Famous People
Salvador Allende
Salvador Allende
Salvador Allende was the president of Chile from 1970 to 1973. He
was the first Marxist to be elected president of a country in a free
and democratic election.
Allende was born in 1903 in Valparaiso, Chile. He studied medicine
at university. While he was at university, he became interested in
politics. He was often arrested for his political activities.
Pre-Reading Warm Up Questions ☀
1. Have you ever visited Chile? Do you know anyone from
Chile?
2. Look at a world map. Where is Chile located?
3. What is a Marxist?
4. What is a democracy? Give several examples of democratic countries.
5. What is a dictatorship? Give several examples of countries
with dictatorial governments.
In 1933, Allende and some other radicals started the Socialist Party
of Chile. Four years later, he was elected to the Chamber of
Deputies, Chile’s governing body. He was the minister of health
from 1939 to 1941. In 1945, he became a member of Chile’s senate
and was a senator until 1970.
Allende tried to get elected as president of Chile in 1952, 1958, and
1964, but he failed each time. By 1970, though, Chile had many
social and economic problems and the Chilean people elected him to
be their president.
Allende and his socialist government faced many challenges. A large
number of people were unemployed. The prices of goods and
services were too high. Ordinary people, especially children,
suffered from poor health because they could not afford to eat as
well as they should.
First, Allende gave higher wages to workers and more land to small
farmers. His government then took over the main industry and the
banks. All of this upset the business leaders of Chile. Two years
later, Allende’s attempts to improve Chile’s economy and the lives
of ordinary people still had not worked. The economy was getting
worse, not better.
COMPREHENSION ✍
In September 1973, Augusto Pinochet, the commander of the
Chilean army, took power from the Allende government. Allende
died when Pinochet’s troops stormed the presidential palace.
A. True or False. Read the statements below. If the
statement is true, write T beside the sentence. If it is false,
write F. If it is false, correct the information.
Pinochet became Chile’s new president. His government was a
brutal military dictatorship. Thousands of people were killed for
opposing Pinochet. Many other Chileans left to find safety in other
countries.
1. Salvador Allende became President of Chile by the use of
force.
2. Allende was a senator before he became President.
3. Allende wanted to improve the life of ordinary Chileans.
4. Allende died a natural death.
5. Augusto Pinochet became President through a free and
democratic election.
1
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Famous People
Salvador Allende
B. Practice asking and answering the following questions with your partner.
Then write the answers in complete sentences.
1. What was unusual about Salvador Allende’s presidency?
2. When did Allende first become interested in politics?
3. How many times did he try to get elected president?
4. What challenges did Allende and his government face?
5. How did he try to help the Chileans?
6. Why were the business people upset with Allende?
7. What kind of government did Pinochet establish?
8. Why did many Chileans leave during Pinochet’s rule?
VOCABULARY REVIEW ✍
A. Match the words on the left with the correct meaning on the right.
____1. be arrested
____2. radical
a. money made from working
b. very cruel
____3. unemployed
____4. suffer
____5. afford
c. try
d. army
e. be taken by the police
DISCUSS
____6. wages
____7. upset
f. groups of soldiers
g. not working
1. Allende tried to get elected president several
____8 attempt
____9. improve
____10. troops
h. have enough money to do something
i. make better
j. feel pain or loss or great difficulty
____11. brutal
____12. military
k. person who wants great changes in society
l. bother, disturb, anger
times but he failed. Why do you think he finally
succeeded in 1970?
2.
What is the meaning of the word “refugee”?
3.
Many Chileans left their country during the
Pinochet years. Are there many Chilean
B. Choose the word(s) with the closest meaning to the underlined
words in the following sentences.
immigrants in your country? What other
immigrant groups have come to your country in
1. Ordinary people suffered from poor health.
a) average
b) special
c) poor
2. His government faced challenges.
a) looked good
b) tried many new things c) had difficulties
large numbers during times of difficulty in their
own countries?
4.
