Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Pope Benedict XVI. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
Pope Benedict XVI is the 265th Pope, also known as the Bishop of Rome and Sovereign of the Vatican. He is the spiritual head of the Roman Catholic Church. He was elected Pope in 2005 and succeeded John Paul II. Benedict is a prolific author and has written dozens of books on religion. He believes consumerism is the biggest threat to our world.
Benedict was born as Joseph Ratzinger in Bavaria, Germany, in 1927. He was very interested in the Church from a young age. When he was five, he wanted to be a cardinal. World War II saw him drafted into the army, but an illness meant he didn’t fight. When the war finished, he went into training to become a priest.
Ratzinger became a professor of theology at the University of Bonn in 1959. He was a highly respected scholar on Vatican matters. He wrote in his 1968 book ‘Introduction to Christianity’ that Rome had too much control of the Church. In 1977, he was appointed a cardinal, fulfilling his boyhood wish. He was very influential in the Vatican and was close to John Paul II.
Ratzinger had hoped not to be elected as Pope, preferring instead to quietly retire. He joked that God hadn’t listened to his prayers. In his time as Pope, he has stuck to the traditional values of Biblical teaching and has modernized the Church. He has reached out to other faiths and apologized for child sex abuse cases committed by priests.
248 words
Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted biographies.
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SYNONYM MATCH
Match the words from the article on the left with their synonyms on the right. Are your answers the same as other students’?
Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.
succeeded
a.
was over
2
prolific
b.
resulted in
3.
threat
c.
came after
4.
interested
d.
productive
5.
meant
e.
danger
6.
finished
f.
fascinated
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
highly
g.
affairs
8.
matters
h.
chosen
9.
influential
i.
very
10.
elected
j.
standards
11
values
k
done
12
committed
l
powerful
PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article:
1.
the spiritual head of the
a.
from a young age
2
Benedict is a prolific author and has
b.
out to other faiths
3.
consumerism is the biggest
c.
respected scholar
4.
He was very interested in the Church
d.
listened to his prayers
5.
World War II saw him drafted
e.
written dozens of books
6.
He was a highly
f.
Roman Catholic Church
7.
fulfilling his
g.
by priests
8.
He joked that God hadn’t
h.
into the army
9.
He has reached
i.
boyhood wish
10.
child sex abuse cases committed
j.
threat to our world
LISTENING GAP FILL
Pope Benedict XVI is the 265th Pope, _____________ the Bishop of Rome and Sovereign of the Vatican. He is the _____________ of the Roman Catholic Church. He _____________ Pope in 2005 and succeeded John Paul II. Benedict is a prolific author and has written dozens of books on religion. He believes consumerism is the biggest ______________ world.
Benedict _____________ Joseph Ratzinger in Bavaria, Germany, in 1927. He was very interested in the Church from a young age. When he was five, he wanted to be a cardinal. World War II _______________ into the army, but an illness _______________ fight. When the war finished, _____________ training to become a priest.
Ratzinger became a professor _____________ at the University of Bonn in 1959. He _____________ respected scholar on Vatican matters. He wrote in his 1968 book ‘Introduction to Christianity’ that Rome _____________ control of the Church. In 1977, he was appointed a cardinal, fulfilling his boyhood wish. He was very _____________ the Vatican and was close to John Paul II.
Ratzinger had _____________ be elected as Pope, preferring instead to _____________. He joked that God hadn’t listened _____________. In his time as Pope, he has stuck to the traditional values of Biblical teaching and has modernized the Church. He has reached out _____________ and apologized for child sex abuse cases committed by priests.
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs in italics.
Pope Benedict XVI is the 265th Pope, also knowing / known as the Bishop of Rome and Sovereign of the Vatican. He is the spiritual / spirit head of the Roman Catholic Church. He was election / elected Pope in 2005 and succeeded John Paul II. Benedict is a prolific author and has written dozens of books in / on religion. He believes consumerism is the biggest threat to our world.
Benedict was born was / as Joseph Ratzinger in Bavaria, Germany, in 1927. He was very interested / interesting in the Church from a young age. When he was five, he wanted to be a cardinal. World War II saw him draft / drafted into the army, but an illness meant / meaning he didn’t fight. When the war finished, he went into training to become a priest.
Ratzinger became a professor of theology at the University of Bonn in 1959. He was a highly / high respected scholar on Vatican matters. He wrote in his 1968 book ‘Introduction to Christianity’ that Rome had too much / many control of the Church. In 1977, he was appointed a cardinal, filling / fulfilling his boyhood wish. He was very influential on / in the Vatican and was close to John Paul II.
