American Presidents

Dwight D. Eisenhower
“There is no victory at bargain
basement prices.”
—Dwight D. Eisenhower

Pre-Reading
A. Warm-Up Questions

1. What is a campaign slogan?

What makes a good one?

2. What do you know about D-Day?

3. Do you have a nickname? Who gave you this name,

and why? Why do some nicknames stick and others
only last a short time?

B. Vocabulary Preview

Match up as many meanings and words as you can before you read.
Check this exercise again after seeing the words in context on page 2.

1. slogan a)  entering into an area by force

2. landslide victory b)  a great thing that you completed in your lifetime
3. affectionately known as c)  a memorable phrase that is used for promotions
4. eponym d)  a place to get away and relax
5. retreat e)  military forces that fought together against the Axis in World War II
6. Allied forces f)  an easy win
7. D-Day g)  to be thankful for
8. invasion h)  no matter what
9. appreciate i)  the day in World War II when the Allies invaded France (June 6, 1944)
10. accomplishment j)  a person that something is named after
11. at all costs k)  nicknamed

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 Dwight D. Eisenhower
American Presidents

Reading
1. The campaign slogan “I like Ike” is one of the most famous presidential
mottos in US history. In 1952, it helped Dwight D. Eisenhower win a
landslide victory for the presidency. On January 20, 1953, Eisenhower,
affectionately known as “Ike,” became the
34th US president.

2. Dwight D. Eisenhower was born in 1890 in Texas. He was raised in

Kansas along with his six brothers. Ike and his wife, Mamie, had
two sons, though the first died of scarlet fever. The couple had four
grandchildren, including David, who is the eponym for the
presidential retreat Camp David. David later married President
Nixon’s daughter, Julie.

3. Before becoming president, Eisenhower served in the US military. He

was a great planner, and he became a five-star general in the army
during World War II. Eisenhower was the supreme commander of the
Allied forces and made some of the most difficult decisions in world
history. In 1944, Eisenhower led millions of troops into France. This
invasion is known as “D-Day.”

4. Unlike almost all other US presidents, Eisenhower was not involved

in politics before running for president. He wasn’t associated with a
political party, and some say the first person he ever voted for was
himself. Though he wasn’t a politician, he was a war hero, and the
American people appreciated his leadership skills. The Republican
party knew this and asked him to run for the presidency. It was a
difficult decision to run, but it was an easy win.

5. Eisenhower served two terms from 1953 to 1961 and was a popular
president. His greatest accomplishment while in office was ending
the Korean War. He worked hard to keep the US out of war at all costs.
Eisenhower also launched the Interstate Highway System and worked
on increasing the US’s nuclear strength. Alaska and Hawaii became the
49th and 50th states while he was in office. Eisenhower died of heart
failure in 1969.

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 Dwight D. Eisenhower
American Presidents

Comprehension
A. True or False?

Read the statements below.

If the statement is true, write T beside the sentence.
If it is false, write F and correct the information in your notebook.

1. Dwight Eisenhower’s son married Richards Nixon’s daughter.

2. Camp David is a place for US presidents to go and relax.

3. Eisenhower served his country in World War II.

4. Eisenhower joined the Republican Party because he had always felt strongly about their policies.

5. Eisenhower served one term and was defeated by Nixon.

6. Eisenhower died a few years after his second term as president ended.

B. Matching

Create complete sentences by matching the text from both columns.

1. Ike and Mamie’s firstborn child... a)  Eisenhower had little interest in politics.

2. “I like Ike”... b)  Eisenhower died of heart failure.

3. Camp David was... c)  is known as D-Day.

4. Before running for the presidency,... d)  became a five-star general.

5. The Interstate Highway System was... e)  one of Eisenhower’s big accomplishments.

6. A few years after leaving the White House,... f)  named after Eisenhower’s grandson.

7. During Word War II, Eisenhower... g)  was a popular campaign slogan.

8. Richard Nixon was... h)  President Eisenhower’s vice president.

9. President Eisenhower wanted to avoid war... i)  at all costs.

10. The great World War II invasion into France... j)  died of scarlet fever.

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 Dwight D. Eisenhower
American Presidents

Vocabulary Practice
Change the following words from the reading into new word forms.
Try to do this on your own first. Then consult a dictionary.

# Word from the Reading New Word Form

Hint:
One word is spelled the
affectionately
1 same for both word forms!
(adverb) (noun)

invasion
2
(noun) (verb)

accomplishment
3
(noun) (verb)

appreciate
4
(verb) (adjective)

victory
5
(noun) (adjective)

forces
6
(noun) (verb)

president
7
(noun) (adjective)

eponym
8
(noun) (adjective)

retreat
9
(noun) (verb)

politics
10 (noun) (adjective)

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 Dwight D. Eisenhower
American Presidents

Fact or Fiction?
Guess whether or not these statements are true about
Dwight D. Eisenhower. Your teacher will read them out to you.

Eisenhower was the first US president...

1. of 50 states. 6. to have a car at the White House.

2. to marry a divorced woman. 7. to have a presidential plane.

3. to play golf on the White House lawn. 8. to appear on color TV.

4. who didn’t attend high school. 9. to be submerged in a submarine.

5. who had pet alligators. 10. to have an MBA.

Decisions, Decisions...D-Day
Many people think D-Day stands for Decisions Day. This is a myth. The D
is a military short form for an unnamed “day” to launch a major military
operation. When everyday people say “D-Day,” they are usually referring
to June 6, 1944.

On June 6, 1944, the Allies stormed the shores of Normandy, France, in

hopes of liberating Europe. Eisenhower kept a crumpled-up note in his
pocket. It stated that if the mission failed, he would accept the blame.

Eisenhower’s decision to lead the Allies in a massive invasion into France

was a very difficult one to make. This invasion involved troops and vehicles
by land, sea, and air. Eisenhower and the other Allied leaders had to
take many factors into account, including the weather, the location, and
the timing.

Get together with a partner or small group and have a discussion about
the following:

1. A major decision of mine that was easy

• factors I took into account

2. A major decision of mine that was tough

• factors I took into account

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 Dwight D. Eisenhower
American Presidents

Discussion
Discuss a few of these Eisenhower quotes as a class, or choose one and write
a paragraph about whether you agree or disagree with the 34th president.

1. “Anger cannot win. It cannot even think clearly.”

2. “Never waste a minute thinking about people you don’t like.”

3. “The people of the world want peace. Some day the leaders
of the world are going to have to give in and give it to them.”

Research
Being a US president is one of the most stressful jobs in the world.
It’s no wonder American presidents need a private retreat.
What do you know about Camp David? Do a little research for homework.
Find at least three points to share with your class.

1.

2.

3.

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