Listen&Learn: Alaska’s Cat Mayor

Posted by: Jaksyn Peacock

Learn about the cat that was voted into office.

Pre-listening vocabulary

election: a process where people vote for political candidates
resident: someone who lives in a certain place
mayor: the person who runs a city or town
destination: a place that people go to
tradition: an action that people continue to repeat
kitten: a baby cat

Listening activity

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Gapfill exercise

In 1998, the small town of Talkeetna, Alaska held a mayoral election. But the residents quickly became when no one stepped up for the job. Instead of electing a candidate, the town voted a cat into office. The cat’s name was Stubbs, and he served as mayor for 19 years. His office was a general store in the centre of the town. During Stubbs’s term, Talkeetna became a tourist destination in Alaska. Visitors would come to take or have meetings with the mayor. After Stubbs’s death in 2017, the residents of Talkeetna continued the tradition and elected a kitten named Denali to fill the role.

Comprehension questions

[wp_quiz id=”20578″]

Discussion/essay questions

Do you participate in local elections in your town?

Transcript

In 1998, the small town of Talkeetna, Alaska held a mayoral election. But the residents quickly became frustrated when no one stepped up for the job. Instead of electing a human candidate, the town voted a cat into office. The cat’s name was Stubbs, and he served as mayor for 19 years. His office was a general store in the centre of the town. During Stubbs’s term, Talkeetna became a popular tourist destination in Alaska. Visitors would come to take photos or have meetings with the mayor. After Stubbs’s death in 2017, the residents of Talkeetna continued the tradition and elected a kitten named Denali to fill the role.

Written and recorded by Jaksyn Peacock for EnglishClub

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17 comments

Justin Stewart says:

OK finish sorry for the wade
Vy says:

Thanks
Vy says:

Very kind
Pushpa Pathirana says:

great.
Nilua says:

Great!
Ali says:

I really like this story. I want to visit Talkeeta in the future to visit the new mayor.

I wonder if Denali has learned all the responsibility of the previous mayor. Haha
Bassam says:

Really interesting
Asieh says:

Thanks, I liked the story
Jue Jue Zin says:

Thanks a lot
Katia says:

This history was a great exercice to listen, to repeat in out loud, and hear myself and learn new vocabulary. Amazing!
Henry says:

It’s a interesting story. I am happy to join this web. Thanks
HOANG KHANH MY says:

That’s an interested story. I have a lot of knowledge and good experience!
Christine PENNEC says:

amazing story. Great.
João Emiliano says:

Particularly good!! Thanks
Franklin says:

Good
Reza says:

It is a good experience.
Sonika Thakur says:

wonderful exercise to do.