Introduction
André-Louis Moreau, a lawyer by training, is broke and a wanted man in Paris. Passing by the fencing school of M. Bertrand des Amis, André reads a notice inviting applications for the post of fencing instructor. Unfortunately, as he is compelled to acknowledge, he can’t fence.
The master’s eyebrows went up. “But then,” he cried, “why trouble to come up two flights of stairs?” He was impatient.
“The notice does not demand a high degree of proficiency. If I am not proficient enough, yet, knowing the rudiments, I can easily improve. I learn most things readily,” André-Louis commended himself. “For the rest, I possess the other qualifications. I am young, as you observe, and I leave you to judge whether I am wrong in assuming that my address is good. I am by profession a man of the robe, though I realise that the motto here is cedat toga armis.”*
M des Amis smiled approvingly. Undoubtedly the young man had a good address, and a certain readiness of wit, it would appear. He ran a critical eye over his physical points.
“What is your name?” he asked. André-Louis hesitated a moment.
“André-Louis,” he said.
The dark eyes conned him more searchingly.
“Well? André-Louis what?”
“Just André-Louis. Louis is my surname.”
“Oh! An odd surname. You come from Brittany by your accent. Why did you leave it?”
“To save my skin,” he answered, without reflecting. And then made haste to cover the blunder. “I have an enemy” he explained.
Précis
Andre-Louis Moreau applies for a post as a fencing instructor in Paris, and openly admits to knowing little about fencing. His prospective employer, M. des Amis, is taken aback, but André is personable and intelligent, so he suspends judgment and asks his name and his reasons for leaving home. On both counts, André’s responses leave something to be desired.
(59 / 60 words)
Andre-Louis Moreau applies for a post as a fencing instructor in Paris, and openly admits to knowing little about fencing. His prospective employer, M. des Amis, is taken aback, but André is personable and intelligent, so he suspends judgment and asks his name and his reasons for leaving home. On both counts, André’s responses leave something to be desired.
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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: because, besides, despite, may, not, otherwise, ought, whether.
Word Games
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.
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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