English Lesson on Pope Benedict XVI

 Famous People Lessons.com

  PDF | Word | Quiz | Help my site

Follow this site and my other sites on Facebook.

THE LESSON ON POPE BENEDICT XVI

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.

MY e-BOOK


SEE A SAMPLE


Mail this lesson to friends and teachers. Click the @ below.

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?

4.

___________________________________________________

5.

___________________________________________________

6.

___________________________________________________

7.

___________________________________________________

8.

___________________________________________________

------------------------------------

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

1.

What did you learn from this text about Pope Benedict?

2.

What questions would you like to ask Pope Benedict?

3.

What would his answers be to those questions?

4.

___________________________________________________

5.

___________________________________________________

6.

___________________________________________________

7.

___________________________________________________

8.

___________________________________________________

POPE BENEDICT SURVEY

Write five questions about Pope Benedict in the table. Do this in pairs/groups. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

Without your partner, interview other students. Write down their answers.

 

STUDENT 1

_____________

STUDENT 2

_____________

STUDENT 3

_____________

Q.1.

 

 

 

 

Q.2.

 

 

 

 

Q.3.

 

 

 

 

Q.4.

 

 

 

 

Q.5.

 

 

 

 

Return to your original partner(s) and share and talk about what you found out.  Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

WRITING

Write about Pope Benedict for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

HOMEWORK

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.

HELP SUPPORT THIS WEBSITE

SEAN BANVILLE'S OTHER WEBSITES

I also have thousands of other lessons on my other websites.