The Australian Bible Society has just created a world first – the entire Bible translated into SMS message form. This is the text language that is the world’s most modern form of communication and is so prevalent in messages e-mailed from mobile phones. The SMS Bible is intended to cross the digital divide and reach a wider audience. Bible Society spokesman Michael Chant said: “The old days when the Bible was only available within a somber black cover with a cross on it are long gone.…We want to open it up for people of all ages, backgrounds and interests, and the SMS version is a logical extension of that.” It took one person four weeks to convert all 31,173 verses of the Bible.

Traditionalists and devout Bible readers are a little bemused by the idea of the Bible in abbreviated form. Many believe it lacks the dignity and elegance of the original wording. However, for many younger people, text language is much more accessible than the often staid and antiquated language used in many versions of the Bible. Mr. Chant said the text version would open the Bible up to the young, who are such ardent mobile phone users. He added: “The idea is that the Bible can be used and be relevant and up-to-date, just like getting a verse of the day or reading a horoscope.” Although the new service is proving to be popular, it is not cheap. The entire Bible would cost $US6,000 to send by text.

WARM-UPS

1. HOLY BOOK: In pairs / groups, talk about your history with holy books. When did you first start reading one? Do you like or dislike them? Have you read holy books from different religions? Do you have favorite verses?

2. TXT MSG: How much do you know about text language in English? With your partner(s), try to guess the meaning of the words in the left column. If you have difficulty, match them with the standard English on the right.

b4 gonna luv xlnt ruok cul8er 2moro sum1 gr8 oic

1.  Are you OK? 2.  before 3.  excellent 4.  going to 5.  great 6.  love 7.  Oh, I see. 8.  See you later. 9.  someone 10. tomorrow

3. CHAT: In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics or words are most interesting and which are most boring.

Australia / Bible / holy books / e-mail messages / communication / cross / translations / boring language / mobile phones / horoscopes / $6,000

Have a chat about the topics you liked. For more conversation, change topics and partners frequently.

4. COMMUNICATION: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word “communication”. Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

5. SHORTER & SHRTR: In pairs / groups, talk about the kinds of texts that might be more convenient if they were written in text language (newspapers, exam papers, railway timetables, restaurant menus, legal contracts, instructions, road signs…).

6. SMS (Short Message Service) OPINIONS: Do you agree with these opinions on language and SMS / text language? Talk about them with your partner(s).

1. I don’t like my language changing.
2. Shorter text language is more convenient.
3. Text message is too difficult for most people.
4. Holy books are too important to be translated into text (SMS) language.
5. I’m worried my children will not be able to spell correctly.
6. SMS simply allows people to be lazy.
7. I love all this new, shortened language.
8. I don’t want to learn English text language.

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

1. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F):

a.	We can now read the Bible in an English that uses shorter words.	T / F
b.	SMS text is the world’s most modern form of communication.	T / F
c.	Nowadays, Bibles are only available with black covers.	T / F
d.	One person converted all 31,173 verses of the Bible in four weeks.	T / F
e.	Devout Bible readers are highly amused by the abbreviated text.	T / F
f.	The young are often put off by the older Bible’s antiquated wording.	T / F
g.	The new text message Bible will be free with daily horoscopes.	T / F
h.	The entire Bible would cost $US6,000 to send by text.	T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article:

a.	translated	enthusiastic
b.	prevalent	commonsensical
c.	cross	shortened
d.	somber	commonplace
e.	logical	old-fashioned
f.	devout	serious
g.	abbreviated	converted
h.	antiquated	whole
i.	ardent	faithful
j.	entire	span

3. PHRASE MATCH: Match the following phrases from the article (sometimes more than one combination is possible):

a.	…has just created a	for people of all ages
b.	so prevalent in messages	within a somber black cover
c.	intended to cross	antiquated language
d.	Bible was only available	the original wording
e.	We want to open it up	e-mailed from mobile phones
f.	devout	are such ardent mobile phone users
g.	it lacks the dignity and elegance of	world first
h.	staid and	to be popular
i.	the young, who	the digital divide
j.	the new service is proving	Bible readers

AFTER READING / LISTENING

GAP FILL: Put the words in the column on the right into the gaps in the text.

Bible translated for mobile phones

BNE: The Australian Bible Society has just created a world _______ – the entire Bible translated into SMS message _______. This is the text language that is the world’s most modern form of communication and is so _______ in messages e-mailed from mobile phones. The SMS Bible is intended to _______ the digital divide and reach a wider audience. Bible Society spokesman Michael Chant said: “The old days when the Bible was only available within a _______ black cover with a cross on it are _______ gone.…We want to open it up for people of all ages, backgrounds and interests, and the SMS version is a _______ extension of that.” It took one person four weeks to convert all 31,173 _______ of the Bible.		cross logical prevalent long first somber verses form
Traditionalists and _______ Bible readers are a little bemused by the idea of the Bible in abbreviated form. Many believe it _______ the dignity and elegance of the original _______. However, for many younger people, text language is much more accessible than the often _______ and antiquated language used in many versions of the Bible. Mr. Chant said the text version would open the Bible up to the young, who are such _______ mobile phone users. He added: “The idea is that the Bible can be used and be _______ and up-to-date, just like getting a verse of the day or reading a horoscope.” Although the new service is _______ to be popular, it is not cheap. The _______ Bible would cost $US6,000 to send by text.		staid relevant lacks entire wording devout proving ardent

AFTER READING / LISTENING

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionaries / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words ‘black’ and ‘cover’.

• Share your findings with your partners.
• Make questions using the words you found.
• Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

• Share your questions with other classmates / groups.
• Ask your partner / group your questions.

3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the gap fill. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. STUDENT “TEXT MESSAGE” SURVEY: In pairs / groups, write down questions about the way mobile phones are changing language.

