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The Mystery Boys and the Inca Gold
The Mystery Boys and the Inca Gold

Chapter XVIII · Tit for Tat

Chapter XVIII of The Mystery Boys and the Inca Gold, “Tit for Tat,” is here in full — 148 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The Mystery Boys and the Inca Gold
Context Illustration Reading 1/29 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
“Certainly you may do the talking,” John Whitley agreed to Bill’s urgent hint as they all watched the arrival of the other party.
“But I cannot understand how Pizzara can dare to risk his own safety——” “The high priest hates the Inca’s older son,” Bill answered.
“He will be discredited if the corn grows.
He would rather see the crop ruined than to have that happen.
The Spaniard must guess that.
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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 Mystery Boys and the Inca Gold

Chapter XVIII · Tit for Tat

Chapter XVIII of The Mystery Boys and the Inca Gold, “Tit for Tat,” is here in full — 148 sentences across 30 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/29 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
“Certainly you may do the talking,” John Whitley agreed to Bill’s urgent hint as they all watched the arrival of the other party.
Line 2
“But I cannot understand how Pizzara can dare to risk his own safety——” “The high priest hates the Inca’s older son,” Bill answered.
Line 3
“He will be discredited if the corn grows.
/hiː wɪl biː dɪˈskredɪtɪd ɪf ðə kɔːrn ɡroʊz/
Line 4
He would rather see the crop ruined than to have that happen.
/hiː wʊd ˈræðər siː ðə krɑːp ˈruːənd ðæn tuː hæv ðæt ˈhæpən/
Line 5
The Spaniard must guess that.
/ðə ˈspænjərd mʌst ɡes ðæt/

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.

Bill's noun US /bɪlz/

possessive form of “bill” — a statute in draft before it becomes law

crop noun US /krɑːp/

the yield from plants in a single growing season

From this reading “He would rather see the crop ruined than to have that happen.”

discredited adjective US /dɪˈskredɪtɪd/

being unjustly brought into disrepute

From this reading ““He will be discredited if the corn grows.”

grows verb US /ɡroʊz/

third-person singular of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become

From this reading ““He will be discredited if the corn grows.”

hates noun US /heɪts/

plural of “hate” — the emotion of intense dislike; a feeling of dislike so strong that it demands action

From this reading ““But I cannot understand how Pizzara can dare to risk his own safety——” “The high priest hates the Inca’s older son,” Bill answered.”

ruined adjective US /ˈruːənd/

destroyed physically or morally

From this reading “He would rather see the crop ruined than to have that happen.”

Spaniard noun US /ˈspænjərd/

a native or inhabitant of Spain

From this reading “The Spaniard must guess that.”

urgent adjective US /ˈɜːrdʒənt/

compelling immediate action

From this reading ““Certainly you may do the talking,” John Whitley agreed to Bill’s urgent hint as they all watched the arrival of the other party.”

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.

high priest adjective + noun

a preeminent authority or major proponent of a movement or doctrine

In this reading ““But I cannot understand how Pizzara can dare to risk his own safety——” “The high priest hates the Inca’s older son,” Bill answered.”

own safety verb + noun

In this reading ““But I cannot understand how Pizzara can dare to risk his own safety——” “The high priest hates the Inca’s older son,” Bill answered.”

other party adjective + noun

In this reading ““Certainly you may do the talking,” John Whitley agreed to Bill’s urgent hint as they all watched the arrival of the other party.”

All words in this reading · 60

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

agreedadjectiveUS /əˈɡriːd/

united by being of the same opinion

From this reading “Certainly you may do the talking,” John Whitley agreed to Bill’s urgent hint as they all watched the arrival of the other party.

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 “Certainly you may do the talking,” John Whitley agreed to Bill’s urgent hint as they all watched the arrival of the other party.

answeredverbUS /ˈænsərd/

past form of “answer” — react verbally

From this reading “But I cannot understand how Pizzara can dare to risk his own safety——” “The high priest hates the Inca’s older son,” Bill answered.

arrivalnounUS /ərˈaɪvəl/

accomplishment of an objective

From this reading “Certainly you may do the talking,” John Whitley agreed to Bill’s urgent hint as they all watched the arrival of the other party.

asconjunctionUS /æz/

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

From this reading “Certainly you may do the talking,” John Whitley agreed to Bill’s urgent hint as they all watched the arrival of the other party.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

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

From this reading “He will be discredited if the corn grows.

BillnounUS /bɪl/

a statute in draft before it becomes law

From this reading “But I cannot understand how Pizzara can dare to risk his own safety——” “The high priest hates the Inca’s older son,” Bill answered.

Bill'snounUS /bɪlz/

possessive form of “bill” — a statute in draft before it becomes law

From this reading “Certainly you may do the talking,” John Whitley agreed to Bill’s urgent hint as they all watched the arrival of the other party.

ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading “But I cannot understand how Pizzara can dare to risk his own safety——” “The high priest hates the Inca’s older son,” Bill answered.

canmodal verbUS /kæn/

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading “But I cannot understand how Pizzara can dare to risk his own safety——” “The high priest hates the Inca’s older son,” Bill answered.

cannot

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

From this reading “But I cannot understand how Pizzara can dare to risk his own safety——” “The high priest hates the Inca’s older son,” Bill answered.

CertainlyadverbUS /ˈsɜːrtənli/

definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)

From this reading “Certainly you may do the talking,” John Whitley agreed to Bill’s urgent hint as they all watched the arrival of the other party.

cornnounUS /kɔːrn/

tall annual cereal grass bearing kernels on large ears: widely cultivated in America in many varieties; the principal cereal in Mexico and Central and South America since pre-Columbian times

From this reading “He will be discredited if the corn grows.

cropnounUS /krɑːp/

the yield from plants in a single growing season

From this reading He would rather see the crop ruined than to have that happen.

dareverbUS /der/

take upon oneself; act presumptuously, without permission

From this reading “But I cannot understand how Pizzara can dare to risk his own safety——” “The high priest hates the Inca’s older son,” Bill answered.

discreditedadjectiveUS /dɪˈskredɪtɪd/

being unjustly brought into disrepute

From this reading “He will be discredited if the corn grows.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading “Certainly you may do the talking,” John Whitley agreed to Bill’s urgent hint as they all watched the arrival of the other party.

growsverbUS /ɡroʊz/

third-person singular of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become

From this reading “He will be discredited if the corn grows.

guessverbUS /ɡes/

expect, believe, or suppose

From this reading The Spaniard must guess that.

happenverbUS /ˈhæpən/

come to pass

From this reading He would rather see the crop ruined than to have that happen.

hatesnounUS /heɪts/

plural of “hate” — the emotion of intense dislike; a feeling of dislike so strong that it demands action

From this reading “But I cannot understand how Pizzara can dare to risk his own safety——” “The high priest hates the Inca’s older son,” Bill answered.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading He would rather see the crop ruined than to have that happen.

HepronounUS /hiː/

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

From this reading “He will be discredited if the corn grows.

highadjectiveUS /haɪ/

greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading “But I cannot understand how Pizzara can dare to risk his own safety——” “The high priest hates the Inca’s older son,” Bill answered.

hintnounUS /hɪnt/

an indirect suggestion

From this reading “Certainly you may do the talking,” John Whitley agreed to Bill’s urgent hint as they all watched the arrival of the other party.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

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

From this reading “But I cannot understand how Pizzara can dare to risk his own safety——” “The high priest hates the Inca’s older son,” Bill answered.

how

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

From this reading “But I cannot understand how Pizzara can dare to risk his own safety——” “The high priest hates the Inca’s older son,” Bill answered.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading “But I cannot understand how Pizzara can dare to risk his own safety——” “The high priest hates the Inca’s older son,” Bill answered.

ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading “He will be discredited if the corn grows.

Inca's

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

From this reading “But I cannot understand how Pizzara can dare to risk his own safety——” “The high priest hates the Inca’s older son,” Bill answered.

JohnnounUS /dʒɑːn/

a room or building equipped with one or more toilets

From this reading “Certainly you may do the talking,” John Whitley agreed to Bill’s urgent hint as they all watched the arrival of the other party.

maymodal verbUS /meɪ/

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading “Certainly you may do the talking,” John Whitley agreed to Bill’s urgent hint as they all watched the arrival of the other party.

mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading The Spaniard must guess that.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading “Certainly you may do the talking,” John Whitley agreed to Bill’s urgent hint as they all watched the arrival of the other party.

olderadjectiveUS /ˈoʊldər/

advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)

From this reading “But I cannot understand how Pizzara can dare to risk his own safety——” “The high priest hates the Inca’s older son,” Bill answered.

otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading “Certainly you may do the talking,” John Whitley agreed to Bill’s urgent hint as they all watched the arrival of the other party.

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading “But I cannot understand how Pizzara can dare to risk his own safety——” “The high priest hates the Inca’s older son,” Bill answered.

partynounUS /ˈpɑːrti/

an organization to gain political power

From this reading “Certainly you may do the talking,” John Whitley agreed to Bill’s urgent hint as they all watched the arrival of the other party.

