Introduction
Four suburban children (two girls and two boys) have discovered a Phoenix wrapped up in a Persian carpet. The fire-bird, proud of its homeland, has encouraged them to send the magic carpet back to fetch Persia’s ‘most beautiful and delightful’ produce, and the bulging carpet has just returned.
‘MY hat!’ Cyril remarked. ‘I never thought about its being a PERSIAN carpet.’
Yet it was now plain that it was so, for the beautiful objects which it had brought back were cats — Persian cats, grey Persian cats, and there were, as I have said, 199 of them, and they were sitting on the carpet as close as they could get to each other. But the moment the children entered the room the cats rose and stretched, and spread and overflowed from the carpet to the floor, and in an instant the floor was a sea of moving, mewing pussishness.
‘I imagine that they are hungry,’ said the Phoenix. ‘Why not send the carpet to get food for them?’. So it was written that the carpet should bring food for 199 Persian cats, and the paper was pinned to the carpet as before. The carpet seemed to gather itself together, and the cats dropped off it, as raindrops do from your mackintosh when you shake it. And the carpet disappeared.
Précis
Four children send a magic Persian carpet back to its homeland to bring back treasures, leaving the choice to the carpet. The carpet returns bearing a hundred and ninety-nine cats, and the children’s friend, the fabulous Phoenix, thoughfully suggests they send it back for some cat food. (47 / 60 words)
Four children send a magic Persian carpet back to its homeland to bring back treasures, leaving the choice to the carpet. The carpet returns bearing a hundred and ninety-nine cats, and the children’s friend, the fabulous Phoenix, thoughfully suggests they send it back for some cat food.
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: because, just, may, must, not, unless, until, whereas.
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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