Introduction
A SPITEFUL little terrier with a penchant for nipping people on the ankle didn’t quite understand why his master had given him a jolly little bell.
ONCE upon a time, there was a dog whose habit it was to bite people in secret.
But his master fashioned a little copper bell and fastened it around the dog’s neck, so everyone far and wide would know whether the dog was at their heels.
The dog was tremendously pleased with his bell, and went strutting about the town square, tinkling away merrily.
But an aged dog came up to him and said, “Wretched thing, what on earth do you have to celebrate?
“You aren’t jingling some medal for virtue or easy temper. You’re tolling a judgement on your own bad character.”
And the moral of that is, that it is easy to mistake notoriety for fame.
Précis
A dog habitually nipped at the heels of visitors, so his embarrassed master made him a little bell, to warn people of his presence. The dog was very pleased that everyone now looked at him wherever he went, but an older dog explained that in this case, there is such as thing as bad publicity. (55 / 60 words)
A dog habitually nipped at the heels of visitors, so his embarrassed master made him a little bell, to warn people of his presence. The dog was very pleased that everyone now looked at him wherever he went, but an older dog explained that in this case, there is such as thing as bad publicity.
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, because, besides, must, or, otherwise, whereas, who.
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 Jingle. Square. Upon.
2 Bell. Thing. You.
3 He. Master. Please.
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.)
Verb and Noun Find in Think and Speak
Many words can serve as noun or verb depending on context: see if you can prove this with the examples below. Nouns go well with words such as the/a, or his/her; verbs go well after I/you/he etc..
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Time. 2 Bite. 3 Age. 4 Dog. 5 Mistake. 6 People.
Variations: 1.if possible, use your noun in the plural, e.g. cat → cats. 2.use your verb in a past form, e.g. go → went. 3.use your noun in a sentence with one of these words: any, enough, fewer, less, no, some.
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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