Introduction
In 218 BC the North African empire of Carthage and the Roman Republic stood, as they often did, on the brink of war. But when war came, it came not from Africa but from Cartagena on the east coast of Spain.
WHEN Hannibal, aged twenty-six, inherited command of the Carthaginian army in Spain, he at once began harassing the town of Saguntum, which was friendly to Rome. Carthage ordered Hannibal to hold off, but his hatred of Rome burned so hot that he disobeyed the order.
What followed is the stuff of legend. In the late Spring of 218 BC, instead of sailing across the Mediterranean he gathered a force of nearly 50,000 men and thirty-eight elephants, and marched north, then east through the Pyrenees and the Alps, and south into Italy, aiming for Rome itself.
The bitter cold of the Little St Bernard Pass cost him all but seven of his elephants, half of his army, and one of his own eyes.
But he made it through, and was a thorn in Rome’s side for fifteen years, until his mortal enemy, Scipio Africanus, made a direct assault on Carthage. Hannibal was summoned home, where Scipio defeated him at the battle of Zama in 202 BC.
Précis
In 218 BC, the Carthaginian general Hannibal set out from Spain for war with Rome, unexpectedly taking his army, including thirty-eight African elephants, round through the Pyrenees and the Alps. He remained in Italy for fifteen years, before returning to North Africa where his defeat brought the Second Punic War to an end. (53 / 60 words)
In 218 BC, the Carthaginian general Hannibal set out from Spain for war with Rome, unexpectedly taking his army, including thirty-eight African elephants, round through the Pyrenees and the Alps. He remained in Italy for fifteen years, before returning to North Africa where his defeat brought the Second Punic War to an end.
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, just, may, not, ought, whether, who.
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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 Hatred. His. Itself.
2 Bitter. Make. Own.
3 Army. Eye. Then.
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.)
Opposites Find in Think and Speak
Suggest words or phrases that seem opposite in meaning to each of the words below. We have suggested some possible answers; see if you can find any others.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
Variations: 1.instead of opposites, suggest words of similar meaning (synonyms). 2.use a word and its opposite in the same sentence. 3.suggest any 5 opposites formed by adding un-.
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 ()
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