week 7

This week the students in Tábara, Zamora have prepared for you a presentation about one of the most important celebrations for the province (and country) which is Semana Santa or Holy Week. This is a Catholic religious celebration. It takes place at the end of Lent.  Semana Santa is a very big tradition in Spain. There are 2 very important celebrations that Spaniards try to attend, Semana Santa in Zamora and Sevilla. They are very different celebrations.

1. Read the Wikipedia article about Semana Santa in Spain

1. Watch the 2 videos. The first made for you all by the Tábara students and the 2nd is a promotional video made last year by the town of Zamora.

Some special religious vocabulary words before viewing the videos:

Mass: in the catholic church this is the religious service. Other religions simply call it “service”

Lent: In the Catholic church this is 40 days of penitence and fasting that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Easter Sunday. It is in remembrance of Jesus life conviction, sentence, death and resurrection.

Semana Santa (Holy Week): This begins usually on the last Sunday of Lent, however, in Spain it begins on the 2nd to the last Thursday and last until Monday morning after Easter (total of 12 days). All citizens are on vacation for the entire 12 days, schools and universities are closed, banks have limited hours and most stores have limited morning hours and some are closed.

Video by Tábara students:

Here is a promotional video made by the town of Zamora showing some of highlighted processions:

https://youtu.be/pd1nhayZjEI

1. Answer the following questions and turn them in here to this assignment folder by Wednesday of week 7, 11:30pm PT

1. What did you think about this tradition?

2. Was there anything that surprised you? Give details.

2. What other questions do you have for the students regarding this tradition? — required to ask at least one question

3. Have you ever experienced anything similar to this? If so, please give examples and details.

4. Was it easy or difficult to understand the presentation? (pronunciation, word choices, organization, etc. )

5. What advice would you give the students in regards to their pronunciation and organization of the presentation in English?