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The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Chapter XXIX · Chapter 29: CHAPTER XXIX

The first thing Tom heard on Friday morning was a glad piece of news—Judge Thatcher’s family had come back to town the night before.

Chapter 29: CHAPTER XXIX, section 1: The first thing Tom heard on Friday morning was a glad piece of news—Judge Thatcher’s family had come back to town the night before. Both Injun Joe and the treasure sunk into secon
Context Illustration Reading 1/37 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
The first thing Tom heard on Friday morning was a glad piece of news—Judge Thatcher’s family had come back to town the night before.
Both Injun Joe and the treasure sunk into secondary importance for a moment, and Becky took the chief place in the boy’s interest.
He saw her and they had an exhausting good time playing “hispy” and “gully-keeper” with a crowd of their schoolmates.
The day was completed and crowned in a peculiarly satisfactory way: Becky teased her mother to appoint the next day for the long-promised and long-delayed picnic, and she consented.
The child’s delight was boundless; and Tom’s not more moderate.
0:00 / 0:00
Speed 0.75x
AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Chapter XXIX · Chapter 29: CHAPTER XXIX

Reading 1/37 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
The first thing Tom heard on Friday morning was a glad piece of news—Judge Thatcher’s family had come back to town the night before.
Line 2
Both Injun Joe and the treasure sunk into secondary importance for a moment, and Becky took the chief place in the boy’s interest.
Line 3
He saw her and they had an exhausting good time playing “hispy” and “gully-keeper” with a crowd of their schoolmates.
Line 4
The day was completed and crowned in a peculiarly satisfactory way: Becky teased her mother to appoint the next day for the long-promised and long-delayed picnic, and she consented.
Line 5
The child’s delight was boundless; and Tom’s not more moderate.

Learner Dictionary

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.

thing noun US /thing/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “The first thing Tom heard on Friday morning was a glad piece of news—Judge Thatcher’s family had come back to town the night before.”

Collocations
The firstA source-grounded phrase from this reading.
first thingA source-grounded phrase from this reading.
All words in this reading · 79

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading The first thing Tom heard on Friday morning was a glad piece of news—Judge Thatcher’s family had come back to town the night before.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading He saw her and they had an exhausting good time playing “hispy” and “gully-keeper” with a crowd of their schoolmates.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading Both Injun Joe and the treasure sunk into secondary importance for a moment, and Becky took the chief place in the boy’s interest.

appoint

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The day was completed and crowned in a peculiarly satisfactory way: Becky teased her mother to appoint the next day for the long-promised and long-delayed picnic, and she consented.

back

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The first thing Tom heard on Friday morning was a glad piece of news—Judge Thatcher’s family had come back to town the night before.

Becky

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Both Injun Joe and the treasure sunk into secondary importance for a moment, and Becky took the chief place in the boy’s interest.

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading The first thing Tom heard on Friday morning was a glad piece of news—Judge Thatcher’s family had come back to town the night before.

BothdeterminerUS /boʊθ/

the two together, not just one

From this reading Both Injun Joe and the treasure sunk into secondary importance for a moment, and Becky took the chief place in the boy’s interest.

boundless

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The child’s delight was boundless; and Tom’s not more moderate.

boy's

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Both Injun Joe and the treasure sunk into secondary importance for a moment, and Becky took the chief place in the boy’s interest.

chief

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Both Injun Joe and the treasure sunk into secondary importance for a moment, and Becky took the chief place in the boy’s interest.

child's

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The child’s delight was boundless; and Tom’s not more moderate.

comenounUS /come/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The first thing Tom heard on Friday morning was a glad piece of news—Judge Thatcher’s family had come back to town the night before.

completed

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The day was completed and crowned in a peculiarly satisfactory way: Becky teased her mother to appoint the next day for the long-promised and long-delayed picnic, and she consented.

consented

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The day was completed and crowned in a peculiarly satisfactory way: Becky teased her mother to appoint the next day for the long-promised and long-delayed picnic, and she consented.

crowd

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He saw her and they had an exhausting good time playing “hispy” and “gully-keeper” with a crowd of their schoolmates.