Many people want Pinochet to stand trial for the
3. His government took over the main industry and the banks.
a) fought with
b) took control of
c) sold
killings of thousands of Chileans during the
1970’s, but he is a sick, old man now. Do you
4. Pinochet’s troops stormed the palace.
a) weather
b) called
c) entered by force
5. Many Chileans were killed for opposing Pinochet
think he should be tried?
a) agreeing with
b) believing
c) being against
2
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Famous People
Salvador Allende
ANSWER KEY
Please note:
The reading for this topic is also available in full-page format at the end of the lesson (page 4).
PRE-READING QUESTIONS
1-5. Individual answers (or)
2. Chile is located in Southern South America, bordering the south Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru.
3. A Marxist is one who believes in a theory of socialism which states that the oppression of the working class by the
"nobility" will eventually lead to a revolt by the workers and the establishment of a classless society.
4. A democracy is a political system in which the ruling power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to represent
them. Canada, the United States and France are all examples of democratic countries.
5. A dictatorship is a system of government in which a country is ruled by a single person with absolute power. Libya,
Sudan and Pakistan are all countries under the rule of a dictatorship.
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
A. True or False
1. F
2. T
3. T
4. F
5. T
B. Written Answers
1. Salvador’s presidency was unusual in that he was the first Marxist to be elected president of a country in a free and
democratic election.
2. Allende first became interested in politics while he attended university.
3. Allende tried to get elected three times before he was successful.
4. Allende and his government faced many challenges including widespread unemployment, overpriced goods and
services, and poor health amongst ordinary Chileans who could not afford to eat properly.
5. Allende tried to help Chileans by increasing workers wages and giving more land to small farmers. His government also
took control of the main industry and the banks.
6. Business people were upset with Allende because the economy got worse under his rule, not better.
7. Pinochet established a brutal military dictatorship.
8. Many Chileans left during Pinochet’s rule to find safety in other countries.
VOCABULARY REVIEW
A. Match the words
1. e
2. k
9. i
10. f
3. g
11. b
4. j
12. a
5. h
B. Choose the word
1. a
2. c
3. b
4. c
5. c
6. a
7. l
3
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photocopied by members of ESL-Llibrary.com in accordance with membership terms and conditions. Contact [email protected] for complete details.
8. c
Famous People
Salvador Allende
Salvador Allende
Salvador Allende was the president of Chile from 1970 to 1973. He was the first Marxist to be elected
president of a country in a free and democratic election.
Allende was born in 1903 in Valparaiso, Chile. He studied medicine at university. While he was at
university, he became interested in politics. He was often arrested for his political activities.
In 1933, Allende and some other radicals started the Socialist Party of Chile. Four years later, he was
elected to the Chamber of Deputies, Chile’s governing body. He was the minister of health from 1939 to
1941. In 1945, he became a member of Chile’s senate and was a senator until 1970.
Allende tried to get elected as president of Chile in 1952, 1958, and 1964, but he failed each time. By 1970,
though, Chile had many social and economic problems and the Chilean people elected him to be their
president.
Allende and his socialist government faced many challenges. A large number of people were unemployed.
The prices of goods and services were too high. Ordinary people, especially children, suffered from poor
health because they could not afford to eat as well as they should.
First, Allende gave higher wages to workers and more land to small farmers. His government then took
over the main industry and the banks. All of this upset the business leaders of Chile. Two years later,
Allende’s attempts to improve Chile’s economy and the lives of ordinary people still had not worked. The
economy was getting worse, not better.
In September 1973, Augusto Pinochet, the commander of the Chilean army, took power from the Allende
government. Allende died when Pinochet’s troops stormed the presidential palace.
Pinochet became Chile’s new president. His government was a brutal military dictatorship. Thousands of
people were killed for opposing Pinochet. Many other Chileans left to find safety in other countries.
4
Copyright 2009. This eBook is produced and distributed by Red River Press Inc. All rights reserved. The contents within this e-book/document may only be
photocopied by members of ESL-Llibrary.com in accordance with membership terms and conditions. Contact [email protected] for complete details.