Readings

Presidential Elections
lex: This election is going to be close!
Helen: I think you're right. The Republicans and the Democrats are fighting
for every vote.
lex: Did you watch the conventions?
Helen: Yes, I watched a little bit. The party platforms are extremely different.
lex: Yes, they are! Watching them on TV, it was hard to believe they come
from the same country!
Helen: Oh, it wasn't that bad.
lex: Hmmm, anyway the delegates certainly clapped hard for their nominees.
Helen: But it was the same stump speech over and over again. In both
parties!
lex: That's what politicians do best. Talk ... the problem is whether they
actually do very much.
Helen: Oh, you're a pessimist!
lex: I wouldn't say that. It's just that I'm sick and tired of all the attack ads.
Helen: I see your point. It would be nice to know what they want to govern
the country, rather than why they think the other guy isn't any good.
lex: They treat us like idiots! I hate sound bites. Short simple statements
that don't really give me much information. Treat me like I have a brain.
Helen: Some say we get what we deserve. Voter turnout is so low, perhaps
we don't deserve any better.
lex: But that's why people don't come out to vote. They don't feel
represented even if they do vote.
Helen: I think we need a third party in this country.
lex: I couldn't agree with you more!
Helen: Perhaps a third party would stop the partisanship.
lex: Another thing that I don't think is fair is the electoral system.
Helen: No kidding! Just think, a state like California has 54 electoral votes.
One vote majority in the popular vote and ALL of those 54 votes go to ONE
candidate!
lex: It just isn't fair.
Helen: Of course, there are reasons for that.
lex: Hmmm. I guess ...
Helen: Are you a registered voter?
lex: Of course! I'm a registered voter and I go to the voting booth to vote. I
want that vote to represent my voice.
Helen: OK, OK, no need to give a speech.
lex: Ha ha, I just think it's my duty as a citizen to vote.
Helen: Yes, I agree with you. If you can vote, vote!
ey Vocabulary
to elect
political party
Republican
Democrat
third party
candidate
presidential
nominee
primary election
delegate
to attend
party convention
to nominate
party platform
stump speech
attack ads
sound bite
voter turnout
registered voter
voting booth
Electoral College
electoral vote
popular vote
duty
kLADINGS



























This reading comprehension focuses on Presidential elections. It's followed
by key vocabulary relating to the US elections system and a follow-up quiz
to test understanding.
Presidential Elections
This year Americans elect on a new president on November 4th. It's an
important event that happens once every four years. Currently, the
president is always elected from one of the two main parties in the United
States: the Republicans and the Democrats. There are other presidential
candidates. However, it is unlikely that any of these "third party" candidates
will win. It certainly hasn't happened in the last one hundred years.
In order to become the presidential nominee of a party, the candidate must
win the primary election. Primary elections are held throughout each state
in the United States in the first half of any election year. Then, the
delegates attend their party convention in order to nominate their chosen
candidate. Usually, as in this election, it's clear who will be the nominee.
However, in the past parties have been divided and choosing a nominee has
been a difficult process.
Once the nominees have been selected, they campaign throughout the
country. A number of debates are usually held in order to better understand
the candidates' points of view. These points of view often reflect their
party's platform. A party platform is best described as the general beliefs
and policies a party holds. Candidates cross the country by plane, bus, train
or by car giving speeches. These speeches are often called 'stump
speeches'. In the 19th century candidates would stand on tree stumps to
deliver their speeches. These stump speeches repeat the candidates basic
views and aspirations for the country. They are repeated many hundred of
times by each candidate.
Many people believe that campaigns in the United States have become too
negative. Each night you can see many attack ads on the television. These
short ads contain sound bites which often distort the truth, or something the
other candidate has said or done. Another recent problem has been voter
turnout. There is often less than 60% turnout for national elections. Some
people don't register to vote, and some registered voters don't show up at
the voting booths. This angers many citizens who feel that voting is the
most important responsibility of any citizen. Others point out that not voting
is expressing an opinion that the system is broken.
the United States maintains an extremely old, and some say inefficient,
voting system. This system is called the Electoral College. Each state is
assigned electoral votes based on the number of senators and
representatives that state has in Congress. Each state has two Senators.
The number of representatives is determined by the states population but is
never less then 1. The electoral votes are decided by the popular vote in
each state. One candidate wins all of the electoral votes in a state. In other
words, Oregon has 8 electoral votes. If 1 million people vote for the
Republican candidate and one million and ten people vote for the
Democratic candidate ALL 8 electoral votes go to the democratic candidate.
Many people feel that this system should be abandoned
ey Vocabulary
to elect
political party
Republican
Democrat
third party
candidate
presidential
nominee
primary election
delegate
to attend
party convention
to nominate
debate
party platform
stump speech
attack ads
sound bite
to distort the
truth
voter turnout
registered voter
voting booth
Electoral College
Congress
senator
representative
electoral vote
popular vote




























