美国名人 罗纳德·里根.docx

美国名人罗纳德里根RonaldReaganplaystopmutemaxvolume00:00-14:46repeatByCatyWeaver2004-6-12JackReaganworkedatageneralstore.Thefamilywaspoor.Yet,inabookabouthislife,RonaldReaganwrotethatheneverfeltpoor.Hewasgoodatsportszespeciallyfootball.Duringthesummers,hewasalifeguardatalocalswimmingpool.Hereportedlyrescuedmanypeoplefromdrowning.RonaldReagansaidtherewasafeelingofsecuritythroughouthischildhood.Butitwasnotperfect.Hisfatherwasdependentonalcohol.VOICETWO:RonaldReaganstudiedatEurekaCollegeinIllinois.Afterseeingaplayatcollege,hesaid,"Morethananythingintheworld,Iwantedtospeaktheactor'swords."ButRonaldReagandidnothaveenoughmoneytogotoNewYorkorHollywoodtobecomeanactor.SozaftercollegehefoundajobasasportsbroadcasterforaradiostationinIowa.LaterhemovedtoabiggerradiostationinChicago,Illinois.Heannouncedtheactionofbaseballgames.ThisworktookhimonatriptoCalifornia.Hetookascreentesttobecomeanactor.WarnerBrothersStudiosofferedhimajob.RonaldReaganmovedtoHollywoodandbecameamoviestar.Heappearedinmanymovies."KnuteRockne-AllAmerican,"isprobablyhismostfamous.Itiswherehegotthenickname"TheGipper."MisterReaganplayedGeorgeGippyoneofthegreatestcollegefootballplayersever.Inthemovie,hespeaksoftheschool'sfootballteamasheisdying.(SOUND)".askthemtogointherewithalltheygot,winjustonefortheGipper."Thosewords,"winonefortheGipperz"laterbecameapoliticalbattlecryforRonaldReagan.Innineteen-fortyzhemarriedactressJaneWyman.Theyhadtwochildren,MaureenandMichael.Butthemarriageendedinnineteen-forty-nine.RonaldReaganbecamepresidentofthemainlaborgroupformovieactorsinnineteen-forty-eight.Heservedsixterms.HemetactressNancyDavisthroughtheunion.Theymarriedinnineteen-fifty-two.Theylaterhadtwochildren,PattiandRon.AtthistimezRonaldReaganwasamemberoftheDemocraticpartywhodescribedhimselfasaliberal.But,hebecameincreasinglyconservativeashisworriesaboutcommunismgrew.Heopposedanyoneinthemovieindustrywhosupportedcommunism.(MUSIC)VOICETWO:Intheearlynineteen-fiftieszRonaldReaganbegantoappearontelevision.HepresenteddramaticshowsproducedbytheGeneralElectriccompany.Hebecameaspokesmanforthecompany.MisterReaganlearnedalotaboutpublicspeaking.HebegantocampaignforRepublicanpartypoliticalcandidatesafewyearslater.Reagandevelopedtheabilitytoreachpeoplethroughhisspeeches.Helaterbecameknownas"TheGreatCommunicator."NancyReagansupportedherhusband'spoliticalinterests.Politicalexpertssayshewasalwayshismostimportantadvisor.Innineteen-si×ty-si×zRonaldReaganannouncedhisowncandidacyforgovernorofCalifornia.Democratsinthestatedidnotthinkhewasaseriouscandidate.However,MisterReaganwaselectedgovernorbyalmostone-millionvotes.RonaldReaganreceivedmixedpublicopinionasgovernorofthenation'smostpopulatedstate.HewaspraisedforloweringCalifornia'sdebtzyetcriticizedforraisingtaxes.Votersre-electedhimasgovernorinnineteen-seventy.VOICEONE:RonaldReaganwasunsuccessfulinhisfirsttwoattemptstowintheRepublicannominationforpresident.Then,innineteen-eightyzhebecametheRepublicanParty'spresidentialcandidate.HisopponentwasPresidentJimmyCarter.Thetwomendebatedonnationaltelevision.RonaldReaganspokedirectlyandsimplytotheAmericanpeopleandaskedthemsomequestions:(SOUND)"Areyoubetteroffthanyouwerefouryearsago?Isiteasierforyoutogoandbuythingsinthestoresthanitwasfouryearsago?Istheremoreorlessunemploymentinthecountrythantherewasfouryearsago?"VOICETWO:RonaldReaganwontheUnitedStatespresidentialelectionbyahugemajority.Heandhisvice-president,GeorgeHerbertWalkerBush,wereswornintoofficeinJanuary,nineteen-eighty-one.Manypeoplecalledthechangeinpoliticalpower"TheReaganRevolution."PresidentReaganimmediatelybegantoworktohonoramajorcampaignpromise.HecalledonCongresstolowertaxes.ButonlytwomonthsIaterztragedystruck.AmentallysickmanshotthepresidentandthreeotherpeopleoutsideahotelinWashington.PresidentReaganandhispresssecretary,JamesBrady,wereseverelywounded.MisterReaganhadabulletinhisleftlung,closetohisheart.Butzheshowedhissenseofhumoratthehospital.AsthepresidentwastakenintotheoperatingroomhesaidhehopedallthedoctorswereRepublicans.RonaldReaganrecoveredfromtheshootingandreturnedtoworkwithintwoweeks.VOICEONE:ThePresidentnowbeganworkonhismaingoaltoreducethesizeofthefederalgovernment.HehadcampaignedontheideathatthegovernmentwastoocostlyandinterferedtoomuchinthelivesofAmericans.MisterReaganandCongressreducedtaxesandcutspendingforsocialprograms.Theadministrationarguedthattheseactionswouldcreateeconomicgrowth.Extremelyhighinflationratesdidbegintofall.But,theUnitedStates'debtrosesharply.Thiswaspartlyfrombigincreasesinmilitaryspending.TheReaganeconomicpolicybecameknownas"Reaganomics."Ithad,andstillhas,supportersandopponents.Somepeoplearguedthatthecutsinsocialprogramsgreatlyhurtpoorpeople.Otherssaidthepolicyimprovedtheeconomy.PresidentReagansoughtre-electioninnineteen-eighty-four.HisDemocraticopponentwasformerVice-PresidentWalterMondale.AgainMisterReaganwontheelectionbyalargeamount.(MUSIC)PresidentReagandealtwithmanyseriousforeignissueswhileinoffice.HesentAmericanMarinestoLebanontostopthefightingamongseveralopposinggroups.Butmorethantwo-hundredMarineswerekilledinanextremistbombattack.Theso-called"ReaganDoctrine"wastheadministration'smostfamousforeignpolicy.Thatpolicywastosupportanti-communistforcesanywhereintheworld.Underthepolicy,AmericanforcesinvadedtheCaribbeanislandnationofGrenada.ThepolicyalsoledtosecretUnitedStatessupportforrebelsinNicaragua.PresidentReaganmetwithSovietLeaderMikhailGorbachevseveraltimesinanefforttoreducenuclearweapons.HegaveafamousspeechattheBerlinWallthatdividedSoviet-controlledEastGermanyfromWestGermanyonJunetwelfth,nineteen-eighty-seven.(SOUND)"GeneralSecretaryGorbachevzifyouseekpeace,ifyouseekprosperityfortheSovietUnionandEasternEurope,ifyouseekliberalization:Comeheretothisgate!MisterGorbachevzopenthisgate!MisterGorbachevzteardownthiswall!"VOICEONE:SomehistorianssayRonaldReaganhelpedcausethefalloftheSovietUnion.TheysayhismilitaryspendingforcedtheSovietstospendmore,too.TheysaythisledtotheCommunistnation'seconomicfailure.PresidentReaganenjoyedveryhighpublicapprovalratingsthroughouthispresidency.ManyAmericansconsideredhimafriendlyleader,a"manofthepeople,"filledwithhopeforAmerica.VOICETWO:RonaldandNancyReaganreturnedtoCaliforniaafterhissecondtermendedinnineteen-eighty-nine.Innineteen-ninety-four,MisterReaganwroteanopenlettertotheAmericanpeople.HeinformedthemthathehadthebraindiseaseAlzheimer's.TheformerpresidentexpressedhisloveforthecountryandthankedAmericansforlettinghimserve.Andzhewrote,"IknowthatforAmericatherewillalwaysbeabrightdawnahead."RonaldReagandiedathishomeinCaliforniaonJunefifth.Hewasninety-three.(MUSIC)VOICEONE:ThisprogramwaswrittenbyCatyWeaver.MarioRitterwastheproducer.mGwenOuten.AndmSteveEmber.ListenagainnextweekforanotherPeopleinAmericainVOASpecialEnglish.