Introduction
Joram was King of Israel (i.e. the ten northern tribes) in the middle of the ninth century BC.
NAAMAN, a captain in the service of Ben-Hadad II, King of Syria, suffered from leprosy.
Naaman’s wife had a Jewish maid, and one day she remarked that if only the prophet Elisha were here, Naaman would be better in no time.
So the King himself wrote to Joram, the King of Israel, asking politely for a miracle. At first, Joram thought the impossible request was a pretext for war. But Elisha quickly sent word that all Naaman had to do was wash seven times in the Jordan.
The Captain, who had been expecting Elisha to come in person and make long prayers, was inclined to resent this remedy. After all, what was wrong with the rivers of Syria? But his servants persuaded him, and the Jordan gave him skin like a baby’s.
Naaman now gladly took Israel’s God for his own, and Elisha thoughtfully allowed him to continue waiting on the Syrian king, even during his pagan rites.
Précis
The Syrian king wanted to help a captain in his army called Naaman, who suffered from leprosy. He sent Naaman to see Elisha, who told him to wash seven times in the Jordan. Naaman was disappointed at this simple remedy, but his cure quite changed his mind, and he converted to Judaism. (52 / 60 words)
The Syrian king wanted to help a captain in his army called Naaman, who suffered from leprosy. He sent Naaman to see Elisha, who told him to wash seven times in the Jordan. Naaman was disappointed at this simple remedy, but his cure quite changed his mind, and he converted to Judaism.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 45 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: because, just, not, or, otherwise, ought, since, 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.
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 Day. Incline. One.
2 Glad. Only. She.
3 Give. Quick. Servant.
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.)
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 Make. 2 Send. 3 People. 4 Expect. 5 Write. 6 Service. 7 Ask. 8 Request. 9 Wait.
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
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 ()
