Exercise 1: Match the words with the pictures and find them in the word search.

Exercise 1: Match the words with the pictures and find them in the word search. Havana Salsa Classic Cars Raul Castro Peso Communism Che Guevara Beaches Embargo Cigars Fidel Castro Guantanamo Bay Sugar O C S A L S S E A I O V B N D T R O R A N Q R S V R S E I M C N T M A I T A L A T D A M M C R B S M G H P A V S C C P W W G W T A U I J S N A A H C W E O Q M R C N C C J C U E H T I C S Z M G L I E J L N S Q Y P K S P O I U E S F U O G R A B M E H S A N U D M A Y A B O M A N A T N A U G I R C H E G U E V A R A P M L I F C U X K B L O S S U G A R K C Q L E A E Z E E K H K L C G V M 9 4 2 8 3 10 11 12 5 7 1 13 6

Geography Cuba is the largest country of the Caribbean. It is a long and narrow island. Around 30% of the island is covered with rolling hills. The other part consists of plains that are mostly used for farming. Fast Facts History The Ciboney and the Guanahatabey people were the first inhabitants of Cuba. Around 1000 AD, the Taino people from Venezuela took control of the island. In 1511, the Taino people were defeated by Spanish colonizers. The Spanish invaders forced many Taino people to work as slaves on sugar plantations. Many of them died from exhaustion and diseases that the Spanish brought along. As the Spanish needed more workers, they brought hundreds of thousands of slaves from Africa to work on their farms. In 1989, American forces drove the Spanish colonizers out of Cuba. Four years later, Cuba became an independent country, but the United States kept a strong influence over the country. In 1959, Fidel Castro started the Cuban Revolution and took control of the island. Castro made Cuba a communist country. People & Culture Cuba has a very lively culture that consists of a mix of native, African, and European influences. The people and culture of Cuba changed in positive, but also negative ways when the country became communist in 1959. Baseball is the most popular sport in Cuba. The sport came to the island in the 1860s from the United States. Many famous baseball stars come from Cuba and the Cuban national team is one of the strongest baseball teams in the world. Population: Capital: Language: Currency: President: Government: 11 million Havana Spanish Peso Raul Castro Socialist Republic Government Cuba has a socialist government that is run by the Cuban Communist Party. The citizens of Cuba have the right to vote and choose the leaders they want. However, there is only one party that joins the elections. Fidel Castro, the leader of the revolution, was the leader of Cuba until 2008. His brother, Raul Castro, became the new leader of Cuba when Fidel stepped down because he was too old and sick to rule his country. Fidel Castro, Raul Castro & Che Guevara Ever since Cuba became a communist country, the relationship between the Cuba and the United States has been very tense.

Exercise 2: Are the following statements true or false? 1) Cuba is a colony of Spain. 2) Fidel Castro is the President of Cuba. 3) Cuba does not have a good relation with the USA. 4) The Cuban Revolution took place in the previous century. 5) Cuba is ruled by one single political party. 6) Cuba is located near the United States. 7) The Taino people were the first inhabitants of Cuba. 8) The current president of Cuba is the brother of the leader of the Cuban Revolution. 9) The Spanish colonizers brought many African people to Cuba. 10) Havana is the capital city of Cuba. 11) Many famous soccer players come from Cuba. 12) The army of the United States helped Fidel Castro to defeat the Spanish colonizers. Exercise 3: Complete the cross word puzzle. Across 2. One of the first inhabitants of Cuba. 3. The most popular sport in Cuba. 4. The Spanish brought slaves from Africa to work on.... 8. The president of Cuba. Down 1. What language do Cuban people speak? 2. Cuba became a communist country after the.... 5. Cuba was colonized by... in the 16th century. 6. Cuba is located in the.... 7. The capital city of Cuba. Cuban Plains