eighbors
%om: Hi Henry, it's been a long time since we saw each other last. What
have you been up to?
Henry: Hi Tom! It's great to see you again. I've been away on business.
%om: Really, where did you go?
Henry: Well, first I flew to New York for two meetings. After that, I flew
to Atlanta, where I had to make a presentation at a company conference.
%om: It sounds like you've been busy.
Henry: Yes, I've been very busy. It's good to be home again. What have
you been doing lately?
%om: Oh, nothing much. I've been working in the garden these past few
days. Alice has been away for the past two weeks visiting her relatives in
Chicago.
Henry: I didn't know she has family in Chicago.
%om: Yes, that's right. We met at university in California. She was born
in Chicago and lived there until she went to college.
Henry: How long have you lived here in Colorado?
%om: We've lived here for over 10 years. We moved here in 1998
because I had a new job as a sales representative.
Henry: Have you lived in the same house since you arrived?
%om: No, first we lived in a condo in downtown Denver. We moved here
four years ago. We've lived on the street for four years and they've been
the happiest years of our lives.
Henry: Yes, my wife Jane and I love this neighborhood.
%om: And how long have you lived in your house?
Henry: We've only lived here for two years.
%om: That's strange, it seems like you have lived here longer than that.
Henry: No, we moved here in 2006.
%om: How time flies!
Henry: I have to agree with you on that. It seems like yesterday that I
graduated from college. I can't believe I've been working for more than
10 years!
%om: I've been working for more than 30 years! I'm going to retire
soon.
Henry: Really? You don't look a day over 40!
%om: Thank you. You're a great neighbor!
Henry: No, really. Well, I have to get going. Work is waiting for me.
Have a good day.
%om: You, too. Glad to have you back in the neighbor!

ey Vocabulary
What have you been up to?
I've been away on business
Company conference
What have you been doing
lately? relatives
to move
Condo
neighborhood
That's strange
How time flies
To graduate from college or
university
It seems like yesterday
To retire
I have to get going
Glad to have you back




























udio Video Related Equipment
and %erms
DVD player (digital video disc)
CD (compact disc)
home theater system
speaker
tuner
color saturation
mp3 player
jack
bass
treble
headphones
earbuds
receiver
audiophile
volume
surround sound
HD DVD (high definition DVD)
udio Video Related Verbs and
djectives
to turn up / down
to turn off / on
to switch off / on
to put on
to tweak
to tune
to change channels
to connect
to disconnect
to watch
to listen to
to appreciate
udio Video Related djectives
superb
soft
loud
distinct
flat screen
clear
muffled (sound)
fuzzy (vision)
pixelated

New nome 1heater System
Derek: Would you like to see my new home theater system?
en: I'd love to. I'm an audiophile - and I love HD TV.
Derek: Then you're going to love my system. I've got
surround sound speakers, an incredible receiver, and a 52-
inch flat screen LCD.
en: I'm green with envy! Put something on!
Derek: How about a movie? Something with lots of action.
Let me just turn up the volume a bit...there. What do you
think? (watching the movie)
en: That's amazing. The picture is so clear! Even when there
is a lot of movement, the picture is hardly pixelated at all.
Derek: I know. Isn't it great? How do you like the sound?
en: Pretty good. It seems a bit muffled in the bass, though.
Derek: Just a second, I'll tweak the balance.
en: Ah, that's better. The bass is much more distinct now.
Derek: Isn't the color saturation superb?
en: I'll say it is. I bet golf looks incredible on this TV.
Derek: Ah, you appreciate golf do you?
en: I love watching golf on TV. Especially in high definition.
Derek: I think there may be a tournament on now. Just a
sec, I'll switch to cable.
en: I think it's on channel 806.
Derek: Nope, not there. Let me change channels.
en: There, on 808. Wow! You can see the blades of grass.
Derek: I love this system!
en: What do you do if it's late at night? You can't listen to
this system if your children are sleeping.
Derek: That's not a problem. I just plug my headphones into
this jack. Problem solved.
en: Speaking of headphones, I bought a pair of earbuds for
my mp3 player last week.
Derek: How are they?
en: Pretty good. The bass isn't too bad, but the treble is
crystal clear.
Derek: I need to get a new CD player for my system.
en: Why? You can just put your CDs onto the DVD player,
they'll play.
Derek: Really? I didn't know that.
en: Come on, you're the proud owner of the latest home
stereo system and you didn't know that?
Derek: I'm embarrassed.




























