefore, if Dragon NaturallySpeaking is unsure of what you said,
it will guess words that frequently occur together.
As a result, Dragon NaturallySpeaking benefits
from you speaking the proper punctuation as you dictate each sentence.
Also, as you prepare to speak a phrase or sentence,
plan out what you are going to say while your microphone is turned off.
Most importantly, remember to be patient throughout this learning process.
If you are becoming frustrated, pause the dictation session until you feel more relaxed.
When Dragon NaturallySpeaking makes recognition errors, don’t manually backspace the content and re-dictate.
Instead, engage the correction process to make Dragon NaturallySpeaking better at understanding you.
Remember that many people find that they succeed with Dragon NaturallySpeaking
after participating in Professional Development sessions
in which they can benefit from the expertise of a knowledgeable Dragon NaturallySpeaking instructor.
Have fun and happy dictating.

2. Talking to Your Computer (Easy reading: Instructional)
We'd like you to read aloud for a few minutes while the computer listens to you and learns how you speak. When you've finished reading, we'll make some adjustments, and then you'll be able to talk to your computer and see the words appear on your screen.
In the meantime, we'd like to explain why talking to a computer is not the same as talking to a person and then give you a few tips about how to speak when dictating.
Understanding spoken language is something that people often take for granted. Most of us develop the ability to recognize speech when we're very young. We're already experts at speech recognition by the age of three or so.
When people first start using speech-recognition software, they might be surprised that the computer makes mistakes. Maybe unconsciously we compare the computer to another person. But the computer is not like a person. What the computer does when it listens to speech is different from what a person does.
The first challenge in speech recognition is to identify what is speech and what is just noise. People can filter out noise fairly easily, which lets us talk to each other almost anywhere. We have conversations in busy train stations, across the dance floor, and in crowded restaurants. It would be very dull if we had to sit in a quiet room every time we wanted to talk to each other!
Unlike people, computers need help separating speech sounds from other sounds. When you speak to a computer, you should be in a place without too much noise. Then, you must speak clearly into a microphone that has been placed in the right position. If you do this, the computer will hear you just fine, and not get confused by the other noises around you.
A second challenge is to recognize speech from more than one speaker. People do this very naturally. We have no problem chatting one moment with Aunt Grace, who has a high, thin voice, and the next moment with Cousin Paul, who has a voice like a foghorn. People easily adjust to the unique characteristics of every voice.
Speech-recognition software, on the other hand, works best when the computer has a chance to adjust to each new speaker. The process of teaching the computer to recognize your voice is called "training," and it's what you're doing right now.
The training process takes only a few minutes for most people. If, after you begin using the program, you find that the computer is making more mistakes than you expect, use the tools provided in the Accuracy Center to improve the recognition accuracy.
Another challenge is how to distinguish between two or more phrases that sound alike. People use common sense and context--knowledge of the topic being talked about--to decide whether a speaker said "ice cream" or "I scream."
Speech-recognition programs don't understand what words mean, so they can't use common sense the way people do. Instead, they keep track of how frequently words occur by themselves and in the context of other words. This information helps the computer choose the most likely word or phrase from among several possibilities.
Finally, people sometimes mumble, slur their words, or leave words out altogether. They assume, usually correctly, that their listeners will be able to fill in the gaps. Unfortunately, computers won't understand mumbled speech or missing words. They only understand what was actually spoken and don't know enough to fill in the gaps by guessing what was meant.
To understand what it means to speak both clearly and naturally, listen to the way newscasters read the news. If you copy this style when you dictate, the program should successfully recognize what you say.
One of the most effective ways to make speech recognition work better is to practice speaking clearly and evenly when you dictate. Try thinking about what you want to say before you start to speak. This will help you speak in longer, more natural phrases.
Speak at your normal pace without slowing down. When another person is having trouble understanding you, speaking more slowly usually helps. It doesn't help, however, to speak at an unnatural pace when you're talking to a computer. This is because the program listens for predictable sound patterns when matching sounds to words. If you speak in syllables, each syllable is likely to be transcribed as a separate word.
With a little practice, you will develop the habit of dictating in a clear, steady voice, and the computer will understand you better.
When you read this training text, the program adapts to the pitch and volume of your voice. For this reason, when you dictate, you should continue to speak at the pitch and volume you are speaking with right now. If you shout or whisper when you dictate, the program won't understand you as well.
And last but not least, avoid saying extra words you really don't want in your document, like "you know." The computer has no way of knowing which words you say are important, so it simply transcribes everything you say.
We hope you've enjoyed reading about the different ways that people and computers recognize spoken language as well as some tips for effective dictating.

