Chapter 1 of The Dutch Twins is here in full — 511 sentences across 103 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
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Chapter I
Chapter 1 of The Dutch Twins is here in full — 511 sentences across 103 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
He just looked proud and pleased and put his hands in his pockets. "By and by, when you are four and a half feet high and are called Christopher, you can go with Father every time," said Vrouw Vedder. "I can think a little bit, too," said Kat. "Can't I go?" "No," said Vrouw Vedder.
Chapter 1 of The Dutch Twins is here in full — 511 sentences across 103 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 74/102 · 5 reading units · Lines 366–370
These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.
a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading “"I can think a little bit, too," said Kat.”
Christian martyr and patron saint of travellers (3rd century)
From this reading “"By and by, when you are four and a half feet high and are called Christopher, you can go with Father every time," said Vrouw Vedder.”
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading “"By and by, when you are four and a half feet high and are called Christopher, you can go with Father every time," said Vrouw Vedder.”
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading “"By and by, when you are four and a half feet high and are called Christopher, you can go with Father every time," said Vrouw Vedder.”
the leaves of the shrub Catha edulis which are chewed like tobacco or used to make tea; has the effect of a euphoric stimulant
From this reading “"I can think a little bit, too," said Kat.”
experiencing or manifesting pleasure
From this reading “He just looked proud and pleased and put his hands in his pockets.”
plural of “pocket” — a small pouch inside a garment for carrying small articles
From this reading “He just looked proud and pleased and put his hands in his pockets.”
feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth; or being a reason for pride
From this reading “He just looked proud and pleased and put his hands in his pockets.”
Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.
Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "By and by, when you are four and a half feet high and are called Christopher, you can go with Father every time," said Vrouw Vedder.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He just looked proud and pleased and put his hands in his pockets.
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "By and by, when you are four and a half feet high and are called Christopher, you can go with Father every time," said Vrouw Vedder.
a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading "I can think a little bit, too," said Kat.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading "By and by, when you are four and a half feet high and are called Christopher, you can go with Father every time," said Vrouw Vedder.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading "By and by, when you are four and a half feet high and are called Christopher, you can go with Father every time," said Vrouw Vedder.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading "By and by, when you are four and a half feet high and are called Christopher, you can go with Father every time," said Vrouw Vedder.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Can't I go?"
Christian martyr and patron saint of travellers (3rd century)
From this reading "By and by, when you are four and a half feet high and are called Christopher, you can go with Father every time," said Vrouw Vedder.
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading "By and by, when you are four and a half feet high and are called Christopher, you can go with Father every time," said Vrouw Vedder.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading "By and by, when you are four and a half feet high and are called Christopher, you can go with Father every time," said Vrouw Vedder.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading "By and by, when you are four and a half feet high and are called Christopher, you can go with Father every time," said Vrouw Vedder.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading "By and by, when you are four and a half feet high and are called Christopher, you can go with Father every time," said Vrouw Vedder.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading "By and by, when you are four and a half feet high and are called Christopher, you can go with Father every time," said Vrouw Vedder.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading "By and by, when you are four and a half feet high and are called Christopher, you can go with Father every time," said Vrouw Vedder.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading He just looked proud and pleased and put his hands in his pockets.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He just looked proud and pleased and put his hands in his pockets.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading "By and by, when you are four and a half feet high and are called Christopher, you can go with Father every time," said Vrouw Vedder.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He just looked proud and pleased and put his hands in his pockets.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I can think a little bit, too," said Kat.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He just looked proud and pleased and put his hands in his pockets.
and nothing more
From this reading He just looked proud and pleased and put his hands in his pockets.
the leaves of the shrub Catha edulis which are chewed like tobacco or used to make tea; has the effect of a euphoric stimulant
From this reading "I can think a little bit, too," said Kat.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading "I can think a little bit, too," said Kat.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading He just looked proud and pleased and put his hands in his pockets.
not any; not one
From this reading "No," said Vrouw Vedder.
experiencing or manifesting pleasure
From this reading He just looked proud and pleased and put his hands in his pockets.
plural of “pocket” — a small pouch inside a garment for carrying small articles
From this reading He just looked proud and pleased and put his hands in his pockets.
feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth; or being a reason for pride
From this reading He just looked proud and pleased and put his hands in his pockets.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading He just looked proud and pleased and put his hands in his pockets.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "By and by, when you are four and a half feet high and are called Christopher, you can go with Father every time," said Vrouw Vedder.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading "I can think a little bit, too," said Kat.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading "By and by, when you are four and a half feet high and are called Christopher, you can go with Father every time," said Vrouw Vedder.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading "I can think a little bit, too," said Kat.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "By and by, when you are four and a half feet high and are called Christopher, you can go with Father every time," said Vrouw Vedder.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "By and by, when you are four and a half feet high and are called Christopher, you can go with Father every time," said Vrouw Vedder.
at the time that
From this reading "By and by, when you are four and a half feet high and are called Christopher, you can go with Father every time," said Vrouw Vedder.
in the company of; together with
From this reading "By and by, when you are four and a half feet high and are called Christopher, you can go with Father every time," said Vrouw Vedder.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "By and by, when you are four and a half feet high and are called Christopher, you can go with Father every time," said Vrouw Vedder.
Chapter 1 of The Dutch Twins by Lucy Fitch Perkins holds 511 sentences, grouped into 103 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.
Chapter 1 holds 511 sentences of The Dutch Twins, unabridged, divided into 103 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 1 of The Dutch Twins by Lucy Fitch Perkins exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 511 sentences, grouped into 103 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.
Work through the 103 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 103 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 can be played aloud in United States English.
Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.
Common questions about reading The Dutch Twins by Lucy Fitch Perkins on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 1516 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #4012 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #4012, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 126 minutes of reading across 304 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Dutch Twins section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 3 chapters of The Dutch Twins to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in The Dutch Twins, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