Columbus landed on Cuba in 1492. The Spanish explorers changed the history of Cuba significantly. In 1509, Spanish explorers began to conquer the island. Many native people of Cuba died because of the diseases that the Spanish unintentionally brought along. The people who survived were taken and used as slaves. The Spanish colonizers set up farms and brought more slaves from Africa. Only a few Cuban people who live on the island today can be traced to the indigenous people that once lived there. Soon, the country became an important place for the Spanish Empire. The island had a slave economy and was an important exporter of tobacco and sugar. Cuban Slaves During the second half of the 19 th century, the Cuban people became increasingly fed up with the way they were treated. Hence, many slaves and Cuban landowners decided to fight for their rights. In 1868, they launched the Cuban war of Independence, which lasted for 10 years and the rebels succeeded. They were given more control over the island. Nonetheless, many revolutionaries continued their fight for total independence from Spain. In 1895, another war broke out. This second War of Independence was started by Maceo, Marti, and Gomez. A few years later, they were in control of most of the island. After the Spanish had blown up an American navy ship, the United States began to attack the Spanish as well which eventually led to the Spanish American War. In 1898, Spain was defeated and the United States got a strong control over Cuba. The American navy built a base at Guantanamo Bay, and many tourists flocked to the casinos, hotels, and bars of Cuba. Fulgencio Batista In 1933, a group of Cuban army officers overthrew the government. Army sergeant Fulgencio Batista became president in 1940 and maintained a close relation with the United States. Exercise 4: Read the passage and answer the questions. 1) When did the Spanish Empire colonize Cuba? 2) What happened to the native people of Mexico when the Spanish colonizers arrived? 3) Why was Cuba an important place for the Spanish Empire? 4) What is the Cuban War of Independence and when did it take place? 5) Who is Fulgencio Batista?

The Cuban Revolution started in 1956 and ended in 1959. The revolutionaries were led by Fidel Castro and they fought against the Cuban government led by Fulgencio Batista. Batista was a dictator who came into power after a military coup in 1952. Before Batista became dictator, Fidel Castro had run for a seat at the House of Representatives of Cuba. However, during that time, Batista overthrew the existing government and called off the elections. Following this, Castro began to organize a revolution but he was soon captured and eventually sent to prison. He was released two years later and immediately following his release, he went to Mexico to plan his next revolution. In Mexico, Castro met Che Guevara who would later become an important leader of the revolution. Initially, Fidel Castro and his brother Raul had only 80 armed members. They sailed back to Cuba and landed on Coloradas Beach in the south of Cuba. A first minor battle took place after the landing. However, it was unsuccessful and the people who survived quickly went into the Cuban jungle to recruit more men and acquire more weapons for the upcoming battles. Fidel Castro managed to get support from many small Cuban towns. The 80-member militia force soon grew into an army of thousands of militants. Many violent battles took place in the towns and mountains of Cuba. In total, three people were in command of the guerilla forces. These were Camilo Cienfuegos, Juan Almeida Bosques, and Ernesto Che Guevara. The commanders planned surprise attacks on military outposts and communication centers. In 1958, Fidel Castro decided to move his forces towards the capital, Havana. The revolutionaries were very successful and defeated the army of Fulgencio Batista. Following his defeat, he fled to Dominican Republic. A few days later, Fidel Castro and his forces took control over Havana. Fidel Castro had a lot of support from the Cuban people. He promised to bring democracy and freedom for the people. However, Castro did not keep his word. He set up a communist regime and became the new dictator. Fidel Castro turned out to be even crueler than his predecessor and the suffering of the Cuban people did not come to an end.

Exercise 5: Choose the best answers for the questions below. 1) Who led the Cuban Revolution? a. Che Guevara b. Raul Castro c. Fidel Castro d. Fulgencio Batista 2) Who supported Castro in the Cuban Revolution? a. Che Guevara b. Raul Castro c. people from small towns d. all of the above 3) Who is Che Guevara? a. a commander b. a dictator c. Fidel Castro s brother d. none of the above 4) When did the Cuban Revolution begin? a. 1952 b. 1956 c. 1959 d. 1986 5) Where did Fidel Castro plan his revolution? a. in the jungles of Cuba b. in Havana c. in Mexico d. in the United States 6) Who is Fulgencio Batista? a. a dictator b. a guerrilla c. a communist leader d. none of the above 7) Fidel Castro gave the Cuban people freedom. a. true b. false 8) Castro had a huge army when he started the revolution. a. true b. false 9) Castro s first attempt to overthrow the government was not successful. a. true b. false Exercise 6: The table below contains words that have been chopped in half. Find the pieces that fit together and write them in the answer area below. REVO ANA MEX BAT CAS ICO RILLA COMMU BOS GUER VARA ISTA LUTION NIST TRO GUE QUES HAV 1) 4) 7) 2) 5) 8) 3) 6) 9)

