| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Bureaucracy by Honore de Balzac: every one in his or her own language; her talents were real; she
showed an independent and elevated mind; her conversation charmed as
much by its variety and ease as by the oddness and originality of her
ideas. Such qualities, useful and appropriate in a sovereign or an
ambassadress, were of little service to a household compelled to jog
in the common round. Those who have the gift of speaking well desire
an audience; they like to talk, even if they sometimes weary others.
To satisfy the requirements of her mind Madame Rabourdin took a weekly
reception-day and went a great deal into society to obtain the
consideration her self-love was accustomed to enjoy. Those who know
Parisian life will readily understand how a woman of her temperament
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from A Start in Life by Honore de Balzac: Pierrotin was puzzled to explain the exact relations of Monsieur
Moreau and Madame Clapart from what he saw of the household in the rue
de la Cerisaie. Though lodgings were not dear at that time in the
Arsenal quarter, Madame Clapart lived on a third floor at the end of a
court-yard, in a house which was formerly that of a great family, in
the days when the higher nobility of the kingdom lived on the ancient
site of the Palais des Tournelles and the hotel Saint-Paul. Toward the
end of the sixteenth century, the great seigneurs divided among
themselves these vast spaces, once occupied by the gardens of the
kings of France, as indicated by the present names of the streets,--
Cerisaie, Beautreillis, des Lions, etc. Madame Clapart's apartment,
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Twelve Stories and a Dream by H. G. Wells: of the time, one, two, or three of their heads protruded from
the window wailing enquiries about "a little wickerwork box"
whenever he drew near. There was a very stout man with a very stout
wife in shiny black; there was a little old man like an aged hostler.
"What CAN such people want in Rome?" asked Miss Winchelsea. "What
can it mean to them?" There was a very tall curate in a very small
straw hat, and a very short curate encumbered by a long camera
stand. The contrast amused Fanny very much. Once they heard some
one calling for "Snooks." "I always thought that name was invented
by novelists," said Miss Winchelsea. "Fancy! Snooks. I wonder which
IS Mr. Snooks." Finally they picked out a very stout and resolute
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