Daily News

Feel Good World News 23rd October 2020

Machu Picchu
Opened for Just
One Tourist
Where is Machu Picchu?

• Machu Picchu is in Peru, a country in South America.

• It is located in southern Peru in the Andes

mountain range.

A Japanese tourist stuck in Peru has been

allowed to visit Machu Picchu despite the site
being closed to visitors.
Jesse Katayama had visited Peru for a three-
day visit back in March. But, his plans were
soon disrupted by the outbreak of COVID-19 in
the country.
This meant that he couldn’t visit Machu
Illustration: Jesse Katayama.
Picchu as the site was closed. As a result, his
planned visit of a few days ended up lasting built it is. Especially as 500 years ago the Incas
seven months! didn’t have things like the wheel or metal tools
Determined to visit the ancient Incan site, to help them!
Jesse made a special request to the National It is thought of as one of the most important
Ministry of Culture in Peru. archaeological sites in the world for this reason.
This came to the attention of Alejandro Neyra, Machu Picchu will be open again in the
Peru’s Minister of Culture. Neyra granted Jesse’s near future so that visitors can enjoy the site
wish to visit the site as he recognised “he had once again.
come to Peru with the dream of being able
to enter.”
After waiting for seven months, staying in Glossary
a village close to the site, Jesse was allowed in request Asking for something
with the head of the park. politely.
Jesse Katayama posted a picture of himself
with the site in the background. He wrote on culture Arts and entertainment,
social media “The first person on Earth who such as theatre.
went to Machu Picchu since the lockdown is
meeeeeee.” Minister A person in charge of a
So, what’s so special about Machu Picchu? government department.
Machu Picchu is an Incan citadel built by the Linked to the study
ancient Incas in the 15th century. The site is archaeological of historical sites and
2,430 metres up a mountain. artefacts.
People think it’s special because of how well

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 Machu Picchu Opened for Just One Tourist

Questions
1. Give the meaning of the word ‘despite’ as it is used in this sentence: A Japanese tourist
stuck in Peru has been allowed to visit Machu Picchu despite the site being closed to
visitors.



2. Jesse made a special request to the National Ministry of Culture in Peru. This suggests that...

Jesse had given up on his dream to get to Machu Picchu.

Jessie was still had hope he could visit Machu Picchu.
Jessie was not interested to get to Machu Picchu.
The government knew who Jesse was.

3. What evidence is there in the text that Jesse felt special after he was allowed to visit
Machu Picchu?



4. Number the events from 1-4 to show the order that they happened in. One has been
done for you.

Jesse entered Machu Picchu with the head of the park.

A special request was sent to the Minister of Culture for Peru.
Jesse posted a picture of himself at the site on social media.
1 Machu Picchu was closed to visitors due to COVID-19.

5. How do you think Alejandro Neyra felt when he received Jesse’s special request?




6. Write an alternate headline that could be used for this story using 10 words or fewer.



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 Machu Picchu Opened for Just One Tourist

Answers
1. Give the meaning of the word ‘despite’ as it is used in this sentence: A Japanese tourist
stuck in Peru has been allowed to visit Machu Picchu despite the site being closed to
visitors.
Accept any definition which identifies that it means although/even though in this
context, e.g. It means even though — because the site is meant to be closed but he was
allowed to visit anyway.

2. Jesse made a special request to the National Ministry of Culture in Peru. This suggests that...

Jesse had given up on his dream to get to Machu Picchu.

Jessie was still had hope he could visit Machu Picchu.
Jessie was not interested to get to Machu Picchu.
The government knew who Jesse was.

3. What evidence is there in the text that Jesse felt special after he was allowed to visit
Machu Picchu?
Accept any response which refers to his social media post, e.g. In the text it says that
Jesse wrote on social media ‘the first person on Earth who went to Machu Picchu is
meeeeeeee.’

4. Number the events from 1-4 to show the order that they happened in. One has been
done for you.

3 Jesse entered Machu Picchu with the head of the park.

2 A special request was sent to the Minister of Culture for Peru.
4 Jesse posted a picture of himself at the site on social media.
1 Machu Picchu was closed to visitors due to COVID-19.

5. How do you think Alejandro Neyra felt when he received Jesse’s special request?
Accept any response which refers to him feeling sorry for Jesse/taking pity on him,
e.g. I think he felt sorry for him because the only reason he had visited Peru was to see
Machu Picchu.

6. Write an alternate headline that could be used for this story using 10 words or fewer.
Accept any headline which summarises the article in 10 words or less, e.g. Japanese
Tourist Gets VIP Treatment at Machu Picchu.

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