Famous People Lessons: English Lesson on Hugo Chavez

THE READING / TAPESCRIPT

Hugo Chavez has been the President of Venezuela since 1998. He is very popular in his country and has been re-elected twice. His policies focus on helping the poor in his country. He uses the nation’s oil wealth to fight poverty and illiteracy. He is strongly in favour of Latin American integration and is a fierce opponent of the USA.

Chavez was born in 1954 in a mud hut. Both of his parents were schoolteachers but his family was very poor. He was sent to live with his grandmother in the big city so he could go to school. When he was 17, he enrolled at the Venezuelan Academy of Military Sciences. He graduated in 1975 with a degree in Military Arts and Science.

Chavez's military career lasted 17 years, during which he held several teaching positions. He was a very passionate teacher and frequently criticized Venezuela’s government. He developed a political belief called "Bolivarianism", which was influenced by the thought of the Venezuelan revolutionary Simon Bolivar, and Karl Marx. This shaped his later ideas about helping the people of Venezuela.

In 1992, Chavez attempted a coup to take control of Caracas. He failed but was elevated as a national hero. In 1998 he won the presidential election with 56% of the votes. He introduced major social reforms and nationalized many industries. He also gave land back to Venezuela’s poor and introduced free health care and education. He remains a popular figure throughout South America.

245 words

Flesch Kinkaid 9.8

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.	focus	a.	moneyless
2	in favour of	b.	shack
3.	fierce	c.	for
4.	hut	d.	centre on
5.	poor	e.	bachelor’s
6.	degree	f.	strong
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.	several	g.	overthrow
8.	passionate	h.	important
9.	shaped	i.	is still
10.	coup	j.	enthusiastic
11	major	k	formed
12	remains	l	a number of

PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article:

1.	His policies focus	a.	of the USA
2	He is strongly in favour of	b.	back to Venezuela’s poor
3.	a fierce opponent	c.	social reforms
4.	live with his grandmother	d.	Latin American integration
5.	He graduated in 1975	e.	popular figure
6.	He was a very passionate	f.	in the big city
7.	frequently criticized	g.	teacher
8.	He introduced major	h.	with a degree
9.	He also gave land	i.	on helping the poor
10.	He remains a	j.	Venezuela’s government

LISTENING GAP FILL

Hugo Chavez _____________ President of Venezuela since 1998. He is very popular in his country and has been _____________. His policies focus on helping the poor in his country. He uses the nation’s oil _____________ poverty and illiteracy. He is strongly in favour of Latin American integration and is a _____________ of the USA.

Chavez was born in 1954 in _____________. Both of his parents were schoolteachers but his family was very poor. He was sent to live with his grandmother _____________ so he could go to school. When he was 17, _____________ the Venezuelan Academy of Military Sciences. He graduated in 1975 _____________ in Military Arts and Science.

Chavez's military _____________ 17 years, during which he held several teaching positions. He was a _______________ teacher and frequently criticized Venezuela’s government. He developed a political belief called "Bolivarianism", which was influenced by _____________ the Venezuelan revolutionary Simon Bolivar, and Karl Marx. This _______________ ideas about helping the people of Venezuela.

In 1992, Chavez attempted a _____________ control of Caracas. He failed but was elevated as a national hero. In 1998 he won the presidential election with 56% _____________. He introduced major social reforms and nationalized many industries. He _____________ back to Venezuela’s poor and introduced free health care and education. _____________ popular figure throughout South America.

CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD

Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs in italics.

Hugo Chavez has been the President of Venezuela since / for 1998. He is very popular in his country and has / had been re-elected twice. His policies focus on / in helping the poor in his country. He uses the nation’s oil wealth to fight poverty and illiteracy. He is strongly in favour for / of Latin American integration and is a fierce opponent of the USA.

Chavez was born in 1954 at / in a mud hut. Both of his parents were schoolteachers but his family was very poor. He was sent / sending to live with his grandmother in the big city so he could go to school. When he was 17, he enrolled / rolled at the Venezuelan Academy of Military Sciences. He graduated in 1975 with a degree on / in Military Arts and Science.

Chavez's military career lasted 17 years, during which / when he held several teaching positions. He was a very passionate teacher and frequently / frequent criticized Venezuela’s government. He developed a political believe / belief called "Bolivarianism", which was influenced by the thought of the Venezuelan revolutionary Simon Bolivar, and Karl Marx. This shaped / shape his later ideas about helping the people of Venezuela.

In 1992, Chavez attempted a coup / soup to take control of Caracas. He failed but was lifted / elevated as a national hero. In 1998 he won the presidential election with 56% of the votes. He introduced major socially / social reforms and nationalized many industries. He also gave land back to Venezuela’s poor and introduced free / freely health care and education. He remains a popular figure throughout South America.

SPELLING

The underlined, jumbled words are from the text. Spell them correctly.

