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.

Canada

The Defence of Castle Dangerous

In 1692, a girl of fourteen was left to defend her father’s manor from angry Iroquois raiders.

Length: 180 words

Mediaeval History

The Voyage of John Cabot

On the Feast of St John the Baptist, June 24th, 1497, Venetian navigator John Cabot claimed North America for the King of England.

Length: 104 words

Extracts from Poetry

The Charge of the Light Brigade

Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s famous poem about a suicidal cavalry charge during the Battle of Balaclava on October 25th, 1854.

Length: 114 words

Jawaharlal Nehru

The Hornets’ Nest

Britain’s fear of Russia led her to attempt regime change in Afghanistan, but it cost many lives and damaged the army’s reputation.

Length: 109 words

Richard Cobden

Bullies to the Weak, Cowards to the Strong

Richard Cobden wanted to know why British policy towards China was so different to our policy towards the USA and European powers.

Length: 116 words

Free Speech and Conscience

Question More

Ordinary people put too much faith in the judgment of experts, which is bad for us and bad for the experts.

Length: 118 words