Introduction
A ‘judgment of Solomon’ is an ultimatum that reveals what someone’s priorities really are. The term comes from a tale about King Solomon, who inherited the throne of his father David in 970 BC.
SOON after he was crowned King of Israel, two women appeared before Solomon, asking him to judge their case.
They were prostitutes who lived in the same house, and both had given birth within days of each other. According to one, the other had very craftily swapped babies after finding that her own had died in the night. Of course, the accused woman protested wildly that it was all the other way round, and the living child really was hers.
Solomon surprised everyone by turning to an attendant to say, ‘Slice the child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other’.
Of the two women, one met the King’s decision with a shrug, but the other tearfully begged Solomon to award the child to her rival, rather than harm a hair of its head. This told the King all he needed to know, and he was able to restore the baby to its own loving mother.
Précis
King Solomon was asked to decide between two women, both of whom claimed to be the mother of the same baby. So he proposed dividing the baby in half, and watched for the reaction. Solomon reasoned that the one who cared more for the child’s life than for her own rights was likely to be the real mother. (58 / 60 words)
King Solomon was asked to decide between two women, both of whom claimed to be the mother of the same baby. So he proposed dividing the baby in half, and watched for the reaction. Solomon reasoned that the one who cared more for the child’s life than for her own rights was likely to be the real mother.
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, besides, may, not, or, ought, whereas.
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.
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 Other. Turning. Very.
2 All. Night. Woman.
3 House. Love. Mother.
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.)
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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