USA : is this the end?

Made in China

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Questions/to do (cf. the above video):

1. Complete the following sentence: It was "the drive to the West that gave the sense that America was ... destiny." (18secs)
2. How is "decline" defined? (27secs)
3. What clothing items worn by the journalist were made in China (44secs), and what does this say about America do you think?
4. What is "already history"? (1min 18secs)
5. What is the USA's "feeling of superiority" due to? (1min 32secs)
6. What does "from the barrel of a gun" mean when describing the power of the USA? (1min 39secs)
7. Where are the USA's intercontinental ballistic missiles based? (1min 42secs)
8. What is "deterrence"? (2mins)
9. What is the job of the two navigators? (2mins 13secs)
10. In your own words, describe and comment the captain's answer to the question: "Is American power as great as it was?" (2mins 35secs)
11. In your own words, describe and comment the captain's answer to the question: "Does America act for good in the world?" (2mins 52secs)
12. What was the USA's military budget in 2011, and how does this compare to other countries? (3mins 19secs)
13. What would "take generations to erode", and do you agree? (3mins 33secs)
14. What may be "a burden, not a blessing", and why? (3mins 36secs)
15. What is "the other source of American might? (3mins 45secs)
16. What "seems inevitable"? (3mins 51secs)
17. What is the "frontier feel" in North Dakota due to? (4mins 5secs)
18. Research why fracking is "a controversial technique". (4mins 22secs)
19. How will the USA avoid relying on the Middle East or on anyone else for its energy? (4mins 37secs)
20. Where is the "new frontier"? (4mins 52secs)
21. What is "taking us on to the next frontier"? (5mins 21secs)
22. What does "patriotic optimism" mean, and, in your opinion, what other countries share this attitude? (5mins 29secs)
23. Do you share the journalist’s analysis that America "is a very young country, still growing up and changing"? (5mins 36secs)
24. Describe Randel Ratten's attitude (5mins 37secs)
25. A "new dawn can be within reach" says the journalist; what does he mean? (6mins 8secs)

Answers to the questions!

Q1. Complete the following sentence: “It was the drive to the West that gave the sense that America was (...) destiny." (18secs)

A. "… a land of endless opportunity with a unique destiny."

Q2. How is "decline" defined? (27secs)

A. As: “becoming ordinary”, “influence on the wane”, “head over heels in debt”, “infrastructure crumbling”, “economy faltering”, “about to be outstripped by more dynamic rivals”.

Q3. What clothing items worn by the journalist were made in China (44secs), and what does this say about America do you think?

A. His jeans and cowboy boots; it shows and symbolizes that America (its economy) is being challenged by rising powers like China.

Q4. What is "already history"? (1min 18secs)

A. The fact that America “holds all the cards”, i.e. it is no longer true that America has all the power and all the wealth (there’s been a “rebalancing” because of the rise of countries like India).

Q5. What is the USA's "feeling of superiority" due to? (1min 32secs)

A. To having won two World Wars and the Cold War.

Q6. What does "from the barrel of a gun" mean when describing the power of the USA? (1min 39secs)

A. It means that the power of the USA is also military.

Q7. Where are the USA's intercontinental ballistic missiles based? (1min 42secs)

A. At Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota.

Q8. What is "deterrence"? (2mins)

A. It is the theory that because a country (the USA for example) has a considerable nuclear strike capability, it will deter an enemy (North Korea for example) from risking attack since the use of nuclear weapons would imply total annihilation.

Q9. What is the job of the two navigators? (2mins 13secs)

A. It is to “drop the bomb” from a B52.

Q10. In your own words, describe and comment the captain's answer to the question: "Is American power as great as it ever was?" (2mins 35secs)

A. He says that he thinks it is, because the defence capabilities of the USA are still good (the US armies can strike anywhere in the world at any time). He thinks the country’s enemies are aware of the USA’s strike capabilities and will not therefore attack it. I think the Captain ignores the fact of nuclear proliferation to rogue states and the capacity of terrorist organisations to attack the USA at home and abroad.

Q11. In your own words, describe and comment the captain's answer to the question: "Does America act for good in the world?" (2mins 52secs)

A. He thinks it does, because America’s mission in the world is founded on Christian values. He trusts his superiors that they will make the right decisions (as concerns using nuclear weapons). The Captain does not mention which Christian morals justify the use of nuclear weapons, and he ignores the fact that not everyone in the world shares his Christian outlook or accepts the USA’s hegemonic position (plus the USA has not always been successful in promoting peace, freedom and democracy through military means…).

Q12. What was the USA's military budget in 2011, and how does this compare to other countries? (3mins 19secs)

A. A trillion dollars (i.e. a million million dollars); this is more or less half the world’s military spending.

Q13. What would "take generations to erode", and do you agree? (3mins 33secs)

A. The gap between what the US spends on its military and the amount other nations do. I think this will be true only if the USA keeps its present defence and foreign policies and can also continue to afford to keep spending so much on defence.

Q14. What may be "a burden, not a blessing", and why? (3mins 36secs)

A. Having to continue to pay the high cost of maintaining its military superiority will be a burden because the USA will probably be unable to afford it for much longer.

Q15. What is "the other source of American might? (3mins 45secs)

A. Its economy.

Q16. What "seems inevitable"? (3mins 51secs)

A. Playing “second fiddle to China”, i.e. becoming less economically powerful than China.

Q17. What is the "frontier feel" in North Dakota due to? (4mins 5secs)

A. The high employment rate that fracking has generated has brought a “boom time” to North Dakota, giving it a “frontier feel” (energy, investment, hope…).

Q18. Research why fracking is "a controversial technique". (4mins 22secs)

A. Fracking is destructive to the environment, using considerable amounts of water, polluting ground water, and even causing earthquakes. It also makes us continue to rely on fossil fuels.

Q19. How will the USA avoid relying on the Middle East or on anyone else for its energy? (4mins 37secs)

A. Fracking produces gas and oil and therefore the USA is becoming less reliant on foreign energy supplies.

Q.20 Where is the "new frontier"? (4mins 52secs)

A. Underground.

Q21. What is "taking us on to the next frontier"? (5mins 21secs)

A. American ingenuity.

Q22. What does “patriotic optimism” mean, and, in your opinion, what other countries share this attitude? (5mins 29secs)

It means having great pride in one’s country and faith in the capacity of one’s country to overcome challenges. I think many people in English-speaking countries share this cultural stance; it can sometimes be chauvinistic (“America’s the greatest!”) and even legitimize the domination of other countries…

Q23. Describe Randel Ratten's attitude (5mins 37secs)

A. He is fearful of decline, blaming politics and politicians for the bad state of the country; he is also very proud of his country and would like to believe in its continued greatness…

Q24. Do you share the journalist’s analysis that America “is a very young country, still growing up and changing”? (5mins 36secs)

A. No, I do not. The USA is a country that is violent, divided, with unsolvable social and health issues. The environment is being irreversibly destroyed. And its role in the world is no longer legitimate.

Q25. A "new dawn can be within reach" says the journalist; what does he mean? (6mins 8secs)

A. This is an optimistic statement about the future of the USA: the journalist means that Americans have to adapt to a world they no longer dominate but in which they can still serve as a positive example for the rest of us.