3. Red Riding Hood (Easy Reading, max 20 word phrases)

This story has been prepared
by VocaLinks for use
by students in Ontario schools.
We would like you to read the story
of Little Red Riding Hood aloud
while the computer learns how you speak.
When you are done reading,
we’ll make some changes,
and then you should be able to talk to your computer
and see the words appear on your screen.
Speak clearly and remember to breathe.
Take small breaks if you need to.
Try to read in your regular voice and
Don’t be too worried about making mistakes.
Relax, and enjoy the story!
LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD
Once upon a time there was a little girl whose grandmother made her a beautiful red cape with a hood.
She looked sp pretty in the cape that everyone called her Little Red Riding Hood.
One day Little Red Riding Hood’s mother made some delicious cakes.
She said to Little Red Riding Hood,
“Take these cakes to your grandmother. She has not been very well and the cakes will cheer her up.”
So little Red Riding Hood set off at once skipping to the woods.
But under a big tree she met a wolf!
The wolf thought of eating Little Red Riding Hood there and then,
but he didn’t dare because there were some wood cutters nearby.
Instead, he asked her where she was going.
“Oh I am going to see my grandma and give her these cakes,” said Little Red Riding Hood.
“Does she live far away?” Asked the wolf.
“She lives on the other side of the woods, near the mill.”
“Oh,” said the wolf thinking hard. “Well, I’m afraid I’m not going that way so I’ll have to say goodbye.”
And the wolf ran off through the trees.
Little Red Riding Hood went on her way, gathering nuts and picking flowers as she went.
The cunning Wolf went straight to grandma’s house and tapped on the door.
“Who’s there?” called Little Red Riding Hood’s grandmother.
“It’s Little Red Riding Hood,” answered the wolf in a high voice.
“Come in dear,” said grandma from her bed.
As soon as the wolf was inside, he ate up the old woman.
Then he put on her nightgown and a frilly bonnet, closed the door, and jumped into bed.
When Little Red Riding Hood arrived, she knocked at the door.
“Who is there?” Came a strange gruff voice.
“Grandma must have a very bad cold,” thought Little Red Riding Hood. “Her voice sounds quite hoarse.”
But she said, “It’s me, Little Red Riding Hood. I’ve brought some of mommy’s nice cakes.”
“Come in my dear,” called the wolf.
When Red Riding Hood went in, the wolf hid under the bedclothes and said to her,
“Put the cakes on the table and come and give me a big kiss.”
As soon as Little Red Riding Hood got close to the bed, she saw how strange her grandma looked.
“Grandma, what big arms you have!” she said
“all the better to hug you with my dear,” said the wolf
“Grandma, what big eyes you have!”
“all the better to see you with, my dear.”
“Grandma, what big ears you have!”
“All the better to hear you with, my dear.”
“Grandma, what big teeth you have!”
“All the better to eat you with, my dear.”
And so saying, the wolf rushed upon Little Red Riding Hood to eat her up.
Fortunately, a hunter was passing and, hearing all the noise, he rushed in and saved Little Red Riding Hood.
He killed the wolf and opened him up, and out jumped the old grandmother.
Everyone was very pleased.
The Hunter took home a fine wolf’s skin, and grandma ate the delicious cakes with her dinner.
Little Red Riding Hood promised she would be more careful when she walked in the woods,
and she would never talk to the wolf again.
You have now completed reading the children’s story Little Red Riding Hood
and you did a great job.
Hopefully Dragon NaturallySpeaking has learned your voice
well enough to allow it to start typing out the words you say.
Remember it is going to take time for Dragon to learn HOW you speak
With a little practice Dragon will make fewer and fewer mistakes.
You will also become better at speaking in a way that Dragon will be able to understand.
So make sure you take your time and try to have fun.
It is okay to talk to your computer,
but remember, don’t talk to any strange wolves.

