Introduction
The ‘Midas Touch’ is the ability to make a success of anything to which you turn your hand, but the original myth carries a warning.
THE story goes that the god Dionysius could not find his old friend Silenus, the satyr, who had drunk too much wine and wandered into the palace gardens of Midas, King of Phrygia.
When Dionysius learnt with how much affection Midas had treated his missing friend, he was so grateful that he invited the King to name his own reward. Midas asked that anything he touched should turn to gold, and the god complied.
The greedy king’s delight did not last long after the moment when he discovered that ‘anything’ included his food.
A starving Midas soon implored Dionysius to take back his gift.
For his cure, the god told him to bathe in the river Pactolus - the very same river in which, centuries later, the fabulously wealthy Croesus* found his endless supply of gold.
Midas of Phrygia is a confusing mix of legend and history, but Croesus of neighbouring Lydia was a genuinely historical king (r. 560-546) who made his wealth from gold coins.
Précis
After Midas of Phrygia did him a favour, Dionysius told him to name his own reward. Midas requested that everything he touched turn to gold, forgetting that this would include his food. Unable to eat, he begged for a cure, and was told to bathe in the River Pactolus, which coincidentally was where Croesus found his inexhaustible supply of gold. (60 / 60 words)
After Midas of Phrygia did him a favour, Dionysius told him to name his own reward. Midas requested that everything he touched turn to gold, forgetting that this would include his food. Unable to eat, he begged for a cure, and was told to bathe in the River Pactolus, which coincidentally was where Croesus found his inexhaustible supply of gold.
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, if, may, not, since, until, whether, who.
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Word Games
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 Ask. Cure. Go.
2 Gift. Own. Treat.
3 Back. Fabulous. Reward.
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. Found. 2. Last. 3. Own. 4. Long.
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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