American elections corrected work

AMERICAN ELECTIONS

TASK 1

Match each word or expression to its definition.

1.      a campaign (verb: to campaign): when a candidate and his supporters work together to try to get the candidate elected

2.      a term : period of time a person is elected for

3.      to run for president : to be a candidate for the presidency

4.      to go to the polls: to go to the place where you will vote

5.      direct elections : the majority of the popular vote determines who wins

6.      indirect elections : voters elect 'electors' who vote for the president

7.      a ballot : paper on which the candidates' names appear (that you put into a ballot box or mark electronically in the voting booth)

Now complete the text with the expressions you have just used.

The French President is elected through direct election. The different candidates running for president organise and lead a campaign before people actually go to the polls and vote. The French President is elected for a five-year term, renewable once. The French Parliament comprises the National Assembly (direct election) and the Senate (indirect election).

TASK 2

Click here and select the correct answers.

1.      To become president, you must be bornin the USA, have been a resident for 14 years and be at least 35 years old.

2.      Parties select their candidates through primaries and caucuses: party members vote for their favourite candidate. The national convention officially nominates the party candidate.

3.      After the campaign, American citizens go to the polls. They don't vote directly for the President, but for the electors from their state.

4.      In each state the winner is the person who gets the highest number of popular votes.

5.      The candidate elected is the one who gets the highest number of electorsacross the nation.

Click here and answer these questions.

1.      When is election day?

The first Tuesday after the first Monday in November (Tuesday, November 4^th this year)

2.      What does the American president do? Give a few examples.

Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces

Appoint federal judges

Represents the USA

Suggests and signs laws

Asks Congress to declare war on or help other countries

3.      How many times can the President be re-elected?

Once

4.      How many electoral votes are required to become president?

270 electoral votes are required to become president.

5.      When does the new president officially take over the presidency?

On Inauguration Day, January 20^th.

6.      With the 'Winner takes all' system, what are the most important states in the electoral process? Why?

California, New York, Florida  and Texas, because they have a total of 147 electoral votes.

Click here and there then fill in the grid with the following elements.

Congressional Representatives	Senators
435 members	2 per states
At least 25 years old	At least 30 years old
American citizen for at least 7 years	American citizen for at least 9 years
2-year term	6-year term
Elected by the people from a specific district	Elected by the people from the whole state
Resident of the state	Resident of the state,

Explain what these powers of Congress mean.

1.      Legislative Power : the power to make laws

2.      Budget : money the government receives and gives out

3.      Declaring War :

Write the plural of these nouns.

1.      Caucus: caucuses

2.      representative: representatives

3.      senator: senators

4.      politician: politicians

5.      citizen: citizens

TASK 3

Look at this ballott from the last U.S. Presidential election.

Your task is to erase the names of the 2004 candidates and write the current candidates' names instead.

Official Sample Ballot

STATE OF MISSISSIPPI

General Election

November 4, 2008

COUNTY PRECINCT

FOR PRESIDENT

and

VICE PRESIDENT

OF THE UNITED STATES

(VOTE FOR ONE SLATE OF ELECTORS ONLY)

(Republican Party)

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS FOR

John McCain

for President

and

Sarah Palin

for Vice President

(Democratic Party)

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS FOR

Barack Obama

for President

and

Joe Biden

for Vice President

TASK 4

Complete these sentences with the words from the box.

caucuses – delegates – general – inauguration – national

1.      January – June '08 State primaries and caucuses. In each party people choose the delegates.

2.      August-September ’08 National conventions. The delegates nominate their candidate.

3.      November '08 General elections. People vote for the electors who will elect the president they want.

4.      January '09 Inauguration Day. The new president takes office.

TASK 5

Complete these sentences comparing and contrasting the French and American electoral systtems with unlike, like, both, while, contrary to, as or specific information.

1.      Contrary to / unlike the French President, the American President is not directly elected by the people.

2.      In France, elections always take place on a Sunday, while in the U.S.A they take place on a Tuesday.

3.      The American president is elected in one round; whereas / while in France, it usually takes two rounds to elect the president.

4.      The US president has a four-year term, while the French president's term recently went from 7 to 5 years.

5.      Both countries' presidents are now limited to 2 terms.

6.      In the USA as / like in France, the President is part of the executive branch.

TASK 6

Complete this spidergram about the U.S. Federal Government with the following elements.

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court Justices (judges) appointed by the President, approved by Congress

Appointed for life

Executive branch:

President

4-yera term

Indirect election

Elected by the Electoral College

Commander-in Chief of the Armed Forces

Signs and suggests laws

Represents the USA

Appoints federal judges

Legislative branch:

Congress

2- or 6-year term

Direct election

Elected by the people

Declares war

Votes laws

Confirms judges