Introduction
The powerful Earl Godwin, a rough Saxon and an ambitious man, gave his support to King Edward the Confessor on condition that he marry Godwin’s daughter Edith.
IT was said throughout England that ‘Even as the rose springs from the thorn, so springs Edith from Godwin.’
Ingulf, the Abbot of Croyland, later recalled that when he was a schoolboy, Edith would examine him on his studies, and then having pressed a few coins into his hand, send him to the larder for a treat.
Edward, brought up among the Dukes of Normandy by his uncle Richard the Good, was also gentler than the times in which he lived — as we learn from the tale of a thief who crept into the king’s bedroom one night, and took money from a strongbox.
Edward pretended to be asleep, and said nothing. But when it happened again the following night, he unexpectedly mumbled from between the sheets: ‘Better take care. If Hugolin, my chamberlain, catches you, he will give you a thrashing.’
Hugolin soon came in, and was beside himself at the loss. ‘Never mind,’ said the King; ‘the poor man wants it more than we do.’
Précis
The powerful Earl Godwin in the eleventh century had a daughter named Edith, who was so different from him that she was likened to a rose among the thorns. She married King Edward the Confessor, who was also unusually fair and kind, even allowing a thief to go free because he was poor. (53 / 60 words)
The powerful Earl Godwin in the eleventh century had a daughter named Edith, who was so different from him that she was likened to a rose among the thorns. She married King Edward the Confessor, who was also unusually fair and kind, even allowing a thief to go free because he was poor.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 60 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 50 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: although, besides, despite, or, otherwise, ought, unless, whereas.
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 Beside. Then. Which.
2 Coin. Thief. Want.
3 Thrash. Thrashing. We.
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 Poor. 2 Careless. 3 Good. 4 Better. 5 Late. 6 Asleep. 7 Even. 8 Careful. 9 Poorly.
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).
Confusables Find in Think and Speak
In each group below, you will find words that are similar to one another, but not exactly the same. Compose your own sentences to bring out the similarities and differences between them, whether in meaning, grammar or use.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
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.
pt (12+2)
apt. opt. pat. pate. patio. peat. pet. pit. poet. pot. pout. put.
opiate. pita.
