1.  a) Name the capital of Venezuela.
b) List the countries that border Venezuela.
c) Who is the president of Venezuela?

2.  Write the following words from the article next to their definitions:
-tenure (from paragraph 1)
-referendum (from para. 4)
-socialism (from para. 5)
-autonomy (from para. 5)
-expropriate (from para. 5)
-populist (from para. 6)
-consolidate (from para. 7)
-envisaged (from para. 8)
-communes (from para. 9)
-amalgamate (from para. 10)

a. _______________ the quality or state of being self-governing
b. _______________ to become, or cause something to become, stronger and more certain
c. _______________ a member of a political party claiming to represent the common people
d. _______________ a legislative act that is referred for final approval to a popular vote by the electorate
e. _______________ any community organized for the protection and promotion of local interests, and subordinate to the state
f. _______________ any of various theories or systems of social organization in which the means of producing and distributing goods is owned collectively or by a centralized government that often plans and controls the economy
g. _______________ to join or unite to form a larger organization or group, or to make separate organizations do this
h. _______________ the right to remain permanently in a job
i. _______________ to have a mental picture of, especially in advance of realization
j. _______________ to transfer (the property of another) to one's own possession

3.  List the changes Hugo Chavez is making to the Venezuelan constitution.

4.  a)  What is Chavez's aim for the "Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas?"
b) Name the countries that support this Alternative.

5.  What actions has Mr. Chavez already taken in the past year to consolidate his power?

6.  Why is President Chavez popular among many low-income Venezuelans?

7.  List the three ideas for Venezuela that President Chavez has recently proposed. (from para. 8-10)

8.  What reason does Mr. Chavez give for ending term limits only for the office of president?

9.  Why is President Chavez attempting to win public support for his constitutional changes?

10. In paragraph #1, why do you think the reporter used quotation marks around the word unanimous?