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John Quincy Adams: grandes planes para la nación

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Lee un fragmento de un reportaje de VOA Learning English sobre las ideas del presidente John Quincy Adams y la oposición que enfrentó.

John Quincy Adams: Independent

Yet Quincy Adams talked about unity in his presidential inaugural speech. Adams said the Constitution and the representative democracy of the United States had proved a success. The nation was free and strong and stretched across the continent, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific.

He noted that political divisions had eased. So now, he said, it was time for the people to settle their differences and make a truly national government.

In his first message to Congress, President Adams described his ideas.

The chief purpose of the government, he said, was to improve the lives of the people it governed. To do this, he offered a national program of building roads and canals. He also proposed a national university and a national scientific center.

Adams said Congress should not be limited to making laws only to improve the nation's economic life. He said it should make laws to improve the arts and sciences, too.

But many people of the West and South did not believe that the Constitution gave the federal government the power to do all these things. They believed these powers belonged to the states.

Their representatives in Congress rejected the president’s proposals.

In addition, a new opposition party was trying to weaken support for Quincy Adams. They supported a general from Tennessee named Andrew Jackson.

Historian Harlow Giles Unger says John Quincy Adams was never able to meet the high expectations many people had for him.

Comprende el texto

Lee el texto. Elige la respuesta correcta.

What did Adams talk about in his inaugural speech?
- a) War with other countries
- b) Unity
- c) Lower taxes
Adams said that the American system of government had been a success.
- a) True
- b) False
According to Adams, what was the chief purpose of the government?
- a) To make the army stronger
- b) To protect the powers of the states
- c) To improve the lives of the people it governed
Which of these was NOT part of Adams's plans?
- a) Roads and canals
- b) A national university
- c) A national scientific center
- d) A national bank
Adams thought Congress should make laws only to improve the economy.
- a) True
- b) False
Why did many people in the West and South disagree with Adams's plans?
- a) They believed these powers belonged to the states.
- b) They thought the plans were too small.
- c) They wanted the national university in their region.
What happened to Adams's proposals in Congress?
- a) They were approved quickly.
- b) They were rejected.
- c) They were changed and then approved.
Who did the new opposition party support?
- a) Harlow Giles Unger
- b) A governor from the West
- c) Andrew Jackson

Palabras y detalles

Elige la mejor respuesta, o escribe una palabra del texto.

The nation stretched from the Atlantic Ocean to the ___.
"Political divisions had eased." This means the divisions had ...
- a) become less serious
- b) become worse
- c) just started
It was time for the people to "settle their differences". This means to ...
- a) move to a new place
- b) pay their debts
- c) end their disagreements
In his first message to ___, President Adams described his ideas.
"The chief purpose of the government, he said, was to improve the lives of the people." Chief means ...
- a) secret
- b) main
- c) oldest
Adams was never able to meet the high expectations many people had for him. Expectations are ...
- a) the rules people wanted him to follow
- b) the things people believed he would achieve
- c) the questions people asked him

Respuestas

Comprende el texto

b) UnityEl texto dice: Quincy Adams talked about unity in his presidential inaugural speech.
a) TrueDijo que la Constitución y la democracia representativa de los Estados Unidos habían demostrado ser un éxito.
c) To improve the lives of the people it governedDijo que el objetivo principal del gobierno era mejorar la vida de las personas a las que gobernaba.
d) A national bankOfreció carreteras y canales, una universidad nacional y un centro científico nacional. El texto no menciona ningún banco.
b) FalseDijo que el Congreso también debía aprobar leyes para mejorar las artes y las ciencias.
a) They believed these powers belonged to the states.No creían que la Constitución diera al gobierno federal estos poderes. Creían que esos poderes pertenecían a los estados.
b) They were rejected.El texto dice: Their representatives in Congress rejected the president's proposals.
c) Andrew JacksonApoyaron a un general de Tennessee llamado Andrew Jackson.

Palabras y detalles

Pacific / Pacific OceanEl texto dice que la nación se extendía por todo el continente, desde el océano Atlántico hasta el Pacífico.
a) become less seriousCuando un problema se atenúa, se vuelve menos grave.
c) end their disagreementsResolver las diferencias significa dejar de discrepar y encontrar una solución.
CongressEl texto dice: In his first message to Congress, President Adams described his ideas.
b) mainChief significa principal o más importante.
b) the things people believed he would achieveLas expectativas son lo que la gente cree que sucederá o lo que alguien logrará.