Fidel Castro was the leader of the Cuban Revolution. He led a group of guerrillas and overthrew President Batista in 1959. He then installed a communist government and became the absolute leader of Cuba until 2008 when he became ill. Fidel was born in 1926 and grew up on a sugar farm owned by his father. He was an illegitimate son and his father never officially claimed him as his son. In 1945, Fidel went to university in Havana where he studied law. He became increasingly interested in political affairs and started protesting against the government. He believed that the government was corrupt and were influenced heavily by the United States. After Fidel had graduated, he ran for a seat at the House of Representatives of Cuba. He did not get elected because General Batista overthrew the government and cancelled the elections. Together with his brother, Raul, Fidel Castro planned a revolution with an aim to overthrow dictator Batista. He was not successful in his mission and was sent to prison. After Fidel was released two years later, he moved to Mexico with his brother to organize another revolution. In 1956, Fidel and a group of 80 guerrillas went back to Cuba in order to try and defeat Batista and his army. Initially, they were not successful. Slowly and gradually, they gained a lot of support from the rural areas of the island. Over time, they gathered many supporters and succeeded in overthrowing Batista s government in 1959. In July of 1959, Fidel Castro became the new leader of Cuba. Cuba changed a great deal under Castro s rule. He installed a Communist government and became the absolute leader. The government took control over many businesses and farms (especially those owned by Americans). The Cuban people were not allowed to openly criticize the government and the freedom of the media was restricted to a great deal. People who were against Castro and his regime were sent to prison and even executed. Due to such stringent living conditions, many Cubans eventually fled the country. In 2006, Fidel Castro s health began to decline and by 2008, he handed over the presidency to his brother Raul. FUN FACTS Castro s longest public speech was 7 hours and 10 minutes. Fidel Castro claims to have survived 634 attempts on his life, mainly by the CIA. These included poison pills, a toxic cigar and a chemically tainted diving suit. Castro made Cuba the first Communist country in the Western Hemisphere. 75% of the Cuban labor force is employed by the government.

Exercise 7: Unscramble the words, hints are given below. 1) lrigsulare Castro led a group of and overthrew the government. 2) sabtiat Who was the president of Cuba before Fidel Castro? 3) cnituomms Castro installed a government in Cuba. 4) arltcaruso Fidel s brother. 5) iecxmo Where did Fidel Castro go after he was released from prison? 6) eeofmrd The people of Cuba only have limited. 7) nvahaa Where did Fidel Castro study? 8) urfmsgraa Where did Fidel Castro grow up? 9) teittadseuns A country that Fidel Castro does not like. 10) ilkl Fidel Castro believes that the CIA tried to him many times. Exercise 8: Answer the questions below. 1) How did Fidel Castro become the leader of Cuba? 4) Why did Castro join protests when he was a student? 5) Who is the current president of Cuba? 2) When did Castro rule Cuba? 3) How did Fidel Castro change his country after he became the president?

Ernesto Guevara, was born in 1928 in Argentina. He is better known as Che Guevara. After Guevara finished his medical studies in Buenos Aires, he became a political activist in Argentina and then in Bolivia and Guatemala. In 1954, Che met Fidel Castro in Mexico. He soon became part of Fidel Castro s group of revolutionaries who wanted to overthrow Batista, the president of Cuba. Guevara was a military advisor of Castro and led guerrilla troops in battles against the army of Batista. In 1959, Fidel Castro and his group overthrew the Cuban government and took control of the country. Fidel Castro appointed Guevara as the head of the Cuban National Bank. He helped to shift the economic relations of Cuba from the United States to the Soviet Union. Three years later, he was appointed as minister of industry. In 1965, Guevara resigned as he wanted to export the ideas of the Cuban Revolution to other countries. In 1966, he was captured by the Bolivian army, because he rebelled against the Bolivian government and encouraged people to help him. On October 9, 1967, Che Guevara was executed by the Bolivian army. Che Guevara has become a legendary political figure since his death. His name is associated with revolution and socialism. Exercise 9: Choose the best answers for the questions below. 1) Where was Che Guevara born? a. Bolivia b. Mexico c. Cuba d. Argentina 2) What was Guevara s job? a. minister of Cuba b. guerrilla leader c. political activist d. all of the above 3) Which statement is true? a. Che Guevara was the leader of the Cuban Revolution b. Guevara was a commander of the Bolivian army c. Guevara led a revolution in Mexico d. none of the above 4) When did Che Guevara die? a. 1928 b. 1965 c. 1967 d. he is still alive 5) Che Guevara is often associated with Democracy and Capitalism. a. true b. false

