visiting-mexico-british-english-teacher

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GENERAL ENGLISH · GENERAL ISSUES · UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)
VISITING
MEXICO
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1 Warm up
Look at the quiz about Mexico and choose the right answers.
1. What is the currency of Mexico?
a. Mexican Dollar b. Mexican Réal c. Mexican Peso
2. What is Mexico’s population?
a. 26 milion b. 126 milion c. 226 milion
3. Which of these peoples is not associated with Mexico?
a. Inca b. Maya c. Aztec
4. Which of these is not a Mexican city?
a. Guadalajara b. Tijuana c. Managua
5. Which countries border Mexico?
a. USA and Belize
b. USA, Guatemala and Belize
c. USA, Guatemala and Nicaragua
In pairs, answer the questions below.
1. What kind of climate and landscapes do you associate with Mexico?

2. What do you know about Mexican history?
3. Do you know any famous Mexican people?
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HEAAADERLOGORIGHT
UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)
VISITING MEXICO
2 Visual Guide
Part A: Match the pictures of the Mexican landmarks to the descriptions below.
1) Chichen Itza 2) Copper Canyon 3) Arch of Cabo San Lucas
4) Cancún 5) Day of the Dead (Día de los 6) piñata

Muertos)
7) mole 8) cenote 9) mojigangas
1. a 25,000 square mile geographical feature of the Sierra Madre Occidental

mountain range in the state of Chihuahua
2. a rock formation at the southern end of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula
3. a city in southeast Mexico on the Yucatán Peninsula
4. an archaeological site from Mayan times, located in Yucatán State, Mexico,

containing a large step-pyramid
5. a holiday celebrated on the 1st and 2nd of November, where people
remember friends and family members who have died
6. a container, usually made of paper, that is decorated, filled with candy, and
then broken as part of a celebration
7. a natural hole caused by rock collapsing, revealing an underground water
source
8. traditional sauce originally used in Mexican cuisine
9. a giant puppet made of paper which is displayed at large events
Part B: Complete the definitions.
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VISITING MEXICO
Most of modern-day Mexico is part of an area known as Mesoamerica, which

extends from central Mexico through six other countries in Central America.
Many different civilisations lived in this area during pre-Columbian times, and
archaeological sites throughout Mexico reveal a lot about how these societies lived.
Many of them are now preserved as UNESCO world heritage sites for their cultural
importance. The Spanish conquest in the 16th century brought major changes to
the Americas.
Timeline of civilisations
Name Height of civilisation
Olmec 1200 – 400 BCE
Maya 300 – 900 CE
Toltec 900 – 1200 CE
Aztec 1200 – 1500 CE
1. a society, its culture and its way of life during a particular period of time / in
a particular part of the world
2. the period before European colonisation of the Americas, which began with
Christopher Columbus’s voyage of 1492
3. the act of taking control of a country, city, etc. by force
4. a culture area that includes most of Mexico and Central America.
5. an area given legal protection by the United Nations Educational, Scientific

and Cultural Organisation for having cultural, historical or scientific
importance.

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VISITING MEXICO
3 Focus on vocabulary
Part A: Fill in the gaps with the words below to create definitions for each vocabulary item.
above the equator an area of flat land a particular status a substance

removing or obtaining respect for a god seems to exist surrounded by water
1. designation (n): the action of giving a person or thing
2. equinox (n): one of the two times in the year (around 20 March and 22 September) when the sun
is and day and night are of equal length
3. illusion (n): - something that but in fact does not, or appears to be something
different
4. plateau (n): - that is higher than the land around it
5. worship (v): - to show with other people in a religious place (especially by praying
or singing)
6. peninsula (n): - an area of land that is almost but is joined to a larger piece of land
7. deposit (n): - a layer of that has formed naturally underground
8. extraction (n): - the act of something from something else
Part B: Fill in the gaps with the words from part A. Some nouns need to be in the plural form.
1. People from several different religions around the world gather near important monuments to
together during the spring and autumn .
2. The Central Mexican averages 1,825m above sea level and occupies much of the
north and centre of the country. Mexico also has two : Baja California and Yucatán.
3. of silver and other metals like copper and zinc have been discovered throughout
Mexico; of these metals continues today.
4. Years after the palace’s as a UNESCO World Heritage site, archaeologists thought
they had discovered some new artwork on the building. Unfortunately, it was just an
caused by the light!
Part C: Answer the questions below.
• What’s the natural geography of your country like? Does it feature any plateaus or peninsulas?
• Do you know of any sites where people traditionally assemble during an equinox?
• Have you ever seen something which turned out to be an illusion?

