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Back at School with the Tucker Twins
Back at School with the Tucker Twins

Chapter V

Chapter 5 of Back at School with the Tucker Twins is here in full — 121 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Back at School with the Tucker Twins
Context Illustration Reading 1/24 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
SOME LETTERS.
From Virginia Tucker to Mr. Jeffry Tucker.
Gresham, Oct.
15, 19-- Dearest Zebedee: It gets worse and worse--We've had a whole month of it now and my demerits are much more numerous than my merits.
I see no way of getting out of the hole I am in.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Back at School with the Tucker Twins

Chapter V

Chapter 5 of Back at School with the Tucker Twins is here in full — 121 sentences across 25 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/24 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
SOME LETTERS.
/sʌm ˈletərz/
Line 2
From Virginia Tucker to Mr. Jeffry Tucker.
Line 3
Gresham, Oct.
/ˈɡreʃəm ɔːkt/
Line 4
15, 19-- Dearest Zebedee: It gets worse and worse--We've had a whole month of it now and my demerits are much more numerous than my merits.
Line 5
I see no way of getting out of the hole I am in.
/aɪ siː noʊ weɪ ʌv ˈɡetɪŋ aʊt ʌv ðə hoʊl aɪ æm ɪn/

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

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

Dearest noun US /ˈdɪrəst/

a beloved person; used as terms of endearment

From this reading “15, 19-- Dearest Zebedee: It gets worse and worse--We've had a whole month of it now and my demerits are much more numerous than my merits.”

demerits noun US /diˈmerəts/

plural of “demerit” — a mark against a person for misconduct or failure; usually given in school or armed forces

From this reading “15, 19-- Dearest Zebedee: It gets worse and worse--We've had a whole month of it now and my demerits are much more numerous than my merits.”

Gresham noun US /ˈɡreʃəm/

English financier (1519-1579)

From this reading “Gresham, Oct.”

merits noun US /ˈmerəts/

plural of “merit” — any admirable quality or attribute

From this reading “15, 19-- Dearest Zebedee: It gets worse and worse--We've had a whole month of it now and my demerits are much more numerous than my merits.”

numerous adjective US /ˈnuːmərəs/

amounting to a large indefinite number

From this reading “15, 19-- Dearest Zebedee: It gets worse and worse--We've had a whole month of it now and my demerits are much more numerous than my merits.”

Oct noun US /ɔːkt/

the month following September and preceding November

From this reading “Gresham, Oct.”

Tucker noun US /ˈtʌkər/

United States anarchist influential before World War I (1854-1939)

From this reading “From Virginia Tucker to Mr. Jeffry Tucker.”

Virginia noun US /vərˈdʒɪnjə/

a state in the eastern United States; one of the original 13 colonies; one of the Confederate States in the American Civil War

From this reading “From Virginia Tucker to Mr. Jeffry Tucker.”

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

much more adverb + adjective

In this reading “15, 19-- Dearest Zebedee: It gets worse and worse--We've had a whole month of it now and my demerits are much more numerous than my merits.”

whole month adjective + noun

In this reading “15, 19-- Dearest Zebedee: It gets worse and worse--We've had a whole month of it now and my demerits are much more numerous than my merits.”

SOME LETTERS adjective + noun

In this reading “SOME LETTERS.”

All words in this reading · 43

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

15

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

From this reading 15, 19-- Dearest Zebedee: It gets worse and worse--We've had a whole month of it now and my demerits are much more numerous than my merits.

19

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

From this reading 15, 19-- Dearest Zebedee: It gets worse and worse--We've had a whole month of it now and my demerits are much more numerous than my merits.

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading 15, 19-- Dearest Zebedee: It gets worse and worse--We've had a whole month of it now and my demerits are much more numerous than my merits.

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading I see no way of getting out of the hole I am in.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading 15, 19-- Dearest Zebedee: It gets worse and worse--We've had a whole month of it now and my demerits are much more numerous than my merits.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading 15, 19-- Dearest Zebedee: It gets worse and worse--We've had a whole month of it now and my demerits are much more numerous than my merits.

DearestnounUS /ˈdɪrəst/

a beloved person; used as terms of endearment

From this reading 15, 19-- Dearest Zebedee: It gets worse and worse--We've had a whole month of it now and my demerits are much more numerous than my merits.

demeritsnounUS /diˈmerəts/

plural of “demerit” — a mark against a person for misconduct or failure; usually given in school or armed forces

From this reading 15, 19-- Dearest Zebedee: It gets worse and worse--We've had a whole month of it now and my demerits are much more numerous than my merits.

FromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading From Virginia Tucker to Mr. Jeffry Tucker.

getsnounUS /ɡets/

plural of “get” — a return on a shot that seemed impossible to reach and would normally have resulted in a point for the opponent

From this reading 15, 19-- Dearest Zebedee: It gets worse and worse--We've had a whole month of it now and my demerits are much more numerous than my merits.

gettingnounUS /ˈɡetɪŋ/

the act of acquiring something

From this reading I see no way of getting out of the hole I am in.

