Lesson 66 Election
▮ Try Answering the Question Yourself
Think about the factors that might influence the lack of interest among Japanese young people in elections, such as social, economic, and educational aspects.
▮ Sample Answer
“Japanese young people might not be interested in elections due to a feeling of disconnection from the political process, a perception that their vote does not make a difference, and the lack of political education that connects their daily lives to policy making.”
▮ Words to Learn and Their Meanings about Sample Answer
- Disconnection (切断): The feeling of not being connected or involved with something.
- Perception (認識): The way in which something is regarded, understood, or interpreted.
- Political process (政治過程): The steps and methods involved in making and implementing government policies and decisions.
- Vote (投票): A formal indication of a choice between two or more candidates or courses of action.
- Policy making (政策立案): The process of creating laws, regulations, and guidelines that govern a community or society.
▮ Answer the Instructor’s 3 Questions Based on the Sample Answer
- What are some reasons Japanese young people might feel disconnected from elections?
- How does the perception of the effectiveness of one’s vote influence interest in elections?
- Why is the connection between daily life and policy making important for increasing interest in elections?
▮ Mastering Middle School English Grammar
If I had… If we went…, etc.
You can say:
● If he had the money, he would buy a car.
or He would buy a car if he had the money.
I’d/ she’d / they’d, etc. = I would / she would/ they would, etc.:
● I don’t know the answer. If I knew the answer, I’d tell you.
● It’s raining, so we’re not going out. We’d get wet if we went out.
● Jane lives in a city. She likes cities. She wouldn’t be happy if she lived in the country.
● If you didn’t have a job, what would you do? (but you have a job)
● I’m sorry I can’t help you. I’d help you if I could. (but I can’t)
● If we had a car, we could travel more. (but we don’t have a car, so we can’t travel much)
If (I) was/ were… I wouldn’t go out if I were you.
You can say if I/he/she/it was or if I/he/she/it were:
● It’s not a very nice place. I wouldn’t go there if I were you. (or… if I was you)
● It would be nice if the weather was better.(or… if the weather were better)
● What would Tom do if he were here? (or… if he was here)
Compare:
if I have / if it is, etc.
● I wane to go and see Helen.
If I have time, I w ill go today.
(= maybe I’ll have time, so maybe ‘ll go)
● I like that jacket.
I’ ll buy it if it isn’t too expensive.
(= maybe it will not be too expensive)
● I’ll help you if I can. ( = maybe I can help)
————————————————————-
if I had / if it was, etc.
● I want to go and see Helen .
If I had time, I would go today.
(= I don’t have time today, so I will not go)
● I like that jacket, but it’s very expensive.
I’d buy it if it wasn’t so expensive.
(= it is expensive, so I’m not going to buy it )
● I’d help you if I could, but I can’t.
Example Sentences Based on the Sample Answer and Grammar Practice:
- If the political process were more transparent, young people might feel a stronger connection to it.
- Young individuals would likely participate more in elections if they understood how policies affected their futures.
- If there were more initiatives to make voting easier and more accessible, we might see an increase in young voters.
Make Sentences Based on the Above Example Sentences Yourself:
