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The spokesman's secretary
The spokesman's secretary

Chapter XVII

Chapter 17 of The spokesman's secretary is here in full — 73 sentences across 15 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for The spokesman's secretary
Context Illustration Reading 1/14 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
IN WHICH I BECOME A SYKER DEAR MOM:
I have your letter in which you send me two dollars and it is sure good of you and Pop to think of me with all the troubles of your own you have got.
It come at just the right moment for I had got down to only nine cents, and I did not dare to buy the morning paper to see what the Spokesman has been saying.
Mr. Edgerton has got it fixed that I have been appointed Emergency Field Grammarian but I do not get the salary until Saturday and these two dollars will save my life.
And oh Mom I am glad that you will talk to Walter for me.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The spokesman's secretary

Chapter XVII

Chapter 17 of The spokesman's secretary is here in full — 73 sentences across 15 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/14 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
IN WHICH I BECOME A SYKER DEAR MOM:
Line 2
I have your letter in which you send me two dollars and it is sure good of you and Pop to think of me with all the troubles of your own you have got.
/aɪ hæv jɔːr ˈletər ɪn wɪtʃ juː send miː tuː ˈdɑːlərz ənd ɪt ɪz ʃʊr ɡʊd ʌv juː ənd pɑːp tuː θɪŋk ʌv miː wɪð ɔːl ðə ˈtrʌbəlz ʌv jɔːr oʊn juː hæv ɡɑːt/
Line 3
It come at just the right moment for I had got down to only nine cents, and I did not dare to buy the morning paper to see what the Spokesman has been saying.
/ɪt kʌm æt dʒʌst ðə raɪt ˈmoʊmənt fɔːr aɪ hæd ɡɑːt daʊn tuː ˈoʊnli naɪn sents ənd aɪ dɪd nɑːt der tuː baɪ ðə ˈmɔːrnɪŋ ˈpeɪpər tuː siː wʌt ðə ˈspoʊksmən hæz bɪn ˈseɪɪŋ/
Line 4
Mr. Edgerton has got it fixed that I have been appointed Emergency Field Grammarian but I do not get the salary until Saturday and these two dollars will save my life.
Line 5
And oh Mom I am glad that you will talk to Walter for me.
/ənd oʊ mɑːm aɪ æm ɡlæd ðæt juː wɪl tɔːk tuː ˈwɔːltər fɔːr miː/

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.

appointed adjective US /əˈpɔɪntɪd/

subject to appointment

From this reading “Mr. Edgerton has got it fixed that I have been appointed Emergency Field Grammarian but I do not get the salary until Saturday and these two dollars will save my life.”

cents noun US /sents/

plural of “cent” — a fractional monetary unit of several countries

From this reading “It come at just the right moment for I had got down to only nine cents, and I did not dare to buy the morning paper to see what the Spokesman has been saying.”

Emergency noun US /ɪˈmɜːrdʒənsi/

a sudden unforeseen crisis (usually involving danger) that requires immediate action

From this reading “Mr. Edgerton has got it fixed that I have been appointed Emergency Field Grammarian but I do not get the salary until Saturday and these two dollars will save my life.”

mom noun US /mɑːm/

informal terms for a mother

From this reading “IN WHICH I BECOME A SYKER DEAR MOM:”

Pop verb US /pɑːp/

bulge outward

From this reading “I have your letter in which you send me two dollars and it is sure good of you and Pop to think of me with all the troubles of your own you have got.”

salary noun US /ˈsæləri/

something that remunerates

From this reading “Mr. Edgerton has got it fixed that I have been appointed Emergency Field Grammarian but I do not get the salary until Saturday and these two dollars will save my life.”

Spokesman noun US /ˈspoʊksmən/

a male spokesperson

From this reading “It come at just the right moment for I had got down to only nine cents, and I did not dare to buy the morning paper to see what the Spokesman has been saying.”

troubles noun US /ˈtrʌbəlz/

plural of “trouble” — a source of difficulty

From this reading “I have your letter in which you send me two dollars and it is sure good of you and Pop to think of me with all the troubles of your own you have got.”

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.

two dollars noun + noun counted as “two dollar”

In this reading “I have your letter in which you send me two dollars and it is sure good of you and Pop to think of me with all the troubles of your own you have got.”

morning paper noun + noun

In this reading “It come at just the right moment for I had got down to only nine cents, and I did not dare to buy the morning paper to see what the Spokesman has been saying.”

got down verb + adjective counted as “get down”

lower (one's body) as by kneeling

In this reading “It come at just the right moment for I had got down to only nine cents, and I did not dare to buy the morning paper to see what the Spokesman has been saying.”

think of verb + particle

keep in mind for attention or consideration

In this reading “I have your letter in which you send me two dollars and it is sure good of you and Pop to think of me with all the troubles of your own you have got.”

