Introduction
Heracles, a child of Zeus, is endowed with astonishing physical strength and skill, but does he also have strength of character to match?
HERACLES’S stepfather Amphitryon trained his boy in all the warlike arts, and did not forget music and letters.
But knowledge does not always confer wisdom, and after Heracles, blinded by rage, had killed his over-critical music tutor with a single blow, he took himself deep into the forest to think.
To his surprise, there two ladies found him. Both were dazzlingly beautiful. One stood before him in sensuous colours and glittering jewellery, but the other was clad in simple white.
The first was Vice, and she said: “Choose me, and your life shall be ceaseless pleasure, and no effort of mind or body will be demanded of you.”
But other was Virtue, and she said: “Choose me, and you will have the honour of your countrymen, but I cannot promise a life without labour, for no man may reap where he does not sow.”
And Heracles chose the path of Virtue — both the sweet, and the bitter.
Précis
After one criticism too many from his music tutor, Heracles snapped, and struck him down dead with a single blow. Appalled, he went to the forest to think, and there was met by Vice and Virtue, in female form. Vice offered him a life of ease and pleasure, but Heracles chose Virtue: a life of honour, but great hardship. (59 / 60 words)
After one criticism too many from his music tutor, Heracles snapped, and struck him down dead with a single blow. Appalled, he went to the forest to think, and there was met by Vice and Virtue, in female form. Vice offered him a life of ease and pleasure, but Heracles chose Virtue: a life of honour, but great hardship.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: because, just, may, otherwise, ought, since, unless, who.
Archive
Word Games
1Sevens 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.
2Spinners 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 Always. Stand. White.
2 Body. Cease. Two.
3 Other. Sow. Take.
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.)
3Homonyms Find in Think and Speak
Each of the words below has more than one possible meaning. Compose your own sentences to show what those different meanings are.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1. Train. 2. Found. 3. Stand. 4. May. 5. Man.
For each word above, choose one or more suitable meanings from this list.
1. The hawthorn tree and its blossom. 2. Coach in a skill or habit. 3. Discovered. 4. An island in the Irish Sea. 5. Bear, endure a hardship. 6. Provide the crew for. 7. A string of railway waggons. 8. A month of the year. 9. Pay for e.g. drinks, food, on behalf of others. 10. Establish an institution. 11. A retinue of attendants. 12. A stall in a market. 13. A long coat-tail dragging behind the wearer. 14. A male person. 15. Hold oneself upright on one’s feet. 16. Verb indicating possibility. 17. Aim e.g. a gun at a target.
4High 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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