Lesson goal: Students can discuss elections, government and political scandals, and report claims and rumours with impersonal passive structures such as is said to and is believed to have.
Add the lesson to get your own copies of the word set and exercises; the lesson opens in the builder, where you can adjust the steps and teach it.
Lesson plan
- 1
Warm-up
Questions to get the student talking and lead into the topic.
- Do you follow politics? Where do you get your information from?
- Should voting be compulsory?
- What qualities make a good politician?
- Would you ever consider standing for election yourself?
- 2
New words
Meet the words and practise them in games.
CrosswordAirplanecoalition · opposition · referendum · constituency · manifesto · landslide victory · resign · corruption · bill · veto · turnout · grassroots · bureaucracy · incumbent · civil servant
All words in the set - 3
Exercises
The lesson's words in context. Only you see the answers.
- Fill the gap
Neither party won a majority, so they were forced to form a ___.
Answer: coalition - Fill the gap
Only 38% of voters went to the polls — the lowest ___ in decades.
Answer: turnout - Fill the gap
The minister is said ___ accepted expensive gifts from a construction company.
Answer: to have - Fill the gap
It ___ alleged that several officials took bribes in exchange for contracts.
Answer: is / has been / was - Multiple choice
The president refused to sign the law. In other words, he ___ it.
vetoedpassedresignedcampaigned - Multiple choice
Which sentence is correct?
The prime minister is believed to be considering an early election.The prime minister is believed that he is considering an early election.It is believed the prime minister to be considering an early election.The prime minister believes to be considering an early election. - Multiple choice
A grassroots movement is one that ...
is started by ordinary people rather than by political leadersis funded by large corporationsonly deals with environmental issuesis organised by the government - True / false
Read: "The incumbent mayor, who had won a landslide victory four years earlier, was expected to be re-elected easily. A week before the vote, however, documents emerged suggesting that her office had awarded contracts to a relative's firm. She is now thought to be facing a criminal investigation, and turnout among her supporters fell sharply." Before the scandal, the mayor was widely expected to win.
Answer: True - True / false
Read the text again. It has been proven that the mayor committed a crime.
Answer: False - Discussion question
Write a short news report (3–4 sentences) about a political scandal, real or invented. Use at least two impersonal passive structures.
Sample answer: The transport minister is reported to have resigned late last night. He is alleged to have used public money to pay for family holidays, although he denies any wrongdoing. It is understood that the opposition will call for a full inquiry, and the prime minister is believed to be planning a reshuffle.
- Fill the gap
- 4
Speaking
The student answers using the new words.
- Is a referendum a good way to make important decisions, or should they be left to elected politicians?
- Why do you think turnout among young people is often so low?
- Is some bureaucracy necessary, or is it always a waste of time and money?
- Should civil servants be allowed to express political opinions in public?
- Can a coalition government be more effective than one with a large majority?
- 5
Review
A quiz on the lesson's words. With a student, it's homework on their link.
Quiz