IN the dead of the third night, a brightness filled the church, and Cuthbert himself came out from the altar area. His thin face, ripened by long fasting, was shining, and his eyes sparkled like stars. His vesture was of gold, and pearls softly clicked where his hand grasped his staff; the hair beneath his jewelled bishop’s crown was flecked with grey.
“You violated the peace of my birds”* said Cuthbert, with gentle reproof. “But you were more stupid than malicious; and I am more accustomed to pity than retribution, so you will now feel my power within you.” He led the boy, cured of his broken bones, to the altar, and when he softly rapped each stiffened hand against it the fingers loosed their vice-like grip, and all wounds vanished. One little finger, however, remained in contraction to the end of his days, as a reminder of the love of St Cuthbert towards one very rash young boy.
A reference to ‘St Cuthbert’s Peace’, a bond between the saint and birds of all kinds. See all our stories tagged St Cuthbert’s Peace (4).
Précis
After three days’ praying in the church, the boy saw St Cuthbert himself enter, dressed as a bishop and bathed in light. The saint gently remonstrated with him, and then cured him of his broken bones and painful hand spasms at the altar. One finger, however, remained in contration as a life-long reminder. (53 / 60 words)
After three days’ praying in the church, the boy saw St Cuthbert himself enter, dressed as a bishop and bathed in light. The saint gently remonstrated with him, and then cured him of his broken bones and painful hand spasms at the altar. One finger, however, remained in contration as a life-long reminder.
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: because, besides, if, or, since, unless, until, whereas.
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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.
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 All. Daub. Night.
2 Against. Beneath. Have.
3 Day. Lad. Roof.
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.)
Opposites Find in Think and Speak
Suggest words or phrases that seem opposite in meaning to each of the words below. We have suggested some possible answers; see if you can find any others.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
Variations: 1.instead of opposites, suggest words of similar meaning (synonyms). 2.use a word and its opposite in the same sentence. 3.suggest any 5 opposites formed by adding dis-.
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.
vry (5+1)
every. ivory. ovary. vary. very.
aviary.
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