Third esonero, June 23
Part 2 – June 23, 2009
The use of the dictionary is not allowed.
A Translate the following passage into Italian (15 points)
The first 100 days of a presidential term took on symbolic significance during Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s administration, who took office in 1933 in the middle of the Great Depression. Since that date, the 100-day-period is considered a benchmark to measure the early success of a president.
The 100th day of Barack Obama’s presidency fell on Wednesday April 29th. On that day he delivered a speech in Missouri where he spoke of all the things he managed to do in this short time and of all the problems he had to deal with. He said: “I think we're off to a good start, but it's just a start. I'm proud of what we've achieved, but I'm not content. I'm pleased with our progress, but I'm not satisfied.”
He spoke of the flu virus from Mexico, he spoke of the economic crisis and of his intention to move this economy from recession to recovery and ultimately to prosperity. He spoke of the Fiat-Chrysler merger, and he also spoke of waterboarding saying: “I do believe that waterboarding was torture: and I think that it was a mistake. Ultimately I will be judged on how safe I am keeping the American people. That’s the responsibility I wake up with and that’s the responsibility I go to sleep with; so I will do everything is required to keep the American people safe”. He also talked of the war in Iraq and in Afghanistan and of his desire for a gradual withdrawal as opposed to a precipitous one and he also spoke of abortion.
B Translate the following passage into English (5 points)
Oggi l'Unione europea (UE) comprende 27
paesi membri indipendenti e democratici. Gli ultimi stati ad entrare nell’Unione sono stati la Bulgaria e la Romania, il
1º gennaio 2007. I paesi con status ufficiale di candidati che sperano di entrare a farne parte nel prossimo futuro sono la Turchia, la Macedonia e la Croazia.
L'Unione consiste attualmente di una zona di libero mercato, detto
mercato comune, caratterizzata da una moneta unica, l'
euro, regolamentata dalla
Banca Centrale Europea (BCE) e attualmente adottata da 16 dei 27 Stati membri. La Slovacchia ha adottato l’euro il 1° gennaio 2009.
C Read the following passage and then answer the questions below (10 points)
On January 20th a country that, within living memory, denied some black citizens the right to vote inaugurated its first black president. A man with a funny name and African blood stood where 43 white men stood before him and took the Oath of Office.
It is very much hoped that this new era will help repair America’s relations with the rest of the world. It will be hard for Muslims to accuse America of prejudice when its president is a man whose first name means “blessed” in Arabic and whose middle name is Hussein. And it will be hard for Europeans to accuse America of being a land of cowboys when its president is the highly educated author of two excellent books: Dreams from my Father and The Audacity of Hope.
However fortunate his position, Mr Obama will face three big problems: the first is inflated expectations. Mr Obama made numerous promises during his campaign — universal health care, investment in infrastructure and green energy, a cap-and-trade system to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, and much else. Democrats on Capitol Hill also have their own shopping list.
1. Explain the meaning of “On January 20th a man with a funny name took the Oath of Office”. (2.5 points)
2. Explain the meaning of “Democrats on Capitol Hill also have their own shopping list”. (2.5 points)
3. Write your opinion on the election of Barack Obama. (5 points)