Unit 4: Para Prepararse

Question 1

What is the capital of Cuba?

Answer 1

La Habana (or Havana, Cuba, in English)

Question 2

How is the weather in Cuba similar to the weather in the Southeast United States and Puerto Rico?

Answer 2

The weather in Cuba is very similar to the weather in the Southeast United States and Puerto Rico. They all have subtropical climates and a hurricane season every summer.

Question 3

How is Cuba divided? (Hint: Islands)

Answer 3

Cuba is actually two islands. The larger island is Cuba itself, and the smaller island is called la Isla de la Juventud, or the Isle of Youth.

Question 4

What are the ethnic and racial backgrounds present in Cuba?

Answer 4

The people of Cuba have diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds, with a combination of black, white, and mixed heritage. Many Cubans come from African roots, while others have Spanish roots from the time of the discovery and colonization of the New World. There are many mulattoes in Cuba, which are people with mixed white European and African heritage, but the white population in Cuba is still the racial majority. Cuba, like many other places in the New World, also had indigenous groups that inhabited the islands, such as the Ciboney and Taíno peoples.

Question 5

Where is the Cuban province of Holguín located?

Answer 5

In the northeast part of Cuba

Question 6

What is a guateque campesino, which are held in the Cuban province of Holguín?

Answer 6

In Holguín, many people have family parties in the countryside. A gathering such as this one is known as a guateque campesino. At a guateque campesino, the music of different guitar-like instruments can be heard. The guitar, of course, is one of the main instruments at a guateque campesino. The laúd and the tres, which are guitar-like instruments, are accompanied by the sounds of the güiro. The güiro is a percussion instrument made from a hollow gourd. The gourd has notches carved into its side, and the instrument is played by running a stick along its notches. At these parties, there is a lot of music, and people come together to sing, improvise the lyrics to the songs, and celebrate a family occasion or harvest time.

Question 7

What is “un guateque campesino” most similar to in the United States?

Answer 7

In the United States, a guateque campesino may be similar to a barbecue or old time barn dance where friends and family come together to enjoy some food and local traditional music.

Question 8

What are the three main sections of La Habana, Cuba?

Answer 8

1. The newer suburbs
2. The business district
3. The city-center, La Habana Vieja, or Old Havana

Question 9

What do people see when they go to La Habana that demonstrates its mixture of old and new?

Answer 9

People who go to La Habana love to see the classic cars, and many remark on the old buildings that are in need of repair, but La Habana has a little bit of everything, both old and new.

Question 10

What is the Cuban National Ballet School? Where is it located?

Answer 10

The Cuban National Ballet School is located on the beautiful Paseo del Prado. It is housed inside the Gran Teatro de La Habana, and it is also a beautiful building. The school is highly selective, and many dancers who train at the Cuban National Ballet School go on to perform internationally.

Question 11

What are some important buildings and landmarks on the Paseo del Prado?

Answer 11

There are many important buildings and landmarks on the Paseo del Prado. These include the National Capital Building, the university, the Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabaña, and the Castillo de los Tres Reyes Magos del Morro.

Question 12

True or False: Dance is a part of Cuban culture.

Answer 12

True

Question 13

What is the Ciudad en Movimiento, or the City in Motion, festival? Who does it bring together? What does it celebrate?

Answer 13

The Ciudad en Movimiento, or the City in Motion, is an annual event that takes place in the streets of La Habana Vieja and brings music and dance to the city streets of Cuba. This festival brings both professional and amateur dancers from around the world to perform in Cuba.

Question 14

The Ciudad en Movimiento festival was created as a reaction to what in Cuba?

Answer 14

The Ciudad en Movimiento festival was created as a reaction to tough economic times in Cuba, as many of the country’s theaters were closed. In order for dance to survive, organizers decided to bring the performances to the streets so they could reach people. In this way, dance could survive even during tough economic times.

Question 15

What is the second largest city in Cuba, after La Habana?

Answer 15

Santiago de Cuba

Question 16

Where is Santiago de Cuba located? What is its population? What makes it an important Cuban port?

Answer 16

It is in the southeast of the island and has a population of almost half a million people. It is one of Cuba’s most important ports, as it connects to the Caribbean Sea.

Question 17

True or False: Santiago de Cuba has a rich cultural history. Several famous musicians come from the area, and the area is known for the son, which is a traditional dance that has influenced salsa.

Answer 17

True

Question 18

What are some interesting places to visit in Santiago de Cuba?

Answer 18

There are many interesting places to visit in Santiago de Cuba, including the Universidad de Oriente-Santiago de Cuba. Also, visitors love to visit Baconao Park, where they can see la Gran Piedra, or the Great Rock, which is a large volcanic rock. Visitors to the park can also enjoy the life-sized dinosaur models in the park, as well as a farm, an aquarium, a botanical garden, a land transportation museum, and a lagoon.

