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1、美国总统38罗纳德威尔逊哩根RonaldReagan:Communicatorplaystopmutemaxvolume00:00-12:38repeatByKellyJeanKelly03December,2017VOALearningEnglishpresentsAmericasPresidents.TodaywearetalkingaboutRonaldReagan.Hewaspresidentfortwoterms,andservedfrom1981to1989.BeforethatzhewasthegovernorofCalifornia,workedasanactorandleda
2、laborunion.Aspresident,Reaganiscreditedforchangingthedirectionofthecountry.HetriedtoestablishafeelingofconfidenceintheAmericanpeople.Althoughnoteveryoneprofitedequallyfromhispolicies,thepresidentrarelysufferedinpublicopinionpolls.ReaganwascalledtheGreatCommunicatorbecausehewasabletoconnectwithmanyAm
3、ericans,andtospeakpersuasivelyaboutconservativevalues.HeisrememberedwarmlybymanyRepublicanPartypoliticiansandvotersespecially.EarlylifeRonaldReaganisoftenlinkedtoCaliforniaandtheAmericanWest.ButhewasbornandraisedinIllinois,inthecenteroftheUnitedStates.Hisfathersoldshoes,andhismothermostlytookcareofR
4、onaldandhisolderbrother,Neil.TheentirefamilysupportedtheDemocraticParty,especiallyPresidentFranklinRoosevelt.RonaldReaganasaradioannouncerWhiletheboysweregrowingupztheReagansdidnothavemuchmoney,andthefathersufferedfromalcoholism.ButRonaldwasenergeticandtookpartinmanyactivities.Heplayedfootballandbas
5、ketball;ranonthetrackteam;swam;actedinplays;ledstudentgroups;wroteforschoolnewspapersandyearbooks;andworkedseveraljobstohelppayforhiseducationandsupporthisparents.HeattendedEurekaCollegeinIllinois,andcompletedhisstudiesin1932.Oneofhisfirstjobsoutofcollegewasasasportsannouncerforaradiostation.Hehadan
6、appealingvoiceandanaturalwayoftalkingthatwasagoodfitforradio.Reaganwasalsogood-looking,andadependableworker.Intime,hewasofferedachancetoactinmoviesandmovedtoCalifornia.Duringhisactingcareer,Reaganmademorethan50films.HealsomarriedactressJaneWymanandhadtwochildrenwithher.Butafterseveralyears,therelati
7、onshipended.Theirmarriageendedindivorce.Fouryearslater,Reaganmarriedanotheractress.HernamewasAnneRobbins,butshewascalledNancyDavis.Theyalsohadtwochildren.Ashewasstartinghissecondfamily,Reaganbegananotherpartofhiscareer.HeservedashostofapopulartelevisionseriesabouttheAmericanWest.Healsobecamepresiden
8、tofalaborunion,theScreenActorsGuild.Itrepresentedactors,announcers,andothersworkinginthefilmandtelevisionindustry.Duringthattime,Reaganspoliticalbeliefschanged.Heincreasinglysupportedconservativeideas.Duringpublicappearances,heoftenspokeinsupportofbusinessinterests.Healsoexpressedconcernthatthefeder
9、algovernmentwaslimitingAmericansfreedom.Themessagewaswell-receivedbymanyAmericans.AlthoughtheDemocraticPartywasinpowerformostofthe1960s,anumberofAmericanswerebecomingincreasinglyconservative.Reaganwonnationalrecognitionin1966whenhesuccessfullyranforgovernorofCaliforniaasaRepublican.In1970,votersre-e
10、lectedhimtotheposition.ButReaganhadsethissightsonthepresidency.HesoughttheRepublicannominationinboth1968and1976.Finally,in1980zhewontheoffice.Bythattime,hehadalreadyhadseveralcareers,aswellasalonglife.Atage69,hewastheoldestpersonuntilthentobeelectedpresident.PresidencyWhenReagantookoffice,hemadeimpr
11、ovingtheU.S.economyhishighestconcern.Onewaytodothat,hebelieved,wastoreducetheinfluenceofthefederalgovernment.ReagangavearadioaddressattheVoiceofAmerica.HewantedespeciallytocutsomeofthegovernmentprogramsthatformerpresidentLyndonJohnsonhadputinplacetohelppoorpeople.Reaganbelievedthatcuttingtaxes-espec
12、iallyonbigbusinesses-wouldhelpstrengthentheeconomy,andintimehelpeveryone.Inaspeechaftertakingoffice,Reagannotedthat,Governmentisnotthesolutiontoourproblem;governmentistheproblem.Atfirst,theeconomycontinuedtostruggle.ButinafewyearszReaganspoliciesappearedtowork.Unemploymentdropped,thestockmarketrose,
