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Just Folks
Just Folks

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Just Folks is here in full — 109 sentences across 22 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Just Folks
Context Illustration Reading 1/21 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
To the Little Mother and the Memory of the Big Father, This Simple Book Is Affectionately Dedicated We're queer folks here.
We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.
We've got too many other labors To scatter tales that harm our neighbors.
We're strange folks here.
We're tryin' to be cheerful, An' keep this home from gettin' tearful.
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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.

Just Folks

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Just Folks is here in full — 109 sentences across 22 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/21 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
To the Little Mother and the Memory of the Big Father, This Simple Book Is Affectionately Dedicated We're queer folks here.
Line 2
We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.
Line 3
We've got too many other labors To scatter tales that harm our neighbors.
Line 4
We're strange folks here.
Line 5
We're tryin' to be cheerful, An' keep this home from gettin' tearful.

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.

Affectionately adverb US /əˈfekʃənətli/

with affection

From this reading “To the Little Mother and the Memory of the Big Father, This Simple Book Is Affectionately Dedicated We're queer folks here.”

Dedicated adjective US /ˈdedəkeɪtəd/

devoted to a cause or ideal or purpose

From this reading “To the Little Mother and the Memory of the Big Father, This Simple Book Is Affectionately Dedicated We're queer folks here.”

labors noun US /ˈleɪbərz/

plural of “labor” — a social class comprising those who do manual labor or work for wages

From this reading “We've got too many other labors To scatter tales that harm our neighbors.”

nectar noun US /ˈnektər/

a sweet liquid secretion that is attractive to pollinators

From this reading “We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.”

scare verb US /sker/

cause fear in

From this reading “We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.”

scatter verb US /ˈskætər/

to cause to separate and go in different directions

From this reading “We've got too many other labors To scatter tales that harm our neighbors.”

sprees noun US /spriːz/

plural of “spree” — a brief indulgence of your impulses

From this reading “We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.”

tearful adjective US /ˈtɪrfəl/

filled with or marked by tears

From this reading “We're tryin' to be cheerful, An' keep this home from gettin' tearful.”

All words in this reading · 86

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.

aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

AffectionatelyadverbUS /əˈfekʃənətli/

with affection

From this reading To the Little Mother and the Memory of the Big Father, This Simple Book Is Affectionately Dedicated We're queer folks here.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

andeterminerUS /æn/

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

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading To the Little Mother and the Memory of the Big Father, This Simple Book Is Affectionately Dedicated We're queer folks here.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

attacksnounUS /əˈtæks/

plural of “attack” — (military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons)

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading We're tryin' to be cheerful, An' keep this home from gettin' tearful.

beesnounUS /biːz/

plural of “bee” — any of numerous hairy-bodied insects including social and solitary species

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

beginnin

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

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

BigadjectiveUS /bɪɡ/

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading To the Little Mother and the Memory of the Big Father, This Simple Book Is Affectionately Dedicated We're queer folks here.

BooknounUS /bʊk/

a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)

From this reading To the Little Mother and the Memory of the Big Father, This Simple Book Is Affectionately Dedicated We're queer folks here.

buddin

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

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

CameverbUS /keɪm/

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

cheerfuladjectiveUS /ˈtʃɪrfəl/

being full of or promoting cheer; having or showing good spirits

From this reading We're tryin' to be cheerful, An' keep this home from gettin' tearful.

DedicatedadjectiveUS /ˈdedəkeɪtəd/

devoted to a cause or ideal or purpose

From this reading To the Little Mother and the Memory of the Big Father, This Simple Book Is Affectionately Dedicated We're queer folks here.

FathernounUS /ˈfɑːðər/

a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading To the Little Mother and the Memory of the Big Father, This Simple Book Is Affectionately Dedicated We're queer folks here.

fevernounUS /ˈfiːvər/

a rise in the temperature of the body; frequently a symptom of infection

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

folksnounUS /foʊks/

your parents

From this reading To the Little Mother and the Memory of the Big Father, This Simple Book Is Affectionately Dedicated We're queer folks here.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading We're tryin' to be cheerful, An' keep this home from gettin' tearful.

gettin

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

From this reading We're tryin' to be cheerful, An' keep this home from gettin' tearful.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

gotverbUS /ɡɑːt/

inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading We've got too many other labors To scatter tales that harm our neighbors.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

harmnounUS /hɑːrm/

any physical damage to the body caused by violence or accident or fracture etc.

From this reading We've got too many other labors To scatter tales that harm our neighbors.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

hearverbUS /hiːr/

perceive (sound) via the auditory sense

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

hereadverbUS /hiːr/

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading To the Little Mother and the Memory of the Big Father, This Simple Book Is Affectionately Dedicated We're queer folks here.

homenounUS /hoʊm/

where you live at a particular time

From this reading We're tryin' to be cheerful, An' keep this home from gettin' tearful.

int'rest

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

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

Isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading To the Little Mother and the Memory of the Big Father, This Simple Book Is Affectionately Dedicated We're queer folks here.

keepverbUS /kiːp/

cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”

From this reading We're tryin' to be cheerful, An' keep this home from gettin' tearful.

laborsnounUS /ˈleɪbərz/

plural of “labor” — a social class comprising those who do manual labor or work for wages

From this reading We've got too many other labors To scatter tales that harm our neighbors.

lightadjectiveUS /laɪt/

of comparatively little physical weight or density

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

LittleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/

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

From this reading To the Little Mother and the Memory of the Big Father, This Simple Book Is Affectionately Dedicated We're queer folks here.

manyadjectiveUS /ˈmeni/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading We've got too many other labors To scatter tales that harm our neighbors.

