Betty Lee, Freshman

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Betty Lee, Freshman is here in full — 243 sentences across 49 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

By Harriet Pyne Grove • Curated US English Learning Edition

Cover illustration for Betty Lee, Freshman

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THE WORLD SYNDICATE PUBLISHING CO.

Cleveland, Ohio –– New York City THE WORLD SYNDICATE PUBLISHING CO.

_Printed in the United States of America_ Betty Lee, aged almost fourteen, was dressing for travel.

She both dreaded and anticipated the day and smiled at her reflection in the mirror as it looked at her with eyes as bright as stars, cheeks pink from excitement and lips a little apart.

That _was_ a pretty and becoming suit, “ducky,” her chum had called it.

Narrator

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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.

Chapter I Reading 1/48

Betty Lee, Freshman

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Betty Lee, Freshman is here in full — 243 sentences across 49 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/48 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1

THE WORLD SYNDICATE PUBLISHING CO.

/ðə wɜːrld ˈsɪndɪkət ˈpʌblɪʃɪŋ koʊ/

Line 2

Cleveland, Ohio –– New York City THE WORLD SYNDICATE PUBLISHING CO.

/ˈkliːvlənd oʊˈhaɪoʊ nuː jɔːrk ˈsɪti ðə wɜːrld ˈsɪndɪkət ˈpʌblɪʃɪŋ koʊ/

Line 3

_Printed in the United States of America_ Betty Lee, aged almost fourteen, was dressing for travel.

Line 4

She both dreaded and anticipated the day and smiled at her reflection in the mirror as it looked at her with eyes as bright as stars, cheeks pink from excitement and lips a little apart.

/ʃiː boʊθ ˈdredɪd ənd ænˈtɪsəpeɪtɪd ðə deɪ ənd smaɪld æt hɜːr rɪˈflekʃən ɪn ðə ˈmɪrər æz ɪt lʊkt æt hɜːr wɪð aɪz æz braɪt æz stɑːrz tʃiːks pɪŋk frʌm ɪkˈsaɪtmənt ənd lɪps ə ˈlɪtəl əˈpɑːrt/

Line 5

That _was_ a pretty and becoming suit, “ducky,” her chum had called it.

/ðæt wɑːz ə ˈprɪti ənd bɪˈkʌmɪŋ suːt ˈdʌkiː hɜːr tʃʌm hæd kɔːld ɪt/

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.

anticipated adjective US /ænˈtɪsəpeɪtɪd/

expected hopefully

From this reading “She both dreaded and anticipated the day and smiled at her reflection in the mirror as it looked at her with eyes as bright as stars, cheeks pink from excitement and lips a little apart.”

chum noun US /tʃʌm/

a close friend who accompanies his buddies in their activities

From this reading “That _was_ a pretty and becoming suit, “ducky,” her chum had called it.”

Cleveland noun US /ˈkliːvlənd/

the largest city in Ohio; located in northeastern Ohio on Lake Erie; a major Great Lakes port

From this reading “Cleveland, Ohio –– New York City THE WORLD SYNDICATE PUBLISHING CO.”

dressing noun US /ˈdresɪŋ/

savory dressings for salads; basically of two kinds: either the thin French or vinaigrette type or the creamy mayonnaise type

From this reading “_Printed in the United States of America_ Betty Lee, aged almost fourteen, was dressing for travel.”

ducky noun US /ˈdʌkiː/

a special loved one

From this reading “That _was_ a pretty and becoming suit, “ducky,” her chum had called it.”

Ohio noun US /oʊˈhaɪoʊ/

a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region

From this reading “Cleveland, Ohio –– New York City THE WORLD SYNDICATE PUBLISHING CO.”

publishing noun US /ˈpʌblɪʃɪŋ/

the business of issuing printed matter for sale or distribution

From this reading “THE WORLD SYNDICATE PUBLISHING CO.”

syndicate noun US /ˈsɪndɪkət/

a loose affiliation of gangsters in charge of organized criminal activities

From this reading “THE WORLD SYNDICATE PUBLISHING CO.”

