At their suggestion, by the next train on the same day, Mr Bagster went over to Alton Grange to report the circumstance to Mr George Stephenson, who was the largest shareholder in the line. After various ideas had been considered, Mr Bagster remarked, “Is it not possible to have a whistle fitted on the engine which steam can blow?” to which George Stephenson replied, “A very good thought; go and have one made.”
Mr Bagster at once went to a musical instrument maker in King Street, Leicester, who constructed a “steam trumpet,” which was put on in ten days, and tried at West Bridge Station in the presence of the Board of Directors. Similar trumpets or whistles were ordered for the other engines, and one was also sent from Leicester to the Liverpool and Manchester Railway.
The owner of the cart put in a claim against the Company for a new horse and cart, and for fifty pounds of butter and eighty dozen eggs, which he was conveying to Leicester market, and as the person who should have closed the gates was clearly to blame and neglected that duty, the Company’s solicitors, Messrs S. and R. Miles, advised that the claim should be paid, and that course was adopted by the directors.
* See The Liverpool and Manchester Railway, the world’s first intercity line, which had opened in 1830.
Précis
During the discussions that followed, Mr Bagster remarked that steam power rather than lung power might have prevented the accident. George Stephenson, the line’s principal investor, thought this a splendid idea. Within days, the hand-held warning horns had gone, and L&SR locomotives sported noisy steam-whistles fashioned by a local music shop. The waggoner, meanwhile, was compensated for his losses. (59 / 60 words)
During the discussions that followed, Mr Bagster remarked that steam power rather than lung power might have prevented the accident. George Stephenson, the line’s principal investor, thought this a splendid idea. Within days, the hand-held warning horns had gone, and L&SR locomotives sported noisy steam-whistles fashioned by a local music shop. The waggoner, meanwhile, was compensated for his losses.
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: besides, despite, if, just, must, ought, since, 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 Much. Possible. Same.
2 New. Out. Over.
3 Leave. Their. Train.
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. Drive. 2. May. 3. Can. 4. Content. 5. Saw. 6. Pound. 7. Train. 8. See. 9. Order.
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 Orderly. 2 Next. 3 Neglectful. 4 Open. 5 Clear. 6 Wide. 7 Driven. 8 Dutiful. 9 Musical.
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).
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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