Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on World Marriage Day. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
Marriage is forever. “Until death do us part”. At least that’s what people promise at the altar when they say “I do”. World Marriage Day (WMD) is celebrated on the second Sunday in February. It is for people to think about their marriage and perhaps renew their own vows of faithfulness and love. It is quite surprising this day does not have a higher profile in the world. After all, marriage is perhaps the most important social bond in our lives. The WMD website says: “World Marriage Day honors husband and wife as head of the family, the basic unit of society. It salutes the beauty of their faithfulness, sacrifice and joy in daily married life.” In 1993, Pope John Paul II gave his support for WMD. It continues to grow every year.
Marriage is under threat today. More and more marriages are ending in divorce and many couples are choosing not to marry at all. In the developed world, people are leaving it later and later to marry, or are deciding to stay single. So why do people get married? They want to show their lifelong commitment to the partner they love or they believe children should have married parents. For most people, it is the natural thing to do. One rather strange reason people often give for getting married is financial security. There are so many different and difficult issues surrounding marriage. Societies are still wondering what to do about same sex marriages and in some countries, polygamous marriages. I suppose every marriage is different.
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PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article.
Paragraph 1
1.
Until death
a.
bond in our lives
2
renew their own vows
b.
married life
3.
surprising this day does not
c.
of faithfulness
4.
the most important social
d.
do us part
5.
… the family, the basic
e.
have a higher profile
6.
joy in daily
f.
unit of society
Paragraph 2
1.
Marriage is under
a.
later to marry
2
More and more marriages
b.
sex marriages
3.
people are leaving it later and
c.
to the partner they love
4.
show their lifelong commitment
d.
threat today
5.
For most people, it is
e.
are ending in divorce
6.
wondering what to do about same
f.
the natural thing to do
LISTENING GAP FILL
Marriage is forever. “Until ________________”. At least that’s what people promise at the altar when they say “I do”. World Marriage Day (WMD) is celebrated on the second Sunday in February. It is for people to think about their marriage and perhaps ________________ vows of faithfulness and love. It is quite surprising this day does not have a ________________ the world. After all, marriage is perhaps the most important social ________________. The WMD website says: “World Marriage Day honors husband and wife as head of the family, ________________ society. It salutes the beauty of their faithfulness, sacrifice and joy in daily married life.” In 1993, Pope John Paul II gave his support for WMD. It continues ________________.
Marriage is ________________. More and more marriages are ending in divorce and many couples are choosing not to marry at all. In the developed world, people are ________________ and later to marry, or are deciding to stay single. So why do people get married? They ___________________ lifelong commitment to the partner they love or they believe children should have married parents. For most people, it is ________________ to do. One rather strange reason people often give for getting married __________________. There are so many different and difficult issues surrounding marriage. Societies are still wondering ________________ same sex marriages and in some countries, polygamous marriages. I suppose every marriage is different.
WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL
Put the words into the gaps in the text.
Marriage is forever. “Until death do us __________”. At least that’s what people promise at the __________ when they say “I do”. World Marriage Day (WMD) is celebrated on the second Sunday in February. It is for people to think about their marriage and perhaps __________ their own vows of faithfulness and love. It is quite surprising this day does not have a higher __________ in the world. After all, marriage is perhaps the most important social __________ in our lives. The WMD website says: “World Marriage Day honors husband and wife as head of the family, the basic __________ of society. It salutes the beauty of their faithfulness, sacrifice and joy in __________ married life.” In 1993, Pope John Paul II gave his support for WMD. It continues to __________ every year.
daily renew profile grow part bond unit altar
Marriage is under __________ today. More and more marriages are ending in divorce and many __________ are choosing not to marry at all. In the developed world, people are leaving it later and later to marry, or are deciding to stay __________. So why do people get married? They want to show their __________ commitment to the partner they love or they believe children should have married parents. For most people, it is the natural __________ to do. One rather strange reason people often give for getting married is financial __________. There are so many different and difficult issues surrounding marriage. Societies are still __________ what to do about same sex marriages and in some countries, polygamous marriages. I __________ every marriage is different.
thing single suppose threat wondering lifelong security couples
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.
Marriage is forever. “Until dying / death do us part”. At least that’s what people promise at the altar when they say “I do / suppose”. World Marriage Day (WMD) is celebrated on the second Sunday in February. It is for people to think about their married / marriage and perhaps renew their own vows / vowed of faithfulness and love. It is quite surprising / surprises this day does not have a higher profile in the world. After all, marriage is perhaps the most important socially / social bond in our lives. The WMD website says: “World Marriage Day honors husband and wife as head of the family, the basically / basic unit of society. It salutes the beauty of their faithfulness, sacrifice and joy in daily married life.” In 1993, Pope John Paul II gave his support for WMD. It continues to growing / grow every year.
