Writeacher, I really need your help to paraphrase the beginning of Chapter 2 taken from Dickens's "Hard Times".
In particular, I would like to simplify Mr. Gradgrind's description, reduce it to a paragraph and turn it into a fill-in-the-blank activity. (I don't know if you can understand my objective..)
"THOMAS GRADGRIND, sir. A man of realities. A man of facts and calculations. A man who proceeds upon the principle that two and two are four, and nothing over, and who is not to be talked into allowing for anything over. Thomas Gradgrind, sir-peremptorily Thomas-Thomas Gradgrind. With a rule and a pair of scales, and the multiplication table always in his pocket, sir, ready to weigh and measure any parcel of human nature, and tell you exactly what it comes to. It is a mere question of figures, a case of simple arithmetic. You might hope to get some other nonsensical belief into the head of George Gradgrind, or Augustus Gradgrind, or John Gradgrind, or Joseph Gradgrind (all supposititious, non-existent persons), but into the head of Thomas Gradgrind-no, sir !
"In such terms Mr. Gradgrind always mentally introduced himself, whether to his private circle of acquaintance, or to the public in general. In such terms, no doubt, substituting the words "boys and girls," for "sir," . Thomas Gradgrind now presented Thomas Gradgrind to the little pitchers before him, who were to be filled so full of facts.
Indeed, as he eagerly sparkled at them from the cellarage before mentioned, he seemed a kind of cannon loaded to the muzzle with facts, and prepared to blow them clean out of the regions of child-hood at one discharge. He seemed a galvanizing apparatus, too, charged with a grim mechanical substitute for the tender young imaginations that were to be stormed away.
I've never read this, and I've had trouble staying interested in much that Dickens wrote! Believe it or not, it's more interesting (and easier) for me to read Shakespeare's works!
My best suggestion is that you go through summaries from Sparknotes, Bookrags, and others to draft summaries of different sections of Dickens' works.
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/hardtimes/
http://www.bookrags.com/hard+times
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_Times#Synopsis
To paraphrase the beginning of Chapter 2 from Dickens's "Hard Times" and simplify Mr. Gradgrind's description, you can follow these steps:
1. Read the original passage carefully to understand its meaning.
2. Identify the main points and ideas expressed in the passage.
3. Rewrite the passage using simpler language and sentence structure.
4. Condense the information into a paragraph while maintaining the key ideas.
5. Remove any unnecessary details or repetitions.
6. Convert the paragraph into a fill-in-the-blank activity by replacing certain words or phrases with blanks.
Here's an example of a paraphrased and simplified version of the passage, turned into a fill-in-the-blank activity:
"Thomas Gradgrind is a practical man who values facts and numbers above all else. He believes that everything can be measured and calculated, and he doesn't allow for any exceptions. With a rule and a pair of scales, he evaluates people's natures like they're parcels, telling them exactly what they're worth. It's all about numbers and simple arithmetic for him. You might be able to influence the beliefs of others in the Gradgrind family, but not Thomas Gradgrind. He always introduces himself as a man who values facts and calculations above everything else. Now, he presents himself to the children before him, ready to fill their minds with facts. He looks like a cannon loaded with information, ready to blow away any trace of imagination. He is like a mechanical device that replaces the tender young minds that are about to be overwhelmed."
Now, you can create a fill-in-the-blank activity by replacing certain words or phrases with blanks. For example:
"Thomas Gradgrind is a ___________ man who values ___________ and ___________ above all else. He believes that everything can be ___________ and ___________, and he doesn't allow for any ___________. With a ___________ and a ___________, he evaluates people's natures like they're ___________, telling them exactly what they're ___________. It's all about ___________ and ___________ for him. You might be able to influence the beliefs of ___________ in the Gradgrind family, but not Thomas Gradgrind. He always introduces himself as a man who values ___________ and ___________ above everything else. Now, he presents himself to the ___________ before him, ready to fill their minds with ___________. He looks like a ___________ loaded with information, ready to blow away any trace of ___________. He is like a ___________ device that replaces the ___________ young minds that are about to be overwhelmed."
By using this fill-in-the-blank activity, you can engage readers and test their understanding of Mr. Gradgrind's description while also simplifying the passage.