Sentence:  He's going to present the prizes at Market Snodsbury Grammar School. We've been caught short as usual, and somebody has got to make a <WSD>speech</WSD> on ideals and the great world outside to those blasted boys, so he fits in nicely. I believe he's a very fine speaker. His only trouble is that he's stymied unless he has his <WSD>speech</WSD> with him and can read it. Calls it referring to his notes. ...<!--ch. XII--> “So that's why he's been going about looking like a dead fish. I suppose Roberta broke the engagement?” “In a <WSD>speech</WSD> lasting five minutes without a pause for breath.” 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  A session of speaking, especially a long oral message given publicly by one person.