| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from The Mansion by Henry van Dyke: helped to
avoid a public disgrace, and how a close friendship had grown
between
the two boys, so different in their fortunes.
"Yes," he said, "I remember him. He was a promising young man.
Has he succeeded?"
"Not exactly--that is not yet. His business has been going
rather badly.
He has a wife and little baby, you know. And now he has broken
down,--
something wrong with his lungs. The doctor says his only chance
|
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Kenilworth by Walter Scott: clownish, and made his own graceful tone and manner seem doubly
such when he resumed it. Foreign countries--their customs, their
manners, the rules of their courts---the fashions, and even the
dress of their ladies-were equally his theme; and seldom did he
conclude without conveying some compliment, always couched in
delicacy, and expressed with propriety, to the Virgin Queen, her
court, and her government. Thus passed the conversation during
this pleasure voyage, seconded by the rest of the attendants upon
the royal person, in gay discourse, varied by remarks upon
ancient classics and modern authors, and enriched by maxims of
deep policy and sound morality, by the statesmen and sages who
Kenilworth |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from End of the Tether by Joseph Conrad: appeared utterly; and the smooth, empty sea along the
coast was left behind in the glittering desolation of sun-
shine. On each side of her, low down, the growth of
somber twisted mangroves covered the semi-liquid banks;
and Massy continued in his old tone, with an abrupt
start, as if his speech had been ground out of him, like
the tune of a music-box, by turning a handle.
"Though if anybody ever got the best of me, it is you.
I don't mind saying this. I've said it--there! What
more can you want? Isn't that enough for your pride,
Captain Whalley. You got over me from the first. It's
End of the Tether |
