6.5 Espejo Cultural

Actividad 6.4

This activity will help you think about some of the possible differences between public places in Spain and Latin America, and in your own country.

1 Think of the different public places in Spain and Latin America that you have seen so far.

2 Link each of the following public places with as many adjectives as you feel appropriate from the box below. The choice of adjective is entirely subjective, and is designed to help you express your own attitudes towards these public places.

Enlace.

  • (a)  museo

  • (b)  parque

  • (c)  bar

  • (d)  estación de tren

  • (e)  cibercafé

  • (f)  polideportivo

precioso • moderno • caótico • tranquilo • animado • relajante • ruidoso • antiguo

Vocabulario

ruidoso noisy
tranquilo quiet
relajante relaxing

3 Do you think you would have made the same word associations in step 2 if you were thinking of your own country?

4 Imagine you want to write an ‘electronic postcard’ to a travel guide website giving some tips for travelling to Valencia, Santiago de Chile, Montevideo and Havana. What would you say to your fellow travellers? Choose from the following phrases, taken from different websites, to write sentences about these cities.

Escriba frases.

Vocabulario

Imprescindible ver… Do not miss…
De mi viaje a… From my visit to…
Para relajarse… To relax…
Sobre todo… Above all…

Answer

  1. So far in this unit you have seen a few ‘public’ places, for example la estación and el mercado central , and you have also come across los bares . Other buildings frequented by the general public that have come up in this unit are el museo, el hospital , la escuela , el polideportivo o el centro deportivo , el ayuntamiento , el aeropuerto , la oficina , el banco , el restaurante , and a more modern one, el cibercafé. Another place in Hispanic countries where the community gathers is la iglesia , and of course los parques and las plazas .

  2. Here is a possible answer:

    • (a) museo: moderno; (b) parque: tranquilo (c) bar: ruidoso, animado; (d) estación de tren: antigua, caótica; (e) cibercafé: moderno, tranquilo; (f) polideportivo: relajante.

  3. You may think that these public places are totally different in your country, or you may think them similar. The important thing is to be aware of any similarities as well as differences between countries.

  4. Here is a possible answer:

    • Valencia es una ciudad preciosa . Imprescindible ver el campanario del Miguelete .

    • De mi viaje a España recomiendo visitar las Torres de Pere Quart y la espectacular estación modernista en Valencia.

    • En La Habana hay unos bares de los años 50 muy animados.

    • Para relajarse en el viaje, recomiendo ir a un centro deportivo en Santiago de Chile. En Montevideo hay una ciudad vieja muy bonita.

    • Sobre todo, visitar El Cabildo en la Plaza de la Constitución.