Latin America Contemporary Issues

Read the paragraph from the section "Contemporary Issues."
The current trend of nationalization is largely associated with the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez. Chávez, who died in 2013, enacted a "Hydrocarbons Law" which took effect in 2002 and nationalized all oil production and distribution activities. Bolivian President Evo Morales has nationalized the oil and natural gas industry of Bolivia. Morales also bought water distribution rights in the capital of La Paz from a private French company. Other leaders, such as Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa, have threatened to nationalize industries if foreign companies do not respect the rights of the countries they are doing business in.
Which of the following conclusions can be drawn from the selection above?

• Bolivia's nationalization of the oil and natural gas industry was inspired entirely by Hugo Chávez.
• Most South American governments are in favor of nationalizing industries.
• Some South American countries have felt exploited by private, foreign-owned companies.
• Hugo Chávez's "Hydrocarbon Law" was a result of CODELCO's economic success.

Read the sentences from the article.
1. Indigenous societies continue to have a strong presence in South America.
2. In 2009, Bolivia passed a new constitution that guaranteed political representation of indigenous groups, recognizes their communal forms of property and grants them the right to use indigenous justice systems.
3. The Bolivian Education Ministry is expanding its native-language programs.
4. President Evo Morales, the nation’s first indigenous president, has been central to the increased representation of Bolivia’s indigenous majority.
Which two sentences, taken together, provide the BEST evidence to support the idea that indigenous cultures are now playing a larger role in South American countries

• 1 and 2
• 2 and 3
• 2 and 4
• 3 and 4

Read the sentence from the section "Contemporary Cultures."
Religion remains the backbone of many South American cultures.
HOW does the analogy help you understand the role of religion in South America? 

• It illustrates how religion in South America is the basis for other aspects of the culture.
• It suggests that religion is the sole force that holds South American societies together.
• It emphasizes how long religion has played a significant role in South American culture.
• It highlights how religious beliefs in South America are resistant to any force of change.

Read the selection from the section "Future Issues."Rural areas experience geographic isolation and limited public investment in education, health care and housing. Some of the continent’s poorest communities are indigenous populations in remote mountain areas.
Which words would BEST replace "isolation" and "investment" in the selection above?

• solitude; contribution
• loneliness; agreement
• privacy; belief
• separation; support

From the article you read yesterday, what is the most important contemporary issue in South America?

• The recognition and celebration of Increasing local and global influence of indigenous cultures and reducing the destruction of the Amazon rainforest.
• A desire to reduce foreign influence.
• Cities coping with so many people in the population (increased urbanization)
• All of the above

People of mixed Spanish and Native American blood were called?

• slaves
• mestizo
• Creoles
• New Americans

Native America had no ______ to several European diseases
What word below fits in the blank?

• immunity
• mestizos
• medicine
• none of these

_________________ is the most widely spoken language in Latin America.

• Spanish
• Portuguese
• French
• English

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.5

CCSS.RI.6.5

CCSS.RI.7.5

CCSS.RI.8.5

CCSS.RI.9-10.5

Which of these is the BEST definition of "literacy rate"?

• the percentage of people who are able to read and write as compared to those who cannot
• the measure of a country's reading level compared to that of other countries
• Frenchthe ability to speak one or more languages fluently
• the ability to read and write at an appropriate and functional level

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.7

CCSS.RI.9-10.7

CCSS.RL.11-12.7

CCSS.RL.8.7

CCSS.RL.9-10.7

Which of the following regions make up Latin America?

• Mexico, South America, Central America, and the Caribbean
• Canada, United States, and Mexico
• South America
• Portugal and Spain