Family Album USA 18 — Making a Difference

school board: a group of people who make important decisions about local schools

running: trying to win an election

budget: an amount of money used for a specific reason

taxpayers: people who pay taxes. School programs are paid for with money collected in taxes.

seat: position. A member of a school board has a seat on the board.

office: an elected position; a job that someone gets after winning an election

stand for: to believe in; represent

run: to manage; organize

campaign. An election campaign includes all the actions that are planned to help a candidate, a person running for office, win an election. These campaign activities might include making public speeches, placing advertisements in newspapers, meeting with voters, and appearing on television.

Why not (give) . . . ? Use Why not ( +simple verb form) to make a suggestion.

influential: able to change people’s opinions

slogan: a short phrase that represents a candidate’s ideas. The word slogan also refers to a phrase used to advertise a product.

publicity: information that brings someone or something to the attention of the public

U.S. LIFE
Each state government has formal control of the public schools in that state and gives each local school board certain powers. These powers include hiring the superintendent, the person in charge of the school district—the group of schools in an area. School boards sometimes influence the hiring of teachers and the choosing of textbooks. The boards may also have the power to approve other decisions. In some districts, the school board is involved in making budgets and in making decisions about school taxes.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION
In the United States, there are more than 85,000 public elementary and secondary schools. About 88% of the students in the U.S. go to these public schools. About 12% attend private institutions.

YOUR TURN

• Who makes decisions about public education in your country?
• Are there local school boards?
• Do you think local school boards should have much power, or do you believe that the government should have complete control over public education?

Activities

BECAUSE I CARE
Ellen Stewart wants to be on the Riverdale school board because she cares. Which, four items below does Ellen especially care about? Put a check next to the number of those four items.

__ 1. music
__ 2. after-school programs
__ 3. paying less taxes
__ 4. getting help from businesses
__ 5. cutting the school budget
__ 6. dance

VOCABULARY IN ACTION
Use the words from the box below to complete the following paragraph.

Both Ellen Stewart and Carter Boswell are ______ (1) for ______(2).  Each candidate hopes to win the open ____(3) on the ____(4). In Ellen’s ____(5) , she will use the ____(6), «Vote for Ellen Stewart. She cares.» Ellen clearly ____(7) keeping the cultural programs in the schools. She hopes that Charles Maxwell will give her some ____(8) in his newspaper.

fliers: small papers that give information to the public. Fliers are sometimes handed to people on the street. Another spelling is flyers.

hot off the press: printed a very short time ago

fold: to bend over so that one part (of the paper) lies on another

polls: the place where people vote

a short amount of time. Use amount to refer to uncountable nouns, such as time or rice. Use number to refer to countable nouns, such as hours or books.

progress: improvement; development

enormously: very much

stuff: to fill

commercial: an advertisement on television or radio

in need of (paint): that need (paint). This is a more formal use.

lockers: metal closets in which you can lock your clothes, books, or other things belonging to you

fixtures: things permanently attached to a place. Here, Boswell is referring to ceiling lights, or light fixtures, in the school hallways. A sink is an example of a bathroom fixture.

practical: useful

in favor of: approving; supporting

up to it: able to do it

Activities

AN ELECTION CAMPAIGN

The Stewart family has been helping Ellen with her election campaign. Who has taken the responsibility for each of the following actions? Write the correct name— Philip, Grandpa, Marilyn, Richard, or Robbie—on the line next to each item below. Some answers may have more than one name.

1. getting the fliers from the printer _________
2. folding the fliers_________
3. putting the fliers in envelopes ___________
4. addressing the envelopes ___________
5. making phone calls __________
6. photographing Ellen _________
7. licking envelopes __________

NUMBER OR AMOUNT?
The amount of work needed to run a campaign requires a good staff. A large number of helpers is necessary.

Use amount or number to complete each of the following sentences. Write the correct answer on each blank line.

1. Do you know the ____ of fliers that must be mailed?
2. We have a lot of work to do in a short ____ of time.
3. We don’t have a large ____ of money in the budget.
4. The ____ of dollars we need is more than we have.
5. The ____ of publicity that each candidate receives has an important effect on the election.
6. What is the ____  of votes needed to win?

VCR: videocassette recorder

Leave it to me. = I’ll take care of it.

appliance store: a store that sells machines for use at home. Appliances include refrigerators, washing machines, vacuum cleaners, and toasters. Many appliance stores also sell televisions, radios, VCRs, and other electronic equipment for home entertainment.

inherited: received from your parents or ancestors (family members who lived before) You inherit things, such as a ring or a house. You also inherit personal characteristics, such as blue eyes or musical talent.

cover: to report about

pick up the story: to report the story

Cool down. = Relax.

hotly contested race: a competition that people argue about very much

has taken an early lead: is winning at the start of this race

rival: someone who tries to get the same thing as someone else or to do better than another person; a competitor

ahead: winning

impression: an idea or feeling that stays in the mind

appoint: to choose someone for a job, office, or position

committee: a group of people chosen to do a particular job

Activities

ELECTION DAY
Here are some of the events that happened on or before Election Day. Show the correct order by numbering the events from 1 to 8. The first answer is given.

__ a. Ellen decided to run against Carter Boswell.
__ b. Richard videotaped Ellen’s campaign speech.
__ c. Ellen’s family helped her send out fliers.
  1  d. Ellen read that Carter Boswell was running for the school board.
__ e. Carter Boswell decided to appoint Ellen to a special arts committee.
__ f. Ellen lost the election by 121 votes.
__ g. Appliance stores played Ellen’s video on their television sets.
__ h. Ellen visited the newspaper office.

IDIOMS IN ACTION
A. Complete each of the following sentences with idioms from this episode. Write one letter on each line. Use the list of words from the box to form the idioms. You must use two of the words two times. The meaning of each idiom and the number of words are given in parentheses. The first idiom is given.

 

 

 

 

 

 

B. Now arrange the letters in the circles in Activity A to complete the following slogan: