Introduction
Young Joseph’s brothers have wearied of his dreams of glory and his position as their father Jacob’s favourite. So they have beaten him, stripped him of his fine coat, and sold him to a passing caravan of merchants bound for Egypt. The story for Jacob, however, is that a wild animal has killed his beloved son.
THE merchants who bought Joseph from his brothers sold him on to an Egyptian named Potiphar, an officer in the Pharaoh’s guard. Joseph proved so indispensable, that before long all Potiphar’s affairs were left unquestioningly in his capable hands.
Joseph made a particularly strong impression on his master’s wife, who propositioned him daily without success. At last she made a grab for him. Joseph twisted aside, leaving her holding his empty robe; which she, smarting at the rejection, spitefully exhibited to her husband as proof that Joseph had attempted to seduce her. Feeling hurt and betrayed, Potiphar had Joseph jailed.
The chief gaoler, however, found Joseph quite as trusty as Potiphar had, and soon all the inmates were bringing their problems to him. They included two disgraced members of the royal household, the Pharaoh’s chief baker and his butler, and both sought Joseph’s advice about troubling dreams.
It was to prove a turning point in all their lives.
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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 Household. Husband. Success.
2 Both. Hand. Officer.
3 Indispensable. Point. Seek.
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 Twist. 2 Include. 3 Dream. 4 Point. 5 Leave. 6 Hand. 7 Name. 8 Husband. 9 Trouble.
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
Homonyms 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. Hold. 2. Last. 3. Point. 4. Long. 5. Live. 6. Left. 7. Found.
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 ()
