Clay Lane

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New posts, old posts, and a few brainteasers

December 26 December 13 OS

109

The Object of a Liberal Education

Thomas Huxley believed that if schools did not ground their pupils in common sense, life’s examinations would be painful.

In an address to the South London Working Men’s College in 1868, new Principal Thomas Huxley attempted to define a liberal education. As befitted a friend of Charles Darwin, he spoke in terms of Nature’s university. She has enrolled us all in it, but she provides no lectures; so if we want to pass her stern examinations, we had better find out what to expect.

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Join each group of ideas together to make a single sentence, in as many ways as you can.

Nature has laws. She punishes infractions. She gives no explanation. [Break. Why. Wrong.]

People should enjoy life. This requires self-control. [Behaviour. Necessary. Otherwise.]

Posted October 11

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110

A hymn addressed to the Holy Spirit as God’s royal seal upon the heart.

Hymns and indeed prayers to the Holy Spirit are not particularly common, but Charles Wesley composed several hymns to or about the Spirit. This hymn focuses on the idea (taken from St Paul’s letters) of the Holy Spirit as God’s royal seal on the Christian’s soul, a stamped image marking the believer out as redeemed by and for God.

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Posted October 10

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111

Heracles and Omphale

As penance for involuntary manslaughter, Heracles was sentenced to slavery under the playful rod of Omphale, Queen of Lydia.

After completing his Twelve Labours for King Eurystheus, Heracles gave his wife Megara a divorce, since he had killed their children in a fit of madness, and turned his attention to Iole, daughter of King Eurytus. Eurytus was not keen for Iole to suffer Megara’s fate, but Iole’s brother Iphitus backed the hero; which made it all the more unfortunate that Heracles then accidentally killed him.

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Join each group of ideas together to make a single sentence, in as many ways as you can.

Heracles asked the oracle for advice. She would not give it. He stole her tripod. [Refuse. Revenge. Stool.]

Omphale bought a slave. The slave was Heracles. She did not know. [Aware. Idea. Identity.]

Posted October 7

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112

Laughter in the House

Sir Philip Sidney reminded comedians that when the audience is laughing they aren’t necessarily the better for it.

In 1579, Stephen Gosson wrote School of Abuse, accusing Elizabethan theatre of being a frivolous and bawdy distraction from England’s serious social problems. Some three years later, Sir Philip Sidney replied with An Apologie for Poetrie, a gentle defence of the drama; but even he could find little to say for comedians who thought that anything that raised a laugh was entertainment.

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Join each group of ideas together to make a single sentence, in as many ways as you can.

I tried not to laugh. What you said was silly. I’m sorry. [Apologise. Help. So.]

Some stories delight. Some stories amuse. Few do both. [Category. Laugh. Rare.]

Posted October 7

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113

Complete each of these statements with a little request for confirmation.

Tag questions are those little questions such as aren’t I? or wouldn’t you? that we attach to the end of a statement in the hope of confirmation. See if you can dream up tags for these sentences. The sentences come from the novels of Agatha Christie.

1 “Life is full of trials, ________?”

2 “She’s not been kidnapped, ________?”

3 “They keep it in the Tower, ________?”

4 “You'd think so, ________?”

5 “So we can’t go and ask the dog, ________?”

Now see if you can make up sentences for these tags.

Do we. Isn’t it. Wouldn’t she. Must I. Haven’t we. Were we. Has he. Have they. Didn’t he. Oughtn’t it. Can you.

Posted October 7

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114

Fill the empty boxes with letters, using the clues to help you find the right ones.

Use the clues provided to help you fill this puzzle with the right words. Most of the clues test vocabulary, but some test general knowledge.

Crossword No. 6

From Crosswords

A new crossword for the collection.

Fill the empty boxes with letters to make words running across and down. Use the numbered clues to help you find the right words. Click any box to get started.

*****P**SPATE**L*P*R*FOOLISH*U*O*I**COMMA**H*B***

2 across A sudden flood of e.g. river water, burglaries. 5 letters

4 across Unwise. 7 letters

5 across Mark of punctuation. 5 letters

1 down Former name for Iran. 6 letters

2 down Lazy, drooping posture. 6 letters

3 down Apparently effortless skill or style. 6 letters

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Posted October 5

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