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The Bobbsey Twins at Meadow Brook
The Bobbsey Twins at Meadow Brook

Chapter XXI · Chapter 21

Chapter 21 of The Bobbsey Twins at Meadow Brook is here in full — 128 sentences across 26 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Bobbsey Twins at Meadow Brook
Context Illustration Reading 1/25 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
HAPPY DAYS Bert and Harry were so surprised at Frank's sudden call, that, for a few seconds, they did not know what to do or say.
George Smith, the boy in the store, was also startled.
He stood with the bad twenty dollar bill in his hand, wondering where the warning voice had come from.
And then Frank showed how quick he could be.
"Hurry up!" he whispered to Bert and Harry.
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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.

The Bobbsey Twins at Meadow Brook

Chapter XXI · Chapter 21

Chapter 21 of The Bobbsey Twins at Meadow Brook is here in full — 128 sentences across 26 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/25 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
HAPPY DAYS Bert and Harry were so surprised at Frank's sudden call, that, for a few seconds, they did not know what to do or say.
Line 2
George Smith, the boy in the store, was also startled.
/dʒɔːrdʒ smɪθ ðə bɔɪ ɪn ðə stɔːr wɑːz ˈɔːlsoʊ ˈstɑːrtəld/
Line 3
He stood with the bad twenty dollar bill in his hand, wondering where the warning voice had come from.
/hiː stʊd wɪð ðə bæd ˈtwenti ˈdɑːlər bɪl ɪn hɪz hænd ˈwʌndərɪŋ wer ðə ˈwɔːrnɪŋ vɔɪs hæd kʌm frʌm/
Line 4
And then Frank showed how quick he could be.
Line 5
"Hurry up!" he whispered to Bert and Harry.

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.

dollar noun US /ˈdɑːlər/

the basic monetary unit in many countries; equal to 100 cents

From this reading “He stood with the bad twenty dollar bill in his hand, wondering where the warning voice had come from.”

Frank's noun US /fræŋks/

possessive form of “frank” — a member of the ancient Germanic peoples who spread from the Rhine into the Roman Empire in the 4th century

From this reading “HAPPY DAYS Bert and Harry were so surprised at Frank's sudden call, that, for a few seconds, they did not know what to do or say.”

seconds noun US /ˈsekəndz/

plural of “second” — 1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites

From this reading “HAPPY DAYS Bert and Harry were so surprised at Frank's sudden call, that, for a few seconds, they did not know what to do or say.”

Smith noun US /smɪθ/

Rhodesian statesman who declared independence of Zimbabwe from Great Britain (born in 1919)

From this reading “George Smith, the boy in the store, was also startled.”

startled adjective US /ˈstɑːrtəld/

excited by sudden surprise or alarm and making a quick involuntary movement

From this reading “George Smith, the boy in the store, was also startled.”

store noun US /stɔːr/

a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services

From this reading “George Smith, the boy in the store, was also startled.”

warning noun US /ˈwɔːrnɪŋ/

a message informing of danger

From this reading “He stood with the bad twenty dollar bill in his hand, wondering where the warning voice had come from.”

wondering adjective US /ˈwʌndərɪŋ/

showing curiosity

From this reading “He stood with the bad twenty dollar bill in his hand, wondering where the warning voice had come from.”

All words in this reading · 61

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 HAPPY DAYS Bert and Harry were so surprised at Frank's sudden call, that, for a few seconds, they did not know what to do or say.

alsoadverbUS /ˈɔːlsoʊ/

in addition

From this reading George Smith, the boy in the store, was also startled.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading HAPPY DAYS Bert and Harry were so surprised at Frank's sudden call, that, for a few seconds, they did not know what to do or say.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading HAPPY DAYS Bert and Harry were so surprised at Frank's sudden call, that, for a few seconds, they did not know what to do or say.

badadjectiveUS /bæd/

having undesirable or negative qualities

From this reading He stood with the bad twenty dollar bill in his hand, wondering where the warning voice had come from.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading And then Frank showed how quick he could be.

Bert

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

From this reading HAPPY DAYS Bert and Harry were so surprised at Frank's sudden call, that, for a few seconds, they did not know what to do or say.

billnounUS /bɪl/

a statute in draft before it becomes law

From this reading He stood with the bad twenty dollar bill in his hand, wondering where the warning voice had come from.

boynounUS /bɔɪ/

a youthful male person

From this reading George Smith, the boy in the store, was also startled.

callverbUS /kɔːl/

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading HAPPY DAYS Bert and Harry were so surprised at Frank's sudden call, that, for a few seconds, they did not know what to do or say.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading He stood with the bad twenty dollar bill in his hand, wondering where the warning voice had come from.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading And then Frank showed how quick he could be.

