Chapter 1 of Doctor Birch and His Young Friends is here in full — 452 sentences across 91 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
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Chapter I
Chapter 1 of Doctor Birch and His Young Friends is here in full — 452 sentences across 91 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
DOCTOR BIRCH AND HIS YOUNG FRIENDS. By Mr. M. A. Titmarsh. DOCTOR BIRCH. THE DOCTOR AND HIS STAFF. |There is no need to say why I became Assistant Master and Professor of the English and French languages, flower-painting, and the German flute, in Doctor Birch's Academy, at Rodwell Regis.
Chapter 1 of Doctor Birch and His Young Friends is here in full — 452 sentences across 91 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/90 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
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.
A place of study or training in a special field of knowledge and arts.
From this reading “|There is no need to say why I became Assistant Master and Professor of the English and French languages, flower-painting, and the German flute, in Doctor Birch's Academy, at Rodwell Regis.”
a person who contributes to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose
From this reading “|There is no need to say why I became Assistant Master and Professor of the English and French languages, flower-painting, and the German flute, in Doctor Birch's Academy, at Rodwell Regis.”
hard close-grained wood of any of various birch trees; used especially in furniture and interior finishes and plywood
From this reading “DOCTOR BIRCH AND HIS YOUNG FRIENDS.”
possessive form of “birch” — hard close-grained wood of any of various birch trees; used especially in furniture and interior finishes and plywood
From this reading “|There is no need to say why I became Assistant Master and Professor of the English and French languages, flower-painting, and the German flute, in Doctor Birch's Academy, at Rodwell Regis.”
a high-pitched woodwind instrument; a slender tube closed at one end with finger holes on one end and an opening near the closed end across which the breath is blown
From this reading “|There is no need to say why I became Assistant Master and Professor of the English and French languages, flower-painting, and the German flute, in Doctor Birch's Academy, at Rodwell Regis.”
plural of “language” — a systematic means of communicating by the use of sounds or conventional symbols
From this reading “|There is no need to say why I became Assistant Master and Professor of the English and French languages, flower-painting, and the German flute, in Doctor Birch's Academy, at Rodwell Regis.”
someone who is a member of the faculty at a college or university
From this reading “|There is no need to say why I became Assistant Master and Professor of the English and French languages, flower-painting, and the German flute, in Doctor Birch's Academy, at Rodwell Regis.”
personnel who assist their superior in carrying out an assigned task
From this reading “THE DOCTOR AND HIS STAFF.”
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.
In this reading “DOCTOR BIRCH AND HIS YOUNG FRIENDS.”
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.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading By Mr. M. A. Titmarsh.
A place of study or training in a special field of knowledge and arts.
From this reading |There is no need to say why I became Assistant Master and Professor of the English and French languages, flower-painting, and the German flute, in Doctor Birch's Academy, at Rodwell Regis.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading DOCTOR BIRCH AND HIS YOUNG FRIENDS.
a person who contributes to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose
From this reading |There is no need to say why I became Assistant Master and Professor of the English and French languages, flower-painting, and the German flute, in Doctor Birch's Academy, at Rodwell Regis.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading |There is no need to say why I became Assistant Master and Professor of the English and French languages, flower-painting, and the German flute, in Doctor Birch's Academy, at Rodwell Regis.
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading |There is no need to say why I became Assistant Master and Professor of the English and French languages, flower-painting, and the German flute, in Doctor Birch's Academy, at Rodwell Regis.
hard close-grained wood of any of various birch trees; used especially in furniture and interior finishes and plywood
From this reading DOCTOR BIRCH AND HIS YOUNG FRIENDS.
possessive form of “birch” — hard close-grained wood of any of various birch trees; used especially in furniture and interior finishes and plywood
From this reading |There is no need to say why I became Assistant Master and Professor of the English and French languages, flower-painting, and the German flute, in Doctor Birch's Academy, at Rodwell Regis.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading By Mr. M. A. Titmarsh.
a licensed medical practitioner
From this reading DOCTOR BIRCH AND HIS YOUNG FRIENDS.
an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries
From this reading |There is no need to say why I became Assistant Master and Professor of the English and French languages, flower-painting, and the German flute, in Doctor Birch's Academy, at Rodwell Regis.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading |There is no need to say why I became Assistant Master and Professor of the English and French languages, flower-painting, and the German flute, in Doctor Birch's Academy, at Rodwell Regis.
a high-pitched woodwind instrument; a slender tube closed at one end with finger holes on one end and an opening near the closed end across which the breath is blown
From this reading |There is no need to say why I became Assistant Master and Professor of the English and French languages, flower-painting, and the German flute, in Doctor Birch's Academy, at Rodwell Regis.
