Introduction
The Victoria Cross was instituted by Queen Victoria in 1856, and was first awarded in 1857. It rewards members of the Armed Forces for showing exceptional bravery in the face of the enemy.
ON January the 29th, 1856, the Victoria Cross (commonly called the VC) was formally established by Queen Victoria. The VC is the highest honour available to the armed forces.
It is given only in exceptional circumstances: ‘most conspicuous bravery, or some daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice, or extreme devotion to duty in the presence of the enemy.’
On the Cross are two words, chosen by the Queen herself: ‘For Valour’.
‘Neither rank, nor long service’ said the Queen, ‘nor wounds, nor any other circumstance or condition whatsoever, save the merit of conspicuous bravery.’
Just after the end of the Crimean War against Russia, Queen Victoria, before some 116,000 people at Hyde Park on Friday the 26th of June, 1857, personally invested 62 Officers and men with the medal.
The Victoria Cross is still personally awarded by the Monarch, in an investiture held at Buckingham Palace.
Précis
In 1857, Queen Victoria made the first presentations of the Victoria Cross, instituted the previous year, at a public ceremony in Hyde park. The medal, the highest award available to military personnel, is given exclusively for conspicuous bravery in the face of the enemy, and may be conferred regardless of rank or experience. (53 / 60 words)
In 1857, Queen Victoria made the first presentations of the Victoria Cross, instituted the previous year, at a public ceremony in Hyde park. The medal, the highest award available to military personnel, is given exclusively for conspicuous bravery in the face of the enemy, and may be conferred regardless of rank or experience.
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: despite, just, must, otherwise, ought, since, 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. 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 Choose. Some. Valor.
2 Herself. Neither. Save.
3 Duty. Rank. Service.
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 ()
