(vocab list, definitions, sample sentences, and review worksheet)
VOCAB LIST: The Governing Process
majority party – the political party with the most members in a government
minority party – a political party other than the majority party
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- In the recent elections, the Democrats became the majority party in Congress, and the Republicans are now the minority party.
propose – to suggest; to put out an idea (for a law, rule, etc.)
bill – a law that has been proposed but has not been approved yet
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- Senator Smith wrote a bill proposing that we lower the income tax rate for all citizens. Since Senator Smith is in the minority party, this bill is not expected to pass.
committee – a group of people (in the legislature) who work on specific issues and sometimes write reports or propose laws
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- After spending months analyzing the government’s budget, the Finance Committee proposed some spending cuts this week.
alliance – an agreement between people or groups to work together for the same goal
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- Two minority parties formed an alliance to prevent the majority party from achieving its goals.
negotiate – to talk or discuss an issue in order to reach an agreement
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- After weeks of negotiations, the majority party and the minority party reached an agreement.
institute (v.) – to establish or set up (a law, policy, etc.)
policy – an official plan for how a person/group/government behaves
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- Congress instituted a new policy that requires every member to vote on a bill.
corruption – dishonesty or illegal behavior by people in power
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- Many people no longer trust the government due to the rampant corruption that has occurred in recent years.
- Governor Ryan was found guilty of corruption because he took money from his brother’s oil company and then proposed a new energy policy that would help his brother’s company.
revolutionize – to cause very big changes
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- The internet revolutionized how we communicate with people.
- This new health care bill will revolutionize the health care system in this country.
rights – benefits that are guaranteed to people by a law, constitution, policy, etc.
privileges – special benefits that are only available to certain people
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- Everyone in this country has the right to free speech. However, not everyone has the right to drive a car. You must first get a driver’s license, and this license can be taken away. So driving is a privilege, not a right.
VOCAB REVIEW: The Governing Process
Fill in the blanks with the following words:
majority party / minority party / propose / bill / privileges / rights
committee / alliance / negotiate / institute / policy / revolutionize / corruption
1. The Senators voted on a __________ that would make gambling illegal.
2. The Democratic party has 60% of the representatives in our legislature, so they are the _________________. The Republicans, with only 40%, are the _______________.
3. The two minority parties have an ____________ which helps them stop the majority party from passing laws.
4. The invention of the internet and email has _______________ the way we communicate with each other.
5. In the USA, everyone has the __________ to go to elementary school, junior high, and high school. Going to college, however, is considered a __________ — not everyone has the right to do it.
6. The budget ____________ will meet next week to decide how much money to spend next year.
7. According to school __________, girls are not allowed to wear mini-skirts and boys are not allowed to have long hair.
8. People are frustrated in the government because there is so much lying and ____________. No one trusts their representatives anymore.
9. Mexico and the United States are meeting this week to ____________ a trade agreement that would lower taxes and allow free trade between the two countries.
10. Senator Johnson ____________ a bill that would make smoking illegal, but the other Senators voted against it, so it did not become law.
11. Alfred Nobel ____________ the Nobel Prize in 1895 to award major accomplishments in science and culture.