ESL Holiday Lessons.com: Ash Wednesday

THE READING / TAPESCRIPT

Many Christians around the world celebrate Ash Wednesday, which marks the first day of Lent. It is the start of a religious period that leads up to Palm Sunday and the Easter holidays. On Ash Wednesday, people traditionally start fasting for 40 days, eating only simple food. The 40 days is because Jesus fasted in the wilderness for a similar period of time. Roman Catholics should only eat one full meal and two smaller ones during this time. Many Catholics will fast completely on Ash Wednesday or just have bread and water. It is one of only two days in the Catholic calendar when fasting is required. The other day is Good Friday. Ash Wednesday falls between February the 4th and March the 10th each year, depending on the date of Easter.

It is called Ash Wednesday because priests draw a small cross on the foreheads of people in church. The cross is a sign that you have regretted your sins and want to cleanse your soul. It is tradition to keep the cross on one’s forehead until the sun sets. In other churches, people write their sins on a small piece of paper, which is then burnt and turned into ash. In Biblical times, people covered themselves in ash to express their sorrow for their sins. Priests say a prayer to show we are all mortal and will return to ashes after we die. A traditional prayer is: “God our Father, you create us from the dust of the earth. Grant that these ashes may be for us a sign of our sins, and a symbol of our mortality.”

PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.	the start of a religious period that	a.	similar period of time
2	people traditionally start	b.	when fasting is required
3.	Jesus fasted in the wilderness for a	c.	full meal
4.	only eat one	d.	leads up to Palm Sunday
5.	two days in the Catholic calendar	e.	the 4^th and March the 10th
6.	Ash Wednesday falls between February	f.	fasting for 40 days

Paragraph 2

1.	The cross is a sign that you have	a.	are all mortal
2	keep the cross on one’s forehead	b.	on a small piece of paper
3.	people write their sins	c.	mortality
4.	In Biblical times, people covered	d.	regretted your sins
5.	Priests say a prayer to show we	e.	themselves in ash
6.	a symbol of our	f.	until the sun sets

LISTENING GAP FILL

Many Christians _________________ celebrate Ash Wednesday, which marks the first day of Lent. It is the start of a religious period _________________ Palm Sunday and the Easter holidays. On Ash Wednesday, people traditionally start fasting for 40 days, eating _________________. The 40 days is because Jesus fasted in the wilderness for a similar period of time. Roman Catholics should only eat one full meal and two smaller ones _________________. Many Catholics will fast completely on Ash Wednesday or just have bread and water. _________________ two days in the Catholic calendar when fasting is required. The other day is Good Friday. Ash Wednesday falls between February the 4th and March the 10th each year, ___________________ of Easter.

It is called Ash Wednesday because priests _________________ on the foreheads of people in church. The cross is a sign that you have regretted your sins and ___________________ soul. It is tradition to keep the cross on one’s forehead until the sun sets. In other churches, people _________________ a small piece of paper, which is then burnt and turned into ash. In Biblical times, people covered themselves in ash to express their _________________ sins. Priests say a prayer to show we are all mortal and will return to ashes after we die. A traditional prayer is: “God our Father, _________________ the dust of the earth. Grant that these ashes may be for us a sign of our sins, and _________________ mortality.”

WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL

Put the words into the gaps in the text.

Many Christians around the world __________ Ash Wednesday, which marks the first day of Lent. It is the start of a religious period that __________ up to Palm Sunday and the Easter holidays. On Ash Wednesday, people traditionally start __________ for 40 days, eating only simple food. The 40 days is because Jesus fasted in the wilderness for a __________ period of time. Roman Catholics should only eat one full meal and two smaller ones during this __________. Many Catholics will fast completely on Ash Wednesday or __________ have bread and water. It is one of only two days in the Catholic calendar when fasting is __________. The other day is Good Friday. Ash Wednesday falls between February the 4th and March the 10th each year, __________ on the date of Easter.

required
fasting
time
depending
celebrate
similar
just
leads

It is called Ash Wednesday because priests __________ a small cross on the foreheads of people in church. The cross is a sign that you have __________ your sins and want to cleanse your soul. It is tradition to keep the cross on one’s __________ until the sun sets. In other churches, people write their sins on a small piece of paper, which is then __________ and turned into ash. In Biblical times, people covered themselves in ash to express their __________ for their sins. Priests say a prayer to show we are all mortal and will __________ to ashes after we die. A traditional prayer is: “God our Father, you create us from the __________ of the earth. Grant that these ashes may be for us a sign of our sins, and a __________ of our mortality.”

burnt
symbol
forehead
return
draw
sorrow
regretted
dust

CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD

Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.

Many Christians around the world celebrate / celebration Ash Wednesday, which marks the first day of Lent. It is the start of a religious periods / period that leads up to Palm Sunday and the Easter holidays. On Ash Wednesday, people traditionally start fast / fasting for 40 days, eating only simple food. The 40 days is because Jesus fasted in the wilderness / wilder for a similar period of time. Roman Catholics should only eat one fully / full meal and two smaller ones during this time. Many Catholics will fast completely / complete on Ash Wednesday or just have bread and water. It is one of only two days in the Catholic calendar when fasting is required / requirement. The other day is Good Friday. Ash Wednesday falls between February the 4th and March the 10th each year, depends / depending on the date of Easter.