Ratzinger had hoped not to be / was elected as Pope, preferring instead to quietly retire / retirement. He joked that God hadn’t listened to his prayers. In his time as / was Pope, he has stuck to the traditional values of Biblical teaching and has modernized the Church. He has reached in / out to other faiths and apologized for child sex abuse cases committed by priests.
SPELLING
The underlined, jumbled words are from the text. Spell them correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
the iiualtrsp head of the Roman Catholic Church
2.
Benedict is a oclfiirp author
3.
has written donsez of books on religion
4.
the biggest eahrtt to our world
Paragraph 2
5.
He was very nedettires in the Church
6.
eftrdda into the army
7.
an eisslnl meant he didn’t fight
8.
he went into nignirat to become a priest
Paragraph 3
9.
a professor of htyolgeo
10.
He was a ihylhg respected scholar
11.
Rome had too much tlroonc of the Churc
12.
his hodbyoo wish
Paragraph 4
13.
quietly reitre
14.
God hadn’t listened to his prysare
15.
the traditional lvaues
16.
He has reached out to other tsafih
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
Benedict was born as Joseph Ratzinger in Bavaria, Germany, in 1927. He was very interested in the Church from a
( )
retire. He joked that God hadn’t listened to his prayers. In his time as Pope, he has stuck to the traditional
( )
influential in the Vatican and was close to John Paul II.
( )
Ratzinger became a professor of theology at the University of Bonn in 1959. He was a highly respected
( )
control of the Church. In 1977, he was appointed a cardinal, fulfilling his boyhood wish. He was very
( )
faiths and apologized for child sex abuse cases committed by priests.
( 1 )
Pope Benedict XVI is the 265th Pope, also known as the Bishop of Rome and Sovereign of the Vatican. He is the spiritual
( )
author and has written dozens of books on religion. He believes consumerism is the biggest threat to our world.
( )
young age. When he was five, he wanted to be a cardinal. World War II saw him drafted into the army, but an illness
( )
Ratzinger had hoped not to be elected as Pope, preferring instead to quietly
( )
values of Biblical teaching and has modernized the Church. He has reached out to other
( )
scholar on Vatican matters. He wrote in his 1968 book ‘Introduction to Christianity’ that Rome had too much
( )
meant he didn’t fight. When the war finished, he went into training to become a priest.
( )
head of the Roman Catholic Church. He was elected Pope in 2005 and succeeded John Paul II. Benedict is a prolific
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With your partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
Church the of Catholic is head Roman He spiritual the
2.
our to threat biggest the is consumerism world
3.
in the Church from a young age He was very interested
4.
War into II the saw army him World drafted
5.
a become to training into went he priest
6.
control much too had Rome Church the of
7.
Vatican was influential the He very in
8.
to that his God prayers hadn’t He listened joked
9.
stuck the values has to traditional he
10.
to faiths has out other He reached
POPE BENEDICT XVI DISCUSSION
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.
What do you know about Pope Benedict?
2.
Would you like to meet Pope Benedict?
3.
What would you like to know about Pope Benedict and why?
1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information about Pope Benedict. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. POPE BENEDICT POSTER: Make a poster showing the different stages of the life of Pope Benedict. Show your poster to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all find out similar things?
4. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Pope Benedict. Include an imaginary interview with him. Write about what he does every day and what he thinks about.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
5. LETTER: Write a letter to Pope Benedict. Ask him three questions about his life. Give him three suggestions on what he should do in his future. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your “Pope Benedict expert” partner(s) will try and answer your questions.
ANSWERS
SYNONYM MATCH:
Paragraphs 1 and 2
1.
succeeded
a.
came after
2
prolific
b.
productive
3.
threat
c.
danger
4.
interested
d.
fascinated
5.
meant
e.
resulted in
6.
finished
f.
was over
Paragraphs 3 and 4
7.
highly
g.
very
8.
matters
h.
affairs
9.
influential
i.
powerful
10.
elected
j.
chosen
11
values
k
standards
12
committed
l
done
PHRASE MATCH:
1.
the spiritual head of the
a.
Roman Catholic Church
2
Benedict is a prolific author and has
b.
written dozens of books
3.
consumerism is the biggest
c.
threat to our world
4.
He was very interested in the Church
d.
from a young age
5.
World War II saw him drafted
e.
into the army
6.
He was a highly
f.
respected scholar
7.
fulfilling his
g.
boyhood wish
8.
He joked that God hadn’t
h.
listened to his prayers
9.
He has reached
i.
out to other faiths
10.
child sex abuse cases committed
j.
by priests
ALL OTHER EXERCISES:
Look at the text in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.
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