Political vocabulary is essential for understanding the news and discussing current affairs in English. This first exercise covers the key words for politics, elections, and voting. This is exercise 1 of 2.
READY TO PRACTICE? LET’S GO!
Choose the best response to complete each of the following sentences.
1. John never votes for Republican ________.
Correct answer: candidates
2. Who won the ________ in your state?
Correct answer: election
3. Who did you vote ________?
Correct answer: for
4. The election ________ are in. = We now know the election ________.
Correct answer: results
5. The Democratic candidate won all the states in the South. = The Democratic candidate ________ the South.
Correct answer: swept
6. A ________ is when one candidate wins an election by a large percentage.
Correct answer: landslide
7. Q: How many ________ can a US president serve? A: A US president is allowed to serve two ________.
Correct answer: terms
8. If something "hangs in the balance", it is ________.
Correct answer: undecided
9. The Democrats won a large number of ________ in the Senate.
Correct answer: seats
10. It is important that all the ________ are counted.
Correct answer: votes
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Politics & Elections Conversation Questions
1. How does the political system in your country work? Is it a democracy?
2. Do you vote in elections? Why or why not?
3. What do you think are the most important qualities in a political leader?
4. How much do you follow politics and current affairs? How do you stay informed?
5. Do you think young people are interested enough in politics? Why or why not?
6. What political issue do you feel most strongly about?
Did you know?
The word democracy comes from the Greek demos (people) + kratos (power or rule) — literally "rule by the people." The concept originated in ancient Athens around 508 BCE, though Athenian democracy excluded women, slaves, and foreigners from participation.
English political vocabulary is full of borrowed terms: parliament from Old French parlement (speaking); candidate from Latin candidatus (clothed in white — Roman candidates wore white togas); vote from Latin votum (a wish or vow).