JULIA, or rather Sebastian, was engaged by Proteus as his servant, and sent to carry her own ring to Silvia as a token of love. But Silvia was not flattered by Proteus’s attentions, and went in desperate search of Valentine.
As soon as she was missed, Proteus and the Duke took a search-party into the hills, just in time to rescue her from brigands. But when Proteus caught her about the waist expecting the warmest of thanks, she accused him to his face of his deceit, and longed for Valentine.
At that, Valentine obligingly dropped from the branches of an overhanging tree.
Valentine too had been captured in those woods by the brigands, but from their prisoner he had become their leader, a kind of Robin Hood. The Duke, much impressed, yielded Silvia to him willingly.
And Proteus, discovering that ‘Sebastian’ was his own long-suffering Julia (‘I changed my shape when you changed your mind,’ said she), was shamed into repentance and faithfulness at last.
Précis
Julia, disguised as a servant called Sebastian, watched on as Proteus pursued Silvia, even rescuing her from bandits. To Proteus’s disappointment, this did not melt Silvia; she still steadfastly withstood his advances, and when Valentine proved to be the bandits’ honourable leader, he and Silvia were rewarded with each other’s love, and Proteus returned to the ever-loyal Julia. (58 / 60 words)
Julia, disguised as a servant called Sebastian, watched on as Proteus pursued Silvia, even rescuing her from bandits. To Proteus’s disappointment, this did not melt Silvia; she still steadfastly withstood his advances, and when Valentine proved to be the bandits’ honourable leader, he and Silvia were rewarded with each other’s love, and Proteus returned to the ever-loyal Julia.
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, otherwise, ought, since, unless, until.
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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, using different words as much as possible. 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 Slip. Thank. Valentine.
2 Face. Love. Party.
3 Bid. Brigand. Nothing.
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.)
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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