Workshop 4: Assessment Proposal

Reading and Vocabulary

Reading Comprehension
The Mapuche Culture

This ancient civilization that still exists today in the South of Chile has gone through a
difficult history which is constantly facing opposition. Despite of that, they have remained
free and independent and their culture wasnt forgotten. The name Mapuche means
people of the earth.
The Mapuche people lived in the fertile valleys of Southern Chile at the time of the Spanish
arrival. They lived in small groups with a culture based mainly on hunting and gathering.
As they remained divided and separated from other civilizations, they werent able to
develop further, like the neighboring Inca culture. However, Spanish conquerors werent
allowed to destroy Mapuche culture as they had done previously in Peru, because
Mapuches fought against their enemies and they never gave up. Each time a Spanish put
down a Mapuche, another one came out from the woods and attacked the enemy. The
conflict between Spanish and the Mapuche lasted for some 300 years, and is known as
the Arauco War.
They were able to resist the Spanish conquest for years, by adapting their techniques and
using their vast numbers to combat the enemy. They were also known for their horseback
riding, a skill that was only learned after the arrival of the Spanish conquers, their
language, food and rituals.
After Chile declared its independence from Spain more and more settlers came and took
over Mapuche lands. The Mapuche finally signed an agreement to co-exist with the new
Chilean government and have their lands incorporated after much military pressure and
diplomatic discussion.
(Extracted and adapted from: http://www.southamerica.cl/Chile/Mapuche.htm)

I.- Write the meaning of the words.

1.- Hunting _______________________________________
2.- gathering ______________________________________
3.- Conqueror _____________________________________
4.- Horseback-riding ________________________________
5.- Settlers________________________________________

II.- Read the statements and choose if it is true (T) or false (F) (Justify all your
answers)
1)___ Mapuche means people of the sun
_____________________________________________________________________

2) ___ Mapuche people do not exist nowadays

_____________________________________________________________________
3) ___ Arauco War lasted 320 years
_____________________________________________________________________
4)___ Mapuches were always experts riding horses
_____________________________________________________________________
5) ___ Mapuches are known for many things, such as their food, language and rituals
III.- Match the words with the corresponding pictures.

____

1.- Gathering

____

2.- Conqueror

____

____

3.- Horseback riding

4.- Hunting

III.- Answer the following questions.

1. Do you think that Spanish Conquerors were respectful with mapuche
people?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

1.

In your opinion. Why Arauco war was so long?

__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

1.
Do you think that the agreement signed by mapuches and Chilean government
was successful?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

READING AND VOCABULARY SELF-ASSESSMENT

YES
Were you able to
comprehend the main ideas
of the text?
Did you use strategies
(skimming, scanning) while
reading the text?
Were you able to infer the
meaning of unknown
words?
Do you think that the text

NO

was interesting?