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READ
Cesar Chavez was a Mexican-American labour leader and civil rights activist. He was a farm worker who co-founded the biggest farm workers’ union in the USA and improved the working conditions of thousands of farm labourers. Many see him as one of America’s greatest civil rights leaders. More and more US states are honoring him by making his birthday a holiday.
Chavez was born in Arizona in 1927 to farm worker parents. His childhood was very tough because of the poverty caused by the Great Depression. Chavez was a natural leader and in 1952 he became an administrator in the Latino civil rights group the Community Service Organization. He travelled throughout California urging Mexican Americans to vote and speaking about workers’ rights.
In 1962, Chavez co-founded the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA) with Dolores Huerta. His first success was to lead a California grape pickers strike for better wages. The strike lasted five years and attracted the attention of Robert Kennedy. The NFWA won its first major labour victory for American farm workers. Chavez moved on to campaign for the rights of other farm workers.
The NFWA developed into the United Farm Workers. Chavez led marches and encouraged farm workers across America to join together. He helped them strike and organize boycotts. In the 1980s he fasted to draw public attention to the dangerous use of pesticides. Chavez died in 1993 of natural causes. Ten years later, America honoured him with a postage stamp.
244 words
Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted biographies.
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SYNONYM MATCH
Match the words from the article on the left with their synonyms on the right. Are your answers the same as other students’?
Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.
activist
a.
made better
2
improved
b.
difficult
3.
honoring
c.
encouraging
4.
tough
d.
campaigner
5.
poverty
e.
paying tribute
6.
urging
f.
hardship
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
success
g.
urged
8.
major
h.
triumph
9.
campaign
i.
reasons
10.
encouraged
j.
awareness
11
attention
k
great
12
causes
l
fight
PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article:
1.
labour leader and civil
a.
major labour victory
2
improved the working
b.
organize boycotts
3.
More and
c.
rights activist
4.
His childhood was
d.
to vote
5.
urging Mexican Americans
e.
with a postage stamp
6.
attracted the
f.
conditions of thousands
7.
won its first
g.
very tough
8.
He helped them strike and
h.
attention of Robert Kennedy
9.
Chavez died in 1993
i.
more US states
10.
America honoured him
j.
of natural causes
LISTENING GAP FILL
Cesar Chavez was a Mexican-American __________________ civil rights activist. He was a farm worker __________________ biggest farm workers’ union in the USA and improved __________________ of thousands of farm labourers. Many see him as one of America’s greatest civil rights leaders. __________________ US states are honoring him by making his birthday a holiday.
Chavez was born in Arizona in 1927 to farm worker parents. His childhood __________________ because of the poverty caused by the Great Depression. Chavez __________________ and in 1952 he became an administrator in the Latino civil rights group the Community Service Organization. He travelled throughout California ______________ Americans __________________ about workers’ rights.
In 1962, Chavez co-founded the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA) with Dolores Huerta. His __________________ lead a California grape pickers __________________. The strike lasted five years and attracted the attention of Robert Kennedy. The NFWA won its __________________ victory for American farm workers. Chavez moved __________________ the rights of other farm workers.
The NFWA __________________ United Farm Workers. Chavez led marches and encouraged farm workers across America to join together. He helped them __________________ boycotts. In the 1980s he fasted to __________________ to the dangerous use of pesticides. Chavez died in 1993 of natural causes. Ten years later, America honoured him with __________________.
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs in italics.
Cesar Chavez was a Mexican-American labour / laboured leader and civil rights activist. He was a farm worker who co-founded the biggest farm / farmer workers’ union in the USA and improved the working conditions of thousands of farm labourers. Many see / seen him as one of America’s greatest civil rights leaders. More and more US states are honoring him for / by making his birthday a holiday.
Chavez was born in Arizona in 1927 with / to farm worker parents. His childhood was very tough because of the poverty caused for / by the Great Depression. Chavez was a natural leader / leadership and in 1952 he became an administrator in the Latino civil rights group the Community Service Organization. He travelled throughout California urging Mexican Americans to elect / vote and speaking about workers’ rights.
In 1962, Chavez co-founded the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA) with Dolores Huerta. His first / firstly success was to lead a California grape pickers striking / strike for better wages. The strike lasted five years and attracted / attractive the attention of Robert Kennedy. The NFWA won its first major labour victory for American farm workers. Chavez moved on / in to campaign for the rights of other farm workers.