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VISITING MEXICO
4 Listening for detail
Listen to the podcast about visiting Mexico and explain the meaning of the following numbers.
a. 200:
b. 35:
c. 18:
d. 132:
e. 600:
5 Listening comprehension
Listen to the podcast again and fill in the gaps with the missing words.
Although Mexico has many well-known archaeological sites, there are probably
1
others which remain to this day. Chichen Itza is considered
2
a attraction. People visit at particular times of year due to
a special effect caused by shadows. Is it a coincidence, or was this effect
3
created ? 35 sites have been awarded UNESCO world heritage
4
. There are plenty to choose from, such as Teotihuacan near
5
Mexico City, or El Tajn, which is situated in a in central Mexico.
6
The centre of Zacatecas is dominated by a , but the town
incorporates elements of European and pre-Columbian architecture. A town
7
with something interesting to many be designated as a pueblo
magico. This programme encourages people to go to parts of the country they
8
may not otherwise have .

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VISITING MEXICO
6 Focus on vocabulary
Part A: Match the words to their definitions.
Group 1
1. altar (n) a. something that is given to a god as part of a religious ceremony
2. epitaph (n) b. a person who is sent to a foreign country to teach people about
religion, especially Christianity
3. missionary (n) c. the traditions and stories of a country or community
4. offering (n) d. a holy table, usually found in a church or temple
5. folklore (n) e. words that are written or said about a dead person, especially words
on a gravestone
Group 2
1. smash (v) a. having a lot of different parts and small details that fit together
2. array (n) b. a group or collection of things or people, often one that is large or
impressive
3. slather (v) c. cover something with a thick layer of a substance
4. intricate (adj) d. break something into many pieces, often noisily or violently
5. clay (n) e. a type of heavy, sticky earth that becomes hard when it is baked
Part B: Choose a word (in a correct form) from part A to fill in the gaps.
1. Cancún’s Mayan Museum of Archaeology displays a wide of Mayan artefacts.
2. The graves of some famous people contain carefully planned .
3. Many ruined cities feature designs on their architecture.
4. An Aztec with religious items was discovered hidden underground in Mexico City
in 2021.
5. This food is a little dry; it’ll taste better if you it with lots of sauce!
6. from Europe, particularly Portugal and Spain, came to the Americas to promote
Christianity.
7. In pre-Columbian civilisations, were an important part of worship.
8. An adobe house is a type of traditional Mexican house made from , sand and water.

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VISITING MEXICO
7 Skimming for gist
Read through the text about Mexico (page 5) quickly and note the following information.
1. Which two festivals are mentioned in the text?
2. Which two cultures have been linked to the origins of the piñata?
3. Which two types of Mexican restaurants are mentioned? (the names are Spanish)
8 Reading comprehension
Read the sentences and decide if they are true, false or not given. Give reasons for your answers.
1. During Day of the Dead, almost no attention is paid to living people.
2. Some people write a message in the style of an epitaph to people they know who are alive.
3. In San Juan del Río, the Day of the Dead festival only lasts for one day.
4. Piñatas appear frequently during Mexico’s nine-day pre-Christmas festival.
5. Versions of the piñata may have existed in pre-Columbian Mexico and China.
6. The piñatas used by the Spanish missionaries were made of paper.
7. Moles usually contain over one hundred ingredients.
8. Pozole cannot be made into a vegetarian dish.

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VISITING MEXICO
Honouring the dead while living life to the full

