Nome e cognome Classe Data

Prova 1: The USA after World War II

1) The aftermath of WWII

Scrivi negli spazi vuoti la risposta che ti sembra esatta.

Complete the sentences with the correct information.

1. After WWII the Americans were the wealthiest people in the world, because they had not
suffered many bombings or invasions, and had increased their __________ and enjoyed higher
wages.
2. The Americans became big buyers of consumer goods like cars, television sets, refrigerators and
__________ machines.
3. During the 1950s and the 1960s the United States were led first by the Democrat Harry S.
__________ and then by the Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was a war hero.
4. The US administration implemented a programme for economic aid to European countries called
the __________ Plan.
5. In the same years the United States signed the __________ agreement, which granted mutual
defence with Western Europe, following the previous creation of the United Nations Organization
in 1945.

2) The aftermath of WWII

Vero o falso? Scegli la risposta esatta.

Read the following sentences and say whether they are true or false.

Vero Falso
The Soviet Union was one of the many countries which challenged
a. □ □
America's leading power.
America's fear of Communism was based on the perceived threat to the
b. □ □
freedom of the individual.
The American administration was scared of the danger represented by the
c. □ □
capitalist system.
Senator Joseph McCarthy launched a public 'witch hunt' against anybody
d. □ □
suspected of working for the Communists.
e. His influence grew stronger by the mid-1950s. □ □

3) John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Scegli dall'elenco tutte le risposte esatte.

Choose the correct alternatives to complete the sentence.

John Fitzgerald Kennedy

A. □ was elected President of the United States in 1963.

B. □ had 50% of the votes.
C. □ was the Republican candidate.
D. □ was the first Catholic and the youngest President ever elected in America.
E. □ was assassinated in Dallas.
F. □ signed an agreement with the communist North Vietnam.

4) The Civil Rights Movement

Trova e sottolinea gli errori nel testo. Ce ne sono in tutto 5.

Read the text below and find the five mistakes in it.

Civil rights were at the core of American politics during the 1960s. In 1964 President Lyndon B.
Johnson forbade Congress to pass the Civil Rights Act, intended to end discrimination based on
race, colour, religion or national origin. Thanks to this act the federal government acquired the
powers to impose segregation. In the same years American immigrants reaffirmed the separateness
and superiority of their traditional culture. Martin Luther King Jr. took the leadership of the
African-American Civil Rights Movement, based on Gandhi's philosophy of armed resistance.
Other groups were more radical and violent, for example the 'Black Panthers', who were against
integration, and the 'Black Catholics', led by Malcolm X, who insisted for separateness from the
whites.

5) The anti-war movement

Scegli l'alternativa esatta tra quelle proposte.

Choose the correct alternative to complete the sentences.

1. When the United States became involved in the [ Vietnam \ Korean ] War, the country saw the
rise of the greatest anti-war movement of its history.
2. Public opinion was [ shocked by \ indifferent to ] TV reports of the war.
3. During demonstrations young people were [ helped \ injured ] by the police.
4. The unease of the younger generation found expression in the protest songs of folk singers like
Bob Dylan and Joan Baez, and in [ pop \ rock ] music.
5. Students' movements fought for equal rights for [ gay \ all ] people.
6. They used [ new \ traditional ] methods of political activity like sit-ins, marches and teach-ins.

6) The 1970s

Scrivi negli spazi vuoti l'alternativa esatta. Ricorda: potrebbero non servirti tutte le alternative.
1976 / 1974 / 1973 / 1973 / 1972

Match the events below with their correct dates.

1. The Democratic Jimmy Carter won the election in __________.

2. During Richard Nixon's administration the last American soldiers left Vietnam in __________.
3. The USA suffered a fuel shortage and had to import large quantities of oil in __________.
4. In __________ the Watergate scandal brought to light some illegal activities of the Republican
administration.
5. In __________ Nixon was obliged to resign and Gerald Ford took his place.

7) Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter

Per ogni domanda scegli la risposta che ti sembra esatta tra le opzioni proposte.

The following features refer either to President Nixon or to President Carter. Choose the correct
alternative.

a. He was a Democratic candidate.

□ Richard Nixon.

□ Jimmy Carter.

b. He won the election in 1969.

□ Richard Nixon.

□ Jimmy Carter.

c. His National Security Adviser was Henry Kissinger.

□ Richard Nixon.

□ Jimmy Carter.

d. He promoted the Camp David Agreements between Egypt and Israel.

□ Richard Nixon.

□ Jimmy Carter.

e. During his administration the United States won the 'space race' against the USSR.

□ Richard Nixon.

□ Jimmy Carter.

f. He did not succeed in obtaining the release of a group of Americans held hostage by
Ayatollah Khomeini.
 □ Richard Nixon.

□ Jimmy Carter.

8) Ronald Reagan

Vero o falso? Scegli la risposta esatta.

Read the following sentences and say whether they are true or false.

Vero Falso
a. Ronald Reagan was a former film actor and a brilliant talker. □ □
His policy of 'stand on your own feet and act tough' was much criticised
b. □ □
by Margaret Thatcher.
c. He encouraged free enterprise and cuts in government spending. □ □
He invested millions of dollars on the production of missiles and on
d. □ □
space research.
e. Unemployment was a big issue during his administration. □ □
f. In 1984 he was re-elected with the biggest majority in American history. □ □

9) The Nineties

Scrivi negli spazi vuoti la risposta che ti sembra esatta.

Complete the sentences with the correct information.

1. George H.W. Bush became president in __________.

2. The next year he became involved in the Persian __________ crisis.
3. The war began when Saddam Hussein, Iraq's president, refused to withdraw from __________.
4. US General Norman Schwarzkopf led a military operation called '__________ Storm'.
5. After Bush, the __________ Bill Clinton became president of the United States.
6. He promoted __________ policies and reforms.

10) September 11th and beyond

Scrivi negli spazi vuoti l'alternativa esatta. Ricorda: potrebbero non servirti tutte le alternative.

tax / hijacked / Republican / mass / Pentagon / Democrat

Complete the sentences with the words below.

1. During the first year of Bush's presidency, on September 11th, the Twin Towers of the World
Trade Center in New York and the __________ in Virginia were attacked.
2. The buildings were hit by three planes __________ by Al-Quaeda terrorists, causing the death of
thousands of civilians.
3. President Bush ordered an attack on Afghanistan and declared war against Iraq in 2003, accusing
Saddam Hussein of hiding weapons of __________ destruction.
4. The __________ Barack Obama, elected in November 2008, was the first black American
president.
5. He promised __________ cuts, aid to cities and States, and the creation of new jobs by the end of
2010.
6. The __________ Donald Trump was elected on 8th November 2016.