Pizzara

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

From this reading “But I cannot understand how Pizzara can dare to risk his own safety——” “The high priest hates the Inca’s older son,” Bill answered.

priestnounUS /priːst/

a clergyman in Christian churches who has the authority to perform or administer various religious rites; one of the Holy Orders

From this reading “But I cannot understand how Pizzara can dare to risk his own safety——” “The high priest hates the Inca’s older son,” Bill answered.

ratheradverbUS /ˈræðər/

on the contrary

From this reading He would rather see the crop ruined than to have that happen.

risknounUS /rɪsk/

a source of danger; a possibility of incurring loss or misfortune

From this reading “But I cannot understand how Pizzara can dare to risk his own safety——” “The high priest hates the Inca’s older son,” Bill answered.

ruinedadjectiveUS /ˈruːənd/

destroyed physically or morally

From this reading He would rather see the crop ruined than to have that happen.

safetynounUS /ˈseɪfti/

the state of being certain that adverse effects will not be caused by some agent under defined conditions

From this reading “But I cannot understand how Pizzara can dare to risk his own safety——” “The high priest hates the Inca’s older son,” Bill answered.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading He would rather see the crop ruined than to have that happen.

sonnounUS /sʌn/

a male human offspring

From this reading “But I cannot understand how Pizzara can dare to risk his own safety——” “The high priest hates the Inca’s older son,” Bill answered.

SpaniardnounUS /ˈspænjərd/

a native or inhabitant of Spain

From this reading The Spaniard must guess that.

talkingnounUS /ˈtɔːkɪŋ/

an exchange of ideas via conversation

From this reading “Certainly you may do the talking,” John Whitley agreed to Bill’s urgent hint as they all watched the arrival of the other party.

thanconjunctionUS /ðæn/

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading He would rather see the crop ruined than to have that happen.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading He would rather see the crop ruined than to have that happen.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading “Certainly you may do the talking,” John Whitley agreed to Bill’s urgent hint as they all watched the arrival of the other party.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

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

From this reading “Certainly you may do the talking,” John Whitley agreed to Bill’s urgent hint as they all watched the arrival of the other party.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading “Certainly you may do the talking,” John Whitley agreed to Bill’s urgent hint as they all watched the arrival of the other party.

understandverbUS /ˌʌndərˈstænd/

know and comprehend the nature or meaning of

From this reading “But I cannot understand how Pizzara can dare to risk his own safety——” “The high priest hates the Inca’s older son,” Bill answered.

urgentadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrdʒənt/

compelling immediate action

From this reading “Certainly you may do the talking,” John Whitley agreed to Bill’s urgent hint as they all watched the arrival of the other party.

watchedverbUS /wɑːtʃt/

past form of “watch” — look attentively

From this reading “Certainly you may do the talking,” John Whitley agreed to Bill’s urgent hint as they all watched the arrival of the other party.

Whitley

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

From this reading “Certainly you may do the talking,” John Whitley agreed to Bill’s urgent hint as they all watched the arrival of the other party.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading “He will be discredited if the corn grows.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading He would rather see the crop ruined than to have that happen.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “Certainly you may do the talking,” John Whitley agreed to Bill’s urgent hint as they all watched the arrival of the other party.

Chapter 18 of The Mystery Boys and the Inca Gold by Van Powell holds 148 sentences, grouped into 30 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 18 of The Mystery Boys and the Inca Gold contain?

Chapter 18 holds 148 sentences of The Mystery Boys and the Inca Gold, unabridged, divided into 30 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 18 of The Mystery Boys and the Inca Gold by Van Powell exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 148 sentences, grouped into 30 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 18 of The Mystery Boys and the Inca Gold?

Work through the 30 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 30 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 18 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 18 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 Mystery Boys and the Inca Gold

Common questions about reading The Mystery Boys and the Inca Gold by Van Powell on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The Mystery Boys and the Inca Gold?

Yes. All 3248 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #52683 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The Mystery Boys and the Inca Gold is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #52683, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The Mystery Boys and the Inca Gold take to read?

About 270 minutes of reading across 650 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read The Mystery Boys and the Inca Gold section by section

How to work through The Mystery Boys and the Inca Gold section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 35 chapters of The Mystery Boys and the Inca Gold 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 Mystery Boys and the Inca Gold

Words and structures a reader meets early in The Mystery Boys and the Inca Gold, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Author
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Mystery Boys and the Inca Gold; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Mystery
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Mystery Boys and the Inca Gold; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Series
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Mystery Boys and the Inca Gold; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Printed
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The Mystery Boys and the Inca Gold; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.