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Excerpts From The Second Inaugural Address
of William J. Clinton; January 20, 1997
- (...) What a century it has been. America
became the world's mightiest industrial power; saved the world from
tyranny in two world wars and a long cold war; and time and again, reached
out across the globe to millions who, like us, longed for the blessings
of liberty.
- Along the way, Americans produced a great
middle class and security in old age; built unrivaled centers of learning
and opened public schools to all; split the atom and explored the heavens;
invented the computer and the microchip; and deepened the wellspring
of justice by making a revolution in civil rights for African Americans
and all minorities, and extending the circle of citizenship, opportunity
and dignity to women.
- Now, for the third time, a new century
is upon us, and another time to choose. We began the 19th century with
a choice, to spread our nation from coast to coast. We began the 20th
century with a choice, to harness the Industrial Revolution to our values
of free enterprise, conservation, and human decency. Those choices made
all the difference.
- At the dawn of the 21st century a free
people must now choose to shape the forces of the Information Age and
the global society, to unleash the limitless potential of all our people,
and, yes, to form a more perfect union.
Questions on the text:
1) What are the main themes of this passage
from Bill Clinton's inaugural address?
2) "America became the world's mightiest
industrial power" - Which country had a similar status before the
USA?
3) What sort of picture of the USA does
President Clinton draw in the second paragraph? Do you have a similar
view of the USA?
4) How does President Clinton see the 21st
century? Can you explain what he is saying?
5) In the last sentence he talks about forming
"a more perfect union".What do you think that means?
6) In the course of the last two years you
have been dealing with quite anumber of different topics. Which of the
following did you find most interesting and why?
a) the Commonwealth b)
the environment c) teleworking
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