crowned

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The day was completed and crowned in a peculiarly satisfactory way: Becky teased her mother to appoint the next day for the long-promised and long-delayed picnic, and she consented.

day

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The day was completed and crowned in a peculiarly satisfactory way: Becky teased her mother to appoint the next day for the long-promised and long-delayed picnic, and she consented.

delight

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The child’s delight was boundless; and Tom’s not more moderate.

exhausting

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He saw her and they had an exhausting good time playing “hispy” and “gully-keeper” with a crowd of their schoolmates.

family

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The first thing Tom heard on Friday morning was a glad piece of news—Judge Thatcher’s family had come back to town the night before.

firstnounUS /first/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The first thing Tom heard on Friday morning was a glad piece of news—Judge Thatcher’s family had come back to town the night before.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Both Injun Joe and the treasure sunk into secondary importance for a moment, and Becky took the chief place in the boy’s interest.

Friday

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The first thing Tom heard on Friday morning was a glad piece of news—Judge Thatcher’s family had come back to town the night before.

glad

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The first thing Tom heard on Friday morning was a glad piece of news—Judge Thatcher’s family had come back to town the night before.

goodnounUS /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He saw her and they had an exhausting good time playing “hispy” and “gully-keeper” with a crowd of their schoolmates.

gully-keeper

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He saw her and they had an exhausting good time playing “hispy” and “gully-keeper” with a crowd of their schoolmates.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading The first thing Tom heard on Friday morning was a glad piece of news—Judge Thatcher’s family had come back to town the night before.

HepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading He saw her and they had an exhausting good time playing “hispy” and “gully-keeper” with a crowd of their schoolmates.

heard

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The first thing Tom heard on Friday morning was a glad piece of news—Judge Thatcher’s family had come back to town the night before.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading He saw her and they had an exhausting good time playing “hispy” and “gully-keeper” with a crowd of their schoolmates.

hispy

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He saw her and they had an exhausting good time playing “hispy” and “gully-keeper” with a crowd of their schoolmates.

importance

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Both Injun Joe and the treasure sunk into secondary importance for a moment, and Becky took the chief place in the boy’s interest.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading Both Injun Joe and the treasure sunk into secondary importance for a moment, and Becky took the chief place in the boy’s interest.

Injun

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Both Injun Joe and the treasure sunk into secondary importance for a moment, and Becky took the chief place in the boy’s interest.

interest

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Both Injun Joe and the treasure sunk into secondary importance for a moment, and Becky took the chief place in the boy’s interest.

intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Both Injun Joe and the treasure sunk into secondary importance for a moment, and Becky took the chief place in the boy’s interest.

Joe

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Both Injun Joe and the treasure sunk into secondary importance for a moment, and Becky took the chief place in the boy’s interest.

Judge

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The first thing Tom heard on Friday morning was a glad piece of news—Judge Thatcher’s family had come back to town the night before.

long-delayed

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The day was completed and crowned in a peculiarly satisfactory way: Becky teased her mother to appoint the next day for the long-promised and long-delayed picnic, and she consented.

long-promised

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The day was completed and crowned in a peculiarly satisfactory way: Becky teased her mother to appoint the next day for the long-promised and long-delayed picnic, and she consented.

moderate

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The child’s delight was boundless; and Tom’s not more moderate.

moment

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Both Injun Joe and the treasure sunk into secondary importance for a moment, and Becky took the chief place in the boy’s interest.

more

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The child’s delight was boundless; and Tom’s not more moderate.

morningnounUS /morning/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The first thing Tom heard on Friday morning was a glad piece of news—Judge Thatcher’s family had come back to town the night before.

mother

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The day was completed and crowned in a peculiarly satisfactory way: Becky teased her mother to appoint the next day for the long-promised and long-delayed picnic, and she consented.

news

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The first thing Tom heard on Friday morning was a glad piece of news—Judge Thatcher’s family had come back to town the night before.

nextnounUS /next/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The day was completed and crowned in a peculiarly satisfactory way: Becky teased her mother to appoint the next day for the long-promised and long-delayed picnic, and she consented.

