SUCH a “settlement” could not endure. The wars and rebellions of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries were attempts to unmake its articles or to repair its omissions. The revolutionary outbreaks of 1848, the Hungarian war of independence of 1849, the Polish insurrection of 1863, the Crimean war [of 1853-56], the Franco-Austrian war of 1859, the war between the Germanic Powers and Denmark in 1864, and that between those Powers themselves two years later, the Franco-Prussian war, the wars between Russia and Turkey and Greece and Turkey, and those of Serbia, Greece, and Bulgaria against their Ottoman enemy and one another, from which this last and greatest war of all has developed, — these are episodes in the struggle to attain, or to repress, national aspirations after unity or freedom, or both.
Précis
The legacy of the Congress was a ferment of dissatisfaction, said Low, which had manifested itself in sixty years of revolution and war; the Great War itself was only the last and most catastrophic in a series of conflicts to arise out of the political elite’s vain efforts to snuff out national, democratic and liberal movements across the Continent. (59 / 60 words)
The legacy of the Congress was a ferment of dissatisfaction, said Low, which had manifested itself in sixty years of revolution and war; the Great War itself was only the last and most catastrophic in a series of conflicts to arise out of the political elite’s vain efforts to snuff out national, democratic and liberal movements across the Continent.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: besides, despite, just, not, ought, since, whereas, whether.
Archive
Word Games
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 Enough. Repress. Thought.
2 Independence. Perilous. State.
3 Mechanical. Nation. Refuse.
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.)
Homonyms Find in Think and Speak
Each of the words below has more than one possible meaning. Compose your own sentences to show what those different meanings are.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1. Base. 2. Last. 3. Lead. 4. Subject. 5. Right. 6. Left. 7. Refuse. 8. Order.
Subject and Object Find in Think and Speak
Use each word below in two sentences, first as the subject of a verb, and then as the object of a verb. It doesn’t have to be the same verb: some verbs can’t be paired with an object (e.g. arrive, happen), so watch out for these.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1. People. 2. Article. 3. Marriage. 4. State. 5. Power. 6. Force. 7. National. 8. Product. 9. Community.
Variations: 1.use your noun in the plural (e.g. cat → cats), if possible. 2.give one of your sentences a future aspect (e.g. will, going to). 3.write sentences using negatives such as not, neither, nobody and never.
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.
ps (11+8)
apes. pas. pause. peas. pease. pies. pious. poise. pose. pus. ups.
apse. epees. oops. ops. opus. pees. peso. poos.
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