I HASTENED to assure him of my friendship, begging him, in return, to convey me in his father’s ship to my own country. I took special care not to inform him that I was the Agib whom he dreaded.
The morning of the fortieth dawned, and the young man when he woke gave thanks in an outburst of joy. “My father may be here at any moment,” said he, “so make me, I pray you, a bath of hot water, that I may bathe, and change my clothes, and be ready to receive him.” He begged me to bring him a melon and some sugar, that he might eat and refresh himself.
I soon chose a fine melon out of those which remained, but could find no knife to cut it with. “Look in the cornice over my head,” said he. It was so high above me, that I had some difficulty in reaching it, and catching my foot in the covering of the bed, I slipped, and fell right upon the young man, the knife going straight into his heart.
Abridged
Précis
To avoid worrying the boy, Agib conceals his own identity and stays the forty days with him in the chamber, hoping to hitch a ride home on his father’s ship. However, on the very last day Agib is fetching a knife to slice some melon when he slips and accidentally kills the boy, just as predicted. (56 / 60 words)
To avoid worrying the boy, Agib conceals his own identity and stays the forty days with him in the chamber, hoping to hitch a ride home on his father’s ship. However, on the very last day Agib is fetching a knife to slice some melon when he slips and accidentally kills the boy, just as predicted.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 60 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 50 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: about, although, if, or, ought, whereas, whether, who.
Archive
Word Games
Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Going. Listen. Thank.
2 Chamber. Fortieth. High.
3 Any. Beware. Mountain.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
Add Vowels Find in Think and Speak
Make words by adding vowels to each group of consonants below. You may add as many vowels as you like before, between or after the consonants, but you may not add any consonants or change the order of those you have been given. See if you can beat our target of common words.
rgs (9+1)
argues. orgies. rages. rags. rigs. rogues. rouges. rugs. urges.
ragas.
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