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The Competitive Nephew
The Competitive Nephew

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The Competitive Nephew is here in full — 425 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Competitive Nephew
Context Illustration Reading 1/85 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
"He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"
274 She postured, leaped, and pranced by turns 308 "That's the way it goes," Sam Zaretsky cried bitterly.
"You raise a couple of young fellers up in your business, Max, and so soon they know all you could teach 'em they turn around and go to work and do you every time."
Max Fatkin nodded.
"I told it you when we started in as new beginners, Sam, you should got a lady bookkeeper," he said.
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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 Competitive Nephew

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of The Competitive Nephew is here in full — 425 sentences across 85 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/85 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
"He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"
Line 2
274 She postured, leaped, and pranced by turns 308 "That's the way it goes," Sam Zaretsky cried bitterly.
Line 3
"You raise a couple of young fellers up in your business, Max, and so soon they know all you could teach 'em they turn around and go to work and do you every time."
/juː reɪz ə ˈkʌpəl ʌv jʌŋ ˈfelərz ʌp ɪn jɔːr ˈbɪznəs mæks ənd soʊ suːn ðeɪ noʊ ɔːl juː kʊd tiːtʃ em ðeɪ tɜːrn ərˈaʊnd ənd ɡoʊ tuː wɜːrk ənd duː juː ˈevəri taɪm/
Line 4
Max Fatkin nodded.
Line 5
"I told it you when we started in as new beginners, Sam, you should got a lady bookkeeper," he said.
/aɪ toʊld ɪt juː wen wiː ˈstɑːrtɪd ɪn æz nuː bɪˈɡɪnərz sæm juː ʃʊd ɡɑːt ə ˈleɪdi ˈbʊkkiːpər hiː sed/

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.

Aaron noun US /ˈerən/

United States professional baseball player who hit more home runs than Babe Ruth (born in 1934)

From this reading “"He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"”

bargain noun US /ˈbɑːrɡən/

an agreement between parties (usually arrived at after discussion) fixing obligations of each

From this reading “"He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"”

beginners noun US /bɪˈɡɪnərz/

plural of “beginner” — someone new to a field or activity

From this reading “"I told it you when we started in as new beginners, Sam, you should got a lady bookkeeper," he said.”

bookkeeper noun US /ˈbʊkkiːpər/

someone who records the transactions of a business

From this reading “"I told it you when we started in as new beginners, Sam, you should got a lady bookkeeper," he said.”

boss noun US /bɑːs/

a person who exercises control over workers

From this reading “"He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"”

fellers noun US /ˈfelərz/

plural of “feller” — a person who fells trees

From this reading “"You raise a couple of young fellers up in your business, Max, and so soon they know all you could teach 'em they turn around and go to work and do you every time."”

marries verb US /ˈmeriz/

third-person singular of “marry” — take in marriage

From this reading “"He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"”

Max noun US /mæks/

street names for gamma hydroxybutyrate

From this reading “"You raise a couple of young fellers up in your business, Max, and so soon they know all you could teach 'em they turn around and go to work and do you every time."”

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

hundred dollars noun + noun counted as “hundred dollar”

In this reading “"He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"”

three hundred noun + noun

being one hundred more than two hundred

In this reading “"He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"”

young fellers adjective + noun counted as “young feller”

In this reading “"You raise a couple of young fellers up in your business, Max, and so soon they know all you could teach 'em they turn around and go to work and do you every time."”

cried bitterly verb + particle counted as “cry bitterly”

In this reading “274 She postured, leaped, and pranced by turns 308 "That's the way it goes," Sam Zaretsky cried bitterly.”

turn around verb + particle

turning in an opposite direction or position

In this reading “"You raise a couple of young fellers up in your business, Max, and so soon they know all you could teach 'em they turn around and go to work and do you every time."”

All words in this reading · 90

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.

274

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

From this reading 274 She postured, leaped, and pranced by turns 308 "That's the way it goes," Sam Zaretsky cried bitterly.

28

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

From this reading "He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"

308

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

From this reading 274 She postured, leaped, and pranced by turns 308 "That's the way it goes," Sam Zaretsky cried bitterly.

adeterminerUS /ə/

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

From this reading "He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"

AaronnounUS /ˈerən/

United States professional baseball player who hit more home runs than Babe Ruth (born in 1934)

From this reading "He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"

ain't

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

From this reading "He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"

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 "You raise a couple of young fellers up in your business, Max, and so soon they know all you could teach 'em they turn around and go to work and do you every time."

alsoadverbUS /ˈɔːlsoʊ/

in addition

From this reading "He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading "He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"

aroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/

surrounding, or on every side of, something

From this reading "You raise a couple of young fellers up in your business, Max, and so soon they know all you could teach 'em they turn around and go to work and do you every time."

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading "I told it you when we started in as new beginners, Sam, you should got a lady bookkeeper," he said.

bargainnounUS /ˈbɑːrɡən/

an agreement between parties (usually arrived at after discussion) fixing obligations of each

From this reading "He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading "He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"

beginnersnounUS /bɪˈɡɪnərz/

plural of “beginner” — someone new to a field or activity

From this reading "I told it you when we started in as new beginners, Sam, you should got a lady bookkeeper," he said.

