IT is no very uncommon thing in the world to meet with men of probity;* there are likewise a great many men of honour to be found. Men of courage, men of sense, and men of letters are frequent; but a true fine gentleman is what one seldom sees. He is properly a compound of the various good qualities that embellish mankind. As the great poet animates all the different parts of learning by the force of his genius,* and irradiates all the compass of his knowledge by the lustre and brightness of his imagination, so all the great and solid perfections of life appear in the finished gentleman, with a beautiful gloss and varnish; every thing he says or does is accompanied with a manner, or rather a charm, that draws the admiration and good-will of every beholder.
* From Latin probitas, meaning ‘goodness, worth, uprightness, honesty’ (as defined by Lewis and Short). A man of probity is a man of integrity and high principle.
* A man of letters is a well-read man, especially one who writes for an intellectual audience, e.g. a poet, essayist or scholar.
* ‘Genius’ is used today to mean extreme brilliance of mind, but in Steele’s day it often meant simply ‘natural gifts’, one’s innate character.
Précis
A true gentleman is harder to find, said Steele, than men of integrity, honour or even sense. The mark of a gentleman is that, like a poet, he can add something to every subject and every situation in which he interests himself, something which draws others and enriches their understanding — a rare gift indeed. (54 / 60 words)
A true gentleman is harder to find, said Steele, than men of integrity, honour or even sense. The mark of a gentleman is that, like a poet, he can add something to every subject and every situation in which he interests himself, something which draws others and enriches their understanding — a rare gift indeed.
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: although, because, despite, not, otherwise, since, unless, who.
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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 Fashionable. Interest. Proper.
2 Lead. Natural. One.
3 Admiration. Appearance. Doe.
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. Finish. 2. Long. 3. Court. 4. Draw. 5. Country. 6. Bright. 7. Fine. 8. Lead. 9. Found.
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. Thing. 2. Meet. 3. Imagination. 4. Lead. 5. Will. 6. Natural. 7. Man. 8. Stranger. 9. Character.
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.
flls (6+1)
falls. fells. fillies. fills. flails. follies.
fellas.
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