Business %raveller
nterviewer: Good morning Sir. I'd like to ask you a few questions if I may.
Jack: Well, I'm waiting to catch my flight so I guess I can answer a few questions.
nterviewer: Thank you Sir. First of all, how often do you travel?
Jack: I travel about twice a month.
nterviewer: Where are you flying to on this trip?
Jack: I'm flying to Austin, Texas.
nterviewer: . and where did you fly on your last trip?
Jack: I flew to Portland, Oregon. I've already been there three times!
nterviewer: Really! Do you enjoy travelling for business?
Jack: Yes, although I prefer staying in the office.
nterviewer: What do you like most about travelling? Jack: I like visiting new cities and trying out new
food.
nterviewer: Is there anywhere you would like to visit that you haven't visited yet? Jack: Yes, I'd like to
go to Hawaii! I love going to the beach!
nterviewer: Thank you very much for your time today.
Jack: You're welcome. My pleasure.
hat ere You Doing?
Betsy: I telephoned you yesterday afternoon but you didn't answer? Where were you?
Brian: I was in another room when you called. I didn't hear the phone ringing until it was too late.
Betsy: What were you working on?
Brian: I was photocopying a report that I needed to send to a client. What were you doing when you
telephoned?
Betsy: I was looking for Tom and couldn't find him. Do you know where he was?
Brian: Tom was driving to a meeting.
Betsy: Oh, I see. What did you do yesterday?
Brian: I met the representatives from Driver's in the morning. In the afternoon, I worked on the report and
was just finishing when you telephoned. What did you do?
Betsy: Well, at 9 I had a meeting with Ms Anderson. After that, I did some research.
Brian: Sounds like a boring day!
Betsy: Yes, I don't really like doing research. But it needs to be done.
Brian: I agree with you on that, no research - no business!
Betsy: Tell me about the report. What do you think of it?
Brian: I think the report is a good. Tom believes it's good, too.
Betsy: I know that every report you write is excellent.
Brian: Thank you Betsy, you are always a good friend!





























