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'John the Baptist' Bones Found (18th June, 2012)

Scientists say they have found bones belonging to St John the Baptist, who is said to have foretold the coming of Jesus. The remains - parts of a skull, bones from a jaw and an arm, and a tooth – were found in the altar of a fifth-century monastery in Bulgaria. The building is on an island in the Black Sea called Sveti Ivan, which means 'St John' in English. Tests show that the bones are around 2,000 years old and that they belong to a man from the Middle East.

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Many sites around the world say they have bones belonging to John the Baptist. The Grand Mosque in Damascus says it has his head. Several other places say they have the hand that baptised Jesus. Now tests carried out at Oxford University show the bones in Bulgaria may be for real. Oxford's professor Tom Higham said: "When I first heard this story in 2010, I thought it was a bit of a joke….Whether that person is John the Baptist is a question that we cannot yet definitely answer and probably never will."

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.

bones belonging to

a.

2,000 years old

2

foretold the coming

b.

5th-century monastery

3.

bones from a

c.

Middle East

4.

the altar of a

d.

St John the Baptist

5.

around

e.

jaw

6.

a man from the

f.

of Jesus

 

Paragraph 2

1.

Many sites

a.

places

2

Several other

b.

real

3.

tests carried

c.

yet definitely answer

4.

may be for

d.

of a joke

5.

I thought it was a bit

e.

around the world

6.

a question that we cannot

f.

out at Oxford University


LISTENING GAP FILL

Scientists say they have found ____________________ St John the Baptist, who is said to have ____________________ of Jesus. The remains - parts of a skull, bones from a jaw and an arm, and a tooth – were found in the altar ____________________ monastery in Bulgaria. The building is ____________________ the Black Sea called Sveti Ivan, which means 'St John' in English. ____________________ the bones are around 2,000 years old and that they belong to a man ____________________.

Many sites ____________________ say they have bones belonging to John the Baptist. The Grand Mosque in Damascus says it has his head. ____________________ say they have the hand that baptised Jesus. Now ____________________ at Oxford University show the bones in Bulgaria may be for real. Oxford's professor Tom Higham said: "____________________ this story in 2010, I thought it was ____________________ ….Whether that person is John the Baptist is a question that we cannot yet definitely answer and ____________________."


MULTIPLE CHOICE

Scientists say they have found bones (1) ____ to St John the Baptist, who is said to have foretold the coming of Jesus. The (2) ____ - parts of a skull, bones from a (3) ____ and an arm, and a tooth – were found in the altar of a fifth-(4) ____  monastery in Bulgaria. The building is on an island in the Black Sea called Sveti Ivan, which means 'St John' in English. Tests show that the bones are (5) ____ 2,000 years old and that they belong to a man from the Middle (6) ____.

Many (7) ____ around the world say they have bones belonging to John the Baptist. The Grand Mosque in Damascus says it has his head. (8) ____ other places say they have the hand that baptised Jesus. Now tests carried         (9) ____ at Oxford University show the bones in Bulgaria may be for        (10) ____. Oxford's professor Tom Higham said: "When I first heard this story in 2010, I thought it was a (11) ____ of a joke….Whether that person is John the Baptist is a question that we cannot yet (12) ____ answer and probably never will."

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.

(a)

belonged

(b)

belongs

(c)

belonging

2.

(a)

remains

(b)

Romans

(c)

reins

3.

(a)

saw

(b)

jaw

(c)

paw

4.

(a)

decade

(b)

millennium

(c)

century

5.

(a)

around

(b)

along

(c)

after

6.

(a)

East

(b)

North

(c)

West

7.

(a)

sights

(b)

sites

(c)

sates

8.

(a)

Numeral

(b)

Number

(c)

Several

9.

(a)

out

(b)

up

(c)

in

10.

(a)

really

(b)

real

(c)

realistic

11.

(a)

nip

(b)

rid

(c)

bit

12

(a)

questionably

(b)

definitely

(c)

about


SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1

1.

bones ongilbnge to St John the Baptist

2.

foretold the ginomc of Jesus

3.

parts of a luksl

4.

a fifth-ytencur monastery

5.

on an saldni in the Black Sea

6.

nuroad 2,000 years old

 

Paragraph 2

7.

The Grand qeusoM in Damascus

8.

eeavrls other places

9.

tests aicredr out at Oxford University

10.

When I first ehard this story

11.

cannot yet ytiedfieln answer

12.

opbrblay never


PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

(    )

this story in 2010, I thought it was a bit of a joke….Whether that

(    )

in Bulgaria. The building is on an island in the Black Sea called Sveti Ivan, which

(    )

means 'St John' in English. Tests show that the bones are around

1  )

Scientists say they have found bones belonging to St John the Baptist, who is said to have foretold

(    )

be for real. Oxford's professor Tom Higham said: "When I first heard

(    )

2,000 years old and that they belong to a man from the Middle East.

(    )

arm, and a tooth – were found in the altar of a fifth-century monastery

(    )

Mosque in Damascus says it has his head. Several other places say they have the hand

(    )

person is John the Baptist is a question that we cannot yet definitely answer and probably never will."

(    )

that baptised Jesus. Now tests carried out at Oxford University show the bones in Bulgaria may

(    )

the coming of Jesus. The remains - parts of a skull, bones from a jaw and an

(    )

Many sites around the world say they have bones belonging to John the Baptist. The Grand


THE READING / TAPESCRIPT

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

1.

belonging     They     to     have     St     found     John     bones.    

2.

the     a     century     in     of     -     Found    altar    fifth    monastery.    

3.

on     an     island     in     the     Black     Sea     The     building     is.    

4.

around   the   Tests   years   2,000    bones    show     old     are    that.   

5.

the     to     from     East     belong     man     Middle     They     a.    

6.

have     other     the     places     hand     say     they     Several.    

7.

in     real     Bulgaria     may     The     be     bones     for.    

8.

this     heard     first     I     2010     in     story.    

9.

it     bit     joke     thought     a     a     I     was     of.    

10.

A     yet     question     definitely     that     answer     we     cannot.    


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.

________________________________________________________


WRITING

Write about bones 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. JOHN THE BAPTIST: Search the Internet and find more information about bones. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about the bones. Include an imaginary interview with the scientists. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

5. LETTER: Write a letter to an old bones expert. Ask him/her three questions about bones. Give him/her three of your opinions on the bones found in Bulgaria. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Your partner will answer the questions you asked.

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