EnglishClub

Pre-listening vocabulary

• superpower: a country with a lot of military strength and global influence
• atomic bomb: a weapon that gets its energy from the fission of atoms
• ally: a country that is on the same side as another in a military conflict
• deploy: to position and activate a weapon
• mutual assured destruction: the idea that if one superpower launches a nuclear attack, the other will fire back, and both countries will be destroyed
• arsenal: a country’s supply of weapons

Listening activity

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Gapfill exercise

The nuclear arms race was a period of between the United States and the Soviet Union as both superpowers developed and nuclear weaponry. It began in 1945, when the American military dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima. The Americans and the Soviets had been allies in World War II, but this event escalated growing between the two countries. Both knew that deploying a nuclear missile would result in what was termed mutual assured destruction, but they continued to develop nuclear out of fear that the other country would strike first. In 1972, both countries signed an agreement that limited the collection and testing of nuclear weapons. However, there is still concern about the nuclear arsenals of powerful countries.

Comprehension questions

See answers below

1. In 1945,
   a. the Soviet Union tested their first atomic bomb
   b. the US dropped their first atomic bomb
   c. both countries signed agreements about atomic bombs
   
2. Both countries knew that deploying a nuclear weapon would result in
   a. winning the Cold War
   b. losing global support
   c. mutual assured destruction
   
3. The 1972 agreement
   a. dismantled all nuclear weapons
   b. limited the collection and testing of nuclear weapons
   c. limited which countries could have nuclear weapons

Discussion/essay questions

1. Even though full nuclear warfare has never taken place, access to nuclear weapons has changed the way countries conduct war. Why is this? How do current conflicts demonstrate this?

Transcript

The nuclear arms race was a period of competition between the United States and the Soviet Union as both superpowers developed and tested nuclear weaponry. It began in 1945, when the American military dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima. The Americans and the Soviets had been allies in World War II, but this event escalated growing distrust between the two countries. Both knew that deploying a nuclear missile would result in what was termed mutual assured destruction, but they continued to develop nuclear technology out of fear that the other country would strike first. In 1972, both countries signed an agreement that limited the collection and testing of nuclear weapons. However, there is still global concern about the nuclear arsenals of powerful countries.

Answers to comprehension questions

1b 2c 3b

Pre-listening vocabulary

• rivalry: a competitive relationship between two people or groups
• ideology: a set of political beliefs
• capitalism: an economic system where corporations control the production of goods and services
• communism: an economic system where the government controls the production of goods and services
• restrict: to put limits on something
• treaty: a written agreement between countries

Listening activity

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:46 — 1.6MB)

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Gapfill exercise

The Cold War was a rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union that lasted from 1947 to 1991. It was caused by the opposing ideologies of the American and Soviet . While the U.S. was a capitalist country, the Soviet Union had a communist system. After World War II, the Soviets controlled communist governments in Eastern Europe, while the Americans were allied with democratic governments in Western Europe. The divide between Eastern and Western Europe became known as the Iron Curtain. Throughout the Cold War, both the Soviet Union and the U.S. tried to prove their superiority by gathering and testing nuclear . While the two countries never each other directly, they became involved in conflicts between other countries. In the 1980s, the U.S. and the Soviet Union began to sign agreements restricting nuclear weapons. However, the treaties divided the citizens of the Soviet Union. Some people still strongly communism, and didn’t want to make peace with the United States. Others wanted to convert to a capitalist system. This division eventually led to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, which ended the Cold War.

Comprehension questions

[wp_quiz id=”19454″]

Discussion/essay questions

1. Some historians have debated about which country was at fault for the Cold War. However, many believe that the Cold War was always going to happen, because the U.S. and the Soviet Union were powerful countries with opposing beliefs. Do you think it is possible for two powerful countries with different ideologies to exist without conflict?

Transcript

The Cold War was a political rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union that lasted from 1947 to 1991. It was caused by the opposing ideologies of the American and Soviet governments. While the U.S. was a capitalist country, the Soviet Union had a communist system. After World War II, the Soviets controlled communist governments in Eastern Europe, while the Americans were allied with democratic governments in Western Europe. The divide between Eastern and Western Europe became known as the Iron Curtain. Throughout the Cold War, both the Soviet Union and the U.S. tried to prove their superiority by gathering and testing nuclear weapons. While the two countries never fought each other directly, they became involved in conflicts between other countries. In the 1980s, the U.S. and the Soviet Union began to sign agreements restricting nuclear weapons. However, the treaties divided the citizens of the Soviet Union. Some people still strongly supported communism, and didn’t want to make peace with the United States. Others wanted to convert to a capitalist system. This division eventually led to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, which ended the Cold War.