I denne study guide giver vi dig hjælp til at arbejde med emnet "The American Dream". Vi giver dig et overblik over kildematerialet og giver dig gode råd til relevante pointer, som du kan trække ud fra kilderne og anvende i din tale. Du får også inspiration til at diskutere, hvordan man opnår den amerikanske drøm i nutidens USA.
Eksamensspørgsmål
Dette emne har dannet udgangspunkt for en opgave i skriftlig eksamen i Engelsk på HHX A den 25. maj 2018. Opgaveformuleringen var følgende::
You are a student at the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. You have been asked to give a speech to fellow students about how the American Dream has changed over time.
In the speech you account for and comment on different perceptions of the American Dream and discuss what it takes to achieve it in today’s America.
Write the manuscript in English.
Word count: 800-1200 words
Use the following sources:
I: How the American Dream Turned into a Nightmare
II: Joel Contartese Shares 5 Lessons On The American Dream
III: Less than 20% of Americans say they're living the American Dream-here’s why
IV: Baltimore: 'This is what poverty in the US looks like' - BBC News (3:53)
V: President Trump Talks About Tax Reform and The American Dream (3:07)
You may use additional sources in English, for example from the Internet. Do not forget to document all your sources.
Præsentation af emnet
Kildematerialet i opgaven har fokus på den amerikanske drøm. Idéen om at enhver kan opnå succes gennem hårdt arbejde, uanset baggrund, er en popular tanke i det amerikanske samfund. Tanken er dog også blevet kritiseret - særligt i nyere tid - fordi den ofte ignorer den store effekt, som sociale og samfundsmæssige forhold kan have på det enkelte menneskes evne til at opnå personlig succes.
I kildematerialet får du forskellige perspektiver på den amerikanske drøm. Nogle af kilderne fremlægger fortsat idealet som en positiv tanke, mens andre giver det skarp kritik eller formulerer nye, anderledes vinkler på det.
Uddrag
Nedenfor kan du se et kort uddrag fra vores study guide til denne opgave:
V: “President Trump Talks About Tax Reform and The American Dream”
Text V conveys Donald Trump’s opinion on the American Dream. According to Trump, the political class has destroyed the American Dream because they have prioritised other countries’ interests over those of Americans and American families.
However, he argues that everyone will be able to achieve the American Dream with the help of a tax reform which involves simplified tax return forms, tax cuts, and encouraging business to come or return to the US and create jobs.
Trump’s perception of the American Dream is that it is embodied and continued by American families and that it can be achieved with access to jobs and by creating a better business environment through tax cuts. Trump’s plan implies that working is essential to the American Dream, as he is focused on creating jobs.
Mere hjælp
Hvis du har brug for yderligere hjælp, kan du læse vores overordnede guide til manuscript-opgaven på HHX: