미국교과서 Dictation자료 Unit 2 - History 5 : A POWERFUL NATION

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미국교과서 듣기 대본과 Script입니다. 특정영역의 내용이기 때문에 IBT지문과 흡사하다고 할 수 있으며,

IBT에서 나올 구체적인 내용에서의 Background Information을 제공한다는 면에서 중요한 자료로 활용될 수 있습니다.

A POWERFUL NATION

   After winning the Second World War in 1945, the United States became the world's most powerful nation. The main battles of World War II took place in Europe and the Far East. Many European and Japanese cities were destroyed. Their factories and fields were in ruins. The Europeans and Japanese had to rebuild their countries.
   The United States didn't have the problem of rebuilding. No battles were fought on American soil. During the war, American factories grew rapidly. These factories supplied the soldiers with ships, airplanes, tanks, and other things to fight the war overseas. The United States was powerful also because it was the only country that had the atomic bomb. Atomic bombs were dropped on two Japanese cities in 1945.
   The United States was powerful economically too. After World War II, there was a period of economic growth in the United States. Most people had saved money during the war, and now they wanted to spend it. After living through the shortages of the Great Depression and World War II, they wanted a better and more comfortable life. The factories that had made war supplies started to make consumer goods. Factories began to make cars, home appliances, and other new products to meet the demand. This business boom meant that there were many new jobs.
   There was a boom in spending by the government too. After the war, the government spent money on public works. The government also spent more money on health, education, and welfare programs. They also created the G.I. Bill. The G.I. Bill gave veterans loans to start new businesses. The bill also helped veterans continue their education.
   The United States became even stronger in national defense and in technology. In the early 1950s, the United States worried about losing its place as the world's most powerful nation. Several events, like the Communist takeover of China in 1949 and the Soviet Union's use of atomic power, made Americans nervous. After 1957, when the Soviet Union sent up the first satellite into space, Sputnik 1, Americans demanded more federal spending for defense. Another part of the postwar boom was an increase in government spending for arms. The United States also moved ahead in space technology and sent the first man to the moon in 1969.