Introduction
If you are going to tell outrageous fibs, it is a good idea to do it when there is no one around to contradict you.
ONCE upon a time, a fox and an ape were travelling the same road, and passed through a cemetery.
The ape waved a leathery hand towards the rows of headstones. “All these” he said “mark the last resting place of slaves given their freedom by my ancestors”.
“I notice” said the fox drily “that you have picked the perfect spot to tell me this — in front of witnesses who are dead and buried, and cannot testify”.
And the moral of that is, the crafty liar chooses his time carefully.
Précis
A boastful ape claimed that his ancestors were so rich and so generous, that over the years the slaves they let go had filled a whole cemetery. His friend the fox reflected that good liars first make sure there is no one around to contradict them. (46 / 60 words)
A boastful ape claimed that his ancestors were so rich and so generous, that over the years the slaves they let go had filled a whole cemetery. His friend the fox reflected that good liars first make sure there is no one around to contradict them.
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: about, although, despite, just, may, must, not, unless.
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 Cannot. He. Slave.
2 Have. Liar. Moral.
3 All. Headstone. Pass.
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.)
Subject and Object Find in Think and Speak
Use each word below in two sentences, first as the subject of a verb, and then as the object of a verb. It doesn’t have to be the same verb: some verbs can’t be paired with an object (e.g. arrive, happen), so watch out for these.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1. Care. 2. Rest. 3. Freedom. 4. Front. 5. Mark. 6. Dead. 7. Time. 8. Place. 9. Pass.
Variations: 1.use your noun in the plural (e.g. cat → cats), if possible. 2.give one of your sentences a future aspect (e.g. will, going to). 3.write sentences using negatives such as not, neither, nobody and never.
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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