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Half Portions
Half Portions

Chapter X · Chapter 10

Chapter 10 of Half Portions is here in full — 409 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Half Portions
Context Illustration Reading 1/81 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
They had always had two morning papers--he his, she hers.
The _Times_.
Both.
Nothing could illustrate more clearly the plan on which Mr. and Mrs. T.A. Buck conducted their married life.
Theirs was the morning calm and harmony which comes to two people who are free to digest breakfast and the First Page simultaneously with no--"Just let me see the inside sheet, will you, dear?" to mar the day's beginning.
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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.

Half Portions

Chapter X · Chapter 10

Chapter 10 of Half Portions is here in full — 409 sentences across 82 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/81 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
They had always had two morning papers--he his, she hers.
Line 2
The _Times_.
/ðə taɪmz/
Line 3
Both.
/boʊθ/
Line 4
Nothing could illustrate more clearly the plan on which Mr. and Mrs. T.A. Buck conducted their married life.
Line 5
Theirs was the morning calm and harmony which comes to two people who are free to digest breakfast and the First Page simultaneously with no--"Just let me see the inside sheet, will you, dear?" to mar the day's beginning.

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.

Buck verb US /bʌk/

to strive with determination

From this reading “Nothing could illustrate more clearly the plan on which Mr. and Mrs. T.A. Buck conducted their married life.”

day's noun US /deɪz/

possessive form of “day” — time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading “Theirs was the morning calm and harmony which comes to two people who are free to digest breakfast and the First Page simultaneously with no--"Just let me see the inside sheet, will you, dear?" to mar the day's beginning.”

digest verb US /daɪˈdʒest/

convert food into absorbable substances

From this reading “Theirs was the morning calm and harmony which comes to two people who are free to digest breakfast and the First Page simultaneously with no--"Just let me see the inside sheet, will you, dear?" to mar the day's beginning.”

harmony noun US /ˈhɑːrməni/

compatibility in opinion and action

From this reading “Theirs was the morning calm and harmony which comes to two people who are free to digest breakfast and the First Page simultaneously with no--"Just let me see the inside sheet, will you, dear?" to mar the day's beginning.”

illustrate verb US /ˈɪləstreɪt/

clarify by giving an example of

From this reading “Nothing could illustrate more clearly the plan on which Mr. and Mrs. T.A. Buck conducted their married life.”

mar verb US /mɑːr/

make imperfect

From this reading “Theirs was the morning calm and harmony which comes to two people who are free to digest breakfast and the First Page simultaneously with no--"Just let me see the inside sheet, will you, dear?" to mar the day's beginning.”

simultaneously adverb US /ˌsaɪməlˈteɪniəsli/

at the same instant

From this reading “Theirs was the morning calm and harmony which comes to two people who are free to digest breakfast and the First Page simultaneously with no--"Just let me see the inside sheet, will you, dear?" to mar the day's beginning.”

Theirs pronoun US /ðerz/

the one or ones belonging to them

From this reading “Theirs was the morning calm and harmony which comes to two people who are free to digest breakfast and the First Page simultaneously with no--"Just let me see the inside sheet, will you, dear?" to mar the day's beginning.”

All words in this reading · 60

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 Nothing could illustrate more clearly the plan on which Mr. and Mrs. T.A. Buck conducted their married life.

alwaysadverbUS /ˈɔːlweɪz/

at all times; all the time and on every occasion

From this reading They had always had two morning papers--he his, she hers.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading Nothing could illustrate more clearly the plan on which Mr. and Mrs. T.A. Buck conducted their married life.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

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

From this reading Theirs was the morning calm and harmony which comes to two people who are free to digest breakfast and the First Page simultaneously with no--"Just let me see the inside sheet, will you, dear?" to mar the day's beginning.

beginningnounUS /bɪˈɡɪnɪŋ/

the event consisting of the start of something

From this reading Theirs was the morning calm and harmony which comes to two people who are free to digest breakfast and the First Page simultaneously with no--"Just let me see the inside sheet, will you, dear?" to mar the day's beginning.

BothdeterminerUS /boʊθ/

the two together, not just one

From this reading Both.

breakfastverbUS /ˈbrekfəst/

eat an early morning meal

From this reading Theirs was the morning calm and harmony which comes to two people who are free to digest breakfast and the First Page simultaneously with no--"Just let me see the inside sheet, will you, dear?" to mar the day's beginning.

