To shed a ray of light on this question of sunshine Herschel sought, but sought in vain, for temperatures in ages that were past. He could get none. He was not aware of the thermometers made by the school of Galileo and lost to sight till Libri discovered them, and made them the common property of science.* But, resolved not to be baffled, Herschel turned to the rise and fall of the price of wheat at Windsor as an indication of the warmth or coldness of the sun’s rays. It was his only resource, and it was an idea worthy of a baffled man of science. But critics in the highest quarters attacked and ridiculed this seeker after truth as if he were guilty of supreme folly. Leaders of thought in every branch of science and in every department of life have to bear the brunt of ridicule from learned ignorance!
* Guglielmo Libri Carucci dalla Sommaja (1803-1869), an Italian-born mathematician and historian of science. Making private possessions ‘the common property of science’ is not something for which Libri is especially remembered today, quite the reverse in fact. In 1841, he was appointed Chief Inspector of French Libraries, but after the revolution of 1848 fled to England with a collection of some 30,000 books and manuscripts that had once been the common property of France’s academic institutions, but were now packed away in eighteen trunks with his name on them. The French government prosecuted him in absentia and sentenced him to ten years in gaol for theft, but he was safe in England and lived in reasonable comfort by selling off his ill-gotten gains.
Précis
Initially, Herschel’s plans were frustrated by a lack of historic temperature data, but he improvised, using data on wheat prices as a guide. Armed with this information, he established a correlation between solar activity and the British climate, but his findings were treated with derision — neither the first time or the last that experts have turned on their own. (59 / 60 words)
Initially, Herschel’s plans were frustrated by a lack of historic temperature data, but he improvised, using data on wheat prices as a guide. Armed with this information, he established a correlation between solar activity and the British climate, but his findings were treated with derision — neither the first time or the last that experts have turned on their own.
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: because, besides, just, must, otherwise, ought, since, unless.
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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 Heat. Perhaps. Winter.
2 Indication. Learn. Much.
3 Heaven. Old. Worthy.
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.)
Adjectives Find in Think and Speak
For each word below, compose sentences to show that it may be used as an adjective. Adjectives provide extra information about a noun, e.g. a black cat, a round table, the early bird etc..
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Uncommon. 2 Possible. 3 Lesser. 4 Just. 5 Easy. 6 Poetic. 7 Bright. 8 Willing. 9 Real.
Variations: 1.show whether your adjective can also be used as e.g. a noun, verb or adverb. 2.show whether your adjective can be used in comparisons (e.g. good/better/best). 3.show whether your adjective can be used in attributive position (e.g. a dangerous corner) and also in predicate position (this corner is dangerous).
Homophones Find in Think and Speak
In each group below, you will find words that sound the same, but differ in spelling and also in meaning. Compose your own sentences to bring out the differences between them.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
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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