Introduction
Wilfrid, bishop of Hexham, visited Rome in 703-704, to resolve an ongoing dispute with the King of Northumbria. On his way back, he fell ill.
WHEN Wilfrid reached Meaux, he was so weak that his friends spent every moment in heartfelt prayer as his bedside. The bishop was breathing still, but unconscious, and he had taken no food or water for four days.
Suddenly, in the midst of their chants and tears he opened his eyes and swung himself a little unsteadily onto his feet. “Where” he inquired “is Acca?” Wilfrid’s chaplain was found at once, and Wilfrid asked the others to give them a moment’s privacy.
Once the door was closed, Wilfrid told Acca that the Archangel Michael had appeared to him.
The angel promised to return in four years’ time, but because of the prayers of the Virgin Mary, for now Wilfrid would have both health and peace. Acca immediately thought of Hezekiah, who in sickness prayed to God and was granted another fifteen years of life.*
Days later Wilfrid landed in Kent, resolved to take the angel’s parting advice and build a church in Mary’s honour.
See Isaiah 38:1-7.
Précis
In 704, Wilfrid fell seriously ill on the back from Rome. Then, without warning, he got up and called for his chaplain. Wilfrid told him that he had seen the archangel Michael, who said the Virgin Mary had granted him four more years of life (as happened to the Biblical King Hezekiah) and recommended building a church in her honour. (60 / 60 words)
In 704, Wilfrid fell seriously ill on the back from Rome. Then, without warning, he got up and called for his chaplain. Wilfrid told him that he had seen the archangel Michael, who said the Virgin Mary had granted him four more years of life (as happened to the Biblical King Hezekiah) and recommended building a church in her honour.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: about, just, may, must, or, ought, since, whereas.
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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. 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 Inquire. Moment. Take.
2 He. Open. Unconscious.
3 Breathe. Found. Onto.
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.
srs (10+5)
sears. seers. series. serious. sires. sirs. soars. sores. sours. users.
osiers. sarees. saris. soirees. usurious.