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.

looked at verb + particle counted as “look at”

take into consideration for exemplifying purposes

In this reading “She both dreaded and anticipated the day and smiled at her reflection in the mirror as it looked at her with eyes as bright as stars, cheeks pink from excitement and lips a little apart.”

smiled at verb + particle counted as “smile at”

in the mirror preposition + article + noun counted as “in … mirror”

All words in this reading · 59

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.

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading She both dreaded and anticipated the day and smiled at her reflection in the mirror as it looked at her with eyes as bright as stars, cheeks pink from excitement and lips a little apart.

agedadjectiveUS /eɪdʒd/

advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)

From this reading _Printed in the United States of America_ Betty Lee, aged almost fourteen, was dressing for travel.

almostadverbUS /ˈɔːlmoʊst/

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading _Printed in the United States of America_ Betty Lee, aged almost fourteen, was dressing for travel.

AmericanounUS /əˈmerəkə/

North American republic containing 50 states - 48 conterminous states in North America plus Alaska in northwest North America and the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean; achieved independence in 1776

From this reading _Printed in the United States of America_ Betty Lee, aged almost fourteen, was dressing for travel.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

anticipatedadjectiveUS /ænˈtɪsəpeɪtɪd/

expected hopefully

apartadverbUS /əˈpɑːrt/

separated or at a distance in place or position or time

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

becomingadjectiveUS /bɪˈkʌmɪŋ/

according with custom or propriety

From this reading That _was_ a pretty and becoming suit, “ducky,” her chum had called it.

Betty

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

From this reading _Printed in the United States of America_ Betty Lee, aged almost fourteen, was dressing for travel.

bothdeterminerUS /boʊθ/

the two together, not just one

brightadjectiveUS /braɪt/

emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts

calledverbUS /kɔːld/

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading That _was_ a pretty and becoming suit, “ducky,” her chum had called it.

cheeksnounUS /tʃiːks/

plural of “cheek” — either side of the face below the eyes

chumnounUS /tʃʌm/

a close friend who accompanies his buddies in their activities

From this reading That _was_ a pretty and becoming suit, “ducky,” her chum had called it.

CitynounUS /ˈsɪti/

a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts

From this reading Cleveland, Ohio –– New York City THE WORLD SYNDICATE PUBLISHING CO.

ClevelandnounUS /ˈkliːvlənd/

the largest city in Ohio; located in northeastern Ohio on Lake Erie; a major Great Lakes port

From this reading Cleveland, Ohio –– New York City THE WORLD SYNDICATE PUBLISHING CO.

COnounUS /koʊ/

an odorless very poisonous gas that is a product of incomplete combustion of carbon

From this reading THE WORLD SYNDICATE PUBLISHING CO.

daynounUS /deɪ/

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

dreadedadjectiveUS /ˈdredɪd/

causing fear or dread or terror

dressingnounUS /ˈdresɪŋ/

savory dressings for salads; basically of two kinds: either the thin French or vinaigrette type or the creamy mayonnaise type

From this reading _Printed in the United States of America_ Betty Lee, aged almost fourteen, was dressing for travel.

duckynounUS /ˈdʌkiː/

a special loved one

From this reading That _was_ a pretty and becoming suit, “ducky,” her chum had called it.

excitementnounUS /ɪkˈsaɪtmənt/

the feeling of lively and cheerful joy

eyesnounUS /aɪz/

opinion or judgment

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading _Printed in the United States of America_ Betty Lee, aged almost fourteen, was dressing for travel.

fourteennounUS /ˈfɔːrˈtiːn/

the cardinal number that is the sum of thirteen and one

From this reading _Printed in the United States of America_ Betty Lee, aged almost fourteen, was dressing for travel.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading That _was_ a pretty and becoming suit, “ducky,” her chum had called it.

herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/

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

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading _Printed in the United States of America_ Betty Lee, aged almost fourteen, was dressing for travel.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

LeenounUS /liː/

United States filmmaker whose works explore the richness of black culture in America (born in 1957)

From this reading _Printed in the United States of America_ Betty Lee, aged almost fourteen, was dressing for travel.

lipsnounUS /lɪps/

plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking

littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

lookedverbUS /lʊkt/

past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

mirrornounUS /ˈmɪrər/

polished surface that forms images by reflecting light

NewadjectiveUS /nuː/

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading Cleveland, Ohio –– New York City THE WORLD SYNDICATE PUBLISHING CO.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading _Printed in the United States of America_ Betty Lee, aged almost fourteen, was dressing for travel.