MemorynounUS /ˈmem.ər.i/

The faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information and knowledge.

From this reading To the Little Mother and the Memory of the Big Father, This Simple Book Is Affectionately Dedicated We're queer folks here.

mightyadjectiveUS /ˈmaɪti/

having or showing great strength or force or intensity

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/

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

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

MothernounUS /ˈmʌðər/

a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading To the Little Mother and the Memory of the Big Father, This Simple Book Is Affectionately Dedicated We're queer folks here.

nearadverbUS /nɪr/

near in time or place or relationship

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

nectarnounUS /ˈnektər/

a sweet liquid secretion that is attractive to pollinators

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

neighborsnounUS /ˈneɪbərz/

plural of “neighbor” — a person who lives (or is located) near another

From this reading We've got too many other labors To scatter tales that harm our neighbors.

neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading To the Little Mother and the Memory of the Big Father, This Simple Book Is Affectionately Dedicated We're queer folks here.

OnceadverbUS /wʌns/

on one occasion

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading We've got too many other labors To scatter tales that harm our neighbors.

ourdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading We've got too many other labors To scatter tales that harm our neighbors.

pullin

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

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

queeradjectiveUS /kwɪr/

beyond or deviating from the usual or expected

From this reading To the Little Mother and the Memory of the Big Father, This Simple Book Is Affectionately Dedicated We're queer folks here.

rosesnounUS /ˈroʊzɪz/

plural of “rose” — any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

scandalnounUS /ˈskændəl/

disgraceful gossip about the private lives of other people

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

scareverbUS /sker/

cause fear in

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

scarletnounUS /ˈskɑːrlət/

a variable color that is vivid red but sometimes with an orange tinge

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

scatterverbUS /ˈskætər/

to cause to separate and go in different directions

From this reading We've got too many other labors To scatter tales that harm our neighbors.

SimpleadjectiveUS /ˈsɪmpəl/

having few parts; not complex or complicated or involved

From this reading To the Little Mother and the Memory of the Big Father, This Simple Book Is Affectionately Dedicated We're queer folks here.

sinnin

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

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

smalladjectiveUS /smɔːl/

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

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

spreesnounUS /spriːz/

plural of “spree” — a brief indulgence of your impulses

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

strangeadjectiveUS /streɪndʒ/

being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird

From this reading We're strange folks here.

talesnounUS /teɪlz/

plural of “tale” — a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program

From this reading We've got too many other labors To scatter tales that harm our neighbors.

talkverbUS /tɔːk/

exchange thoughts; talk with

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

tearfuladjectiveUS /ˈtɪrfəl/

filled with or marked by tears

From this reading We're tryin' to be cheerful, An' keep this home from gettin' tearful.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

that's

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

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading To the Little Mother and the Memory of the Big Father, This Simple Book Is Affectionately Dedicated We're queer folks here.

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

thingsnounUS /θɪŋz/

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading To the Little Mother and the Memory of the Big Father, This Simple Book Is Affectionately Dedicated We're queer folks here.

throughprepositionUS /θruː/

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

timesnounUS /taɪmz/

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

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

ToparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading To the Little Mother and the Memory of the Big Father, This Simple Book Is Affectionately Dedicated We're queer folks here.

togetheradverbUS /təˈɡeðər/

in contact with each other or in proximity

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

tooadverbUS /tuː/

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading We've got too many other labors To scatter tales that harm our neighbors.

tryin

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

From this reading We're tryin' to be cheerful, An' keep this home from gettin' tearful.

uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/

a formal word for “on”

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

We'll

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

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

We're

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

From this reading To the Little Mother and the Memory of the Big Father, This Simple Book Is Affectionately Dedicated We're queer folks here.

We've

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

From this reading We've got too many other labors To scatter tales that harm our neighbors.

weathernounUS /ˈweðər/

the atmospheric conditions that comprise the state of the atmosphere in terms of temperature and wind and clouds and precipitation

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

whopronounUS /huː/

which person or people

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

you'll

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

From this reading We'll talk about the weather, The good times we have had together, The good times near, The roses buddin', an' the bees Once more upon their nectar sprees; The scarlet fever scare, an' who Came mighty near not pullin' through, An' who had light attacks, an' all The things that int'rest, big or small; But here you'll never hear of sinnin' Or any scandal that's beginnin'.

Chapter 1 of Just Folks by Edgar A. (Edgar Albert) Guest holds 109 sentences, grouped into 22 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, 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 Just Folks contain?

Chapter 1 holds 109 sentences of Just Folks, unabridged, divided into 22 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Just Folks by Edgar A. (Edgar Albert) Guest exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 109 sentences, grouped into 22 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 Just Folks?

Work through the 22 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 22 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 Just Folks

Common questions about reading Just Folks by Edgar A. (Edgar Albert) Guest on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Just Folks?

Yes. All 1027 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #941 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Just Folks is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #941, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Just Folks take to read?

About 85 minutes of reading across 206 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Just Folks section by section

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

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 9 chapters of Just Folks 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 Just Folks

Words and structures a reader meets early in Just Folks, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Little
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Just Folks; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Mother
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Just Folks; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Memory
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Just Folks; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Father
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Just Folks; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.