Belz

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

From this reading "He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"

bitterlyadverbUS /ˈbɪtərli/

with bitterness; in a resentful manner

From this reading 274 She postured, leaped, and pranced by turns 308 "That's the way it goes," Sam Zaretsky cried bitterly.

bookkeepernounUS /ˈbʊkkiːpər/

someone who records the transactions of a business

From this reading "I told it you when we started in as new beginners, Sam, you should got a lady bookkeeper," he said.

bossnounUS /bɑːs/

a person who exercises control over workers

From this reading "He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"

businessnounUS /ˈbɪznəs/

a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it

From this reading "You raise a couple of young fellers up in your business, Max, and so soon they know all you could teach 'em they turn around and go to work and do you every time."

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading 274 She postured, leaped, and pranced by turns 308 "That's the way it goes," Sam Zaretsky cried bitterly.

congradulate

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

From this reading "He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

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

From this reading "You raise a couple of young fellers up in your business, Max, and so soon they know all you could teach 'em they turn around and go to work and do you every time."

couplenounUS /ˈkʌpəl/

a pair who associate with one another

From this reading "You raise a couple of young fellers up in your business, Max, and so soon they know all you could teach 'em they turn around and go to work and do you every time."

criedverbUS /kraɪd/

inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry

From this reading 274 She postured, leaped, and pranced by turns 308 "That's the way it goes," Sam Zaretsky cried bitterly.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading "You raise a couple of young fellers up in your business, Max, and so soon they know all you could teach 'em they turn around and go to work and do you every time."

dollarsnounUS /ˈdɑːlərz/

plural of “dollar” — the basic monetary unit in many countries; equal to 100 cents

From this reading "He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"

emnounUS /em/

a quad with a square body

From this reading "You raise a couple of young fellers up in your business, Max, and so soon they know all you could teach 'em they turn around and go to work and do you every time."

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading "You raise a couple of young fellers up in your business, Max, and so soon they know all you could teach 'em they turn around and go to work and do you every time."

Fatkin

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

From this reading Max Fatkin nodded.

fellersnounUS /ˈfelərz/

plural of “feller” — a person who fells trees

From this reading "You raise a couple of young fellers up in your business, Max, and so soon they know all you could teach 'em they turn around and go to work and do you every time."

Frontispiecenoun

an ornamental facade

From this reading "He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"

getsnounUS /ɡets/

plural of “get” — a return on a shot that seemed impossible to reach and would normally have resulted in a point for the opponent

From this reading "He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"

goverbUS /ɡoʊ/

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

From this reading "You raise a couple of young fellers up in your business, Max, and so soon they know all you could teach 'em they turn around and go to work and do you every time."

goesnounUS /ɡoʊz/

plural of “go” — a time period for working (after which you will be relieved by someone else)

From this reading 274 She postured, leaped, and pranced by turns 308 "That's the way it goes," Sam Zaretsky cried bitterly.

goingnounUS /ˈɡoʊɪŋ/

the act of departing

From this reading "He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"

gotverbUS /ɡɑːt/

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

From this reading "I told it you when we started in as new beginners, Sam, you should got a lady bookkeeper," he said.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading "He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"

heardadjectiveUS /hɜːrd/

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading "He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading "He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"

hundrednounUS /ˈhʌndrəd/

ten 10s

From this reading "He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"

IpronounUS /aɪ/

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading "He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading "He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading "He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"

knowverbUS /noʊ/

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

From this reading "You raise a couple of young fellers up in your business, Max, and so soon they know all you could teach 'em they turn around and go to work and do you every time."

ladynounUS /ˈleɪdi/

a polite name for any woman

From this reading "I told it you when we started in as new beginners, Sam, you should got a lady bookkeeper," he said.

leapedverbUS /lept/

past form of “leap” — move forward by leaps and bounds

From this reading 274 She postured, leaped, and pranced by turns 308 "That's the way it goes," Sam Zaretsky cried bitterly.

marriesverbUS /ˈmeriz/

third-person singular of “marry” — take in marriage

From this reading "He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"

MaxnounUS /mæks/

street names for gamma hydroxybutyrate

From this reading "You raise a couple of young fellers up in your business, Max, and so soon they know all you could teach 'em they turn around and go to work and do you every time."

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading "He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"

newadjectiveUS /nuː/

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

From this reading "I told it you when we started in as new beginners, Sam, you should got a lady bookkeeper," he said.

noddedverbUS /ˈnɑːdəd/

inflected form of “nod” — express or signify by nodding

From this reading Max Fatkin nodded.

NunounUS /nuː/

the 13th letter of the Greek alphabet

From this reading "He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading "He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"

placenounUS /pleɪs/

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading "He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"

postured

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

From this reading 274 She postured, leaped, and pranced by turns 308 "That's the way it goes," Sam Zaretsky cried bitterly.

pranced

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

From this reading 274 She postured, leaped, and pranced by turns 308 "That's the way it goes," Sam Zaretsky cried bitterly.

raiseverbUS /reɪz/

raise the level or amount of something

From this reading "You raise a couple of young fellers up in your business, Max, and so soon they know all you could teach 'em they turn around and go to work and do you every time."

relationnounUS /riˈleɪʃən/

an abstraction belonging to or characteristic of two entities or parts together

From this reading "He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"

saidadjectiveUS /sed/

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading "I told it you when we started in as new beginners, Sam, you should got a lady bookkeeper," he said.

