Elections: Campaign Speech

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IDIOMS!

"pull strings" = influence people to get what you want, manipulate
"Company officials tried to pull a few strings within the local government in order to win the construction contract."
"under the table" = money paid secretly
"A number of monetary gifts were paid under the table to win political influence."

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[ Quiz Script ]

Elections:
Campaign Speech

I. Pre-Listening Exercises
II. Listening Exercises
III. Post-Listening Exercises

Level:	Topic:	Type:	Speakers:	Length:
difficult	elections	speech	man	01:35

I. Pre-Listening Exercises [Top]
What kinds of campaign promises do political candidates make to persuade people to vote for them?

HELPFUL TIP: Choosing good government leaders to serve the people's interests is an important process. Whenever possible, be sure to understand the candidates' positions before going to the polls and voting.

II. Listening Exercises [Top]

Listen to the speech by pressing the "Play Audio" button and answer the questions. Press the "Final Score" button to check your quiz.

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1. Which statement is true about the candidate's first point on taxes?
A. New school funding will be generated by eliminating tax breaks.
B. Taxes will be used to retain teachers for the future.
C. Property taxes should be used to improve existing schools.

2. What is the speaker's main point about economic development?
A. The candidate is proposing the development of new housing downtown.
B. New sport arenas should be built to revitalize the local economy.
C. More green areas should be developed in the suburbs to improve recreational opportunities.

3. What can we infer from the politician's third point?
A. More roads need to be built for future generations.
B. Long-term solutions to improve transportation traffic will include trains.
C. More efficient means of transportation will be supported by the federal government.

4. What reason is given for voting for the candidate at the end of the speech?
A. He understands the needs of the common man.
B. He has had a long career as a politician.
C. He has fought against big business interests.

Score =
Correct answers:

Listen to the conversation again as you read the Quiz Script.

III. Post-Listening Exercises [Top]

The election of government leaders is a process that varies from country to country around the world. Choose a country in which you are interested and research how local and national elections are carried out. Then, compare this system to the one in your own country. Identify at least two aspects of system that you like and don't like.

Now, write your ideas on a similar topic at Randall's ESL Blog HERE.

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