• Ask other classmates your questions and note down their answers.
• Go back to your original partner / group and compare your findings.
• Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

6. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall exactly how these were used in the text:

first modern divide somber logical verses

devout elegance staid ardent proving entire

DISCUSSION

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

1. What were your initial thoughts on this headline?
2. Did the headline make you want to read the article?
3. Do you send e-mail messages using a mobile phone?
4. Is modern technology changing your language?
5. Are young people in your country having more problems with spelling?
6. Do you read a holy book?
7. What are the advantages of the new SMS Bible?
8. Would you prefer reading a traditional book?
9. Do you think new technology is changing the world too quickly?
10. Do you think text messaging will have a negative impact on English or your language?

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

1. Did you like reading this article?
2. What do you think about what you read?
3. Do you think receiving a verse of a holy book on your mobile phone in abbreviated form is a good idea?
4. Do you think the new service will be popular?
5. Do you think there should be more ways to encourage young people to read holy books?
6. What are the advantages of text messaging?
7. What do you think religious leaders will say about holy books being translated into text language?
8. Would you download verses from a holy book on your mobile?
9. Which would you prefer to download, a verse from a holy book or your horoscope?
10. Did you like this discussion?

AFTER DISCUSSION: Join another partner / group and tell them what you talked about.

1. What question would you like to ask about this topic?
2. What was the most interesting thing you heard?
3. Was there a question you didn’t like?
4. Was there something you totally disagreed with?
5. What did you like talking about?
6. Do you want to know how anyone else answered the questions?
7. Which was the most difficult question?

SPEAKING

MORE TEXT: In pairs / groups, talk about the advantages and disadvantages of having the following kinds of text written only in text language:
 

TEXT	ADVANTAGES	DISADVANTAGES
Newspapers
Exam papers
Railway timetables
Restaurant menus
Medicine instructions
Legal contracts
Road signs
Other

Change partners and tell each other about what you talked about earlier.

Should the world have more text language?

LISTENING

Listen and fill in the spaces.

Bible translated for mobile phones

The Australian Bible Society has just created __ _______ ______ – the entire Bible translated into SMS message form. This is the _____ _________ that is the world’s most modern form of communication and is so prevalent in messages e-mailed from mobile phones. The SMS Bible is _________ to cross the digital divide and reach a wider _________. Bible Society spokesman Michael Chant said: “The old days when the Bible was only available within a _________ black cover with a cross on it are long gone.…We want to open it up for people of all ages, backgrounds and interests, and the SMS version is a _________ extension of that.” It took one person four weeks to convert all 31,173 _________ of the Bible.

Traditionalists and _________ Bible readers are a little bemused by the idea of the Bible in abbreviated form. Many believe it lacks the _________ and elegance of the original _________. However, for many younger people, text language is much more accessible than the often _________ and antiquated language used in many versions of the Bible. Mr. Chant said the text version would open the Bible up to the young, who are such _________ mobile phone users. He added: “The idea is that the Bible can be used and be relevant and up-to-date, just like getting a verse of the day or reading a horoscope.” Although the new service is _________ to be popular, it is not cheap. The _________ Bible would cost $US6,000 to send by text.

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 on the new SMS Bible. Share your findings with your class in the next lesson.

3. TXT MSGNG: Find some examples of text messaging in English and write them down. Try to write a whole letter using text language. Show your messages to your classmates in your next lesson. Can they understand your message?

4. LETTER: Write a letter to the Language Society about text language. Tell him / her whether you think it is a good or bad idea and why. Did you all write about similar things?

ANSWERS

TXT MSG:

a - 2

b - 4

c - 6

d - 3

e - 1

f - 8

g - 10

h - 9

I - 5

j - 7

TRUE / FALSE:

a. T

b. T

c. F

d. T

e. F

f. T

g. F

h. T

SYNONYM MATCH:

a.	translated	converted
b.	prevalent	commonplace
c.	cross	span
d.	somber	serious
e.	logical	commonsensical
f.	devout	faithful
g.	abbreviated	shortened
h.	antiquated	old-fashioned
i.	ardent	enthusiastic
j.	entire	whole

PHRASE MATCH:

a.	…has just created a	world first
b.	so prevalent in messages	e-mailed from mobile phones
c.	intended to cross	the digital divide
d.	Bible was only available	within a somber black cover
e.	We want to open it up	for people of all ages
f.	devout	Bible readers
g.	it lacks the dignity and elegance of	the original wording
h.	staid and	antiquated language
i.	the young, who	are such ardent mobile phone users
j.	the new service is proving	to be popular

GAP FILL:

Bible translated for mobile phones

The Australian Bible Society has just created a world first – the entire Bible translated into SMS message form. This is the text language that is the world’s most modern form of communication and is so prevalent in messages e-mailed from mobile phones. The SMS Bible is intended to cross the digital divide and reach a wider audience. Bible Society spokesman Michael Chant said: “The old days when the Bible was only available within a somber black cover with a cross on it are long gone.…We want to open it up for people of all ages, backgrounds and interests, and the SMS version is a logical extension of that.” It took one person four weeks to convert all 31,173 verses of the Bible.

Traditionalists and devout Bible readers are a little bemused by the idea of the Bible in abbreviated form. Many believe it lacks the dignity and elegance of the original wording. However, for many younger people, text language is much more accessible than the often staid and antiquated language used in many versions of the Bible. Mr. Chant said the text version would open the Bible up to the young, who are such ardent mobile phone users. He added: “The idea is that the Bible can be used and be relevant and up-to-date, just like getting a verse of the day or reading a horoscope.” Although the new service is proving to be popular, it is not cheap. The entire Bible would cost $US6,000 to send by text.

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