Doctor nowall
by Brothers Grimm
from Grimm's Fairy Tales
This reading comprehension includes difficult vocabulary (in -4/ defined at the
end, as well as a reading comprehension quiz to check your understanding.
There was once upon a time a poor peasant called Crabb, who drove with two
oxen a load of wood to the town, and sold it to a doctor for two talers. When the
money was being counted out to him, it so happened that the doctor was sitting
at table, and when the peasant saw how well he ate and drank, his heart desired
what he saw, and would willingly have been a doctor too. So he remained
standing a while, and at length inquired if he too could not be a doctor. 'Oh, yes,'
said the doctor, 'that is soon managed.' 'What must I do?' asked the peasant. 'In
the first place buy yourself an A B C book of the kind which has a cock on the
frontispiece; in the second, turn your cart and your two oxen into money, and
get yourself some clothes, and whatsoever else pertains to medicine; thirdly,
have a sign painted for yourself with the words: "I am Doctor Knowall," and have
that nailed up above your house-door.' The peasant did everything that he had
been told to do. When he had doctored people awhile, but not long, a rich and
great lord had some money stolen. Then he was told about Doctor Knowall who
lived in such and such a village, and must know what had become of the money.
So the lord had the horses harnessed to his carriage, drove out to the village,
and asked Crabb if he were Doctor Knowall. Yes, he was, he said. Then he was to
go with him and bring back the stolen money. 'Oh, yes, but Grete, my wife, must
go too.' The lord was willing, and let both of them have a seat in the carriage, and
they all drove away together. When they came to the nobleman's castle, the
table was spread, and Crabb was told to sit down and eat. 'Yes, but my wife,
Grete, too,' said he, and he seated himself with her at the table. And when the
first servant came with a dish of delicate fare, the peasant nudged his wife, and
said: 'Grete, that was the first,' meaning that was the servant who brought the
first dish. The servant, however, thought he intended by that to say: 'That is the
first thief,' and as he actually was so, he was terrified, and said to his comrade
outside: 'The doctor knows all: we shall fare ill, he said I was the first.' The
second did not want to go in at all, but was forced. So when he went in with his
dish, the peasant nudged his wife, and said: 'Grete, that is the second.' This
servant was equally alarmed, and he got out as fast as he could. The third fared
no better, for the peasant again said: 'Grete, that is the third.' The fourth had to
carry in a dish that was covered, and the lord told the doctor that he was to show
his skill, and guess what was beneath the cover. Actually, there were crabs. The
doctor looked at the dish, had no idea what to say, and cried: 'Ah, poor Crabb.'
When the lord heard that, he cried: 'There! he knows it; he must also know who
has the money!'
On this the servants looked terribly uneasy, and made a sign to the doctor that
they wished him to step outside for a moment. When therefore he went out, all
four of them confessed to him that they had stolen the money, and said that they
would willingly restore it and give him a heavy sum into the bargain, if he would
not denounce them, for if he did they would be hanged. They led him to the
spot where the money was concealed. With this the doctor was satisfied, and
returned to the hall, sat down to the table, and said: 'My lord, now will I search in
my book where the gold is hidden.' The fifth servant, however, crept into the
stove to hear if the doctor knew still more. But the doctor sat still and opened his
A B C book, turned the pages backwards and forwards, and looked for the cock.
As he could not find it immediately he said: 'I know you are there, so you had
better come out!' Then the fellow in the stove thought that the doctor meant him,
and full of terror, sprang out, crying: 'That man knows everything!' Then Doctor
Knowall showed the lord where the money was, but did not say who had stolen it,
and received from both sides much money in reward, and became a renowned
man.
Vocabulary
peasant - farmer, worker, any
non-royal who works the land
oxen - strong animals similar to
cows that were used to pull
carts
talers - old form of German
money
to desire - to want
willingly - to do because you
want to do
to inquire - to ask about
to manage - to be possible
cock on the frontispiece - picture
of a male chicken (rooster) on
the cover of the book
cart - wagon used to carry
things and people
whatsoever - anything at all
to pertain - to be related to, to
do with something
harnessed to his carriage -
attached to his carriage
nobleman - royalty (i.e. king,
queen, knight, duke, etc.)
fare - (first sense) food item
fare - (second sense) to do
(How did you do = How did you
fare?)
to nudge - to push lightly in
order to indicate something
therefore - for that reason
a heavy sum - a large amount of
money
to denounce - to name a person
who did something
to hang a person - to kill
someone using a rope put
around the neck
to conceal - to hide
to creep - to move slowly and
carefully
to spring out - to jump out
renowned - famous




























