Introduction
Mr Rochester has proposed to his astonished but delighted governess, Jane Eyre, and the happy couple are now in church, ready to exchange their marriage vows.
THE service began. The explanation of the intent of matrimony was gone through; and then the clergyman came a step further forward, and, bending slightly towards Mr. Rochester, went on.
“I require and charge you both (as ye will answer at the dreadful day of judgment, when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed), that if either of you know any impediment why ye may not lawfully be joined together in matrimony, ye do now confess it.”*
He paused, as the custom is. When is the pause after that sentence ever broken by reply? Not, perhaps, once in a hundred years.
And the clergyman, who had not lifted his eyes from his book, and had held his breath but for a moment, was proceeding: his hand was already stretched towards Mr. Rochester, as his lips unclosed to ask, “Wilt thou have this woman for thy wedded wife?” — when a distinct and near voice said —
“The marriage cannot go on: I declare the existence of an impediment.”
From the Order for Holy Matrimony, in the Book of Common Prayer (1662).
Précis
Jane Eyre and Mr Rochester were at the altar, ready to be married; the clergyman, as the service book demanded, had required them to confess any impediment to their marriage. Jane was shocked to hear the silence that followed broken, by a voice declaring that the marriage must not go on. (51 / 60 words)
Jane Eyre and Mr Rochester were at the altar, ready to be married; the clergyman, as the service book demanded, had required them to confess any impediment to their marriage. Jane was shocked to hear the silence that followed broken, by a voice declaring that the marriage must not go on.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 45 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: because, despite, if, or, otherwise, ought, since, 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 Law. Toward. Wed.
2 Go. Shall. Slight.
3 Custom. Either. Wife.
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.)
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. Wife. 2. Moment. 3. Bend. 4. Day. 5. Lift. 6. Heart. 7. Secret. 8. Charge. 9. Stretch.
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.
Statements, Questions and Commands Find in Think and Speak
Use each word below in a sentence. Try to include at least one statement, one question and one command among your sentences. Note that some verbs make awkward or meaningless words of command, e.g. need, happen.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Answer. 2 Reply. 3 Bend. 4 Charge. 5 Sentence. 6 Voice. 7 Break. 8 Pause. 9 Hold.
Variations: 1. use a minimum of seven words for each sentence 2. include negatives, e.g. isn’t, don’t, never 3. use the words ‘must’ to make commands 4. compose a short dialogue containing all three kinds of sentence: one statement, one question and one command
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.
dtd (5)
audited. dated. dieted. doted. edited.