An overview of Mexico’s rich cultural traditions and delicious cuisine.
1. Mexico is a very spiritual country rich in culture 5. The piñata’s origins are linked to two different
and folklore. Its most famous celebration is sources. The Aztecs are said to have decorated clay
undoubtedly the Day of the Dead (Día de los pots, then filled them with small ornaments before
Muertos) festival. Traditions connected with the breaking them with a stick. Their contents were then
holiday include creating home-made altars known as given as an offering to the god Huitzilopochtli.
ofrendas, which are decorated with special marigold
6. It is also said that Italian explorer Marco Polo
flowers (cempasúchiles). Dead friends and family are
observed locals in China stuffing hollow sculptures
honoured with decorative skulls called calaveras, and
of animals with seeds, then smashing them. Similar
their favourite food and drinks are typically left on
practices became incorporated into Catholic
the altar alongside photos.
traditions in Europe, and when Spanish missionaries
2. However, the celebration is not solely focused on first came to the Americas, they used the piñata in
the dead; it is also common to give gifts such as their religious teachings. These piñata were shaped
candy sugar skulls to friends, to share traditional as seven-pointed stars for teaching the seven deadly
bread called pan de muerto, and even to write light- sins*, with the Indigenous* peoples encouraged to
hearted ‘epitaphs’ dedicated to living friends and overcome their sins by destroying the piñata.
acquaintances!
7. Mexico is also famous for its cuisine, which is
3. In San Juan del Río, Querétaro, this tradition is an very diverse. Dining out is an endless adventure!
ancient practice considered by UNESCO as Mexican Many well-known dishes, such as enchiladas and
World Heritage, and the main venue where the Day guacamole, date back to pre-Columbian times.
of the Dead festival takes place is in Parroquia Portal Another ancient dish, Pozole, is a kind of soup with
del Diezmo. a base of cooked hominy* and pork or chicken.
For those who don’t eat meat, the meat can be
4. Visitors to Mexico often buy local folk art as
substituted for beans. You may also come across
souvenirs. Some of the most admired work is Huichol
a vast array of moles, complex sauces containing
art: intricate sculptures using beeswax and beads to
up to one hundred ingredients! Simple seafront
create designs. Mexico is also famous for making
restaurants known as palapa serve fresh fish and
things out of paper, including mojigangas (giant
seafood, and modest taquerías are found throughout
puppets) and masks, but most famously piñatas.
Mexico, where tortillas are stuffed with a variety of
Piñatas remain most popular during birthday parties
fillings and slathered with homemade salsas.
and Las Posadas, a nine-day religious festival which
has been celebrated in Mexico for over 400 years. It Adapted from: BBC Travel, BBC Good Food and
takes place between the 16th and 24th of December. visitmexico.com
Glossary
deadly sin: in Christian tradition one of the seven actions for which you can go to hell
Indigenous: (of people and their culture) coming from a particular place and having lived there for a
long time before other people came there
hominy: dried corn (maize), boiled in water or milk

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VISITING MEXICO
9 Talking point
1. What places mentioned are you interested in visiting? Why?

2. Do you enjoy visiting archaeological sites like the ones mentioned? Why / why not?
3. Have you eaten any Mexican dishes? If so, did you enjoy them? How authentic do you think they
were?
4. The reasons for designating a town as a pueblo magico are diverse (natural beauty, cultural richness,
folklore, historical relevance, cuisine and art). What would you consider when choosing one to
visit?
5. How do you feel about the Day of the Dead traditions mentioned?
6. Have you ever tried hitting a piñata? If so, what happened?
10 Project (optional task)
Do some research on one of the following topics and prepare a presentation for the class.
1. One of Mexico’s ancient civilisations (e.g. Maya, Aztec, Toltec, Olmec)

2. Mexican music and art
3. The Day of the Dead or Las Posadas festivals
4. Mexico’s physical geography
5. Mexican cuisine (perhaps how to cook a well-known Mexican dish)

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TEACHER MATERIALS · UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)
VISITING MEXICO
Transcripts
4. Listening for detail
Journalist: We’re joined by Sara who is going to give us some ideas about places to visit in Mexico.
It’s a country rich in history, isn’t it?
Sara: Yes, absolutely. There are around 200 significant known archaeological sites around the
country, but many more may be hidden in Mexico’s jungles or under the ground in cities!
Journalist: And are these sites worth going to visit even if you don’t know lots about history?
Sara: Oh, of course! The ruins of Great Mayan cities are found in the Yucatan peninsula; the
most famous is probably Chichen Itza, which often tops lists of must-see sights in Mexico.
It’s filled with temples and pyramids, and you can see a cenote there as well. It takes about
two hours to reach Chichen Itza from Cancún.
Journalist: Can you tell us more about the site?
Sara: Yes, its central feature is a step pyramid known as the Temple of Kukulkán. It has 365
steps in total, and it attracts lots of visitors near the spring and autumn equinoxes because
during these times of the year the sun causes shadows to appear, creating the illusion
of a feathered snake moving down the pyramid. Some believe this effect was created
deliberately, as Kukulkán was a feathered snake god worshipped by the Maya, but others
think this is unlikely.
Journalist: Ok, well hopefully I’ll have a chance to visit and make up my own mind! Any other
historical sites you’d like to mention?
Sara: Of course! There are currently 35 official UNESCO world heritage sites, with more
possibly being awarded this status in the future, so it’s hard to know where to start!
In Mexico City, you’re only 40 kilometres away from Teotihuacan, another huge pre-
Columbian city on the vast Mexican Plateau. The monuments are connected to each
other by a road which is two kilometres long and is known as "the Avenue of the Dead".
There’s also El Tajín: located in a magnificent, green valley, with its 18-metre-tall “Pyramid
of the Niches” containing 365 tiny windows, one for each day of the year, just like the
steps on the Temple of Kukulkán.
Journalist: And what about Mexico’s silver mining history? Where can visitors go to get a taste of
that?
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VISITING MEXICO
Sara: Well... I’d consider Zacatecas City, in the centre of Mexico. It was founded after the
discovery of silver deposits in the area and was built on the steep slopes of a narrow
valley, so it has some breathtaking views. A cathedral dominates the centre of the town,
but one of the interesting things about Zacatecas is how elements of European and pre-
Columbian designs are found side by side. Another city to keep in mind is Guanajuato,
about 300 kilometres northeast of Mexico City. It became the world’s leading silver
extraction centre in the 18th century. Check out the "Boca del Infierno", a deep narrow
hole leading to a mine; it goes down an impressive 600 metres underground!
Journalist: Oh wow, sounds a bit scary! Could I ask you to tell us a little about pueblos mágicos?
Sara: Ah, yes. The Pueblo Mágico, or Magical Town in English, is a designation awarded
to communities recognised for having something special to offer visitors, for example
natural beauty, cultural richness or historical significance. The programme has increased
tourism in parts of the country which were previously less visited, especially smaller
towns in rural areas. There are currently 132 to discover, including Pátzcuaro, which
is famous for its Day of the Dead celebrations. Pátzcuaro combines modern life with
ancient traditions. A walk through its centre will take you back in time. I wish I could
tell you about all 132, but my advice is to take your time and do some research to find a
pueblo magico which you think you’ll enjoy visiting.
Journalist: Thank you very much Sara. I look forward to discovering as many as possible!
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VISITING MEXICO
Key
1. Warm up
5 mins.
Population figures from 2020 census. Spanish is the de facto national language spoken by the vast majority of the
population, but the Mexican government also recognise around 70 Indigenous languages. The climate in Mexico
is tropical, with a wet and dry season, and little temperature change between seasons. The landscapes are varied,
with 9,000 kilometres of coastline, arid desert regions, tropical jungles, volcanic plateaus, and canyons.
1. c. 2. b. 3. a. 4. c. 5. b.
2. Visual Guide
12 mins.
Part A introduces students to some Mexican landmarks and icons and Part B covers some important specific
vocabulary which will be referred to in the listening and reading sections.
Part A:
1. Copper Canyon
2. Arch of Cabo San Lucas
3. Cancún
4. Chichen Itza
5. Day of the Dead
6. piñata
7. cenote
8. mole
9. mojigangas
Part B:
1. civilisation
2. pre-Columbian
3. conquest
4. Mesoamerica
5. UNESCO world heritage site
3. Focus on vocabulary
10 mins.
Pay attention to schwa sound in peninsula/p@nInsj@l@/. Ensure a hard G sound is pronounced is designation (in
contrast to the sound produced in design, for example).
Students should work in pairs to create definitions for the vocabulary items and then answer part B individually
before the class discussion.
Part A:
1. a particular status 2. above the equator 3. seems to exist 4. an area of flat land
5. respect for a god 6. surrounded by water 7. a substance 8. removing or obtaining
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VISITING MEXICO
Part B:
1. worship ≀ equinoxes 2. Plateau ≀ peninsulas

3. Deposits ≀ extraction 4. designation ≀ illusion
4. Listening for detail
5 mins.
This gives the students an opportunity to listen to the podcast about visiting Mexico. Students note the reasons
why the phrases are mentioned in the recording.
a. number of significant known archaeological sites

b. number of UNESCO world heritage sites
c. height of the Pyramid of the Niches in El Tajn (in metres)
d. number of magic cities
e. depth of the ’Boca del Inferno’ (in metres)
5. Listening comprehension
5 mins.
Students complete the gaps individually and then can check the answers in pairs before the whole class feedback.
Monitor the task.
1. hidden
2. must-see
3. deliberately
4. status
5. valley
6. cathedral
7. offer
8. visited
6. Focus on vocabulary
10 mins.
Students do these exercises alone and compare in pairs. Elicit answers and monitor part B. Ask students to read
aloud their answers.
Pronunciation notes: Pay attention to schwa sounds in altar /"O:lt@(r)/ array /@"reI/, intricate/"IntrIk@t/and double
schwa in decorative /"dek@r@tIv/
Make sure missionary is only pronounced with 4 syllables /"mIS@nri/
Ensure ‘l’ is silent in folklore /"f@UklO:(r)/
Part A
Group 1
1. → d. 2. → e. 3. → b. 4. → a. 5. → c.
Group 2
1. → d. 2. → b. 3. → c. 4. → a. 5. → e.
Part B
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VISITING MEXICO
1. array 2. epitaphs 3. intricate 4. altar

