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.

A. G. Gardiner

Little Rays of Sunshine

‘Alpha of the Plough’ wished that he had been born with the gift of a winning smile.

Length: 109 words

William Cobbett

Mrs Lock’s Radical Ride

William Cobbett was delighted with one young woman’s protest against Mr Pitt’s ingenious ways of raising money.

Length: 59 words

Chilean History

Earthquake in Concepcion

Charles Darwin was on hand in 1836 to witness the catastrophic effects of a series of earthquakes in Chile.

Length: 117 words

Liberty and Prosperity

Private Prudence, Public Folly

Adam Smith contrasted the Government’s handling of the national economy with the way most families handled theirs.

Length: 117 words

Welsh History

The Wise Man of Pencader

During his Welsh campaign, Henry II asked one of his allies what he thought the future of Wales would look like.

Length: 59 words

Welsh History

The Battle of Coleshill

It rankled with Henry II that Wales did not pay to him the honour she had paid to his great-grandfather, William the Conqueror.

Length: 115 words