GreshamnounUS /ˈɡreʃəm/

English financier (1519-1579)

From this reading Gresham, Oct.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading 15, 19-- Dearest Zebedee: It gets worse and worse--We've had a whole month of it now and my demerits are much more numerous than my merits.

holenounUS /hoʊl/

an opening into or through something

From this reading I see no way of getting out of the hole I am in.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading I see no way of getting out of the hole I am in.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading I see no way of getting out of the hole I am in.

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading 15, 19-- Dearest Zebedee: It gets worse and worse--We've had a whole month of it now and my demerits are much more numerous than my merits.

Jeffry

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

From this reading From Virginia Tucker to Mr. Jeffry Tucker.

LETTERSnounUS /ˈletərz/

the literary culture

From this reading SOME LETTERS.

meritsnounUS /ˈmerəts/

plural of “merit” — any admirable quality or attribute

From this reading 15, 19-- Dearest Zebedee: It gets worse and worse--We've had a whole month of it now and my demerits are much more numerous than my merits.

monthnounUS /mʌnθ/

one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year

From this reading 15, 19-- Dearest Zebedee: It gets worse and worse--We've had a whole month of it now and my demerits are much more numerous than my merits.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading 15, 19-- Dearest Zebedee: It gets worse and worse--We've had a whole month of it now and my demerits are much more numerous than my merits.

MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading From Virginia Tucker to Mr. Jeffry Tucker.

muchadverbUS /mʌtʃ/

to a great degree or extent

From this reading 15, 19-- Dearest Zebedee: It gets worse and worse--We've had a whole month of it now and my demerits are much more numerous than my merits.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading 15, 19-- Dearest Zebedee: It gets worse and worse--We've had a whole month of it now and my demerits are much more numerous than my merits.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading I see no way of getting out of the hole I am in.

nowadverbUS /naʊ/

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading 15, 19-- Dearest Zebedee: It gets worse and worse--We've had a whole month of it now and my demerits are much more numerous than my merits.

numerousadjectiveUS /ˈnuːmərəs/

amounting to a large indefinite number

From this reading 15, 19-- Dearest Zebedee: It gets worse and worse--We've had a whole month of it now and my demerits are much more numerous than my merits.

OctnounUS /ɔːkt/

the month following September and preceding November

From this reading Gresham, Oct.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading 15, 19-- Dearest Zebedee: It gets worse and worse--We've had a whole month of it now and my demerits are much more numerous than my merits.

outadjectiveUS /aʊt/

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading I see no way of getting out of the hole I am in.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading I see no way of getting out of the hole I am in.

SOMEadjectiveUS /sʌm/

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading SOME LETTERS.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading 15, 19-- Dearest Zebedee: It gets worse and worse--We've had a whole month of it now and my demerits are much more numerous than my merits.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading I see no way of getting out of the hole I am in.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading From Virginia Tucker to Mr. Jeffry Tucker.

TuckernounUS /ˈtʌkər/

United States anarchist influential before World War I (1854-1939)

From this reading From Virginia Tucker to Mr. Jeffry Tucker.

VirginianounUS /vərˈdʒɪnjə/

a state in the eastern United States; one of the original 13 colonies; one of the Confederate States in the American Civil War

From this reading From Virginia Tucker to Mr. Jeffry Tucker.

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading I see no way of getting out of the hole I am in.

We've

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

From this reading 15, 19-- Dearest Zebedee: It gets worse and worse--We've had a whole month of it now and my demerits are much more numerous than my merits.

wholeadjectiveUS /hoʊl/

including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete

From this reading 15, 19-- Dearest Zebedee: It gets worse and worse--We've had a whole month of it now and my demerits are much more numerous than my merits.

worseadjectiveUS /wɜːrs/

(comparative of “bad”) inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability

From this reading 15, 19-- Dearest Zebedee: It gets worse and worse--We've had a whole month of it now and my demerits are much more numerous than my merits.

Zebedee

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

From this reading 15, 19-- Dearest Zebedee: It gets worse and worse--We've had a whole month of it now and my demerits are much more numerous than my merits.

Chapter 5 of Back at School with the Tucker Twins by Nell Speed holds 121 sentences, grouped into 25 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 5 of Back at School with the Tucker Twins contain?

Chapter 5 holds 121 sentences of Back at School with the Tucker Twins, unabridged, divided into 25 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 5 of Back at School with the Tucker Twins by Nell Speed exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 121 sentences, grouped into 25 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 5 of Back at School with the Tucker Twins?

Work through the 25 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 25 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 5 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 5 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading Back at School with the Tucker Twins

Common questions about reading Back at School with the Tucker Twins by Nell Speed on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Back at School with the Tucker Twins?

Yes. All 3077 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #36089 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Back at School with the Tucker Twins is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #36089, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Back at School with the Tucker Twins take to read?

About 256 minutes of reading across 616 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Back at School with the Tucker Twins section by section

How to work through Back at School with the Tucker Twins section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 24 chapters of Back at School with the Tucker Twins to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Back at School with the Tucker Twins

Words and structures a reader meets early in Back at School with the Tucker Twins, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Back at School with the Tucker Twins; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Molly
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Back at School with the Tucker Twins; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Brown
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Back at School with the Tucker Twins; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Series
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Back at School with the Tucker Twins; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.