All words in this reading · 78

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 IN WHICH I BECOME A SYKER DEAR MOM:

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 I have your letter in which you send me two dollars and it is sure good of you and Pop to think of me with all the troubles of your own you have got.

amauxiliary verbUS /æm/

the form of “be” used with “I”

From this reading And oh Mom I am glad that you will talk to Walter for me.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

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

From this reading I have your letter in which you send me two dollars and it is sure good of you and Pop to think of me with all the troubles of your own you have got.

appointedadjectiveUS /əˈpɔɪntɪd/

subject to appointment

From this reading Mr. Edgerton has got it fixed that I have been appointed Emergency Field Grammarian but I do not get the salary until Saturday and these two dollars will save my life.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading It come at just the right moment for I had got down to only nine cents, and I did not dare to buy the morning paper to see what the Spokesman has been saying.

BECOMEverbUS /bɪˈkʌm/

enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading IN WHICH I BECOME A SYKER DEAR MOM:

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading It come at just the right moment for I had got down to only nine cents, and I did not dare to buy the morning paper to see what the Spokesman has been saying.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Mr. Edgerton has got it fixed that I have been appointed Emergency Field Grammarian but I do not get the salary until Saturday and these two dollars will save my life.

buyverbUS /baɪ/

obtain by purchase; acquire by means of a financial transaction

From this reading It come at just the right moment for I had got down to only nine cents, and I did not dare to buy the morning paper to see what the Spokesman has been saying.

centsnounUS /sents/

plural of “cent” — a fractional monetary unit of several countries

From this reading It come at just the right moment for I had got down to only nine cents, and I did not dare to buy the morning paper to see what the Spokesman has been saying.

comeverbUS /kʌm/

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

From this reading It come at just the right moment for I had got down to only nine cents, and I did not dare to buy the morning paper to see what the Spokesman has been saying.

dareverbUS /der/

take upon oneself; act presumptuously, without permission

From this reading It come at just the right moment for I had got down to only nine cents, and I did not dare to buy the morning paper to see what the Spokesman has been saying.

DEARadjectiveUS /dɪr/

dearly loved

From this reading IN WHICH I BECOME A SYKER DEAR MOM:

didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/

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

From this reading It come at just the right moment for I had got down to only nine cents, and I did not dare to buy the morning paper to see what the Spokesman has been saying.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading Mr. Edgerton has got it fixed that I have been appointed Emergency Field Grammarian but I do not get the salary until Saturday and these two dollars will save my life.

dollarsnounUS /ˈdɑːlərz/

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

From this reading I have your letter in which you send me two dollars and it is sure good of you and Pop to think of me with all the troubles of your own you have got.

downadjectiveUS /daʊn/

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading It come at just the right moment for I had got down to only nine cents, and I did not dare to buy the morning paper to see what the Spokesman has been saying.

Edgerton

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

From this reading Mr. Edgerton has got it fixed that I have been appointed Emergency Field Grammarian but I do not get the salary until Saturday and these two dollars will save my life.

EmergencynounUS /ɪˈmɜːrdʒənsi/

a sudden unforeseen crisis (usually involving danger) that requires immediate action

From this reading Mr. Edgerton has got it fixed that I have been appointed Emergency Field Grammarian but I do not get the salary until Saturday and these two dollars will save my life.

FieldnounUS /fiːld/

a piece of land cleared of trees and usually enclosed

From this reading Mr. Edgerton has got it fixed that I have been appointed Emergency Field Grammarian but I do not get the salary until Saturday and these two dollars will save my life.

fixedadjectiveUS /fɪkst/

(of a number) having a fixed and unchanging value

From this reading Mr. Edgerton has got it fixed that I have been appointed Emergency Field Grammarian but I do not get the salary until Saturday and these two dollars will save my life.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading It come at just the right moment for I had got down to only nine cents, and I did not dare to buy the morning paper to see what the Spokesman has been saying.

getverbUS /ɡet/

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading Mr. Edgerton has got it fixed that I have been appointed Emergency Field Grammarian but I do not get the salary until Saturday and these two dollars will save my life.

gladadjectiveUS /ɡlæd/

showing or causing joy and pleasure; especially made happy

From this reading And oh Mom I am glad that you will talk to Walter for me.

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

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

From this reading I have your letter in which you send me two dollars and it is sure good of you and Pop to think of me with all the troubles of your own you have got.

gotverbUS /ɡɑːt/

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

From this reading I have your letter in which you send me two dollars and it is sure good of you and Pop to think of me with all the troubles of your own you have got.

