San Telmo neighborhood – Activities:

A) Read and fill in the gaps: Read the information and complete the
text using words from the box:

suburbs – mansions – blocks -

conventillos - barrio

This neighborhood was once one of the richest in the city. The 1.
……………….. lies a few 2. ……………….. south of Casa Rosada. If you walk
along Defensa street towards Plaza Dorrego, you will see one of the oldest
parts of the city. The tall and magnificent 3. ……………….. are now an echo
of what they were before an epidemic struck in the early part of the 19th
century, moving wealthy families to the northern 4. ………………... After
some time, these mansions became 5. ………………... (small rooms for entire
families). However, these traditional family homes are not the only houses
you will find. At San Lorenzo street we will find a very small house called
Casa Mínima. Let´s find out more about this interesting place!
 collector - long - lands -
neighbourhood - railings - free -
plot - research - façade - wide -
located – bricks – balcony – slave -
lands - door

Casa Mínima

This house is the narrowest in Buenos Aires and it is 6. ………………... at San

Lorenzo 380, in the 7. ………………... of San Telmo. It is 2.5 meters 8.
………………... and 13 metres 9. ……………….... The exterior 10.
……………….... is simple and the walls are made of mud 11. ……………….....
It has a small green 12. ……………….... and there is a 13. ……………….... on
the first floor with iron 14. ……………….....

Some people believe this house used to be the home of a former 15.
………………..... who became a 16. ………………..... man after 1853, when
slavery was completely abolished in Argentina. In those days, families who
owned slaves usually gave them 17. ………………..... where they could build
a house for themselves. However, this house was 18. ………………..... in 1813
so it could not have been the home for any 19. ………………..... slave. After
some 20 ………………....., it was found out that this small 21. ……………….....
of land was initially part of the adjacent land that was subdivided several
times. In 1960 an antique 22. ………………..... bought the property and
spread this story to increase its 23. ……………….....
 B) Video: “The world´s narrowest house” opens in Poland – Source:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6QonvxfGp4

✓ Watch the video and write down sentences about three things
you can and can´t do inside this house:

Example: “I can´t have a big party at that house.”

1. ………………………………………………………………………………………
2. ………………………………………………………………………………………
3. ………………………………………………………………………………………
4. ………………………………………………………………………………………
5. ………………………………………………………………………………………
6. ………………………………………………………………………………………

C) Video: “The narrowest house in Europe” – Source:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYfIo82hWwI.

✓ Watch the video and answer the questions:

1. Where is this house located?

………………………………………………………………………………………
2. How big is it?
………………………………………………………………………………………
3. When did the owner start planning this house?
………………………………………………………………………………………
4. How did he get this idea?
………………………………………………………………………………………
5. How many rooms are there on each floor?
 ………………………………………………………………………………………
6. How are rooms connected?
………………………………………………………………………………………
7. What is the façade made of?
………………………………………………………………………………………
8. What is the advantage of using that material?
………………………………………………………………………………………
9. What is the interior like? What materials did the architect use?
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………

D) Research: Are there any other narrow houses around the world?
Find out, choose one example and report on it!

……………………………………………………………………………………………......
……………………………………………………………………………………………......
……………………………………………………………………………………………......
……………………………………………………………………………………………......
……………………………………………………………………………………………......
……………………………………………………………………………………………......
……………………………………………………………………………………………......
……………………………………………………………………………………………......
E) Time expressions: Read the following time expressions:

2014 twenty fourteen or two

thousand fourteen

2008 two thousand eight

2000 two thousand

1944 nineteen forty four

1908 nineteen oh eight

1900 nineteen hundred

1800 eighteen hundred

✓ What do these expressions refer to? Provide an example:

Example: “At the beginning of the 18th century: 1703.”

1. Early nineteen hundred ……………………...

2. Late eighteen hundred ……………………...

3. Turn of the century ……………………...

4. The 80’s / the 90’s ……………………...

 F) Translation: Translate the following sentences into English:

1. Desde la fundación de la ciudad hasta principios de 1900, San Telmo

fue la parte más habitada de la ciudad.
………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………..

2. En las últimas dos décadas del siglo XIX la economía creció

rápidamente.
………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………..

3. A fines del siglo XIX muchos de los porteños de clase alta se mudaron
al norte de la ciudad.
………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………..

4. En 1871 hubo una gran epidemia de fiebre amarilla.

………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………..

5. A principios del siglo XX Buenos Aires era una de las ciudades más
importantes del mundo.
………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………..
British Invasions

The British invasions of the River Plate were a series of unsuccessful British
attempts to control the Spanish colonial Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata.
The invasions took place between 1806 and 1807.