Paragraph 1
1.	has been re-edecetl twice
2.	fight otpyrve and illiteracy
3.	lytrgnso in favour
4.	a eericf opponent of the USA
Paragraph 2
5.	Both of his pneatsr were schoolteachers
6.	he dreoelnl at the Venezuelan Academy of Military Sciences
7.	He addregaut in 1975
8.	a eeegdr in Military Arts and Science
Paragraph 3
9.	Chavez's military ecarer lasted 17 years
10.	He was a very onesispaat teacher
11.	a political ilfeeb
12.	This padshe his later ideas
Paragraph 4
13.	aiotalnn hero
14.	He introduced major social efrosrm
15.	introduced free health care and uocaendit
16.	He sraeimn a popular figure

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	In 1992, Chavez attempted a coup to take control of Caracas. He failed
( )	Chavez was born in 1954 in a mud hut. Both of his parents were schoolteachers but his family was very
( )	at the Venezuelan Academy of Military Sciences. He graduated in 1975 with a degree in Military Arts and Science.
( )	teacher and frequently criticized Venezuela’s government. He developed a political belief
( )	and education. He remains a popular figure throughout South America.
( )	Chavez's military career lasted 17 years, during which he held several teaching positions. He was a very passionate
( )	illiteracy. He is strongly in favour of Latin American integration and is a fierce opponent of the USA.
( 1 )	Hugo Chavez has been the President of Venezuela since 1998. He is very popular in his country and has been re-elected
( )	but was elevated as a national hero. In 1998 he won the presidential election
( )	revolutionary Simon Bolivar, and Karl Marx. This shaped his later ideas about helping the people of Venezuela.
( )	many industries. He also gave land back to Venezuela’s poor and introduced free health care
( )	with 56% of the votes. He introduced major social reforms and nationalized
( )	poor. His was sent to live with his grandmother in the big city so he could go to school. When he was 17, he enrolled
( )	called "Bolivarianism", which was influenced by the thought of the Venezuelan
( )	twice. His policies focus on helping the poor in his country. He uses the nation’s oil wealth to fight poverty and

SCRAMBLED SENTENCES

With your partner, put the words back into the correct order.

1.	of has Venezuela been since the 1998 President Chavez
2.	focus helping poor policies on the His
3.	poverty oil He wealth uses to the fight nation’s
4.	a born mud in hut 1954 Chavez in was
5.	sent was He city big the in grandmother his with live to
6.	career military Chavez's years 17 lasted
7.	people ideas This about shaped helping his the later
8.	of coup Caracas to Chavez take attempted control a
9.	Venezuela’s to back land gave also He poor
10.	popular a remains He America South throughout figure

HUGO CHAVEZ DISCUSSION

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	What do you know about Hugo Chavez?
2.	Would you like to meet Hugo Chavez?
3.	What would you like to know about Hugo Chavez and why?
4.	___________________________________________________
5.	___________________________________________________
6.	___________________________________________________
7.	___________________________________________________
8.	___________________________________________________

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STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	What did you learn from this text about Hugo Chavez?
2.	What questions would you like to ask Hugo Chavez?
3.	What would his answers be to those questions?
4.	___________________________________________________
5.	___________________________________________________
6.	___________________________________________________
7.	___________________________________________________
8.	___________________________________________________

HUGO CHAVEZ SURVEY

Write five questions about Hugo Chavez in the table. Do this in pairs/groups. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

Without your partner, interview other students. Write down their answers.

	STUDENT 1 _____________	STUDENT 2 _____________	STUDENT 3 _____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.

Return to your original partner(s) and share and talk about what you found out. Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

WRITING

Write about Hugo Chavez for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

______________________________________________________________________________

HOMEWORK

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 Hugo Chavez. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. HUGO CHAVEZ POSTER: Make a poster showing the different stages of the life of Hugo 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 Hugo Chavez. Include an imaginary interview with him. Write about what he does every day and what he thinks 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 Hugo Chavez. Ask him three questions about his life. Give him three suggestions on what he should do in his future. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your “Hugo Chavez expert” partner(s) will try and answer your questions.

ANSWERS

SYNONYM MATCH:

Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.	focus	a.	centre on
2	in favour of	b.	for
3.	fierce	c.	strong
4.	hut	d.	shack
5.	poor	e.	moneyless
6.	degree	f.	bachelor’s
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.	several	g.	a number of
8.	passionate	h.	enthusiastic
9.	shaped	i.	formed
10.	coup	j.	overthrow
11	major	k	important
12	remains	l	is still

PHRASE MATCH:

1.	His policies focus	a.	on helping the poor
2	He is strongly in favour of	b.	Latin American integration
3.	a fierce opponent	c.	of the USA
4.	live with his grandmother	d.	in the big city
5.	He graduated in 1975	e.	with a degree
6.	He was a very passionate	f.	teacher
7.	frequently criticized	g.	Venezuela’s government
8.	He introduced major	h.	social reforms
9.	He also gave land	i.	back to Venezuela’s poor
10.	He remains a	j.	popular figure

ALL OTHER EXERCISES:

Look at the text in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.

Famous People Lessons.com English Lesson Plan on Hugo Chavez