Grammariannoun

a linguist who specializes in the study of grammar and syntax

From this reading Mr. Edgerton has got it fixed that I have been appointed Emergency Field Grammarian but I do not get the salary until Saturday and these two dollars will save my life.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

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

From this reading It come at just the right moment for I had got down to only nine cents, and I did not dare to buy the morning paper to see what the Spokesman has been saying.

hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/

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

From this reading It come at just the right moment for I had got down to only nine cents, and I did not dare to buy the morning paper to see what the Spokesman has been saying.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading I have your letter in which you send me two dollars and it is sure good of you and Pop to think of me with all the troubles of your own you have got.

IpronounUS /aɪ/

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

From this reading IN WHICH I BECOME A SYKER DEAR MOM:

INprepositionUS /ɪn/

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

From this reading IN WHICH I BECOME A SYKER DEAR MOM:

isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/

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

From this reading I have your letter in which you send me two dollars and it is sure good of you and Pop to think of me with all the troubles of your own you have got.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading I have your letter in which you send me two dollars and it is sure good of you and Pop to think of me with all the troubles of your own you have got.

justadverbUS /dʒʌst/

and nothing more

From this reading It come at just the right moment for I had got down to only nine cents, and I did not dare to buy the morning paper to see what the Spokesman has been saying.

letternounUS /ˈletər/

a written message addressed to a person or organization

From this reading I have your letter in which you send me two dollars and it is sure good of you and Pop to think of me with all the troubles of your own you have got.

lifenounUS /laɪf/

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading Mr. Edgerton has got it fixed that I have been appointed Emergency Field Grammarian but I do not get the salary until Saturday and these two dollars will save my life.

mepronounUS /miː/

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

From this reading I have your letter in which you send me two dollars and it is sure good of you and Pop to think of me with all the troubles of your own you have got.

MOMnounUS /mɑːm/

informal terms for a mother

From this reading IN WHICH I BECOME A SYKER DEAR MOM:

momentnounUS /ˈmoʊmənt/

a particular point in time

From this reading It come at just the right moment for I had got down to only nine cents, and I did not dare to buy the morning paper to see what the Spokesman has been saying.

morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading It come at just the right moment for I had got down to only nine cents, and I did not dare to buy the morning paper to see what the Spokesman has been saying.

MrnounUS /ˈmɪstər/

a form of address for a man

From this reading Mr. Edgerton has got it fixed that I have been appointed Emergency Field Grammarian but I do not get the salary until Saturday and these two dollars will save my life.

mydeterminerUS /maɪ/

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading Mr. Edgerton has got it fixed that I have been appointed Emergency Field Grammarian but I do not get the salary until Saturday and these two dollars will save my life.

ninenounUS /naɪn/

the cardinal number that is the sum of eight and one

From this reading It come at just the right moment for I had got down to only nine cents, and I did not dare to buy the morning paper to see what the Spokesman has been saying.

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading It come at just the right moment for I had got down to only nine cents, and I did not dare to buy the morning paper to see what the Spokesman has been saying.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading I have your letter in which you send me two dollars and it is sure good of you and Pop to think of me with all the troubles of your own you have got.

ohnounUS /oʊ/

a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region

From this reading And oh Mom I am glad that you will talk to Walter for me.

onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/

and nothing more

From this reading It come at just the right moment for I had got down to only nine cents, and I did not dare to buy the morning paper to see what the Spokesman has been saying.

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading I have your letter in which you send me two dollars and it is sure good of you and Pop to think of me with all the troubles of your own you have got.

papernounUS /ˈpeɪpər/

a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses

From this reading It come at just the right moment for I had got down to only nine cents, and I did not dare to buy the morning paper to see what the Spokesman has been saying.

PopverbUS /pɑːp/

bulge outward

From this reading I have your letter in which you send me two dollars and it is sure good of you and Pop to think of me with all the troubles of your own you have got.

rightadverbUS /raɪt/

precisely, exactly

From this reading It come at just the right moment for I had got down to only nine cents, and I did not dare to buy the morning paper to see what the Spokesman has been saying.

salarynounUS /ˈsæləri/

something that remunerates

From this reading Mr. Edgerton has got it fixed that I have been appointed Emergency Field Grammarian but I do not get the salary until Saturday and these two dollars will save my life.

