EVOLVE Educational Vocational Objective Learning of Vernacular English

Easter

The Traditions of Easter

Task 1
Link the words on the left to their meanings on the right.

bonnets	something that is or has been derived
decorating	hidden
derivation	people who study at a high level
distinctive	related to the Germans or Teutons
dye	symbolising
etched	ability to have children
fastening	scribed or carved
fertility	relating to 1000 – 1400 AD
lore	making attractive
medieval	attaching
preceding	outstanding
proposed	permanent colouring
scholars	coming before
secluded	small trees or bushes
shrubs	ancient beliefs
signifying	hats for girls
Teutonic	suggested
vernal	springtime

 

Task 2
Use one of the new words to fill the gaps in the text

Origins

Easter is a time of springtime festivals. In Christian countries Easter is celebrated as the religious holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the son of God. But the celebrations of Easter have many customs and legends that are pagan in origin and have nothing to do with Christianity.

1.........., accepting the 2..........  3 .......... by the 8th-century English scholar St. Bede, believe the name Easter is thought to come from the Scandinavian "Ostra" and the 4 .......... "Ostern" or "Eastre," both Goddesses of mythology 5.......... spring and 6.......... whose festival was celebrated on the day of the 7.......... equinox.
Traditions associated with the festival survive in the Easter rabbit, a symbol of fertility, and in coloured Easter eggs, originally painted with bright colours to represent the sunlight of spring, and used in Easter-egg rolling contests or given as gifts
Easter Eggs

Of all the symbols associated with Easter the egg, the symbol of fertility and new life, is the most identifiable. The customs and traditions of using eggs have been associated with Easter for centuries.

Originally Easter eggs were painted with bright colours to represent the sunlight of spring and were used in Easter-egg rolling contests or given as gifts. After they were coloured and 8.......... with various designs the eggs were exchanged by lovers and romantic admirers, much the same as valentines. In 9.......... time eggs were traditionally given at Easter to the servants. In Germany eggs were given to children along with other Easter gifts.
Different cultures have developed their own ways of  10.......... Easter eggs. Crimson eggs, to honour the blood of Christ, are exchanged in Greece. In parts of Germany and Austria green eggs are used on Maundy Thursday (Holy Thursday). Slavic peoples decorate their eggs in special patterns of gold and silver.
Austrian artists design patterns by 11.......... ferns and tiny plants around the eggs, which are then boiled. The plants are then removed revealing a striking white pattern. The Poles and Ukrainians decorate eggs with simple designs and colours. A number of eggs are made in the  12.......... manner called pysanki (to design, to write)
Pysanki eggs are a masterpiece of skill and workmanship. Melted beeswax is applied to the fresh white egg. It is then dipped in successive baths of 13........... After each dip wax is painted over the area where the 14.......... colour is to remain. Eventually a complex pattern of lines and colours emerges into a work of art
In Germany and other countries eggs used for cooking where not broken, but the contents were removed by piercing the end of each egg with a needle and blowing the contents into a bowl. The hollow eggs were dyed and hung from 15.......... and trees during the Easter Week. The Armenians would decorate hollow eggs with pictures of Christ, the Virgin Mary, and other religious designs.
The Easter Bunny

The Easter Bunny has its origin in pre-Christian fertility 16........... The Hare and the Rabbit were the most fertile animals known and they served as symbols of the new life during the Spring season.

The bunny as an Easter symbol seems to have it's origins in Germany, where it was first mentioned in German writings in the 1500s. The first edible Easter bunnies were made in Germany during the early 1800s. And were made of pastry and sugar
The Easter bunny was introduced to American folklore by the German settlers who arrived in the Pennsylvania Dutch country during the 1700s. The arrival of the "Oschter Haws" was considered "childhood's greatest pleasure" next to a visit from Christ-Kindel on Christmas Eve. The children believed that if they were good the "Oschter Haws" would lay a nest of coloured eggs.
The children would build their nest in a 17.......... place in the home, the barn or the garden. Boys would use their caps and girls their 18.......... to make the nests . The use of elaborate Easter baskets would come later as the tradition of the Easter bunny spread through out the country.
Easter is observed by the churches of the West on the first Sunday following the full moon that occurs on or following the spring equinox (March 2I). So Easter became a "movable" feast which can occur as early as March 22 or as late as April 25.

Task 3
Mark these questions true or false

1 Some Easter traditions have nothing to do with Christianiy.           

2 The rabbit is a symbol of fertility.                                                         

3 Eggs make you fertile.                                                                     

4 Lovers gave each other eggs on Valentines Day.                         

5 ‘Pysanki’ eggs are easy to make.                                                  

6 The symbol of the bunny at Easter is a German tradition.                 

7 Easter was almost as popular with children as Christmas.                   

8 Giant rabbits lay chocolate eggs in this festival.                       

Task 4
Discuss these questions

• Do you celebrate Easter in your country?
• Do you have any other springtime celebrations in your country?
• Is there a festival of fertility in your country?
• Do any of the symbols in the text have a different meaning in your country?

 

http://www.holidays.net/easter/index.htm

http://www.freeimages.co.uk/

 

 

Answers

Task 1
Link the words on the left to their meanings on the right.

derivation	something that is or has been derived
secluded	hidden
scholars	people who study at a high level
Teutonic	related to the Germans or Teutons
signifying	symbolising
fertility	ability to have children
etched	scribed or carved
medieval	relating to 1000 – 1400 AD
decorating	making attractive
fastening	attaching
distinctive	outstanding
dye	permanent colouring
preceding	coming before
shrubs	small trees or bushes
lore	ancient beliefs
bonnets	hats for girls
proposed	suggested
vernal	springtime

Task 2

1. Scholars
2. derivation
3. proposed
4. Teutonic
5. signifying
6. fertility
7. vernal
8. etched
9. medieval
10. decorating
11. fastening
12. distinctive
13. dye
14. preceding
15. shrubs
16. lore
17. secluded
18. bonnets

 

Task 3

1. True
2. True
3. False
4. True
5. False
6. True
7. True
8. False