4. Jack and the Beanstalk (Easy Reading, max 12 word phrases)

This story has been prepared
by VocaLinks for use
by students in Ontario schools.
We would like you to read the story
of Jack and the Beanstalk aloud
while the computer learns how you speak.
When you are done reading,
we’ll make some changes,
and then you should be able to talk to your computer
and see the words appear on your screen.
Speak clearly and remember to breathe.
Take small breaks if you need to.
Try to read in your regular voice
and don’t be too worried
about making mistakes.
Relax, and enjoy the story!
JACK AND THE BEANSTALK
Once upon a time there was a poor widow
Who lived in a little house
with her only son Jack.
Jack was a happy, careless boy,
but very kind and loving.
There had been a long winter,
And the poor woman had been sick.
Jack did not work yet,
and they grew very poor.
The widow thought that she and Jack might starve,
so one day she told Jack
to go to market and sell their cow.
Jack set out to market to sell the cow,
but on the way,
he met a man
who had some beautiful beans in his hand.
Jack stopped to look at them,
and the man told the boy
that they were of great value,
and talked the silly boy
into selling the cow for these beans.
When be brought them home to his mother,
instead of the money she expected
for her nice cow,
she was very upset and started to cry.
Jack was very sorry,
and mother and son were sad
when they went to bed
because their last hope seemed gone.
At daybreak Jack got up
and went into the garden.
“At least,” he thought,
“I will plant the wonderful beans”.
So he took a piece of stick,
made some holes in the ground,
and planted the beans.
That night they had little for dinner,
and were sad because they knew
that the next day
there would be nothing to eat.
Jack was unable to sleep
and he got up at dawn and went into the garden.
He was very surprised to find
that the beans had grown up in the night,
and had climbed up and up and up
until they covered the near-by cliffs,
and kept going up into the sky!
The stalks made a ladder.
“It would be easy to climb it,” thought Jack.
So, he decided to climb them
and see where they went,
for Jack was a good climber.
When he began to climb,
and went up and up on the ladder
all things below him started to look very little.
Still, he could not see the top of the Beanstalk.
Jack felt a little tired,
and thought he would go back again,
but he decided not to give up.
So after resting he went on.
After climbing higher and higher
Jack reached the top of the Beanstalk,
and found himself in a beautiful land.
Not far from the place
where he had got off the Beanstalk,
stood a strong looking castle.
While Jack was standing looking at the castle,
a very strange-looking woman came out of the woods,
and came towards him.
Jack knew at once
that this amazing woman must be a fairy.
She told Jack that she had been waiting for him to come.
The castle was his family’s castle,
but long ago an evil giant had killed Jack’s father
to take the castle and all the magical things within.
Jack’s mother had escaped
and had chosen to hide her son
in the little house below the cliffs.
It was now time for Jack to take back
what was once his from the giant.
Once the fairy finished telling Jack the story
she disappeared
and Jack started to feel very brave.
He was sure that
he must get the magical things for his mother,
so he started towards the castle,
but no sooner had he sneaked up to the front door
than the door opened
and out came a huge giantess,
with one eye in the middle of her forehead.
She caught sight of Jack
and before he could run away,
she grabbed him
and carried him into the castle.
“So!” she laughed
“You didn’t expect to see me here,
that is clear!
No, I won’t let you go again.
I am so overworked,
and I don’t see why
I should not have a servant,
the same as other ladies.
And you shall be my boy.
You shall clean my home
and make the fires,
and help me when the giant is out.
When he is at home
I must hide you,
for he has eaten up all my boys
And you would make a very good lunch.
Jack was very scared,
as I am sure you and I
would have been in his place.
Be he tried to be brave
and make the best of things.
‘I am ready to help you,
and do all I can to serve you he said to the giantess,
‘That’s a good boy’ she said,
‘it is lucky for you
that you did not scream out
when you saw me,
as the other boys who had been here did.
For if you had done so my husband
would have awakened
and eaten you,
as he did them.

You have now completed reading the children’s story Little Red Riding Hood
and you did a great job.
Hopefully Dragon NaturallySpeaking has learned your voice
well enough to allow it to start typing out the words you say.
Remember it is going to take time for Dragon to learn HOW you speak
With a little practice Dragon will make fewer and fewer mistakes.
You will also become better at speaking in a way that Dragon will be able to understand.
So make sure you take your time and try to have fun.
It is okay to talk to your computer,
but remember, don’t talk to any strange wolves.

