(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.