Level: B2/C1

Preparation
Make one copy of the worksheet per learner. Be ready to play the extract from the lecture. You need the 12.30 – 22.40 section of the lecture for this lesson: http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/king-james-bible/english-speaking-union-lecture-professor-david-crystal

Procedure

• Explain that the students are going to watch an extract from a lecture by Professor David Crystal about English idioms which are used now and which appeared in the King James Bible in 1611.

• Distribute the worksheet, and ask the students to match up the phrases. Ask which they think are associated with the King James Bible.

Answers 1
a.    Fly in the ointment
b.    Am I my brother’s keeper?
c.    Claim to fame
d.    From beginning to end
e.    Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die
f.    Weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth
(a, b, e and f are associated with the King James Bible. c and d are useful phrases which the speaker uses.)

• In order for the students to recognise the Biblical names in the talk, ask them to do Ex 2.

Answers 2
a.    Genesis, Matthew, Apocrypha; Esther; the Old Testament
b.    Genesis
c.    Matthew
d.    Cain and Abel

• Give the students a moment to read the T / F statements, then play the clip.

Answers 3
a.    T
b.    T
c.    T
d.    F
e.    F
f.     F – he reads it in an accent that was spoken in 1611
g.    T
h.    F
i.     T
j.     F
 
By Anthony Cosgrove

The worksheets are downloadable and in pdf format - right click on the attachments below and save them on your computer.

Copyright - please read
All the materials on these pages are free for you to download and copy for educational use only. You may not redistribute, sell or place these materials on any other web site without written permission from the BBC and British Council. If you have any questions about the use of these materials please email us at: teachingenglish@britishcouncil.org 

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