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Many words that are now commonly used in English had their roots in Greco-Roman mythology. Cereal, for example, comes from the goddess of the harvest Ceres. The phrase Achilles heel is derived from the one vulnerability of the Greek warrior Achilles.
Write the following terms on the blackboard:
| atlas |
Herculean effort |
labyrinth |
| panic |
Midas touch |
tantalize |
| Titanic |
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Have students research one or two of these terms. They should write about and illustrate their findings and share them with the class.
“How Myths Have Informed Our Language,” at www.mythweb.com/teachers/tips/tips.html, is a good place for students to begin their research (see Related Resources).
This printable worksheet is in PDF format and requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.
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