Introduction
At the height (or depth) of the French Revolution, Sydney Carton has exchanged places and names with aristocrat Charles Darnay, winning just enough time for Darnay and his family to be smuggled to safety in England. As Carton is led to the guillotine, a seamstress condemned to the same fate shares a confidence with him.
“WILL you let me ask you one last question? I am very ignorant, and it troubles me — just a little.”
“Tell me what it is.”
“I have a cousin, an only relative and an orphan, like myself, whom I love very dearly. She is five years younger than I, and she lives in a farmer’s house in the south country. What I have been thinking as we came along is this: — If the Republic really does good to the poor, and they come to be less hungry, and in all ways to suffer less, she may live a long time: she may even live to be old.”
“What then, my gentle sister?”
“Do you think:” the uncomplaining eyes in which there is so much endurance, fill with tears, and the lips part a little more and tremble: “that it will seem long to me, while I wait for her in the better land where I trust both you and I will be mercifully sheltered?”
Précis
Sydney Carton went to the guillotine in France’s Reign of Terror accompanied by a seamstress. As they rode the tumbril together, she told him that her chief regret was leaving behind her young cousin, an orphan like herself, and asked Carton whether waiting in heaven to see her little cousin again would be difficult to bear. (56 / 60 words)
Sydney Carton went to the guillotine in France’s Reign of Terror accompanied by a seamstress. As they rode the tumbril together, she told him that her chief regret was leaving behind her young cousin, an orphan like herself, and asked Carton whether waiting in heaven to see her little cousin again would be difficult to bear.
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: because, despite, if, must, otherwise, ought, since, unless.
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.
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