How to handle bar charts with long labels?

I would like to use bar charts to display average responses to survey data. The problem is that I need to use the question itself as the label for each bar, and the questions are a statement or a sentence that is usually 8-12 words long.

In the past, I've "faked" a bar chart by slimming down the columns and using conditional formatting to color individual cells depending on the overall value, and then positioning the label above the "bar" like so: (Each - represents a cell/column)

To what degree do you agree with this first long statement?
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To what degree do you agree with this second long statement?
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To what degree do you agree with this third long statement?
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1---------------2---------------3---------------4---------------5

Is there a way to accomplish the same outcome within Excel's chart functionality? This is a really clunky and inelegant way of doing it, but it does work. I just think there's got to be a better way.

Thanks to anyone who can help!