G) Role-play: Each group/student will play one role:

You can either:

• Ask students to prepare different conversations between these

characters. They have to take sides, for or against the invasion.

• They can role play the activity or write it down.

A
You live in Buenos Aires in 1806. You are a 16 year old boy. The British
came to Buenos Aires and they are trying to take control of the city

B
You live in Buenos Aires in 1806. You are the mother of 4 boys ages 14
to 20. The city is recruiting young healthy men to fight against the British

C
You are the Viceroy of Buenos Aires, Rafael de Sobremonte. The British
came to Buenos Aires to take control of the city. You have to defend
your city and recruit young men

D
You are William Beresford, leader of the British army. You came to
Buenos Aires to take control of the city and expel the Viceroy
KEY

A) Reading and fill in the gaps: Read the information and complete the
text using words from the box:

This neighborhood was once one of the richest in the city. The 1. barrio lies a
few 2. blocks south of Casa Rosada. If you walk along Defensa street
towards Plaza Dorrego, you will see one of the oldest parts of the city. The
tall and magnificent 3. mansions are now an echo of what they were
before an epidemic struck in the early part of the 19th century, moving
wealthy families to the northern 4. suburbs. After some time, these mansions
became 5. conventillos (small rooms for entire families). However, these
traditional family homes are not the only houses you will find. At San Lorenzo
street we will find a very small house called Casa Mínima. Let´s find out
more about this interesting place!

Casa Mínima

This house is the narrowest in Buenos Aires and it is 6. located at San Lorenzo
380, in the 7. neighbourhood of San Telmo. It is 2.5 metres 8. wide and 13
metres 9. long. The exterior 10. façade is simple and the walls are made of
mud 11. bricks. It has a small green 12. door and there is a 13. balcony on
the first floor with iron 14. railings.

Some people believe this house used to be the home of a former 15. slave
who became a 16. free man after 1853, when slavery was completely
abolished in Argentina. In those days, families who owned slaves usually
gave them 17. land where they could build a house for themselves.
However, this house was 18. built in 1813 so it could not have been the
home for any 19. former slave. After some 20. research, it was found out
that this small 21. plot of land was initially part of the adjacent land that was
subdivided several times. In 1960 an antique 22. collector bought the
property and spread this story to increase its 23. popularity.

C) Video: “The narrowest house in Europe” – Source:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYfIo82hWwI.
✓ Watch the video and answer the questions:

1. Where is this house located?

The house is located in Kiel, Germany.
2. How big is it?
It measures 4.5 meters at the front and 80 centimeters at the rear.
3. When did the owner start planning this house?
He started planning the house 11 years ago when he was still a
student of architecture.
4. How did he get this idea?
He got the idea when he was riding his bicycle and noticed a gap
between two old buildings.
5. How many rooms are there on each floor?
There is one room on each floor.
6. How are rooms connected?
Rooms are connected by staircases.
7. What is the façade made of?
The façade is made of glass.
8. What is the advantage of using that material?
The advantage is that rooms are bathed in light and appear larger
than what they actually are.
9. What is the interior like? What materials did the architect use?
 The interior is sleek and simple. The materials used are wood and
concrete.
10. What is an important design factor, according to the architect?
According to the architect, an important design factor is the view.
When doors and windows are open, you can look through the entire
building.

E) Time expressions: Read the following time expressions:

5. Early nineteen hundred 1910, 1903, 1924, etc.

6. Late eighteen hundred 1870, 1891, 1899, etc.

7. Turn of the century 1901, 1903, etc.

8. The 80’s / the 90’s 19811989 / 1990 to 1999

F) Translation: Translate the following sentences into English:

(Optional translations)

1. Desde la fundación de la ciudad hasta principios de 1900, San Telmo

fue la parte más habitada de la ciudad.
Since the city was founded and until the early 1900´s, San Telmo was
the most inhabited area of the city.

2. En las últimas dos décadas del siglo XIX la economía creció

rápidamente.
 During the last two decades of the XIXth century, the economy grew
rapidly / soared / jumped /etc.

3. A fines del siglo XIX muchos de los porteños de clase alta se mudaron
al norte de la ciudad.
At the end of the XIXth century, many high class porteños (people
who lived in the port area of BA) moved north of the city.

4. En 1871 hubo una gran epidemia de fiebre amarilla.

In 1871 there was a severe yellow fever epidemic.

5. A principios del siglo XX Buenos Aires era una de las ciudades más
importantes del mundo.
In the early XXth century BA was one of the most important cities in
the world.