L Englisch Listening & Comprehension
How to Elect a President
Anna explains to Ben how the United States elects a president using the Electoral College system, including how electors work, the number needed to win, and why this system is used instead of a simple popular vote.
Englisch Listening & Comprehension · B1 · Unterrichtsmaterial
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Anna: Do you know how people choose the president in the United States?
Ben: I think they vote for the person they like the most, right?
Anna: Yes, but it’s a bit more complicated than that. It’s called the Electoral College system.
Ben: Electoral College? What is that?
Anna: Well, instead of just counting all the votes from everyone, each state has a certain number of electors. These electors then vote for the president.
Ben: Oh, so the candidate who gets the most votes in a state wins all the electors from that state?
Anna: Exactly! Most states give all their electoral votes to the candidate who wins the popular vote in that state.
Ben: How many electors are there in total?
Anna: There are 538 electors. To become president, a candidate needs at least 270 electoral votes.
Ben: That sounds like a lot. What happens if no one gets 270 votes?
Anna: Then the House of Representatives chooses the president. But that hasn’t happened very often.
Ben: Why do they use this system instead of just counting all the votes from the whole country?
Anna: It’s because the United States is made up of many states with different sizes and populations. This system tries to balance the influence of smaller states with bigger ones.
Ben: I see. So, it’s not just about who has the most votes overall, but also about which states they win.
Anna: Yes, that’s why candidates often focus on so-called "swing states" where the vote could go either way.
Ben: Thanks for explaining! Now I understand better how the president is elected in the USA.
Ben: I think they vote for the person they like the most, right?
Anna: Yes, but it’s a bit more complicated than that. It’s called the Electoral College system.
Ben: Electoral College? What is that?
Anna: Well, instead of just counting all the votes from everyone, each state has a certain number of electors. These electors then vote for the president.
Ben: Oh, so the candidate who gets the most votes in a state wins all the electors from that state?
Anna: Exactly! Most states give all their electoral votes to the candidate who wins the popular vote in that state.
Ben: How many electors are there in total?
Anna: There are 538 electors. To become president, a candidate needs at least 270 electoral votes.
Ben: That sounds like a lot. What happens if no one gets 270 votes?
Anna: Then the House of Representatives chooses the president. But that hasn’t happened very often.
Ben: Why do they use this system instead of just counting all the votes from the whole country?
Anna: It’s because the United States is made up of many states with different sizes and populations. This system tries to balance the influence of smaller states with bigger ones.
Ben: I see. So, it’s not just about who has the most votes overall, but also about which states they win.
Anna: Yes, that’s why candidates often focus on so-called "swing states" where the vote could go either way.
Ben: Thanks for explaining! Now I understand better how the president is elected in the USA.
Vokabelhilfe
Electoral College · Ein System, bei dem Vertreter (Wahlmänner) die Präsidentenwahl entscheidenElector · Eine Person, die in der Electoral College für einen Kandidaten stimmtPopular vote · Die Gesamtanzahl der Stimmen aller WählerSwing state · Ein Bundesstaat, in dem die Wahl unentschieden sein kannHouse of Representatives · Das Repräsentantenhaus, ein Teil des US-Kongresses