So that in conclusion he accepted your presents well; but after the English were come away he asked the Jesuit* whether the King of England were a great King that sent presents of so small value, and that he looked for some jewels. To this purpose was I often felt by some, before I saw him, whither I had brought jewels or no. But rareties please as well, and if you were furnished yearly from Frankfurt, where are all knacks and new devices, 100l. would go farther then 500l. laid out in England, and here better acceptable. There is nothing more welcome here, nor ever saw I man so enamoured of drink as both the King and Prince are of red wine, wherof the Governor of Surat sent up some pottle.* Ever since, the King hath solicited for more. I think 4 or 5 handsome cases of that wine will be more welcome than the richest jewel in Cheapside.
Spelling modernised.
* The Portuguese interest at court was represented by the Roman Catholic Church, in the form of a Jesuit priest.
* A pottle is half a gallon, i.e. two quarts or four pints.
Précis
Jehangir wondered if the King of England was quite the potentate Roe had implied, since he sent no costly jewels. For his part, Roe asked the East India Company to send more presents, preferably wine from Surat and curios from Germany, because the curios were better value for money than English goods, and the wine even more welcome than jewels. (60 / 60 words)
Jehangir wondered if the King of England was quite the potentate Roe had implied, since he sent no costly jewels. For his part, Roe asked the East India Company to send more presents, preferably wine from Surat and curios from Germany, because the curios were better value for money than English goods, and the wine even more welcome than jewels.
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, although, besides, despite, just, ought, unless, whereas.
Archive
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 Ask. Commission. Content.
2 Before. Furnish. Leave.
3 Could. Down. Majesty.
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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