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War of the worlds
The hanging girl
Wisconsin
The Mill on the Floss
War of the Worlds
Read this short passage:
H G Wells was a writer who a century ago pioneered science fiction.
His most famous work was The War of the Worlds.
Now read the following three sentences, all of which express the same
meaning, and select the one that has the most effective word order.
- Having landed in Britain, Martians survive by injecting human and
animal blood into themselves in the novel. Select.
- In the novel, Martians land in Britain and survive by injecting human
and animal blood into themselves. Select.
- Martians, who land in Britain in the novel, survive by injecting human
and animal blood into themselves. Select.
The hanging girl
Which of the alternatives listed below would best follow this sentence?
Wisconsin
This short passage could be continued by any of the three alternatives
listed below it. Select the one which you think provides the best continuation.
There are in the state of Wisconsin, some ten thousand lakes. The
lakes were created by glaciers that advanced and retreated over the
lowland plains in the four major stages. In the current era, winter
temperatures in the region reach thirty degrees below zero and lower.
- When the lakes freeze over, a hardy subculture of sport fishermen
takes to the ice. Select.
- A hardy subculture of sport fishermen takes to the ice when the lakes
freeze over. Select.
- Sports fishermen form a hardy subculture, which takes to the ice when
the lakes freeze over. Select.
The Mill on the Floss
Here is an extract from The Mill on the Floss, by George Eliot. First
read it, then answer the questions below it, all of which will allow you
to apply your understanding of sentence structure and importance. The
sentences have been numbered for convenience.
[1]A wide plain, where the broadening Floss hurries on between its
green banks to the sea, and the loving tide, rushing to meet it, checks
its passage with an impetuous embrace. [2]On this mighty tide the black
ships - laden with the fresh-scented fir-planks, with rounded sacks
of oil-bearing seed, or with the dark glitter of coal - are borne along
to the town of St Ogg's, which shows its aged, fluted red roofs and
the broad gables of its wharves between the low wooded hill and the
river brink, tinging the water with a soft purple hue under the transient
glance of this February sun. [3]Far away on each hand stretch the rich
pastures and the patches of dark earth, made ready for the seed of broad-leaved
green crops, or touched already with the tint of the tender-bladed autumn-sown
corn. [4]There is a remnant still of the last year's golden clusters
of bee-hive ricks rising at intervals beyond the hedgerows; and everywhere
the hedge-rows are studded with trees: the distant ships seem to be
lifting their masts and stretching their red-brown sails close among
the branches of the spreading ash.
This passage contains at least one example of each of the special patterns
for reorganising clauses to show importance. For each pattern click the
number of the sentence or sentences in which it is found.
- Subject delay.
- There takes over the role of subject.
- Use of the passive to move the subject to later in the sentence.
- Front shifting.
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