Introduction
Mr Bedford has complained about Professor Cavor’s habit of humming loudly as he passes by, thinking scientific thoughts, on his regular afternoon walk. As a result, the Professor’s walks have lost their magic, and Bedford feels guilty.
I AM a man who believes in impulses. I made what was perhaps a rash proposition. But you must remember, that my compunction for his ruined walk still hung about me.
“Why not,” said I, “make this your new habit? In the place of the one I spoilt?
“What you want is to turn over your work in your mind. That you have always done during your afternoon walk. Unfortunately that’s over — you can’t get things back as they were.
“But why not come and talk about your work to me; use me as a sort of wall against which you may throw your thoughts and catch them again?
“It’s certain I don’t know enough to steal your ideas myself — and I know no scientific men — ”
I stopped. He was considering. Evidently, the thing attracted him. “Of course it would be a great help to me. Nothing clears up one’s ideas so much as explaining them.”
Questions for Critics
1. What is the author aiming to achieve in writing this?
2. Note any words, devices or turns of phrase that strike you. How do they help the author communicate his ideas more effectively?
3. What impression does this passage make on you? How might you put that impression into words?
Based on The English Critic (1939) by NL Clay, drawing on The New Criticism: A Lecture Delivered at Columbia University, March 9, 1910, by J. E. Spingarn, Professor of Comparative Literature in Columbia University, USA.
Précis
Mr Bedford’s concentration has been disturbed by Professor Cavor’s maddening habit of humming as he walks by each afternoon. He soon regrets complaining, however, after learning that Cavor’s walks have lost their magic and his scientific research is suffering. So to make amends he offers to listen to Cavor think aloud, and the professor readily agrees. (56 / 60 words)
Mr Bedford’s concentration has been disturbed by Professor Cavor’s maddening habit of humming as he walks by each afternoon. He soon regrets complaining, however, after learning that Cavor’s walks have lost their magic and his scientific research is suffering. So to make amends he offers to listen to Cavor think aloud, and the professor readily agrees.
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, despite, may, or, otherwise, ought, unless, until.
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.
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
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 Back. Great. Over.
2 My. Nothing. Which.
3 Get. Much. Scientific.
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.)
Add Vowels Find in Think and Speak
Make words by adding vowels to each group of consonants below. You may add as many vowels as you like before, between or after the consonants, but you may not add any consonants or change the order of those you have been given. See if you can beat our target of common words.
gl (11+3)
agile. eagle. gala. gale. gaol. gel. glee. glue. goal. guile. ogle.
gal. goalie. igloo.
Post Box : Ask Nicholas
Grok : Ask Grok
You are welcome to share your creativity with me, or ask for help with any of the exercises on Clay Lane. Write to me at this address:
See more at Post Box.
If you like what I’m doing here on Clay Lane, from time to time you could buy me a coffee.
Buy Me a Coffee is a crowdfunding website, used by over a million people. It is designed to help content creators like me make a living from their work. ‘Buy Me a Coffee’ prides itself on its security, and there is no need to register.
Related Posts
Picture: By Johannes Moreelse (?1602-1634), Wikimedia Commons. Public domain.. Source.
Posted February 24
Picture: By Edvard Munch (1863–1944), Wikimedia Commons. Licence: Public domain. . Source.
Posted November 9 2022