The NFWA developed into / onto the United Farm Workers. Chavez led marches and encouraged farm workers across America to join together. He helped them strike and organize boycotts. In the 1980s he fasted / quickened to draw public attention to the dangerous use / used of pesticides. Chavez died in 1993 of natural causes. Ten years later, America honoured him with a post / postage stamp.
SPELLING
The underlined, jumbled words are from the text. Spell them correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
civil rights atiisvct
2.
improved the working oonsicditn of thousands
3.
America’s esgatetr civil rights leaders
4.
making his birthday a oihayld
Paragraph 2
5.
His childhood was very ghuot
6.
the vryoetp caused by the Great Depression
7.
He travelled hthtuoorgu California
8.
ngurgi Mexican Americans to vote
Paragraph 3
9.
His first uccsses
10.
attracted the ontneitta of Robert Kennedy
11.
major labour iyvrotc
12.
pgiacnam for the rights
Paragraph 4
13.
Chavez led mrahecs
14.
organize ybctsoot
15.
the dangerous use of pedtsciesi
16.
a aegptso stamp
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
In 1962, Chavez co-founded the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA) with Dolores Huerta. His first success
( )
on to campaign for the rights of other farm workers.
( )
causes. Ten years later, America honoured him with a postage stamp.
( )
rights group the Community Service Organization. He travelled throughout California urging
( )
was to lead a California grape pickers strike for better wages. The strike lasted five years and attracted the attention
( )
The NFWA developed into the United Farm Workers. Chavez led marches and encouraged farm workers
( )
public attention to the dangerous use of pesticides. Chavez died in 1993 of natural
( )
co-founded the biggest farm workers’ union in the USA and improved the working conditions of thousands of farm
( 1 )
states are honoring him by making his birthday a holiday.
( )
Cesar Chavez was a Mexican-American labour leader and civil rights activist. He was a farm worker who
( )
Mexican Americans to vote and speaking about worker’s rights.
( )
caused by the Great Depression. Chavez was a natural leader and in 1952 he became an administrator in the Latino civil
( )
labourers. Many see him as one of America’s greatest civil rights leaders. More and more US
( )
of Robert Kennedy. The NFWA won its first major labour victory for American farm workers. Chavez moved
( )
Chavez was born in Arizona in 1927 to farm worker parents. His childhood was very tough because of the poverty
( )
across America to join together. He helped them strike and organize boycotts. In the 1980s he fasted to draw
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With your partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
the improved thousands of conditions working
2.
of greatest rights one America’s civil leaders
3.
a birthday his making by him honoring holiday
4.
His because childhood of was the very poverty tough
5.
Americans urging to Mexican vote
6.
a for California better grape wages pickers lead strike
7.
other of rights the for campaign workers farmer
8.
helped strike organize He them and boycotts
9.
of to pesticides the draw dangerous public use attention
10.
with postage America him a stamp honoured
CESAR CHAVEZ DISCUSSION
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.
What do you know about Cesar Chavez?
2.
Would you like to have met Cesar Chavez?
3.
What would you like to know about Cesar Chavez and why?
1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information about Cesar Chavez. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. CESAR CHAVEZ POSTER: Make a poster showing the different stages of the life of Cesar Chavez. Show your poster to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all find out similar things?
4. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Cesar Chavez. Include an imaginary interview with him. Write about what he did every day and what he thought about.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
5. LETTER: Write a letter to Cesar Chavez. Ask him three questions about his life. Tell him how important he is in today’s world. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your “Cesar Chavez expert” partner(s) will try and answer your questions.
ANSWERS
SYNONYM MATCH:
Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.
activist
a.
campaigner
2
improved
b.
made better
3.
honoring
c.
paying tribute
4.
tough
d.
difficult
5.
poverty
e.
hardship
6.
urging
f.
encouraging
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
success
g.
triumph
8.
major
h.
great
9.
campaign
i.
fight
10.
encouraged
j.
urged
11
attention
k
awareness
12
causes
l
reasons
PHRASE MATCH:
1.
labour leader and civil
a.
rights activist
2
improved the working
b.
conditions of thousands
3.
More and
c.
more US states
4.
His childhood was
d.
very tough
5.
urging Mexican Americans
e.
to vote
6.
attracted the
f.
attention of Robert Kennedy
7.
won its first
g.
major labour victory
8.
He helped them strike and
h.
organize boycotts
9.
Chavez died in 1993
i.
of natural causes
10.
America honoured him
j.
with a postage stamp
ALL OTHER EXERCISES:
Look at the text in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.
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