A replica Royal Aircraft Factory SE5a at Hood Aerodrome in Masterton, New Zealand.
Introduction
In the Great War, RAF pilot Peter Pienaar endures being shot down, lamed and kept as a prisoner of war with the help of Bunyan’s ‘Pilgrim’s Progress’. He has been free only a matter of days when despite his injury he steals a plane to take out the Germans’ flying ace Lensch, by ramming him in mid-air.
THEY took Peter from the wreckage with scarcely a scar except his twisted leg. Death had smoothed out some of the age in him, and left his face much as I remembered it long ago in the Mashonaland hills.
In his pocket was his old battered Pilgrim's Progress. It lies before me as I write, and beside it — for I was his only legatee — the little case which came to him weeks later, containing the highest honour that can be bestowed upon a soldier of Britain.1
It was from the Pilgrim's Progress that I read next morning, when in the lee of an apple-orchard Mary and Blenkiron and I stood in the soft spring rain beside his grave.
1Hannay implies that Peter was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross.
Précis
After his friend Peter, an RAF pilot, was killed in the Great War, Richard Hannay was present to watch him pulled from the wreckage of his plane. Peter left little in his Will except the Victoria Cross he was awarded for his self-scrifice, and his well-thumbed copy of Bunyan’s ‘Pilgrim’s Progress’, from which Hannay read at the graveside. (58 / 60 words)
After his friend Peter, an RAF pilot, was killed in the Great War, Richard Hannay was present to watch him pulled from the wreckage of his plane. Peter left little in his Will except the Victoria Cross he was awarded for his self-scrifice, and his well-thumbed copy of Bunyan’s ‘Pilgrim’s Progress’, from which Hannay read at the graveside.
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, despite, just, must, since, until, whether, who.
Word Games
1Sevens 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.
2Jigsaws 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.
Post Box : Ask Nicholas
Grok : Ask Grok
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