Introduction
Robert Louis Stevenson, better known today for ‘Treasure Island’ and ‘Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’, first published ‘A Child’s Garden of Verses’ in 1885. He uses simple rhymes and a ‘rum-ti-tum’ rhythm to create a sense of childhood innocence, though he does not by any means romanticise childhood, and many poems in the set are tinged with sorrow.
My Shadow
I HAVE a little shadow that goes in
and out with me,
And what can be the use of him is more than I can see.
He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head;
And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed.
The funniest thing about him is the way he likes to grow —
Not at all like proper children, which is always very slow;
For he sometimes shoots up taller like an india-rubber ball,
And he sometimes gets so little that there’s none of him at all.
He hasn’t got a notion of how children ought to play,
And can only make a fool of me in every sort of way.
He stays so close beside me, he’s a coward, you can see;
I’d think shame to stick to nursie as that shadow sticks to me!
One morning, very early, before the sun was up,
I rose and found the shining dew on every buttercup;
But my lazy little shadow, like an arrant sleepy-head,
Had stayed at home behind me and was fast asleep in bed.
Précis
Stevenson writes in the manner of a child, wondering at the shadow that follows him everywhere, changing shape bewilderingly and giving him away in hide-and-seek. But one morning he awoke and went out just before daybreak, and this time his shadow did not follow him. (45 / 60 words)
Stevenson writes in the manner of a child, wondering at the shadow that follows him everywhere, changing shape bewilderingly and giving him away in hide-and-seek. But one morning he awoke and went out just before daybreak, and this time his shadow did not follow him.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 50 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 40 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: although, because, despite, or, otherwise, unless, until, 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.
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 I. Beside. Early.
2 Have. How. Sometimes.
3 Like. Out. Proper.
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 Shoot. 2 Shame. 3 Close. 4 Can. 5 Make. 6 Play. 7 Shine. 8 Use. 9 Stick.
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
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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