DAYSnounUS /deɪz/

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading HAPPY DAYS Bert and Harry were so surprised at Frank's sudden call, that, for a few seconds, they did not know what to do or say.

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading HAPPY DAYS Bert and Harry were so surprised at Frank's sudden call, that, for a few seconds, they did not know what to do or say.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading HAPPY DAYS Bert and Harry were so surprised at Frank's sudden call, that, for a few seconds, they did not know what to do or say.

dollarnounUS /ˈdɑːlər/

the basic monetary unit in many countries; equal to 100 cents

From this reading He stood with the bad twenty dollar bill in his hand, wondering where the warning voice had come from.

fewadjectiveUS /fjuː/

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading HAPPY DAYS Bert and Harry were so surprised at Frank's sudden call, that, for a few seconds, they did not know what to do or say.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading HAPPY DAYS Bert and Harry were so surprised at Frank's sudden call, that, for a few seconds, they did not know what to do or say.

FrankadjectiveUS /fræŋk/

characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion

From this reading And then Frank showed how quick he could be.

Frank'snounUS /fræŋks/

possessive form of “frank” — a member of the ancient Germanic peoples who spread from the Rhine into the Roman Empire in the 4th century

From this reading HAPPY DAYS Bert and Harry were so surprised at Frank's sudden call, that, for a few seconds, they did not know what to do or say.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading He stood with the bad twenty dollar bill in his hand, wondering where the warning voice had come from.

GeorgenounUS /dʒɔːrdʒ/

Christian martyr; patron saint of England; hero of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon in which he slew a dragon and saved a princess (?-303)

From this reading George Smith, the boy in the store, was also startled.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading He stood with the bad twenty dollar bill in his hand, wondering where the warning voice had come from.

handnounUS /hænd/

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading He stood with the bad twenty dollar bill in his hand, wondering where the warning voice had come from.

HAPPYadjectiveUS /ˈhæpi/

enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure

From this reading HAPPY DAYS Bert and Harry were so surprised at Frank's sudden call, that, for a few seconds, they did not know what to do or say.

HarryverbUS /ˈheri/

annoy continually or chronically

From this reading HAPPY DAYS Bert and Harry were so surprised at Frank's sudden call, that, for a few seconds, they did not know what to do or say.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading He stood with the bad twenty dollar bill in his hand, wondering where the warning voice had come from.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading He stood with the bad twenty dollar bill in his hand, wondering where the warning voice had come from.

how

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

From this reading And then Frank showed how quick he could be.

HurrynounUS /ˈhɜːri/

a condition of urgency making it necessary to hurry

From this reading "Hurry up!" he whispered to Bert and Harry.

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading George Smith, the boy in the store, was also startled.

knowverbUS /noʊ/

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading HAPPY DAYS Bert and Harry were so surprised at Frank's sudden call, that, for a few seconds, they did not know what to do or say.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading HAPPY DAYS Bert and Harry were so surprised at Frank's sudden call, that, for a few seconds, they did not know what to do or say.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading HAPPY DAYS Bert and Harry were so surprised at Frank's sudden call, that, for a few seconds, they did not know what to do or say.

quickadjectiveUS /kwɪk/

accomplished rapidly and without delay

From this reading And then Frank showed how quick he could be.

sayverbUS /seɪ/

express in words

From this reading HAPPY DAYS Bert and Harry were so surprised at Frank's sudden call, that, for a few seconds, they did not know what to do or say.

secondsnounUS /ˈsekəndz/

plural of “second” — 1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites

From this reading HAPPY DAYS Bert and Harry were so surprised at Frank's sudden call, that, for a few seconds, they did not know what to do or say.

showedverbUS /ʃoʊd/

past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience

From this reading And then Frank showed how quick he could be.

SmithnounUS /smɪθ/

Rhodesian statesman who declared independence of Zimbabwe from Great Britain (born in 1919)

From this reading George Smith, the boy in the store, was also startled.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading HAPPY DAYS Bert and Harry were so surprised at Frank's sudden call, that, for a few seconds, they did not know what to do or say.

startledadjectiveUS /ˈstɑːrtəld/

excited by sudden surprise or alarm and making a quick involuntary movement

From this reading George Smith, the boy in the store, was also startled.

stoodverbUS /stʊd/

Maintained an upright posture.

