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Civic Duty

Date: Oct 28 2008

Themes: News

Grammar: Second Conditional

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Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

Does your country hold open elections? Voting is something a lot of Americans take for granted. It’s hard to see how one vote can affect an election. But it’s easy to forget that if everyone were so shortsighted, there wouldn’t be elections at all.

Watch Beren come up with all kinds of excuses for not voting in the upcoming election as Marni tries to convince her to do the right thing.

3. Watch - Watch the video without reading the dialog.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Marni

Beren

Marni: So, you getting ready? Excited about Tuesday?

Beren: What’s Tuesday?

Marni: November fourth. The day America votes. Voting day. Election day.

Beren: Yeah. I’m not gonna vote. I already decided.

Marni: Why aren’t…What do you mean? Why aren’t you going to vote?

Beren: Well, first off, I don’t have the time to vote. I have to work that day.

Marni: Yeah, and it’s…You can get it off. It’s like our civic duty as Americans to vote. So, you can get it off.

Beren: And it doesn’t matter though.

Marni: What do you mean?

Beren: If I could get the time off work, it wouldn’t matter who I vote for.

Marni: Why do you say that? What do you mean?

Beren: It’s like one measly vote out of, like, millions.

Marni: OK.

Beren: It’s not gonna change anything.

Marni: That is the most ludicrous argument, because if everyone said that, there would be no vote…I mean, no one would vote. Every vote counts. It’s true. You hear that, right? But it’s very true. Like, every vote…I believe in voting so passionately, because it’s your chance to get your voice heard and put it out there. So, if you don’t vote, you have no right to complain for the next four years, is what I’m gonna say.

Beren: That’s true. That’s true. I mean, I’m not complaining now. I voted once.

Marni: When?

Beren: Like, four years ago.

Marni: Yeah. And you haven’t been complaining the past four years? Please. I’ve heard you complain plenty.

Beren: I voted for the President.

Marni: Right. Did you vote for…

Beren: Our current President? Yes.

Marni: You voted for W?

Beren: I did.

Marni: And you think he’s doing a good job? Never mind. Anyway…I’m going to encourage you to look carefully at the candidates. Look at the big picture.

Beren: I’m not sure if I can vote, to be honest with you.

Marni: You’re registered.

Beren: I think I might have a felony. I don’t know. I just don’t want to go be surprised by anything. I don’t want to have any knocks on my door. And also, I just don’t really care anymore.

Marni: So sad. Well, I really encourage you to go out and vote because I really do believe that this is your chance to get your voice heard. I really don’t think you have a felony and I think you would know. You wouldn’t be allowed to register if that was the case.

Beren: I’ll think about it.

Marni: I think you should vote. I encourage you to do so.

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Discussion

Marni is excited for the election, but Beren doesn’t plan to vote. She says she has to work the day of the election and doesn’t have time. Plus, she doesn’t think her vote will matter.

But Beren forgets how important the right to vote is. For a long time black people and women couldn’t vote in the US. Marni says it’s her duty to vote, her chance to affect the country. And if she doesn’t vote, she won’t be able to complain if things don’t go the way she’d like.

Marni is surprised to learn that the one time Beren voted, it was for President George W. Bush, who most Americans (around 90%) don’t currently think is doing a good job. Beren told Amanda a while back that she likes McCain in this election. But Marni doesn’t care who Beren votes for, as long as she chooses carefully.

Then Beren says she might be a felon, so she won’t be allowed to vote. Marni knows that’s ridiculous. How could someone commit a serious crime and not know about it?

Have you ever voted? Do you think voting is important?

Comments

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penguen34

Turkey

gooood video

samir.huseen

Saudi Arabia

I NEED PEOPLE WHO SPEAK ENGHLISH AND HOW I CAN LEARN ENGHLISH I WHANT SOM WHO LEARN ME ENGHILSH THANKS FIR EVERY ONE

CUTEPANAMENIANGIRL

Panama

I NEED PEOPLE WHO SPEAK SPANISH AND INGLISH JUST 2 IMPROVE MA INGLISH SKILLS, MA MSN IS

CUTEPANAMENIANGIRL

Panama

I NEED PEOPLE WHO SPEAK SPANISH AND INGLISH JUST 2 IMPROVE MA INGLISH SKILLS, MA MSN IS

soso_soso

Egypt

how to learn english good?

523092920

China

barth

Mexico

civic duty!!! hello i’m from mexico, so here is importante the civic duty, on elections day everyone go to vote, but not at all ‘cause someones dosen’t have a identify the reason is some people don’t trust in politics. but i ever vote.

sayyed

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

hi .my nikename is sayyed and i want learn english ,because it is important for my job.
thank you .

liyang3366

China

Everybody is good I to come from China, hoped that can become the friend with everybody.

jackpot

China

*butterfly wings*

Saudi Arabia

everyone got to vote .It is a duty and a way to express your opinion

matus123

Poland

I come from Poland, where it is said that all are complaining. In our country there's very low democratic culture, maybe because we never have democracy for a longer time. People don't want to vote and after that they complain about "those damn' politicians"...Very irrational