Introduction
Asked which event of the Great War had made the deepest impression on him, columnist ‘Alpha of the Plough’ recalled the fate of HMS Formidable, twice torpedoed by a German U-Boat during night-time exercises off the Devon coast on January 1st, 1915. The Captain, 34 officers and 512 crew died; 157 men were picked up from the water or made it ashore in two boats.
HE had won by ballot a place in one of the boats. The ship was going down, but he was to be saved. One pictures the scene. The boat is waiting to take him to the shore and safety. He looks at the old comrades who have lost in the ballot and who stand there doomed to death. He feels the passion for life surging within him. He sees the cold, dark sea waiting to engulf its victims. And in that great moment — the greatest moment that can come to any man — he makes the triumphant choice. He turns to one of his comrades. “You’ve got parents,” he says. “I haven’t.” And with that word — so heroic in its simplicity — he makes the other take his place in the boat and signs his own death warrant. I see him on the deck among his doomed fellows, watching the disappearing boat until the final plunge comes and all is over. The sea never took a braver man to its bosom. “Greater love hath no man than this.”
Précis
On New Year’s Day, 1915, British battleship HMS Formidable was torpedoed off the Devon coast. One man lucky enough to be assigned a place on the two lifeboats stepped back onto the stricken ship and made way for another man, saying: ‘You’ve got parents; I haven’t’. For journalist Alfred Gardiner, it was the most memorable event of the Great War. (60 / 60 words)
On New Year’s Day, 1915, British battleship HMS Formidable was torpedoed off the Devon coast. One man lucky enough to be assigned a place on the two lifeboats stepped back onto the stricken ship and made way for another man, saying: ‘You’ve got parents; I haven’t’. For journalist Alfred Gardiner, it was the most memorable event of the Great War.
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, besides, despite, if, just, may, unless, until.
About the Author
Alfred George Gardiner (1865-1946) was a journalist, editor and political campaigner. In 1887, joined the Northern Daily Telegraph, and moved to the Blackburn Weekly Telegraph two years later as editor. Gardiner was appointed editor of the Daily News in 1902, which he helped to turn into one of the leading liberal newspapers of the day with a dramatically increased circulation. He resigned over a point of policy in 1919, but by this time he had been writing for the Star for four years under the pen-name of ‘Alpha of the Plough’ — like other contributors, he chose a name drawn from astronomy. His essays were regarded highly for their craft and good humour, and several collections were published.
Archive
Word Games
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.
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 Any. Can. So.
2 Other. Stand. Surge.
3 I. Lose. Save.
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.)
Opposites Find in Think and Speak
Suggest words or phrases that seem opposite in meaning to each of the words below. We have suggested some possible answers; see if you can find any others.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
Variations: 1.instead of opposites, suggest words of similar meaning (synonyms). 2.use a word and its opposite in the same sentence. 3.suggest any 5 opposites formed by adding un-.
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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