After 49 years of Fidel, Cuba ushers in the era of Raúl
Level 1
Elementary
Comprehension check
3
1. The streets of Havana were quiet because…
2. Fidel Castro has left power because…
3. There was a standing ovation in the national assembly because…
4. Raúl is different from Fidel because...
5. People hope Raúl…
6. Money from Venezuela…
a. … will deliver better food, transport and housing.
b. … someone mentioned Fidel Castro’s name.
c. … will allow Cuba to return to basic communism.
d. … the Cuban authorities control the island and its people carefully.
e. … he prefers to consult his colleagues before he makes decisions.
f. … he has been ill.
Match the beginnings and endings to make sentences about the text.
the younger Castro
has not introduced many
reforms, possibly because the hardliners in the
government
have prevented them, saying that
support from oil-rich
Venezuela will allow Cuba
to return to basic communism.
© Guardian News & Media 2008
First published in
The Guardian, 25/02/08
Vocabulary 1: Prepositions
4
Fill the gaps in the phrases from the text using prepositions. Check your answers in the text.
1. _____
favour of
2. head _____ state
3. instead _____
4. departure _____
5. recover _____
6. secretary _____ state
7. take control _____
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