Introduction
In a moment of madness induced by Hera, Heracles has killed his own children. Now he is working off his debt by serving his cousin and rival Eurystheus, and has already returned alive from one ‘hopeless errand’...
THE second Labour appointed for Heracles seemed as hopeless as the first.
The Hydra, a serpent with nine heads, was causing havoc among the farms neighbouring the marsh of Lerna, and Heracles was to kill it.
Accompanied by his nephew Iolaus, Heracles goaded the creature into a fight. But each time he swept off a head with his great club, two more grew at once. He tried to use his bare hands, only to find a giant crab had emerged from the swamp, and was snapping at his heels.
While Heracles dealt with the crab,* Iolaus started a fire, and then as each head was severed, he seared the stump to prevent more growing. Eventually, the Hydra was dead, and after dipping his arrow-tips in its poisonous blood, Heracles returned to Tiryns.
Eurystheus, however, declared the Labour void, since Heracles had had help — and there was all the weary work to do again.
Hera put it in the sky as the constellation Cancer.
Précis
Heracles was sent by his cousin Eurystheus to kill the Hydra, a nine-headed serpent. Every time Heracles cut off a head, two more grew, so he elisted the help of his nephew to sear each severed neck. Eurystheus, however, declared that this disqualified the labour, and Heracles would have to do another. (52 / 60 words)
Heracles was sent by his cousin Eurystheus to kill the Hydra, a nine-headed serpent. Every time Heracles cut off a head, two more grew, so he elisted the help of his nephew to sear each severed neck. Eurystheus, however, declared that this disqualified the labour, and Heracles would have to do another.
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: besides, just, may, must, or, since, unless, who.
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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 After. Appoint. Nine.
2 Dead. Snap. Try.
3 Crab. Grow. Neighbor.
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.)
Prepositions Find in Think and Speak
Each of the words below may be followed by one or more prepositions. Compose your own sentences to show which they might be. Some prepositions are given underneath.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1. Use. 2. Labour. 3. Deal.
Selected Prepositions
About. Against. Among. At. By. For. From. In. Into. Of. On. Out. Over. Through. To. Towards. Upon. With.
Verb and Noun Find in Think and Speak
Many words can serve as noun or verb depending on context: see if you can prove this with the examples below. Nouns go well with words such as the/a, or his/her; verbs go well after I/you/he etc..
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Start. 2 Hand. 3 Time. 4 Deal. 5 Cause. 6 Use. 7 Fight. 8 Hope. 9 Try.
Variations: 1.if possible, use your noun in the plural, e.g. cat → cats. 2.use your verb in a past form, e.g. go → went. 3.use your noun in a sentence with one of these words: any, enough, fewer, less, no, some.
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 ()
