Introduction
The Jataka Tales are a collection of roughly fourth-century BC stories supposedly from the many previous lives of Gautama Buddha. Several tell, Aesop-like, how one may learn wisdom by observing the ways of the natural world around us. In this case, a belligerent monarch draws a timely lesson from the antics of a monkey.
ONCE upon a time a powerful King of a great nation set his heart on capturing a little kingdom far away. He gathered his troops and marched for many miles before pitching camp in a forest.
As the King’s men filled nosebags with peas for their horses, a sly monkey came down from his tree and stole two great handfuls of peas. On his way back up, however, he let a pea fall. Much vexed, the monkey tossed aside all his other peas and went searching for the one he had dropped; but his search was in vain, and not daring to linger he scurried back to his branch empty handed.
All this was seen by the mighty King, who called his captains together and said: “I will not be like this monkey, who lost so much to gain so little. Let us return to our own country, and be thankful for our blessings.”
Précis
According to legend, a mighty Indian King gathered his troops and went to conquer a small country. On his way he saw a silly monkey toss away a handful of peas just to recover a single dropped pea; realising he had been about to run the same risk, he returned home determined not to lose so much for so little. (60 / 60 words)
According to legend, a mighty Indian King gathered his troops and went to conquer a small country. On his way he saw a silly monkey toss away a handful of peas just to recover a single dropped pea; realising he had been about to run the same risk, he returned home determined not to lose so much for so little.
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: although, besides, if, must, or, unless, until, 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.
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 Little. March. Other.
2 Call. Come. Upon.
3 Gather. Mighty. Scurry.
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.)
Add Vowels Find in Think and Speak
Make words by adding vowels to each group of consonants below. You may add as many vowels as you like before, between or after the consonants, but you may not add any consonants or change the order of those you have been given. See if you can beat our target of common words.
pltd (6)
pelted. piloted. plaited. plateaued. plated. pleated.
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