From this reading He stood with the bad twenty dollar bill in his hand, wondering where the warning voice had come from.

storenounUS /stɔːr/

a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services

From this reading George Smith, the boy in the store, was also startled.

suddenadjectiveUS /ˈsʌdən/

happening without warning or in a short space of time

From this reading HAPPY DAYS Bert and Harry were so surprised at Frank's sudden call, that, for a few seconds, they did not know what to do or say.

surprisedadjectiveUS /sərˈpraɪzd/

taken unawares or suddenly and feeling wonder or astonishment

From this reading HAPPY DAYS Bert and Harry were so surprised at Frank's sudden call, that, for a few seconds, they did not know what to do or say.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading HAPPY DAYS Bert and Harry were so surprised at Frank's sudden call, that, for a few seconds, they did not know what to do or say.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading George Smith, the boy in the store, was also startled.

thenadverbUS /ðen/

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading And then Frank showed how quick he could be.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading HAPPY DAYS Bert and Harry were so surprised at Frank's sudden call, that, for a few seconds, they did not know what to do or say.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading HAPPY DAYS Bert and Harry were so surprised at Frank's sudden call, that, for a few seconds, they did not know what to do or say.

twentynounUS /ˈtwenti/

the cardinal number that is the sum of nineteen and one

From this reading He stood with the bad twenty dollar bill in his hand, wondering where the warning voice had come from.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading "Hurry up!" he whispered to Bert and Harry.

voicenounUS /vɔɪs/

the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech

From this reading He stood with the bad twenty dollar bill in his hand, wondering where the warning voice had come from.

warningnounUS /ˈwɔːrnɪŋ/

a message informing of danger

From this reading He stood with the bad twenty dollar bill in his hand, wondering where the warning voice had come from.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

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

From this reading George Smith, the boy in the store, was also startled.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

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

From this reading HAPPY DAYS Bert and Harry were so surprised at Frank's sudden call, that, for a few seconds, they did not know what to do or say.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading HAPPY DAYS Bert and Harry were so surprised at Frank's sudden call, that, for a few seconds, they did not know what to do or say.

whereconjunctionUS /wer/

in or at the place that

From this reading He stood with the bad twenty dollar bill in his hand, wondering where the warning voice had come from.

whisperedadjectiveUS /ˈwɪspərd/

spoken in soft hushed tones without vibrations of the vocal cords

From this reading "Hurry up!" he whispered to Bert and Harry.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading He stood with the bad twenty dollar bill in his hand, wondering where the warning voice had come from.

wonderingadjectiveUS /ˈwʌndərɪŋ/

showing curiosity

From this reading He stood with the bad twenty dollar bill in his hand, wondering where the warning voice had come from.

Chapter 21 of The Bobbsey Twins at Meadow Brook by Laura Lee Hope holds 128 sentences, grouped into 26 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 21 of The Bobbsey Twins at Meadow Brook contain?

Chapter 21 holds 128 sentences of The Bobbsey Twins at Meadow Brook, unabridged, divided into 26 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 21 of The Bobbsey Twins at Meadow Brook by Laura Lee Hope exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 128 sentences, grouped into 26 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 21 of The Bobbsey Twins at Meadow Brook?

Work through the 26 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 26 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 21 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 21 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 The Bobbsey Twins at Meadow Brook

Common questions about reading The Bobbsey Twins at Meadow Brook by Laura Lee Hope on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Bobbsey Twins at Meadow Brook?

Yes. All 2954 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #6576 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Bobbsey Twins at Meadow Brook is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #6576, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Bobbsey Twins at Meadow Brook take to read?

About 246 minutes of reading across 591 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Bobbsey Twins at Meadow Brook section by section

How to work through The Bobbsey Twins at Meadow Brook section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 21 chapters of The Bobbsey Twins at Meadow Brook 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 The Bobbsey Twins at Meadow Brook

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Bobbsey Twins at Meadow Brook, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Freddie
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Bobbsey Twins at Meadow Brook; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Dinah
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Bobbsey Twins at Meadow Brook; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Cries
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Bobbsey Twins at Meadow Brook; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Rushed
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Bobbsey Twins at Meadow Brook; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.