The Castillo de la Real Fuerza (Castle of the Royal Force) is the oldest stone fortress of Latin America. It was built by the Spanish colonizers between 1555 and 1577. The structure was initially built to defend against attacks of pirates. It also became the official residence of the Governor of Havana. Old Havana is a well-preserved area of Cuba s capital city. The area is the colonial heart of the city and is a main tourist attraction because of its harbor, city walls, and cathedral. The city was founded by Spanish colonizers in 1519 and still has remarkably well-preserved buildings. Trinidad is a historical Cuban town that was built between the 16 th and 19 th century. The town prospered from the sugar and slave trades. The old colonial town is home to many beautiful churches and public squares. It is one of the best-preserved cities in the Caribbean. The Valley of Vinales has one of the best landscapes in Cuba and the Caribbean. The area is surrounded by mountains. The plains are used by farmers who use traditional techniques for farming bananas and tobacco. The San Pedro de la Roca Castle is a fortress that was built in the 17 th century. The structure is located on a large rock at the coast of Santiago city. The fortress was built to guard against the ongoing trade activities in the Caribbean region. It is the bestpreserved monument of Spanish-American military architecture. The Plaza de la Revolucion (Revolution Square) is located in Havana. It is dominated by the memorial tower and the statue of Marti. The massive square has been often used by Fidel Castro for his political speeches. The Palacio de la Revolucion is another attraction of the square. The palace currently serves as headquarters for the Communist Party.

Exercise 10: Are the following statements true or false? 1) Many Cuban landmarks were built by the Spanish colonizers. 2) The Cuban Revolution started on Revolution Square. 3) Trinidad is a rural area with many sugar farms. 4) The historic center of Havana is surrounded by an old wall. 6) Many colonial buildings in Cuba are well-preserved. 7) The Statue of Marti is located on Revolution Square. 8) Many tobacco fields can be found in the Valley of Vinales. 9) The San Pedro de la Roca Castle was built to protect the trade that was going on in the region. 5) The Castle of the Royal Force used to be the residence of the Governor of Havana. 10) The Revolution Square was built before the construction of the Castle of the Royal Force. Exercise 11: Complete the crossword puzzle. Across 2. Where is the San Pedro de la Roca Castle located? 5. A historical trading town. 6. A touristic attraction of Old Havana. 7. In which city is the headquarters of the Communist Party located? Down 1. A place where many political speeches are held. 3. The San Pedro de la Roca is a.... 4. The Castle of the Royal Force was built to protect Cuba against.... 5. The Valley of Vinales is home to many... farms. Castillo de la Real Fuerza

Exercise 12: Complete the text with the words below. foreigners government consume ride unskilled extended United States roof citizens salary products business Family Life Many Cuban people share a small house with their families. It is very normal for grandparents, their kids, and their kids kids to live under the same. Some Cuban families even split rooms with high ceilings into two floors in order to get more space. Education Cuba offers free education to its. This is the reason why most Cuban people under the age of 45 have been to college or university. Nonetheless, many Cubans have jobs at hotels, restaurants and bars because they get the chance of making tips which far exceeds the normal workers of 450 pesos ($17) a month. Public Transport Cuban people who drive cars that are owned by the must have to take hitch-hikers with them after they finish work. This is the reason why you will see many hitch-hikers standing next to the roads in Cuba. Many hitch-hikers bring all kinds of for the drivers, such as cheese, chicken or money in order to get a fast. Cuban people are not allowed to give rides to, even if it is your best friend! Only licensed taxi drivers may do so. Ration Book There is not enough food in Cuba to feed all its citizens. The reason for this is that the does not allow its people and companies to do with Cuba, which is called an embargo. Because of the food shortages, Cuban people are given ration cards that show how much food each person or family may on a daily or monthly basis.

Guantanamo Bay is a bay located in the southeast of Cuba. In 1903, The United States signed a treaty with Cuba which gave them control over the southern part of the bay. The current government does not recognize the treaty and insists that the Cuban American treaty was obtained by threat of force. In 2002, the United States built a prison camp on Guantanamo Bay and sent 20 suspected members of Al Qaeda, the Taliban, and other Islamic terrorist organizations to the detention center. By 2009, 700 prisoners were held at Guantanamo Bay, with most of them coming from Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia. The detainees were captured in the War on Terror (after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, President Bush declared a worldwide war on terror ) The prison camp on Guantanamo bay is controversial, with many US citizens, human rights organizations, and other countries having raised questions over the human rights of the detainees. Most prisoners are held at the camp without the right to legal counsel and some detainees have even reported abuse and torture. Exercise 13: Are the following statements true or false? 1) Guantanamo Bay is located in Cuba but controlled by the United States. 2) The detention camp on Guantanamo Bay was built to lock up all kinds of criminals. 3) The United States signed a treaty with Fidel Castro to get control over Guantanamo Bay. 4) The prisoners of Guantanamo Bay got a fair trial before they were sent to the prison camp. 5) The US controls the entire bay of Guantanamo. 6) Guantanamo Bay has a special detention center for terrorists. 7) Many American people do not believe that the prisoners of the prison camp are treated in a fair way. 8) The current government of Cuba is not happy with the idea that the United States has control over Guantanamo Bay. Exercise 14: The table below contains words that have been chopped in half. Find the pieces that fit together and write them in the answer area below. TREA RIST RIGHTS PRISON TY HUMAN TOR TERRO CAMP TALI BAN TURE 1) 4) 2) 5) 3) 6)

