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Singers Take Sides

Singers Take Sides

Date: Oct 27 2008

Themes: News

Grammar: Gerunds vs. Infinitives

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

Most celebrities are famous for the way they sing, act, look or play a sport. They aren’t usually famous for their opinions on politics, so usually they keep those opinions to themselves. But in recent months, a lot of celebrities have been sharing their thoughts on the US Presidential election.

Musicians have been particularly vocal during the campaign because they perform in front of live audiences every night and can easily record a new song and put it on the Internet. Madonna recently made it clear that she doesn’t like Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin at one of her concerts and there’s a video full of famous stars singing about Barack Obama.

Listen to Marni and Mason talk about some more examples of celebrities weighing in on the election.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Mason

Mason

Marni

Marni

Mason:  You know what my favorite political ad of the year was? It was the one that Paris Hilton came out saying she was running for president.

Marni:  Right. In response to McCain saying that…

Mason:  Barack Obama hangs out…

Marni:  ...with celebrities. It was just absurd. It was totally absurd.

Mason:  But it feels like that kind of kicked off the celebrity involvement in the campaign. Endorsements kind of kept trickling in after that.

Marni:  Yeah. I guess so. I never really thought of Paris Hilton as the tipping point but…

Mason:  Didn’t it all happen after that?

Marni:  I think you’re right. I think you’re right. I think that there was definitely a huge movement.

Mason:  There’s a good handful of people who just stood up and said, “I like this guy, I like that guy.” Like Justin Timberlake was all for Obama.

Marni:  Right. Springsteen’s all for Obama.

Mason:  Springsteen. You know, I’m sure there were some country dudes for McCain.

Marni:  John Rich did a country song called “Raisin’ McCain.”

Mason:  But what does an endorsement like that really mean, when the celebrity stands up and says, “This is my opinion.” Does it matter?

Marni:  Well, I think in some respects. If you’re a young person and you’re kind of persuaded by your idols, your role models. They do have some sway over your opinion.

Mason:  Yeah. I’d rather listen to Colin Powell’s endorsement.

Marni:  Well…

Mason:  He probably knows a little bit more what’s going on in the political game than Scarlett Johansson.

Marni:  Right. But if you’re young and impressionable.

Mason:  Colin Powell’s not hip enough for ya?

Marni:  Scarlett Johansson’s a lot better lookin’.

 

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Discussion

Barack Obama has been criticized for acting like a celebrity, so Paris Hilton made a video saying she was running for president as a joke. Mason thinks that’s what started the trend of celebrities commenting on the election.

More pop musicians have endorsed Obama than McCain, including Justin Timberlake and Bruce Springsteen. But John Rich, a country artist, recorded a special song for McCain.

But Mason is more interested in what other political leaders, like Colin Powell, think about the election. Marni points out that some younger voters may be very interested in what their favorite singer thinks.

Do you think celebrities ought to endorse candidates? Do you think the opinions of famous musicians are important during a political campaign?

 

Comments

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pooja2

India

very nice!

11:37 AM Nov 21 2008 |

zoebaby

zoebaby

China

just me, i think the celebrities are common people who have the right to vote,i don't think they just wanna show up,anyway,it's funny…

02:08 PM Nov 01 2008 |

kukuka

kukuka

Ukraine

McCain is cooland Sarah Pallin as well

01:36 PM Oct 31 2008 |

johnson.pla

China

celeberities's endoresments are just one way that their idols take to promote themselves and get more suppot from the populas.it's funny.Cool

11:10 AM Oct 30 2008 |

Marcelolic

Marcelolic

Brazil

Good the lesson,but little imports me on politics

10:29 PM Oct 27 2008 |

Marcelolic

Marcelolic

Brazil

For sure!
Mainly if will had money in game!
Celebrities are famous and appears in the media,so any candidate would have advantage on the other ;)

08:16 PM Oct 27 2008 |

Totto

Totto

Sudan

I wonder if what Colin Powell said is true.

03:23 PM Oct 27 2008 |

Totto

Totto

Sudan

Celeberities' endoresments may have  positive

impacts on presidential election.  After all it is the

person's opinion wheather to vote for that

candidate whom celeberity endorsed or not.

I agree with Heavpart, celeberies dont care who gets

elected; they want to make themselves more and more

 popular.

 

 

03:20 PM Oct 27 2008 |

jun_aguirre

Philippines

Hi what's up

 

01:29 PM Oct 27 2008 |

heavpart

heavpart

Russian Federation

endorsement just makes celebrities more popular….)) it' another way to show off!!!!!!!!

12:13 PM Oct 27 2008 |

Jerry-chen

Jerry-chen

China

it's just fresh for them ,and it also can make them exposed more on TV !

10:27 AM Oct 27 2008 |

shadow-man

shadow-man

Algeria

Most of them do that just for money

09:27 AM Oct 27 2008 |

kaira_harry

Yemen

nice
but i need a good voice and the imagination of big words
and i have hahahhaah

09:09 AM Oct 27 2008 |

kaira_harry

Yemen

hahhahahah

 i great with you juama about the singer just for the money but not all

 some singer has great song

 nice

 

09:06 AM Oct 27 2008 |

juama

juama

Panama

I think that artist endorse candidates just for money

04:27 AM Oct 27 2008 |

yana011

yana011

Philippines

Obama 08!

04:15 AM Oct 27 2008 |

DricaBr

DricaBr

Brazil

Small typo…

 

 PARTICULAR CANDIDATE.

 

12:24 AM Oct 27 2008 |

lindakiki

lindakiki

Germany

Go Obama!!!!

12:15 AM Oct 27 2008 |

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