13、andmanyindustriesgrewquickly.AmericansoftenrememberReaganspresidencyasatimeofeconomicgrowth.Noteveryonebenefitedequally,however.Reaganscriticsobservedthathispolicieslargelyhelpedpeoplewhowerealreadywealthy.Thedividebetweenrichandmiddle-classAmericansincreasedduringReaganspresidency.AndReagandidnotre
14、ducegovernmentspendinginallareas.Infact,hesharplyincreasedmilitaryspending.Oneresultwasalargenationaldebt.Anotherresult,ReaganssupporterssayzwasaquickerendtotheColdWar.OneofReagansmajorforeignpolicygoalswastoendthestand-offwiththeSovietUnion.HebelievedthatbuildinguptheU.S.militarywasthebestwaytopres
15、suretheSovietstoreachanagreementonarmscontrol.Reaganalsospokeoutstronglyagainstcommunism.Inhissecondterm,hefamouslyappealedtothenewSovietleader,MikhailGorbachevztoteardowntheBerlinWall.Forsome,thewallwasasignofcommunism.ManyhistorianssayReaganspoliciesworked.Forsure,ReaganandGorbachevimprovedrelatio
16、nsbetweentheircountries.Andintime,theSovietleadershippermittedtheBerlinWalltocomedown.AssassinationattemptandIran-ContrascandalInadditiontotheeconomyandtheColdWar,Reaganisoftenrememberedforhislikablepersonality.Hespokeeasilywiththepublic,oftenhadapositivemessageaboutthecountry,andusuallyappearedchee
17、rful.Reaganzpicturedhereenteringthecarthattookhimtothehospital,didnotrealizeatfirstthathewasshot.Thegunmanwasfoundtobetoomentallyunstabletobeheldresponsibleforthecrime.(APPhoto/RonEdmonds)Hewonevenmorepublicapprovalafteramanwithmentalproblemstriedtokillhim.Thebulletsseriouslyinjuredseveralpeoplenear
18、byzandjustmissedReagansheart.Yetzshortlyafterhewasshot,thepresidentjokedwithhiswifeandwithhisdoctors.Opinionpollsshowedthattherecoveredpresidentwasmorepopularthanever.ReaganspoliticalimagealsosurvivedascandalknownasIran-Contra.InbriefzCongressfoundthatanumberofgovernmentofficialssecretlysoldU.S.weap
19、onstoIranaspartofadealtofreehostages.Then,theofficialsusedsomeofthemoneytohelprebelsinNicaragua.Theactionsviolatedcongressionalrules.TheyalsochallengedReaganspromisethathehadnottradedweaponsforhostages.Thepresidentapologizedforanyparthehadplayedintheevents.Pollsshowedthat,ingeneral,theAmericanpublic
20、acceptedhisapologyandcontinuedtotrusthim.UnlikemostU.S.presidents,wholosepublicsupportduringtheirterms,Reaganfinishedhistimeinofficeashehadtakenit-withthesupportofmorethanhalfofAmericans.1.egacyReaganretiredtohishomeinCaliforniawithhiswife,Nancy.Forseveralyears,hewroteabouthislifeandhelpedorganizehi
21、spresidentiallibrary.Butinafewyears,theformerpresidentannouncedthathesufferedfromAlzheimers.Thediseaseaffectspeoplesabilitytothink,remember,andexpressthemselves.SoonzReagandisappearedfrompubliclife.Hediedin2004.Butheiswell-rememberedasanablepoliticianwhocouldworkeffectivelywithmanypeople.Heisalsorem
22、embered-bybothsupportersandcritics-forbeingapowerfulvoiceforconservativeideasandtraditionalvalues.Hisinfluenceextendedbeyondhistwoterms.LatergenerationsofleadersandvoterscalledthemselvesReaganRepublicans.mKellyJeanKelly.KellyJeanKellywrotethisstoryforLearningEnglish.GeorgeGrowwastheeditor.WordsinThi
23、sStoryconfidence-n.afeelingorbeliefthatyoucandosomethingwellorsucceedatsomethingfit-adj.havingthenecessaryskillsdivorce-n.theendingofamarriagebyalegalprocesshost-n.apersonwhotalkstoguestsonatelevisionorradioshowbenefit-v.tobeusefulorhelpfultostandoff-n.anargumentorcontestinwhichthereisnowinnerpositive-adj.hopefuloroptimisticscandal-n.anoccurrenceinwhichpeopleareshockedandupsetbecauseofbehaviorthatismorallyorlegallywrongchallenge-v.tosayorshowthat(something)maynotbetruezcorrect,orlegal