the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France
From this reading |There is no need to say why I became Assistant Master and Professor of the English and French languages, flower-painting, and the German flute, in Doctor Birch's Academy, at Rodwell Regis.
plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading DOCTOR BIRCH AND HIS YOUNG FRIENDS.
a person of German nationality
From this reading |There is no need to say why I became Assistant Master and Professor of the English and French languages, flower-painting, and the German flute, in Doctor Birch's Academy, at Rodwell Regis.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading DOCTOR BIRCH AND HIS YOUNG FRIENDS.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading |There is no need to say why I became Assistant Master and Professor of the English and French languages, flower-painting, and the German flute, in Doctor Birch's Academy, at Rodwell Regis.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading |There is no need to say why I became Assistant Master and Professor of the English and French languages, flower-painting, and the German flute, in Doctor Birch's Academy, at Rodwell Regis.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading |There is no need to say why I became Assistant Master and Professor of the English and French languages, flower-painting, and the German flute, in Doctor Birch's Academy, at Rodwell Regis.
plural of “language” — a systematic means of communicating by the use of sounds or conventional symbols
From this reading |There is no need to say why I became Assistant Master and Professor of the English and French languages, flower-painting, and the German flute, in Doctor Birch's Academy, at Rodwell Regis.
the basic unit of length adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites (approximately 1.094 yards)
From this reading By Mr. M. A. Titmarsh.
an artist of consummate skill
From this reading |There is no need to say why I became Assistant Master and Professor of the English and French languages, flower-painting, and the German flute, in Doctor Birch's Academy, at Rodwell Regis.
a form of address for a man
From this reading By Mr. M. A. Titmarsh.
a condition requiring relief
From this reading |There is no need to say why I became Assistant Master and Professor of the English and French languages, flower-painting, and the German flute, in Doctor Birch's Academy, at Rodwell Regis.
not any; not one
From this reading |There is no need to say why I became Assistant Master and Professor of the English and French languages, flower-painting, and the German flute, in Doctor Birch's Academy, at Rodwell Regis.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading |There is no need to say why I became Assistant Master and Professor of the English and French languages, flower-painting, and the German flute, in Doctor Birch's Academy, at Rodwell Regis.
someone who is a member of the faculty at a college or university
From this reading |There is no need to say why I became Assistant Master and Professor of the English and French languages, flower-painting, and the German flute, in Doctor Birch's Academy, at Rodwell Regis.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading |There is no need to say why I became Assistant Master and Professor of the English and French languages, flower-painting, and the German flute, in Doctor Birch's Academy, at Rodwell Regis.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading |There is no need to say why I became Assistant Master and Professor of the English and French languages, flower-painting, and the German flute, in Doctor Birch's Academy, at Rodwell Regis.
express in words
From this reading |There is no need to say why I became Assistant Master and Professor of the English and French languages, flower-painting, and the German flute, in Doctor Birch's Academy, at Rodwell Regis.
personnel who assist their superior in carrying out an assigned task
From this reading THE DOCTOR AND HIS STAFF.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE DOCTOR AND HIS STAFF.
in or at that place or location
From this reading |There is no need to say why I became Assistant Master and Professor of the English and French languages, flower-painting, and the German flute, in Doctor Birch's Academy, at Rodwell Regis.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading By Mr. M. A. Titmarsh.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading |There is no need to say why I became Assistant Master and Professor of the English and French languages, flower-painting, and the German flute, in Doctor Birch's Academy, at Rodwell Regis.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading |There is no need to say why I became Assistant Master and Professor of the English and French languages, flower-painting, and the German flute, in Doctor Birch's Academy, at Rodwell Regis.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading DOCTOR BIRCH AND HIS YOUNG FRIENDS.
Chapter 1 of Doctor Birch and His Young Friends by William Makepeace Thackeray holds 452 sentences, grouped into 91 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.
Chapter 1 holds 452 sentences of Doctor Birch and His Young Friends, unabridged, divided into 91 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of Doctor Birch and His Young Friends by William Makepeace Thackeray exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 452 sentences, grouped into 91 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.
Work through the 91 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 91 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.
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.
Common questions about reading Doctor Birch and His Young Friends by William Makepeace Thackeray on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 452 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #45554 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #45554, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 37 minutes of reading across 91 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Doctor Birch and His Young Friends section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 1 chapters of Doctor Birch and His Young Friends to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in Doctor Birch and His Young Friends, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