5. Talking to your Computer (Modified for max 5 syllable phrases)
We would
like you
to read
aloud for
a few
minutes
while the
computer
listens
to you
and learns
how you
speak.
When you
Have finished
reading,
we'll make some
adjustments,
and then
you'll be
able to
talk to
your computer
and see
the words
appear
on your
screen.
In the
meantime,
we would
like to
explain why
talking to
a computer
is not
the same
as talking
to a person
and then
give you
a few tips
about
how to speak
when dictating.
Understanding
spoken
language
is something
that people
often take
for granted.
Most of us
develop
the ability
to recognize
speech
when we're
very young.
We're already
experts at
speech recognition
by the age
of three
or so.
When people
first start using
speech-recognition
software,
they might
be surprised
that the computer
makes mistakes.
Maybe unconsciously
we compare
the computer
to another
person.
But the
computer
is not like
a person.
What the
computer does
when it
listens
to speech
is different
from what
a person does.
The first
challenge in
speech recognition
is to
identify
what is
speech
and what
is just noise.
People
can filter out
noise
fairly easily,
which lets us
talk to
each other
almost anywhere.
We have
conversations
in busy
train stations,
across the
dance floor,
and in
crowded
restaurants.
It would
be very dull
if we
had to
sit in
a quiet room
every time
we wanted
to talk
to each
other!
Unlike
people,
computers
need help
separating
speech sounds
from
other sounds.
When you
speak to
a computer,
you should
be in
a place
without
too much noise.
Then,
you must
speak clearly
into
a microphone
that has
been placed
in
the right
position.
If you
do this,
the computer
will hear you
just fine,
and not
get confused
by the other
noises around you.
A second
challenge
is to
recognize
speech from
more than
one speaker.
People
do this
very naturally.
We have
no problem
chatting
one moment
with Aunt Grace,
who has
a high,
thin voice,
and the next moment
with
Cousin Paul,
who has
a voice
like
a foghorn.
People
easily
adjust to
the unique
characteristics
of every voice.
Speech-recognition
software,
on the other
hand,
works best
when
the computer
has
a chance
to adjust
to each
new speaker.
The process
of teaching
the computer
to recognize
your voice
is called
"training,"
and it's what
you're doing
right now.
The training
process
takes only
a few
minutes
for
most people.
If,
after you
begin using
the program,
you find
that
the computer
is making
more mistakes
than you expect,
use the
tools
provided in
the Accuracy Center
to improve
the recognition
accuracy.
Another
challenge
is how
to distinguish
between two
or more
phrases
that sound
alike.
People use
common sense
and context
--knowledge
of the
topic
being
talked
about (in the text the letter “t” is missing)
--to decide
whether
a speaker
said
"ice cream"
or
"I scream."
Speech-recognition
programs
don't understand
what words
mean,
so
they can't
use common sense
the way
people
do.
Instead,
they keep
track of
how frequently
words occur
by themselves
and in
the context
of other words.
This information
helps
the computer
choose
the most
likely
word
or phrase
from
among
several
possibilities.
Finally,
people sometimes
mumble,
slur their words,
or
leave words out
altogether.
They assume,
usually
correctly,
that
their listeners
will be
able to
fill in
the gaps.
Unfortunately,
computers
won't understand
mumbled speech
or
missing words.
They only
understand
what was
actually spoken
and don't
know enough
to fill in
the gaps
by guessing
what was
meant.
To understand
what it means
to speak
both
clearly
and
naturally,
listen to
the way
newscasters
read
the news.
If you
copy this
style
when you
dictate,
the program
should
successfully
recognize
what
you say.
One of
the most
effective
ways
to make
speech
recognition
work better
is to
practice
speaking
clearly
and
evenly
when
you
dictate.
Try
thinking
about
what
you want
to say
before
you start
to speak.
This will
help you
speak in
longer,
more natural
phrases.
Speak
at your
normal
pace
without
slowing
down.
When
another
person
is having
trouble
understanding
you,
speaking
more
slowly
usually
helps.
It doesn't
help,
however,
to speak
at an
unnatural
pace when
you're talking
to a
computer.
This is
because
the program
listens
for
predictable
sound
patterns
when
matching
sounds
to words.
If you
speak
in syllables,
each syllable
is likely
to be
transcribed
as
a separate
word.
With
a little
practice,
you will
develop
the habit
of dictating
in a clear,
steady voice,
and
the computer
will understand
you better.
When you
read this
training
text,
the program
adapts to
the pitch
and volume
of your voice.
For this reason,
when
you dictate,
you should
continue
to speak
at the
pitch
and volume
you are
speaking with
right now.
If you shout
or whisper
when you
dictate,
the program
won't understand
you
as well.
And last
but not least,
avoid
saying
extra
words
you really
don't want
in
your document,
like
"you know."
The computer
has no way
of knowing
which words
you say
are important,
so it
simply
transcribes
everything
you say.
We hope
you've
enjoyed
reading
about
the different
ways that
people
and
computers
recognize
spoken
language
as well as
some tips
for effective
dictating.

6. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address (Medium Reading: Historical Speech)

For this training, we would like you to read aloud for a few minutes while the computer listens to you and learns how you speak. When you are finished reading, we will make some adjustments, and then you will be able to talk to your computer and see the words appear on your screen.
We are pleased to present John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address, delivered on Friday, January 20, 1961
Those of you who remember this day –- and even those who do not –- may enjoy reading a historic speech by one of the most memorable political figures of his time. The speeches of President Kennedy and many other political figures are available in print through the National Archives and Records Administration, or on various web pages on the internet.
Vice President Johnson, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Chief Justice, President Eisenhower, Vice President Nixon, President Truman, reverend clergy, fellow citizens,we observe today not a victory of party, but a celebration of freedom -- symbolizing an end, as well as a beginning -- signifying renewal, as well as change. For I have sworn before you and Almighty God the same solemn oath our forebears prescribed nearly a century and three-quarters ago.
The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life.
And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe -- the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God. We dare not forget today that we are the heirs of that first revolution.
Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans -- born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage –-
and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this Nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and around the world.Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty. This much we pledge -- and more.To those old allies whose cultural and spiritual origins we share, we pledge the loyalty of faithful friends. United, there is little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures. Divided there is little we can do -- for we dare not meet a powerful challenge at odds and split asunder.
To those new States whom we welcome to the ranks of the free, we pledge our word that one form of colonial control shall not have passed away merely to be replaced by a far more iron tyranny.
We shall not always expect to find them supporting our view. But we shall always hope to find them strongly supporting their own freedom -- and to remember that, in the past, those who foolishly sought power by riding the back of the tiger ended up inside.
To those people in the huts and villages of half the globe struggling to break the bonds of mass misery, we pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves, for whatever period is required -- not because the Communists may be doing it, not because we seek their votes, but because it is right.
If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich. To our sister republics south of our border, we offer a special pledge - - to convert our good words into good deeds - - in a new alliance for progress - - to assist free men and free governments in casting off the chains of poverty.
But this peaceful revolution of hope cannot become the prey of hostile powers. Let all our neighbors know that we shall join with them to oppose aggression or subversion anywhere in the Americas. And let every other power know that this Hemisphere intends to remain the master of its own house.
To that world assembly of sovereign states, the United Nations, our last best hope in an age where the instruments of war have far outpaced the instruments of peace, we renew our pledge of support -- to prevent it from becoming merely a forum for invective - - to strengthen its shield of the new and the weak - - and to enlarge the area in which its writ may run.Finally, to those nations who would make themselves our adversary, we offer not a pledge but a request: that both sides begin anew the quest for peace, before the dark powers of destruction unleashed by science engulf all humanity in planned or accidental self-destruction.We dare not tempt them with weakness. For only when our arms are sufficient beyond doubt can we be certain beyond doubt that they will never be employed.
But neither can two great and powerful groups of nations take comfort from our present course -- both sides overburdened by the cost of modern weapons, both rightly alarmed by the steady spread of the deadly atom, yet both racing to alter that uncertain balance of terror that stays the hand of mankind's final war.
So let us begin anew -- remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof. Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.
Let both sides explore what problems unite us instead of belaboring those problems which divide us. Let both sides, for the first time, formulate serious and precise proposals for the inspection and control of arms - - and bring the absolute power to destroy other nations under the absolute control of all nations.
Let both sides seek to invoke the wonders of science instead of its terrors. Together let us explore the stars, conquer the deserts, eradicate disease, tap the ocean depths, and encourage the arts and commerce. Let both sides unite to heed, in all corners of the earth, the command of Isaiah -- to "undo the heavy burdens ... and to let the oppressed go free."And, if a beachhead of cooperation may push back the jungle of suspicion, let both sides join in creating a new endeavour, not a new balance of power, but a new world of law, where the strong are just and the weak secure and the peace preserved.All this will not be finished in the first 100 days. Nor will it be finished in the first 1,000 days, nor in the life of this Administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin.In your hands, my fellow citizens, more than in mine, will rest the final success or failure of our course. Since this country was founded, each generation of Americans has been summoned to give testimony to its national loyalty. The graves of young Americans who answered the call to service surround the globe.Now the trumpet summons us again -- not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need; not as a call to battle, though embattled we are -- but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle, year in and year out, "rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation," – - a struggle against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself.
Can we forge against these enemies a grand and global alliance, North and South, East and West, that can assure a more fruitful life for all mankind? Will you join in that historic effort?In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility -- I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation.
The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it - - and the glow from that fire can truly light the world.And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you - - ask what you can do for your country.My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.
Finally, whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of us the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you.
With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God's work must truly be our own.