Monday, January 21, 1985
Four years ago, I spoke to you of a new beginning and we have accomplished that. But in another sense, our new beginning is a continuation of that beginning created two centuries ago when, for the first time in history, government, the people said, was not our master, it is our servant; its only power that which we the people allow it to have.
That system has never failed us, but, for a time, we failed the system. We asked things of government that government was not equipped to give. We yielded authority to the National Government that properly belonged to States or to local governments or to the people themselves. We allowed taxes and inflation to rob us of our earnings and savings and watched the great industrial machine that had made us the most productive people on Earth slow down and the number of unemployed increase.
By 1980, we knew it was time to renew our faith, to strive with all our strength toward the ultimate in individual freedom consistent with an orderly society.
We believed then and now there are no limits to growth and human progress when men and women are free to follow their dreams.
And we were right to believe that. Tax rates have been reduced, inflation cut dramatically, and more people are employed than ever before in our history.
We are creating a nation once again vibrant, robust, and alive. But there are many mountains yet to climb. We will not rest until every American enjoys the fullness of freedom, dignity, and opportunity as our birthright. It is our birthright as citizens of this great Republic, and we'll meet this challenge.
These will be years when Americans have restored their confidence and tradition of progress; when our values of faith, family, work, and neighborhood were restated for a modern age; when our economy was finally freed from government's grip; when we made sincere efforts at meaningful arms reduction, rebuilding our defenses, our economy, and developing new technologies, and helped preserve peace in a troubled world; when Americans courageously supported the struggle for liberty, self-government, and free enterprise throughout the world, and turned the tide of history away from totalitarian1 darkness and into the warm sunlight of human freedom.
1. authoritarian or oppressive
3
What does Ronald Reagan mean when he says "there are many mountains yet to climb"?
A.
America should aim to achieve greatness through more mountain climbing expeditions.
B.
America needs to focus more on the happiness of its people than on its economy.
C.
Though America has progressed greatly, it still needs to overcome many challenges.
D.
The aim of the government is to make America a better nation.
1 answer
C. Though America has progressed greatly, it still needs to overcome many challenges.
In this context, "there are many mountains yet to climb" symbolizes the ongoing challenges and goals that America must continue to address to ensure that all citizens enjoy their freedoms, dignity, and opportunities. Reagan emphasizes that while progress has been made, there is still work to be done.
