Reading · C1 · Text 4

Parlament

74 words1 min read100% known at C1

Der Diktator will nicht, dass die Menschen ein Parlament wählen können, das sich gegen den Diktator stellt.
The dictator does not want the people to be able to elect a parliament that opposes the dictator.
Darum sorgt er dafür, dass nicht alle Menschen in seinem Land wählen können.
Therefore, he ensures that not all people in his country can vote.
Oder er bestimmt, wer überhaupt Kandidat sein darf.
Or he determines who is allowed to be a candidate at all.
Außerdem lässt der Diktator die Mitglieder des Parlaments überwachen.
Furthermore, the dictator has the members of parliament monitored.
Möglicherweise lässt der Diktator das Parlament gar nicht über wichtige Dinge entscheiden.
Possibly, the dictator does not let the parliament decide on important matters at all.
So kann es sein, dass ein Staat ein Parlament hat, aber dennoch keine Demokratie ist.
Thus, it can happen that a state has a parliament but is still not a democracy.

17 words above C1

Diktator

a ruler with absolute power plural: Diktatoren dictator C1/dɪkˈtaːtoːɐ̯/

Parlament

parliament, legislative body plural: Parlamente parliament; legislative building B1/paʁlaˈmɛnt/

wählen

to vote, to elect wählte, gewählt to choose, to select; to dial (a telephone number, etc.); to vote; (transitive) to vote for (a politician, party etc.) A2/ˈvɛːlən/

sorgt dafür← sorgen für

to ensure, to see to it sorgte, gesorgt; separable verb

bestimmt← bestimmen

to determine, to decide bestimmte, bestimmt to determine B2/bəˈʃtɪmən/

Kandidat

candidate plural: Kandidaten B1/kandiˈdaːt/

darf← dürfen

may, is allowed to modal verb; durfte, gedurft to be allowed (to do something); to be permitted (to do something); may; to be allowed or permitted to do something implied or previously stated;… A2

Außerdem← außerdem

besides, furthermore in addition; furthermore, besides A2[ˈaʊ̯sɐdeːm]

lässt ... überwachen← lassen + Infinitiv

to have something done (causative) ließ, gelassen

Mitglieder← das Mitglied

members singular: das Mitglied; plural: die Mitglieder member B1/ˈmɪtˌɡliːt/

überwachen

to monitor, to surveil überwachte, überwacht to control, to monitor, to supervise; to keep under surveillance B2/ˌyːbəʁˈvaχən/

Möglicherweise← möglicherweise

possibly, maybe possibly, potentially; perhaps; conceivably B1/ˈmøːklɪçɐˈvaɪ̯zə/

gar nicht

not at all used for emphasis

entscheiden

to decide entschied, entschieden to decide, to make a decision; to opt, to decide; to decide, to determine the outcome of B1/ʔɛntˈʃaɪ̯dn̩/

Staat

state, country plural: Staaten country, state (politically constituted legal person wielding absolute power of a population and territory); state/government, authorities (the… A2/ʃtaːt/

dennoch

nevertheless, nonetheless anyhow, however A2[ˈdɛnɔx]

Demokratie

democracy plural: Demokratien B1/demokʁaˈtiː/

Grammar in this text

Subjunctive (Konjunktiv I) in indirect speech

Der Diktator will nicht, dass die Menschen ein Parlament wählen können, das sich gegen den Diktator stellt.

The verb 'will' is used here as a main verb meaning 'wants', and the subjunctive is not explicitly used, but the structure with 'dass' and the indicative 'können' is typical for indirect statements. However, the text uses indicative after 'dass' because it is a factual statement. The subjunctive is not present in this text. Instead, we see the use of 'will' as a full verb, which is common at C1.

Infinitive clause with 'zu' after 'sorgen dafür'

Darum sorgt er dafür, dass nicht alle Menschen in seinem Land wählen können.

The verb 'sorgen für' is used with a 'dass' clause, not with 'zu' + infinitive. This is a common pattern: 'sorgen dafür, dass' means 'to ensure that'. The clause after 'dafür' is a subordinate clause with verb at the end.

Causative construction with 'lassen' + infinitive

Außerdem lässt der Diktator die Mitglieder des Parlaments überwachen.

The verb 'lassen' is used as a causative auxiliary meaning 'to have something done'. The infinitive 'überwachen' appears at the end of the sentence. This is a typical C1 structure.

Subordinate clause with 'dass' and verb-final order

So kann es sein, dass ein Staat ein Parlament hat, aber dennoch keine Demokratie ist.

The conjunction 'dass' introduces a subordinate clause where the finite verb ('hat', 'ist') is placed at the end. This is a fundamental German word order rule, but at C1 it is expected to be mastered.

Keep going

C1 · Text 3 Nikolaus Kopernikus 100% known · 76 words Read C1 · Text 5 Post 100% known · 73 words Read Practice C1 reading questions Comprehension and true/false items on texts like this one. Test yourself

Same text, graded forC2 version

Text from Parlament — Klexikon, used under CC BY-SA 4.0. See sources.

Translation, glossary and grammar notes are machine-generated and inherit the same licence.