AMIDST his triumphs on the tennis court, Woosnam was still playing football, having already turned out for Chelsea in 1919. In 1920, he signed as an amateur for Manchester City (though quite capable of turning professional), paying the bills with a job at local engineering firm Crossley. Unusually, the club’s professionals chose the amateur Max as their captain, and he led them to second place in the top flight in the 1920–21 season.
After Max was left out of an FA Cup tie against Leicester and his team slumped to a three-nil defeat, the fans rounded on Crossley’s, who responded by sternly reminding Max that soccer must come before work. A rock-like centre half, Woosnam played ninety-six games for City and captained England to a one-nil victory against Wales in 1922.
Woosnam retired from soccer in 1926, to concentrate on a new career with ICI. He took up snooker, and is said to have compiled at least one maximum break.*
That is, a total clearance of all fifteen reds (each with a black) and all six colours, scoring 147 points. In 2014, former world champion Shaun Murphy became the first person to make three maximums in a calendar year during competition.
Précis
In 1921, Woosnam turned from tennis to soccer, captaining top flight side Manchester City and also, for one match against Wales in 1922, the England national side. He remained an amateur throughout his career, working for engineering firm Crossley and subsequently for ICI, retiring from sport in 1926. (48 / 60 words)
In 1921, Woosnam turned from tennis to soccer, captaining top flight side Manchester City and also, for one match against Wales in 1922, the England national side. He remained an amateur throughout his career, working for engineering firm Crossley and subsequently for ICI, retiring from sport in 1926.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 45 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: although, because, besides, if, must, or, otherwise, whereas.
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 Break. Pick. Spirit.
2 Amateur. Local. Ninety.
3 Amid. Follow. Unusual.
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.)
High Tiles Find in Think and Speak
Make words (three letters or more) from the seven letters showing below, using any letter once only. Each letter carries a score. What is the highest-scoring word you can make?
Your Words ()
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