THE elder raced over to the monastery, where he was amazed to find his icon, which he had left behind in his haste, hanging on the gatepost. He took it gratefully, and went in.
He repeated his lesson, and Abbot Thomas and twenty-five others decided to stay, while the rest hid in the woods. The emissaries of Patriarch Bekkos and the Pope duly arrived with their conciliar documents, and began a joint worship service; but Thomas’s monks refused to participate, locking themselves in the tower and giving the delegation a piece of their mind through the door. So the soldiers lit torches, and soon the tower burst into greedy flame. When at last their brethren crept back from the woods, nothing remained among the ashes but the icon of Mary, quite unharmed.*
After Emperor Michael died in 1282, his son Andronikos immediately recalled Bekkos’s predecessor, Joseph, who had resigned in protest over the planned Union. It was officially revoked by the Council of Blachernae in 1285.
The icon survives there to this day, named ‘Of the Akathist’ after the hymn the elder was singing when the Virgin appeared. The martyrs are commemorated every year on October 10th.
Précis
The monk did as Mary told him, and twenty-six monks (still carrying the icon) locked themselves in a tower rather than comply with the Union of Lyons. The Emperor’s men set the tower alight, and the monks were killed; but the icon survived, and the reunion was delayed long enough for a new Emperor to repeal it in 1285. (59 / 60 words)
The monk did as Mary told him, and twenty-six monks (still carrying the icon) locked themselves in a tower rather than comply with the Union of Lyons. The Emperor’s men set the tower alight, and the monks were killed; but the icon survived, and the reunion was delayed long enough for a new Emperor to repeal it in 1285.
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: although, despite, may, not, or, ought, since, who.
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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 Empower. Lock. Tell.
2 Crusader. Flexible. Monastery.
3 Back. Five. Give.
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. Live. 2. Rest. 3. Hide. 4. Own. 5. Firm. 6. Last. 7. Sign. 8. Order. 9. Refuse.
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.
tl (7)
tail. tale. teal. til. tile. toil. tool.
