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Japan is coming up to an election, and the U.S. has just had one. There is one very big difference between the elections, however. The United States has long election campaigns. The campaign for president is probably the longest in the world. People who want to be president start campaigning two years before the election. Japan has a very short campaign. It only lasts 12 days. Most other countries have longer campaigns, but Japan’s isn’t the shortest. Singapore’s election campaign only lasts 9 days.(by Prof. Douglas Jarrell)
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Notes :
pensioner《英》年金受給者;
riot 暴動;
frustrated with～　～に失望した，いらいらした;
vandalise（芸術作品・公共物など）を（故意）に破壊する;
spoof video パロディービデオ;
anti-social 反社会的な;
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In July 2011 the London Riots showed how young people have become frustrated with lack of job opportunities. But does rioting help their cause? Well, a gang of pensioners in London were shown on video getting drunk, spraying graffiti and vandalising cars after drinking. They were also shown throwing eggs at houses. It was a spoof video by police in the UK to show how pointless and silly anti-social behaviour really is. One of the actors in the video said; “Hopefully people will look at it and see how silly rioting and bad behaviour really is.” The video can be seen on You Tube and shows how humour can teach us many things about ourselves. (by Prof. Simon Smith)
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