Campaigns and Elections - Randall's ESL Cyber Listening Lab

Level:	Topic:	Speakers:	Length:
difficult	elections	man	02:45

Pre-Listening Exercise

What kinds of campaign promises do political candidates make to persuade people to vote for them?

Agree or Disagree? Let’s Spark Some Conversation!

These statements are designed to get everyone thinking, moving, and talking! The goal is to explore ideas, share opinions, and get ready for the next part of the lesson.

In a face-to-face classroom: Read each statement aloud. If you agree, move to one side of the room; if you disagree, move to the other. Talk with your group—why do you feel that way? Then, pair students with members of the other group and have students explain their reasons. Rotate partners for more practice.
In an online classroom: Use polls, emojis, or the chat box in your online platform to show your opinion. Then, join the conversation as a group or in breakout rooms. What do others think? Do you agree or disagree with them?
For independent learners: Read each statement and think about your opinion. Then say your answer out loud and explain your reason, as if you’re talking to a classmate. This helps you get ready to speak and join real conversations in English. Consider recording your ideas and self-assess your progress.

Every citizen should be required to vote in national elections.
Campaign advertisements influence people more than debates.
Politicians make too many promises they can’t keep.
Social media has too much power over election results.
Voting should be allowed online to increase participation.
People should learn about all candidates before they vote.
Political campaigns spend too much money.
It’s better to vote for a candidate you believe in than one who is likely to win.
Negative campaign ads are effective but harmful.
Young people should be more involved in political campaigns or hoaxes.

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.”

Listening Exercise

A. Listen to the recording and answer the questions.

Post-Listening Exercise

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 the system that you like and don’t like.

See Listening Script

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