English Department English 10

Prepared by: Abel M. Cadias, MA-ESL

INTEGRATED TOEFL LESSON # 5

Name:
Class:

I. Listening Comprehension
Video clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQKJRnPpIxw
Directions: Highlight the correct answer.
1. According to the presenter, the priests stabbed which part of a persons body in
order to remove the heart?
A. ribs
B. chest
C. abdomen
D. shoulder

2. According to the presenter, why does a person lose consciousness when the
heart is compromised?
A. because the person got very scared that he fainted
B. because the blood flow from the heart to the brain stops
C. because the heart keeps on beating even it was taken out
D. because the process of removing the heart is very complicated

3. Why does the heart continue to beat even it is removed from the body?
A. because the brain programs the heart to do so
B. because the heart pumps blood
C. because the heart muscles of the heart can beat on their own
D. because the brain continues to give signal to the heart

II. Vocabulary
A. Word formation: noun verb adjectives
1. Human sacrifice had long been a part of the Toltec religion.
2. They sacrificed both animals and humans.
3. Sacrificial scenes have been depicted in ancient Mayan ceramics,
sculptures and murals.
B. Determine the noun, verb and/or adjective forms of the following:
1. Historians 3. mutilation
2. introduced 4. perform

III. Reading Comprehension

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 English Department English 10
Prepared by: Abel M. Cadias, MA-ESL

Historians believe that the Mayans were first introduced to human sacrifice by the
Toltecs. Human sacrifice had long been a part of the Toltec religion. The sacrifices were
performed by a priest called a nacom. The nacom was in charge of cutting out the hearts of
the victims. He did this while he was entirely dressed in black. The nacom's assistants were
elderly subordinates called chacs. Chacs were named after the god of rain. It was their job to
hold the victims down during the sacrifice. It is believed that commoners had little or no
access to the main temples. The general population only participated in harvest, fertility, and
hunting rites that were performed on specific calendar days. At these times the ceremonial
centers were packed with people who were bloodletting, drinking an intoxicating beverage
called balche, and probably using hallucinogenic mushrooms or peyote.
Ritual sacrifices played a vital role in the Mayan realm. They sacrificed both animals
and humans. Animals that were sacrificed in great numbers included crocodiles, iguanas,
dogs, peccaries, jaguars, and turkeys. The supreme sacrifice was the human life. This took
place during elaborate ceremonies. Sacrificial scenes have been depicted in ancient Mayan
ceramics, sculptures and murals. Like the Aztecs, this was all done in an attempt to appease
the gods. Slaves, criminals, bastards, orphans and children made up the bulk of the sacrificial
victims. Children were desired because of their innocence, and they would sometimes be
abducted or purchased from neighboring cities. The purchase price was paid in red beans.
Diego de Landa witnessed human sacrifices. He tells us that the sacrificial victim was
painted blue. Next, the victim was led to the summit of the pyramid and laid over a stone
alter. Then with his arms and legs firmly held by the chacs, the nacom cut open the chest /and
tore out his heart. This was usually done with an obsidian or flint knife. Next, the heart was
handed to the high priest, and the body was thrown down the temple stairs.
Other methods of sacrifice included drowning, beating, mutilation, and arrow
sacrifices. In the arrow sacrifice the victim was painted blue, and tied to a stake while dancers
took turns trying to pierce the victims heart. During the Toltec-Itza rule of Chichen Itza
pilgrims would travel great distances in order to perform human sacrifices. The victims who
were sometimes laden in gold, silver and precious stones were hurled into the Sacred Cenote,
a deep pool of water where the god Chac was said to live.

A. Complete the table below:

Human Sacrifice Ritual Sacrifice Other methods of Sacrifice

What was to sacrifice a to appease gods To pray for rain, offer the
the god of rain to gods, Chacs
purpose? get a rain on the
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Prepared by: Abel M. Cadias, MA-ESL

right seasons

Who were Nacom, Chacs, children, slaves, Victims wo involved to the

involved? victim criminals, bastards, ceremony
orphans, animals

How did Victim painted Burning in victim, Arrow sacrifice: victim

they go blue throe into the painted in blue, tied to a
about it? water stake / dancers pierce
victims heart
Drowning sacrifice: victims
laid in gold, silver, precious
stones / hurled into Sacred
Cenote

B. Directions: Highlight the correct answer.

1. The word chacs in line 5 refers to

a. subordinates
b. gods
c. victims
d. slaves

2. What does the passage mainly discuss?

a. The history of Mayans
b. Mayans as human sacrifices
c. The types of sacrifices and rituals during Mayan period
d. How Diego de Landa witnessed human sacrificing

3. Which of the following word is NOT closest in meaning to obsidian in line 24?
a. tool
b. instrument
c. rock
d. victim

4. Why did Mayans use children as sacrifices to their gods?

a. because of their purity
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 English Department English 10
Prepared by: Abel M. Cadias, MA-ESL

b. because of their happiness

c. because they were expensive
d. because they could easily be caught

5. The word realm in line 12 is closest in meaning to

a. dominion
b. reality
c. belief
d. dogma

6. The word abducted in line 19 is closest meaning to

a. snagged
b. snared
c. snatched
d. snarled

7. Which of the following does the author mention about ritual sacrifice?
a. There are evidences to show how Mayans did the ceremonies
b. Mayans usually used talented and gifted victims to sacrifice
c. Some Mayans sacrificed their own selves
d. The Aztecs preferred doing other methods of sacrifice

8. According to the passage, which of the following was true about nacoms?
a. They were controlled by the citizens
b. They wore feathered clothes while doing the sacrifice
c. They had assistants called chacs
d. They were commoners

9. According to the passage, who was Diego de Landa?

a. a survivor
b. a witness
c. a priest
d. a victim

10. What were the other methods of sacrifice used by Mayans?

a. arrow sacrifices, swimming, harvesting, and farming
b. drowning, farming, mutilation, and arrow sacrifices
c. ceremony, painting, beating, and defending
d. beating, drowning, arrow sacrifices, and mutilation

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 English Department English 10
Prepared by: Abel M. Cadias, MA-ESL

IV. Structure
A. Infinitive to
Structure: to + verb (main form)
Purpose: to express purpose (answer why)
Examples:
1. It was their job to hold the victims down during the sacrifice.
2. Like the Aztecs, this was all done in an attempt to appease the gods.
3. During the Toltec-Itza rule of Chichen Itza pilgrims would travel great
distances in order to perform human sacrifices.

B. LANGUAGE COMPARISON: Phrasal verb: (verb + preposition to)

Examples:
1. Historians believe that the Mayans were first introduced to human
sacrifice by the Toltecs.
2. Next, the victim was led to the summit of the pyramid and laid over a
stone alter.
3. In the arrow sacrifice the victim was painted blue, and tied to a stake
while dancers took turns trying to pierce the victims heart.

C. Give ONE example of a sentence using to + infinitive

He is too shy to stand in front of many people.
D. Give one example of a sentences using (verb + preposition to)
I would like to present you about my new product.