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6
16 Apr
Many colourful words and phrases come from past customs. Which common adjective is dictionary-writer Dr Johnson (1709-1784) talking about here?
— (5-5). In open sight; without artifice or trick. A figurative expression, borrowed from gamesters, — who, when they put their hands under the table, are changing their cards.
Above-board.
7
16 Apr
Read this little poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge out aloud. You will need to add (in your mind) lines of verse and suitable punctuation. Don’t forget such useful little things as dashes, exclamation marks and question marks. Hint: there are three stanzas.
if i had but two little wings and were a little feathery bird to you id fly my dear but thoughts like these are idle things and i stay here but in my sleep to you i fly im always with you in my sleep the world is all ones own and then one wakes and where am i all all alone sleep stays not though a monarch bids so i love to wake ere break of day for though my sleep be gone yet while tis dark one shuts ones lids and still dreams on
See below for the whole poem.
8
12 Apr
For each sentence, reconstruct the speaker’s original words, as they would be given in direct speech (i.e. inside quotation marks).
1 Peter said that his eyes were red because he had a cold.
What words did Peter use?
2 ‘I expect they’ve left the gas on once too often, and the draught blew it out, and they’re suffocated in their beds. Father always said they would some day,’ said Robert cheerfully.
What words did Robert’s father use?
Sentences taken from the children’s stories of Edith Nesbit.
9
11 Apr
Combine each group of ideas into a single sentence. Try doing this in several different ways, and then choose the best.
1 You are not responsible. I am not responsible.
2 He does not deserve criticism. He does not deserve praise.
3 We saw him no more. We heard him no more.
Based on an exercise in Straightforward English (1949) by NL Clay.
10
11 Apr
Suggest words or phrases that seem opposite in meaning to each of the following.
IBeneficial. IILevel. IIITawdry.
At an angle. Bumpy. Detrimental. Elegant. Harmful. Lopsided. Refined. Tasteful. Tilted.
11
10 Apr
For each item below, think of three varieties of it, e.g. cat → lion, tiger, tabby. See if you can write a scene appropriate for one but not the other two. Try to include a person, a location and some sort of action.
IClocks. IIFlowers. IIIBags.
Grandfather clock. Stopwatch. Timer on an explosive device. Roses. Carnations. Buttercups. Handbag. Shopping bag. Golf bag.
