I. Listen to this story.
II. Write down a précis. Before writing a précis, learn the material:
Précis['preisi] is a summary of a passage from a book, report newspaper, article, etc., which conveys the main idea of the original. A précis is normally made in about one third of the original. The writer is not supposed to introduce his own judgement or comments, nor can he use direct speech, conversations or dialogues in précis writing. This should be paraphrased before being written.
Paraphraseis the translation of a dialogue or conversation into ordinary prose language. Care should be taken not to confuse it with reported speech which is purely grammatical. Paraphrase gives excellent practice in expression the thoughts, ideas and emotions. Here is a list of some commonly used words and phrases which may help you to interpret your passage clearly and accurately.
1. to want (wish) to know that…
2. to wonder if (why, when, how, etc.)…
3. to think (believe, suppose) that…
4. to be sure (convinced) that…
5. to doubt (suspect) that…
6. to admit that…
7. to deny that…
8. to reproach smb…and so on.
NB!Avoid verbs like “tell”, “say”, “ask”, “answer”, which are typical of
reported speech.
NB!Give logical connection of facts or ideas.
III. Use these words and word-combinations in writing a précis in class:
1. blackish, bulgy nose;
2. to wriggle about:
3. satiable;
4. ostrich, giraffe, hippopotamus, baboon…;
5. to spank with (claw, hoof);
6. to be full of satiable curtiosity;
7. Precession of the Equinoxes;
8. Kolokolo Bird;
9. the great grey-green, greasy Limpopo River;
10. rind;
11. Bi-coloured Python-Rock-Snake;
12. scalesome, flailsome tail;
13. to wink;
14. to weep crocodile tears;
15. musky, tusky mouse;
16. large-pattern leather ulster;
17. haunch;
18. flounder(ed);
19. thresh(ed);
20. This is too butch;
21. to knot;
22. double-clove hitch;
23. hind;
24. self-propelling man of war;
25. armour-plated upper deck;
26. vitiate;
27. with a plop;
28. to be badly out of shape;
29. to shrink(shrank’ shrunk);
30. squint;
31. sting(stung);
32. a mere-smere nose;
33. pluck(ed);
34. fore legs;
35. scuff(ed);
36. slapped(ed);
37. trickly;
38. to spank smb;
39. frisk; whisk;
40. slushy-squishy mud-cap