BuckverbUS /bʌk/

to strive with determination

From this reading Nothing could illustrate more clearly the plan on which Mr. and Mrs. T.A. Buck conducted their married life.

calmverbUS /kɑːm/

make calm or still

From this reading Theirs was the morning calm and harmony which comes to two people who are free to digest breakfast and the First Page simultaneously with no--"Just let me see the inside sheet, will you, dear?" to mar the day's beginning.

clearlyadverbUS /ˈklɪrli/

without doubt or question

From this reading Nothing could illustrate more clearly the plan on which Mr. and Mrs. T.A. Buck conducted their married life.

comesnounUS /kʌmz/

plural of “come” — the thick white fluid containing spermatozoa that is ejaculated by the male genital tract

From this reading Theirs was the morning calm and harmony which comes to two people who are free to digest breakfast and the First Page simultaneously with no--"Just let me see the inside sheet, will you, dear?" to mar the day's beginning.

conductedverbUS /kənˈdʌktəd/

past form of “conduct” — direct the course of; manage or control

From this reading Nothing could illustrate more clearly the plan on which Mr. and Mrs. T.A. Buck conducted their married life.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading Nothing could illustrate more clearly the plan on which Mr. and Mrs. T.A. Buck conducted their married life.

day'snounUS /deɪz/

possessive form of “day” — time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading Theirs was the morning calm and harmony which comes to two people who are free to digest breakfast and the First Page simultaneously with no--"Just let me see the inside sheet, will you, dear?" to mar the day's beginning.

dearadjectiveUS /dɪr/

dearly loved

From this reading Theirs was the morning calm and harmony which comes to two people who are free to digest breakfast and the First Page simultaneously with no--"Just let me see the inside sheet, will you, dear?" to mar the day's beginning.

digestverbUS /daɪˈdʒest/

convert food into absorbable substances

From this reading Theirs was the morning calm and harmony which comes to two people who are free to digest breakfast and the First Page simultaneously with no--"Just let me see the inside sheet, will you, dear?" to mar the day's beginning.

FirstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading Theirs was the morning calm and harmony which comes to two people who are free to digest breakfast and the First Page simultaneously with no--"Just let me see the inside sheet, will you, dear?" to mar the day's beginning.

freeverbUS /friː/

grant freedom to; free from confinement

From this reading Theirs was the morning calm and harmony which comes to two people who are free to digest breakfast and the First Page simultaneously with no--"Just let me see the inside sheet, will you, dear?" to mar the day's beginning.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading They had always had two morning papers--he his, she hers.

harmonynounUS /ˈhɑːrməni/

compatibility in opinion and action

From this reading Theirs was the morning calm and harmony which comes to two people who are free to digest breakfast and the First Page simultaneously with no--"Just let me see the inside sheet, will you, dear?" to mar the day's beginning.

hepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading They had always had two morning papers--he his, she hers.

herspronounUS /hərz/

the one or ones belonging to her

From this reading They had always had two morning papers--he his, she hers.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading They had always had two morning papers--he his, she hers.

illustrateverbUS /ˈɪləstreɪt/

clarify by giving an example of

From this reading Nothing could illustrate more clearly the plan on which Mr. and Mrs. T.A. Buck conducted their married life.

insideadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈsaɪd/

relating to or being on the side closer to the center or within a defined space

From this reading Theirs was the morning calm and harmony which comes to two people who are free to digest breakfast and the First Page simultaneously with no--"Just let me see the inside sheet, will you, dear?" to mar the day's beginning.

JustadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading Theirs was the morning calm and harmony which comes to two people who are free to digest breakfast and the First Page simultaneously with no--"Just let me see the inside sheet, will you, dear?" to mar the day's beginning.

letauxiliary verbUS /let/

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading Theirs was the morning calm and harmony which comes to two people who are free to digest breakfast and the First Page simultaneously with no--"Just let me see the inside sheet, will you, dear?" to mar the day's beginning.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading Nothing could illustrate more clearly the plan on which Mr. and Mrs. T.A. Buck conducted their married life.

marverbUS /mɑːr/

make imperfect

From this reading Theirs was the morning calm and harmony which comes to two people who are free to digest breakfast and the First Page simultaneously with no--"Just let me see the inside sheet, will you, dear?" to mar the day's beginning.

marriedadjectiveUS /ˈmerid/

joined in matrimony

From this reading Nothing could illustrate more clearly the plan on which Mr. and Mrs. T.A. Buck conducted their married life.

mepronounUS /miː/

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Theirs was the morning calm and harmony which comes to two people who are free to digest breakfast and the First Page simultaneously with no--"Just let me see the inside sheet, will you, dear?" to mar the day's beginning.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

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

From this reading Nothing could illustrate more clearly the plan on which Mr. and Mrs. T.A. Buck conducted their married life.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading They had always had two morning papers--he his, she hers.

MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading Nothing could illustrate more clearly the plan on which Mr. and Mrs. T.A. Buck conducted their married life.

MrsnounUS /ˈmɪsɪz/

a form of address for a married woman

From this reading Nothing could illustrate more clearly the plan on which Mr. and Mrs. T.A. Buck conducted their married life.

nodeterminerUS /noʊ/

not any; not one

From this reading Theirs was the morning calm and harmony which comes to two people who are free to digest breakfast and the First Page simultaneously with no--"Just let me see the inside sheet, will you, dear?" to mar the day's beginning.

NothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/

not one thing; not anything

From this reading Nothing could illustrate more clearly the plan on which Mr. and Mrs. T.A. Buck conducted their married life.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Nothing could illustrate more clearly the plan on which Mr. and Mrs. T.A. Buck conducted their married life.

PagenounUS /peɪdʒ/

one side of one leaf (of a book or magazine or newspaper or letter etc.) or the written or pictorial matter it contains

From this reading Theirs was the morning calm and harmony which comes to two people who are free to digest breakfast and the First Page simultaneously with no--"Just let me see the inside sheet, will you, dear?" to mar the day's beginning.

papersnounUS /ˈpeɪpərz/

writing that provides information (especially information of an official nature)

From this reading They had always had two morning papers--he his, she hers.

peoplenounUS /ˈpiːpəl/

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading Theirs was the morning calm and harmony which comes to two people who are free to digest breakfast and the First Page simultaneously with no--"Just let me see the inside sheet, will you, dear?" to mar the day's beginning.

planverbUS /plæn/

have the will and intention to carry out some action

From this reading Nothing could illustrate more clearly the plan on which Mr. and Mrs. T.A. Buck conducted their married life.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading Theirs was the morning calm and harmony which comes to two people who are free to digest breakfast and the First Page simultaneously with no--"Just let me see the inside sheet, will you, dear?" to mar the day's beginning.

shepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading They had always had two morning papers--he his, she hers.

sheetnounUS /ʃiːt/

any broad thin expanse or surface

From this reading Theirs was the morning calm and harmony which comes to two people who are free to digest breakfast and the First Page simultaneously with no--"Just let me see the inside sheet, will you, dear?" to mar the day's beginning.

simultaneouslyadverbUS /ˌsaɪməlˈteɪniəsli/

at the same instant

From this reading Theirs was the morning calm and harmony which comes to two people who are free to digest breakfast and the First Page simultaneously with no--"Just let me see the inside sheet, will you, dear?" to mar the day's beginning.

TnounUS /tiː/

a base found in DNA (but not in RNA) and derived from pyrimidine; pairs with adenine

From this reading Nothing could illustrate more clearly the plan on which Mr. and Mrs. T.A. Buck conducted their married life.

ThedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading The _Times_.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Nothing could illustrate more clearly the plan on which Mr. and Mrs. T.A. Buck conducted their married life.

TheirspronounUS /ðerz/

the one or ones belonging to them

From this reading Theirs was the morning calm and harmony which comes to two people who are free to digest breakfast and the First Page simultaneously with no--"Just let me see the inside sheet, will you, dear?" to mar the day's beginning.

TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading They had always had two morning papers--he his, she hers.

TimesnounUS /taɪmz/

a more or less definite period of time now or previously present

From this reading The _Times_.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading Theirs was the morning calm and harmony which comes to two people who are free to digest breakfast and the First Page simultaneously with no--"Just let me see the inside sheet, will you, dear?" to mar the day's beginning.

twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading They had always had two morning papers--he his, she hers.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading Theirs was the morning calm and harmony which comes to two people who are free to digest breakfast and the First Page simultaneously with no--"Just let me see the inside sheet, will you, dear?" to mar the day's beginning.

whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading Nothing could illustrate more clearly the plan on which Mr. and Mrs. T.A. Buck conducted their married life.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading Theirs was the morning calm and harmony which comes to two people who are free to digest breakfast and the First Page simultaneously with no--"Just let me see the inside sheet, will you, dear?" to mar the day's beginning.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading Theirs was the morning calm and harmony which comes to two people who are free to digest breakfast and the First Page simultaneously with no--"Just let me see the inside sheet, will you, dear?" to mar the day's beginning.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Theirs was the morning calm and harmony which comes to two people who are free to digest breakfast and the First Page simultaneously with no--"Just let me see the inside sheet, will you, dear?" to mar the day's beginning.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Theirs was the morning calm and harmony which comes to two people who are free to digest breakfast and the First Page simultaneously with no--"Just let me see the inside sheet, will you, dear?" to mar the day's beginning.

Chapter 10 of Half Portions by Edna Ferber holds 409 sentences, grouped into 82 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 10 of Half Portions contain?

Chapter 10 holds 409 sentences of Half Portions, unabridged, divided into 82 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 10 of Half Portions by Edna Ferber exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 409 sentences, grouped into 82 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 10 of Half Portions?

Work through the 82 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 82 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 10 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 10 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 Half Portions

Common questions about reading Half Portions by Edna Ferber on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Half Portions?

Yes. All 5692 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #14714 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Half Portions is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #14714, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Half Portions take to read?

About 474 minutes of reading across 1139 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Half Portions section by section

How to work through Half Portions section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 14 chapters of Half Portions 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 Half Portions

Words and structures a reader meets early in Half Portions, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Called
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Half Portions; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Describe
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Half Portions; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Sophy
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Half Portions; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Dictionary
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Half Portions; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.