HE was much liked by Bennett’s friends, he paid his calls upon them with a polite regularity, and always knew where to find a late dinner — for he was a bit of a gourmet — when there happened to be none at his own house. There was, however, one of his master’s best friends of whom he lived in terror. When Bennett came home from a concert, Pug would rush to the front door to meet him; but if Joachim,* with violin-case in hand, also appeared on the threshold, he instantly turned tail and made a bolt for the kitchen. After supper, Joachim would go to the top of the kitchen-stairs and begin to play, while poor Pug’s pathetic howls would respond from the furthermost recesses of the basement. But the criticism was acute in more senses than one, for Pug paid very little attention to violinists of a less exalted order. The king of them could alone make him crouch.
* Joseph Joachim (1831-1907), even to this day probably the greatest violinist of all. Bennett came to know Joachim in 1844, through Mendelssohn. The thirteen-year-old Hungarian prodigy was due to visit his uncle, a merchant, in London, and Mendelssohn entrusted him with a letter for Bennett. “Of all the young talents that now go through the world” Mendelssohn confided in his letter “I know none that is to be compared to this Violin-player.”
Précis
Pug would take pot luck with Bennett’s friends when his master was out, but preferred to be at home whenever Bennett returned from a concert — unless Bennett brought home Joseph Joachim. Pug would then bury himself in the basement: Joachim was the greatest violinist of his age, yet strangely enough the only one Pug could not bear to hear. (59 / 60 words)
Pug would take pot luck with Bennett’s friends when his master was out, but preferred to be at home whenever Bennett returned from a concert — unless Bennett brought home Joseph Joachim. Pug would then bury himself in the basement: Joachim was the greatest violinist of his age, yet strangely enough the only one Pug could not bear to hear.
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: although, because, despite, may, must, or, ought, whether.
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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 Half. However. Sort.
2 Front. Polite. True.
3 Also. Dinner. Go.
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 Helpful. 2 Friendly. 3 Concerted. 4 Faithless. 5 Spare. 6 Instant. 7 Least. 8 Playful. 9 Longest.
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).
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. Well. 2. Play. 3. Live. 4. Found. 5. Country. 6. Case. 7. Bolt. 8. Like. 9. General.
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.
ncls (5)
enclose. inclose. nucleus. uncles. uncoils.
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