night

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The first thing Tom heard on Friday morning was a glad piece of news—Judge Thatcher’s family had come back to town the night before.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The child’s delight was boundless; and Tom’s not more moderate.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The first thing Tom heard on Friday morning was a glad piece of news—Judge Thatcher’s family had come back to town the night before.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The first thing Tom heard on Friday morning was a glad piece of news—Judge Thatcher’s family had come back to town the night before.

peculiarly

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The day was completed and crowned in a peculiarly satisfactory way: Becky teased her mother to appoint the next day for the long-promised and long-delayed picnic, and she consented.

picnic

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The day was completed and crowned in a peculiarly satisfactory way: Becky teased her mother to appoint the next day for the long-promised and long-delayed picnic, and she consented.

piece

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The first thing Tom heard on Friday morning was a glad piece of news—Judge Thatcher’s family had come back to town the night before.

place

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Both Injun Joe and the treasure sunk into secondary importance for a moment, and Becky took the chief place in the boy’s interest.

playing

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He saw her and they had an exhausting good time playing “hispy” and “gully-keeper” with a crowd of their schoolmates.

satisfactory

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The day was completed and crowned in a peculiarly satisfactory way: Becky teased her mother to appoint the next day for the long-promised and long-delayed picnic, and she consented.

saw

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He saw her and they had an exhausting good time playing “hispy” and “gully-keeper” with a crowd of their schoolmates.

schoolmates

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He saw her and they had an exhausting good time playing “hispy” and “gully-keeper” with a crowd of their schoolmates.

secondary

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Both Injun Joe and the treasure sunk into secondary importance for a moment, and Becky took the chief place in the boy’s interest.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading The day was completed and crowned in a peculiarly satisfactory way: Becky teased her mother to appoint the next day for the long-promised and long-delayed picnic, and she consented.

sunk

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Both Injun Joe and the treasure sunk into secondary importance for a moment, and Becky took the chief place in the boy’s interest.

teased

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The day was completed and crowned in a peculiarly satisfactory way: Becky teased her mother to appoint the next day for the long-promised and long-delayed picnic, and she consented.

Thatcher's

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The first thing Tom heard on Friday morning was a glad piece of news—Judge Thatcher’s family had come back to town the night before.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading The first thing Tom heard on Friday morning was a glad piece of news—Judge Thatcher’s family had come back to town the night before.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading He saw her and they had an exhausting good time playing “hispy” and “gully-keeper” with a crowd of their schoolmates.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading He saw her and they had an exhausting good time playing “hispy” and “gully-keeper” with a crowd of their schoolmates.

thingnounUS /thing/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading The first thing Tom heard on Friday morning was a glad piece of news—Judge Thatcher’s family had come back to town the night before.

timenounUS /time/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading He saw her and they had an exhausting good time playing “hispy” and “gully-keeper” with a crowd of their schoolmates.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading The first thing Tom heard on Friday morning was a glad piece of news—Judge Thatcher’s family had come back to town the night before.

Tom

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The first thing Tom heard on Friday morning was a glad piece of news—Judge Thatcher’s family had come back to town the night before.

Tom's

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The child’s delight was boundless; and Tom’s not more moderate.

tooknounUS /took/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Both Injun Joe and the treasure sunk into secondary importance for a moment, and Becky took the chief place in the boy’s interest.

town

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The first thing Tom heard on Friday morning was a glad piece of news—Judge Thatcher’s family had come back to town the night before.

treasure

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Both Injun Joe and the treasure sunk into secondary importance for a moment, and Becky took the chief place in the boy’s interest.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading The first thing Tom heard on Friday morning was a glad piece of news—Judge Thatcher’s family had come back to town the night before.

way

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The day was completed and crowned in a peculiarly satisfactory way: Becky teased her mother to appoint the next day for the long-promised and long-delayed picnic, and she consented.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading He saw her and they had an exhausting good time playing “hispy” and “gully-keeper” with a crowd of their schoolmates.

Chapter Quiz

What is the central narrative or theme conveyed in this section of Chapter 29?

Which core linguistic virtue or character attribute is emphasized in this passage?

According to the text: "CHAPTER V...", what tone does the author establish?

Shadowing Practice

Narrator: CHAPTER V
Narrator: its wings with its hind legs and smoothing them to its body as if they