lever Gretel
by Brothers Grimm
from Grimm's Fairy Tales
This reading comprehension includes difficult vocabulary (in -4/ defined at the end, as well as a reading
comprehension quiz to check your understanding.
There was once a cook named Gretel, who wore shoes with red heels, and when she walked out with them on, she
turned herself this way and that, was quite happy and thought: 'You certainly are a pretty girl!' And when she came
home she drank, in her gladness of heart, a draught of wine, and as wine excites a desire to eat, she tasted the best of
whatever she was cooking until she was satisfied, and said: 'The cook must know what the food is like.'
It came to pass that the master one day said to her: 'Gretel, there is a guest coming this evening; prepare me two
fowls very daintily.' 'I will see to it, master,' answered Gretel. She killed two fowls, scalded them, plucked them, put
them on the spit, and towards evening set them before the fire, that they might roast. The fowls began to turn brown,
and were nearly ready, but the guest had not yet arrived. Then Gretel called out to her master: 'If the guest does not
come, I must take the fowls away from the fire, but it will be a sin and a shame if they are not eaten the moment they
are at their juiciest.' The master said: 'I will run myself, and fetch the guest.' When the master had turned his back,
Gretel laid the spit with the fowls on one side, and thought: 'Standing so long by the fire there, makes one sweat and
thirsty; who knows when they will come? Meanwhile, I will run into the cellar, and take a drink.' She ran down, set a
jug, said: 'God bless it for you, Gretel,' and took a good drink, and thought that wine should flow on, and should not be
interrupted, and took yet another hearty draught.
Then she went and put the fowls down again to the fire, basted them, and drove the spit merrily round. But as the
roast meat smelt so good, Gretel thought: 'Something might be wrong, it ought to be tasted!' She touched it with her
finger, and said: 'Ah! how good fowls are! It certainly is a sin and a shame that they are not eaten at the right time!'
She ran to the window, to see if the master was not coming with his guest, but she saw no one, and went back to the
fowls and thought: 'One of the wings is burning! I had better take it off and eat it.' So she cut it off, ate it, and enjoyed
it, and when she had done, she thought: 'The other must go down too, or else master will observe that something is
missing.' When the two wings were eaten, she went and looked for her master, and did not see him. It suddenly
occurred to her: 'Who knows? They are perhaps not coming at all, and have turned in somewhere.' Then she said: 'Well,
Gretel, enjoy yourself, one fowl has been cut into, take another drink, and eat it up entirely; when it is eaten you will
have some peace, why should God's good gifts be spoilt?' So she ran into the cellar again, took an enormous drink and
ate up the one chicken in great glee. When one of the chickens was swallowed down, and still her master did not come,
Gretel looked at the other and said: 'What one is, the other should be likewise, the two go together; what's right for
the one is right for the other; I think if I were to take another draught it would do me no harm.' So she took another
hearty drink, and let the second chicken follow the first.
While she was making the most of it, her master came and cried: 'Hurry up, Gretel, the guest is coming directly after
me!' 'Yes, sir, I will soon serve up,' answered Gretel. Meantime the master looked to see what the table was properly
laid, and took the great knife, wherewith he was going to carve the chickens, and sharpened it on the steps. Presently
the guest came, and knocked politely and courteously at the house-door. Gretel ran, and looked to see who was there,
and when she saw the guest, she put her finger to her lips and said: 'Hush! hush! go away as quickly as you can, if my
master catches you it will be the worse for you; he certainly did ask you to supper, but his intention is to cut off your
two ears. Just listen how he is sharpening the knife for it!' The guest heard the sharpening, and hurried down the steps
again as fast as he could. Gretel was not idle; she ran screaming to her master, and cried: 'You have invited a fine
guest!' 'Why, Gretel? What do you mean by that?' 'Yes,' said she, 'he has taken the chickens which I was just going to
serve up, off the dish, and has run away with them!' 'That's a nice trick!' said her master, and lamented the fine
chickens. 'If he had but left me one, so that something remained for me to eat.' He called to him to stop, but the guest
pretended not to hear. Then he ran after him with the knife still in his hand, crying: 'Just one, just one,' meaning that
the guest should leave him just one chicken, and not take both. The guest, however, thought no otherwise than that
he was to give up one of his ears, and ran as if fire were burning under him, in order to take them both with him.











nterview with a Famous ctor
nterviewer: Thank you for taking some time off from your busy schedule to answer a few
questions about your life!
Brad: It's my pleasure.
nterviewer: Could you tell us about an average day in your life?
Brad: Sure, I get up early - at 7 in the morning. Then I have breakfast. After breakfast, I go to
the gym.
nterviewer: Are you studying anything now?
Brad: Yes, I'm learning a new film called "The Man About Town".
nterviewer: What do you do in the afternoon?
Brad: First I have lunch, then I go to the studio and shoot some scenes.
nterviewer: Which scene are you acting today?
Brad: I'm acting a scene about an angry lover.
nterviewer: That's very interesting. What do you do in the evening?
Brad: In the evening, I go home and have dinner and study my scripts.
nterviewer: Do you go out at night?
Brad: Not always, I like going out at weekends.



Vocabulary
draught - a drink from something
fowls - birds
daintily - very tasty (in this context)
to scald - to steam heat
to pluck - to take out the feathers
spit - a device which holds meat above a flame for cooking
to fetch - to get and bring back
a jug - a container which holds water, wine, juice, etc.
to baste - to cover cooking meat with drippings or other liquid
spoilt - ruined
in glee - very happily
likewise - in the same manner
wherewith - with which
to carve - to cut meat in order to eat
intention - plan to do
idle - not doing something
to lament - to complain
otherwise - other thing