Introduction
Cynewulf (possibly the 8th century bishop Cynewulf of Lindisfarne) imagines Christ’s last words to his Apostles, before a cloud came and took him from their sight, never to be seen again – and yet, somehow, never to leave them.
And when he had spoken these things,
while they beheld, he was taken up;
and a cloud received him out of their sight.
“BE glad of heart! Never shall I wander; my love shall follow you unceasingly.* My might I give you, and I am with you always, even unto the end,* that through my gift none shall ever lack God.
“Go now through all this wide earth, to its uttermost bounds,* and tell its multitude; preach and proclaim the bright faith, and baptise the peoples beneath the firmament.*
“Turn unto the heathen.* Break their idols – fell them, abhor them;* abolish enmity,* sow peace in the hearts of men, prospered by my might. I will dwell among you henceforth for your comfort, and in my hand is peace, strength as fast as a pillar,* wherever you may go.”
Freely translated from the Old English
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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 He. Idol. Never.
2 Bound. Fell. Peace.
3 Faith. Man. Wherever.
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.)
Homonyms Find in Think and Speak
Each of the words below has more than one possible meaning. Compose your own sentences to show what those different meanings are.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1. Man. 2. Fast. 3. Even. 4. May. 5. Mine. 6. Bright. 7. Break.
Adjectives Find in Think and Speak
For each word below, compose sentences to show that it may be used as an adjective. Adjectives provide extra information about a noun, e.g. a black cat, a round table, the early bird etc..
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Utter. 2 Broken. 3 Uttermost. 4 Willing. 5 Endless. 6 Loving. 7 Loveless. 8 Peaceful. 9 Wide.
Variations: 1.show whether your adjective can also be used as e.g. a noun, verb or adverb. 2.show whether your adjective can be used in comparisons (e.g. good/better/best). 3.show whether your adjective can be used in attributive position (e.g. a dangerous corner) and also in predicate position (this corner is dangerous).
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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