Minis
Mini Copy Book

Each post in this section is a short précis (summary) of a passage in The Copy Book. All of them are in modern English. They are intended for students of English as a Foreign Language at Elementary Level.

Discovery and Invention

Jesty and Jenner’s Jab

Benjamin Jesty and Edward Jenner continue to save millions of lives because they listened to an old wives’ tale.

Length: 59 words

British Myths and Legends

Robin Hood and the Debt of Honour

The outlaw showed that strange as it may be, he did have a code of honour.

Length: 156 words

Cat Stories

The Friendship of Cats

A cat’s affection is not easy to win, but the rewards make the effort worthwhile.

Length: 107 words

Extracts from Literature

A Tempting Offer

True moral integrity comes from within.

Length: 56 words

Tudor Era

The Nine-Day Queen

Lady Jane Grey’s accession was almost instantly overturned.

Length: 52 words

Abolition of Slavery

The Bombardment of Algiers

For two centuries, human traffickers had stolen English men, women and children for the slave-markets of the Arab world.

Length: 55 words