Introduction
The following fable was applied by Sir Thomas More, Henry VIII’s Lord Chancellor, to the danger posed by Governments that police what we are allowed to say. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what you actually do say: what matters is what those in authority decide you have said.
THE Lion being once badly hurt by the horns of a Goat, went into a great rage, and swore that every animal with horns should be banished from his kingdom. Goats, Bulls, Rams, Deer, and every living thing with horns had quickly to be off on pain of death.
A Hare, seeing from his shadow how long his ears were, was in great fear lest they should be taken for horns. “Good-bye, my friend,” said he to a Cricket who, for many a long summer evening, had chirped to him where he lay dozing. “I must be off from here. My ears are too much like horns to allow me to be comfortable.”
“Horns!” exclaimed the Cricket, “do you take me for a fool? You no more have horns than I have.”
“Say what you please,” replied the Hare, “were my ears only half as long as they are, they would be quite long enough for any one to lay hold of who wished to make them out to be horns.”
Précis
The Lion, after being wounded by the horns of the Goat, gave all animals with horns the choice of banishment or death. To the little Cricket’s amazement, his friend the Hare packed his bags too. It was not, explained Hare, that he was foolish enough to think his long ears were horns. But what if Lion thought they were? (59 / 60 words)
The Lion, after being wounded by the horns of the Goat, gave all animals with horns the choice of banishment or death. To the little Cricket’s amazement, his friend the Hare packed his bags too. It was not, explained Hare, that he was foolish enough to think his long ears were horns. But what if Lion thought they were?
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, because, just, may, must, until, whether, who.
Archive
Word Games
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 Lay. No. Thing.
2 Like. Only. Reply.
3 Being. Great. Quite.
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-.
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. Evening. 2. Hold. 3. Fear. 4. Ear. 5. Hurt. 6. Good. 7. Wish. 8. Reply. 9. Summer.
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 ()
