Introduction
The god Ares took the form of a bull and won a contest of strength against a majestic beast belonging to Paris, son of the King of Troy. The mortal’s grace in defeat impressed Zeus, but Paris (and many others) came to regret his new-found reputation on Olympus for sporting behaviour.
WHEN Peleus, prince of Aegina, married the sea-nymph Thetis, the wedding was attended by many gods and goddesses. Eris, goddess of Discord, was not invited; however she slipped in anyway, bringing a golden apple from the Garden of the Hesperides. She addressed it ‘For the fairest’, and lobbed it into the wedding-party.
After the apple’s discovery and some bruising debate, most agreed that one of Hera, Athene, and Aphrodite must be the intended recipient. They turned to Zeus, who hastily passed the decision onto Paris, currently Olympus’s most respected referee. Paris’s reputation for impartiality did not prevent Hera offering him all Europe, or Athene promising him glory in battle.
But it was Aphrodite’s promise of Helen, Queen of Sparta and the world’s most beautiful mortal woman, that won her the prize. Hera in particular was outraged. When Paris stole Helen from Sparta and took her to Troy, Hera did not rest until she had brought Peleus’s son Achilles in war to his gate.*
* See The Siege of Troy.
Précis
Thetis did not invite Eris, goddess of discord, to her wedding. So Eris threw an apple inscribed ‘to the fairest’ into the celebrations, causing Hera, Athene and Aphrodite to fight over who deserved it. Paris, named as umpire, chose Aphrodite because she promised him Helen of Sparta, which, coupled with Hera’s undying resentment, led directly to the Trojan War. (59 / 60 words)
Thetis did not invite Eris, goddess of discord, to her wedding. So Eris threw an apple inscribed ‘to the fairest’ into the celebrations, causing Hera, Athene and Aphrodite to fight over who deserved it. Paris, named as umpire, chose Aphrodite because she promised him Helen of Sparta, which, coupled with Hera’s undying resentment, led directly to the Trojan War.
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, despite, may, or, since, until, whereas, whether.
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 Agree. Most. They.
2 Discord. Into. Wedding.
3 Gate. Must. Woman.
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.)
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.
crls (5+1)
carols. cereals. corals. creoles. curls.
creels.
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