约翰·费茨杰拉德·肯尼迪出生于1917年，于1963年遇刺身亡。人们更为熟知的是他名字的缩写-JFK。肯尼迪是美国第35任总统。肯尼迪是爱尔兰后裔，他出生于马塞诸塞州，1940年毕业于哈佛大学。他在就职典礼上说了一番让人难以忘怀的话语：“不要问国家能为你干什么；要问你能给国家干什么”。

John Fitzgerald "Jack¹" Kennedy was born in 1917 and was assassinated² in 1963. He is also known by his initials JFK. Kennedy was the 35th President of the United States. Of Irish descent, he was born in Massachusetts and graduated from Harvard in 1940. He joined the Navy and in 1943 his boat was sunk by the Japanese. Despite grave injuries, he led the survivors³ through perilous⁴ waters to safety.

 

 

 

Back from the war, JFK became a Democratic Congressman⁵, advancing to the Senate in 1953. He married Jacqueline Bouvier in 1953. In 1955, he wrote “Profiles in Courage”, which won the Pulitzer Prize in history. In 1960 millions watched his television debates with the Republican candidate, Richard M. Nixon. He won the presidency⁶ by a narrow margin⁷ and became the first Roman Catholic President.

 

His Inaugural⁸ Address offered the memorable⁹ words: "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what youcan do for your country." As President, he set out to keep his campaign promise to get America moving again. His economic programs launched the country on its longest economic growth since World War II. He also took vigorous action in the cause of equal rights.

 

Kennedy increased the nation's military strength and spending on the space race during the Cold War. He confronted Russia when it tried to put nuclear missiles in Cuba. While the world trembled on the brink¹⁰ of nuclear war, the Russians backed down. On November 22, 1963, hardly past his first thousand days in office, JFK was assassinated. He was the youngest man elected President and the youngest to die.

 

点击收听单词发音