It is called Ash Wednesday because priests drawing / draw a small cross on the foreheads of people in church. The cross is a sign that you have regretted / regret your sins and want to cleanse your soul. It is tradition / traditions to keep the cross on one’s forehead until the sun sets / set. In other churches, people write their sins on a small piece of paper, which is then burnt and turned into cash / ash. In Biblical times, people covered themselves in ash to express their sorrow for their sinners / sins. Priests say a prayer to show we are all mortal and will return to ashes after we die. A traditional player / prayer is: “God our Father, you create us from the dust of the earth. Grant that these ashes may be for us a sign of our sins, and a symbol / symbolic of our mortality.”

MULTIPLE CHOICE

Many Christians around the world (1) ____ Ash Wednesday, which marks the first day of Lent. It is the start of a religious period that leads (2) ____ to Palm Sunday and the Easter holidays. On Ash Wednesday, people traditionally start (3) ____ for 40 days, eating only simple food. The 40 days is because Jesus fasted in the wilderness for a similar period of time. Roman Catholics should only eat one (4) ____ meal and two smaller ones during this time. Many Catholics will fast completely on Ash Wednesday or just have bread and water. It is one of only two days in the Catholic calendar when fasting is (5) ____. The other day is Good Friday. Ash Wednesday falls between February the 4th and March the 10th each year, (6) ____ on the date of Easter.

It is called Ash Wednesday because priests (7) ____ a small cross on the foreheads of people in church. The cross is a sign that you have regretted your sins and want to (8) ____ your soul. It is tradition to keep the cross on one’s forehead until the sun sets. In other churches, people write their sins on a small piece of paper, which is then burnt and turned (9) ____ ash. In Biblical times, people covered themselves in ash to express their sorrow for their sins. Priests say a prayer to (10) ____ we are all mortal and will return to ashes after we die. A traditional (11) ____ is: “God our Father, you create us from the dust of the earth. Grant that these ashes may be for us a sign of our sins, and a (12) ____ of our mortality.”

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.	(a)	celebrate	(b)	celebration	(c)	celebratory	(d)	celebrates
2.	(a)	down	(b)	in	(c)	up	(d)	on
3.	(a)	fastest	(b)	fast	(c)	fasted	(d)	fasting
4.	(a)	fill	(b)	fully	(c)	full	(d)	fills
5.	(a)	required	(b)	requirement	(c)	requiring	(d)	requires
6.	(a)	depends	(b)	depending	(c)	depend	(d)	dependant
7.	(a)	drawn	(b)	draw	(c)	drawing	(d)	drawer
8.	(a)	cleaning	(b)	cleaner	(c)	cleanse	(d)	cleans
9.	(a)	onto	(b)	out of	(c)	up to	(d)	into
10.	(a)	shown	(b)	show	(c)	showing	(d)	shows
11.	(a)	player	(b)	praying	(c)	playing	(d)	prayer
12.	(a)	symbol	(b)	symbolic	(c)	symbolize	(d)	symbols

SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1
1.	ebrlaetec Ash Wednesday
2.	a religious oredip that leads up to Palm Sunday
3.	start asfitgn for 40 days
4.	one full meal and two arlsmel ones
5.	two days in the Catholic ncadrael
6.	Ash Wednesday lfsal between February the 4th and March the 10th
Paragraph 2
7.	a small oscsr
8.	enslcae your soul
9.	a small ieecp of paper
10.	express their rwroso
11.	we are all oratlm
12.	a mblosy of our mortality

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	religious period that leads up to Palm Sunday and the Easter holidays. On Ash Wednesday, people traditionally start
( )	February the 4th and March the 10th each year, depending on the date of Easter.
( )	fasting for 40 days, eating only simple food. The 40 days is because Jesus fasted in the wilderness for a similar
( )	It is called Ash Wednesday because priests draw a small cross on the foreheads of people in church. The cross is a
( )	and turned into ash. In Biblical times, people covered themselves in ash to express their sorrow for their
( )	sign that you have regretted your sins and want to cleanse your soul. It is tradition to keep the cross on one’s
( )	sins. Priests say a prayer to show we are all mortal and will return to ashes after we die. A traditional
( 1 )	Many Christians around the world celebrate Ash Wednesday, which marks the first day of Lent. It is the start of a
( )	be for us a sign of our sins, and a symbol of our mortality.”
( )	fast completely on Ash Wednesday or just have bread and water. It is one of only two days in the Catholic
( )	prayer is: “God our Father, you create us from the dust of the earth. Grant that these ashes may
( )	period of time. Roman Catholics should only eat one full meal and two smaller ones during this time. Many Catholics will
( )	calendar when fasting is required. The other day is Good Friday. Ash Wednesday falls between
( )	forehead until the sun sets. In other churches, people write their sins on a small piece of paper, which is then burnt

SCRAMBLED SENTENCES

With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.

1.	Ash Christians the celebrate Wednesday around world
2.	a religious period It is the start of
3.	traditionally fasting 40 people start for days
4.	wilderness days Jesus the 40 because in The is fasted
5.	fasting the is Catholic required calendar days when in
6.	cross foreheads priests small the people a on of draw
7.	a sign that you have regretted your sins The cross is
8.	their a of write on piece people sins small paper
9.	Biblical themselves times in , ash people In covered
10.	say to are Priests prayer we mortal a show all

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

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

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

THE ASH WEDNESDAY SURVEY

Write five questions about Ash Wednesday 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 Ash Wednesday 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 Ash Wednesday. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Ash Wednesday. Write about what happens around the world. Include two imaginary interviews with people who did something on this day.

Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. POSTER: Make your own poster about Ash Wednesday. Write about will happen on this day around the world.