1A: The main message of the text is that voting is a civic duty and an essential tool for change.
Faglig kvalitetssikret av lærere og toppstudenter · Følger læreplanen (LK20) · Sist oppdatert 2026-10-02
Read the text and write your response to both tasks 1A and 1B below.
Recommended length for tasks 1A and 1B combined is approximately 200–300 words. Remember to read the entire text. You may have to scroll.
The text below is an opinion piece written by Stella Morris, a student at Rollins College, University of Central Florida.
Explain how text structure and/or language features are used to enhance the message in the text below. Use relevant terminology and refer to examples from the text in your answer.
It is my greatest privilege, and one I do not recognize enough, to be born in the United States. I am the daughter of immigrants, probably like many of you reading this. Many of you may be the only people in your family who can vote, like me.
I was raised by my mother. She, although not being American, has always taught me to take pride in my country and to take responsibility for civic duty. She was never out to persuade me to take one action over another or to choose one party instead of another. She only wanted me to harness my right—because that is what it is, not a privilege—and to use it for what I felt was just: to take responsibility for my community.
Growing up, my mother would tell me the adage “if you do nothing, nothing will change.” She didn’t mean it in a political sense, but I think in today’s climate it is important to consider the statement under those terms.
It may seem insignificant to you that a tiny filled-in bubble on a piece of cardstock can create tidal waves in our political system. You may be so overwhelmed with the current culture war that you are uncomfortable with voting. You may look at all politicians and believe they are all narcissists peddling lies to get you to vote for them. You may be right on one or all of those statements. I’m not here to correct you on any of those.
I am not telling you who to vote for. I am simply telling you to vote. Millions of people around the world do not have the luxury that we do: coming together every two years to cast a ballot that can set our nation on a completely different course. That is within your power, your reach.
[S]o I implore you: get out there and vote for your local representatives. They are the ones who do the most basic things around your town or city, including the boring but incredibly important task of fixing potholes in the road. Did you ever think pesky potholes were political? Now they are.
People don’t take our generation seriously, but they should—because when we show up to vote, we show up to change history.
Reference:
Morris, S. (2022, 7 November). The Importance of a Vote. The Sandspur. https://www.thesandspur.org/opinion-the-importance-of-a-vote/
1A:
The main message of the text is that voting is a civic duty and an essential tool for change. Stella Morris emphasizes the privilege and responsibility of voting, urging readers, especially young people, to recognize their power in shaping their communities and the nation, regardless of the flaws in the political system.
1B:
The structure and language features of the text are designed to enhance the message of civic responsibility and the importance of voting.
The text begins with a personal anecdote, which makes the message more relatable and helps build a connection with the reader. By sharing her own experience as the daughter of immigrants and someone who can vote, Morris establishes credibility and appeals to her audience’s sense of shared experience. This personal connection is a key feature of the text's structure, as it creates a sense of urgency and emotional investment from the reader.
Morris uses rhetorical questions, such as "Did you ever think pesky potholes were political?" to engage the reader and encourage reflection. This technique helps make the argument more interactive, prompting the audience to reconsider how seemingly small issues are linked to larger political systems. Additionally, the informal tone, which includes colloquial language like "get out there and vote" and "narcissists peddling lies," makes the text approachable and relatable to a younger audience.
The text also uses repetition to emphasize key points, like the importance of voting. For instance, the phrase “I am not telling you who to vote for. I am simply telling you to vote,” is repeated to underline the message that voting itself, regardless of the candidate, is crucial. This reinforces the central idea that participation is more important than political alignment.
Overall, Morris’s use of personal storytelling, rhetorical questions, and repetition enhances the impact of her argument, making it both persuasive and accessible to her audience