SamnounUS /sæm/

a guided missile fired from land or shipboard against an airborne target

From this reading "He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"

saysnounUS /sez/

plural of “say” — the chance to speak

From this reading "He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"

ShepronounUS /ʃiː/

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

From this reading 274 She postured, leaped, and pranced by turns 308 "That's the way it goes," Sam Zaretsky cried bitterly.

shouldmodal verbUS /ʃʊd/

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading "I told it you when we started in as new beginners, Sam, you should got a lady bookkeeper," he said.

soconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading "You raise a couple of young fellers up in your business, Max, and so soon they know all you could teach 'em they turn around and go to work and do you every time."

soonadverbUS /suːn/

in the near future

From this reading "You raise a couple of young fellers up in your business, Max, and so soon they know all you could teach 'em they turn around and go to work and do you every time."

startedverbUS /ˈstɑːrtɪd/

past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading "I told it you when we started in as new beginners, Sam, you should got a lady bookkeeper," he said.

stickverbUS /stɪk/

put, fix, force, or implant

From this reading "He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"

teachverbUS /tiːtʃ/

impart skills or knowledge to

From this reading "You raise a couple of young fellers up in your business, Max, and so soon they know all you could teach 'em they turn around and go to work and do you every time."

That's

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

From this reading 274 She postured, leaped, and pranced by turns 308 "That's the way it goes," Sam Zaretsky cried bitterly.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading "He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading "You raise a couple of young fellers up in your business, Max, and so soon they know all you could teach 'em they turn around and go to work and do you every time."

threenounUS /θriː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading "He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"

timenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading "You raise a couple of young fellers up in your business, Max, and so soon they know all you could teach 'em they turn around and go to work and do you every time."

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading "He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"

to-night

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

From this reading "He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"

toldverbUS /toʊld/

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading "I told it you when we started in as new beginners, Sam, you should got a lady bookkeeper," he said.

turnverbUS /tɜːrn/

change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense

From this reading "You raise a couple of young fellers up in your business, Max, and so soon they know all you could teach 'em they turn around and go to work and do you every time."

turnsnounUS /tɜːrnz/

plural of “turn” — a circular segment of a curve

From this reading 274 She postured, leaped, and pranced by turns 308 "That's the way it goes," Sam Zaretsky cried bitterly.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

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

From this reading "You raise a couple of young fellers up in your business, Max, and so soon they know all you could teach 'em they turn around and go to work and do you every time."

waynounUS /weɪ/

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading 274 She postured, leaped, and pranced by turns 308 "That's the way it goes," Sam Zaretsky cried bitterly.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading "I told it you when we started in as new beginners, Sam, you should got a lady bookkeeper," he said.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading "He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading "I told it you when we started in as new beginners, Sam, you should got a lady bookkeeper," he said.

workverbUS /wɜːrk/

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading "You raise a couple of young fellers up in your business, Max, and so soon they know all you could teach 'em they turn around and go to work and do you every time."

y'understand

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

From this reading "He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"

yearnounUS /jɪr/

a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days

From this reading "He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"

YoupronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "He ain't been in the place a year, y'understand, and to-night he marries a relation of his boss and he gets three hundred dollars in the bargain" _Frontispiece_ "You heard what Sam says, Aaron, and me, I stick to it also" 28 "Nu, Belz, ain't you going to congradulate me?"

youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading "You raise a couple of young fellers up in your business, Max, and so soon they know all you could teach 'em they turn around and go to work and do you every time."

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading "You raise a couple of young fellers up in your business, Max, and so soon they know all you could teach 'em they turn around and go to work and do you every time."

Zaretsky

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

From this reading 274 She postured, leaped, and pranced by turns 308 "That's the way it goes," Sam Zaretsky cried bitterly.

Chapter 1 of The Competitive Nephew by Montague Glass holds 425 sentences, grouped into 85 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 1 of The Competitive Nephew contain?

Chapter 1 holds 425 sentences of The Competitive Nephew, unabridged, divided into 85 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of The Competitive Nephew by Montague Glass exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 425 sentences, grouped into 85 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 The Competitive Nephew?

Work through the 85 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 85 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 The Competitive Nephew

Common questions about reading The Competitive Nephew by Montague Glass on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Competitive Nephew?

Yes. All 5023 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #32960 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Competitive Nephew is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #32960, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Competitive Nephew take to read?

About 418 minutes of reading across 1005 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Competitive Nephew section by section

How to work through The Competitive Nephew section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 12 chapters of The Competitive Nephew 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 Competitive Nephew

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Competitive Nephew, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Ain't
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Competitive Nephew; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Place
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Competitive Nephew; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Y'understand
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Competitive Nephew; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
To-night
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Competitive Nephew; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.