Marriage is under treat / threat today. More and more marriages are ending in divorce and many couples are chosen / choosing not to marry at all. In the developed world, people are leaving it later and earlier / later to marry, or are deciding to stay single. So why do people get married? They want to show their lifelong commit / commitment to the partner they love or they believe children should have married parents. For most people, it is the natural / naturally thing to do. One rather strange reason people often give for getting married is financial / financially security. There are so many different and difficult issues surrounding marriage. Societies are still wandering / wondering what to do about same sex marriages and in some countries, polygamous marriages. I suppose every marriage is different / difference.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
Marriage is forever. “Until (1) ____ do us part”. At least that’s what people promise at the altar when they say “I do”. World Marriage Day (WMD) is (2) ____ on the second Sunday in February. It is for people to think about their marriage and perhaps (3) ____ their own vows of faithfulness and love. It is quite surprising this day does not have a higher profile in the world. After all, marriage is perhaps the most important (4) ____ bond in our lives. The WMD website says: “World Marriage Day honors husband and wife as head of the family, the (5) ____ unit of society. It salutes the beauty of their faithfulness, sacrifice and joy in daily married life.” In 1993, Pope John Paul II gave his support for WMD. It continues to (6) ____ every year.
Marriage is (7) ____ threat today. More and more marriages are ending in divorce and many couples are choosing not to marry at (8) ____. In the developed world, people are leaving it later and later to marry, or are deciding to stay single. So why do people get married? They want to show their (9) ____ commitment to the partner they love or they believe children should have married parents. For most people, it is the (10) ____ thing to do. One rather strange reason people often give for getting married is financial security. There are so (11) ____ different and difficult issues surrounding marriage. Societies are still wondering what to do about same sex marriages and in some countries, polygamous marriages. I suppose every marriage is (12) ____.
Put the correct words from this table into the article.
1.
(a)
deathly
(b)
deathlike
(c)
death
(d)
deaths
2.
(a)
celebration
(b)
celebrated
(c)
celebrates
(d)
celebratory
3.
(a)
new
(b)
newly
(c)
newness
(d)
renew
4.
(a)
social
(b)
socially
(c)
socialite
(d)
socials
5.
(a)
basically
(b)
basics
(c)
basil
(d)
basic
6.
(a)
growth
(b)
grown
(c)
grow
(d)
grew
7.
(a)
over
(b)
under
(c)
after
(d)
before
8.
(a)
every
(b)
each
(c)
all
(d)
whole
9.
(a)
living
(b)
life
(c)
lived
(d)
lifelong
10.
(a)
naturally
(b)
natural
(c)
naturalness
(d)
nature
11.
(a)
many
(b)
much
(c)
most
(d)
mostly
12.
(a)
different
(b)
differs
(c)
difference
(d)
differed
SPELLING
Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
Marriage is foeerrv
2.
smropie at the altar
3.
have a higher erpliof
4.
the basic tuni of so
5.
ifccseair and joy
6.
It iutsocenn to grow
Paragraph 2
7.
Marriage is under atreht today
8.
ending in ciroedv
9.
illofneg commitment
10.
the alarutn thing to do
11.
financial styicrue
12.
still ognreiwnd
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
lives. The WMD website says: “World Marriage Day honors husband and wife as head of the family, the basic
( )
strange reason people often give for getting married is financial security. There are so many different and
( )
about their marriage and perhaps renew their own vows of faithfulness and love. It is quite surprising this day
( )
unit of society. It salutes the beauty of their faithfulness, sacrifice and joy in daily married life.” In 1993,
( )
Pope John Paul II gave his support for WMD. It continues to grow every year.
( )
difficult issues surrounding marriage. Societies are still wondering what to do about same
( )
do”. World Marriage Day (WMD) is celebrated on the second Sunday in February. It is for people to think
( )
not to marry at all. In the developed world, people are leaving it later and later to marry, or are deciding to stay
( )
love or they believe children should have married parents. For most people, it is the natural thing to do. One rather
( )
sex marriages and in some countries, polygamous marriages. I suppose every marriage is different.
( )
does not have a higher profile in the world. After all, marriage is perhaps the most important social bond in our
( 1 )
Marriage is forever. “Until death do us part”. At least that’s what people promise at the altar when they say “I
( )
single. So why do people get married? They want to show their lifelong commitment to the partner they
( )
Marriage is under threat today. More and more marriages are ending in divorce and many couples are choosing
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
that’s people at altar what promise the
2.
to It think is about for their people marriage
3.
not have a higher profile in the world this day does
4.
the lives our in bond social important most
5.
every grow to continues It year
6.
in ending are marriages more and More divorce
7.
not many to couples marry are at choosing all
8.
commitment want show lifelong They to their
9.
thing to do For most people , it is the natural
10.
is marriage every suppose I different
DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
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 World Marriage Day. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about World Marriage Day. 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 World Marriage Day. Write about what will happen on this day around the world.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.
