Passage 5

Questions 21 to 25 are based on the following passage.

The story of Cesar Estrada Chavez begins near Yuma, Arizona. He leaned about justice or rather injustice early in his life Cesar grew up in Arizona; in 1938 he and his family moved to California. He did not like school as a child, probably because at home he spoke only Spanish which was forbidden in school. He felt that education had nothing to do with his migrant (迁移的) way of life. In 1942 be graduated from the eighth grade, and became a migrant farm worker.

He joined the U.S. Navy in 1946, and served for two years. Cesar returned to San Jose where he met and was influenced by Father Donald McDonell. They talked about fum workers and strikes. Cesar began reading about SL Francis and Gandhi and nonviolence. After Father McDonnell came another very influential person, Fred Ross Cesar became an organizer for Ross'_ organization, the Community Service Organization (CSO). His first task was voter registration.

In 1962 Cesar founded the National Farm Workers Association, later to become the United Farm Workers (UFW),. By 1970 the UFW got grape growers to accept union contracts and had effectively organized most of that industry. The farm workers and supporters carried banners with the back eagle, with HUELGA (strike) and VIVA LA CAUSA (Long live our cause). The marchers wanted the state government to pass laws which would permit farm workers to organize into a union and allow collective bargaining agreements. Cesar made people aware of the struggles of farm workers for better pay and safer working conditions. He succeeded through nonviolent tactics.

Cesar Chavez and the union sought recognition of the importance and dignity of all farm workers Cesar was willing to sacrifice his own life so that the union would continue and that violence was not used.[ Cesar fasted many times. ]In 1968 Cesar fasted for 10 days. He repeated the fast in 1972 for 24 days, and again in 1988 for 36 days. Cesar was able to use the hunger strikes to move legislators to change the laws to improve the lives of farm workers Because of Cesar's actions, be was jailed many times. What motivated him to do this? He said, "Farm workers are worried that we cannot win without violence, We can win and keep our own self-respect and build a great union that will secure the spirit of all people if we do it through a rededication and recommitment to the struggle for justice through nonviolence."