The Cuban Missile Crisis took place during the Cold War in the second half of the 20 th century. The Cold War was a struggle between the United States and the Soviet Union. The main struggles of the Cold War took place far away from the United States until Fidel Castro became the leader of Cuba. Fidel Castro turned Cuba into a Communist country and supported the Soviet Union in the Cold War. During the Cold War, the United States installed several nuclear missiles in Turkey and Italy. These missiles were capable of reaching Moscow, the capital city of the Soviet Union. Seeing this, the Soviet Union felt that they needed to install nuclear weapons that could reach and hit potential targets in the United States. Cuba and the Soviet Union agreed to work together and nuclear missiles were installed in Cuba. On October 14, 1962, a spy plane from the United States detected several long range Soviet missiles in Cuba. These missiles could hit practically any point in the US and could cause mass destruction. As the crisis became more intense, the United States and the Soviet Union negotiated in secrecy. Eventually, the two countries reached an agreement and the Soviet Union removed the missiles from Cuba. The United States promised to never invade Cuba and to remove their missiles from Turkey and Italy. Exercise 15: Read the passage and answer the questions. 1) What is the Cold War? 2) Why did/does the United States have a bad relation with Cuba? 3) How did the United States find out that there were nuclear missiles on Cuba? 4) Why did the Soviet Union install nuclear missiles on Cuba? 5) What actions did the United States take when they discovered the missiles?

After Fidel Castro gained control of Cuba in 1959, the United States began imposing sanctions against Cuba. Two years later, in 1961, the United States cut of all relations with Cuba as the country supported the Soviet Union in the Cold War. In 1962, the US increased the sanctions and enforced an official embargo. An embargo is an order of a government that prohibits trade with another country. Since the embargo came into effect, American companies have not been allowed to do business in Cuba and most Americans have not been allowed to travel to Cuba. American citizens can face a $65,000 penalty for spending money in Cuba. The government of Cuba declared in 2011 that these imposed embargos have resulted a staggering $1 trillion damage to the Cuban economy. Currently, both governments are working to reestablish their relations. The United States is planning to ease travel restrictions, which makes it easier for American people to travel to Cuba and do business on the island. Banks from the US and Cuba will be allowed to finally establish working relationships. This means that American travelers would be able to use their bank cards when they visit the country. Moreover, Americans who have a license to travel to Cuba can safely return back with up to $400 in Cuban goods. Exercise 16: Choose the best answers for the questions below. 1) What is an embargo? a. not being allowed to use certain products from a country. b. cutting diplomatic relations with a country. c. the suspension of importing and exporting goods from a specific country. d. all of the above 2) Why did the United States impose a Cuban trade embargo? a. because Cuba supported the Soviet Union in the Cold War. b. because Fidel Castro seized power in Cuba. c. none of the above d. all of the above 3) When did the economic relations between Cuba and the United States stop? a. 1959 b. 1961 c. 1962 d. 2011 4) The trade embargo has strongly affected the Cuban economy. a. true b. false 5) The government of the United States has lifted the Cuban trade embargo. a. true b. false Exercise 17: Do you think that the United States should lift the Cuban trade embargo? Explain.

Exercise 18: Write the names of the things related to Cuba and find the hidden word. 1) 2) 3) _ 4) _ 5) _ 6) _ 1 5 6 7 7) 2 Answer: _ 4 3 Exercise 19: Unscramble the words, hints are given below. 1) aanahv What is the capital city of Cuba? 2) tcuorlrasa Who is the president of Cuba? 3) mbgoare An official ban in trading with another country. 4) ioouetnrlv At Square, many political speeches are held. 5) sepo Which currency is used in Cuba? 6) iinradtd A historical Cuban town 7) inspa Which country colonized Cuba in 1509? 8) bkootianro A book of coupons used to control consumption of products. 9) uineovsotni An ally of Cuba during the Cold War. 10) cbacoot An important export product of Cuba.