OhionounUS /oʊˈhaɪoʊ/

a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region

From this reading Cleveland, Ohio –– New York City THE WORLD SYNDICATE PUBLISHING CO.

pinknounUS /pɪŋk/

a light shade of red

prettyadjectiveUS /ˈprɪti/

pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing

From this reading That _was_ a pretty and becoming suit, “ducky,” her chum had called it.

PrintedverbUS /ˈprɪntɪd/

past form of “print” — put into print

From this reading _Printed in the United States of America_ Betty Lee, aged almost fourteen, was dressing for travel.

PUBLISHINGnounUS /ˈpʌblɪʃɪŋ/

the business of issuing printed matter for sale or distribution

From this reading THE WORLD SYNDICATE PUBLISHING CO.

reflectionnounUS /rɪˈflekʃən/

a calm, lengthy, intent consideration

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

smiledverbUS /smaɪld/

past form of “smile” — change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure

starsnounUS /stɑːrz/

plural of “star” — (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior

StatesnounUS /steɪts/

plural of “state” — the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation

From this reading _Printed in the United States of America_ Betty Lee, aged almost fourteen, was dressing for travel.

suitverbUS /suːt/

be agreeable or acceptable to

From this reading That _was_ a pretty and becoming suit, “ducky,” her chum had called it.

SYNDICATEnounUS /ˈsɪndɪkət/

a loose affiliation of gangsters in charge of organized criminal activities

From this reading THE WORLD SYNDICATE PUBLISHING CO.

ThatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading That _was_ a pretty and becoming suit, “ducky,” her chum had called it.

THEdeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading THE WORLD SYNDICATE PUBLISHING CO.

travelverbUS /ˈtrævəl/

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading _Printed in the United States of America_ Betty Lee, aged almost fourteen, was dressing for travel.

UnitedadjectiveUS /juːˈnaɪtɪd/

characterized by unity; being or joined into a single entity

From this reading _Printed in the United States of America_ Betty Lee, aged almost fourteen, was dressing for travel.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading _Printed in the United States of America_ Betty Lee, aged almost fourteen, was dressing for travel.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

WORLDnounUS /wɜːrld/

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading THE WORLD SYNDICATE PUBLISHING CO.

YorknounUS /jɔːrk/

the English royal house (a branch of the Plantagenet line) that reigned from 1461 to 1485; its emblem was a white rose

From this reading Cleveland, Ohio –– New York City THE WORLD SYNDICATE PUBLISHING CO.

Chapter 1 of Betty Lee, Freshman by Harriet Pyne Grove holds 243 sentences, grouped into 49 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 1 of Betty Lee, Freshman contain?

Chapter 1 holds 243 sentences of Betty Lee, Freshman, unabridged, divided into 49 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Betty Lee, Freshman by Harriet Pyne Grove exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 243 sentences, grouped into 49 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 1 of Betty Lee, Freshman?

Work through the 49 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 49 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 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 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 Betty Lee, Freshman

Common questions about reading Betty Lee, Freshman by Harriet Pyne Grove on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Betty Lee, Freshman?

Yes. All 3293 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #34605 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Betty Lee, Freshman is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #34605, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Betty Lee, Freshman take to read?

About 274 minutes of reading across 659 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Vocabulary met early in Betty Lee, Freshman

Words and structures a reader meets early in Betty Lee, Freshman, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

World: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Betty Lee, Freshman; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Syndicate: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Betty Lee, Freshman; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Publishing: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Betty Lee, Freshman; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Cleveland: A word that appears in the opening chapter of Betty Lee, Freshman; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.

Chapter I

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