Question 19

What is La Casa de Trova in Cuba?

Answer 19

One very interesting point of interest is la Casa de Trova, which is a famous theater in Santiago de Cuba. There, many musical performances by trovadores, or troubadours, have been held since the 19th century. Trova musicians traveled around and earned money by playing the guitar and singing. Trova music is known for its guitar techniques, and many trovadores joined with others to form duos or trios.

Question 20

Who was José Martí? What is the predominant topic of his works?

Answer 20

José Martí was a well-known Cuban poet who died fighting for Cuba’s independence. He was a gifted writer from an early age, with the publication of his first poems before the age of 16. Martí supported Cuban independence from Spain, and many of his articles and poems dealt with the topic of independence.

Question 21

Why was José Martí exiled from Cuba? How did his experiences during his exile fuel his motivations?

Answer 21

Martí was exiled from Cuba for his political thoughts. He spent some time in Spain, Mexico, and then Guatemala, where he continued supporting Cuban independence using the law degree he had earned in Spain. In Guatemala, he worked as a university professor of literature and philosophy at the Universidad Nacional and is considered one of his generation’s great intellectuals. Martí returned to Cuba only to be exiled again, and then he moved to New York City. There, he continued his political writings, which earned him much respect and acclaim. Martí was also involved in international relations in his time as a diplomat for different Latin American countries. While abroad, he established relationships with other Cubans who had left their homeland to live abroad. Martí was saddened to see that Cubans were forced to leave the place of their birth in order to be free. These connections with other Cubans who shared his desire for an independent Cuba further fueled Martí’s efforts.

Question 22

What was the role of José Martí in the Cuban Revolutionary Party? What was his goal? Was this goal reached during his lifetime?

Answer 22

Martí was a prominent figure in the Cuban Revolutionary Party. His desire was to form a new Cuban government but also to prevent the United States from taking control of Cuba. Martí’s plans to see a free and independent Cuba did not take place during his lifetime; he died on the battlefield while fighting for independence.

Question 23

What is José Martí’s legacy in Cuba?

Answer 23

José Martí is considered a Cuban national hero, and his writings and political theories all defend the causes of democracy and liberty.

Question 24

What is Cayo Santa María? What is its main industry?

Answer 24

Cayo Santa María is a small island north of Cuba. It is known for its beautiful beaches and is a biosphere reserve. There are many resorts on Cayo Santa María, and tourism is the island’s main industry. There is a causeway that connects Cayo Santa María with two other islands that also connect to the Cuban Mainland.

Question 25

What is unusual about the population of Cayo Santa María island? How is it changing?

Answer 25

What is fascinating about these islands is that no one lives on the islands themselves. The government of Cuba controls the hotel chains on the islands, and workers come to their jobs every day via the causeway. However, things are changing, and there are apartments being built at the closest point on the mainland, Caibarien, to support the workers needed in the hotel industry on the islands. Cayo Santa María has eight miles of beautiful beaches with crystal clear blue water.

Question 26

What is the significance of classical American cars in Cuba?

Answer 26

Cuba is known for its classic American cars. Anywhere you look, you will see vintage cars from America. There are so many classic American cars in Cuba because that is all that was available years ago. These cars have been passed down from generation to generation, and the people keep them running, even with a scarcity of parts.

Question 27

Which region has the highest concentration of Cuban Americans in the United States? Why is that?

Answer 27

South Florida has the largest concentration of Cuban Americans in the United States. This is mostly because Florida is so close to Cuba.

Question 28

What goes into a Cuban sandwich?

Answer 28

Ham, roast pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, mustard, and mayonnaise.

Question 29

True or False: In Miami, Cuban sandwiches are not made with salami.

Answer 29

True; this is only in Tampa.

Question 30

What are the different currencies in Cuba? What are their characteristics? Who uses each?

Answer 30

Cuba has two official types of money. Its currency is called the peso, or the national peso, and is known as CUPs. The other type of currency in circulation is called the convertible peso, which is known as CUCs. Some people even refer to it as the dollar, as it is divided into 100 centavos, much like the United States dollar, which was accepted in Cuba until 2004. Visitors to Cuba can exchange money only when they arrive in Cuba, as the pesos are not traded internationally. The convertible peso is valued much higher than the national peso. In fact, 1 CUC can be exchanged for 24 or 25 CUPs. The convertible peso was created to replace the U.S. dollar and is considered the currency of tourists. However, working citizens of Cuba receive part of their earnings in CUPs and part of them in CUCs. Anyone can exchange currency for CUPs or CUCs once in Cuba, but the CUCs are more common in areas frequented by tourists. It is actually uncommon for tourists to use CUPs.