IN Germanus’s company, Patrick witnessed the Alleluia Victory and other wonderful events in the land of his birth, but he knew his destiny lay in Ireland. Dreams still came to him of the Irish crying, “Come back to Erin!”
So when Pope Celestine’s choice as Ireland’s first bishop, Palladius, quailed before the ferocious hatred of the pagan chieftains there, it was no surprise to Patrick when Germanus recommended him to the new See.
The Druid priests screamed incantations at him; their chieftains perjured themselves repeatedly with wild claims of embezzlement and misconduct. But Patrick’s conscience was untroubled, and the ordinary people loved him.
He had a gift for matching familiar Irish things to Christian themes, and the sunshine of his gospel drove the fears and capricious gods of paganism away like a dark cloud.
St Patrick died on 17th March 461. He had gone back to the people among whom he had been a slave, and he had brought them freedom.
Précis
Despite the importance of Germanus’s mission to Britain, Patrick still believed his destiny lay in Ireland. When Palladius gave up his place as Ireland’s first bishop, Germanus recommended Patrick for the job, and in the face of bitter opposition from Irish kings, who were pagans, he succeeded in establishing a foothold for Christiaity there. (54 / 60 words)
Despite the importance of Germanus’s mission to Britain, Patrick still believed his destiny lay in Ireland. When Palladius gave up his place as Ireland’s first bishop, Germanus recommended Patrick for the job, and in the face of bitter opposition from Irish kings, who were pagans, he succeeded in establishing a foothold for Christiaity there.
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: about, if, must, not, otherwise, since, unless, whether.
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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.
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence. 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 Forget. Six. Too.
2 After. Have. Shepherd.
3 Deprive. Gift. Lay.
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.)
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.
nts (9+4)
ants. aunts. nets. notes. nuts. unites. unities. units. unties.
antes. antis. aunties. nits.