SaturdaynounUS /ˈsætərdi/

the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians

From this reading Mr. Edgerton has got it fixed that I have been appointed Emergency Field Grammarian but I do not get the salary until Saturday and these two dollars will save my life.

saveprepositionUS /seɪv/

except for; apart from

From this reading Mr. Edgerton has got it fixed that I have been appointed Emergency Field Grammarian but I do not get the salary until Saturday and these two dollars will save my life.

sayingnounUS /ˈseɪɪŋ/

a word or phrase that particular people use in particular situations

From this reading It come at just the right moment for I had got down to only nine cents, and I did not dare to buy the morning paper to see what the Spokesman has been saying.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading It come at just the right moment for I had got down to only nine cents, and I did not dare to buy the morning paper to see what the Spokesman has been saying.

sendverbUS /send/

cause to go somewhere

From this reading I have your letter in which you send me two dollars and it is sure good of you and Pop to think of me with all the troubles of your own you have got.

SpokesmannounUS /ˈspoʊksmən/

a male spokesperson

From this reading It come at just the right moment for I had got down to only nine cents, and I did not dare to buy the morning paper to see what the Spokesman has been saying.

sureadjectiveUS /ʃʊr/

having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured

From this reading I have your letter in which you send me two dollars and it is sure good of you and Pop to think of me with all the troubles of your own you have got.

SYKER

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

From this reading IN WHICH I BECOME A SYKER DEAR MOM:

talkverbUS /tɔːk/

exchange thoughts; talk with

From this reading And oh Mom I am glad that you will talk to Walter for me.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Mr. Edgerton has got it fixed that I have been appointed Emergency Field Grammarian but I do not get the salary until Saturday and these two dollars will save my life.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

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

From this reading I have your letter in which you send me two dollars and it is sure good of you and Pop to think of me with all the troubles of your own you have got.

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading Mr. Edgerton has got it fixed that I have been appointed Emergency Field Grammarian but I do not get the salary until Saturday and these two dollars will save my life.

thinkverbUS /θɪŋk/

judge or regard; look upon; judge

From this reading I have your letter in which you send me two dollars and it is sure good of you and Pop to think of me with all the troubles of your own you have got.

toparticleUS /tuː/

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

From this reading I have your letter in which you send me two dollars and it is sure good of you and Pop to think of me with all the troubles of your own you have got.

troublesnounUS /ˈtrʌbəlz/

plural of “trouble” — a source of difficulty

From this reading I have your letter in which you send me two dollars and it is sure good of you and Pop to think of me with all the troubles of your own you have got.

twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading I have your letter in which you send me two dollars and it is sure good of you and Pop to think of me with all the troubles of your own you have got.

untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/

up to a particular time

From this reading Mr. Edgerton has got it fixed that I have been appointed Emergency Field Grammarian but I do not get the salary until Saturday and these two dollars will save my life.

WalternounUS /ˈwɔːltər/

German conductor (1876-1962)

From this reading And oh Mom I am glad that you will talk to Walter for me.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading It come at just the right moment for I had got down to only nine cents, and I did not dare to buy the morning paper to see what the Spokesman has been saying.

WHICHpronounUS /wɪtʃ/

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading IN WHICH I BECOME A SYKER DEAR MOM:

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading Mr. Edgerton has got it fixed that I have been appointed Emergency Field Grammarian but I do not get the salary until Saturday and these two dollars will save my life.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading I have your letter in which you send me two dollars and it is sure good of you and Pop to think of me with all the troubles of your own you have got.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading I have your letter in which you send me two dollars and it is sure good of you and Pop to think of me with all the troubles of your own you have got.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading I have your letter in which you send me two dollars and it is sure good of you and Pop to think of me with all the troubles of your own you have got.

Chapter 17 of The spokesman's secretary by Upton Sinclair holds 73 sentences, grouped into 15 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 17 of The spokesman's secretary contain?

Chapter 17 holds 73 sentences of The spokesman's secretary, unabridged, divided into 15 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 17 of The spokesman's secretary by Upton Sinclair exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 73 sentences, grouped into 15 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 17 of The spokesman's secretary?

Work through the 15 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 15 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 17 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 17 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 spokesman's secretary

Common questions about reading The spokesman's secretary by Upton Sinclair on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of The spokesman's secretary?

Yes. All 1476 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #71030 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of The spokesman's secretary is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #71030, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does The spokesman's secretary take to read?

About 123 minutes of reading across 296 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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Vocabulary met early in The spokesman's secretary

Words and structures a reader meets early in The spokesman's secretary, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Being
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The spokesman's secretary; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Letters
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The spokesman's secretary; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Complaining
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The spokesman's secretary; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Enough
A word that appears in the opening chapter of The spokesman's secretary; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.