Winston, a blue merle Australian Shepherd, likes to be helpful. In this case he has retrieved a newspaper: one can only hope that whoever had it last had finished reading it. As the accompanying story attests, some dogs can be a little too eager to help.
Introduction
In 1815, at a time when Sir Humphry Davy was popularising chemistry with his famous Royal Institution Lectures, a little handbook was published providing a light-hearted introduction to British zoology. Of course there was a lengthy section devoted to the Dog, and following some remarkable incidences of loyalty, devotion and even acting ability, the authors turned to examples of canine initiative.
Mr C. Hughes, a son of Thespis,* had a wig which generally hung on a peg in one of his rooms. To accommodate a brother player, he one day lent the wig to him and, some time after, called on his friend.
Mr Hughes had his dog with him, and the man happened to have the borrowed wig on his head. After some conversation, they parted; but the dog remained behind, and stood, for some time, looking the man full in his face, then, making a sudden spring, he leaped on his shoulders, seized the wig, and ran off with it as fast as he could, and, having reached his home, with the prey in his teeth, endeavoured, by jumping, to hang it up in its usual place.
The same dog one day, passing through a field in the skirts of Dartmouth, where a washerwoman had hung out her linen to dry, stopped, and surveyed one particular shirt with attention; seizing it, he dragged it away, through the dirt, to his master, whose property it happened to be.
From ‘Recreations in natural history, or, Popular sketches of British quadrupeds’ (1815). It was published by William Clark, and the illustrations were by Luke Clennell (1781-1840); however, no author’s name was given.
* That is, an actor, a Thespian. Thespis (fl. 6th century BC) of Icaria (modern-day Dionysos in northeastern Attica) is remembered as the first stage-performer to have acted a role, rather than appearing as himself. He and his fellow-players worked from scripts and adopted masks as costumes, an acting style acknowledged as the foundation of Western theatre. He is also thought to be the first actor to go on tour, transporting his masks and costumes in a horse-drawn wagon.
Questions for Critics
1. What is the author aiming to achieve in writing this?
2. Note any words, devices or turns of phrase that strike you. How do they help the author communicate his ideas more effectively?
3. What impression does this passage make on you? How might you put that impression into words?
Based on The English Critic (1939) by NL Clay, drawing on The New Criticism: A Lecture Delivered at Columbia University, March 9, 1910, by J. E. Spingarn, Professor of Comparative Literature in Columbia University, USA.
Précis
An eager dog once used his initiative to recover his master’s ‘stolen’ wig, snatching it directly off the head of the man to whom his master had lent it. On another occasion, he retrieved one of his master’s missing shirts, trailing it home through the mud from the washing line of the lady who did nis master’s laundry. (58 / 60 words)
An eager dog once used his initiative to recover his master’s ‘stolen’ wig, snatching it directly off the head of the man to whom his master had lent it. On another occasion, he retrieved one of his master’s missing shirts, trailing it home through the mud from the washing line of the lady who did nis master’s laundry.
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, may, must, or, since, unless, whether.
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 Field. Full. Then.
2 Attention. Dry. One.
3 Dirt. Lend. Survey.
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 Same. 2 Dry. 3 Usual. 4 Passing. 5 Particular. 6 Homeless. 7 Fast. 8 General. 9 Friendly.
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).
Statements, Questions and Commands Find in Think and Speak
Use each word below in a sentence. Try to include at least one statement, one question and one command among your sentences. Note that some verbs make awkward or meaningless words of command, e.g. need, happen.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Room. 2 Reach. 3 Happen. 4 Drag. 5 Face. 6 Make. 7 Call. 8 Survey. 9 Dog.
Variations: 1. use a minimum of seven words for each sentence 2. include negatives, e.g. isn’t, don’t, never 3. use the words ‘must’ to make commands 4. compose a short dialogue containing all three kinds of sentence: one statement, one question and one command
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.
sr (11+4)
easier. sear. seer. sera. sir. sire. soar. sore. sour. sure. user.
osier. saree. sari. soiree.
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