HAVING feasted him after their best barbarous manner they could, a long consultation was held, but the conclusion was, two great stones were brought then as many as could laid hands on him, dragged him to them, and thereon laid his head, and being ready with their clubs to beat out his brains, Pocahontas, the Kings dearest daughter,* when no intreaty could prevail, got his head in her arms, and laid her own upon his to save him from death - whereat the Emperor was contented he should live to make him hatchets, and her bells, beads, and copper; for they thought him as well of all occupations as themselves. For the King himself will make his own robes, shoes, bows, arrows, pots; plant, hunt, or do anything so well as the rest.
They say he bore a pleasant shew,
But sure his heart was sad.
For who can pleasant be, and rest,
That lives in fear and dread:
And having life suspected, doth
It still suspected lead.*
Spelling modernised
The engraving of Pocahontas made in 1616 by Simon van de Passe (1595-1647) declared that she was then twenty-one, so in December 1607 she must have been twelve. Smith himself is inconsistent on the subject of her age, but he never-failingly refers to her as the chief’s ‘dearest daughter’ and as the Nonpareil (peerless one) of her nation.
That is, Smith felt his reprieve may only be temporary: now his right to life had been called into question (‘suspected’), he could not relax because he knew the questions remained.
Précis
After a meal, a brief trial followed, and ended with Smith forced to lay his head upon a great stone. A man stepped up with an ominous club, but before he could wield it Pocahontas, the chief’s teenage daughter, flung herself in its path. Thanks to her, Smith was reprieved and set to work in the camp, anxious but alive. (60 / 60 words)
After a meal, a brief trial followed, and ended with Smith forced to lay his head upon a great stone. A man stepped up with an ominous club, but before he could wield it Pocahontas, the chief’s teenage daughter, flung herself in its path. Thanks to her, Smith was reprieved and set to work in the camp, anxious but alive.
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: about, despite, if, just, or, since, until, whereas.
Archive
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 Being. Entrance. So.
2 Death. Life. Put.
3 Could. Give. Water.
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.)
Confusables Find in Think and Speak
In each group below, you will find words that are similar to one another, but not exactly the same. Compose your own sentences to bring out the similarities and differences between them, whether in meaning, grammar or use.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
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. Heart. 2. Water. 3. Hold. 4. Pot. 5. Good. 6. Fear. 7. Queen. 8. House. 9. Drag.
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.
sd (10+1)
aside. eased. sad. said. seed. side. soda. sued. suede. used.
sod.
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