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STUDENT A's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student B.)

(1)

What comes to mind when you hear the word 'voting'?

(2)

Do you think voting is over-rated?

(3)

Why is being able to vote so important?

(4)

Are you happy you'll get good service from the people you vote for?

(5)

Do you like looking at election results on TV?

(6)

What do you vote for when you vote?

(7)

Is voting in elections for people who are generally not qualified to run a country the best way to run a country?

(8)

Are there any problems when it comes to voting in your country?

(9)

Do you feel like you are doing something really important when you vote?

(10)

Do you think voting and elections make a difference?

STUDENT B's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student A.)

(1)

How important is it for you to vote?

(2)

Do you vote every time you can?

(3)

What are the good and bad things about voting?

(4)

Does being able to vote mean your country is democratic?

(5)

Does having a choice of just two candidates for president mean your country is democratic?

(6)

What do you think of the way people vote in other countries?

(7)

Have you voted in elections that are not just about politics?

(8)

From what age do you think people should be able to vote?

(9)

Have you ever voted with your feet?

(10)

Joseph Stalin said: "The people who cast the votes don't decide an election, the people who count the votes do." What do you think of this quote?

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STUDENT A's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to Student B.) (1) What comes to mind when you hear the word 'voting'? (2) Do you think voting is over-rated? (3) Why is being able to vote so important? (4) Are you happy you'll get good service from the people you vote for?

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Politicians in New Zealand will soon vote to decide the voting age in the country. Currently, the voting age is 18 years old, but Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says they might lower it to 16 years old.

The Supreme Court of New Zealand recently said that not allowing 16- and 17-year-old people vote is age discrimination.

Prime Minister Ardern supports lowering the voting age to 16, but 75% of the lawmakers must agree. Many say it's unlikely to change anytime soon.

There are other countries that are considering lowering the voting age. There are already some countries which allow 16-year-olds to vote, for example Austria, Malta, Brazil, Cuba, and Ecuador.

Supporters of the lower voting age in New Zealand say that issues like the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change affect younger people more.

According to Ardern, the lawmakers will probably vote within the next few months.

The two biggest conservative parties in New Zealand say that they oppose changing the voting age.

In 1969 New Zealand lowered the voting age from 21 to 20 years old. Then, in 1974, the country lowered the voting age to 18.

VOCABULARY

Politician - a person who works in politics; a person who works in the government

Vote - to give your opinion and make an official choice; a way of making a decision by asking a group of people

Decide - to choose something; make a choice from many different options; choose; select

Voting age - the minimum age someone can legally vote; the youngest a person can be to vote

Prime minister - the head or leader of an elected government

Court - an agency or part of government with judges who decide what is right or wrong

Discrimination - to treat one type of person or a group of people less fairly or less well than other groups or types of people; to to act unfair or meanly to certain groups or types of people

Support - to agree with a person or idea; to approve of an idea; promote;

Lawmaker - a person, usually a politician, who makes laws; legislator;

Unlikely - not expected to happen; not likely; doubtful; improbable

Consider - to think about carefully; to take 'something' into account when thinking or deciding;

Issue - a subject or problem that people are thinking and/or talking about; matter; topic; problem

Pandemic - when a disease or sickness goes all over the country or world

Climate change - the fast and dangerous change in weather happening around the world

According to - as 'someone' said; as stated by 'someone'; in the opinion of 'someone'

Conservative - prefer traditional ideas, don't like change, support a free business market and private property

Party (political party) - an organization of people with the same political views; a group of people who work together to get political power

Oppose - to go against something or fight to stop it; to disagree

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New Zealand Might Lower Voting Age to 16

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Politicians in New Zealand will soon vote to decide the voting age in the country. Currently, the voting age is 18 years old, but Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says they might lower it to 16 years old. The Supreme Court of New Zealand recently said that not allowing 16- and 17-year-old people vote is age [...]

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Why Don't I Vote? I'll Let George Carlin Explain It To You