5. slather 6. Missionaries 7. offerings 8. clay
7. Skimming for gist
5 mins.
Students should be encouraged to complete this task quickly.
1. Day of the Dead and Las Posadas

2. Aztec and Chinese
3. Palpapa and taquerías
8. Reading comprehension
10 mins.
Students answer the questions individually and then check in pairs before whole class feedback.
1. False. "The celebration 2. True. "Common to 3. Not given 4. True. "Piñatas remain
is not solely focused on ... write light-hearted most popular during
the dead" ‘epitaphs’ dedicated birthday parties and Las
to living friends and Posadas"
acquaintances!"
5. True. "The piñata’s 6. Not given 7. False. "... containing 8. False. "For those
origins are linked to two up to one hundred who don’t eat meat, the
different sources" ingredients!" meat can be substituted
for beans."
9. Talking point
10 mins.
Students discuss subjects from the article and podcast talk about what they would like to see and do if they visited
Mexico.
Check the understanding of authentic before the discussion.
10. Project (optional task)
20 mins.
This gives students the opportunity to do some research on one of the following topics and prepare a presentation
for the class.
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HEAAADERLOGORIGHT

GENERAL ENGLISH · GENERAL ISSUES · UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

1. What is the currency of Mexico?

a. Mexican Dollar b. Mexican Réal c. Mexican Peso

2. What is Mexico’s population?

a. 26 milion b. 126 milion c. 226 milion

3. Which of these peoples is not associated with Mexico?

a. Inca b. Maya c. Aztec

4. Which of these is not a Mexican city?

a. Guadalajara b. Tijuana c. Managua

5. Which countries border Mexico?

a. USA and Belize

b. USA, Guatemala and Belize

c. USA, Guatemala and Nicaragua

In pairs, answer the questions below.

1. What kind of climate and landscapes do you associate with Mexico?

FOOOOTERRIGHT Learn without forgetting! 1/9

1) Chichen Itza 2) Copper Canyon 3) Arch of Cabo San Lucas

4) Cancún 5) Day of the Dead (Día de los 6) piñata

7) mole 8) cenote 9) mojigangas

1. a 25,000 square mile geographical feature of the Sierra Madre Occidental

3. a city in southeast Mexico on the Yucatán Peninsula

4. an archaeological site from Mayan times, located in Yucatán State, Mexico,

9. a giant puppet made of paper which is displayed at large events

Part B: Complete the deﬁnitions.

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Most of modern-day Mexico is part of an area known as Mesoamerica, which

Name Height of civilisation

Olmec 1200 – 400 BCE

Maya 300 – 900 CE

Toltec 900 – 1200 CE

Aztec 1200 – 1500 CE

4. a culture area that includes most of Mexico and Central America.

5. an area given legal protection by the United Nations Educational, Scientiﬁc

FOOOOTERRIGHT Learn without forgetting! 3/9

above the equator an area of ﬂat land a particular status a substance

1. designation (n): the action of giving a person or thing

4. plateau (n): - that is higher than the land around it

7. deposit (n): - a layer of that has formed naturally underground

8. extraction (n): - the act of something from something else

Part C: Answer the questions below.

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4 Listening for detail

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Part A: Match the words to their deﬁnitions.

1. altar (n) a. something that is given to a god as part of a religious ceremony

4. offering (n) d. a holy table, usually found in a church or temple

1. Cancún’s Mayan Museum of Archaeology displays a wide of Mayan artefacts.

2. The graves of some famous people contain carefully planned .

3. Many ruined cities feature designs on their architecture.

7. In pre-Columbian civilisations, were an important part of worship.

FOOOOTERLEFT Learn without forgetting! 6/9

7 Skimming for gist

1. Which two festivals are mentioned in the text?

1. During Day of the Dead, almost no attention is paid to living people.

4. Piñatas appear frequently during Mexico’s nine-day pre-Christmas festival.

6. The piñatas used by the Spanish missionaries were made of paper.

7. Moles usually contain over one hundred ingredients.

8. Pozole cannot be made into a vegetarian dish.